Duke Nukem Manhattan Project on XBLA June 23rd

[KO Gilligan]

Originally Posted by Damien_Azreal

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com...ic.php?t=11034

Thanks. You do indeed lose a bit of the vertical, but the perspective is a bit distant anyway, so it's OK to zoom in a bit. I think I'll run it at 1280 x 720. Seems to be a good balance of not stretching and not losing much vertical for PC play.

---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Nukkus

The XBLA version's widescreen is far superior, it adds more at the sides rather than cropping the top and bottom to fit the screen. Finally getting used to firing with the trigger.

Firing with the L alt key blows. Definitely superior on a controller. It has a great feel on my PC controller, no problem getting use to the buttons.

[WarThrash]

Originally Posted by KO Gilligan

Thanks. You do indeed lose a bit of the vertical, but the perspective is a bit distant anyway, so it's OK to zoom in a bit. I think I'll run it at 1280 x 720. Seems to be a good balance of not stretching and not losing much vertical for PC play.

---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------



Firing with the L alt key blows. Definitely superior on a controller. It has a great feel on my PC controller, no problem getting use to the buttons.

Even if you don't use a controller you don't have to fire with the left alt key. I use the spacebar if I'm too lazy to plug in my xbox controller

[MegaMustaine]

Anybody else noticing big V-Sync issues with the game? This port should run perfect on the 360 and IMO it doesn't. Still a great game, and I don't regret spending the points.

[The Dukenator]

Originally Posted by MegaMustaine

Anybody else noticing big V-Sync issues with the game? This port should run perfect on the 360 and IMO it doesn't. Still a great game, and I don't regret spending the points.

Come to think of it, I think the PC version had a similar issue.

[GrimWoman]

Originally Posted by NUKEMDAVE

Hey George, this is off-topic, but is there still going to be an update to Duke Nukem 3D XBLA's ranked matches as mentioned a while back?

http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?t=33168

That would be a nice update to have, but probally not going to happen.

Anyway, DN:MP plays way better on the Xbox then the PC. Also i got 200/200 already

[MegaMustaine]

Originally Posted by The Dukenator

Come to think of it, I think the PC version had a similar issue.

My PC runs the game much better. It isn't that bad when you get used to it though.

[KO Gilligan]

LOL - come to think of it, the PC I had in 2002, compared to my Quad Core

Probably a huge difference from what it would have run like back then.

Looks real good to me, just a little dated.

[NUKEMDAVE]

Completely finished the game and unlocked everything. The avatar jetpack looks alot like Duke3D's jetpack, but a little different. Maybe they modeled it after DNF's jetpack.

[Carnivol]

Grabbed this one yesterday, and although I at first was a bit skeptical at the visuals being "left as is," 'cause I feel 3D doesn't always age as well as pixelated stuff, but I suddenly did a 180' and embraced it all with much love.

Only given it a test spin so far and I like what I see and how it works, but there's one thing I'd like to be a little picky about;


The controls. Maybe I just missed something, but I've never been much of a fan of shooting with the Right Trigger in 2D/2.5D platforming games games. It just doesn't feel right. Manhatten Project's optional controller setting seem to follow a weird design choice of making A the Jump Button (OK!) and B the Shoot Button (Not OK!). I don't quite get this. I remember a few games in the NES days that did the same (Werewolf, I'm looking at you. With your NES PAD A for attack and NES PAD B for Jump.)

I'm currently playing with the RT for shooting setup, but I hope that if we see a title update for Manhatten Project, that you'll find it in your hearts to add some additional controller layouts (or a controller config screen, maybe?)

Personally, I'm a fan of A for Jump, X for Shoot (which is pretty much the standard design for most games, I suppose... given how the thumb rests over those two buttons in such a natural way) and, well, B or Y doesn't matter too much in regards to which gets Stomp and which is Pipe Bomb (though, Capcom's BC:R had B for grenades, but I know most shooters like to have B for melee). Know a lot of people would probably also embrace B for Jump, Y for Shoot (Super Metroid used this, iirc), and then X/A for Pipe bombs and stomps or something.

Another tiny observation is that when climbing on pipes and such, the analog input for up/down seems to be overly sensitive and cause a lot of accidental drops. Some form for expanded center deadzone could be nice (or higher tolerance for vertical input on the pipes when using analog input)


Anyway, just a couple of controller suggestions.

Keep on rockin' and thank you for Manhatten Project XBLA. Will probably be fighting my way through it this weekend!

[crunchy superman]

Good to see this happen - MP was solid and I enjoyed it. Actually rather surprised it didn't make a 360 appearance years ago.

I've not played it in forever. Might re-install over the weekend.

[Another Duke Fan]

Instant buy. Can`t stop playing it for the XX time. This is my 4th copy of the game and I am simply lovin`it.

[thunderPIN]

I have to agree with MegaMustaine. I find the PC version runs smoother then the XBLA version. I have noticed that sometimes the game pauses for a very quick second just before an explosion goes off as the Pig Cops run out of the holes in the wall. Also noticed a few instances of slow down in certain areas. It's nothing bad though. Well worth the 800 Microsoft points. The addition of leaderboards and avatar items is really appreciated. Highly recommended for anyone who hasn't tried the game yet. Thanks 3DR!

[BubbleZ]

Love this game! Reminds me of the good ol' days all over again. IGN gave a stupid review of it though:

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/110/1101628p1.html

[MegaMustaine]

Originally Posted by BubbleZ

Love this game! Reminds me of the good ol' days all over again. IGN gave a stupid review of it though:

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/110/1101628p1.html

Sounds as though "He is too mature" Duke.

[thunderPIN]

Duke should rip that reviewer a new one

He obviously has no idea what he is talking about. A 4/10 is an insult!

[fast-1]

Hey guys I listened to this guys review and he was harsh, no way is this game a 4/10.

This games brilliant, he sounded like a kid. He should of gave it 10/10.

[WarThrash]

Duke's personality has also grown tiring. The chauvinistic, all-things-manly dialogue of Duke occasionally elicited a smile, but what was hilarious a decade ago sounds mostly idiotic now. Duke's jokes are stale, delivered poorly, and immature in a way that even someone like me, who still laughs at farts, can no longer appreciate.

"Get that crap outta here!"

5.0 - Graphics
In 2002 this might have looked alright, but nowadays it just looks sad and tired.

No shit sherlock. If the game came out in 2002, you judge the graphics as you would have in 2002, not compare it to todays graphics.

[Kray]

I've been playing it and having fun. Just wish there was a good guide showing all the secrets and nukes, I keep missing stuff.

[8IronBob]

Originally Posted by KO Gilligan

I know this is off topic, but it runs great on Win7 64bit.
I'm playing now.

1024 x 768 max, but it actually looks good stretched out on a widescreen.

Well, I just retuned my dual-boot setup. Although I do run Steam on Win 7 x64, and play most recent games on that, most of my gaming still takes place on my Win XP 32-bit hard drive for legacy, pre-Vista/7 games.

[George Broussard]

LOL that IGN review is a joke and imo shows the piss poor state of gaming journalism.

Newsflash - DNMP is a retro game, for a budget price on XBLA. Most reviewers are too young and inexperienced to consider such complex concepts such as "context".

You really can't price things lower than 800pts on XBLA anymore, so it is what it is. Seems like the game is a solid 7.5 for the most part and anything below that is just reviewer bias creeping in.

[Commando Nukem]

Originally Posted by George Broussard

LOL that IGN review is a joke and imo shows the piss poor state of gaming journalism.

Newsflash - DNMP is a retro game, for a budget price on XBLA. Most reviewers are too young and inexperienced to consider such complex concepts such as "context".

You really can't price things lower than 800pts on XBLA anymore, so it is what it is. Seems like the game is a solid 7.5 for the most part and anything below that is just reviewer bias creeping in.

Thats factoring in an age inflation too. The game is probably closer to an 8.8.

[WarThrash]

I recall the game getting a decent number of good reviews when it was initially released. 7s through 8s. I think maybe a couple of 9s

[8IronBob]

Hmm...never thought of it that way. Good to know. Wonder if there's a chance that there'll be a metascore review system in place for XBLA anytime soon, kind of like what Steam does.
Of course, I don't even think that DNMP is even registered through Steam for the PC version, so that may be something that may be calculated somewhere else.

[BubbleZ]

I wrote a review of the game myself at Metacritic (I gave it a much better 8 out of 10, being that I've been a fan of Duke from the get-go ), and so far it seems to be the only user vote for the XBLA version on the site. I don't think my review pops up unless a few others comment on it though. Kinda annoyed because I put a lot of time in that review, probably a lot more than that Anthony Gallegos idiot from IGN.

[Duke's New Chainsaw]

Originally Posted by George Broussard

LOL that IGN review is a joke and imo shows the piss poor state of gaming journalism.

He sounds like a jaded fan trying to be cool.

I played the trial and I thought it was fun.

[thunderPIN]

IGN must have picked up that reviewer from Gamespot because that review sounds like something Gamespot would post on their site.

[mide7]

Originally Posted by WarThrash

If the game came out in 2002, you judge the graphics as you would have in 2002, not compare it to todays graphics.

There is one thing I noticed on IGN, both doom games got at least a 7.5 (Doom - 8.0 Doom 2 - 7.5.) However, both duke games had crap scores for the ratings even though they had equal or greater graphics.

[GrimWoman]

Originally Posted by mide7

There is one thing I noticed on IGN, both doom games got at least a 7.5 (Doom - 8.0 Doom 2 - 7.5.) However, both duke games had crap scores for the ratings even though they had equal or greater graphics.

Its probably because the reviewer is very bias and shouldn't be reviewing any games if he acts that way.

[George Broussard]

Yeah, I mean Doom /Doom 2 at 8 and 7.5 is a joke. I know they are old but considering their classic natures they should score higher. I for one am very glad to have them on 360 or else I may not would play them again. I don't see how a classic that was a 9-9.5 is less than an 8-8.5, once you factor in price and context of it being an xbla game.

Just mind boggling. It's like some of these young reviewers review the classic games right next to the latest and greatest Unreal powered XBLA game like Shadow Complex. You really just can't do that. Likewise, just because they are old and dated visually does not mean they are a 4-7.5 rating, ya know?

Oh well, who cares?

[WarThrash]

Gamespot also had the nerves to say "Character movement and aiming feel dated" for the port of Doom 2 to XBLA.

Because, y'know, I really expected the movement and aiming from a 1994 game to be on par with Modern Warfare 2. I feel so cheated!

Well, actually I can't feel cheated because I didn't buy DOOM 1/2 on XBLA. I already have both of them on the collector's edition of DOOM 3, but you get my point

[Subliminal Surgeon]

I played the trial. Loved it. Got a friend to love it as well and also got him into DN3D. And George, don't listen to IGN. They are crap reviewers and even give false information sometimes. They're the Fox News of gaming. They give amazing games crap scores all the time.

[Stevey Boy]

That review was the funniest thing Iv read all week, he obviously should stick to reviewing game like Halo and CoD

[Dukefan24]

Haha yeah, one thing a reviewer must learn is to review a game for what it is. That will avoid them from comparing DOOM to Modern Warfare 2. Too bad those reviewers forgot.

And I got the game the day it came out, I'm in the subway system now!

[KO Gilligan]

Damn, talk about taking it out of context. Even more amazing is that people will listen to those idiots. It is their loss. Too bad it also reflects on sales revenue, DNMP is better than most of those old games on GOG.COM.

[Nukkus]

Well sadly my brand new Xbox 360 "S" just croaked. Red light on the console and the PSU, won't boot. Took it back to bestbuy and they had like a dozen other units to be sent back with the same problem. Still, i'm glad i got to play partway through Manhattan project.

[WarThrash]

Originally Posted by Nukkus

Well sadly my brand new Xbox 360 "S" just croaked. Red light on the console and the PSU, won't boot. Took it back to bestbuy and they had like a dozen other units to be sent back with the same problem. Still, i'm glad i got to play partway through Manhattan project.

Those new slims? Aren't they supposed to...NOT red ring?

Or did you have different kind of red light?

[Nukkus]

Originally Posted by WarThrash

Those new slims? Aren't they supposed to...NOT red ring?

Or did you have different kind of red light?

The normally green light in the center of the power button was red.

[WarThrash]

So they fixed the red ring problem....by moving it to the center?

Bwahahahaha!

[KaiserSoze]

Just finishing up the first level taking on the pig cop helicopter pilot. I probably should have finished the game by now but it's the combination of a ton of great games(Red Dead, Split Second, BF:BC2, God of War 3) and very limited amounts of playtime. I think my 1337 leet video gaming skillz are also suffering a slight bit of slow down at the ripe age of 38.

As for that IGN review, I'd love to see the kid rate some classic Atari 2600 games and then knock them because of graphics, eh Crunchy? These young whipper snappers think it's all about the looks. Sigh.

Back to DN:MP and finishing off the first level.

[KO Gilligan]

Originally Posted by WarThrash

So they fixed the red ring problem....by moving it to the center?

Bwahahahaha!

Your avatar says to me: "This is my 5th XBox!"