Can this be the year of the Duke?

[Addendum]

Does anyone remember the 1991 original Duke Nukem game where Duke was just a guy who was pissed off that Dr. Proton's plan to invade the world interrupted his soap opera?

And then the second game interrupted his appearance on Oprah

 

[Spade]

Has anyone here seen the leaked demo reel? This looks like it would've been an entertaining nostalgia-fest.

 

[Dark_Lord]

There are some high-res pics and the entire plot of the game, HERE.

 

[BlackLantern]

at least they put a full picture out of the whole staff...now other companies know who NOT to hire

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

This could be good.

I mean, this could spur the game to get picked up and finished by someone.

I could totally see Microsoft getting it to be an exclusive too. Seems like it'd be worth the trouble too, looking at how spiffy the game looked. I mean...who knows? Maybe with just one more year of development...it could be a great game.

And it's an FPS. That's almost guranteed to be a hit these days. Add the nostalgia...and yeah...Duke could sell.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Leaked Gameplay

I watched that and kept thinking, "What does Duke Nukem even have to distinguish itself from all the shooters out there now?" And then I got to the stripper, which I'm sure my 13-year-old self would've been absolutely titillated by.

I'm pretty sure I've outgrown this franchise, so put me down for the "don't care" column.

 

[Addendum]

Croteam's making a Serious Sam 3, so I'll be busy playing that, while some pine for a new Duke game.

 

[StrainedEyes]

3D Realms Not Closing
Duke developer accuses Take-Two of 'bully tactics' on $20 million game.
http://pc.ign.com/articles/984/984145p1.html

May 18, 2009 - Apparently, the reports of Duke's death are greatly exaggerated. According to a news release sent to IGN today by 3D Realms co-founder George Broussard, his company has not closed and still owns the Duke Nukem franchise. So what does that mean for the future of 3DR and the long-awaited Duke Nukem Forever? We'll explain.

This story really begins on May 6, when rumors surfaced that 3D Realms, the developer behind Duke Nukem and Max Payne, would close its doors for good, leaving the future of Duke Nukem Forever uncertain and gamers scratching their heads over the quiet decline of one of PC gaming's most famous developers.

Gamers mourned, reactions were penned and affected publishers issued reaction statements to the press. One such publisher was Take-Two, which had a deal with 3D Realms to publish Duke Nukem Forever. On the day the 3DR closure rumor broke, Take-Two told IGN:

"It is the Company's policy to not comment on its contractual relationships, nor do we comment on rumors and speculation. That said, we can confirm that our relationship with 3D Realms for Duke Nukem Forever was a publishing arrangement, which did not include ongoing funds for development of the title. In addition, Take-Two continues to retain the publishing rights to Duke Nukem Forever."

The company stopped short of confirming that the Duke Nukem developer had closed, and attempts to contact 3D Realms were unsuccessful.

Then, late last week, Take-Two filed a lawsuit against 3D Realms accusing 3D Realms of dragging its feet on the Duke Nukem Forever project, which began in 1997 and has not materialized since.

"[3D Realms parent company] Apogee continually delayed the completion date for the Duke Nukem Forever," Take-Two said in the complaint. "Apogee repeatedly assured Take-Two and the video-gaming community that it was diligently working toward competing development of the PC Version of the Duke Nukem Forever."

The lawsuit went on to accuse 3DR of breaching their publishing agreement for the title and said Take-Two spent $12 million on publishing rights for a game that never came together.

But 3D Realms tells a different story, saying Take-Two paid that money to former DNF publisher Infogrames/GT Interactive; that 3DR never saw a dime from that transaction; and that it's sunk more than $20 million of its own development dollars into the project. And while Broussard confirms that Take-Two holds the publishing rights to Duke Nukem Forever, he says 3DR "retains certain rights to sell the game directly to the public."

Sound messy? Apparently it is. Broussard says negotiations between the two companies fell apart on May 4 after Take-Two changed the terms of the agreement, forcing 3D Realms to fire the Duke Nukem Forever team and retrench.

"Despite rumors and statements to the contrary, 3D Realms has not closed and is not closing. 3DR retains ownership of the Duke Nukem franchise. Due to lack of funding, however, we are saddened to confirm that we let the Duke Nukem Forever development team go on May 6th, while we regroup as a company." Broussard writes. "While 3DR is a much smaller studio now, we will continue to operate as a company and continue to license and co-create games based upon the Duke Nukem franchise."

In the meantime, his company is fighting the Take-Two lawsuit. Last week the court denied Take-Two's request for a temporary restraining order against 3D Realms. According to Broussard, Take-Two's approach in the negotiations amounted to a "bully tactic" to attempt to gain control of the Duke Nukem franchise in a "fire sale."

"We will vigorously defend ourselves against this publisher," Broussard said.

A Take-Two spokesman told IGN today that the company has no futher comment on the matter.

 

[Spade]

So now they're saying Take-Two never bet on Duke in the first place? The hell? This is bringing back the headache I had yesterday.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Oh no, the talk of this coming out some day isn't going to stop is it? I thought we were past this, I thought we had moved on. The Past refuses to die sometimes, though

 

[StrainedEyes]

The demo reel was ok, but it really wasn't anything special, especially not for the 12 year development time. I don't know what 3D Realms is thinking.

 

[Joker]

Guys, always bet on Duke. He's got the balls of steel.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I thought the demo reel looked cool. It just has to not suck, and Duke would be okay.

And yeah...the past won't die. It sounds like way too much money got sunk into this project to let it die, I think.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

3D Realms is not closing, Duke Nukem Forever is not dying....ever.
When the world ends in a ball of flame, when all that remains are cockroaches, and they learn how to talk (they will, it´s scientific), they will ask among themselfs...








When the f**k is Duke Nukem Forever coming out?

 

[BlackLantern]

the main 3D Realms site is still saying they are gone

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Maybe their web guy got laid off.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

JJ Abrams is already writting the script to Star Trek 2, and one of the lines is Spock saying to Kirk: I heard to the rumor Duke Nukem Forever is almost done.

Update: JJ Abrams was asked to erase that line, as no one would believe that NDK would be released in the 23rd century

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

http://duke.a-13.net/

Someone posted this link in another thread.

Quite incredible too...things that took less time than Duke Nukem Forever

World War II and the entire Manhattan Project. Yes, even the complete development of the atomic bomb took less time.

Alexander The Great's conquest of Persia took 6 years, from 334BC to 328BC

Led Zeppelin released 7 albums, 9 singles, and toured around the world, crossing international borders 27 times (not counting mainland Europe.)

The entire Grand Theft Auto series, from the original to Chinatown Wars came out in the time of development for Duke.

Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid VR Missions, Metal Gear Babel, Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance, The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence, Metal Gear Solid 2 for the Xbox, Metal Gear Solid 4.

Were all developed and released in the same amount of time.

I'm kinda dumbfounded with those facts. Wow.


</I>

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Huh, that does put it all in perspective, doesn't it?

 

[Addendum]

http://duke.a-13.net/

Someone posted this link in another thread.

Quite incredible too...things that took less time than Duke Nukem Forever


The entire Grand Theft Auto series, from the original to Chinatown Wars came out in the time of development for Duke.

Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid VR Missions, Metal Gear Babel, Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance, The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence, Metal Gear Solid 2 for the Xbox, Metal Gear Solid 4.

Were all developed and released in the same amount of time.

I'm kinda dumbfounded with those facts. Wow.


</I>

The only thing that was wrong in the above was Metal Gear Solid. Development started in 1994

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Oh. Well that was me. It's not in the link.

But. All games after MGS1 were developed in the same time though.

They just need to stop being so picky and just release something. Anything.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

At this point, it doesn't matter if Duke Nukem Forever is the greatest video game of all time. It'll still be the butt of jokes and never live up to its own hype.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Releasing the first one and go from there, I'd say. Hope everyone forgets eventually...and just release like rapid gunfire.

I mean, would it be worse to do than not releasing anything and being in development hell for this long?

 

[BlackLantern]

I feel its just better off being left to die

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

I think there's just a ton of anger, frustration and a huge massive amount of embarrassment from it all.

But if there's a game there, then release it I say.