[MetHy]

Duke Hard

a Duke4 community episode




17 maps episode for Duke Nukem 3D.
By Cage, Daedolon, Dukebot, Forge, Hendricks266, High Treason, James, MetHy, Micky C, Mikko Sandt, Mister Sinister, MRCK, Paul B, Steambull, Stumpy, Taivo

Trailer :



Moddb page:
http://www.moddb.com/mods/duke-hard

Download link :
http://www.moddb.com...ke-hard-episode
Mirror download links :
http://dukeworld.duk...nt/tc/dukehard/
http://msdn.duke4.net/hotdukehard.php



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1) Installation / How to play :

(it only looks complicated because I'm detailing the explanation as much as possible to help everyone; it really isn't hard to install this, it's a matter of extracting 1 file and selecting the mod when launching eduke32)

- Download and install the LATEST version of (free sourceport) EDuke32*.

-Extract the content of the Duke Hard 7z into your EDuke32 folder.
This will create a new folder called "dukehard" in your EDuke32 folder.

- Copy-paste the file "DUKE3D.GRP" of your copy of Duke Nukem 3D Atomic Edition into the root folder of EDuke32 (NOT in the "dukehard" folder).
If you have the Steam or GOG version of Duke Nukem 3D installed on your computer, you don't need to do this. EDuke32 will automatically use the .grp file from those versions.

- Launch EDuke32, and in the STARTUP WINDOW*** of EDuke32, under "CUSTOM GAME CONTENT DIRECTORY", choose "dukehard".
In that same startup window, make sure "Polymer" is unticked.

- Press start and enjoy!


* You can download EDuke32 at http://www.eduke32.com/ or at http://dukeworld.duk...ke32/synthesis/
Make sure you use the latest version.
This episode requires version r5471 or newer.

**The file "DUKE3D.grp" is what contains of all the data of Duke Nukem 3D, it pretty much IS the game which is why it is required. That file is also required to play the original game (or any other map, episode, mod, etc) in any sourceport.

*** If the startup window doesn't show up when launching EDuke32, you'll have to re-enable it : in game -> options -> game setup -> "Show window at start: YES" (first line under game setup)


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2) Important play information (MUST READ!)


- This episode is intended as a VANILLA-like experience (as vanilla as EDuke32 can be), which means :

* This episode is NOT compatible with the High-Resolution Pack. If you play with the HRP, you can expect half of the visuals rendering in a glitchy way.

* This episode is NOT compatible with gameplay mods. Play this episode with classic DN3D gameplay.

* This episode is NOT compatible with Polymer. Make sure Polymer is turned off :
(Make sure it is unticked at the top-right of the startup windows of EDuke32; or in the in-game options, choose a video mode that is NOT Polymer.)

Spoiler

(This is starting to sound like "NO FUN ALLOWED" but don't worry, there is plenty of fun to be had if you like classic Duke Nukem 3D)

- You will lose all your weapons and items at the start of each map.
This decision was taken to ensure proper balance throughout the entire episode, as every map was built individually.
Indeed, with a such long episode (17maps), the player would most likely end up with way too many weapons, ammo and items after just a few maps, if we didn't use this system.

What does this mean for the player?
* Don't worry! We've provided enough weapons, ammo and health packs in each map ! (well, except maybe that one map)
* You should use all the weapons at your disposal within each map, rather than 'saving it in case you need it more in later maps'
* If you die and your last save is in a previous map, do not load that save. Press "N" and you'll start the current map over. You'll lose less progress.

- The episode supports two difficulty settings : Let's Rock (skill#2: Normal) and Come Get Some (skill#3 : Hard); which are the 2 difficulty settings 99% of players still use.
A few maps (though not many) have also taken into account Piece Of Cake (skill#1) and Damn I'm Good (skill#4).
Only experienced Dukers should try Come Get Some on a first playthrough. Use Let's Rock otherwise.
Damn I'm Good isn't recommended on a first playthrough, try it at your own risk!

- This episode will NOT run in anything other than EDuke32 (DOS Duke, Jonof, xDuke, Rancidmeat, Megaton, etc). The main reason being that only EDuke32 can support a 17 maps long episode.


Check the readme file for Misc Episode Information, Map Listing with mappers' comments, FAQ and full Credits!


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Screenshots :















======================================================================


Congratulations to everyone involved!

Have fun everyone!

[Gambini]

Gonna check this one soon! Love the cover art!

[Hendricks266]

For the best experience, make sure you're using the very latest synthesis build--at least r4525. Duke Hard exposed some EDuke32 issues and room for improvement while Daedolon was programming the CONs, which I fixed as we went along.

I can't wait to play this myself.

[Mblackwell]

Awesome. Hopefully I get a chance to play through the complete build soon!

[Hendricks266]

Smile, you're on Dukeworld! http://dukeworld.duk...nt/tc/dukehard/

[Paul B]

KICK A$$ I'm playing this right this second! My 56.K modem is having a hard time with this download. DAMMNIT!

Weighing in @ 39.4 MB's of Greatness!

[Micky C]

Looking forward to trying this out,

But the name of my map is "Abstractech"

[Forge]

played the lobby and steambull's map.
had a little squish issue with steambull's and had to re-start it. blowing up the crack and going around the crate works fine, just don't try to go back through that way.
no biggie since i was only about a quarter of the way through the level at that point.

levels look great so far (both of them) and have creative game play.

remind me again why you wanted me to submit a map?

[Yatta]

Very cool! Front-page'd.

[Komenja]

This looks amazing! I'm gonna play the hell out of this tomorrow when I get off work!

[Micky C]

Holy shit we've got a winner here! The maps themselves are fantastic, plus all the other little touches (which I didn't expect) really help out. The levels had fantastic detail, that is until you get to my map where you get slapped in the face with a wet fish with the lack of detail and shading (I feel betrayed by Forge after reaching his map, but then again I get to walk away with the "I love Gearbox" shirt so it's not all bad). If I knew I was going up against what turned out to be the first few maps then I would have put a lot more effort in.

Wow, some of those are pretty much the definition of good maps. I really really hope that they spent a lot more time making them than I did mine

[Paul B]

Geez.... I have to stop for now I have to work tomorrow in the early AM and its already 2:30AM. Been playing this non-stop for 4 1/2 hours. I'm leaving off at "Legal Joint" . High Treasons map was freaky as hell! I've never seen so many amazing maps in one package. Makes my map feel pretty basic and typical. I am really enjoying the creativity that went into these maps. It's interesting how we can all start with the same template and each map is totally a different experience. What a fantastic contribution by everybody! I'm blown away so far and i'm not even done the episode. Great work for such a short time frame its amazing what you guys can pull off. You guys are an amazing team!

Oh and so far the map order has been perfect!

Micky, I really enjoyed your map. It was something unlike any other map. I especially like the area with the commanders that room just totally messed with my head and I kept dying in that room.

I am noticing a pattern coming from some of the elite mappers in the group. That is, they are able to change the dynamics of a room on the fly to introduce a different fight scenario. Several mappers have used this concept and its truely a piece of work and very original. I can't say I've ever seen this really done before in any map. All I can say is WOW!!!

@ Methy: How come in your first map you didn't include a security camera from each floor? It seemed you just used select floors. I think it would have been better if you fit one view screen from each floor. That's my only beef!

[faked]

I like this a lot.Good work!

[MetHy]

Mickey C, on 22 June 2014 - 08:31 PM, said:

But the name of my map is "Abstractech"

Damn I forgot to the C. I KNEW I'd fuck something up, sorry it's on you. If we make a patch this will be fixed.
I blame the way I read : I've learnt to read using the 'global' method, that is to say that I don't look at a word letter by letter when I read it to understand it, but I look at the how the entire word looks and 'guess' it. I often don't realize typos or spelling mistakes because of that. I'm not dyslexic but sometimes it's almost like it.

Forge, on 22 June 2014 - 09:04 PM, said:

had a little squish issue with steambull's and had to re-start it. blowing up the crack and going around the crate works fine, just don't try to go back through that way.
no biggie since i was only about a quarter of the way through the level at that point.

Hmm, nobody's ever been squished there, yet I played the map like 10 times or more, Steambull must have played it a lot too, and Drek and Sinister tested it as well.... Hopefully you just got very unlucky and it's not common.
How would you go back if you don't use the blowned up wall? AFAIK it's the only way to go back (even if you go in by jumping above the crates)

Forge, on 22 June 2014 - 09:04 PM, said:

remind me again why you wanted me to submit a map?

Mickey C, on 22 June 2014 - 09:37 PM, said:

If I knew I was going up against what turned out to be the first few maps then I would have put a lot more effort in.

Paul B, on 23 June 2014 - 12:12 AM, said:

Makes my map feel pretty basic and typical.

TBH I think every map is good in its own way. It's also good to have some more simple maps, straight to the point, for the flow of the episode.
I knew some of you would say that though, but I think your maps are good and have good design / gameplay ideas and good visuals. Mickey C's map has the moving walls (which is definitly a theme not used enough considering what you can do with vanilla duke3D effects in that regard), Forge has the whole shrinker/expander thing and I really like how the map goes full circle and how you go from room to room using some kind of alternative method, not just by using doors (btw - his map REALLY only works using a weaponless start which comforts me in that design decision), and Paul B's has the censors, which are pretty creative, and the way you can use different paths to reach your goal.

It's all good, never basic, and never the same.

Mickey C, on 22 June 2014 - 09:37 PM, said:

I get to walk away with the "I love Gearbox" shirt so it's not all bad.

... what shirt? did I miss something?

Paul B, on 23 June 2014 - 12:12 AM, said:

@ Methy: How come in your first map you didn't include a security camera from each floor? It seemed you just used select floors. I think it would have been better if you fit one view screen from each floor. That's my only beef!

I have added as many cameras to other floors as I could without going over the OLD building limit. You can extract my map and play it in DOS vanilla Duke3D, and except from very small visual quirks (like, some of the very small floor aligned decorative sprites like what you can find in the bins will look glitchy) it will play just fine.
I have added as many as I could, and in the end I chose parts of maps which didn't take too much ressources so I could add as many as possible, and I even went through the entire map deleting useless sectors and wall so I can add one last camera.
Other than that, the 'choice' of which map I used for those cameras was pretty random.

Yatta, on 22 June 2014 - 09:23 PM, said:

Very cool! Front-page'd.

That's really nice! Thanks for that and the sticky!

Edit :

BTW - I'm glad this is over! The last 3 days have been intense non stop testing, working putting it all together making sure everything is write, and fixing. No Paul B, I didn't go to bed after saying "to be released very soon", I was still working on it at 4am while Daedolon was checking/fixing the last Randomizer related elements at the same time while Hendricks was adding stuff to EDuke32. I have to say that during the development of the episode I've run into plenty of small issues related to EDuke32 but that Hendricks' reaction was always to fix the issues pretty clearly (whether it's things I brought up in the EDuke32 thread or things Daedolon told him).

Anyway I have to admit I am REALLY burnt, I've done more DN3D related things in the past 5 months for the episode than is good for your own sanity, 3 maps (1 of which I didn't want to make to begin with), tons of testing, beta reporting, fixing, more testing, more reporting, more fixes, making sure progress for the episode is going well and it's as good as we can make it, etc etc

I'm not trying to say I'm the only one, everyone's done good work, what I'm trying to say is : don't expect any more DN3D map from me any soon, I need a break. I think I'll finish my Mega Man V romhack, my Doom map and try making a Shadow Warrior map.

[Micky C]

MetHy, on 23 June 2014 - 04:37 AM, said:

my Doom map and try making a Shadow Warrior map.

You and I have very different definitions for "a break from mapping"

If we are going to release an update, I'd probably like to tweak my contribution to the txt file. Also, I believe that one of the changes I made in the final polish made one of the secrets in my map un-obtainable (the rotating room should have the switch replaced with one that can be shot, and possibly the touchplate for the door swapped with the switch added back in). Also I should make some of the invisible blocking sprites 1-sided in order to avoid getting trapped in certain areas. Let's hope other people screw up enough to warrant an update

I suppose it's good that there are maps with low detail such as mine, which makes the already-good looking maps by others even better by comparison. Not that it really needs it though, several of the maps are extremely fun and good-looking. I might have even learnt a thing or two. In fact, the episode should probably be recommended to noob mappers since its huge variety of gameplay (combat/layout/progression), different visual styles, and special effects are a great example of what's possible in duke.

Edit:

MetHy, on 23 June 2014 - 04:37 AM, said:

... what shirt? did I miss something?

http://forums.duke4....post__p__199411


Btw it's "Micky C", not "Mickey C". I should really change it back... (in the meantime you really messed up all the names associated with me and my work )

Also what's with the sticky?

[Forge]

MetHy, on 23 June 2014 - 04:37 AM, said:

Hmm, nobody's ever been squished there, yet I played the map like 10 times or more, Steambull must have played it a lot too, and Drek and Sinister tested it as well.... Hopefully you just got very unlucky and it's not common.
How would you go back if you don't use the blowned up wall? AFAIK it's the only way to go back (even if you go in by jumping above the crates)

it's the only way out of that area. i was tired and not thinking - just relating to my first experience through. the second time didn't have a remarkable bad experience - it was all good so small stuff like that didn't stick.

the first time i jumped over the crate, blew up the crack then tried to go back through the gap between the crate and the wall right away because i needed some health before i jumped the wall to fight the pig.
probably just bad luck on my part - maybe it had to do with where i landed when i jumped into the gap - i think the player has to duck a little to get all the way through the hole to get past the crate - and i probably landed in just the right spot to get squished.

the second time through i had no problems. blew up the crack, went through the gap, killed the enemy and performed progression tasks, went back through gap - flawless.

[MetHy]

Mickey C, on 23 June 2014 - 05:33 AM, said:

Also, I believe that one of the changes I made in the final polish made one of the secrets in my map un-obtainable (the rotating room should have the switch replaced with one that can be shot, and possibly the touchplate for the door swapped with the switch added back in).

I think it's hard to get that secret, but it's possible. Plus there are steroids in your map, and since there is no newbeast, that's the only place where you'd use them really.
Actually I like it better this way : it's easier to see it, but harder to get it. It's good to have all different sorts of secret places, and the "easy to spot / hard to reach" kind isn't represented enough.

As for your name, I'm sorry, but I actually wondered if it was Micky or Mickey so I had a look around and it seemed to me that you used both, so I thought both were correct. For what it's worth, the filename of the map you handed me says "micky" and the readme file you gave me with the map says "Micky C", indeed, but your username on here says Mickey C. So I though the mapfilename was to keep it simple and that it might have been a typo on the readme; I felt like the 'username' from here would have more chance to be the correct spelling.

I should have asked as well, after all I did ask Stumpy if it was with 1 or 2 "p" since he used both.

Edit : wait, WTF?! I just checked and it says Micky C everywhere, not Mickey C? What's wrong then?

[High Treason]

i suppose I should drop in to say that I have completed this episode already (had nothing to do this morning) and I was not disappointed. Every map was awesome in it's own way and no two maps are the same. It's awesome when you actually get to the final map and can see the sky having being locked in concrete the whole time. Throughout the episode there are also a lot of concepts I haven't seen used or exploited in such ways before too.

[Forge]

btw. side note

since Paul B asked, i think his map would make a fine representation at steam to advertise the episode

[MetHy]

Forge, on 23 June 2014 - 06:19 AM, said:

btw. side note

since Paul B asked, i think his map would make a fine representation at steam to advertise the episode

I will stick to the idea of picking it up randomly, I think it's more fair; and I really don't feel like starting a detailed discussion with all members involved so we can know which one to use (plus, i doubt everybody would agree )

We'll take care of that pretty soon. I'll get a map between 1 and 15 (boss+secret maps not allowed) to be picked randomly somehow; then we (the mapper concerned and I) will take take care of testing the map in Megaton (and if necessary fixing it) as well as adding advertising to the episode at the end of the map. (i'm thinking that for the ending of the workshop demo map, instead of the end level sector in the stairs, the player should go up and after the few stairs see a viewscreen and a nukebutton, and the viewscreens could show bits of other maps the way I did at the end of the lobby map)

[Forge]

MetHy, on 23 June 2014 - 06:30 AM, said:

I will stick to the idea of picking it up randomly,

I'll get a map between 1 and 15 (boss+secret maps not allowed) to be picked randomly somehow;

http://www.randomizer.org/form.htm

[Daedolon]

My map has effects (involving moving sprites on sectors), and those are still completely broken in Megaton, so I suppose you can leave my map out until termit fixes the issues.

[taivo30]

This Episode did not disappoint. It was awesome! Hard to name the best map. Some crazy effects and cool gameplay. Maps were all different from each other.
Good job to all involved

[Mr. Nukem Roses]

nice Duke Nukem meets Die Hard crossover . kinda wish that the mod was a GRP thing so it could be possible to play on Megaton. but it's ok. i can just call the EDuke that the mod using by the name of the mod itself, and add it as a non-steam game. and i can still be connected on Steam. i'm gonna start the playthrough today

[Lunick]

NukemRoses, on 23 June 2014 - 07:40 AM, said:

nice Duke Nukem meets Die Hard crossover . kinda wish that the mod was a GRP thing so it could be possible to play on Megaton. but it's ok. i can just call the EDuke that the mod using by the name of the mod itself, and add it as a non-steam game. and i can still be connected on Steam. i'm gonna start the playthrough today

The mod won't work on Megaton because Megaton doesn't support extended map episodes. The dat file can easily be opened in any zip program and converted to a grp but even then, the previous issue and some maps like Daedolon's above simply doesn't work on Megaton...

[MetHy]

NukemRoses, on 23 June 2014 - 07:40 AM, said:

kinda wish that the mod was a GRP thing so it could be possible to play on Megaton.

I don't know how I have to spell it out, or how many times I''ll have to say it (it's in the OP and EVERYWHERE in the readme file) but the episode would NOT work with Megaton, even if we made a GRP. It's not because we are assholes or because we don't like Megaton (I like it quite a lot at least for how popular it made the game again); but because only EDuke32 can support a 17map long episode, also because quite a lot of things will look or work the way they should in EDuke32 in quite a few maps; and also all the bonus stuff (extra flair or wtve to call it) will also probably only work in EDuke32.

We COULD make a Megaton version, but we won't. It would be a lot of work just to make a MUCH MUCH worse version; which wouldn't even be able to be on the workshop anyway. I don't see the point.
Also like Mikko once said, it's not up to us to dub down our work; it's up to you to download and install EDuke32 which literaly takes 5 seconds.

I knew this would happen though.

Lunick, on 23 June 2014 - 07:47 AM, said:

The dat file can easily be opened in any zip program and converted to a grp

Would have been nice if people didn't know that, though, exactly because we don't want the pages about the mod being spammed by "THIS NO WORK!" messages because people are trying to play it in Megaton after renaming the file or extracting the maps.

Spoiler

I know I mentionned the possibility of extracting the files in the Multiplayer section of the readme, but I didn't say how, and less people would check that section

[Mr. Nukem Roses]

look. i understand that, hence why i said it's ok if it's not playable via Megaton. and i've already got the mod and the latest EDuke32. i just uploaded the intro part of the mod to YouTube i'm playing the 1st level of it. right now i'm kinda stuck after using the blue card. and maybe it'll create come buzz and perhaps get peoples attention

Quote

I don't know how I have to spell it out, or how many times I''ll have to say it (it's in the OP and EVERYWHERE in the readme file) but the episode would NOT work with Megaton, even if we made a GRP. It's not because we are assholes or because we don't like Megaton (I like it quite a lot at least for how popular it made the game again); but because only EDuke32 can support a 17map long episode, also because quite a lot of things will look or work the way they should in EDuke32 in quite a few maps; and also all the bonus stuff (extra flair or wtve to call it) will also probably only work in EDuke32

and i get that ok? i understand. i will say though. i haven't seen a mod using that dat format thing since i came across the LameDuke mod

[MetHy]

NukemRoses, on 23 June 2014 - 08:11 AM, said:

look. i understand that, hence why i said it's ok if it's not playable via Megaton. and i've already got the mod and the latest EDuke32. i just uploaded the intro part of the mod to YouTube [media] i'm playing the 1st level of it. right now i'm kinda stuck after using the blue card. and maybe it'll create come buzz and perhaps get peoples attention



and i get that ok? i understand. geez

Look, I don't know how to say this but (I'll try to keep the polite way), please delete the video. Nobody asked you anything, we ARE planning to upload the intro video (and some other things) but now until at least a few days so people can have the surprise of the video and everything in game (all the extra stuff remained secret EVEN to the vast majority of mappers involved).

Plus, we have a better version of it to upload, yours has super quiet sound (i know it's quiet in game too though), the sound isn't even synced, there is no link in the description or says who made it etc....

[Mr. Nukem Roses]

MetHy, on 23 June 2014 - 08:19 AM, said:

Look, I don't know how to say this but (I'll try to keep the polite way), please delete the video. Nobody asked you anything, we ARE planning to upload the intro video (and some other things) but now until at least a few days so people can have the surprise of the video and everything in game (all the extra stuff remained secret EVEN to the vast majority of mappers involved).

Plus, we have a better version of it to upload, yours has super quiet sound (i know it's quiet in game too though), the sound isn't even synced, there is no link in the description or says who made it etc....

fine. guess it'll give me time to figure out what to do on the levels

[MetHy]

I appreciate you're excited about the episode and trying to help though, but really the whole point of the videos and other things was to be cool little surprises.

As for getting stuck in the map, try to look around. There is another key to be found in the room you've unlocked with the blue key.