Apocalypso's Atomic Arcade: ROTT

Showing posts with label ROTT. Show all posts

2010/09/22

Scott Miller: ROTT and Shadow Warrior Sequels Possibly Planned

The other day, Duke4.net had an exclusive interview with Scott Miller, the CEO of 3D Realms. Something interesting in amongst the usual questions one would expect (met with rather abrupt answers for most of them), is this:

“Q10. Any plans for sequels for older titles such as Shadow Warrior and Rise of the Triads?
A: Absolutely.”

I guess now that Duke Nukem Forever, which one must admit was an amazingly huge time sink that’s lasted for thirteen years or so, has been handed over to Gearbox, along with the IP, 3D Realms actually has time for other projects now.

The last game that 3D Realms actually developed and released was Shadow Warrior… in 1997. That was the year after Duke Nukem 3D came out. The company has however been involved in a publishing capacity like with Max Payne since then, and overseen the release of several console-only Duke Nukem titles, but not much else.
So, while Randy Pitchford is polishing Duke Nukem’s rocket, and Gearbox is working on the last bit of Duke Nukem Forever, perhaps 3D Realms can get back to some of the other great games like Rise of the Triad and Shadow Warrior, from the 90’s.

And we want a proper game too – not some iPhone port of ROTT like was seen earlier this year.

3D Realms is a significantly smaller studio now though, since the DNF dev team was let go last year, so I don’t know how long it would take before development could actually begin, or whether the studio will actually do it themselves. They could probably just outsource it to another studio and publish the titles. Apogee Software was a big name in publishing years ago…
They won’t be able to really work on Duke Nukem titles any longer either seeing as the IP was sold to Gearbox. In the above mentioned interview, Scott Miller also replied to a question about whether the company would ever try to re-acquire the Duke Nukem IP. He said it’s “unlikely.” He also mentioned that he looks “forward to several decades worth of Duke console games released in a timely way”.

Timely = good. Console = meh.
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Source: Our Exclusive Duke Nukem Forever Interview with Scott Miller [Duke4.net]

2010/02/17

Apocalypse Then – Rise of the Triad: Dark War

15 Years of ROTT!

I talked about it the other day, and here it is. Today it the fifteenth anniversary of one my favourite FPSs from the 90’s: ROTT, or Rise of the Triad. The full version of ROTT, known as Rise of the Triad: Dark War was released on the 17th of February, in 1995.

It feels just like yesterday that we all celebrated the tenth anniversary, with 3D Realms releasing the “ROTT goodies pack” for free which included a lot of cool stuff, like pictures, MIDIs, sounds from the game, maps, and other stuff.

Now, not everybody is familiar with this game, and has been branded infamously as “one of those games that time forgot”. Initially is was meant to be a sequel to Wolfenstein 3D, a game by id Software, except this time developed by Apogee (now 3D Realms) by the team known as the DIPS (Developers of Incredible Power), and even went under the working title of Wolfenstein 3D II: Rise of the Triad. This idea was cancelled though, and the title became a standalone game, although remnants of the original design stuck, like the Triads, uniforms, and weapons.

The game featured an enhanced or heavily modified Wolfenstein 3D engine (some people think it was an early incarnation of the Build engine, but Tom Hall said after the game was released, he wished he had gone with the build engine instead). The game featured gameplay similar to Wolf 3D, with collecting of Ankhs and other items, but brought so much more interesting and humourous additions to the game, like powerups, smart enemies, and not to mention you could choose from five people to play as, all members of the H.U.N.T. (High-risk United Nations Task-force), which all had different attributes and voices too. Their mission was too investigate a cult lead by the maniacal El Oscuro (actually it was Tom Hall, just like with the dev team).

ROTT also introduced some things to the FPS genre that people don’t often credit. It had alternate fire modes for some weapons, which usually meant the player had to hold in the mouse button for an extended period to achieve this. It had a more accurate and realistic approach to missile based weaponry, unlike Doom, which was ironically the game that garnered more attention than this game, as well as the sequel, Doom II. Gibs also featured heavily in the game.

More recently, an iPhone port of the game was made available on iTunes, and even the expansion, Extreme ROTT will be out soon.

2010/02/16

Rise of the Triad for iPhone Out, Extreme ROTT on the way

Last week, the big announcement from Apogee Software was that Rise of the Triad would be coming to the iPhone range, which include iPod Touch and iPad, among others. The iPhone port of the game is now out – released a few days ago.

But it doesn’t stop there, because if you buy the game, then you will get Extreme Rise of the Triad for free. Extreme Rise of the Triad was an expansion pack or add-on pack which added a lot more levels and so on.

This was naturally also available for the PC back in 1995, but later made freeware along with other add-ons and map packs, which are still available on 3D Realms’ website. EROTT also had other stuff like a random level generator, level editor, and other “goodies”, but I doubt all of that will feature in this iPhone release.

Hey by the way: did you know that the full version of ROTT, Rise of the Triad: Dark War, is nearly fifteen years old? This week in fact. The shareware version, The Hunt Begins, turned 15 last year in December.

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Source: Apogee Software on Twitter

2010/02/08

ROTT Reboot isn’t Really a Reboot: Coming to iPhone

Man, this was a bit of a let down, don’t you think?

For months, rumours having been going around that Rise of the Triad, that all but forgotten classic FPS from the 90’s, would be getting a reboot. It turns out that reboot is actually just the game coming to the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. It’ll be available on the App store, but as for a release, they said “soon.”

Apogee Software and Mobila Interactive are working together on this project.

That’s fine for some folks, but here I was expecting something a little bigger. I may have gotten my hopes up a little. But one wonders if this may just be the start of something else. I don’t know if ROTT with all its quirkiness would actually work with today’s technology, and demanding standards, and “fans”.

From what I’ve read on the game so far, it looks as though it may be getting a few tweaks. But I’m probably getting the same functionality out of playing around with ROTT on the PC with WinRottGL (Birger got a new web address for this site by the way. It used to be something else).

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Sources: Twitter – 7outof10

2010/02/07

Apogee Promises Announcement on New ROTT Game on Monday

07-02-2001: Clive Barker’s Undying released

This seems to have slipped through a lot of the other blogs on the net, but I noticed that Apogee Software left a solitary tweet on their twitter account yesterday.

“The first announcement in a long list (of) announcements for Rise of the Triad will be made on Monday. Stay Tuned!”

I really can’t wait. Even though some haven’t played ROTT or claim that it was just one of those games that vanished into obscurity, I loved Rise of the Triad.

News was made last year that a ROTT reboot would be coming sometime in the future, and like Apogee says, Monday we will know just what is going to happen with this franchise that I honestly didn't ever think would be revisited. But I’m glad it will be.

Note that Monday will just be the first a list of announcements, so more to come soon, hopefully.

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Source: Twitter

2009/11/29

Apogee with More on ROTT Reboot Soon

I was just reading this on Apogee’s Twitter account:

“Some big news about Rise of the Triad, be posted in the upcoming weeks. Some exciting Stuff!”

That’s cool! Originally, Scott Miller revealed this in an interview, and it was picked up by Big Download, and later covered by yours truly in two or three posts: that he and Apogee Software LLC had plans for this excellent, addictive classic, Rise of the Triad.

So, as you can see, it looks like they will be revealing more about the project, which was said to be a reboot of the series, in the coming weeks.

One thing that made me laugh a little was that there was a grammar error in the above sentence. Can you spot it? It should have said “will be posted”, but instead it was “be posted”.

Funny, I don’t remember pirates being in Rise of the Triad.

“Aargh! there be some news posted about ROTT in the near future, aargh!”

Then again, it might well be because of the 140 character limitation on Twitter, you know.

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http://twitter.com/ApogeeSoftware/

http://twitter.com/ApogeeSoftware/statuses/6134561347

2009/09/02

Rise of the Triad sale at GoG.com

Speaking of Rise of the Triad, you might be interested to know that GoG.com, or Good Old Games, has a sale over there now which gives you 10% on Rise of the Triad: Dark War, which usually goes for $5.99. It also comes with some additional levels and the game's soundtrack. The deal ends on Sunday.

GoG says that the deal is on due to the news of a ROTT reboot by Apogee, revealed by Scott Miller last month, which may or may not be out in the next ten years, if DNF is anything to go by.

Sources& Resources:

Rise of the Triad now on sale at GoG.com
Hidden Gem of the Week: Rise of the Triad
http://www.gog.com/en/editorial/hidden_gem_of_the_week_rise_of_the_triad/
http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/rise_of_the_triad__dark_war

2009/08/26

Apogee Software Comments on Rise of the Triad Reboot

Apogee Software tweeted about Scott Miller's interview with Gamasutra the other day, where he revealed that there are about a dozen more games planned, even after DNF's situation, including a Rise of the Triad reboot.

"Well, Scott let the cat out of the bag about Apogee and a reboot of Rise of the Triad...I wonder what we have planned."

Does it sound as if there's a hint of sarcasm in there somewhere? Hard to tell when it's online sometimes. Of course there's some old biffer I know who would gladly point it out if he read this (eh, Gravy?

).

Maybe Apogee doesn't even know what Scott Miller has planned for them when it comes to having something planned for ROTT, which sounds familiar to what the development for DNF was like. Here we go again...

2009/08/25

Not Another List: Best Game Over Screens

Lists- it's a love hate relationship with most.

They usually don't require a lot of reading, and get straight to the point. And people get excited when something they know, in this case, a game that they've played, is on a list.

Others hate lists because it's one person's opinion, and because their favourite game might not be mentioned on the list. I've even received criticism due to some of my lists.

I usually avoid lists because of some of the above reasons, but I may have had a change of heart. Now I get to be the one reviewing (hating on) video game lists.

So, this list I'm talking about now is one I read just now, and it's called "Best Game Over Screens". It could have been good, and I agree about Mortal Kombat 4's "ending", and that Colonel Campbell's scream when Solid Snake kicks the bucket in MGS is awesome- but the rest...

Call me a fan, but one gave over screen that should definitely have made onto this list somewhere is that of ROTT, or Rise of the Triad. Look:

This screen rocks, and not only that but the music which plays during the screen is called "You Suck", which is one of the best on the entire soundtrack, and is also what an anonymous voice says when you lose a life, or die for good, which is when you get this screen above.

For an in depth view of great video game endings, check this site.

Sources& Resources:

Best Game Over Screens
Have A Nice Death

2009/08/23

The Wish Granter: Rise of the Triad 2

Recently I wrote a piece about the plans that 3DR/Apogee has to resurrect Rise of the Triad.

Now, Rise of the Triad, or ROTT, is one of my favourite games of the 90s. It used an enhanced Wolfenstein engine, and not the Build engine that some thought it did, seeing as it was developed just down the hall from where the Duke 3D team, which became known as 3D Realms, was working on Duke Nukem 3D.

Tom Hall, in retrospect, wishes the DIPs, or Developers of Incredible Power, who made ROTT, had used the build engine instead.

So, recently, I've actually been thinking, before I read this interview with Miller, that there should be another ROTT game sometime. But I was plagued by nightmares of what it would be like- probably some title for one of the handheld consoles like the Wii, DS, or PSP, and that it would be utterly rubbish- which I hope isn't the case if it ever sees the light of day. And I'm actually kind of thankful that it will be Apogee LLC and not 3D Realms doing it, because, well you know the whole story of DNF by now...

As bigdownload says, there's no real word yet on what form this game will take, and whether it will come to the more "hardcore", big boy consoles like the PC, 360, and PS3.

When I think back, ROTT was a mix of action with some humour- in a sick sort of sense. In fact, I don't have to think back- I have ROTT on my PC right now, and I've even written an article on my Classic Games Resurrected series about it.

ROTT was supposed to be Wolfenstein: Part II at one point, developed by Apogee, until id shot down the whole idea. The game has a dark atmosphere and all, but there was also the dev's trademark humour which made it into the game as well, a lot of which were inside jokes- you had to be there to understand, and most of us weren't. I always thought it was completely wacky and addictive. Think of the jump pads, and the elevators complete with elevator music or "muzak", the EGADs, (levitating discs) and some of the wicked weapons.

I don't know enough about the game yet, since it's only just been revealed or hinted at by Scott Miller, but I'm not sure what direction would work with the game. ROTT wasn't completely serious, as it had some dark humour in it. True, a lot of the levels were bloody irritating. It was a first person puzzle game that was of course similar to Wolfenstein 3D, with its secret floor plates and push walls, but not overdone like in Spear of Destiny.

Miller said "reboot", and when you think of Doom 3, and how it was a reboot of Doom, I suppose it's logical that ROTT 2, or whatever it will be called, will be inspired by ROTT and not just a remake with fancier graphics- I hope. I'd like to see several things return, like the excessive gore, and the outrageous missile-based weaponry, perhaps with a little more conventional weaponry too like that big machinegun that the Triad Enforcer carries. It'd also be interesting to see how playing as different characters would pan out in this game, and it might be good if you can interact with them and complete missions with their help. It would make for a good co-op type multiplayer.

ROTT was literally DOOMed from the start though, despite all this. It didn't receive as much attention as Doom, or even Wolfenstein 3D, and the year the shareware version was released, Doom II had all ready been out for a while. Then when the full version of ROTT surfaced the next year, in 1995, The Ultimate Doom, with the fourth Episode, Thy Flesh Consumed, which even got a radio advert which I found on John Romero's website, was released shortly afterwards.

ROTT may have been overlooked and forgotten by history, but it did introduce a few features in to the (at that time) blossoming FPS genre, and it would be foolish to skip it and go straight from Doom to Duke Nukem 3D as if it never existed, when taking a look back at the evolution of FPS games.

ROTT did receive a few addons over the years and developed a cult following of El Oscuridos. And it's this cult, of which I am a member, or monk, that's probably thrilled that ROTT might make a comeback after all these years, whether it's Rise of Triad 2 or known by some other name, it's about time.

2009/08/22

The HUNT Returns: Apogee has Plans for Rise of the Triad 2

The HUNT Returns?

There was something interesting that I read on bigdownload recently. Scott Miller of 3D Realms was saying in an interview with Gamasutra that there may be plans for another Rise of the Triad game sometime in the future.

3D Realms is a smaller company now after the DNF team left, and not to mention the whole court situation with evil publisher Take-Two.

Miller says that there are about a dozen projects that he has up his sleeve, and that the revived company, Apogee LLC, will be "rebooting" the Rise of the Triad franchise, which mainly consists of Rise of the Triad: The HUNT Begins- the shareware version, Rise of the Triad: Dark War, and Extreme Rise of the Triad, as well as other level packs and such that are freeware on the internet. There haven't been any sequels to the game in nearly 15 years, and since so many games have received reboots or sequels, like Doom (Doom 3), Duke Nukem (DNF- haven't received it yet, but anyway), and recently, Wolfenstein 3D (Wolfenstein), I think it's about time that ROTT gets the attention it never had.

Now all we need is a another Shadow Warrior and Blood, please.

This was Scott Miller in ROTT. He played the part of this character, the Strike Patrol.

Sources:

Rise of the Triad revival coming?
Feature: '20 Years Of Evolution - Scott Miller And 3D Realms'
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4112/20_years_of_evolution_scott_.php

2009/02/17

On This Day- Rise of the Triad: Dark War

On this day, back in 1995, the full version of Rise of the Triad, or ROTT, as it is casually known, was released.

This remains one of my favourite classic games of all time, and I still play it to this day. In fact, I wrote an article recently on it under my Classic Games Resurrected series. This page contains pictures, a video, and plenty of useful info and links to ROTT resources and sites on the net.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Rise-of-the-Triad