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You gonna pull those pistols, or whistle Dixie?
If you've checked out the Duke Nukem 3D demo on The CD or the PC Gamer web site, you've probably noticed it's the closest thing to Doom since - well, Doom. And just like Doom, Duke's fast action and multi-player options have resulted in more lost productivity at the PC Gamer offices than a major earthquake.
So when it came time to compile a few tips and strategies for the shareware version of Duke, it wasn't hard to get the strategy crew fired up for some action.
These notes did not appear in the original article, but are just bits we've been kicking around. All suggestions and contributions are welcome.
When we go head to head with three or more Dukes on the Dukenet, we usually use a no-rocket launcher rule, just because everyone ends up guarding the rocket launchers. Killing with the shotgun or machine-gun requires more time and skill as well, making for a more enjoyable Dukematch. We still use the launchers to open secret parts of the levels, but not on each other. But if a newcomer joins the game, they're allowed to use the rocket launcher, for all the good it will do them.
Without the rocket launcher, your choice of strategies comes down to hanging back with the machine gun or getting in close and working someone over with the shotgun. Most players prefer the machine-gun, but if you are good at ducking, spinning and firing, jacking up on steroids and running circles around someone with a shotgun is very effective, and against someone who's not used to it, very disconcerting.
You probably shouldn't even try to engage in combat until you've got your health up to 200% and are fully armoured, and well-equipped with weapons. When you die and restart, power up before taking on whomever killed you -- you may be bent on revenge, but with a pistol and no armour, you're just throwing yourself away, and giving him the kill. Only if you're certain your rival is almost dead should you try it.
On the first level, if someone dies, run towards the street tube where players normally come out through on single player Duke. A lot of times players will restart up there, and there's nothing for them to arm with except a shotgun and a pipebomb, and when they jump down the chute, they'll be injured. An easy kill. If you suspect someone's waiting down there for you, you might be tempted to throw the pipebomb. Don't. It only lets them know you're coming, and they're usually well back from the chute anyway.
Holodukes can be useful against novices, but they are not too effective against experienced players, except at long range. Turning them on and off again very quickly in different spots, can be effective. In a massive firefight out in the streets, they can be useful to cause additional confusion.
With the new pipebomb placement in version 1.1 (crouching for exact placement), some lethal deathtraps can be set. There's hardly anywhere where someone can't come up behind you though -- one real good spot is the dark hall beyond the lift on Level two. There's also a +50% healing back there too, which attracts the more knowledgeable players. Lobbing them around blind corners is a reasonable, if noisy, plan, if you have plenty to waste and quick fingers to draw another weapon.
"Kill mooches" are those crafty players who see two enemy Dukes standing head-to-head, pumping lead into each other and reducing their health and ammo down pretty low, than comes up and finish them both off. It takes experience and a little guesswork to know when to jump in and take the kills.
Clint Phillips offers some differing
opinions:
Hey there. First msg I have written to you guys, hope I don't get
an automated reply :) First thing, your strategy for 3-8 player
Dukenet does not impress me :) We have played MANY MANY hours on
the first level and other levels for dukematch and I have
especially noticed I get a lot of kills because my friend's like
to go for that 200 health, armor, and loading up on weapons. And
the HANDGUN is the best weapon in the game!!!! It can kill really
quick, I think it is more efficient than the minigun. If you know
how to strafe left and right, the handgun will kick ass. Rocket
launchers suck at long range because I will just strafe. But
going for the health and everything, you will lose at least 2
lives just trying to get there. Once you get there. 2 rockets and
your screwed(if you are not using "the rule" then it
will take a few devestator shots, (if you are not playing level
1)). But saving up for armor and everything is NOT a good
strategy in any doom like game I have seen unless it is a small
level. Level 1 for Duke is not a small level. Just putting in my
two bits :)
Submitted by Clint Phillips
Ransom Stark offers up this diabolical
trick:
Well, one of the best ways I've learned to nuke an opponent (I
play dukematch all the time.. I cant get away from it), is to
grab a pipebomb or six.. lay as many as you can down by a door,
and change to a different weapon.. if you wait on the side of the
door with pipebombs, and your enemy hasn't picked up any yet,
they'll run through the door, pick up a pipebomb or two, and it
will change their selected weapon to a pipebomb.. unless they're
really fast, they wont be able to do ANYTHING but turn and run
while you shoot em full of holes. But watch out, if they've
already got pipebombs, it won't work. You'll get toasted, unless
of course you rpg the pipebombs laying on the floor, or detonate
at the right time.
Submitted by Ransom Stark
As you enter Level One, you've narrowly escaped a terrible crash that has left your rocket cycle in ruins, and now you've got to grope your way through a strange city full of aliens with only a pistol for defense. Even for a top-notch action hero like Duke Nukem, that's a daunting task. Fortunately, we can point you in the right direction and get you the firepower that'll have you blasting baddies with ease (and along the way, we'll show you how to find those secret areas you've been missing).
The basic Doom techniques work well with Duke - strafing, running from danger, and saving your game frequently are high on the list of life-saving procedures. But Duke has a few more tricks up his sleeve than the legendary Space Marine - like the ability to fly, jump, duck, look up and down, and even scuba-dive. Keep those in mind - limiting yourself to the moves you mastered while playing Doom can be fatal in Duke Nukem.
Unlike in Doom, the old Use/Open control won't always uncover secret rooms. Instead, you'll need to watch for cracks in the walls, which you can turn into doorways through the judicious application of a rocket launcher or pipe bomb. Other secret passages are hidden behind posters on the wall or windows that look solid. A great way to gather clues about secret areas is to check the security cameras located throughout each level; if you spot a location that looks unfamiliar even after you've discovered the end-level switch, chances are you're looking at a secret area you haven't visited yet.
Now you've got the moves down, and you're uncovering the secrets - but are you making the most of your firepower? If you could use a few tips on getting the most out of your limited supply of ammo, read on.
Pistol:
Against all but the weakest enemies, Duke's standard-issue pea-
shooter should be considered a weapon of last resort, but its
high rate of fire and nearly limitless ammo does make it perfect
for special uses like triggering distant switches to unlock
doors, or turning those annoying organic turrets to pulp.
Shotgun:
Ah, now this is more like it! The shotgun is the best choice for
those close-quarters fire-fights against tough foes like the Pig
Cops or those teleporting kitties.
Chaingun:
Wanna spray lead like water from a hose? This is your weapon of
choice, useful for mowing down crowds of fiendish aliens or
picking off moving targets like those pesky Pig Cops on their
flying bikes. Dig 'em a hole, and pass the ammunition!
Rocket Launcher:
This is the biggest gun you'll find in the shareware version of
Duke 3D, and like the rocket launcher in Doom, the RPG in Duke is
a double -edge sword. It's certainly the right tool for the job
when you're taking out large groups of bad guys from long range
or blowing holes in walls, but its dangerous backwash makes it
deadly if you use it close-up, so be careful where you point it.
Pipe Bomb:
The perfect anti-personnel weapon, the pipe bomb can have you
blowing apart baddies even when you're far from the scene. With
their throw-now-and-blow-later design, you use pipe bombs to
create an explosive trap for those alien goons. To drop several
bombs in the same spot without setting them off, press the 6 key
after each one to switch from the detonator button to another
pipe bomb. When you're ready for the fireworks, blowing the last
bomb you dropped should set them all off. By laying a network of
pipe bombs, you can engulf big chunks of real estate in massive
explosions. This trick has its uses against the
computer-controlled opponents in the single-player game, but it's
infinitely more satisfying in multi-player Dukematch action.
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