Influential FPS games

Look at current first-person shooters: Half-Life 2, Unreal Tournament 2004, Quake IV, Doom 3, F.E.A.R., and Far Cry, just to name a few. Look at the first-person shooters of the future: Crysis and Unreal Tournament 1007 readily pop up in my mind. Notice something? A pattern... a trend... ?

Better Graphics, Better Audio

Better Player Immersion

There's no denying it. The games of the future will focus on better graphics and audio, or 'better immersion'. The primary reason is it is impractical to focus on anything else. But like the spark of an engine which gives way to ignition, what triggered the concept of first-person shooters?
When asked to list the original 3D games, any self-respecting geek could come up with a sizable list:

• Wolfenstein 3-D


• Doom


• Heretic


• Rise of the Triad (ROTT)


• Duke Nukem 3D


• Quake

Technologically, Wolfenstein 3-D was the first step to both 3D and the first-person shooter genre, introducing raycasting as a means of rendering 3D environments. However, is it really the most memorable? Out of the six I have listed, I think the one game which all will remember is Duke Nukem.

There can be no substitute for the Duke. This game introduced fresh personality into the player - you were no longer a nameless person who had to escape a castle by shooting people. You were Duke Nukem. You had a purpose. You had a voice. You also had at your disposal unconventional weapons, including the Shrink Ray, which can also be used in conjunction with Duke's Mighty Foot to devastating effect.
However, the game was not without controversy. It's attempts to parallel real life certainly also reached the more indecent aspects. Then again, 3D Realms did really think the game through, adding even toilets to the mix! Need a health boost? Break open that toilet, and you can gain health just as you can with a fire hydrant.
In fact, just thinking about it makes me want to go and play it now.
Hail to the King, baby!
On a side note, Duke Nukem Forever is seriously taking forever, and the official 3D Realms release date, 'When It's Done' doesn't help explain the delay either. Still, here's hoping to a release soon...