The gaming world has been buzzing lately with the recent teaser trailer release for Duke Nukem: Forever. In a mere 71 seconds 3D Realms, the company behind such titles as Prey, the Max Payne series, and the world famous Duke Nukem 3D, has managed to spark renewed interest into this beloved franchise. Like most of you, Down in Front decided that we needed to find out just a little bit more about this highly anticipated Duke Nukem 3D sequel.

   Fortunately, the folks over at 3D Realms decided to grant Down in Front an exclusive interview with Duke Nukem: Forever’s Art Director, Tramell “T-Ray” Isaac.

For those of us that do not know much about you, tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you been working in game development? What titles have you been a part of?

   Tramell - I am quickly approaching my 14th year in game development. I’ve been working in the industry long enough to see the transition from 2d to 3d , from my first Dx4-100 to Quad Core Processors, and of course the development of Duke Nukem: Forever.;-). The first title I worked on was “Blood and Magic” (BAM), a fairly low profile title with the distinction of the first D&D RTS. I was responsible for all the character animations on that title. After BAM, I moved on to “Fallout” and “Fallout2”. During my time on the Fallout teams I was able to wear multiple hats with my most memorable work being the “PipBoy”. After Fallout there was IceWind Dale, Planetside and all of its expansions, Never Winter Nights 2, and currently DNF.

What is your primary role at 3D Realms?

   Tramell - My job consists of a number of things; recruiting, training, asset tracking, level setup, lighting, mo-cap directing, scheduling, the list goes on but the most important roll is Artist management. I make sure the guys have everything they need in order to get their jobs done. Sometimes that means creating task lists, talking to George to hash out details, sitting with individual designers to get level specific tasks or setting up an “inspiration machine”. I do a number of things here at 3DR but it’s the same across the board, everyone has to wear multiple hats.

How long have you personally been involved with Duke Nukem: Forever?

Tramell - I joined 3D Realms in August of 2006 and I’ve been at 3D Realm since then.

With all the drama and controversy that surrounds 3D Realms, how do you and your team stay focused on the product.

   Tramell - Well, George deals with most of the drama and does his best to make sure we are all focused on DNF. When the teaser was released everyone was anxious to see how the world would respond, prior to that we (the team) had really never experienced that kind of interruption. I would have to say that we all know that the fans are looking forward to the game and we are working our hardest the deliver.

What size team are you currently managing?

Tramell - The internal development art team is 12. I also utilize outside contractors to help speed up the process.

With such a long development cycle how have you been able to maintain continuity within the art department?

   Tramell - I would have to say it has been some what of a challenge because of the significance of the title and the expectations that it carries. The length of the development cycle has had little to do with the style of art created for Duke Nukem Forever. I say that because the goal (art wise) has always been to create something more “realistic” looking, given the technology. The DNF art style has only changed because of the tech, not because we wanted to create a “cartoony” looking Duke five years ago and then switch to a completely different art style when I arrived.

   Art critiques are an extremely helpful tool to utilize when trying to achieve consistency. During our critique meetings we identify the parts of asset that don’t work or don’t fit and suggest ways of creating a more cohesive asset. When you have a talented group guys like we have on the DNF team, it’s much easier to keep the look of the game consistent.

The recently released teaser trailer seems to have caused quite a stir. How has the team reacted to the interest in the new trailer?

   Tramell - The Duke Nukem Forever teaser was a huge moral boost. The team didn’t really know what to expect to be quite honest. The response was overwhelming when we released the initial screenshot and even more so for the teaser the next day. Our servers took a pounding on those 2 days. The majority of the feedback was positive, which was great. The more critical responses were helpful as well because we have time to make adjustments.

Is the Duke Nukem character that we see in the demo, the actual game character?

   Tramell - Much of the credit goes to the programmers. That is 100% in-game, in-engine footage. That model IS the current Duke Nukem in-game model. This is not to say that we won’t be making adjustments to the model as we refine and polish the game. Everything in the teaser was taken straight from the engine via Fraps. Of course we added the logos and white flashes in editing to complete the total package.

Were you the one primarily responsible for the look of Duke Nukem? For example the large muscles and veins?

   Tramell - Dukes’ look was established long before I came on board. You can see that in the action figures, box cover art, t-shirts etc. We took all those images and created a next-gen version of Duke complete with the red “wife-beater”, shoulder straps, jeans and “alien ass kickin’ boots. I gave direction on this version of Duke along with the input of GeorgeB, Scott Miller and the artist that created the high poly and low poly models. I had a hand in it but I couldn’t honestly say that I was “primarily” responsible for Dukes look. This was certainly a team effort.

Where do your main priorities right now in development? Are you focusing on anything in particular? (finishing characters/environments etc…)

Tramell - Well, we’re doing a lot of polishing of set pieces, environments, and characters.

What has been the greatest challenge you’ve had to face on this project while you’ve been the art director?

   Tramell - The greatest challenge is and always will be trying to live up to the expectations of the fans, press, and colleagues. The fans absolutely LOVE Duke. The fans don’t want us to mess up. We don’t want to let down the fans either. So there is pressure coming from all sides.

2007 was a huge year for the gaming industry. The overall quality of the games and the frequency at which they were coming out was something we have not seen in a very long time. What are your thoughts on the big year and what were some of your favorite titles?

   Tramell - I think it’s good for our business. The gaming industry is expanding beyond every ones expectations at this point. We now see older people playing games, thanks to the Wii. Games aren’t just for kids anymore; they are a legitimate form of entertainment now. Games like World of Warcraft, Second Life, Wii Sports, Rockband, Guitar Hero, and Halo3 are breaking sales records and expanding the player base. This is just the beginning. I think we’re going to see gaming become the number one form of entertainment some time in the near future.

   07’ was a really busy year for me but I did get a chance to play a couple of games. I’m half way through Crysis right now. It’s shaping up to be a pretty good game so far. Half-life2 ep2 /TF2/Portal were nicely done. Right before my Xb360 red ringed on me I was playing Need for Speed Most Wanted, the best in the NFS series if you ask me. I know that’s an old game but I got it for my son and I couldn’t put it down ;) Of course I can’t forget Wii Sports Bowling. I know everyone with a Wii loves that game.

How have those games impacted Duke Nukem: Forever and/or the quality bar you have been reaching for?

   Tramell - We are always keeping track of what the rest of the industry is doing. As artists, we want to try to create the best visuals possible. The guys on the art team look to other artists in the industry, other in-game art, myself and each other to gauge where the quality bar is. We want to be one of the games that other artists in the industry look to for inspiration. Every day the artists are reminded of the level of quality that is expected of them via the “inspiration machine”. The inspiration machine is a computer that is set up in the artist area that ONLY displays images of renders and in-game art from games that have defined quality (in that screenshot). It’s just a friendly reminder of what the rest of the world is creating with today’s tech. No one should develop in a black box.

Do you feel pressure knowing that you are working on such a highly anticipated and iconic title?

   Tramell - Yes, there is a massive amount of pressure that goes along with the name. “It is what it is”, Right Blaw-Dog? “It’s the nature of the beast”…Scanny, can I get a slow clap ;-) (My guys from SOE know what I’m talking about) But what can you do? We are trying to create something that the majority of people will enjoy. We hope the fans appreciate our efforts as much as we appreciate their support.

What is the primary setting (time and location) that the game will be taking place in?

Tramell - Near future, Las Vegas.

When can we expect to get some game play footage released?

Tramell - Soon, as they say “Stay Tuned”

What do you plan to do when the game ships?

   Tramell - I know people may be expecting something wild, exotic, or even comical but nothing is going to change for me. I’m going to wake up the next day, go to work and work on the next project, what ever that may be. Same shit different day.

Is there anything you’d like to say to the fans in closing?

Tramell - Thanks for being there and showing your support. We really appreciate it.

On behalf of Down in Front we wish you the best of luck on your project and thank you again for taking the time to talk with us.

Tramell - You're welcome

Copyright 2008 Down in Front. All rights reserved. If you would like to publish this article in it's entirely.
Please contact press @ thinkdif.com