Interactivity / Environment Part 3

[Joe Siegler]

This is a continuation of an existing thread which I closed due to it's size (large threads are more taxing on the server to display), as well as the last version got terribly off topic and was flooded with unrelated stuff. I'm going to try again from scratch - KEEP IT RELEVANT.

In the first post of the original thread, George had this to say...

George Broussard said:
What kinds of things do you see Duke interacting with? It could be electronic, mechanical, or any type of item, really.

The best things are items that can affect gameplay in some way. But some things are just flat out for fun and amusement.

Some examples to give you an idea what's possible:

Microwave (fun/barely gameplay): Open it, turn it on. Put food in. Cook it for more health. Put a rat in it and nuke it.

Wall valve (simple/gameplay): grab it and turn it left or right to alter steam, or open a hatch, or whatever.

NOTE: The above are just examples. No comments one way another as to if those are in the game or not.

What kinds of things do you hope to see, both in terms of "fun", and also for "gameplay". In practical terms, there is basically no limit to what you can suggest, but everything has to be balanced with how long it takes to implement vs how useful it is in game.

I'll check this thread from time to time to see what you guys have to say. There have been threads like this in the past, but I figured it was time for a fresh thread.

[Imfamous]

-If you see a car crash, the guy in the car will get wiplash
-You can use pretty anything in the game as a melee weapon (kinda like how you could pick anything up in Deus Ex)
-If you shoot an enemy in the hand/forearm, he will drop his weapon. If you do this to a pigcop, they will lunge at you to perform melee attacks
-Use of vehicles
-If a badguy is hiding behind light cover (like plywood or something), and Duke shoots with his assault rifle, the bullet(s) will go through the cover and hit the badguy
-Non-linear gameplay

[hiob]

it depends on the game, but if there are a lot of people that you encounter on your journey, it would be cool if you can choose from a set of lines what you say to them (doesn´t need to be complex like in RPGs, just a few cool lines you can say to the freed babes or something)

[lamuh]

- You carry around a virtual mp3 player so when press a certain key and you lift up you dukepod and can scroll through songs you want to listen to which pulls from songs that are in the Program Files/3d Realms/Duke Nukem Forever/mp3 folder. Or since this is in the future, maybe your sunglasses of a display that can allow you scroll through music.

- Some kind of 90's store you can go into where they have old pcs and you can play Duke 3d, which ironically was a game that Duke modeled his life after while growing up. Hence he changed his name to Duke. He proceeded from being callow to the real Duke Nukem after playing Duke 3d so much. Nevermind.

- You can drink in the game, kind of like redneck rampage and after doing so too much, the screen turns sideways, your wasd keys are messed up and you puke.

- Some kind of gun that can attract metal so all metal things are pulled to it and then you can shoot them out

- Poop you can pull out of the toilet.

- Jetpack with a minibar in it. never mind I suck someone else please.

[Micki!]

I would like DNF to have several channels in TV's and radios... Not just 2, but 3 isw ok... Anything above this would be really great...

if something can't reallyy be used, in any interactive way, i hope Duke comments it... Like when you tried to "use" a wall in Duke3D... That was fun...

Gibs should be "solid", so that they can be shot at/kicked, untill they dissappear...

Locked doors should "rattle/shake" when hit by any kind of impact... like an object hitting it, or when kicking it and what else might seem logical... (shooting it with bullets for instance would not make sense, since it's not the same kind of "impact")

When sound is coming from a speaker, the sound from it should be disrupted/interfered when it got shot at/kicked etc...

Drinking water would be nice...
By breaking pipes from some water pipe, or when breaking a toilet or sink.. (or just drinking from the water in the sink) It could regain health with 1 point each time you take a slurp, with an unlimited amount of water...

I really hope this stuff will be in DNF...

[Tang Lung]

I think it would be cool to have loads of games within the game, that can be played in single player against the CPU or online. For example, pool. So in Vegas, if there are other human NPC's in there (hopefully), you can play pool with one of them.

You could have some form of currency within the casino or arcade actually, which you aquire by playing the games. So lets say theres some sort of baseball launching machine mini game. If you hit a home run you get X points and 15 dollars. Those 15 dollars can be spent at a drinks machine to buy drinks that refill health. Or you have the option of just smashing the machine open with your foot and taking the drink.

On multiplayer, you could just have a casino map, where you can play the games against people. It would be cool to play pool with a friend in an FPS, and then when you lose shoot them in the face with a Desert Eagle

[Tim. Just Tim.]

If a baddie has a shotgun and a pistol and you kill him you should find a shotgun and a pistol on the body.

If the baddie has X shotgun shells and fires Y shells at you before you kill him, you should find X-Y shells on the body.

If the baddie has X shotgun shells and fires X shells at you, or if you are too far away for the shotgun to do significant damage, he should switch to the pistol.

If 2 baddies are side by side and you kill BaddieA then BaddieB should pick up BaddieA's ammo if needed.

Any phones in the game should be 'real' - meaning they have phone numbers and you can go to one phoneA, and provided you know the number for phoneB in the game, you can call it and talk to whoever answers it (using the headset if you have one). Same goes for walkie-talkies, video-phones, or any other communication devices (eg, alien). (multiplayer only)

When you talk on your headset, the sound should come from your duke in the game, and only those within earshot should hear you. This is in contrast to most games where everyone on your team magically hears you loud and clear. This should only happen if your game character is wearing a headset, or is talking on a phone as stated above.

Your clothes should be able to become covered in blood (your own, someone elses...). The blood can be washed off if you go swimming, but only if you do it quickly, because blood dries and stains..

In D3D, pipebombs that you or someone else have delpoyed would explode if shot. This should happen for most/all types of ammo, eg rockets, shotgun shells, tripmines, deployed or not, on the players body or not.

[the true duke]

hey people its a fps game, dont go hog wild with weird idea's. enough interactivity for me is to pull the trigger.

[alexgk]

Using fire extinguishers as weapons

[Micki!]

That would be fun...

[Wolle]

Shooting out some pillars to bring a roof down on your enemies.

[Denz]

Originally Posted by the true duke

hey people its a fps game, dont go hog wild with weird idea's. enough interactivity for me is to pull the trigger.

Then you don't need DNF.

The long time kick in the balls. And being able to shoot the heads and play football.

[infowars]

all good ideas thus far, imo...

a 'light' door...cant be opened...should be able to BLOW it up to get inside...

i want ALOT of features and interaction ablitilties with NPCs..not just being able to say 1 or 2 things

[0marTheZealot]

The ability to manipulate physics objects on the floor (like HL2/Sin:E did). This is a no brainer.

[alexgk]

Using lamps or flashlights to blind enemies if you're out of ammo or reloading.

[Micki!]

Are there even flashlights or any kind of player mounted light confirmed to be in DNF..?

I wonder if it even fits Duke's style...

[alexgk]

You could pick them from the ground or something like that.
And I don't think flashlights fit Duke's style, but like I said they can be used as defense items, not as weapons or equipment.

[Radicals]

One good idea from another game (Battlefield 2, and many games before that) is the idea of unlocks. This would be good for weapons/enemies/NPC's that the developers wanted to implement, but thought they wouldn't 'fit into' the experience. Once players finished the game though, they'd "unlock" this content (either all of it, or one piece at a time), be it a new gun, a new level, etc...Unlocks aren't always a good thing, but considering DNF will probably be a linear game (I'm sure it'll still be awesome!) this could increase the replay value. I want replay value because I didn't buy Prey for this reason, everyone says it took 8 hours to play through at 'normal' pace...I was shocked! Replay value is very important, unless there is SO much interactivity that you forget about it.

[Monkey Butler]

Did I kill the last thread? Yet again one of my posts was deleted, so I'm gonna claim it. Woo!

Maybe have System Shock 2/Deus Ex (I think) style body searching, where some enemies could have keycards and stuff in their pockets, so when you move your mouse over them a little menu kinda thing comes up with what they've got on them - ammo, keycard, possibly some sort of story-forwarding diary/e-mail thing.

[Micki!]

Unlocks sounds cool, Manhattan Project had this... Would be cool to unlock some kind of super weapon in DNF...

But this has really nothing to do with world interactivity...

Nontheless, it sounds cool...

[the true duke]

fine some weird ideas;

kill a pigcop and being able to rip out his intestine and able to choack a pigcop near by and kill him.

or run into a battlelord and rip off its head and then use the cords in his knec to control it and shoot everything in its radius.

or take Denz and use him as a human sheild and then after he is all shot up use his organs and throw it at the aliens and they'll trip and the aliens fall and break there knecs and duke says "hehehe what a mess".

[Commando Nukem]

Originally Posted by the true duke

fine some weird ideas;

kill a pigcop and being able to rip out his intestine and able to choack a pigcop near by and kill him.

or run into a battlelord and rip off its head and then use the cords in his knec to control it and shoot everything in its radius.

or take Denz and use him as a human sheild and then after he is all shot up use his organs and throw it at the aliens and they'll trip and the aliens fall and break there knecs and duke says "hehehe what a mess".

or for something that could ACTUALLY happen in the game.

I'd actually like to see the physics themselves applied to the world with more realism.

For instance, in half-life two the physics stuff was very... well contrived and forced (You shoot this thing to make that thing fly down there and knock that thing over there over releasing those things there....) No no no... how about, have a wooden bridge, some stones/walkway brick siding thats just laying there, and theres a high place that Duke needs to get too, put a buncha stuff there, and the player can decide how to build himself a path up to that point. Could have Duke say something to cue the player in... Like uh, "I blow things up, not build them... Guess im just gonna have to switch my style for now." (not my best attempt.) Somethin' something...

[Tim. Just Tim.]

I never thought id say this but i guess there is such thing as too much interactivity. Some of these ideas are a little *too* 'out there' for my taste.

Anyway, heres my generic suggestions for interactivity:

If the game has microwaves,
let us nuke stuff

If there are TVs,
let us watch them, change channels, change the volume

If there are vehicles,
let us drive them

If there are lightswitches
let us turn them on and off

If there are doors and windows,
let us open and close and break them

If there is water,
let it be splashable, let it put out flames, let it make floors slippery

---

In other words, make it as realistic as possible.
Real life is the perfect 'suggestion' for interactivity.
What more can any of us forumers suggest that you dont already know??

[Commando Nukem]

Originally Posted by Tim. Just Tim.

I never thought id say this but i guess there is such thing as too much interactivity. Some of these ideas are a little *too* 'out there' for my taste.

Anyway, heres my generic suggestions for interactivity:

If the game has microwaves,
let us nuke stuff

If there are TVs,
let us watch them, change channels, change the volume

If there are vehicles,
let us drive them

If there are lightswitches
let us turn them on and off

If there are doors and windows,
let us open and close and break them

If there is water,
let it be splashable, let it put out flames, let it make floors slippery

---

In other words, make it as realistic as possible.
Real life is the perfect 'suggestion' for interactivity.
What more can any of us forumers suggest that you dont already know??

Ah-hah but you see we are blessed with ignorance of what DNF entails.

The 3DR staff isn't so lucky, its a lot easier to let the brain work when you aren't inhibited by other ideas. Humans are limited creatures, but when you remove limitations (like a very defined idea of what DNF is for the 3DR staff) it becomes hard for them to think up something thats out-smackingly awesome and fun. For us, the people who have no idea what we might see, and are the ones forking out the cash for this thing come release, it gives us a chance to at least put something in to the pot and say "Hey, how about this thing which you the dev couldn't think of because of your perspective?"

Its all in the perspective guys.

[Nessus]

If there are TV's it would be nice to able to put video files in a folder and watch them on one of the channels just like has been suggested with mp3's so many times.

[the true duke]

how about alien interactivity. what i hated about duke 3d is that you didnt interactive with much on the aliens places. something new and different and things we havent done a thousand times before would be nice.

[Commando Nukem]

Originally Posted by the true duke

how about alien interactivity. what i hated about duke 3d is that you didnt interactive with much on the aliens places. something new and different and things we havent done a thousand times before would be nice.

Well see, the alien enviroments were mostly the human space station over taking by the alien gunk ("Resin"). But if we get to see more of the actual alien structures and stuff I think it would be quite awesome to interact with their technoligy.

[Imfamous]

How about cool stuff like when you launch the rocket in HL?

[Otto von Keisinger]

I want working vending machines, dammit! None of this HL2 crap where vending machines are ****ing decoration!!!

...I feel much better now, thank you.

[alexgk]

Originally Posted by Nessus

If there are TV's it would be nice to able to put video files in a folder and watch them on one of the channels just like has been suggested with mp3's so many times.

We have a good idea here...

[Konstantin]

Security cameras was pretty cool feature in D3D. I'd like it back in DNF.

[DavoX]

Please please include some classics from Blood in DNF. We can't have Blood's source code but at least we would like some of it's things like dynamite (doesn't have to be a standard weapon nor even available with cheatcodes) but you could pick them up in some mine or cave level and use them...
Kicking heads and playing soccer with them... (fun for MP)
Setting enemies on fire (It's a must)

Me myself i'd like to ride a skateboard in DNF .

[Commando Nukem]

Originally Posted by DavoX

Please please include some classics from Blood in DNF. We can't have Blood's source code but at least we would like some of it's things like dynamite (doesn't have to be a standard weapon nor even available with cheatcodes) but you could pick them up in some mine or cave level and use them...
Kicking heads and playing soccer with them... (fun for MP)
Setting enemies on fire (It's a must)

Me myself i'd like to ride a skateboard in DNF .

That last one wouldn't be too hard to add in as far as vehicles go.

[infowars]

First off-

I hope that anything [interative-wise] that was 'do able' in shadow warrior/duke3d will be in dnf...all of its interactive basics.
__________________________________________________ __________

1.) Gasoline/Flameable Liquids=-

[think postal 2] Ability to pour flammable materials, then being able to light the liqiud on fire. The trail of gas will egnite once in contact with some type of flame...realistically looking too! [pouring a trail of gas on the ground leading into a room or whatever...using ANY TYPE OF FLAME ,throwing a match, flamethrower,etc...]

2.) Glass/Debis 'Blows out' realisticly

Debis and shattered glass should 'blow out' of windows and doorways realisticly [when in the radius of any explosions/blasts of any kind] . EX-Tripmine goes off on a window/near window from the OUTSIDE...with real physics... the glass and smoke and debris would be thrown about in a REAL looking matter. Since the blast IS in the window's pathway...the 'blast' would blow out any windows/breakables...the dust/debris/fire toward it...shattering glass.

3.) Destructable Environments (SOME entire buildings, surfaces, walls, trees, cars, etc..but not all walls/surfaces.)

Not POINTLESS...but the stuff in that CRYSIS game. Shoot a tree down...falls on enemy/ enemy's vehicle...they're done for. certain BUILDINGs, as in the ENTIRE building, can be destroyed [happened in duke3d!].

4.) Shooting through 'lightweight' Doors/walls

[that scene from the first matrix comes to mind] As long as its not a thick metallic door/wall, why not be able to shoot 'though' it. like a wooden door for example [think Hitman or Project; Im going in] you KNOW the enemy IS on the other side of the wall/door, fire for a clip...open the door..there is the dead body. next.

5.) MP3 play [selected folder via settings menu] during certain times.

6.) REAL Damage location...REAL injury reactions...

Shoot the enemy in the head...it gets messy. duh. But in most games...shot a dude anywhere else...its all the same. But shoot an enemy in the shoulder/chest once...a good shot, just not a FINISHING shot...he drops to the ground screaming...bleeding everywhere. Allowing you to walk up and finish off the enemy. Alien or Human. They should show REAL pain/ REAL reactions to their injuries...

7.) REAL explosions

MOST games have just a quick little iddy biddy flash and a small boom...leaving a black decal. BORING! YAWN! NOT REALISTIC!
Not only should the actuall explosion 'blast' look real [nasty black smoke..debris thrown everywhere, bright boom!] but it should effect the surroundings reallistically too...

Also, Explosions will leave FIRES for a short while...as in the stuff in the room/ outside will set on fire!

8.) NPCs should react to their surroundings realistically.

such as;

-Coughing from the smoke in the air, from an explosion/fire.
-Run out of the way when driving towards them.
-Showing fear [screaming/running/crying/etc] when apropriate
-You hit them..they might stay for a fist fight...
-Reacting to what YOU 'do' [ex-Point a gun in their face...
they get mad/uncomfortable...
-Will fight/defend them selfs
-react to loud noises...NPCs will 'flintch' at the sound of a blast or gun shot..

etc

9.) Yeah. Accessing MY porn pictures/videos [.avi,mpeg-2,divx,vidx,etc] and being able to PLAY them from certain computers in-game would be sweet! I think I speak for...man.

Also...maybe...watch a dvd...in game??

--------

that all for now

[Kupferdrache]

There should be lots of references in later levels to stuff that happend before. (Like max panye, just much more dynamik). That can be newspapers, TV, radio, some guys talking, things (small) showing up if you did x (and not y),
Examples for dynmaic use: Bodycount (deceased aliens) in the news, $ of damage duke caused in a cinema (baed on where his rockets/bullets go...)

phone booths, call the xxx line. remember max called just to talk? that was funny as shit! my fav part in all the max games......

[Bryant]

Loose objects

The main architecture of buildings and other obstacles should stay in tact for the purpose of advancing the plot, but things like pillars, windows, roofs, tables, chairs, tile, boxes, et cetera should be destroyable and moveable where applicable.

[MakronMan]

im not sure if anybody has alredy thot about this but how bout if u shoot an enemy in the arm in becomes useless like if you break an bone

[Malgon]

I was going to post the shooting through doors idea (especially with the GDE) but infowars beat me to it.

I'd like to be able to control alien soldiers through a computer system which is linked to all of the aliens minds. It's possible that all the footsoldiers have a brain implanted communications chip and through this they can be ordered around (by Duke of course ) to switch of security fields, open locked areas, plant bombs and stuff like that. Your handywork could be viewed through all the security cameras located around the area. It could be in some Area 51 base or something like that, and not be used throughout the whole game. Just only for a small while.

[the true duke]

most of these has been posted before.