Top 20 Games of 2006

[Evil Avatar]

Voodoo Extreme has a great article online, Top 20 Games of 2006 (http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/678/678238p1.html), taking a look at what should be the hottest games of 2006 and what are certainly some of the most anticipated titles of next year.

13) Spore from EA (http://www.ea.com/index.jsp)

Electronics Arts isn't known for taking chances or going out of its way to put out innovative new games. But when Will Wright is at the helm, he puts even the most profit driven, security blanket welding EA bean counter at ease. Like The Sims, EA expects big things of Spore. Lets just hope there isn't a Spore: College Girls Gone Wild add-on down the road.Looks like a mini-E3 preview!

[president_fred]

2006 is looking fucking good, 2005 just didn't have much that interested me. RE4 (and hopefully SotC which is a 2006 title here in Europe) is the only title which really got me going but there are at least 15 titles on that list that I am completely amped about. Bring on the gaming goodness.

[DigitalFirefly]

<- laughs at #1

[Frogleg Special]

Most are PC games (How can you say "PC gaming is dead" when the majority of the 20 games of 2006 are in the PC), since PS2 is nearly dead, PS3 lineups haven't been revealed, and X360 2006 games are just meh 'cept for Halo 3 and Gears of Wars.

[Pigeon]

Well of course there's a bunch of PC games, this list is made by Voodoo

[The Iron Weasel]

Lots of great looking stuff there.

[Evil Avatar]

Most are PC games (How can you say "PC gaming is dead" when the majority of the 20 games of 2006 are in the PC), since PS2 is nearly dead, PS3 lineups haven't been revealed, and X360 2006 games are just meh 'cept for Halo 3 and Gears of Wars.

Funny, I counted about 14 console titles on that list of 20.

[Kefkataran]

Funny, I counted about 14 console titles on that list of 20.

A lot of those were also on PC, though, and often ones that a lot of discerning gamers would choose the PC version of.

[Thenetcase]

1) Duke Nukem Forever from 3D Realms
Duke Nukem Forever, which incidently was also our top pick of upcoming 2002 games (don't ask!) in theory has to be pretty f'n close to done by now. I'm guessing that we will see DNF at E3 this year and it's going to blow everyone away. The keys will be innovative gameplay, interactive environments and fun multiplayer. Hopefully we'll see more of the game very soon...

WOW.. Someone is kissing MAJOR ass here.. gambling their dignity for some special treatment as the only people who "believed" in DNF 2006, no doubt.

Ugh. Ass kissers are morons. In the end you just smell funny and talk a lot of crap.

-TNC-

[Blade]

They're gambling some major dignity not including a game that's burrowed itself a home atop many "top 20 most anticipated" lists. Think of my stance on the bias meter, and you tell me what game I'm thinking of.

Oh, and Alan Wake is definitely on my list.

[hund_]

dono but septemberish this year was about the best ever.

quake4
serious sam2
fear
COD2

[Evil Avatar]

A lot of those were also on PC, though, and often ones that a lot of discerning gamers would choose the PC version of.

I don't know. Some of them might be console exclusives. Here is what I would see happening:

Dragon Age (Xbox 360 Exclusive)
Dreamfall (Console & PC)
World of Warcraft (Possible Xbox 360 Port in 2006)
Titan Quest (PC, Possible Console Port)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (PC & Console)
Spore (PC & Console)
Alan Wake (PC & Console)
BioShock (PC, Console Port questionable)
Prey (PC & Console)
Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion (Console & PC)
Gears of War (Console Exclusive)
Unreal Tournament 2007 (Console & PC)
HellGate London (PC or Console???)

I guess that is only 13 and a few of those may end up being on the PC only. I certainly think the most exciting titles on the list (Dragon Age, Spore, Oblivion, Gears of War and UT 2007) are all being developed with consoles in mind first.

[Apache]

VE is a PC gaming site. If you want Playtendo, gamebox or lamestation coverage there are better sites to visit. :)

Just to note, I am indifferent to each console equally. ;)

[eth3rton]

VE is a PC gaming site. If you want Playtendo, gamebox or lamestation coverage there are better sites to visit. :)

Just to note, I am indifferent to each console equally. ;)


LOL :D Thats funny......

[Selar]

I guess that is only 13 and a few of those may end up being on the PC only. I certainly think the most exciting titles on the list (Dragon Age, Spore, Oblivion, Gears of War and UT 2007) are all being developed with consoles in mind first.

What makes you say that Spore is being developed with the console in mind? Seems like a prototypical PC strategy game to me.

[Blade]

Most of the games are only being considered by EvilAv because the Xbox/Xbox 360 are super PC-port-friendly. 5 years ago, I'd suspect maybe 2 of those could possibly hit console.

[Kefkataran]

WOW.. Someone is kissing MAJOR ass here.. gambling their dignity for some special treatment as the only people who "believed" in DNF 2006, no doubt.

Er, I don't see how banking on the small chance that DNF might be good is kissing ass. True, if it does end up being good, they will be able to hold it over the gaming community's head, like you said, as the only people who 'believed' in it, but that's not really ass kissing. Besides, I've been hearing a lot of these sentiments towards DNF lately, so maybe it'll actually be worth something.

They're gambling some major dignity not including a game that's burrowed itself a home atop many "top 20 most anticipated" lists. Think of my stance on the bias meter, and you tell me what game I'm thinking of.

I have no clue what you're talking about, but me? I'm sad the new Zelda wasn't on there.

Dragon Age (Xbox 360 Exclusive)

Is that for sure? They mention the list (and I was hoping as well) that there's hope it may be PC as well.

World of Warcraft (Possible Xbox 360 Port in 2006)

Possible, but absolutely nothing official announced, and this is obviously PC hype here.

HellGate London (PC or Console???)

PC only as far as I've heard, thought a console port wouldn't be surprising.

I guess that is only 13 and a few of those may end up being on the PC only. I certainly think the most exciting titles on the list (Dragon Age, Spore, Oblivion, Gears of War and UT 2007) are all being developed with consoles in mind first.

Really? I thought Spore was PC-only, or at the very least being developed with PC in mind. And as far as Oblivion and UT2007 are concerned, it's VERY arguable whether console or PC is 'in mind' in their development. Since they're coming to both and (assumedly) launching on both simultaneously, I'd say you'd have a hard time arguing that at least until they're released and you see whether or not one version or another has any major flaws or shortcomings.

[DeadPixel]

Where is Star Trek Online??? Failure already?

[Blade]

Yeah, I was angling at Zelda. The only excuse is that the entire list is PC-bound.

[Kefkataran]

Yeah, I was angling at Zelda. The only excuse is that the entire list is PC-bound.

Awesome. Soulmates!

[Oblivion]

I believe Dragon Age will actually come to PC first?

[Apache]

There isn't even a Dragon Age page on the Bioware site, so your guess is as good as mine. I'm assuming it's going to be a PC game ala Baldur's Gate, but it's in the air now.

[Mav]

None of those really interest me especially. UT2k7 will be interesting, to see what the new engine can do but not really a UT fan.

Games I'm waiting for that might come out in 06 or at least might some how be possible announced in 06:

RTCW 2
Diablo 3
Starcraft 2 (yea...right)
Natural Selection: Source (mod, but still been waiting for this port more than other mod ports)

maybe a few others. I hope ST:O goes into beta for 06 but probably won't hit gold till late 06 (like Decemberish) or early 07.

[ÜberJumper]

Company of Heroes should be on that list :-(

[Apache]

I love Relic games and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault won the Best expansion pack of the year honors at VE.

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/677/677387p1.html

[the_dude]

Where is Star Trek Online??? Failure already?


Not due to release in 2006. And I hardly doubt that not being on this list qualifies a game as being a failure anyway.

[Evil Avatar]

I believe Dragon Age will actually come to PC first?

No one really knows much about it. I was guessing that since Bioware's last two titles were Xbox exclusives, that Dragon Age would also be an Xbox exclusive.

[Evil Avatar]

What makes you say that Spore is being developed with the console in mind? Seems like a prototypical PC strategy game to me.

It was something I heard from one of the developers. That it was being developed for console and PC. The only thing that would give it an advantage on the PC over a console is the editor, which would be easier to use with a mouse than with a console controller.

[TrackZero]

Most are PC games (How can you say "PC gaming is dead" when the majority of the 20 games of 2006 are in the PC), since PS2 is nearly dead, PS3 lineups haven't been revealed, and X360 2006 games are just meh 'cept for Halo 3 and Gears of Wars.

Yeah, it was an odd list though. They also completely left out Zelda: Twilight Princess, which really hurts it's cred IMHO.

[Kefkataran]

Diablo 3
Starcraft 2 (yea...right)

Even if those were announced in 2006, no way they'd be out till at LEAST winter 2007, and sometime in 2008 more likely.

It was something I heard from one of the developers. That it was being developed for console and PC. The only thing that would give it an advantage on the PC over a console is the editor, which would be easier to use with a mouse than with a console controller.

I've never heard any devs say that about Spore. Admittedly, I've only heard Will Wright talk about it, but you think he'd mention it. But even if it's coming to console, which is totally possible, it's still a stretch saying they're designing it 'with consoles in mind'. A huge stretch considering Will Wright's history, which has been almost exclusively PC-focused.

Shit, though, Spore looks great. I hope it makes it out in 2006.

[midrael]

Man.. that #1 might as well be in the top 20 games of 2060.
If DNF ever does come out, I'm curious to see who actually would actually purchase it after such a long development time.

[Heretic Machine]

I'd drop Disgaea 2 and Zelda on that list if it were mine... and get rid of DNF and STALKER. I know, I know, STALKER looks real cool, but it's been in perpetual delays and that almost never creates a good game in the end.

EDIT: Oh, and I'd say that Spore is almost certainly coming out on consoles. Look at what they've been doing with The Sims series.

[Frogleg Special]

Funny, I counted about 14 console titles on that list of 20.

Huh?

Is there such platform called "Console"?

Console consists of different platforms: Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, Revolution, Genesis, PS3, etc. You don't bunch-em into one lump called "Console", because frankly, a DVD for the Xbox won't play on the PS3.

Finally, this is to refute that "PC gaming is dead" (20 of 20 of those games are possible to be released on the PC! Yep that includes Gears of Wars). Because it won't, and Microsoft would lend more assistance to PC gaming with the release of Vista.


Dragon Age would also be an Xbox exclusive


Dragon Age is PC exclusive. Please do visit the Dragon Age forum sometimes instead of thinking wishfully that it may come to the Xbox 360. Because from there I also learn that Dragon Age won't be out until 2007 at the earliest.

[Borys]

Umm, Evil, I'll give you your daily irrational PC hate but you are DEAD wrong on Dragon Age.

This is as PC exclusive as it gets.

Other major PC games from your list (i.e. Quake Wars, Hellgate: London) have at least 0.001% chance of coming to the Xbox 360 so you can cling to that hope.

WoW on the 360 wouldn't surprise me but I really hope it doesn't materialise. If Gates wants people to upgrade to Vista he should really start cracking those PC exclusive deals & titles.

[Frogleg Special]

Gates should make Mechwarrior 5, and keep MechAssault 3 to be that biannual kiddie blast-em up.

[Kefkataran]

I'd drop Disgaea 2 and Zelda on that list if it were mine... and get rid of DNF and STALKER. I know, I know, STALKER looks real cool, but it's been in perpetual delays and that almost never creates a good game in the end.

I didn't even know Disgaea 2 had been announced until this moment. Good man.

[dead]

I'm only really holding out for Oblivion to come out. I really doubt Duke Nukem and S.T.A.L.K.E.R will be ready by next year.

[Borys]

WTH @ Evil Avatar

I just read that list and there's little (Gears of War) to none Xbox 360 exclusive titles there. What's wrong with you, Legend?

[Apache]

We didn't include Zelda because it was a console game. I will not give a spot away from a PC title to make good with the Playtendo types.

[president_fred]

I'm a little hung over but I am going to pretend I am still drunk (imagine that I reek of beer, cigarettes and look like a bearded hobo slamming my glass on the bar top, ok).
Fight, fight, fight!

[Kefkataran]

We didn't include Zelda because it was a console game. I will not give a spot away from a PC title to make good with the Playtendo types.

Umm, I think the suggestion was that you include it because it's a game people are looking forward to, in many cases more than at least a few of the games you did include. By only including PC titles, aren't you merely 'making good' with the 'PC' types? That seems pretty stupid. Me? I play games because they're good.

[Vandenh]

It is a PC stuff. The heading should say PC games of 2006.

No use pretending this is a multi-format list.

[Paranoia]

As soon as I saw the game at #1 I completely lost faith in the list.

[Evil Avatar]

Umm, Evil, I'll give you your daily irrational PC hate but you are DEAD wrong on Dragon Age.

This is as PC exclusive as it gets.

Thanks for the update. Can you point me to a press release where it says that Dragon Age is a PC title? I just added it to my "Possible console list" because Bioware hasn't done anything for the PC in several years.

[Apache]

WOW.. Someone is kissing MAJOR ass here.. gambling their dignity for some special treatment as the only people who "believed" in DNF 2006, no doubt.

Ugh. Ass kissers are morons. In the end you just smell funny and talk a lot of crap.

-TNC-

Someone has to be a die hard Duke fan and I am it. It may be funny now, but just wait til the game is released.

[Frogleg Special]

Can you point me to a press release where it says that Dragon Age is a PC title?

1. Go to http://forums.bioware.com/forums/viewforum.html?forum=84
2. Register as "Evil Avatar" or "EvilAvatar".
3. Create a new thread called "Is this game going to be on Xbox 360?" or if you have the guts, "Dragon Age is an Xbox 360 Exclusive, Sucka".
4. Wait and let the replies come in. This is definitive, since the Biowarians themselves will try to enlighten you.

[Qoz]

As soon as I saw the game at #1 I completely lost faith in the list.

I agree it's a bit silly. I personally think it will come out in late 2006, but with no media shown it's kinda weird to put it at no. 1.

They made 2 non-organized attempts at the game, which got canned after some time because "things didn't come together". The problem has always been the tech, too few people working on the tech and a lousy management who didn't pull the plug when they needed too.

What people don't understand is the work-attitude that made DukeNukem3D great became DNF's failure. Duke3D had a small team and one brilliant guy in charge of all tech (it was possible then). They could manage it all.
3Drealms tried the same thing with DNF but a full blown 3D game need so MUCH more in terms of staff (tech, art, sound etc.). 3Drealms did not handle the transition from "1 guy doing it all" to team collaboration.

The reason people are finally speaking in a more positive tone about Duke Nukem, is the small tidbits of information we have seen during 2005. A small recap:

- they re-coded the UT engine and only the scripting remains. Which means it is basically a completely new engine and we haven't seen it yet
- the engine should have Normal Mapping, HDR lighting, Meqon physics (meqon tech demos are VERY impressive). Basically all the stuff new engines are made with.
- the tech foundation was completely done in 2004. They made small additions to the engine in 2005, but nothing to screw up the progression.
- they are done adding engine features. They work on content.
- they recently hired an environmental mapper (whatever that is) to polish up the maps (they must be done then).

So my guess is they are hard at work with finishing the game and 2006 Q2/Q3 will be polish work.
They learned from their mistakes and are now keeping their mouths shut until it's almost ready. They stated that they will begin the hype machine 3-4 months before release. I guess they will show it at E3 and make 2006 Q4 release. If not it will come out 2007 Q1.

[Borys]

Thanks for the update. Can you point me to a press release where it says that Dragon Age is a PC title? I just added it to my "Possible console list" because Bioware hasn't done anything for the PC in several years.

Dunno if the official site counts ;)

http://www.bioware.com/games/dragon_age/

http://www.bioware.com/games/dragon_age/faq/#01



*Psssst* You're posting in the Dragon Age forum. Dragon Age is BioWare/Pandemic's next great PC RPG.

*note the PC in the above statement*

:angryface:


^ Link ^ (http://forums.bioware.com/viewtopic.html?topic=463408&forum=84)

[fushi]

Bwahahhaa, "make good with the Playtendo types." The posts on the VE frontpage are even better: "IGN, as you might imagine, is mostly a console network and having to deal with console thumb-dicks is tiring to say the least. Do I care if Gamebox 360 is winning against Playtendo or Lamestation? Umm.... no?" I can understand disliking consoles due to the limitations of current controllers, or graphics or whatever, but disliking them on principle with the reasoning of a 10-year-old is plain sad.

That said, I can't wait for DNF. It's gonna come out and it's gonna be awesome.

[Apache]

If you've ever worked for any online network, the majority of them are console fans. I worked at GameFan for a few years, and I kid you not, the bias I had to withstand was incredible. These friggin Networks are all like that. From Ziff to IGN, PC gamers are facing an uphill battle to freedom.

[Vandenh]

"Can you point me to a press release where it says that Dragon Age is a PC title?"

BTW if Dragon Age is on that list.. where is Mass Effect?

[Evil Avatar]

Dunno if the official site counts ;)

http://www.bioware.com/games/dragon_age/

http://www.bioware.com/games/dragon_age/faq/#01



Cool. Thanks for the links. It sounds like a complete spiritual sequel to Neverwinter Nights, including the lack of of a multiplayer campaign. ;)

[Heretic Machine]

Favoring one platform over another is understandable and natural. Completly dismissing others in favor of one is just childish.

[Apache]

PC gamers do not need to cowtow to console standards. That is all.

[ÜberJumper]

I withdraw my comment about Company of Heroes being on that list... wrong year, CoH is scheduled for 2007.

[phantomhitman]

can someone fill me in about duke nukem forever. Did the game get canned due to money issues, or did they pull the plug because it sucked, or are there plans to release it in the future?

[Spigot]

It's nice to see the list of mainly PC titles. Granted, now I have to go upgrade my system so that I can play this year's titles, let alone next year's :P

I'll have to say that my top 5 from that list are, in no particular order:

Dreamfall
Alan Wake
WoW Expansion
Spore
Rise of Legends

[Borys]

Cool. Thanks for the links. It sounds like a complete spiritual sequel to Neverwinter Nights, including the lack of of a multiplayer campaign. ;)

The sad part is people DO NOT want a spiritual sequel to NWN (especially since NWN2 is coming out) but to Baldur's Gate 2.

BioWare is deaf, though :(

[Kelegacy]

No one really knows much about it. I was guessing that since Bioware's last two titles were Xbox exclusives, that Dragon Age would also be an Xbox exclusive.
If Bioware is even contemplating a 360 release, then I can (almost) safely say I'll hate it. This would mean that a console formula is in the back of their minds so we can expect something dumbed down, even if it hits the PC first. Try and imagine a game like Baldur's Gate or Fallout on the consoles...even in today's powerful console tech, it just seems unfathomable. The kind of depth I expect from PC RPGs (non-diablo clones anyway) is lost on the consoles.

Hopefully it's a PC only game.

[Apache]

Dragon Age will be a PC only game. You heard it here first, folks. :)

[thecrazyd]

PC gamers do not need to cowtow to console standards. That is all.
Please stop talking. You are making PC gamers look like stupid jackasses.

[Stormwatcher]

Hooray for Dragon Age, and anyone who know anything about PC RGPS (or TRUE CRPGs, ehehe) can understand, reading the FAQ, that it seems to be a cross between Baldur's Gate and KotOR, and not the "spiritual heir to NWN"... PARTY BASED!!! PARTY BASED!!!!

and

1.04: What will combat be like in Dragon Age? (Back to Top)

Dragon Age will have real-time, party-based combat. The player explores the world with an over-the-shoulder camera view as seen in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, but when combat begins, the camera can be switched to a top-down tactical view similar to that in Baldur's Gate. Combat will be in real time but will allow the player to pause the action ('pause and play') and assign commands to his party members.

[Kelegacy]

Hooray for Dragon Age, and anyone who know anything about PC RGPS (or TRUE CRPGs, ehehe) can understand, reading the FAQ, that it seems to be a cross between Baldur's Gate and KotOR, and not the "spiritual heir to NWN"... PARTY BASED!!! PARTY BASED!!!!

and

The game could rekindle Bioware's torch in my heart. Could being the key word here.

Bioware really hasn't produced a bad game yet, but Jade Empire was less than stellar. Chronologically, their RPGs have lost the "magic" with me, with the exception of the excellent Baldur's Gate II, though I believe I enjoyed the original more just because I was a Baldur's Gate virgin back then. Thus, for me, it would read something like this:

Baldur's Gate > Baldur's Gate II > NWN > Kotor > Jade Empire

[Kefkataran]

Please stop talking. You are making PC gamers look like stupid jackasses.

QFT. Sort of makes me wish I hadn't left my PS2 at my mom's house for the week. Ah, well.

[Knite]

If Bioware is even contemplating a 360 release, then I can (almost) safely say I'll hate it. This would mean that a console formula is in the back of their minds so we can expect something dumbed down, even if it hits the PC first. Try and imagine a game like Baldur's Gate or Fallout on the consoles...even in today's powerful console tech, it just seems unfathomable. The kind of depth I expect from PC RPGs (non-diablo clones anyway) is lost on the consoles.

Hopefully it's a PC only game.

Sad part is, there's no reason for "dumbed down" games for the console. Hell, even COMPLICATED PC games are generally controlled with no more than a mouse and the F keys (or WASD) anymore. It's not like we have to type "Look behind green rock" these days. =)

[Kefkataran]

The kind of depth I expect from PC RPGs (non-diablo clones anyway) is lost on the consoles.

Fair enough, but that's not saying that console RPGs can't BE deep. It's saying you expect a different kind of depth from them. As far as I'm concerned that depth has just as much potential satisfaction. Whether or not a game is console or PC has nothing to do with it.

[Kelegacy]

Fair enough, but that's not saying that console RPGs can't BE deep. It's saying you expect a different kind of depth from them. As far as I'm concerned that depth has just as much potential satisfaction. Whether or not a game is console or PC has nothing to do with it.
Oh, I agree entirely. I'm a console gamer these days, only playing maybe 1 or 2 PC games this year and nothing recently. I need to upgrade, but nothing truly has been worth upgrading for lately, especially at such luxurious costs.

Anyway, I play many console RPGs, just beat Dragon Quest VIII, and you are right, they hold different kinds of depth. I enjoy PC RPGs--not Diablo type hack and slashers--but I also enjoy random battles and linear plots with JRPGs. However, because consoles are more mainstream and offer better incomes for developers/publishers, some companies feel that they can shave a few pounds of game to create something easier and streamlined. Bioware was never one of these companies until I played KotoR and to a much greater extent, Jade Empire (though they were still good games, I admit). I fear that the companies that would normally produce PC-deep games are now making Console-deep games and hoping we cant tell the difference.

I guess I can't really explain it readily, plus I'm at work and crunched for time (supervisors walking around, I have to keep minimizing and losing my train of thought) so maybe someone else can surrogate-speak for me. I don't discriminate against consoles or PCs, because I love both equally, I truly do, but the starving PC RPG genre seems to have a correlation with the booming console industry.

When talking like this I come across as a hater, saying console games cannot be deep. That is really not the case, because, as you said, they are different kinds of "deep". "Deep gameplay" is such an ambiguous phrase, to tell the truth. I just want more games like Baldur's Gate and Fallout, the type of quality games that Bioware and Black Isle used to release. Does that make me a bad person? :(

[Stormwatcher]

I'm with Kelegacy.
I love my consoles (got a SNES, DC, DS, GC, PS2), but I'll always be a PC gamer, because of games like Wing Commander, Civ1, 2, 3, 4 , Baldur's Gate, Torment, HL2...

I miss RPGs like Baldur's Gate 2, where you could sink 200hrs without collecting arbitrary idiotic stuff or having a single random fight. Where the story and plot are complex without being an obfuscating collection of aleatory pieces of mythology... And actually make sense. Where grandious and endless cutscenes aren't necessary...

Shit, I want BG3. Bring back Infinity engine, fuck 3d.

[Kelegacy]

I'm with Kelegacy.
I love my consoles (got a SNES, DC, DS, GC, PS2), but I'll always be a PC gamer, because of games like Wing Commander, Civ1, 2, 3, 4 , Baldur's Gate, Torment, HL2...

I miss RPGs like Baldur's Gate 2, where you could sink 200hrs without collecting arbitrary idiotic stuff or having a single random fight. Where the story and plot are complex without being an obfuscating collection of aleatory pieces of mythology... And actually make sense. Where grandious and endless cutscenes aren't necessary...

Shit, I want BG3. Bring back Infinity engine, fuck 3d.
I loved the Infinity Engine. Then came NWN and I was a bit saddened. I still love static, isometric RPGS. Too bad there aren't more of them.

[Borys]

Kelegacy, my long lost polish brother!

We have same minds, my friend, same tastes even.

Leave the amazing PC games to PCs and amazing console games to consoles. DO NOT TRY TO MIX THEM - nothing good comes from that.

[XenonCJ]

I like to post this every time the topic of DNF comes up... It's funny though, this list is starting to get severly outdated!!

Have a read:

Janurary 1997: Work on DNF started.*

April 1997: Quake 2 engine purchase announced. (they got it in mid-late 1997 before Quake 2 was released). Scott Miller states that he is confident that DNF will be released by mid 1998 and prey in late 1998 making 1998 a bit year for 3DR. He also mentions that his confidence is not misplaced.

August and September 1997: First screenshots in PC gamer (hummer, farmer i think).

May 1998: First DNF E3 video shown. You can see that a lot of work has been done.

Late 1998: 3DR announces switch to Unreal tech. It is expected to take no longer than 6 weeks and 3DRealms says "DNF is a 1999 game."

Mid 1999: 3DR admits that the engine switch took a lot more time than originally estimated.

Late 1999: 3DR announces upgrade to UT level tech. It is expected to take two weeks. 3DR releases a Christmas card saying that DNF will be released in 2000.

2000: I don't think anything happened. They released some sexy screenshots in late 1999/early 2000 (for the time). Broussard begins claiming that DNF development did not start until 1998. Inquiring minds wonder how they got so much done before May (E3) 1998.

May 2001: 3DR comes out of nowhere and puts DNF up at E3. They state that DNF will be released in 2001 and the end of the E3 2001 video says "WID in 2001". Many part of the video bear a clear resemblence to the 1999 screenshots.

October 2001: Broussard posts "sorry guys, it won't be a 2001 release" on the VE3D forums. "Don't worry, the last major hurdle is AI."

Unknown 2001: Broussard states that DNF will definitely be out before Unreal 2.

January 2002: Voodoo Extreme makes a list of top 10 titles to be released in 2002. #1 on that list is Duke Nukem Forever. Someone posts "when will we see something" in the 3DR forums. Broussard responds with "soon".

June 2002: The "soon" thread gets locked.

Unknown 2002: Broussard states that DNF will definitely be out before DooM 3.

2003: Broussard states that DNF has been "on track since early 2002" and that they haven't reached the light at the end of the tunnel, but "they finally found it." He wisps away the years between January 1997 and January 2002 and wishes people would consider DNF's development as if it started in 2002 (this is a strong hint that DNF was far from complete). Unreal 2 released.

Broussard adopts the "DooM 3 and HL2 will have been in development for 5 and 6 years when they're finally released -- DNF isn't taking that much longer" belief (notice: his numbers are very inaccurate).

Late 2003/early 2004: Take 2 complains about DNF development and expects it around "late 2005". "At this point we're just hoping the team [in garland] will finish the project."

2004: Broussard states that DNF development has been on track since "late 2002/early 2003", bumping up his earlier statement in an attempt to fight back release expectations. It is clear, from this behavior, that DNF will not be released this year or next. DooM 3 is released. Half Life 2's release is anticipated this year.


So the most reasonable points in which they could've completely restarted would've been after each of the E3 videos. They could've restarted after the E3 1998 video or after the E3 2001 video. Luckily, you can refute both of these possibilities by simply looking at what Broussard was saying back then -- the Unreal engine upgrade was certainly not expected to require them redoing much. Things were added and tech was changed, things were adopted. This was all stated in interviews with Broussard himself.

It is more difficult to question whether they've restarted at some point after E3 2001. Clearly, in late 2001/early 2002 when Broussard was saying that the last major hurdle was AI and "soon", he could not have just restarted the project. Furthermore, in 2003 he stated that development had been good since early 2002. If this was the case, then there was no point at which he could've restarted (unless you restart while telling fans "the last major hurdle is AI" and "soon").

* "We've actually been working on the game since January." -- Scott Miller, 1997.



Video game systems that have been released in DNF's development time:

Neo Geo Pocket Color
Wonderswan
Dreamcast
Gameboy Advance
N-Gage
Playstation 2
X-Box
Gamecube



Major releases in prominent game series since first DNF press release on April 25, 1997:

Grand Theft Auto 1, 2, London, III, Vice City, likely San Andreas

Fallout, Fallout 2, All eight (to my knowledge) Infinity Engine games and expansions, and three Baldur's Gate console spinoffs

Final Fantasies VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2 XI, Tactics, Tactics Advance, Crystal Chronicles, Origins, Anthology, Chronicles and the Ergheiz & two Mysterious Dungeon spinoffs

Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening DX, Link to the Past GBA, Legend of Zelda GBA, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages

Unreal, Return to wherever the **** that was, Unreal Tournament, UT2k3, UT2k4 and at least 4 games off the top of my head that use its engine

Quakes 2 and 3, and God knows how many games used those two engines

Thief 1, 2, 3

The Sims and all seven expansions

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1, 2, 2x, 3, 4, Underground

Madden NFL '98, FIFA '98, NBA '98 and NHL '98 for the Super Nintendo, and NHL '98 for both the SNES and Genesis

Might & Magic VI, VII, VIII and IX

With the exception of Meridian 59, every MMORPG apart from MUDs (I may be off here; at any rate UO was released five months after DNF was announced)

Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI, VII, VIII, IX, Dynasty Warriors 1-4 (and 2 expansions), Samurai Warriors, Kessen 1 & 2, Dynasty Tactics 1 & 2, Mystic Heroes

Every Dance Dance Revolution game

Every single Pokémon game released in the US

Every Deer Hunter game

Chessmaster 5500, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 with 10th edition out in two months, just on the PC

Twenty (to my knowledge) Mega Man titles, for GBC, GBA, GC and N64, not including direct ports


Thirty (to my knowledge) Star Wars titles, again not including direct ports
And something new! Working Designs is famous for taking absolutely forever to release a product. Since the announcement of Duke Nukem Forever, WD has released Albert Oddesy, Magic Knight Rayearth, Sega Ages (maybe), Raystorm, Elemental Gearbolt, Lunar: Silver Star Story, Sillhouette Mirage, Lunar 2: Eternal Blue, Alundra, Arc the Lad Collection, Raycrisis, ThunderForce V, Vanguard Bandits, Silpheed and Gungriffon Blaze, with Growlanser Generations out in two months. Working Designs CEO Victor Ireland has made approximately 3,710 Usenet posts since the announcement of Duke Nukem Forever.

Also:

The Voyager 1 spacecraft has travelled approximately 2.5 billion miles since the announcement of Duke Nukem Forever.

The rovers Spirit and Opportunity were proposed, authorized, announced, designed, launched and successfully landed upon Mars within the timeframe of Duke Nukem Forever's development.

The majority of the children who were entering high school the school year following Duke Nukem Forever's announcemnt are now eligible to drink.

[Kelegacy]

Kelegacy, my long lost polish brother!

We have same minds, my friend, same tastes even.


Ah, that's why you and Spigot are two of my favorite forum members: you both have great tastes in games and enjoy many of the same gaming traits as I.

[thecrazyd]

All that info is going on 2 years old, Xenon.

[Mondopest]

I wonder when Fallout 3 will ne finished by Bethesda?

[XenonCJ]

All that info is going on 2 years old, Xenon.FINE! I updated it! (check the end - some in the middle) Feel free to add more.

Janurary 1997: Work on DNF started.*
April 1997: Quake 2 engine purchase announced. (they got it in mid-late 1997 before Quake 2 was released). Scott Miller states that he is confident that DNF will be released by mid 1998 and prey in
late 1998 making 1998 a bit year for 3DR. He also mentions that his confidence is not misplaced.
August and September 1997: First screenshots in PC gamer (hummer, farmer i think).
May 1998: First DNF E3 video shown. You can see that a lot of work has been done.
Late 1998: 3DR announces switch to Unreal tech. It is expected to take no longer than 6 weeks and 3DRealms says "DNF is a 1999 game."
Mid 1999: 3DR admits that the engine switch took a lot more time than originally estimated.
Late 1999: 3DR announces upgrade to UT level tech. It is expected to take two weeks. 3DR releases a Christmas card saying that DNF will be released in 2000.
2000: I don't think anything happened. They released some sexy screenshots in late 1999/early 2000 (for the time). Broussard begins claiming that DNF development did not start until 1998. Inquiring
minds wonder how they got so much done before May (E3) 1998.
May 2001: 3DR comes out of nowhere and puts DNF up at E3. They state that DNF will be released in 2001 and the end of the E3 2001 video says "WID in 2001". Many part of the video bear a clear
resemblence to the 1999 screenshots.
October 2001: Broussard posts "sorry guys, it won't be a 2001 release" on the VE3D forums. "Don't worry, the last major hurdle is AI."
Unknown 2001: Broussard states that DNF will definitely be out before Unreal 2.
January 2002: Voodoo Extreme makes a list of top 10 titles to be released in 2002. #1 on that list is Duke Nukem Forever. Someone posts "when will we see something" in the 3DR forums. Broussard
responds with "soon".
June 2002: The "soon" thread gets locked.
Unknown 2002: Broussard states that DNF will definitely be out before DooM 3.
2003: Broussard states that DNF has been "on track since early 2002" and that they haven't reached the light at the end of the tunnel, but "they finally found it." He wisps away the years between
January 1997 and January 2002 and wishes people would consider DNF's development as if it started in 2002 (this is a strong hint that DNF was far from complete). Unreal 2 released.
Broussard adopts the "DooM 3 and HL2 will have been in development for 5 and 6 years when they're finally released -- DNF isn't taking that much longer" belief (notice: his numbers are very
inaccurate).
Late 2003/early 2004: Take 2 complains about DNF development and expects it around "late 2005". "At this point we're just hoping the team [in garland] will finish the project."
2004: Broussard states that DNF development has been on track since "late 2002/early 2003", bumping up his earlier statement in an attempt to fight back release expectations. It is clear, from this
behavior, that DNF will not be released this year or next. DooM 3 is released. Half Life 2's release is anticipated this year.

So the most reasonable points in which they could've completely restarted would've been after each of the E3 videos. They could've restarted after the E3 1998 video or after the E3 2001 video.
Luckily, you can refute both of these possibilities by simply looking at what Broussard was saying back then -- the Unreal engine upgrade was certainly not expected to require them redoing much.
Things were added and tech was changed, things were adopted. This was all stated in interviews with Broussard himself.
It is more difficult to question whether they've restarted at some point after E3 2001. Clearly, in late 2001/early 2002 when Broussard was saying that the last major hurdle was AI and "soon", he
could not have just restarted the project. Furthermore, in 2003 he stated that development had been good since early 2002. If this was the case, then there was no point at which he could've
restarted (unless you restart while telling fans "the last major hurdle is AI" and "soon").
* "We've actually been working on the game since January." -- Scott Miller, 1997.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Video game systems that have been released in DNF's development time:
Neo Geo Pocket Color
Wonderswan
Dreamcast
Gameboy Advance
Gameboy DS
N-Gage
N-Gage 2
Playstation 2
X-Box
Gamecube
XBox360
Playstation 3
Playstation Portable

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Major releases in prominent game series since first DNF press release on April 25, 1997:
Grand Theft Auto 1, 2, London, III, Vice City, San Andreas, Liberty City
Fallout, Fallout 2, All eight (to my knowledge) Infinity Engine games and expansions, and three Baldur's Gate console spinoffs
Final Fantasies VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2 XI, Tactics, Tactics Advance, Crystal Chronicles, Origins, Anthology, Chronicles and the Ergheiz & two Mysterious Dungeon spinoffs
Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening DX, Link to the Past GBA, Legend of Zelda GBA, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages
Unreal, Unreal 2, Unreal Tournament, UT2k3, UT2k4 and at least 4 games off the top of my head that use its engine
Quakes 2, 3, and 4
Doom 3 plus expansion
Thief 1, 2, 3
The Sims and all seven expansions, The Sims 2 and Sims2 expansion
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1, 2, 2x, 3, 4, Underground
Madden NFL '98, FIFA '98, NBA '98 and NHL '98 for the Super Nintendo, and NHL '98 for both the SNES and Genesis up to 06' now...
Might & Magic VI, VII, VIII and IX
With the exception of Meridian 59, every MMORPG apart from MUDs (I may be off here; at any rate UO was released five months after DNF was announced).. EQ1, EQ2, World of Warcraft, Dark Age of
Camelot, Star Wars Galaxies, City of Heros, City of Villains
Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI, VII, VIII, IX, Dynasty Warriors 1-4 (and 2 expansions), Samurai Warriors, Kessen 1 & 2, Dynasty Tactics 1 & 2, Mystic Heroes
Every Dance Dance Revolution game
Every single Pokémon game released in the US
Every Deer Hunter game
Chessmaster 5500, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 with 10th edition out in two months, just on the PC
Twenty (to my knowledge) Mega Man titles, for GBC, GBA, GC and N64, not including direct ports

Also:
The Voyager 1 spacecraft has travelled approximately 3 billion miles since the announcement of Duke Nukem Forever.
The rovers Spirit and Opportunity were proposed, authorized, announced, designed, launched and successfully landed upon Mars AND operated for over 2 years within the timeframe of Duke Nukem
Forever's development.
ALL of the children who were entering junior high school the school year of Duke Nukem Forever's announcemnt are now eligible to drink.
NVIDIA's GeForce line of graphics processors, was first launched in 1999.
September 7 1997 - First test flight of the F/A-22 Raptor.
1997 - The Toyota Prius comes to showrooms, only in Japan. The Prius was the first hybrid vehicle to go into full production. The Prius would come to US showrooms in 2000.
February 23 1998 - Osama bin Laden publishes "fatwa" declaring jihad against all Jews and Crusaders.
May 7 1998 - Apple Computer unveils the iMac.
September 7 1998 - Google is founded.
October 12 1998 - U.S. Congress passes Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Airbus decided to proceed with the € 8.8 billion A380 project in 1999, the final budget settling at about € 12 billion. The double-decker layout would provide higher seat capacities, and hence cost
savings, than a traditional design.
January 1 1999 - Euro currency introduced.
May 19 1999 - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is released in theaters.
July 25 1999 - Lance Armstrong wins first Tour de France.
September 11 2001 - Almost 3,000 killed in the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and rural Shanksville,
Pennsylvania.
December 19 2001 - Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was released into theaters.
December 17 2003 - The film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King released, effectively completing the Lord of the Rings Trilogy directed by Peter Jackson.
February 1 2003 - The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates over Texas upon reentry, killing all seven astronauts onboard.
August 9 2005 - Space Shuttle Discovery returns to Edwards Air Force Base at 0814 EDT, completing STS-114, "Return to Flight."
December 13 2003 - Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, is captured in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.
October 15 2003 - China launches Shenzhou 5, their first manned space mission.
October 12 2005 - The second Chinese human spaceflight Shenzhou 6 launched, carrying Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng for five days in orbit.
From 1998 to 2003 - Celera Genomics along with the Human Genome Project completed mapping the Human Genome, with 99 percent of the genome sequenced with 99.99 percent accuracy.
April 29 2004 - Last Oldsmobile rolls off of the assembly line.
June 21 2004 - SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately-funded spaceplane to achieve spaceflight.
June 28 2004 - The U.S.-led coalition occupying Iraq transfers sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government.
NASA probe Cassini-Huygens - launched on October 15, 1997 and enteres Saturn's orbit on July 1, 2004. January 14 2005 - The Huygens probe lands on Titan, largest moon of Saturn.
August 29 2005 - At least 1,300 are killed, and severe damage is caused along the U.S. Gulf Coast, as Hurricane Katrina strikes the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coastal areas. Within hours,
levees give way and New Orleans is flooded.
November 23 2005 - Superstar celebrities Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, whom made a career based on their show Newlyweds, separate after 3 years of marriage.

[Kelegacy]

can we get some longer posts please, I need more to read.

[ÜberJumper]

The rovers Spirit and Opportunity were proposed, authorized, announced, designed, launched and successfully landed upon Mars AND operated for over 2 years within the timeframe of Duke Nukem Forever's development.

For some reason, this fact has the most impact on me.

[Cubfan]

:D

---------------

[Lexicon]

Didn't bother reading all the forum posts so this may have already been pointed out. The list is not the top 20 games coming out in 2006. It is the top 20 PC games coming out in 2006. Hence the omission of x, y, and z console games.

[Neosho]

Oh noes! what are you talking about! 13 of those games are for CONSOLES! or maybe they might be ported Just listen to the "Legend"!

I'm sorry Evil, but you're just being retarded at this point.

Dragon age has been covered.


Due for the PC fall 2005, Dreamfall is a third-person action-adventure set in The Longest Journey universe – a continuation of the saga begun in the bestselling and award-winning game.



World of warcraft has sold an untold number of copies, and has 5 million PC subscribers. I think it's fairly safe to say that the expansion will be for the PC. After the raging success of FFXI on Playstation2, i'm thinking that bliz is looking seriously at porting it...lol.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6135857.html

As you can see, that speculation came from job listings on the bliz site, and that's hardly proof positive that anything's happening at all. You'd think that if they were planning on a port, they'd say something about it to start building hype...and then you realize that most people that own xbox360's probably own pc's that are capable of playing WoW already. Selling to people that already have your product sure is a great way of selling stuff...lol. PS. Starcraft: Ghost.

http://titanquestgame.com/

PC only. Look at the bottom of the page. "PC CDROM".

For enemy territory, let us recall that the first one was a mod. I seriously doubt that splash damage is going to be bringing this game to xbox360. However, i can't find anything that says either way, so you can have that.

http://www.gamecriticsawards.com/win.html


"It's hard to know what to call this PC-only game other than extremely original."


Alan Wake is coming to both 360 and PS3 as well as the PC. That's 3!


Bioshock *appears* to be coming to PC only.

There's no offical word out, however gamespot only has it listed as coming to PC. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/bioshock/

http://www.prey.com/

PC only.

Oblivion's coming to some consoles, i don't know which, for some reason i don't really care about that game.

Gears of war is NOT console exclusive, according to IGN.
http://pc.ign.com/objects/670/670283.html



Unreal Tournament 2007 (previously codenamed 'Envy') is Epic Games' sequel to Unreal Tournament 2004. Published by Midway Games, UT2007 is powered by Epic's new Unreal Engine 3, and is due to be released on PC and PlayStation 3 in the second quarter (April-June) of 2006. Rumors of a future Xbox 360 release have not been confirmed.

PS3, PC.

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/hellgate-london/613487p1.html

Gamespy doesn't have a place for Hellgate being for console, also the 15 minute interview that i listened too with the cool gameplay video made not the slightest mention of coming to console. However they did mention multiple times that it was coming to PC.

So, after that short novel 3 games are confirmed for consoles, possibly 2 of the games that you listed are coming to consoles. That's a grand total of 5.

Of course, i fully expect you to ignore this post, so i don't know why i even wrote it. Sure did pass the time while my friend finished getting ready to head out though.

Oh yeahs, i forgot to add that pc gaming is dead and i'm just getting high off the embalming fluid that they're marinating the corpse in to feed to the ravenous console masses...lol.

[Steele Johnson]

Half those games may not even come out in 2006. VE3d is a shitty source of gaming news.

[Paranoia]

Robert 'Apache' Howarth ass kissing 3DRealms. How pathetic.

http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1011917&an=0&page=0#1011917

[Steele Johnson]

Apache is an idiot.

[Spigot]

Ah, that's why you and Spigot are two of my favorite forum members: you both have great tastes in games and enjoy many of the same gaming traits as I.
Aw... I'm touched...

I agree with you though. I love a nice deep CRPG like Baldur's Gate or Planescape: Torment (Oh, please, gaming gods, bring us a sequel to Torment!). I just don't go into a CRPG expecting an experience like Final Fantasy, nor do I go into Dragon Quest expecting something like Daggerfall.

I love JRPG's because they have the (more or less) linear stories. Give me a well told story that I can be involved in and I'm happy. As much as I enjoy the wide-open games like the Elder Scrolls series, I often find that the lack of a driving storyline causes me to abandon them long before I should. I'm sure Oblivion will rock, but I'm worried that I'll end up playing it for 10-20 hours and not have any clear idea as to what I should be doing and go back to something slightly more linear. That's what I get for playing so many adventure games and JRPG's in my youth instead of all the Wizardry games.

I did enjoy Jade Empire but I understand the lack of enthusiasm from Kelegacy. I really liked the humour and the characters although it wasn't as awesome as I had hoped. But I did like it.

Um... where was I going with this post? Meh. Did I get my point across?

That's the joy of having a VERY broad gaming palate. If something is well done, I tend to enjoy it. Generic sports titles aside...

[OUX]

Aw... I'm touched...

I agree with you though. I love a nice deep CRPG like Baldur's Gate or Planescape: Torment (Oh, please, gaming gods, bring us a sequel to Torment!). I just don't go into a CRPG expecting an experience like Final Fantasy, nor do I go into Dragon Quest expecting something like Daggerfall.

I love JRPG's because they have the (more or less) linear stories. Give me a well told story that I can be involved in and I'm happy. As much as I enjoy the wide-open games like the Elder Scrolls series, I often find that the lack of a driving storyline causes me to abandon them long before I should. I'm sure Oblivion will rock, but I'm worried that I'll end up playing it for 10-20 hours and not have any clear idea as to what I should be doing and go back to something slightly more linear. That's what I get for playing so many adventure games and JRPG's in my youth instead of all the Wizardry games.

I did enjoy Jade Empire but I understand the lack of enthusiasm from Kelegacy. I really liked the humour and the characters although it wasn't as awesome as I had hoped. But I did like it.

Um... where was I going with this post? Meh. Did I get my point across?

That's the joy of having a VERY broad gaming palate. If something is well done, I tend to enjoy it. Generic sports titles aside...

/looks up smiles goes back to playing icewind dale 2

[Stormwatcher]

Aw... I'm touched...

I agree with you though. I love a nice deep CRPG like Baldur's Gate or Planescape: Torment (Oh, please, gaming gods, bring us a sequel to Torment!). I just don't go into a CRPG expecting an experience like Final Fantasy, nor do I go into Dragon Quest expecting something like Daggerfall.

I love JRPG's because they have the (more or less) linear stories. Give me a well told story that I can be involved in and I'm happy. As much as I enjoy the wide-open games like the Elder Scrolls series, I often find that the lack of a driving storyline causes me to abandon them long before I should. I'm sure Oblivion will rock, but I'm worried that I'll end up playing it for 10-20 hours and not have any clear idea as to what I should be doing and go back to something slightly more linear. That's what I get for playing so many adventure games and JRPG's in my youth instead of all the Wizardry games.

I did enjoy Jade Empire but I understand the lack of enthusiasm from Kelegacy. I really liked the humour and the characters although it wasn't as awesome as I had hoped. But I did like it.

Um... where was I going with this post? Meh. Did I get my point across?

That's the joy of having a VERY broad gaming palate. If something is well done, I tend to enjoy it. Generic sports titles aside...


I'm in the same boat as you guys. And I made fun of JRPGs, but I like those too. It's just the my favorite genre is CRPGs, and those are pretty scarce lately.

BTW, most of the Infity engine games had a strong plot, unlike Morrowind... Half of the time playing Torment was actually spent reading, but boy, what a good read.

[Kelegacy]

I'm in the same boat as you guys. And I made fun of JRPGs, but I like those too. It's just the my favorite genre is CRPGs, and those are pretty scarce lately.

BTW, most of the Infity engine games had a strong plot, unlike Morrowind... Half of the time playing Torment was actually spent reading, but boy, what a good read.
I think much of the reading in RPGs like Torment got me into fantasy and sci-fi books. Growing up I did a lot of RPG gaming like FFVI and others, and I never feel bored during scenes when reading is required. In this day of voice acting, it's not so much a chore, but voice acting can really ruin a game. I usually turn on text AND voice and if I read faster than the voices I just skip to the next packet of speech.

Reading is good. If people want another Infinity-like game, try Divine Divinity. After the very first dungeon (I actually stopped playing on my first run through an hour in because this dungeon was too Diablo-like) the game really starts shining. I also enjoyed Arcanum and was going to play Lionheart by Black Isle until I heard it was rotten.

[Kefkataran]

I usually turn on text AND voice and if I read faster than the voices I just skip to the next packet of speech.

Absolutely the same here. Glad to know someone else does that.

[Spigot]

Voice acting can really ruin a game. I usually turn on text AND voice and if I read faster than the voices I just skip to the next packet of speech.
I agree about voice acting ruining a game. While I have no problem reading, I have found myself turning off the text IF the voice acting is well done. It keeps the pacing and suspense a little truer to the way the narrative is to play out. I feel like I'm ruining the surprise if I read ahead of the voice acting.

Like I said, this only works on games that have good voice acting. If the pacing and voicework is bad, I'd rather just turn it off and read the text.

[Stormwatcher]

That's what I do too... I only linger on the voice if the actor is good. Like the few voiced parts in BG.

BTW, Wht the fuck there is ONE guy voicing ALL JRPG heroes? this guy was in Grandia 2, FFx, Skies of Arcadia and some others... and he kinda sucks.
Ys: ark of Napishtim has some bad voice acting too...

[Spigot]

That's what I do too... I only linger on the voice if the actor is good. Like the few voiced parts in BG.

BTW, Wht the fuck there is ONE guy voicing ALL JRPG heroes? this guy was in Grandia 2, FFx, Skies of Arcadia and some others... and he kinda sucks.
Ys: ark of Napishtim has some bad voice acting too...
I actually like the guy who seems to do most of the hero voice acting now. He did the main character in Dark Cloud 2 and Lloyd in Tales of Symphonia.

He's got a very distinctive voice but I always found that he could really deliver the lines well.

[Busted_Astromech]

It happens in anime dubs also; they seem to have a very limited set of voice actors from which to draw from and you end up hearing the same people.

I'd give an amusing anecdote representing said situation if only I had an amusing anecdote to give.

[president_fred]

I have to admit that I am really fucking jealous of you americans, I know you guys get less of the JRPG's than Japan (obviously) but we get even less and often not the great ones I had to import Vagrant Story and Chrono Cross yet we get FFX-2 there is no god (although I did enjoy FFX-2 for its incredible campness). As far as CRPGs go we are pretty much sorted though especially since a few developers and IPs are being developed by Euro studios like Gothic 3 etc.
Thanks for the great read guys, it is difficult not to feel a twang of regret that the golden days of Fallout, black isle studios and bioware as well as the perfect combination of no voice acting+ps1 graphics have passed forever but thats just my nostalgia talking.

[jadkins555]

The rovers Spirit and Opportunity were proposed, authorized, announced, designed, launched and successfully landed upon Mars AND operated for over 2 years within the timeframe of Duke Nukem Forever's development.

For some reason, this fact has the most impact on me.

Funniest thing ever.

As far as VE3D is concerned, I won't be visiting that site anymore. Apache and his whining of console games is truly pathetic.

By the way, here are some new George Broussard quotes courtesy of Shacknews (http://www.shacknews.com/ja.zz?comments=40198):

"We've always had some bottlenecks. As some have gotten fixed, it's exposed others. We're just in full production and trying to get done, so we see areas we need more help in.

Bear in mind we're a fairly small team (28 or so) compared to the 50-75 you see at big publishers. Doing a next-gen game with a team that size is rough at times."

"By: doubleR -- Why does id get it done then?

By: GeorgeB3DR -- They are better? Still, it took 4 years for Doom 3.

By: uh dead -- and what year are we on now?

By: GeorgeB3DR -- 3, after a restart on a new engine early 2003. At least it's been fairly smooth from then. Before that....ick.

How many times is DNF going to be restarted? It is getting pretty silly.