Duke Nukem Forever

[Tobbii]

Played it, holding off my thoughts on it as I'm writing a proper impressions text.

Quoted some of the text I wrote.

...some text...

DNF plays like a classic 90's FPS with some few modern elements added in. The main elements here are Regenerative Health and a Two Weapon Limit. The health system feels out of place, but while playing I didn't feel that it detracted to much of the Duke experience, there's still a chance of course for a harder difficulty supporting classic health like GoldenEye on Wii did. However, the two weapon limit might be the most controversial of the changes. I'm personally really not a fan of it at all, it just doesn't fit in this style of game.

I can understand Counter Strike doing it and I can understand Call of Duty doing it as they're trying to be as realistic as possible, but when it comes to a classic unrealistic FPS in the style of the 90's titles like Duke, Doom, Quake, Half-Life or even some modern ones like Prey, Bioshock or F.E.A.R. it just feels wrong. Thankfully there is something that slightly makes up for this, because there's A LOT of weapons around the map, so most often if you want to change your weapon you can probably find it in a corner somewhere, and you can also pick up your own dropped weapon of course.

...a lot of text...

The game looked a bit unpolished however, more so that some demos I've seen played by the press. I played in 720p on the Xbox 360, it's possible that the game looks better on PS3 or PC, in fact, I can probably guarantee it looks better on PC as it was built for it. Another reason for this would be that it's an old build, I can't confirm this, but judging by the content this is probably the same build as on PAX last year, which would explain the lack of some polishing like anti-alising. However, the fact that it's on Unreal Engine means that the mandatory texture-lag is here and is still annoying.

In the end, it's a fun demo that works in hyping me for the main game in 7 days, but the problem is that the it's not just the game that's hyped. We heard about this exclusive demo back in November, and we've been eagerly awaiting it, for a single-player-only experience with two maps that we've already seen before we even heard about the demo. A bit disappointing, but in the end, it's a fun demo and the game looks like it will be a lot of fun as well. Always bet on Duke? You know what, maybe I will.

Link: http://achievementunlock.blogspot.com/2011/06/preview-duke-nukem-forever.html

Edited June 3, 2011 by Tobbii

[Tornado]

I find it rather quaint that they threw the edited release trailer at the end of the demo, despite the fact that by playing the demo you can clearly see many of the things in the trailer completely unedited.

And yeah, the 2 Weapons bullshit is annoying.

Also: Holy shit I'm playing Duke Nukem Forever!

[Saint Nathan]

Which genius decided to impose the 2 weapon limit on Duke? dumb, dumb, dumb. Especially with all the random weapon placement around the map. Urk. I want my 1-8 selection of crazy guns damnit

From what I've been reading it sounds like the very first demo they showed under Gearbox. The final game lets you keep weapons, I think.

Goddamn it I need to get to my Xbox and download this shit.

[Tobbii]

From what I've been reading it sounds like the very first demo they showed under Gearbox. The final game lets you keep weapons, I think.

Goddamn it I need to get to my Xbox and download this shit.

I'm pretty sure Gearbox has said they wouldn't change it for the final. But yes, I maid the claim that it's the same as the PAX demo, but I can't back it up, just a guess.

And yes, you do.

[Tornado]

When you get the second minecart locked in place, turn on the night vision mode and drink the beer. Then release the cart. It is hilariously trippy.

[Tobbii]

When you get the second minecart locked in place, turn on the night vision mode and drink the beer. Then release the cart. It is hilariously trippy.

Doing this on my next run for sure.

Did anyone else have issues surviving the first "gunning part" of the desert stage?

[Tornado]

Did anyone else have issues surviving the first "gunning part" of the desert stage?

Right after the truck runs out of gas?

Edited June 3, 2011 by Tornado

[Tobbii]

Before the truck runs out of gas or afterwards?

Afterwards, that part felt like it had higher difficulty than the rest (I'm talking where you get the first railgun, not the part with the enforcer pigs before the ship battle).

[Carbo]

I'm pretty sure Gearbox has said they wouldn't change it for the final. But yes, I maid the claim that it's the same as the PAX demo, but I can't back it up, just a guess.

And yes, you do.

It's the PAX build alright - it's been used single handedly for every piece of promotion the game has had and multiple sources have confirmed it. Dunno why, and don't even know why they had to release it so close to the release date when there's a ton of love/hate reactions coming from both ends about it, obviously most of it being down to 2 weapons and regen health. Even then Pitchford has claimed that those 8 months of time have significantly improved everything that was in the demo, and the campaign is about 16 hours long? I'm still hype, even though I haven't played it.

--

EDIT: Actually come to think of there was numerous occasions were things other than that were exhibited - Jace Hall Show would post 5 second or so cam corded previews in most of their episodes leading up until release.

--

Also apparently Gearbox embargo'd the reviews for this game extremely tight - release date reviews specifically. Thank god for that - I was worried I had to sift through boards where thousands of reviews pile up on the game and every negative point would be magnified to the point of bitterness. Now I can go on with my business.

Edited June 3, 2011 by Carbo

[Tornado]

Afterwards, that part felt like it had higher difficulty than the rest (I'm talking where you get the first railgun, not the part with the enforcer pigs before the ship battle).

For the first part, I grabbed the railgun and ran back to the truck and took care of business from there.

The part I had the most trouble with was where the shrink ray was, because I tried to take cover behind one of the rocks and got swarmed because I missed the shotgun pickup.

[Tobbii]

The part I had the most trouble with was where the shrink ray was, because I tried to take cover behind one of the rocks and got swarmed because I missed the shotgun pickup.

I did that the first time.

[Swiss]

Judging by some footage from the demo, I actually think this 2 weapon limit is going to break the game so badly. It doesn't really look like Duke to me. D:

Also Duke, take your regen health and blow it out your ass.

[Tornado]

I think the regen health is fine (sorta. The system used in Manhattan Project was much better, but this one is serviceable).

What I don't get is why the two weapon-limit is even in place considering they litter the map with weapons. All I can see it accomplishing is pissing people off, causing them to be complacent and ignore the cool guns (Can you say, Pistol/Shotgun combo except for when you fight bosses?).

Edited June 4, 2011 by Tornado

[Shaddix Leto Croft]

*is the only one who doesn't care about regen health and 2 guns*

I really don't care seriously it doesn't break the game at all for me since I've gotten so use to it in Halo 1,2,3 & Reach that it doesn't matter all that matters that ALL OF US get a kick arse Duke Nukem game with tons of humor and aliens to their arse .

I really love the game for a short demo (depends how quick you do these levels) I love pissing around with stuff in the game like that Whiteboard even though it's shit on the console version I heard it's much better on the PC version to draw with and throwing the shit around is highlight of the game for right there I was just throwing that piece of shit at the boss XD ROLL ON 10TH OF JUNE HAIL TO THE KING BABY!!

Edited June 4, 2011 by Shaddix Andrew Ryan

[Swiss]

Don't get me wrong, I think it'll still be a good game, but the lack of some of what DNF seemed set to do* is really off-putting. That alone has made it a 'wait until it's on sale on Steam' deal for me.

*bring back the absolutely ridiculous things that made DN3D, Doom, Blood etc. so damn fun in the first place.

[Carbo]

I dunno. Honestly what stood out most for me in Duke wasn't full-arsenal weapons or health kits - that was the norm back then. It was incredibly hard to notice this went on. What I found special in Duke was the level design, the semi non-linearity and the structure, and the fact that it had tons of personality. All of that was what made Duke "Duke" for me, because that was what it had above all other shooters that were on the market.

It's no surprise that the game apes maybe one or two elements from modern FPS, because at it's core Duke did this back in Duke 3D to some extent as well. In fact it might be more so notable because unlike Doom and other games that stemmed from that time, this is Duke's first FPS since Duke 3D. We haven't had the chance to see him evolve himself, and we've instead had to live on countless of remakes and re-releases of Duke 3D.

Of course there's the inherent "regen and not having the ability to serious sam your weapons" argument that it just isn't the style of Duke as a character, which is probably far more understandable. But as a game, I still retain the argument in the first paragraph that those were what I always played Duke for. I can deal with two or so conformities to the modern FPS norm. We're up for a 16 hour campaign that has since it's PAX iteration had 8 months to evolve, even including one delay.

I haven't played the demo but arguably I think most problems I would have had playing it is things that would probably be fixed by then if the reactions are to judge, and hell maybe Galaxy Man is right. Maybe there isn't a weapon limit in the full game. Although I sincerely doubt that they'd just turn that around, and I kinda agree with Tornado that it's just weird that they scatter weapons everywhere to make up for it.

I'm almost half tempted to make a topic discussing elements in game design and how one can go by with these instead of judging them out as outright flaws - instead trying to come up with possibilities to improve them. Or maybe, what benefits one gains from them. Like, is a two weapon limit arguably giving the game more difficulty or how does one go by to make this fit with a good design.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Carbo

[Tornado]

I really don't care seriously it doesn't break the game at all for me since I've gotten so use to it in Halo 1,2,3 & Reach

This is not, and isn't supposed to be, any of those games.

I play Duke Nukem and I expect the kind of fun that the first level of the demo provides. Run around and shoot shit in the face with rockets for 5 minutes.

When I get tired of shooting shit with rockets, I want to whip out the freeze gun and recreate the ending of Demolition Man. And when I get tired of that, I want to play it like I'm playing Time Crisis and run around shooting everything with a pistol.

I don't play Duke Nukem so I can strategically equip weaponry for the best tactical advantage. I don't want CoD stupidity to creep into this game, with shotguns that have a damage radius of 4 feet and a machine gun with a cone of fire the size of a truck. The demo is basically half a level long and there are already weapons that can be found that might as well not be in the game because I can't just grab them as I come upon them. For example, the shrink ray, one of the (if not the) most iconic weapons in the series is completely useless in the demo, because the shotgun/chaingun both work far better in virtually every way. And the chaingun itself fires so slowly/inaccurately that I might as well just keep the shotgun and pistol. And because I can't carry them all, I'm basically forced to choose the guns that work instead of the guns that I can have fun with.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Tornado

[Swiss]

I dunno. Honestly what stood out most for me in Duke wasn't full-arsenal weapons or health kits - that was the norm back then. It was incredibly hard to notice this went on. What I found special in Duke was the level design, the semi non-linearity and the structure, and the fact that it had tons of personality. All of that was what made Duke "Duke" for me, because that was what it had above all other shooters that were on the market.

There might be my problem then. I loved Duke 3D so much because, as Tornado delicately put it, you could just blow the shit out of everything in sight with as many weapons as you could find. Sure, it was probably the excellent level design, puzzles and humour that made Duke such an iconic shooter, but to me, the weaponry that went besides all this was what made Duke one of my favourite shooters of all-time.

The level design/puzzles look set to deliver though, which is why I'm sure this game will still be great, just not as fun as it could be.

Oh, and can you drink from fire hydrants in this one? They were a godsend on the harder difficulties in 3D...

Edited June 4, 2011 by Swiss

[Carbo]

There might be my problem then. I loved Duke 3D so much because, as Tornado delicately put it, you could just blow the shit out of everything in sight with as many weapons as you could find. Sure, it was probably the excellent level design, puzzles and humour that made Duke such an iconic shooter, but to me, the weaponry that went besides all this was what made Duke one of my favourite shooters of all-time.

The level design/puzzles look set to deliver though, which is why I'm sure this game will still be great, just not as fun as it could be.

Oh I definitely agree - the weapons were great and trust me if I could, I honestly would remove the weapon limit. In fact the PC version will inevitably support mods for this which is probably reason enough to invest in that version alone. It's just that I don't see these as the uttermost defining feature. Or at least what I enjoyed the most anyway.

I honestly have to admit though - Duke 3D was really fucking hard for me at times when I used to play it, it challenges me even today. It might just be the unpredictability of the 2.5 3D shooters, but I could never just run around and balls-out destroy everyone or I'd have my ass fried, and I'd have hell trying to find a medkit anywhere. Regen health will definitely make this game far more casual and cover based, but to say that DN3D was completely devoid of strategic situations isn't really true.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Carbo

[Swiss]

That's exactly what I'm hoping for, mods. Only problem is, the game itself won't be built to accommodate the ability to hold every weapon at once. There'll have to be some serious difficulty changes if mods are made.

And I definitely agree with the fact that DN3D had more than it's fair share of strategic moments. That's the way the game was built, to only give you certain weapons at certain times to not make it so easy. That's why I'm quite worried that DNF will take a pretty hefty mod to make it feel like it should (in my opinion).

Edited June 4, 2011 by Swiss

[Tornado]

but to say that DN3D was completely devoid of strategic situations isn't really true.

There certainly was a lot of strategy involved in 3D, but it was generally of the "what is the best way to kill that thing" variety rather then the "I better choose the right gun or else I'm completely fucked" variety.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Tornado

[Detective Shadzter]

Just spotted this at Smyths Toys Superstores UK Software Zone's (what a mouthful) Facebook:

Smyths Toys Superstores UK Software Zone

HEROES COME & GO, BUT A KING REIGNS FOREVER. - FREE T-Shirt when you Pre-Order Duke Nukem Forever on X360 or PS3. http://www.smythstoys.com/Video_Games.aspx

http://www.facebook.com/smythsuk?sk=wall

http://www.smythstoys.com/Video_Games.aspx

[Eternal EX]

Demo? What demo? Fuck I'm missing out.

Edit: For anyone who has not seen the demo....well this is what I have for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w_K0B-FbZQ

My only complaint so far is how fucking ugly the weapons look. I mean Halo 3's weapons looked purtier than this.

Edited June 5, 2011 by Eternal Awesomeness

[Carbo]

[Carbo]

I honestly can't believe all of this is in my room right now.

Holy fuck.

LET'S ROCK.