Coming May 6, Always Bet on Duke!

I have been tracking the series of events that covers the 14 years of the making and finally it's coming out internationally on 6 May. Pretty excited to see it coming and tearing aliens apart!

The 14 year hiatus is primarily on switching of game engines, the compulsion by 3D Realms (George Broussard in particular) over many things to toss into it (the core issue is interactivity unsurpassed) and finally, the lack of money which resulted in 3D Realms closing down in May 2009. Lawsuits by Take Two against 3D realms over the incompleted project put that on hold and finally the resumption of the project towards its release....

The first thing is primarily on the game engines. In 1997, it started with the Quake 2 engine (a.k.a Id Tech 2) - it was good, but Quake 2 at that time could not perform outdoor environments. In 1998, it was scrapped for the Unreal engine, which allows that capability. But in the subsequent years, Unreal engine evolved 3 times, and 2008 it was Unreal Engine 3. So virtually, the game content had to be moved to utilizing the new vast improvements of Unreal Engine. Virtually most of the content had to be replaced with newer content. I thought, with a PC Gamer magazine cover of the game in 1999, I thought it would be out as early as 2001, but it didn't really happened.

I have read about Broussard's obsession of never releasing a bad game in favor of taking time and perfection to getting all correct down to the bottom, and that includes the interactivity (e.g doing some crazy things like taking a leak in the toilet, using the drawing board and all those freedom of interactivity inside it. But in the process, ex-3D Realm alumni now Gearbox CEO, Randy Pitchford said that Broussard funded 20-30 million dollars of own money over that period but couldn't get it done. Quote: "He (Broussard) was committed to the point of insanity."

So in May 5 2009, 3D Realms closed down. The lawsuit came in a week later and finally a year later, at the Penny Arcade Expo 2010 everyone got surprised with a work-in-progress build that is being played by the visitors there. Confirmation on Gearbox taking over the rights to the game came in on September 2010 on a press release. At that time, they said that most of the game content has been completed and virtually the next few months is on polishing and tweaking, before the release date was announced a week plus ago.

The above video is a live demo taken from Amsterdam gaming convention a few months ago.

14 years is long the wait.

Duke Nukem Forever = Never

Last Thursday, Dallas-based legendary developer 3D Realms (formerly known as Apogee) was shut down due to insufficient funds. They have been developing the very much anticipated fourth Duke Nukem game, titled Duke Nukem Forever. The shutdown has been confirmed via two sources, which is one - users unable to access the company's website and secondly from the game's art director Tramell Isaac's blog.

In the last decade, they have been only publishing games as part of generating funds. Titles published including Prey, the two Max Payne games and other games. The last game developed by them is Shadow Warrior.

Formerly Apogee, this the company that pioneered the concept of shareware, which is releasing a one-episode game as a tryout before buying the full game content. This is the very company that published the legendary Wolfenstein 3D, the game that started the FPS genre.

It has been 12 years since they started work. But what could be the reason why the game was ultimately shut down despite their policy of 'when it's done'?

1. Engine switches - When the project was announced, in 1997 the company has already licensed the Quake II engine from their former partner Id Software (Id as Ideas of the Deep). After the E3 1998 demo, they decided to switch to the Unreal Engine. However, in the last 10 years, the Unreal Engine has evolved from version 1 to version 3. When the engine was switched, they wasted almost a year to rebuild the maps created in Quake II from scratch (geometry building in Unreal is the complete opposite of Quake) and maps, tweaking code.

The argument of switching over is because Unreal at that time has a better net play code and outdoor terrain meshing surpasses Quake II's capbabilities. No less than 4 years after that, Unreal Engine 2.0 was released and then, version 3.0 was released in late 2007. Perhaps the obsession to catch up with the latest technology to incorporate into the game plays part of it. But one year's waste due to switching of engnies could be the reason why

2. Content - Given that the game took many years to make, and the developer's promise of making it the best Duke game of the series, they put a strict silence of when it would be released. Not really. The target number of levels to satisfy fans is approximately 50 levels. Not as much as of Soldier of Fortune II's 70 levels but 50 levels is as equivalent to playing the entire Duke Nukem 3D Atomic Edition and the other 3rd party expansion packs. Throughout the last months prior to shut down, they have put up ads on the need of more level designers.

We don't how far have they covered, but since people wanted the game out, there's one thing I can suggest, which is basically since 3D Realms partner ID Software is in Mesquite, why not get them to sponsor some money into the project (read: borrow) or get them to join in part of the project towards completion. But eventually in the end, the sales will allow them to recuperate the amount of development money. Hype on the game is growing.

That's one suggestion to either Scott Miller or George Broussard.

What Is Taffer?

On certain occasions, some bloggers that I've met asked me one question of the word 'taffer'. I guess it is now time for me to give an explanation of the usage of the word.

First and foremost, the word was originated from Thief Trilogy - a series of stealth games.

Origins of the Word

The word taffer was coined up for the making of the 1998 game called Thief: The Dark Project. The game was developed by the now-defunct Looking Glass Studios which comprises of certain core members like Doug Church (Ultima Underworld II) and Ken Levine (who went on as Creative Director of Bioshock). The studio was also responsible for its sequel, Thief II: Metal Age and System Shock II.

The first thief game has successfully coined up a new sub-genre in gaming called as FP-Stealth, meaning that it has more emphasis on being stealthy, no killing, staying in shadows. According to the developer journals, the word was coined up when the developers wanted to have a unique name that can be used to describe criminals that the City Watch characters can call. Of course, calling them criminal is kind of boring, if spoken repetitively.

Why do I put the name Taffer?

The way the word was conceived was unintentional as there was a word called 'taffing', a Welsh slang / Saxon Dictionary for the term low-life common criminal that exists. The name got struck and hence the writers felt that it brings new way of calling a criminal. So, whether if you are a thief, vagabond, cutthroats and etc..you called as a taffer, or a common breed of criminal. Later, the slang word evolved into anything that is low-life. So you can say that 'What the taff' (it can be 'heck, damn' or whatever that is low-life!)

The way the word was used in saying things low-life had a very amusing reaction. For those who played those three games, you would notice in certain in-game conversations the word is always mentioned at least once. In fact the summary is formed as Taffer = "Person or thing which taffs" in which Taffs means (shows low-life)

Various real life interpretations of 'taffer':

1. A taffer is of a person that tricks, deceives or fools.
2. A Mother Goose (welsh) nursery rhyme with the line 'Taffy was a Welshman'. Taffy is a slang name for a Welshman.
3. In Suffolk, England, the word refers to spitting. To taff means to spit.

Neverwinter Nights 2 Fighter Tales

I continued my single-player campaign of Neverwinter Nights 2, completing Act II of the game, which literally ends at Jerro Haven and started Act III act Castle Neverwinter.

The Stronghold keeping is kind of a bit hard. The thing is that more should be focused on finding minerals and ores to upgrade men of arms and improving security of the road.

I wanted to get Frenzied Berserker when I reached level 20, but I was not allowed to do so because of my alignment. I had to switch from Lawful to either Neutral or Chaotic. Chaotic was my choice, but I had to play lawful as to gain influence with some characters as they will play a part in how the people will be at the climax of the game.

I thought it would be cool to change to that prestige class but I had no other choice to pick as the Neverwinter Nine...something that was offered since I joined the City Watch to stop the bandits. Admittingly, playing the other side, bandits against watch is somewhat easier but sneakier to be done.

I got spoiled of choice when deciding who to come during adventures. But I realized that having Neeshka the rogue is indispensable when travelling indoors, useful when disarming traps and gaining points. Maybe I should play again the next time I have a much more powerful machine.

NWN 2 - Fighter Class Creation

I spent the entire weekend at my brother's house continuing Neverwinter Nights 2. I can say that it is quite addictive, except that it may lag at indoor levels. But they provide sumptuous visuals almost similar as Unreal 3 except for indoor sites.

Someone told me that there is a way to try the game, if you are new by playing a prestige-character class. One of the prestige-classes would be the Frenzied Berserker that does tons of damage, provided your basic attribute points that you earn through level-ups are mainly on Strength.

I remembered this article from PC Gamer UK that recommends using that class but a different progression:

Your character type = Dwarf.

Classes:

You start off as a basic fighter, but after level 5, you change to Bard, at level 11-20, you change to a Red Dragon Disciple (cool dragon breath!) and finally the remaining levels (I think the cap is level 30) is on Frenzied Berserker.

Conditions:

In order to go to Red Dragon Disciple, you must have a rank of 8 and above for Lore. The rest you focus on Diplomacy with some on Bluff and default class abilities.

Feats: Mainly on Power Attack and its branches, two-hand weapon focus, Dodge, Toughness and whatever that you see that is relevant to fighter classes.

After you reach Frenzied Berserker, you get two feats called Supreme Cleave and the Great Cleave which can deal tons of Melee damage. You also can do Frenzy, which makes you invulnerable but susceptible after the thing expires.

A cool side note: When you reach Act 2, you are in charge of a keep called Crossroads Keep, meaning that you are in the middle between West Harbor and Neverwinter. You are running your town, you there's things to do while you're there, repairing, training and etc..!

Greek Marathon Mania

I spent the entire afternoon today completing and replaying God of War 2 - the sequel to one of the best video games of 2005. In terms of game mechanics, the game addresses the issues that many players complained in the first game, which is a little too hard and kind of frustrating for new players. Some, including those who spent lot of time going through at the first try were reluctant to try again in a different challenge mode, and hence this game fixes it.

It is a little shorter than the first game and according to producer Cory Balrog, the game takes an average of 14 hours to complete. To make this game a high re-playability one, I can play with a bonus mode which includes carrying over weapons and stats at the end of the first round of game. Secondly, I can use a few more modes include infinite magic, 10 fold experience points, weapon casting Gorgon magic and of course the infinite Berserk mode. Some of the monsters in the game do involve the ones not included in the first God of War game mainly due to theme or time constraints.

Sony managed to get numerous celebrities to voice their supporting characters in the game, which includes Linda Hunt as Gaia, Harry Hamlin as Perseus and of course Michael Clarke Duncan as Atlas, previous voice-over experience was the role of Hawk Parsons in Soldier of Fortune game.

True to the word, I am playing the second round of the game, and I clocked around 9 hours, with max 6 hours per session as to let the PS2 machine cool down and I discovered that in story mode of the game, I completed 80 percent of the game so far. I also tried the bonus challenges which includes wacky ones including killing people in air, shatter enemies only, cyclops eyes challenge and a variety of things. But keep in mind though that the challenges are essential if you are to unlock various bonuses included together.

But the more I used those tools of destruction, I think I am getting itched to whack more baddies - but this does not involve human beings...but instead Greek monsters you can imagine.