Duke Nukem 3D - Polymer Render (a.k.a. SHINY!)

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The geniuses behind the EDuke32 source port of Duke Nukem 3D recently released a new build for the public which adds a completely new render option for the game, Polymer Render - some of these new graphic enhancements are dynamic lighting, self-shadowing, bump mapping and parallax mapping which wouldn't be possible with the old Polymost rendering.

- Screenshots -

These are a few screenshots showcasing the Polymer render in action with the High Resolution Pack.

dukepolymer1.jpg


dukepolymer2.jpg


dukepolymer3.jpg


dukepolymer4.jpg


dukepolymer5.jpg


dukepolymer7.jpg


dukepolymer6.jpg


The two last ones compare the old Polymost render (upper one) to the new Polymer render (last one).

dukepolymer8.jpg


dukepolymer9.jpg


- Videos -

Screenshots say a lot of words but videos does say it more - check out these videos to see how it looks in action.


Official Trailer​
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MoufuUKLNo&fmt=22


Spotlight Demo​
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9nVuf6OM2g


Random Video​
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmZdvuytWm0

- Installation -

Unless you already have the game go and buy it from the Good Old Games site for 'bout 6 bucks.
Put the CD into your drive, explore it until you find the DUKE3D.GRP file - or if you already have the game installed go to its location and the file should be located in the root of the folder. Once you've done that make a new fresh folder called something like "EDuke32" (doesn't matter what you call it as long as you know where you have it stored!) and put the DUKE3D.GRP file in it.

Go and download the latest EDuke32 version from here or just follow the direct link here (~1.5 MB).
Once it's finished unzip all of the contents into the EDuke32 folder you just created.
You could launch and play it right now with dynamic lighting but then would miss out on some neat special effects plus the HRP!

Go and download the Special Beta HRP for Polymer here (~290 MB) - depending on your internet connection it may take a while.
Once it's finished you have two options to choose from:
The first and easiest option is to open the .zip file and unzip the polymer_hrp folder into the root of your EDuke32 folder.
Once that's done launch eduke32.exe - now you just need to configure it so it launches with the HRP. To do that check the 'Polymer' option then look at the text, "Custom game content directory", there's a drop down window just below it, click on that and choose the folder called "polymer_hrp".

dukepolymerhelp1.jpg

The other method is more complicated and takes more time but as far as I know it's the official way of installing it.
Either way, open the .zip file and unzip the polymer_hrp folder, once it's done explore it and you should see a folder called 'highres' together with a lot of .MHK and .DEF files and two .txt's. What you have to do is to select and zip all of these files into a .zip file. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T ZIP THE POLYMER_HRP FOLDER BUT THE CONTENT IN IT! Anyway, right click on the files once you've selected them and "Add to archive...", select ZIP in the "Archive format" area. The archive name should already be called "polymer_hrp.zip" but if it isn't then name it so, bitch. Click then on OK; may take a while depending on your computer.
Once that's done make a completely new folder in the root EDuke32 folder called 'autoload' - go and grab the new and fresh .zip file you just made (i.e. "polymer_hrp.zip") and place it IN THE 'AUTOLOAD' FOLDER!
Go and launch eduke32.exe, check 'Polymer' and "Enable "autoload" folder" and you're done!

dukepolymerhelp2.jpg

Configure your resolution and input devices, then launch the game; if you go into options you can change your controls and mouse settings including a lot more stuff.

- Notes -

  • As mentioned EDuke32 is required for Polymer rendering; any other source port out there doesn't support it.
  • The High Resolution Pack isn't required but at least recommended if you want play with all of the effects the Polymer has to offer.
  • You need a powerful computer to make it run at an acceptable framerate; a GPU with Shader Model 3 is also required.
  • Remember, this is a beta so a lot of work is still being done. However, due to real life™ the project is going painfully slow at the moment.

I think that covers pretty much all of it; hope you like it.
 
*stamps footprint into virgin lunar dust*

I name this baren thread... 'Planet Bandwidth'.
 
Dude this is awesome. Cr0m you spelled a word wrong. It's not "baren" ... it's spelled "kick-ass."

And slowly but surely, DukeHRP is turning into Duke 4 ...
 
I remember posting a thread on the Duke 3D HQ build that someone did and it got closed rather instantly. Good to see this one is still up, as this one is more badass.
 
Oh dear god that looks awful. I'd prefer to play it 2D.
 
I remember posting a thread on the Duke 3D HQ build that someone did and it got closed rather instantly. Good to see this one is still up, as this one is more badass.

That was just a mistake, wasn't it? I mean someone closed it thinking it was illegal when in fact it is not since you still need the original game to play it with this.

There's a thread dedicated to the release of this build over at Duke4 here in case anyone have any questions.
 
I meant with the old 2D sprites for enemies, rather than 2D gameplay. Poor phrasing.
 
You monster.
Big talk, coming from the news monster.

It's too bad nobody doing the HRP can model decent human beings, let alone females. The strippers are pretty appalling, but maybe proper lighting could help. But I shouldn't be complaining; the game was a little on the cartoony side to begin with.
 
This is like wrapping tin foil around a piece of shit..

Unless they upgrade EVERYTHING else graphical this is kinda pointless, and you are way better off just playing the game normally...
 
Interesting as a tech experiment, but I'd take the low-tech original over this. If I wasn't completely outside the Duke demographic.
 
erm, I don't think that looks good at all. I could at least try it I guess...
 
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