Apogee Software is back.

[Multimania]

By the looks of things Apogee is back.
http://www.apogeesoftware.com/
They're currently working on mobile versions of Duke Nukem, but perhaps they've got a chance to convince ID to make some more keen.

They're also planning to publish new episodic independent games.

I, for one, am excited.

[KeenRush]

Great news! This can get the ball rolling, so to speak! I hope so. (Instead of iD making more I want Tom to get the rights back.) It's interesting to hear they're going to publish new episodic games, as said. Perhaps it's time for some quality platform games once again instead of those dull 3d games with nothing in them but 'pretty' graphics and senseless hardware requirements.

Also, cool, the page is nicely old-school.

Edit: Hehe, a new Duke. They sure got lot of DN on their plate right now.

[VikingBoyBilly]

I thought Apogee and 3D realmz were the same people, but for this they are 'teaming up' in a matter of speaking? I'm so confused

[jonnyspeight]

[quote="Multimania"]By the looks of things Apogee is back.
http://www.apogeesoftware.com/
They're currently working on mobile versions of Duke Nukem, but perhaps they've got a chance to convince ID to make some more keen.

They're also planning to publish new episodic independent games.

I, for one, am excited.[/quote]

sounds kewl, but much as i want more keen, i doubt its going to happen any time soon. probably on its next decade anniversary. the 20th birthday is coming up...

[memsys]

I thought Apogee and 3D realms were the same people, but for this they are 'teaming up' in a matter of speaking? I'm so confused

apogee IS 3d realms

With the original intent to create a division for every genre of game Apogee produced, the two brand names 3D Realms (formed in July 1994) and the now disused Pinball Wizards were created. Instead of publishing every game under Apogee as it had been in the past, the goal of this strategy was to create a different brand for each type of game genre, making each new game identifiable based on which brand it belonged to. This would enable Apogee to target different markets.

[...]

The last game to be published under the Apogee name was Stargunner in 1996. Since 1998, all the company's games have been using a 3D engine (even if the gameplay is 2D). As a result, 3D Realms has replaced Apogee as the brand name to publish games under. Also, by the end of the 1990s, Apogee felt their brand name was more associated with old, outdated games and adopted the 3D Realms brand for all future releases.[citation needed] When the 3D Realms name was first conceived, the official motto was Reality is our Game. That motto is no longer used and there is no official motto.

i hope they'll make some good platformers and push ID to give the keen rights to tom

[jonnyspeight]

it might happen, but judging from what ive heard of keen GBC i wont be happy until tom hall himself participates in a keen game, or at least gives his approval

[Roobar]

It's great to know that Apogee is back! It was one of my favorite companies back in the 90's.

Making Keen for the phones is worthless for two main reasons:

- Most phone games are still way too simple in terms of graphics and sounds. I doubt most of the phones will be able to recreate Keen 4-6 in all its glory (I mean smooth gameplay and equal or better sound and music). Only the high end phones are able to do that, but not the middle or low end ones. And if that doesn't work for the majority of phones, why bother seeing a crappy game with only a name similarity?;
- Originally, Keen require more than 4 buttons to play. So implementing all of the buttons into a phone game will screw it. The controls will be hell in such a small numeric pad, and overall, the game will be very unplayable or unkeenish. doh

I'm hoping not to see keen for mobile. I'm more hoping to see it for DS primary, but also for PSP, XBLA etc.

Anyway, I'm looking forward for their games. I'm pretty sure Apogee is not interesting in Keen right now. Its main focus is on Duke episodes and, eventually, Rise of the Triad later on. Apart from these franchises, they are going to make new IPs which, too, guarantee no Keen-what-so-ever anytime soon.

edit: I've visited Apogee main site and found out that they're making Duke trilogy for the DS and PSP! Now that's more like it. I was mistaken by Multimania`s post stating that Apogees games are for mobile. By mobile I thought mobile phones, not portable consoles.

[Sciz CT]

I thought Apogee and 3D realmz were the same people, but for this they are 'teaming up' in a matter of speaking? I'm so confused

3D Realms is officially still just a brand name of Apogee Software Ltd.. This new Apogee (Apogee Software, LLC) is actually MachineWorks Northwest, headed up by Terry Nagy. Basically, 3DR is licensing the Apogee name to them for marketing purposes while they develop new handheld titles based on the classic franchises, presumably with oversight from 3DR.

At least, I think that's what the deal is. I'm fairly confused myself.

- Most phone games are still way too simple in terms of graphics and sounds. I doubt most of the phones will be able to recreate Keen 4-6 in all its glory (I mean smooth gameplay and equal or better sound and music). Only the high end phones are able to do that, but not the middle or low end ones. And if that doesn't work for the majority of phones, why bother seeing a crappy game with only a name similarity?

Modern phones have far, far more than sufficient hardware to run the Keen series.

[Sciz CT]

There's an interview about the trilogy out now, as well as a trailer of sorts. It's completely awful and I love it.

I also hope they're at least internally referring to the new games as Duke Nukem Wherever.

[jonnyspeight]

ill have to get an entirely new phone just to play keen if they ever make it...*gronas*

[Shadow Master]

This sounds so lame.

[Lava89]

What I am waiting for is Commander Keen: Monochrome, you know, for those old pre-color phones.

[KeenRush]

Too bad one can't install any additional software into those.

[DSL]

They could make a Monster Bash sequel! Just like Nintendo are doing retro games (Mega Man 9) for Wii.

Oh my good golly me that would be awsome

[jonnyspeight]

[quote="Lava89"]What I am waiting for is Commander Keen: Monochrome, you know, for those old pre-color phones.[/quote]

there's no news of a new keen ever and we'e talking about special edition monochrome versions of a mobile keen game???