[OpenMaw]

He was referring to the "spinoffs" featuring the Ewoks, not ROTJ. At least, I think that's what he was trying to say, right Fox?


Personally, at this stage, they need to shoot the Duke franchise in the head, because it's just an undead cash cow right now.

[leilei]

I'd liken DNF to be The Phantom Menace, WizardWorks expansions as Expanded Universe, the n-space games as ewoks and Duke3D/Plutonium as ESB/ROTJ, and Duke64 being the 2004 ROTJ video release.

[Kathy]

Seriously, Duke Nukem/Star Wars is probably one of the worst analogies I've ever heard.

[Master Fibbles]

I had to think of an epic saga that had good and bad segments. These guys just took it too far...

Either way, this law suit business is a clusterfuck. Needs more popcorn.

[Fox]

leilei, on 15 June 2013 - 11:07 AM, said:

I'd liken DNF to be The Phantom Menace, WizardWorks expansions as Expanded Universe, the n-space games as ewoks and Duke3D/Plutonium as ESB/ROTJ, and Duke64 being the 2004 ROTJ video release.

The Megaton edition must be A New Hope with Jabba the Hutt digitally added.

[blackharted3]

Mr. Tibbs, on 14 June 2013 - 01:06 PM, said:

"From what I know, GBX paid Triptych very little to complete DNF, and we as employees were told by Triptych that we'd get some sort of payout even if the game didn't do that well, because we were saving GBX/2K so much money having presented them with a near finished project and then working for peanuts to ship it. We were told that it didn't even need to sell over a million to make money, etc etc. Then it came out, and from what we could tell it easily sold over 1mil between the three platforms (like .3mil PC, .75mil Xbox and 7.mil or something like that on PS3).

Somehow this didn't happen, of course. We suddenly were told by Triptrych that 2K/GBX said it didn't recoup expenses and wouldn't be paying them any royalties, so there was not going be trickle down to us, obviously; seemed like the accounting changed magically, like some sort of fucking music industry deal you hear about. Well, at least we subsequently got giant raises to complete the DNF DLC and the two BL2 DLCs. Live and learn. But needless to say there's a few ex-Triptytch employees watching this closely, popcorn in hand. If they owe 3DR money, they owe Triptych money, I think, and therefore possibly me, money."

Right I'm posting this wall of text 2 pages late because for some reason the thread didn't go to the most recent page, for some unknown reason and that's been happening a lot to me lately, anyway....

If what this guy is saying is true, it's absolutely disgusting. Not only that, but it's also highly unethical, I mean is it convenient that GBX told Triptych that they'd get paid with interest for working on a nearly finished game, but then magically saying it didn't make a profit when the time came to cough the dough?

Based on this guy's maths, the game sold altogether about 4 million copies, only 1 of which was needed to start paying, but then nothing? I think we've all guessed the GBX never had the slightest intention to make good on that promise, and then to make matters worse, they suddenly start shoving loads into there pockets to help with all the DLC on both games. Oh they clearly wanted them to forget all about those royalties and by giving them huge raises, I bet they thought that'd would do the trick. Awful.

Screw remaining neutral, pass me some popcorn Triptych, I now rooting for you guys. GBX will double deal under the table, and there's nothing I can actually do at all, but 3DR/Triptych are the guys I want to win.

P.S. I don't actually think I should get involved, but I'm on 3DR's side.

[Fox]

Aren't you late to conclude that Gearbox is unethical?

[ReaperMan]

Jimmy, on 14 June 2013 - 04:42 PM, said:

Ya know, I loved to give Interceptor shit, but they've truly done a marvelous job with RotT, especially when compared to Shadow Warrior. The new RotT is modern, but it still feels like a RotT game to me. Hats off to you folks.

Yeah... its fun giving them shit. But they do good work so if 3DR did get Duke Back, i hope Interceptor would be there go to guys for future duke games.

Also, after reading that thing about the Triptych guys not getting paid their money I'm rooting for them.

[DavoX]

Last time i've checked triptych wasn't the same as 3dr... or am I missing something?

[Richard Shead]

Cathy, on 15 June 2013 - 11:23 AM, said:

Seriously, Duke Nukem/Star Wars is probably one of the worst analogies I've ever heard.

https://www.youtube....h?v=50An7N0fABo

[Jimmy]

Lunick, on 14 June 2013 - 09:30 PM, said:

Green should write on up since he is awesome.

Green is OG. Double OG. Triple OG. Complete baller status.

Commando Nukem, on 15 June 2013 - 10:31 AM, said:

Personally, at this stage, they need to shoot the Duke franchise in the head, because it's just an undead cash cow right now.

It needs a few years for the DNF fallout to cool down in my opinion. Just sit back, let the air clear and come back to the series with a new, focused approach.

DavoX, on 15 June 2013 - 04:05 PM, said:

Last time i've checked triptych wasn't the same as 3dr... or am I missing something?

Triptych was the core development team of 3DR who decided to continue working on the game after 3DR dissolved.

[DavoX]

Jimmy, on 15 June 2013 - 06:11 PM, said:

Triptych was the core development team of 3DR who decided to continue working on the game after 3DR dissolved.

I know that. What I mean is that once they sepparated from 3dr they were no longer "3dr". So I don't even get the posts about how "3dr suing gbx will have an impact on Triptych" as they don't have anything to do with the other anymore.

[Jimmy]

Because if 3DR didn't get paid properly, Triptych probably didn't either.

[Hank]

^ they are on Gearbox's payroll

from this article
http://kotaku.com/58...e-revealed-soon
"And then, we also have some DLC coming. It's pretty cool. It's pretty fun. So if you like Duke… I think you're really going to like the DLC coming out that's being developed by the guys that actually made Duke Nukem Forever—the guys at Piranha, the guys at Triptych. The Triptych guys are the ex-3D Realms developers. And they're still working at our studio on the 10th floor, and they're committed. They're going to go all the way.

not sure about the date stamp? Google says 13 June 2011, the article is an update from 2011?

[Lunick]

[The Lone Duker]

Hank, on 15 June 2013 - 08:42 PM, said:

^ they are on Gearbox's payroll

from this article
http://kotaku.com/58...e-revealed-soon
"And then, we also have some DLC coming. It's pretty cool. It's pretty fun. So if you like Duke… I think you're really going to like the DLC coming out that's being developed by the guys that actually made Duke Nukem Forever—the guys at Piranha, the guys at Triptych. The Triptych guys are the ex-3D Realms developers. And they're still working at our studio on the 10th floor, and they're committed. They're going to go all the way.

not sure about the date stamp? Google says 13 June 2011, the article is an update from 2011?

The Doctor who clone me pack, I think what he was talking about

[Flying Techbot]

As much as my fellow Atomic Warriors are rolling on their backs in hysterics over the the 3D Realms/Gearbox domestic dispute, I'm still a little concerned about 3D Realms. Do they deserve the royalties to DNF, or should Gearbox keep them, even though the profits are very meager? Even if George Broussard did screw up DNF's development, I don't think that what remains of 3D Realms should be treated with any more contempt than it already has acquired.

For the matter of Randy Pitchford, the only game I've played which he oversaw was Opposing Force, Half-Life 1's expansion, and I've never played any other Gearbox game. Because I think OF is high quality work, it astounds me that Gearbox's latest work doesn't seem to improve upon the design ethic which got them noticed in the first place. What exactly is his role in the lawsuit?

[Striker]

Ronan, on 14 June 2013 - 09:13 AM, said:

This is just ridiculous, Gearbox Shovelware are clowns but this is a poor showing from 3DR.

I agree. It's essentially what I've been saying.

What doesn't make sense is that you've been upvoted, and I've been excessively downvoted for saying essentially the same basic thing, just worded differently.

(Edit: There it goes again. Some people are just too eager to defend 3DR. A company that is no different than Gearbox in that they've both been great companies in the past, but have finally just shafted everyone with all kinds of false promises.)

LAW, on 14 June 2013 - 09:25 AM, said:

3DRealms acts like an old fart with flaccid d*ck, who just had a bad sex. It was his fault, but he sees culprits everywhere, but not in the mirror.

It was their fault in the beginning, that DNF is mediocre. This is not the old 3DRealms I have loved.

That essentially sums it up.

fuegerstef, on 14 June 2013 - 07:18 AM, said:

Oh, 3DR is bankrupt. That is news to me. You learn something new everyday from the nice and informed people here.

*was* not is, was, for a time from what I remember, I'm quite certain of it. I've been following DNF's development for about as long as I can remember (Since 1999). Bankruptcy doesn't necessarily equal the complete dissolving of a company (Laying off all the staff, and becoming a shell of itself? Perhaps.).

Also, I don't appreciate the snide sarcasm. You don't see me actively making jabs at people, do you? And if I'm wrong about the bankruptcy thing, all I can say is that I'm a human being, I make fucking mistakes. We all do.

[zwieback]

hmm not nice to see that.

however, i am a bit surprised on how so many already picked a side without knowing any infos
i'm going to wait and watch this from the backseat.

[Hank]

@ The Duke Returns - yeah, this makes sense, but I had an email alert from google, so go figgure

@ Strikerman, the voting system means 0, just look at the current score from Yatta vs. ex Captain Awesome. But hey, if a vote means something to you, take a look.

[Striker]

Hank, on 16 June 2013 - 01:42 AM, said:

@ The Duke Returns - yeah, this makes sense, but I had an email alert from google, so go figgure

@ Strikerman, the voting system means 0, just look at the current score from Yatta vs. ex Captain Awesome. But hey, if a vote means something to you, take a look.

Eh... Just been a bad night. Everything gets to me, like a hairpin trigger. I tend to acquire an incoherent and paranoid thinking pattern when I'm stressed out... If I'm being problematic, I apologize.

[Micky C]

Lunick, on 15 June 2013 - 08:56 PM, said:

Randy on toilet pic

Where did that come from?

[Lunick]

Lunick Prime, on 16 June 2013 - 01:50 AM, said:

Where did that come from?

http://youtu.be/z75LQCkInoY

[Fox]

Toilet? That's how he worked on Duke Nukem Forever.

[Kathy]

Lunick, on 16 June 2013 - 01:58 AM, said:

http://youtu.be/z75LQCkInoY

Holy shit!

[TerminX]

I have to side with 3DR on this one... if Gearbox said they would pay, they need to pay. Plus, the response they sent to various sites blaming 3DR for Gearbox's choice to purchase DNF and how Gearbox chose to finish the game is thoroughly unprofessional. It doesn't matter what state the game was in when they received it; they had something like a year and a half to finish it as they saw fit and THAT is what is reflected by DNF's poor reception. Regardless of the reviews, DNF still sold well and not everybody hated it. Just because it didn't do AS WELL as they were hoping doesn't mean they get to skirt their contractual obligations and play the blame game. If they wanted the game to be better, they should have used all that time to make it better instead of hyping it up and outright lying about the content it contained (secret areas, etc).

[Hank]

I think, it is too soon to take a side, at least for me
The entire case seem to boil down to the definition of profits and royalties.

I quote from this document Apogee exhipit A, an email from Randi
'The agreement should not include any allowance for that liability to be recouped from 3dRealm's share of profits.'

If the wording of the actual contract document holds up in court with the current claim, then Gearbox has to pay. If it is true that the profit margin is low, and Randi will have to open the books, having forwarded half of the royalties to 3D Realms is not that bad until more cash comes in. In short, 3D Realms may be collecting from an empty well.

[Rellik]

Pretty much all that matters is what was written in the contract, and whether or not Gearbox is following though on the contract. Anything else is just excuses for not negotiating a better contract (ie "what if DNF doesn't sell well?)

[Plagman]

Debating Gearbox or even Randy Pitchford's honesty, etc, is perfectly fine but mocking his son's physical appearance or calling his wife a "huge bitch" just makes you look like a complete asshole.

[Sangman]

TerminX, on 16 June 2013 - 08:08 AM, said:

if Gearbox said they would pay, they need to pay. [...]Just because it didn't do AS WELL as they were hoping doesn't mean they get to skirt their contractual obligations and play the blame game.

Yeah that's what it boils down to for me as well but I don't know the details of what was in the contract.