GAMECENTER.COM - features - Blood

> `

> heads are gonna roll...literally

> `
> After (or before, if you're like me) mastering solo play and sending Tchernobog back to his rancid abyss, it's time for more advanced play against real live people. Nick Newhard, senior game developer at Monolith Productions, says that multiplayer options are still in a state of flux. With all the new developments in multiplayer technology, Blood is fighting to keep the pace.

> Because this game is based on the Duke Nukem model and engine, we expect the same type of Duke-style networking, hopefully with the addition of Internet support and drop-in-style network play (Ã la Quake). The company is currently considering both.

> Despite this, Blood's multiplayer gaming is being designed to thrill. For instance, after blowing the head off your opponent in Bloodbath (deathmatch) mode, you can teach that separated head a lesson by kicking it around awhile. The twisted developers have even designed an in-house soccer field made to test this feature. And the gorefest victim retains his vision for a ball's-eye view of the festivities.

> The voodoo doll also takes on some cool new multiplayer properties. Stab your own black magic doll in the eyes for a cumulative blinding effect on the nearest target. Wanna play dirty? A quick stab in the groin is as devastating as it sounds.

> `highway to hell`
> Your passport to this unholy land will be a Pentium-90 with at least 8MB of RAM, and probably 16MB for the best results. According to Newhard, "the artwork on disk for the registered version is approaching 25MB without cinematics." Sometimes big things don't come in small packages.

> While Blood is built on the Duke Nukem Build engine, several enhancements have been made. The renderer has been changed to allow for more-realistic 3D effects, including the ability to place sectors directly over other sectors. Also, a new sprite-drawing technique makes for cleaner, clearer polygons without the building-block look found in earlier games.

> Monolith Productions, surprisingly, is developing the title to be native to DOS, with a possible Windows 95 version on the back burner. When it comes to other platforms, expect Blood to follow Duke Nukem's wake. If Duke is successfully transported to other platforms like the Macintosh and Nintendo 64, Blood will probably do the same.

> For more information, straight from the source's mouth, check out our exclusive interview with Monolith Productions' Nick Newhard. And to get a quick, creepy feel (of the game!) don't miss Blood's excellent Web site. The music alone will curdle your...well...you know.

Q&A with Nick Newhard |

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