Overview
I tell you some pointers and some tips from my experience of playing on how to have Duke 3D multiplayer running good. Will be updating and adding more tips and info as time goes on. Some of the tips are even useful for single player and for the game all around.
Some tips and important things
These are some small but effective tips to running with less lag, while some of these can be done just fine sometimes it’s just best not to do it. They aren’t listed in any kind of order
1.) When entering a lobby keep the chat limited dont spam it i’m not saying don’t say anything but try to limit it.
2.) Allow the game to sync, I have noticed that the game actually syncs correctly after 10 seconds. My guess is the game is trying to create a connection with everyone plus loading map size and all sprites. I know you can’t wait to start killing but if you just give it a sec it might run better.
3.) Limit ingame messages while it’s an available feature it actually sends lag since the message has to be sent to everyone connected to the server.
4.) Wait like 1-3 seconds to respawn dont just start hitting respawn the second you die.
5.) Make sure you aren’t downloading or running other programs in the background.
6.) Right click Duke 3D from your library and go to “properties” click on the “local files” tab and click on “verify integrity of game cache” This will only make sure all files are the original and you don’t have any added or wrong files. Will not erase your save spots either.
7.) Try to play with people who live closer to you although this actually is over exaggerated in my opinion and think it has more to do with the strength of the connections of everyone in the match. I have played with people in different countries with no lag but with certain people I just simply lag.
8.) Try to have a good connection if you are the host or join someone who does have good internet speed.
Check a video me and some friends had on co op on the left And a dm with 8 players on the right
I am using custom weapons skins in the videos
Playing user maps in multiplayer
Here I will go over some things you need to know about user maps when it comes to multiplayer.
1.) Not all maps actually support what they claim. Sometimes you see a map says single player,co op, and dm. Yet the mapper may have only added dm spawns or maybe only co op spawns. I even had a case where mapper didnt place any multiplayer spawns this is becuase when uploading a map you have to edit a json file correctly before uploading or it will mark as all modes. Please note that some dm only maps are marked as single player also this is what makes it so you can check them out in “user maps” folder by yourself instead of having to play dm to see it.
2.) Updates! When a map is updated by the mapper it does not automatically update for users. This means you will have the old file before the update which also means you will be going out of sync in multiplayer. Check the map you want to play, each map has a section on the right along with the info that says “change notes” 1 change note means there has been no updates. Anything above 2 change notes means it has been updates and you should update.
If you want to know how to update a map here is how
1. Unsubscribe the map from the workshop
2. Delete the specific map out of your gameroot/workshop/maps folder (each map has it’s own id #)
3. Go back to the map on workshop resubscribe
3.) Downloading a map while joining a lobby
This at times can cause a crash, I’m not entirely sure why or how but it sometimes happens when players download a map while joining a lobby. Possibly the map didn’t go through to your folder yet or something after you join in a lobby and you downloaded a map try exiting to the lobby and join back or exit game and relaunch.
How to find matches
Become friends with the community find you a group of players and do the inviting, there is always some people looking on the Megaton forums. Since you can not join a match that has already been started it can be quite difficult to check at the right time when a lobby is up.
If out of luck there you can join in my Duke Nukem Begins group chat and see if anyone wants to go a round or two with you. We aren’t 24/7 available to play but we do play alot. [link]
