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This thread has been linked to the game 'Duke Nukem Forever'.
“Damn, I’m looking good!”
Nope, I haven’t just given my vanity another (well deserved) boost. Instead, I am quoting one of my favourite game character’s lines from the brilliant Duke Nukem 3D. To some, it’s an old looking FPS Live Arcade title on Xbox 360. To others, it’s a fantastic adventure and an alien bar steward* shooting fest. Since the success of the original game, 3D realms have gone on to release other hit Duke Nukem titles for PC, Playstation, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64, and more recently Prey.
Whilst these games were in development, we have had a roller-coaster ride of shock, awe and regular disappointment regarding the development of the next big Duke’em-up, Duke Nukem Forever. First to be developed for the Quake 2 engine, then the Unreal 2 engine. Then the Doom 3 engine! And very recently it was announced that it was just going through some polishing before it would be ready for release. We have a quiet few months, go to check the 3D realms website and... BAM!
It’s gone. 3D realms have officially shut their doors and are effectively no longer in existence as a new games developer. They are now in developer heaven (or hell) like Acclaim before them. Just like we’ll never see a decent Turok game like Turok 2 again, or a brilliant future racer that isn’t called F-Zero or Wipeout in the XG series, we’ll not see Duke Nukem Forever. It always seemed over the last 12 years that we would wait forever for the DNF game...and now 3D realms have proved us right.
Take-2, who also had involvement in 3D Realms Max Payne series, retain publishing rights, but at the moment this doesn’t seem to mean much for the probably lost game. It seems they were near to completing development (if various media sources can be trusted) but the game still wasn’t finished. Take-2 had no financial investment in Duke Nukem Forever, and unless they have the right to push it to another developer (maybe Rockstar?) to finish it off, I’m sure it is now DN Lost Forever.
I am very saddened ** by the loss of 3D Realms, and really hope this isn’t the end of the Duke Nukem line of games. The Duke Nukem trilogy for PSP is still in development as linked companies Apogee and Deep Silver are not affected by the loss, so there are some development rights still in existence for the series, and therefore I retain some hope for Duke.
Duke Nukem 3D on the PC still remains the ‘daddy’ of first person shooters for me. Doom was brilliant, Wolfenstein 3D was ok, but it was Duke Nukem 3D and it’s Build editor that swung it for me. The game wasn’t too serious, parodied many a film, made fun of itself, but was still a fantastically playable first person shooter. Duke had character, even if he was the sleazy stereotypical action man who had the guts to empty his guts into the bodies of his enemies. He paid strippers in the middle of a fight, commented on his good looks, and even discovered the severed arm of the crushed Terminator before Cyberdyne Systems could get a look in. He appealed to most male gamers, and hopefully a few female ones and the quality of the game shows as its still popular on the Xbox 360 Live Arcade!
No more will we see the 3D Realms logo on new games. Like Acclaim, Bullfrog, Westwood studios, Interplay, Maxis***, and so many others, they are lost to the videogame archives. So raise a glass to 3D Realms – you may or may not be a fan, but if you’re a gamer, you’ve lost a developer full of potential.
“Terminated”
*I can get away with that as there are pig cops stood in a bar...and yes, I do pay money to see some tassels...
**In the way you feel sad when you hear about someone’s cat going missing...
***I know not all of them went bust...but they’re still lost.
Nope, I haven’t just given my vanity another (well deserved) boost. Instead, I am quoting one of my favourite game character’s lines from the brilliant Duke Nukem 3D. To some, it’s an old looking FPS Live Arcade title on Xbox 360. To others, it’s a fantastic adventure and an alien bar steward* shooting fest. Since the success of the original game, 3D realms have gone on to release other hit Duke Nukem titles for PC, Playstation, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64, and more recently Prey.
Whilst these games were in development, we have had a roller-coaster ride of shock, awe and regular disappointment regarding the development of the next big Duke’em-up, Duke Nukem Forever. First to be developed for the Quake 2 engine, then the Unreal 2 engine. Then the Doom 3 engine! And very recently it was announced that it was just going through some polishing before it would be ready for release. We have a quiet few months, go to check the 3D realms website and... BAM!
It’s gone. 3D realms have officially shut their doors and are effectively no longer in existence as a new games developer. They are now in developer heaven (or hell) like Acclaim before them. Just like we’ll never see a decent Turok game like Turok 2 again, or a brilliant future racer that isn’t called F-Zero or Wipeout in the XG series, we’ll not see Duke Nukem Forever. It always seemed over the last 12 years that we would wait forever for the DNF game...and now 3D realms have proved us right.
Take-2, who also had involvement in 3D Realms Max Payne series, retain publishing rights, but at the moment this doesn’t seem to mean much for the probably lost game. It seems they were near to completing development (if various media sources can be trusted) but the game still wasn’t finished. Take-2 had no financial investment in Duke Nukem Forever, and unless they have the right to push it to another developer (maybe Rockstar?) to finish it off, I’m sure it is now DN Lost Forever.
I am very saddened ** by the loss of 3D Realms, and really hope this isn’t the end of the Duke Nukem line of games. The Duke Nukem trilogy for PSP is still in development as linked companies Apogee and Deep Silver are not affected by the loss, so there are some development rights still in existence for the series, and therefore I retain some hope for Duke.
Duke Nukem 3D on the PC still remains the ‘daddy’ of first person shooters for me. Doom was brilliant, Wolfenstein 3D was ok, but it was Duke Nukem 3D and it’s Build editor that swung it for me. The game wasn’t too serious, parodied many a film, made fun of itself, but was still a fantastically playable first person shooter. Duke had character, even if he was the sleazy stereotypical action man who had the guts to empty his guts into the bodies of his enemies. He paid strippers in the middle of a fight, commented on his good looks, and even discovered the severed arm of the crushed Terminator before Cyberdyne Systems could get a look in. He appealed to most male gamers, and hopefully a few female ones and the quality of the game shows as its still popular on the Xbox 360 Live Arcade!
No more will we see the 3D Realms logo on new games. Like Acclaim, Bullfrog, Westwood studios, Interplay, Maxis***, and so many others, they are lost to the videogame archives. So raise a glass to 3D Realms – you may or may not be a fan, but if you’re a gamer, you’ve lost a developer full of potential.
“Terminated”
*I can get away with that as there are pig cops stood in a bar...and yes, I do pay money to see some tassels...
**In the way you feel sad when you hear about someone’s cat going missing...
***I know not all of them went bust...but they’re still lost.
“Damn, I’m looking good!”
Nope, I haven’t just given my vanity another (well deserved) boost. Instead, I am quoting one of my favourite game character’s lines from the brilliant Duke Nukem 3D. To some, it’s an old looking FPS Live Arcade title on Xbox 360. To others, it’s a fantastic adventure and an alien bar steward* shooting fest. Since the success of the original game, 3D realms have gone on to release other hit Duke Nukem titles for PC, Playstation, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64, and more recently Prey.
Whilst these games were in development, we have had a roller-coaster ride of shock, awe and regular disappointment regarding the development of the next big Duke’em-up, Duke Nukem Forever. First to be developed for the Quake 2 engine, then the Unreal 2 engine. Then the Doom 3 engine! And very recently it was announced that it was just going through some polishing before it would be ready for release. We have a quiet few months, go to check the 3D realms website and... BAM!
It’s gone. 3D realms have officially shut their doors and are effectively no longer in existence as a new games developer. They are now in developer heaven (or hell) like Acclaim before them. Just like we’ll never see a decent Turok game like Turok 2 again, or a brilliant future racer that isn’t called F-Zero or Wipeout in the XG series, we’ll not see Duke Nukem Forever. It always seemed over the last 12 years that we would wait forever for the DNF game...and now 3D realms have proved us right.
Take-2, who also had involvement in 3D Realms Max Payne series, retain publishing rights, but at the moment this doesn’t seem to mean much for the probably lost game. It seems they were near to completing development (if various media sources can be trusted) but the game still wasn’t finished. Take-2 had no financial investment in Duke Nukem Forever, and unless they have the right to push it to another developer (maybe Rockstar?) to finish it off, I’m sure it is now DN Lost Forever.
I am very saddened ** by the loss of 3D Realms, and really hope this isn’t the end of the Duke Nukem line of games. The Duke Nukem trilogy for PSP is still in development as linked companies Apogee and Deep Silver are not affected by the loss, so there are some development rights still in existence for the series, and therefore I retain some hope for Duke.
Duke Nukem 3D on the PC still remains the ‘daddy’ of first person shooters for me. Doom was brilliant, Wolfenstein 3D was ok, but it was Duke Nukem 3D and it’s Build editor that swung it for me. The game wasn’t too serious, parodied many a film, made fun of itself, but was still a fantastically playable first person shooter. Duke had character, even if he was the sleazy stereotypical action man who had the guts to empty his guts into the bodies of his enemies. He paid strippers in the middle of a fight, commented on his good looks, and even discovered the severed arm of the crushed Terminator before Cyberdyne Systems could get a look in. He appealed to most male gamers, and hopefully a few female ones and the quality of the game shows as its still popular on the Xbox 360 Live Arcade!
No more will we see the 3D Realms logo on new games. Like Acclaim, Bullfrog, Westwood studios, Interplay, Maxis***, and so many others, they are lost to the videogame archives. So raise a glass to 3D Realms – you may or may not be a fan, but if you’re a gamer, you’ve lost a developer full of potential.
“Terminated”
*I can get away with that as there are pig cops stood in a bar...and yes, I do pay money to see some tassels...
**In the way you feel sad when you hear about someone’s cat going missing...
***I know not all of them went bust...but they’re still lost.
Nope, I haven’t just given my vanity another (well deserved) boost. Instead, I am quoting one of my favourite game character’s lines from the brilliant Duke Nukem 3D. To some, it’s an old looking FPS Live Arcade title on Xbox 360. To others, it’s a fantastic adventure and an alien bar steward* shooting fest. Since the success of the original game, 3D realms have gone on to release other hit Duke Nukem titles for PC, Playstation, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64, and more recently Prey.
Whilst these games were in development, we have had a roller-coaster ride of shock, awe and regular disappointment regarding the development of the next big Duke’em-up, Duke Nukem Forever. First to be developed for the Quake 2 engine, then the Unreal 2 engine. Then the Doom 3 engine! And very recently it was announced that it was just going through some polishing before it would be ready for release. We have a quiet few months, go to check the 3D realms website and... BAM!
It’s gone. 3D realms have officially shut their doors and are effectively no longer in existence as a new games developer. They are now in developer heaven (or hell) like Acclaim before them. Just like we’ll never see a decent Turok game like Turok 2 again, or a brilliant future racer that isn’t called F-Zero or Wipeout in the XG series, we’ll not see Duke Nukem Forever. It always seemed over the last 12 years that we would wait forever for the DNF game...and now 3D realms have proved us right.
Take-2, who also had involvement in 3D Realms Max Payne series, retain publishing rights, but at the moment this doesn’t seem to mean much for the probably lost game. It seems they were near to completing development (if various media sources can be trusted) but the game still wasn’t finished. Take-2 had no financial investment in Duke Nukem Forever, and unless they have the right to push it to another developer (maybe Rockstar?) to finish it off, I’m sure it is now DN Lost Forever.
I am very saddened ** by the loss of 3D Realms, and really hope this isn’t the end of the Duke Nukem line of games. The Duke Nukem trilogy for PSP is still in development as linked companies Apogee and Deep Silver are not affected by the loss, so there are some development rights still in existence for the series, and therefore I retain some hope for Duke.
Duke Nukem 3D on the PC still remains the ‘daddy’ of first person shooters for me. Doom was brilliant, Wolfenstein 3D was ok, but it was Duke Nukem 3D and it’s Build editor that swung it for me. The game wasn’t too serious, parodied many a film, made fun of itself, but was still a fantastically playable first person shooter. Duke had character, even if he was the sleazy stereotypical action man who had the guts to empty his guts into the bodies of his enemies. He paid strippers in the middle of a fight, commented on his good looks, and even discovered the severed arm of the crushed Terminator before Cyberdyne Systems could get a look in. He appealed to most male gamers, and hopefully a few female ones and the quality of the game shows as its still popular on the Xbox 360 Live Arcade!
No more will we see the 3D Realms logo on new games. Like Acclaim, Bullfrog, Westwood studios, Interplay, Maxis***, and so many others, they are lost to the videogame archives. So raise a glass to 3D Realms – you may or may not be a fan, but if you’re a gamer, you’ve lost a developer full of potential.
“Terminated”
*I can get away with that as there are pig cops stood in a bar...and yes, I do pay money to see some tassels...
**In the way you feel sad when you hear about someone’s cat going missing...
***I know not all of them went bust...but they’re still lost.
Of course if you believe The Chair story, things could still be on track. :)
If that's true, then 3D Realms weren't as great as I believed them to be, and their 'forever' title was a big joke after all.
What worries me is that that story does seem rather fitting...
What worries me is that that story does seem rather fitting...
It is all a bit strange. DNF was apparently internally funded too, how does a company of that size do that for 10+ years. At least in actual games releases 3D Realms been pretty quiet so not like they've had a flood of income from successful titles.
I cant see that we've heard the last of it though. Its a clearly a valuable franchise even after all this time. Even if this incarnation is dead, sooner or later somebody is going to try again.
I cant see that we've heard the last of it though. Its a clearly a valuable franchise even after all this time. Even if this incarnation is dead, sooner or later somebody is going to try again.
Sad to see them go, I enjoyed playing Duke Nukem and the other titles in their midst.
Always bad when any game companies go - mainly due to the fact EA will probably get their mits on the remains and increase their fast-growing monopoly.
Always bad when any game companies go - mainly due to the fact EA will probably get their mits on the remains and increase their fast-growing monopoly.
Aye - it annoyed me when Bullfrog (Theme Park, Theme Hospital) dissolved under EA and even more when Westwood Studios dissolved under EA and we were left with Command & Conquer Generals....
...Although I'm glad EA have redeemed themselves with the latest C&C games.
...Although I'm glad EA have redeemed themselves with the latest C&C games.
Throught gaming history big companies have come and gone though. US Gold, Ocean, Apogee (now back with us).
Other companies remain but have changed staff so many times (such as Rare) that they aren't the same anyway. Sometimes this works well. EA have been given a bad reputation but their recent game releases have been far better than anything they released over the years and even involved some interesting original titles.
3D Realms made some great games, but they didn't make that many and certainly not recently. Take Two still have the rights to DNF, so it may still see the light of day (as will handheld titles currently planned for PSP and DS).
Whether it's better or worse for it no one can say, but DNF will never ever live up to the hype it has created, whoever makes the game.
Other companies remain but have changed staff so many times (such as Rare) that they aren't the same anyway. Sometimes this works well. EA have been given a bad reputation but their recent game releases have been far better than anything they released over the years and even involved some interesting original titles.
3D Realms made some great games, but they didn't make that many and certainly not recently. Take Two still have the rights to DNF, so it may still see the light of day (as will handheld titles currently planned for PSP and DS).
Whether it's better or worse for it no one can say, but DNF will never ever live up to the hype it has created, whoever makes the game.
Funny...I've just bought both the original Theme Park and Theme Hospital off the PSN for my PSP. Was a bit deluded by the memories of Theme Park, but Theme Hospital is great! Especially as I work in a hospital (believe me, they have it spot on!)
In response to pb regarding EA - I have to admit, they have brought out some smashing games recently. Very impressed with the Godfather 2 and Dead Space. I think maybe it's coming to the stage now where I'm no going to look to see who develops the game or who publishes it - and take them all at face value (but still, sad to see the smaller ones go).
In response to pb regarding EA - I have to admit, they have brought out some smashing games recently. Very impressed with the Godfather 2 and Dead Space. I think maybe it's coming to the stage now where I'm no going to look to see who develops the game or who publishes it - and take them all at face value (but still, sad to see the smaller ones go).
Theme Hospital is still one of my favourite PC games...I was annoyed when the team who originally made it were basically transformed by EA (and lost the Bullfrog brand - but what's in a name, eh?) :)
I'll admit EA have turned a corner over the last year or so and if they continue to improve then I'm happy.
I'll admit EA have turned a corner over the last year or so and if they continue to improve then I'm happy.