[RELEASE] FM3X: New York Rebellion + Orbital Oblivion + Anarchy Village

[Fernando]

Hello, fellow Dukers.

You may probably remember as the developer of FM2X, a relatively not well-known "old-school" styled bundle I've made a few years ago. Well, after many years of sleeping under the rocks and with distractions of "real life", I've finally found the time to produce the third episode of my FM series. With this, I officially release the third episode: "Anarchy Village".

Basically, if you are one of the lucky few who know my previous works, you will get to see this third installment as a significant departure in style from the previous two. I admit, the first episode is a direct facsimile of the original L.A. Meltdown, and the second is as well, but to a much lesser extent. Now, if you are expecting "Anarchy Village" to be like "Shrapnel City", don't hope so - it is completely unlike that episode.

FM3X includes (example of) the following improvements against its predecessor:

   
• 11 new SP/DM/COOP levels, 9 standard + 2 secret levels.
• 11 new MIDI songs. Previous levels' MIDI files were cleaned up, fixed and improved.
• Implemented difficulty settings for all fully-featured levels (all three episodes). It should be completely balanced and passable on each difficulty choice.
• Tons of bug fixes, improvements for all FM2X levels. (Read UPDATES.LOG for all changes, additions and fixes)
• A fully featured launcher which can help you in running all levels from the mod. (Only for DOS, although I would like to port it to Windows, or even other systems, but don't know how...)

And... perhaps the biggest thing for this mod:

   
• Exclusive bonus DukeMatch episode, 8 levels of varied themes and sizes.

SCREENSHOTS
(All taken from MS-DOS 1.3D version)

New York Rebellion


Orbital Oblivion


Anarchy Village


Just like my previous FM2X mod, FM3X was designed for the original MS-DOS version of Duke Nukem 3D and is absolutely recommended to use this version. But, unlike FM2X, FM3X supports all versions of the DOS versions (1.3D, 1.4 Plutonium Pak and 1.5 Atomic Edition - FM2X was only for 1.5), was robustely tested on the registered 1.3D DOS version during the whole development, and more so, makes absolutely no mention of any source ports or anything related after the source code release. That means, not only you can play it in any source port of your choice (eDuke, xDuke, JonoF, etc.), it is fully compliant with the original Duke mechanics.

Attached below are three ZIP archives for your choice:

   
• FM3X - ISO file image
  The first contains a disk image (ISO) of my FM3X, made just like it was an oldschool mod. Hell, it is even dated old to resemble the good old mods of Duke's youth. You mount the CD, run INSTALL.EXE, follow instructions and get ready to play.
• FM3X - ISO uncompressed directory
  The second file contains the files of the disk image above uncompressed. Same contents, but with unmodified dates so as to have the real final completion date. Follow the same procedure as above.
• FM3X - standalone GRP-condensed files
  The third and final contains all files in GRP-condensed format, real final date as well. Just extract to the directory of your desire and get ready to blast stuff.

To keep file sizes small and handy for the original DOS version, RTPatch is used for the patching of your original Duke3D files to build FM3X files. Don't worry, your original Duke files will not be touched at all.
If you don't want to deal with the installation process, just use the GRP-condensed versions.

In short, the first and second files are for the DOS purist who want to have an oldschool styled installation, and the third is the easy way to just play the damn thing, as you can even use them in the sourceports of your choice.

It is recommended you read either FM3XHELP.EXE or FM3XHELP.TXT to get hold of FM3X. They hold the same information each.

With this long post, I sincerely hope you enjoy my mod as much as I did developing it. It certainly wasn't easy to develop this whole stuff, but I always wanted to build a whole Duke3D series, and so I finally did! It really took a long time to do so. Nonetheless, FM3X is a whole new experience (perhaps not innovating, but fun indeed) you should not miss.

Thank you very much for your time and patience.

One final thing... If anyone wants to review the mod, I would like a proper and well-detailed review, please.


CGS - Download

[Forge]

One final thing... If anyone wants to review the mod, I would like a proper and well-detailed review, please.

1..2..3..Not It!
proper and detailed is not my forté

Now it's between Puritan and Duke64

[MSandt]

So far I'm liking the new theme which is a weird mix of outdoor, hi-tech and urban. But there are some annoynces such as often confusing layout, explosions in your face and forcing the player to lose health. For example, in the third map how are you supposed to take the lava stream back in search of the yellow key (which you're almost certain to miss the first time around) if you have little health?

The new EDuke32 version also super annoyingly prevents you from cheating the old fashioned way; you now have to go to a specific menu to input the code. I should go back to an ealier version but then I'd lose my saves. Not your fault of course.

[MSandt]

The shrink blast puzzle in the factory was a cool idea but you could have been a lot clearer about where you're supposed to guide the blasts. I had to dnclip into the area to see where I'm supposed to direct them.

[Polunka]

Hello to all Dukers out here! I'm kinda new on this forum (well, I actually registered 2 months ago, it's just my first post) but I've been a Duke fan for quite a long time now. Well, I'm not a mapper, just a player. And thus I'm not gonna give any criticism in this post, I'll just tell about what I liked and what I disliked about the episode. Btw, I'm not good at English, so sorry in advance for any mistakes.
First of all, Fernando, I'd like to say that I enjoyed your previous episodes in this series. Well, Orbital Oblivion impressed me way more than New York Rebellion, but nonetheless I liked the latter as well.
Okay, now about the 3rd episode itself. What I liked maybe the most is the soundtrack. As I think, all the tracks do fit in their levels' atmosphere quite well. Also, the design of most levels is good to me. The ammo to monsters ratio is also quite good, I never ran outta ammo. Also, I liked the levels' atmosphere itself, it does differ both from the previous episodes' and from the respective original game episode's atmosphere (well, I found some Shrapnel City references though). Btw, I also liked the finding of the first secret level puzzle, although it was kinda hard for me.
And what I disliked? Firstly, the first 4 levels, as I felt, contained some large but empty areas (mostly the outdoor ones) which added the feeling of, well, overall "oversized-ness". Also, (well, this is minor, but nonetheless) some doors were oversized, at least I noticed only doors, but maybe there're some other objects that were oversized... Well, I agree with Mikko about explosions in the face, forced health losings and the shrink ray puzzle thing (I had to dnclip to that room as well ). And yet another thing I disliked is the boss fight. Really, it was too easy for me and, I think, for the new players it'll be easy as well. Just that the player is provided with too much room to move around and dodge emperor's rockets. The player can even get out of the stadium back to the rocky ground and thus beat the emperor with just no effort. You could've made the encounter harder, at least a bit.
Okay, this is all. Overall, I liked the episode. Btw, do you plan to continue the "series" or not?

[MSandt]

Reviewed: http://msdn.duke4.net/revfm3x.php

[Fernando]

Reviewed: http://msdn.duke4.net/revfm3x.php

I'm very sorry for the extremely late reply, Mikko. Life is a real bitch when it doesn't give you time to review what is about Duke other than paperwork and jobs at the university. It is really despicable.

Now, for your review, I wholeheartedly agree 100% with you. A fantastic review of my bundle. Thank you very much for writing that extremely informative and precise article about the game and its flaws. At first I was a bit nervous to read it because I do already know you are not a fan of my previous two episodes, but that appreciation is justified. Reading it completely, it was quite unexpected being quite a positive review, not that saying the previous FM2X review of yours wasn't positive at all, but alas, was quite joyful for FM3X to have a better reception.

Now, about the flaws you pointed out. About the falling to lose healths, I've been checking a few maps about this problem. It turns out it is indeed a problem, so I will post a patch to remedy those issues in every level of the pack, not just the third episode levels. For some reason, I always keep forgetting about placing much health around these spots. That, is something I must not overlook, at all!

Second, I think it's a bit unfair (but still agree about it) you blame me about explosions in your face. Perhaps I do it a bit too much, my bad really, but the original game is guilty as well of such crime. "Lunar Reactor" and "It's Impossible" are perfect examples of this. But obviously, what you say about this problem is understood.

And finally, about the music, I am the one to apologize. I'm not a composer, and practically the great mayority of MIDI files are a plain shit compared to what I did have in my archives (and those were never meant for game environments at all). If I were a composer or musician, it would be quite a different story. But I'm not, so that is the best I "could" do, and I understand you would not like the soundtrack.

Before I finish, I would like to point out a few mistakes you made in the review. "Road Limits" is not the name of the second level, I don't even know how you got to find the preliminary level name of such before I changed it to its final "Helecopt Road".
Second, but probably of non-importance after all, you failed to mention a bonus dukematch episode included in the bundle. I know not many of you play DukeMatch nowadays, but it is a bonus per se anyways. And finally, and the best of all, this is NOT the final episode of my FMX series. It is the final episode for 1.3D, but a fourth WILL be made.

Thank you very much for the great review and I apologize por the long delay.

[Fernando]

The shrink blast puzzle in the factory was a cool idea but you could have been a lot clearer about where you're supposed to guide the blasts. I had to dnclip into the area to see where I'm supposed to direct them.

Glad you liked it, and sorry it is confusing. I guess I will put a FAQ section on the readme text as how to complete it... or to think how can I explain it in-game...

[Fernando]

Hello to all Dukers out here! I'm kinda new on this forum (well, I actually registered 2 months ago, it's just my first post) but I've been a Duke fan for quite a long time now. Well, I'm not a mapper, just a player. And thus I'm not gonna give any criticism in this post, I'll just tell about what I liked and what I disliked about the episode. Btw, I'm not good at English, so sorry in advance for any mistakes.
First of all, Fernando, I'd like to say that I enjoyed your previous episodes in this series. Well, Orbital Oblivion impressed me way more than New York Rebellion, but nonetheless I liked the latter as well.
Okay, now about the 3rd episode itself. What I liked maybe the most is the soundtrack. As I think, all the tracks do fit in their levels' atmosphere quite well. Also, the design of most levels is good to me. The ammo to monsters ratio is also quite good, I never ran outta ammo. Also, I liked the levels' atmosphere itself, it does differ both from the previous episodes' and from the respective original game episode's atmosphere (well, I found some Shrapnel City references though). Btw, I also liked the finding of the first secret level puzzle, although it was kinda hard for me.
And what I disliked? Firstly, the first 4 levels, as I felt, contained some large but empty areas (mostly the outdoor ones) which added the feeling of, well, overall "oversized-ness". Also, (well, this is minor, but nonetheless) some doors were oversized, at least I noticed only doors, but maybe there're some other objects that were oversized... Well, I agree with Mikko about explosions in the face, forced health losings and the shrink ray puzzle thing (I had to dnclip to that room as well ). And yet another thing I disliked is the boss fight. Really, it was too easy for me and, I think, for the new players it'll be easy as well. Just that the player is provided with too much room to move around and dodge emperor's rockets. The player can even get out of the stadium back to the rocky ground and thus beat the emperor with just no effort. You could've made the encounter harder, at least a bit.
Okay, this is all. Overall, I liked the episode. Btw, do you plan to continue the "series" or not?

Hello fellow player.

Thank you very much for taking a like to Anarchy Village. It was with a lot of effort and sweat that I brought this episode for you.

As for your issues with my pack, I'll respond to them gladly.

And what I disliked? Firstly, the first 4 levels, as I felt, contained some large but empty areas (mostly the outdoor ones) which added the feeling of, well, overall "oversized-ness". Also, (well, this is minor, but nonetheless) some doors were oversized, at least I noticed only doors, but maybe there're some other objects that were oversized...

Well, the idea of that episode was to provide a large environment, wide open spaces without actually losing track of the gameplay itself. Maybe the original game is not quite meant to have such wide spaces, but I think it gives a different style for the game. And I don't think many doors are oversized - I'm quite wary of the scale the Duke game uses, and all doors (sabe a few from Ghost House) were built right on scale. At least is what I think particularly.

Well, I agree with Mikko about explosions in the face, forced health losings and the shrink ray puzzle thing (I had to dnclip to that room as well ). And yet another thing I disliked is the boss fight. Really, it was too easy for me and, I think, for the new players it'll be easy as well. Just that the player is provided with too much room to move around and dodge emperor's rockets. The player can even get out of the stadium back to the rocky ground and thus beat the emperor with just no effort. You could've made the encounter harder, at least a bit.

I know, boss fights suck. And logically both of you are absolutely right. It was never an intention to actually have another Stadium again, so I decided the map itself would be the challenge rather than the Emperor. Pretty much all bosses are quite easy to deal with, and I decided to not pester the player with another challenge, as the map itself is rather challenging.

As for the explosions in your face, same as I told to Mikko, original game has them as well, but I learned the lesson. Forced health losses? A patch will be released tomorrow or Monday to address these issues, and I will decide if I place a viewscreen explanation for the shrinker puzzle or just a FAQ in the readme text file.

Okay, this is all. Overall, I liked the episode. Btw, do you plan to continue the "series" or not?

Thank you very much you liked the episode. And, yes. Look for "The Uprising", the final episode in my FMX series in 2016-2017.

[Polunka]

Dammit , can't figure out how to quote separate parts of a message, so I'll just reply without any quotations.
About the boss level - that's what I've forgotten to say about - the map itself was pretty challenging indeed, I liked it a lot (not in terms of design though, but gameplay seemed good to me), so okay, I get now why you made the boss fight easy.
Of course, I'll be looking forward to the series' finale.

[Fernando]

Friends of Scent-88, and everyone who's scouring the forums around.

I want to let you know I have fixed a few issues regarding to FM3X, some of those were quite detailed in this post, as well as the Duke4 forums post of my bundle.

• Forced health loss without health packs near them? Not anymore!
• "Boiler Cliff" confusing design? It is now better and more clear as what to do now.
• Explosions in face? Don't pester me with this, as the original game had these (E1L1, E2L7, E4L1) and I won't listen to criticism regarding this. BUT, these won't happen in the future FM4X, a promise I really hope to keep.
• "Knock-Out Factory" Shrinker Puzzle is difficult? Yes it is, but now the solution is available in the documentation. If you want to figure out yourself, don't read the FAQ section.

http://1drv.ms/1Lej2Zm - folder with latest FM3X and individual map files.

Any problems you should have with OneDrive, try the following Mega.co.nz links:

• FM3X - ISO file image
  https://mega.co.nz/#!f5JWibRT!n622cTyeV13j2f8aCGAYeUGZNKm86AaQ1vV7eOhNrJ4
• FM3X - ISO uncompressed directory
  https://mega.co.nz/#!ithFwTyb!90ITc5iwUi_KebFKzvVXmfb5PQfcNnXm9vfmtTPfDLQ
• FM3X - standalone GRP-condensed files
  https://mega.co.nz/#!SogyhIbD!5t36Kt8l0WWBA0hNJ1aqw8PReVsBg6kPB8nM1zvFAio

As always, comment and criticism is welcome (except the one listed previously). Still, if any other problem arises that it requires significant attention, let me know and I'll keep improving FM3X for your comfort. Until then, this will be the final FM3X version, until FM4X is produced, beginning next year.

Thank you very much for your time.

[Forge]

Now when I get around to playing it and doing a review, I can use this 'sissified' version and make Puritan re-upload it.

[Fernando]

The 'sissified' version, as you call it, was available since first release.

And like the word 'sissified'. It is to me like an equivalente of 'pussified'. XD

[MSandt]

Second, I think it's a bit unfair (but still agree about it) you blame me about explosions in your face. Perhaps I do it a bit too much, my bad really, but the original game is guilty as well of such crime. "Lunar Reactor" and "It's Impossible" are perfect examples of this. But obviously, what you say about this problem is understood.

There are a few instances of that in the original game (which isn't an excuse) but it's far more frequent in your episode.

Before I finish, I would like to point out a few mistakes you made in the review. "Road Limits" is not the name of the second level, I don't even know how you got to find the preliminary level name of such before I changed it to its final "Helecopt Road".

I got it off the txt; I think it was in the bit with the midi tracks and their corresponding map names. I was too lazy to check them in game.

Anyway, good to hear episode 4 is on the way!

[Fernando]

There are a few instances of that in the original game (which isn't an excuse) but it's far more frequent in your episode.

Agree! Lesson learned.

I got it off the txt; I think it was in the bit with the midi tracks and their corresponding map names. I was too lazy to check them in game.

Anyway, good to hear episode 4 is on the way!

Oh dear lord. My absolute fault indeed. I'll fix that right away.
And yep, but I'm sorry you won't be able to see it until a few years later. I'll begin development in January 2016.