Duke 3D - The Bathroom Couch Introspective

[phreakindee]

This has bothered me for years, and just got to thinking about it again...

In E1L1, in the movie theatre bathroom there is a couch. Okay, so it's there to "hide" the shotgun ammo, but... a couch? In a bathroom? I mean, disregarding the other odd things like a huge wall-covering mirror and random back area behind the toilets that hides the medkit, why would there be a COUCH in a bathroom?

Now, sure, I've been in a bathroom at the Hilton in Chicago that had a couch, and a rather nice one. But, this is a rather sleazy-looking small cinema in LA. If it were a large one in a better part of town, MAYBE I can understand.

Okay, I'm done pondering the existence of bathroom couches... anyone else bothered by this or is it just me :D

[hightreason]

I often wondered about it, as a kid i thought Americans must like to sit and watch people using the bog because of this - obviously they dont, maybe the aliens in the game do?

When you think about it, that movie theatre is just weird, like the room at the end of the vent from the bathroom, why is that there?
Also think of the end of the level, the next level would exist in the same space as where the screen is in the cinema.

[Cyrix]

Couch is in the bathroom for the same reason you see napalm barrels in the arcade room. The people who built the theater were just insane.

[phreakindee]

Couch is in the bathroom for the same reason you see napalm barrels in the arcade room. The people who built the theater were just insane.

Haha, good point there... yeah, those first couple levels are just ridiculous, maybe that's why I like them better than any others

[DeeperThought]

It's obviously insane, but let's think of an excuse for it anyway. How about this:

When the aliens took over, they started using the theater as their home. They moved the couch in there to make it into a lounge area. The arcade is being used as a fuel storage area, which is why there are explosive barrels in there.

[TerminX]

It's a unisex bathroom. The couch is probably for ladies.

[Commando Nukem]

It's a unisex bathroom. The couch is probably for ladies.

OH so it would be against the rules for the guys to sit down eh? I see how it is.

Equal rights my aching jetpack.

[The Commander]

It makes as just about much sense as why developers always put explosive barrels beside enemies in FPS or buildings in some RTS levels. :p

[hightreason]

Explosive barrels/gas canisters are there for "Action" purposes, they make the game look cool because stuff explodes.

Hmm, DeeperThought came up with a good idea though;
When the aliens took over, they started using the theater as their home. They moved the couch in there to make it into a lounge area.

Which makes me think - The aliens must have weak bladders, you know, like some elderly people have a new toilet installed so they dont have to go so far to get to it, the aliens must be on a budget and cant afford to do that so to save money they just put the couch in the bathroom.

Hold on, that gives me an idea... (Wonders wether moving computer, tv and fridge to bathroom is a good idea...)

[moggimus]

You need the MAN's bathroom!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnguL3DwPaM

[Micki!]

Well isn't it obvious why it's there..?

While people take a dump, some people just like to sit and enjoy the show and the sounds :cool:
... And the, smell...

[Puritan]

I've been playing Duke 3D for years.
Now, the next generation in my household wanted to check out what the 'old man' was playing.

Guess what; The first thing he said was ..."why is there a couch in the bathroom?".... What a haphazardness.:)

[eddym4814]

It's a cheap p0rno theater and the couch is there for having s*x on. ;)

[phreakindee]

It's a cheap p0rno theater and the couch is there for having s*x on. ;)

You know that's the best explanation I've heard. You're probably right. That's explain the huge mirror right there too...

[nebiatsu]

Oh, come now.

The answer is so obvious.

After tossing one off in a dimly lit movie theater, and then grunting a number 2 out in the bathroom, wouldnt YOU be tired and need a little rest before driving home?

:D

[The Commander]

It's a cheap p0rno theater and the couch is there for having s*x on. ;)

You know that's the best explanation I've heard. You're probably right. That's explain the huge mirror right there too...

Thats the most stupid explanation ive herd so far. :doh:

[eddym4814]

Thats the most stupid explanation ive herd so far. :doh:

That was supposed to be a joke.

[Kalki]

This has bothered me for years
Why? :o

[phreakindee]

Why? :o

Well, not constantly... but sometimes, on lonely rainy days, I will think back to the lovely times playing and Duke and think "WTF couch"..

[d3ad connection]

I never really noticed it until a few years back, then one day I was just exploring the levels in BUILD, and went "lolwtfcouch"

[SwissCM]

The level design in Duke3D is sort of stuck in-between being "realistic" like most modern shooters and "abstract" like Doom and earlier 2.5D shooters. Take a quick look at the maps from a logical perspective and you'll quickly find that none of them make much sense. Roads that don't go anywhere (pretty much every city map has these), hidden rooms with no internal doors (the red secret room from e1l1 is a good example) and of course the toiletcouch. The layout of the maps from episode 2 and episode 4 tend to make more sense than the others, but they're still pretty silly.

[Micky C]

I never actually noticed the couch until recently. But it's the first level. 3DR was probably excited about making levels the following conversation happens;

"let's put in a sprite for a couch"
"what? but a couch is long, if it follows you where ever you go, it'll look ridiculous."
"what do you suggest then, huh?"
"watch and learn" The guy then makes a couch out of sectors and uses some good textures to make it look realish.

The whole 3DR team comes for a look and there's lots of oooing and aahhing at the 3D couch. And then;
"hey, let's put this thing all over the game, it'll look awesome!"
"don't worry, I've put about 20 of them in the theatre, they look great."
"not enough. whenever there's a dull corner, put a couch there. We can only fit in so many dead doom guys and scrappy doos."

and the rest is history. Sorry for the length of that. I'm trying to do anything except my homework.

[FrenzalBop]

That couch always bothered me to. Its facing towards the urinals as well which is kinda strange. I know if i was pissing i wouldnt want anyone sitting in a couch watching me.

I often wonder what I would do with the 20 bobble heads i found in fallout 3.

[Micky C]

I remember a couch in the strip club, the one you stand on to get the chaingun cannon.
Why would they put a couch as far as physically possible away from the action. I mean, there are several strippers dancing on stands in the middle and ends of a room, and they put one in a quiet corner.

There's also a few in e1l3 in the looking room infront of the electric chair. So that people can sit down, relax, and have a nice cold beer while watching people fry.

Are there couches in any other level?

[Steve]

I remember a couch in the strip club, the one you stand on to get the chaingun cannon.
Why would they put a couch as far as physically possible away from the action. I mean, there are several strippers dancing on stands in the middle and ends of a room, and they put one in a quiet corner.

Never been in a strip club, have you? ;) They do that so the dirty old men can have a lap dance in the corner... alone :D

[Micky C]

No I haven't. But I don't think that sitting on them opens up a secret door to a 3 barreled automatic machine-assisted chaingun cannon, do they? Well I guess stripers do need a way to defend themselves.

I don't really want to go off topic but what's the point of a lap dance? She's right there, moving all over you, yet all you do is watch?

[Steve]

No I haven't. But I don't think that sitting on them opens up a secret door to a 3 barreled automatic machine-assisted chaingun cannon, do they? Well I guess stripers do need a way to defend themselves.

They may have that!


I don't really want to go off topic but what's the point of a lap dance? She's right there, moving all over you, yet all you do is watch?

It's a tease thing :p

[Micky C]

More like a torture. But are there any other couches in Duke 3D? and am I spelling couches right?

[Cyrix]

Well the only reason I think the couch is there so people waiting to use the restroom don't have to stand waiting for the next available toilet.

[hightreason]

Hehe, it's odd taht this thread came up again.

I was wondering today why there are so much perfectly good weapons and medkits etc in bins in the levels.

[Steve]

I was wondering today why there are so much perfectly good weapons and medkits etc in bins in the levels.

Well the game IS set in LA ;)

[BloodWolf806]

I never really questioned why a couch was there...But now that I think about it, why the hell is a couch in the bathroom?:doh:

[The Commander]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSG807d3P-U

This is why the couch is there...

[Micky C]

LMAO. I loved everything about that ad. So the couch is for 'blind' people to sit on?

[The Commander]

LMAO. I loved everything about that ad. So the couch is for 'blind' people to sit on?

I believe so, or for other disabled people, that is the most logical answer.

[Famous]

I think it's just there to hide the ammo.

[ReadOnly]

It is the only bathroom in the level(unisex?). It is the porno theatre. So... It's for sex or whatever.

[Steve]

It is the only bathroom in the level(unisex?). It is the porno theatre. So... It's for sex or whatever.

I like this observation :cool: