3D Realms Anthology Bashny.Net

A company Apogee / 3D Realms did for the gaming industry a lot: published and developed ofigitelnye game re-invented the new rules the principle of «shareware» in the form in which we know it now, first used as the official release date «When it's done». In general, the sign company. And just a couple of months ago they redesigned their website and started again to sell their old games, including - prepared a collection of 3D Realms Anthology, a collection of classic gold, so to speak. And on this company and this collection, and today we will go.



Introduction. B> I have repeatedly reminded and reminded that my diction is not perfect. Well, it is a medical fact. Attempts something to do with it yet fail. So I decided to conduct an experiment: put a full transcript of the video. More precisely, this is the scenario in which I wrote the text. It may be slightly different from that in the video, because I sometimes phrases when writing me, but nonetheless. If you suddenly realized that he could not listen to the story in the video - try to read it.
[Insert live] Hello! My name is Dmitry, and it is - a new year! And yet it is the next edition of the show Old-Hard. Before the holiday left nothing at all, which means - time to look under the Christmas tree!
[Lift the disc from under the trees, in the hands of Virtue]

Drop dead! Collection of the best games from the company Apogee, Apogee she is, she's 3D Realms. Full versions of 32 games, covers music from the games - all on one disc. But before we talk about the game, I must say a few words about the company. [/ Live Box]

Apogee was founded in 1987 by Scott Miller, and was first published game arcade Kingdom of Kroz, which used pseudographics in text mode screen ... but selling it, oddly enough, were good. In 1991, he was joined by George Broussard, who has published a number of his old games already on behalf of Apogee, and in the future has been responsible for a series of games Duke Nukem

One of the main ideas tested Apogee - a new version of the shareware-distribution of games. Prior to this, the company has already tried different options spread: the traditional, money in the morning, evening chairs. And Variations on donations, when the game is free, and pays money for technical support, tips and cheats for passage.

In the same player shareware get free first episode of the game, containing, as a rule, about 10 levels, and subsequent already acquired for money.

[Insert live] However, at this point someone might remember about toys Beyond the Titanic and Supernova. Indeed, both of these toys have been developed and published Miller'om Scott Apogee, but they are also published and before the establishment of the company. A Kingdom of Kroz was the first game, which was published immediately Apogee, and not someone else. [/ Live Box]

And there were also variations, for example, initially the game can be bought in epizodno, well, that is say only buy 2 or only 3rd and 4th episodes. Later from this scheme refused, and the game had two options: shareware with the first episode and the full version with all episodes. This method enables you to get acquainted with the game before buying it, which is much better than the current situation where usually even demos for games do not, and all that remains - this videos and reviews.

In 1995, the company created a brand 3D Realms, under the name of which planned to develop and produce three-dimensional shooter. The plan was that would create several brands, each of which would be published games of its genre. But as a result of changes in the market, this idea gave up and were created only 3D Realms and Pinball Wizards, the name of which was published only one game - pinball called Balls of Steel.

It is necessary to note that Apogee was mainly publisher, and much less often - the developer. While games such as a series of Duke Nukem, developed on their own, in most cases they were exactly the publisher. How do you like Max Payne? Too, is published by Apogee! More precisely, we have 3D Realms'om.

And Apogee was "good" publisher: it does not require exclusive rights to the developers, however, and special monetary support before the end of the development is also not provided, limited deductions from the actual sales. In short, it was the publisher of indie games before, when it became fashionable. And the concept of INDI did not exist ...

[Insert live] Now, when done with the theoretical part - look at the contents of the disc. [/ Live Box]

As I said, there is 32 games, by common installer and launcher. This shell is not very convenient - pictures of games are very small, and click to select uncomfortable, even tooltip does not help much, to peer. But through it, you can run any game or read the documentation, which is not available for all games, but most certainly. Sometimes he is a scan of 1-2 pages with the usual tips and cheat codes, and sometimes - quite a detailed story about the many elements of the game.

All games as you might have guessed, published under MS-DOS, so that in this delivery with every game comes pre-configured emulator DosBox. And yes, everything is set up to run on Windows, Linux instance owners even have to run the installer through Wine.

In addition, there is a collection of sufficiently high quality remixes of tunes from some of the games.
Such remixes here only 9 pieces, and most no longer than 2-3 minutes. As an independent collection of it is a little weak, but as a complement to the games - pull, I even attracted a few songs from the games uninteresting to me, that is an indicator.

In addition, the music immediately comes in several formats MP3, WAV and FLAC, for all purposes, and ears, so to speak.

[Insert live] However, there is in this publication is one slight drawback - it does not exist. [/ Live Box]

Yes, yes, yes, these games are sold only in digital form on the website of the publisher, and can be purchased as a collection and buy them one by one. Sad but true: the actual box or drive does not exist, and, apparently - is not expected. This is the physical version I made independently, based on the available on the Internet artifacts - in advance, of course, buying the electronic version. Nevertheless, I would like to briefly tell you about all the games that are in this collection. And I will list them in alphabetical order, rather than making a top from the worst to the best. I certainly will group some meaning, but these permutations will be minimal.

[Insert live] So - Getting Started! [/ Live Box]

Alien Carnage
Artic Adventure then this game could you look and feel. I also have the feeling that I'm playing on the Atari 2600 or something like that. You understand that I have nothing against the old graphics and old games, but a similar picture, alas, is somewhere beyond my perception. Well, hardcore death in one touch me does not appeal. And in the game there is no music. But, curiously, it has a global map that allows you to pass the levels in semi-random order, although access to some doors may need a key, being found in one of the previous levels - this feature later found in many games, published by Apogee. Such are the cases.

Bio Menace and check out the game itself.

Blake Stone - Aliens of Gold
Game authors have made a number of changes in the engine and mechanics of the Wolf: there appeared lighting, texture on the floor and ceiling, as well as automatic card, which makes it easier to navigate through the maze. In addition, there are vending machines at the level where you can buy a kit. Another interesting point is that the elevator by which you get to the next level, you can also return to the previous floor and get unused ammunition or health packs. To sum up: if you like shooters mechanic Wolf - always check out this, which, incidentally, was continued.

Blake Stone - Planet Strike
And yet, it seems, both games use the same library of sounds that the authors of X-COM.

Commander Keen in «Invasion of the Vorticons»
But that's about control, I still can not tell a couple of gentle. Shot made while clamped keys jump and grasshopper. Ingeniously, gentlemen, a genius. No music in the game, the sound only through the Speaker of the recording, and the graphics ... graphics in front of you. The game is considered a classic of course, but it looks like for my taste, a little koryavenko and flat. One could of course say that the level of their normal schedules. But just a year later came the next game of this collection, which has much better graphics and sound:

Commander Keen in «Goodbye, Galaxy!» B>. Here is a platformer can be considered a truly timeless. Management has become a normal shot moved to a separate key, all buttons can be reconfigured for themselves. Drawing became fucking clear and beautiful variety of environments levels too surprising. The game will be good enough Muzychko, the sound is also moved to the sound card. In general, the technical part of a platform at a height and this game can be without fear to show even advanced gamers.

In terms of interesting and setting it too pleased: bonuses in the form of candy, funny drawn and so much fun behave aliens, competent design level, just fantastic! This platformer makes me happy even though the fact that the game is not the scale of health and death occurs with a single touch - balance the complexity of the game is very competent, and this feature does not make banging your head against the wall. In short: be sure to appreciate this game. Required.

Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure
Crystal Caves
By the same platforming true Secret Agent
Death Rally
Duke Nukem , also known as Duke Nukum
Almost a similar situation with the Duke Nukem 2 - about it I also told in the release. The game is much prettier and more diverse the first part, also has a drop dead music. However, the complexity and now a little above average, but to play it definitely worth it. I would say this: there is the first part of the modern gamer yet, you can skip the second ... Nah, the second is definitely worth playing.

Next on the list is Duke Nukem - Manhattan Project , but as well as about the previous two games, about this, I also talked to one of the previous editions. Damn, I'm starting to repeat myself. Beautiful platformer with three-dimensional graphics and classic two-dimensional gameplay.

Where can I find further details I mentioned. Unless I want to note that this is the only game in the collection, originally developed for Windows and is not used for its launch DosBox.

Next - Duke Nukem 3D
But here's the curious thing. This collection is included as original under MS-DOS, Atomic Edition version 1.5, and source-port EDuke32, and windows-version. But from the launcher runs the original port can only be run directly by going to the appropriate directory. Why it was done - I do not know, but it's definitely say about the cost, still high resolution and normal performance on modern computers - this is important.

By the way, on the engine, Duke Nukem 3D came out a few more games, and one of them is included in this collection - the game Shadow Warrior
Hocus Pocus



Hmm.


















So Long!