And then from that point on, finding the fastest way possible to the last rooftop should become the goal, which I imagine can also be achieved in several fashions including enemy surfing. Yet the last time I did give this level what I thought was a fast run, I ended up over a minute my own old time said I could shave off.īut the general idea is to make it to the second half of the level as quickly as possible that might be achievable in a couple of different ways, depending on how much one likes Liztroop or Fat Commander surfing to reach the office space all the while bypassing the first two keys. Par time route: I might further edit this section in the future since at the time of writing this, I honestly can't remember how I ever managed the '3D Realms' time' for this level, since it's so old - all I know is it was a long time ago but can still be achieved in regulation (gameplay didn't budge in any way that might have altered speedrunning strats since) and like every other par time using my (personal) pistol-start-on-Come-Get-Some-difficulty rule of choice.

By design an overpowered, yet fragile coward and so a particular asshole to run into, it purposefully was presented as such in the level, the first couple of them hiding behind decorum in a rather mean way that aspect of its conception probably influenced how each and every of the 40+ new enemies in Duke Nukem 3D: Blast Radius would end up bearing a distinct psychological profile that would influence their behavior and preferred settings. If level 1 re-introduced Troopers, Pig Cops, turrets (on the Come Get Some skill settings and up) and introduced the Scorpion Tanks, and level 2 re-introduced Octabrains, mini bosses and introduced new variants such as the Bomb Squad Pig Cops or Sunburnt Sentries, here the New York City theme (and props) singlehandedly dictated the invention of one particular enemy: the Assault Taxi Driver, a yellow-vested Trooper with deadly mortar throwing capabilities and accuracy whose weakness is being too obsessed with their designated vehicle to ever leave its parking spot.

Whoever initially fails to locate the Metrocard, on the other hand, will meet with all the upcoming, surprise terrain with disbelief as they encounter the end of an otherwise rather innocent ventilation shaft that is designed to drop them in a relatively safe zone, albeit in the midst of all the imminent action. To simultaneously clash and complement, exoticism would be accomplished by markedly repurposing the yellow keycard into N.Y.C.'s notorious Metrocard ( of course) and evidently linking it to two possible, yet opposite ways out of the hub the omnipresent sight of which would contrast with the otherwise suspiciously crystal clear progression through the very short, on-the-nose initial blue key and red key segments, maybe instilling early suspicion about a possible set-up or red herring there in veteran Duke 3D players already - especially after how the whole of level 2 would have had just used familiarity against them.īeta screenshot of the starting area showing a different sky texture, subtle arrangement variations, That would be achieved, layout-wise, by playing on the familiar with a level start recycling the classic formula of the typical base Duke Nukem 3D level: one major outdoor hub, and then pseudo-complex indoor hallway circuitry that slowly reveals itself to be interwoven and articulated around a core, where progress is sequenced by the progressive collection of keycards and finally culminates with the level closing back on itself. Secret place referencing the Ramones' 1975 performance at Arturo Vega's loft.

Scum map key