Duke Nukem 3D "Build" engine had doors/walls that can move sideways. The "Build" scripting system allows a whole string of moving and sliding parts with sound effects, such as buildings falling down, earthquakes, and walls that break apart when hit with explosives. One of the more advanced effects is the horizontal sliding platform that can move the player inside a small sliding room, which made it possible to create subway cars moving in a timed sequence around a ring-shaped track.
The "Build" engine makes horizontally moving platforms possible by allowing several objects to pass through the same 2D space. While inside one of these spaces, it is not possible to see into the other space, and so the Byuild 2.5D engine has no problem rendering one space or the other even though the map data literally shows the two areas to be occupying the same place. Several "Duke Nukem 3D" maps use this feature to create bizarre mind-bending maps where multiple large rooms all seem to be occupying one 3D space. One secret level in particular ("Lunatic Fringe" from episode 2, Lunar Apocalypse) has a map where the player can travel 720 degrees around a circle and not cross their path. This would be much more difficult to duplicate with modern true-3D map editors and engines.
An early beta (testing) version of "Duke Nukem 3D" called LameDuke was released by 3D Realms as a "bonus" one year after the release of the official version. It has been released as is, with no support.
LameDuke features four episodes. Some weapons were removed and/or altered from the original versions.
"Duke Nukem 3D" is often thought of as one of the first videogames to have adult humor and sexual themes, especially in the first-person shooter genre. Jokes about American consumerism, Hollywood culture, and sex in the media are made all through the game. Duke's world is out of control and virtually all forms of entertainment in this future have been reduced to pornography by the aliens.
The game has been heavily attacked by some critics, who claim that it supports pornography and murder. Media Watch made the following comments about the game.
""Duke Nukem 3D" moves the 'shooter' through pornography stores, where Duke can use XXX sex posters for target practice. Duke throws cash at a prostituted woman telling her to 'Shake it, Baby' his gun ever ready. In the game bonus points are awarded for the murder of these mostly prostituted and partially nude women. Duke blows up stained glass windows in an empty church or goes to strip clubs where Japanese women lower their kimonos exposing their breasts. Duke is encouraged to kill defenseless, often bound women."— Media Watch, Teaching Boys To Kill "
In reality, Duke Nukem 3D does not contain a "bonus points" system; even accidental shooting of innocents in the game is, sometimes, punished by a sudden group of enemies attacking.
"Duke Nukem 3D" was banned in Brazil, along with "Quake", "Doom" and several other violent first-person shooters. As a response to complaints, censored versions of the game were sold in some countries to avoid being banned. In Germany, the BPjM placed the game on the "List of Media Harmful to Young People".
Many spin-offs and modifications to the original "Duke Nukem 3D" were produced after the game's initial launch.
Plutonium PAK/Atomic Edition: The Atomic Edition of "Duke Nukem 3D" was first sold in November 1996, and contained the original 3 episode game as well as a new eleven-level fourth episode. The Plutonium PAK was also sold as an upgrade package to convert the first available version of "Duke Nukem 3D" (v1.3d) to the new Atomic Edition (v1.4, later upgraded again to v1.5). It includes three new enemies: the Protector Drone, the Pig Cop Tank, and a new boss known as The Alien Queen. It also includes a new weapon, the Microwave Expander, with its own special ammunition. It also has several improvements to the software of the game, which allow the game's players to create new enemies and items. Also this version includes a computer controlled second player to simulate multiplayer games.
EDuke ("Enhanced Duke Nukem 3D"): created by Matthew Saettler was given away as a patch for Atomic Edition users on July 28, 2000. On this version 3D Realms removed the copyrights from the software so that players could do anything they liked with it and included a demo mod made by several beta testers. The demo included new Sector-Based Effects, Sprite-Based Elevators, Ladders, a Bouncing Particle Fountain, a Personal Teleporter, and a Sophisticated Translucent Water Effect. Saettler has kept records of his original Eduke site hee for reference.
Duke Caribbean: Life's a Beach: This is an add-on created by Sunstorm Interactive. Duke relaxes on a tropical island when he discovers that the aliens are having their own "vacation" there. This unofficial add-on has a sunny Caribbean atmosphere, nice beaches and hotels as well as some of the original Duke Nukem 3D stuff fit in. It includes levels created by Charlie Wiederhold, who later worked for 3D Realms to work on "Duke Nukem Forever", the upcoming sequel to "Duke Nukem 3D".
Duke it out in D.C.: In this storyline, President Bill Clinton is captured by alien forces, and it is up to Duke to save him. This pack has levels that are based on real locations of Washington DC, such as the White House, the FBI headquarters, the Smithsonian museum, and the Washington Monument and others. This game was also developed by Sunstorm Interactive.
Duke: Nuclear Winter: This one was developed by Simply Silly Software. In the storyline, Santa Claus is mind-controlled by aliens into causing trouble on Earth. Several of the levels take place near the North Pole. This game has sometimes been criticized for using content from the original Duke Nukem 3D.
Duke Xtreme: An add-on developed by Sunstorm Interactive and contained 50 levels and many items. This version had many technical problems.
Duke!Zone (Parts 1 and 2): Was sold by WizardWorks and had over 500 levels made by fans of Duke Nukem 3D. "Duke!ZONE II", contained three episodes designed by WizardWorks.
"Duke Nukem 3D" has been included in several compilations. A bundle called "East Meets West" included the full versions of "Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition" and "Shadow Warrior". A bundle called "Duke Nukem: Kill-A-Ton Collection" featured "Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition", "Duke Xtreme", "Duke!ZONE II", "Duke Nukem I" ("Duke Nukum"), "Duke Nukem II", and various other utilities. Both of these compilations are no longer sold. Earlier packages of "Duke Nukem 3D" also included the complete versions of "Duke Nukem" I and II as a bonus.
In 1998, 3D Realms filed a lawsuit against Micro Star over its add-on pack
"Nuke It" and won.
The source code to the "Duke Nukem 3D" v1.5 executable, which uses the Build engine, was released as free software under the GPL on April 1, 2003. The artwork remains copyright protected. Many programmers altered so that it can be played on modern computers. As of 2007, these projects gave the game a second life in multiplayer games through the Internet and a growing community is still actively playing.
The first modern "Duke Nukem 3D" project was from icculus.org. It is a cross-platform project that allows the game to be played on BeOS, FreeBSD, Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris, Windows and prossibly others. The icculus.org software would later be used in the Rancidmeat, and later, the xDuke projects.
One popular project is Jonathon Fowler's JFDuke3D, which the original creator of "'Duke Nukem 3D", Ken Silverman, gave support to, in December 2003. Fowler and Silverman produced a new version of JFDuke3D using Polymost, an OpenGL software product for Build, which uses much more advanced 3D models, and 32-bit color. Another project JFDuke3D called xDuke (not related to the xDuke project by icculus.org/duke3d) was created for play on the Xbox.
Silverman has helped Fowler with a lot of other software work related to the game.