Take-Two bribes 3D Realms $500,000 to ship game by December 2006

[jadkins555]

GameSpot News (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/dukenukemforever/news.html?sid=6152594) is reporting that publisher Take-Two renegotiated their contract with 3D Realms back in March to try to get Duke Nukem Forever out of the door by year's end:

Well, 3D Realms now has a fairly large incentive to get Duke Nukem Forever done by the end of the year. The 10-Q also reveals that Take-Two has offered the studio $500,000 in the form of a promissory note if the game sees "commercial release" by December 31, 2006.Perhaps, finally, the game is near release? Don't bet on it.

[Returner]

They should just wait till their 10 year reunion to release the game. It's only less then year away.

[Royal Fool]

I BELIEVE!

fsdkfsdgfldgfd

[fitbabits]

So wait, should we now rename the game Duke Nukem For Fuck's Sake?

[MacDuff]

DNF is such an enigma. If you think about it too long, you get lost. The possibilities surrounding it are staggering. Is it actually going to be any good? If it wasn't, wouldn't they have cancelled it long ago? What can one expect from a game that's been in development for 10 years? Exactly how much content has been produced, and scrapped?

What I'd love to see is a collectors edition that comes with a special dvd that not only chronicles the development, but also includes aplha and beta releases of the game over time, on each engine. It's been said that everything made for this game pre-2003 has been completely replaced. I wish we could see it, what the game would've been like if it had been released in each era of pc gaming that it passed by. I absolutely loved the half life nostalgia project. http://nostalgia.planethalflife.gamespy.com/

I feel like DNF more than deserves something similar.

[dotbomb]

What a scam the boys at 3d realms have pulled off.

[Karas]

I refuse to believe that this game even exists.

[aj1pso]

What a scam the boys at 3d realms have pulled off.


Wow, my thoughts exactly.

[Zanzibar]

Say hello to 'shitty, rushed, unbalanced, buggy game.'

[xcalibur]

LOL, T2 thinks they can "bribe" 3DR with a measly $500k? 3DR has plenty of money in the bank. I am sure they laughed at T2, and told them "when it's done".

-x

[kickmybum]

I'll buy it! I'll buy anything with Duke Nukem in it!!!One1!One1!One111

[The Continental]

DNF is such an enigma. If you think about it too long, you get lost. The possibilities surrounding it are staggering. Is it actually going to be any good? If it wasn't, wouldn't they have cancelled it long ago? What can one expect from a game that's been in development for 10 years? Exactly how much content has been produced, and scrapped?

What I'd love to see is a collectors edition that comes with a special dvd that not only chronicles the development, but also includes aplha and beta releases of the game over time, on each engine. It's been said that everything made for this game pre-2003 has been completely replaced. I wish we could see it, what the game would've been like if it had been released in each era of pc gaming that it passed by. I absolutely loved the half life nostalgia project. http://nostalgia.planethalflife.gamespy.com/

I feel like DNF more than deserves something similar.

There is the much fabled DNF time line (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=314031&postcount=7) but that only goes as far as 2004.

[Demo_Boy]

This is the ultimate spin job. They stopped developping the game 7 years ago. They dont make a formal announcement about it, and they get their name into the press for free whenever they want with stunts like this.

[fitbabits]

LOL, T2 thinks they can "bribe" 3DR with a measly $500k? 3DR has plenty of money in the bank. I am sure they laughed at T2, and told them "when it's done".

-x
You have intimate knowledge of the finances of 3D Realms? Do tell...

[fndarkone]

LOL, T2 thinks they can "bribe" 3DR with a measly $500k? 3DR has plenty of money in the bank. I am sure they laughed at T2, and told them "when it's done".

-x
probably.

(my message is not too short. Its succint and to the point)

[Dabombpizza]

Is DNF the spritual succesor to Daikatana?

[zipR]

This one is for the kids of the fans of the original game.

[Sazime]

If I think about it, I may have this on preorder somewhere...

[Acleacius]

This news was released back in March, IIR.

[The Continental]

If I think about it, I may have this on preorder somewhere...

With any luck that money has been earning interest and you now own a franchise of whatever store you placed the preorder with.

[sparkfizt]

It will see the light of day! Blind faith FTW!

[bapenguin]

This penguin is speechless to this news.

[Adam Blue]

It has also recently been confirmed that Gunz n' Roses' Chinese Democracy will be the soundtrack for DNF.

[bKangy]

My theory is that the entire dev team for DNF got lost on an Oceanic Airlines flight sometime in the 1990s and ended up on the island from Lost.
:rolleyes:

[rainbowblack]

DNF will be released once the damn rumors stops

One day (years from now) we are going to hop on opur computers and suddenly find out that the game suddenly without notice has gone gold.

People will cry ITS GUNNA SUCK! and it will. Wether it comes out this year or this century. doea anyone still belive this game is going to be any good?

of course not. we just want to play the damn thing

[Sloth]

So Take 2 wants a rushed shitty game? Doesn't sound very smart.

[Stooby]

If I think about it, I may have this on preorder somewhere...

Hi preorder buddy! I pre-ordered Team Fortress 2 back around 2000-2001. I lost the box that had the CD with gameplay videos in it though. :( I guess I don't get my $10 off when the game gets released.

[Abash Alarmist]

So Take 2 wants a rushed shitty game? Doesn't sound very smart.
A rushed game? Its been in fucking development for the last 10 years. It is 3DRealms fault that it is not out, not Take Twos. Take Two is pissed that they still have to deal with the bullshit that reeks from the bowels of 3DRealms. It is a scam with little to no results on the part of 3DRealms and Take Two deserves, as a company backing them for the last 10 years, to release the fucker.

[ProfPuppet]

Watch, it'll be in Flash, comprised of stick figures, with artwork done in MSPaint.

I'm actually far more interested in whatever the hell has been going on behind the scenes than I am with the game itself at this point.

[MasterEvilAce]

This doesn't mean shit for 3DRealms. It just means if they finish before December, WOO HALF A MILLION.

Otherwise, same old same old.

[Sensei-X]

Coming December 2006, Duke Nukem Forever...... Episode 1..

[GunnyMo]

Say hello to 'shitty, rushed, unbalanced, buggy game.'

cough*daikatana*cough

Anyone positive Romero isn't working for 3D Realms on the sly?

[Draft]

I'll buy it day one. Guaranteed.

[Stooby]

I'll buy it day one. Guaranteed.
Same for me most likely. Even if it ended up being a flash game with stick figures.

[Mason]

The sad part is that, complete retards not withstanding, anyone who liked the original will probably have grown up enough by now as to find the old Duke schtick juvenile. Pig cops, get it?

It's a no-win. If they release what everyone expects, a massively over-produced shooter with boobs and movie quotes, it'll be a letdown. If it's something else, it'll be a letdown and the butt of jokes until most of us die in the water wars of 2040. After that, knock-knock jokes will come back, and 3DRealms will be off the hook.

[Adam Blue]

I'll buy it. And I hope it mirrors the gameplay of the original.

[Sazime]

Hi preorder buddy! I pre-ordered Team Fortress 2 back around 2000-2001. I lost the box that had the CD with gameplay videos in it though. :( I guess I don't get my $10 off when the game gets released.
At least now they tend to give you a gift that *might* be worth $5-10 when preordering, sometimes. I have about 15 Lineage II t-shirts from the company I used to work for that I never paid for.

[xcalibur]

You have intimate knowledge of the finances of 3D Realms? Do tell...

Well, I worked there for 2 years, so I do know a little about the financial state of the company. They have plenty of money. They sold the Max Payne IP to T2 shortly before MP2 was released for $42 million (public information).

What George and Scott may be lacking in efficient game production abilities, they more than make up for in business savvy.

3DR is one of the most financially stable places to work in the industry.


-X

[xcalibur]

Take Two deserves, as a company backing them for the last 10 years, to release the fucker.

They have not been "backing" 3DR, atleast not financially. 3DR is independently owned and financed.


-X

[Abash Alarmist]

They have not been "backing" 3DR, atleast not financially. 3DR is independently owned and financed.


-X

Never said financially. What was meant as a production studio.

[MacDuff]

The sad part is that, complete retards not withstanding, anyone who liked the original will probably have grown up enough by now as to find the old Duke schtick juvenile. Pig cops, get it?

It's a no-win. If they release what everyone expects, a massively over-produced shooter with boobs and movie quotes, it'll be a letdown. If it's something else, it'll be a letdown and the butt of jokes until most of us die in the water wars of 2040. After that, knock-knock jokes will come back, and 3DRealms will be off the hook.

Aw, come on. I'm the first to admit that 10 years in development is pretty fucking ridiculous. However, I don't know about you guys, but some of the best multiplayer gaming I've ever experienced was Duke Nukem 3D. The level design in single player was fantastic, too. If even a shred of the innovative approach to game design in DN3D has made it into DNF, it'll be worth playing.

[blackzc]

You have intimate knowledge of the finances of 3D Realms? Do tell...


Yeah, have they made anything lately? I thought they were dead, or sold.

[jacktion]

Who funds a development team for 10 years? Who throws that money away? And why? I don't understand.

[Thenetcase]

What a scam the boys at 3d realms have pulled off.

<announcer voice>
In related news, Duke Nukem Forever is going to be a launch title for the brand new Infinion Phantom console!
Also, the all-new hovercar, debuted on paper in 1984, will make it's first REAL appearance at the first showing of the Dead or Alive movie!

Unfortunately the fact that the Dead or Alive movie EXISTS and none of the other crap does, shows that planet Earth is definitely in a state of decline. At least in the Entertainment industry.
</announcer voice>

;)

-TNC-

[MasterEvilAce]

Who funds a development team for 10 years? Who throws that money away? And why? I don't understand.
Because they're not greedy money grubbing whores like EA Games..

Would you rather have the market flooded with MORE shitty games?

Secondly: Don't complain that somebody isn't spending their money the way you want them to.

[Paranoia]

Would you rather have the market flooded with MORE shitty games?


Better shitty games than one game per decade.

[thecrazyd]

Because they're not greedy money grubbing whores like EA Games..

Would you rather have the market flooded with MORE shitty games?

Secondly: Don't complain that somebody isn't spending their money the way you want them to.
You are making the assumption that they are using this time to make a good game.

[Beelzebud]

It's going to be the first big exclusive title for the Phantom console!

[Sazime]

You know what it will be? A rerelease of all the games, in one box, with "Brand new, earth shattering next-gen graphics. Gameplay so hardcore, Duke himself would play it."

[mneosyne]

ok, so, you fuck up constantly and never release your game. you re-delay it every year since 1998 AND THEN you get half a million dollars.

take2 is retarded and 3drealms is brilliant. there is no other possible conclusion, who the fuck even cares about this game any more?

[Thenetcase]

ok, so, you fuck up constantly and never release your game. you re-delay it every year since 1998 AND THEN you get half a million dollars.

take2 is retarded and 3drealms is brilliant. there is no other possible conclusion, who the fuck even cares about this game any more?

Wow you need to seriously brush up on your reading skills there buddy.

They don't get any money until they release the game BEFORE Dec. 31st. If they don't make the deadline, they don't get jack (and probably will get the plug pulled on them soon).

I suspect that even the higher ups (who are far more educated that any of us) know what they are doing.... This could be construed as more of a threat than an incentive by 3DRealms. Why? Because $500k is NOTHING compared to what they'd MAKE off this game when it comes out. :) $500k won't even cover the production costs. But it is a way of Take 2 saying "Get the job done, get your bonus, or don't do it at all". If for no other reason than to make 3D Realms look like IDIOTS.

-TNC-

[Mason]

Don't give them too much credit, mneosyne. This is a graceful way of firing a shot across 3DRealm's bow.

They won't miss twice, campers.

[fitbabits]

Better shitty games than one game per decade.
And that's EXACTLY why EA Sports are already at year 16 (or is it 17) of Madden! And why it continues to sell well despite its many flaws.

[Sazime]

And that's EXACTLY why EA Sports are already at year 16 (or is it 17) of Madden! And why it continues to sell well despite its many flaws.
I hate the EA software machine. Release the same game every year, or release one game and cut out what could have been extra features so you can bleed people dry with expansions.

[jeffool]

I'm going to play the game, and if it's good, I'll buy it. I don't see why people bitch about it, really. It's not like it's hurting anyone else. And I don't see how anyone would rather have shitty games than one good one a decade.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... As long as rockets, bombs, and hopefully even bullets, can go through a teleporter... It'll have my multiplayer gaming support!

[Fyd]

I DONT BELIEVE THIS ! OMG ITS 10YEARS!!! What they have been doing all this time?

[Paranoia]

And that's EXACTLY why EA Sports are already at year 16 (or is it 17) of Madden! And why it continues to sell well despite its many flaws.

EA Sports also developed other games besides Madden. While it may produce some crappy games, it also have produced great ones. There is no deny in that. Hell, I'm anticipating for titles like Spore, C&C3, & MoH:Airborne.

EA Games >>>>>>>> 3DRealms

[Parsifal]

I'm actually far more interested in whatever the hell has been going on behind the scenes than I am with the game itself at this point.

They should release a documentary, akin to "Lost in La Mancha (http://www.lostinlamancha.com/) ", I'd rather buy that than the game probably (not a Duke Nukem fan).

[Qoz]

Why bash people for trying to make a better game?
EA has some lucky punches, but they have NO patience for delaying a product to make it better. 3Drealms scrapped their game twice, because they felt it was not up to their high standards. They are spending 10-11 years of salary working to get it right. They are not doing this for the money. I would imagine the income generated by a hit release would just cover them. EA would have kicked their shitty 2003 game on the market and we would have lost 50$.

I applaud 3Drealms for sticking to it and I could imagine it is a great place to work. So go play other games until it is released. If every dev. house rushed products we would not have seen a HalfLife - that game changed the industry.

I also hope for developer video/screenshots from older builds on the collectors edition DVD. We already have the video from 2003 (which is still really cool BTW), but some more would be cool.

[Qoz]

Lost in La Mancha is great. Poor poor Terry.

[Ravenlock]

The sad part is that, complete retards not withstanding, anyone who liked the original will probably have grown up enough by now as to find the old Duke schtick juvenile. Pig cops, get it?

It's a no-win. If they release what everyone expects, a massively over-produced shooter with boobs and movie quotes, it'll be a letdown. If it's something else, it'll be a letdown and the butt of jokes until most of us die in the water wars of 2040. After that, knock-knock jokes will come back, and 3DRealms will be off the hook.You said what I was gonna say before I said it.

Most of the people who will be the right age to enjoy Duke's style of humor (let's be generous and say under 25, though I think it's closer to under 18) probably never played the original and don't have nostalgia making them want to pick up a sequel. And without nostalgia, nothing about the gameplay of the game is likely to be all that impressive stacked up against what's already out there now, so at best for them it'll be a decent quality, same-as-everything-else shooter. Shrinkray, woo.

For those of us who DID play the original and liked it at the time, most of us have long since outgrown the enjoyment of shooting at cops who are literally pigs while stepping over porno mags in an XXX theater. It was fresh and fun when all it was up against was Doom, but I really can't see that being entertaining to those of us who have now played FPS's with honest emotional involvement like HL & HL2, or who play things like UT2004 and BF2 to get our online FPS fix. I just can't see that Duke's going to have anything new to show us, and the "rip of your head and shit down your neck" joke really just won't be as funny the second time 'round. :(

[Qoz]

And without nostalgia, nothing about the gameplay of the game is likely to be all that impressive stacked up against what's already out there now
I think a remake of Duke3D with updated graphics would sell very well.
I know alot of people say the fans have outgrown the game and won't buy it. You just need to realize that Duke3D sold because of the content - it was the first (and only) Duke blockbuster. If Duke is up against a new young audience without Duke knowledge, then that is no problem. The internet and word of mouth will still make the game sell millions if it is good.

So you could argue that the content of Duke3D has gone out of style. Or perhaps the competition is too hard?
The style of DNF will ofcourse reflect the timeperiod we are in. They made some really cool pop-culture references (with Duke3D and SW) and they will make it again. Ofcourse they won't rehash old jokes like the "shit-down-your-neck". I doubt the 2 brilliant games (Duke3D / Shadow Warrior) just had luck involved. They were just pure fun! And 3Drealms will make more new fun stuff based on whats funny now.

Regarding the competition. We have seen alot of shooters since Duke3D and they focus mostly on realism (both graphics and story). And the cool weapons are still not matched today. The shrinker, pipebombs, laser tripwires, the freezer. Excellent weapons and they will have new ones to spice it up. I think there is a market for an over-the-top actionhero shooter with attitude. And the new generation will like it for sure if they get the game right.

[GunnyMo]

Why bash people for trying to make a better game?

I applaud 3Drealms for sticking to it and I could imagine it is a great place to work.

It doesn't take ten years to make a good game.

I'm sure 3DR is a great place to work. There's no pressure or deadlines. They are basically getting paid to do nothing except release vaporware updates every year.

Broussard may be a complete moron when it comes to making games but he knows how to not work and still get paid for it.

[saulob]

i Believe!

[Voodoo]

Perhaps, finally, the game is near release? Don't bet on it.
No screenshots or ingame video footage for a game to be released in December 2006. Ha! You would be AMAZED by the number of software engineering accomplishments there have been during the entire development cycle of Duke Nuken Forever. For example, every Windows operating system since Windows 3.11.

[Mason]

Regarding the competition. We have seen alot of shooters since Duke3D and they focus mostly on realism (both graphics and story). And the cool weapons are still not matched today. The shrinker, pipebombs, laser tripwires, the freezer. Excellent weapons and they will have new ones to spice it up. I think there is a market for an over-the-top actionhero shooter with attitude. And the new generation will like it for sure if they get the game right.
That's kind of the funny thing, though. Adding a random over-the-top weapon to a sprite-based game is like a thousand times faster than putting one in a modern title. The only lessons 3DRealms seems to have learned from Duke was that gamers = lowest common denominator, and feature creep = good, neither of which apply anymore (to the extent that they ever did).

[MasterEvilAce]

Does nobody understand that 3DRealms basically restarted the project two or three times for different reasons? I think they lost their lead programmer(s) twice

[jadkins555]

Does nobody understand that 3DRealms basically restarted the project two or three times for different reasons? I think they lost their lead programmer(s) twice

Speaking of which, 3D Realms recently lost long time level designer (http://1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3151152) Charlie Wiederhold.

[mneosyne]

I would agree with both of you, but the plug for this game should have been pulled years and years ago. Mark my words, It will not sell very well. If it does come out when they want it to then halo 3 will blow it away, or FEAR or gears of war. Giving these guys another half mil incentive is like giving a failing student a B, doomed to the bargin bin since 1999.

[GrinR]

It occurs to me that IF it comes out and IF it is good, it will severely unbalance my sense of game development. I won't be able to look at something delayed for years and just go, "it'll be shit, trust me." I won't be able to say, "well at some point the publisher will just pull the plug" anymore. DNF will have ruined my world.

[Sl1pstream]

Why bash people for trying to make a better game?

I applaud 3Drealms for sticking to it and I could imagine it is a great place to work. So go play other games until it is released. If every dev. house rushed products we would not have seen a HalfLife - that game changed the industry.

I don't get this. 3D Realms hasn't released anything since Shadow Warrior (except for that sidescrolling Duke Nukem game, which was shit). How can this be compared to Half-life? Since 3D realms announced DNF, Valve released Half-Life 1, Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2 Episode 1 and they're already working on Episode 2. Delays aside, 3D Realms still acts like they're the most important people around and they keep shitting on both other developers and fans. On their website, they're still selling Commander Keen ffs.

[buzzfunk]

There have been so many other better games then duke out that i couldnt care less when or if it ever comes out. The gamer demographic changed a lot and while im sure a lot of the old schoolers will buy it (like me) lots of younger gamers will just think its pure cheese. I think while i see nothing wrong with taking your time, its a product a game. You gotta move on to something else at one point. I cant even imagine how the 3d realms guys stay motivated throu the years. The inital duker4er buzz i think lastest til 2001 and its been downhill ever since. In order for this game to get its buzz back it needs to be so good sorta what people thought Star wars Ep1 would be like.

Of course having an arrogant attitude without having a single real game out in years is sorta like a the Tom Cruise effect.

I dont know how many units they have to sell in order to make their money back. Its gotta be a lot. The market has changed, the world is very different then in 1997.

[Sl1pstream]

Of course having an arrogant attitude without having a single real game out in years is sorta like a the Tom Cruise effect.

It's worse than that. Tom Cruise is still making movies, while 3DR isn't doing shit. Sure, they say they're working on DNF but nobody knows that for sure. If they were actually working on something, they would've shown anything by now. The game should (if this is true) be coming out by the end of this year, it's been in development for 10 years and we haven't seen a single thing (screenshots/trailer/artwork/anything) since their E3 trailer many years ago.

[Qoz]

I don't get this. 3D Realms hasn't released anything since Shadow Warrior (except for that sidescrolling Duke Nukem game, which was shit). How can this be compared to Half-life?
3Drealms did not make the sidescroller.
We are talking about the delay of the development. If DNF turns out to be a turd, then thats ok. But I will still acknowledge the fact that they tried. If every game is developed by publishers like EA then you will get mediocre shit games all the time. 3Drealms are sticking to it, and are not releasing crap to make you waste your time. How is it bad to wanna make something extraordinary? I watch classic films like "Apocalypse Now" and "Citizen Kane", and I am amazed at the quality and skill involved. They were delayed numerous times and they changed cinema. Halflife1 was delayed ALOT and still went on to change gaming history. I think we should cut 3Drealms some slack, and judge the game. If the game sucks, then they suck. Until then we can only speculate.

[Thenetcase]

At this point, what with all the criticism they've taken from all the people who loved Duke, they are going to have to be literally blow people out of their seats. Otherwise they'll be mercilessly pounded into the pavement.
Plus they have the fact that 10 years worth of gamers have NO Clue who 3DRealms or Duke Nukem is. Their only chance of surviving (if the game's a turd) is to be able to convince new-comers that it's an awesome sequel to the last reiteration (which was cutting edge for it's time). We'll see if that's possible.

-TNC-

[Wyrm]

It's a paradox. They dont want to release the game because they've waited so long and they are afraid of what will happen when they do, but the longer they wait, the more likely everyone is to be skeptical when the game actually comes out. If 10 years in development doesn't produce some fantastic results, they'll be shunned as a game company for the rest of time.

My prediction is that it will be unbelievably average. I'm hoping it's as good, or better than Duke3D, but something tells me that just wont happen.

[GunnyMo]

I think they should include an updated version of DN3D that will actually run under Windows XP without all the configuration hassles you have to go through with the DOS version. :) I'd by DNF just for that.

[MasterEvilAce]

GunnyMo: there are windows ports available. they make the game easy as pie to play (especially online.. which was always hell back in the day)

[51|RandoM]

3drealms and anything related to dukenukem shouldn't even count as news anymore.

[GunnyMo]

I can never get the damn sound to work with DN3D on windows. I must suck. lol Seriously, the sound is always screwed.

[gojira]

Is DNF the spritual succesor to Daikatana?

I hope it has frogs.