"well how would you make Duke Nukem Forever?"

[Smooth Operator]

If it happens a third time, I'm fucking calling it. These big publishers are FORCING developers to conform to generic game mechanics protect sales.

Well they are forcing them only indirectly with yearly release pushing, so time is extremely tight and suddenly these bullshit barely gameplay options(QTE, button mash, health regen, two weapon cap, railroad levels, single color pallet,...) are suddenly very appealing to every designer.

Good gameplay needs alot of time on refinement, time the publishers do not want to spend, and that is why all the recent shooters feel so middle of the road gray tasteless slush, noone takes time to really make things feel right.

 

[Hamish Durie]

our expectations change and duke didn't end of story <---- short version

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Most of what Treblaine said. Plus instead of trying to embrace annoying modern shooter conventions they should have spoofed them mercilessly. Have caricatures of popular FPS/action heroes to battle as bosses. 'Rock Serpent's' attack is an interface screw- a meaningless hour-long radio dialogue that gets in your way (speaking as someone who liked MGS).

No automatic regeneration of Ego. Have it recharge by doing things that appeal to the guy's insanely anachronistic mindset, like say examining a poster of himself or mirror, tearing up a competitor's merchandise, finding a secret area filled with rocket launchers and yes, fragging enemies.

 

[Daverson]

I would have finished the version on the Quake 2 engine.

Let's face facts, if 3D Realms didn't bother trying to switch to the Unreal engine, it'd be released, say, '99, or thereabouts. You know, before the whole thing became a big joke...

 

[Treblaine]

If it happens a third time, I'm fucking calling it. These big publishers are FORCING developers to conform to generic game mechanics protect sales.

Well they are forcing them only indirectly with yearly release pushing, so time is extremely tight and suddenly these bullshit barely gameplay options(QTE, button mash, health regen, two weapon cap, railroad levels, single color pallet,...) are suddenly very appealing to every designer.

Good gameplay needs alot of time on refinement, time the publishers do not want to spend, and that is why all the recent shooters feel so middle of the road gray tasteless slush, noone takes time to really make things feel right.

Of all games, you cannot possibly say that Duke Nukem was rushed for time.

Well I'm suggesting it is less Developers being overworked that necessitates taking short-cuts, and much more Publishers being oppressively conservative by actively saying "You HAVE to use these derivative gameplay mechanics".

Why? Because they are paranoid bout losing their investment by trying something "too different"

They probably banked that because Duke Nukem was superficially so different from everything else that was enough, not realising that the appeal of the superficial difference was that that was an INDICATION that the gameplay would be unique!