The Realm of Grune is a total conversion for Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition. It was created by Dark Flame Conversions and released on September 1st, 1998. It contains new levels, new graphics, new music, new sound effects, new enemies, a new boss, new weapons, new items, and a new ending. A demo walkthrough was released on July 13th, 1998. A strategy guide for the mod called "Realm of Grune Strategy Guide" and a secrets guide called "Secrets of Grune" were created by Gabriel Crown (a.k.a. Wolf) and released on September 2nd, 1998, and June 8th, 1999, respectively (both as rich text format files). A patch (called "patch12" as a .zip file), which upgraded the mod to version 1.2, fixed multiple bugs and had updated graphics and audio, was released on September 3rd, 1998.
To play the original version of the mod with a source port, such as EDuke32, you must do one of the following methods:
Method 1. Left click and drag "Grgame.con" into the source port's main .exe; put the custom game content directory settings on the "grune" setting.
Method 2.
1. After unzipping the mod's folder (grune), right click on the the "Grstart" application (it is a .bat file), then choose edit. Delete all of the text inside of the Grstart.bat file and type the following:
eduke32.exe /ggrune.grp /xgrgame.con
This will allow it to access EDuke32.exe. Save the modified Grstart.bat file after editing it.
2. Copy and paste the unzipped grune folder into your EDuke32 folder, then copy and paste all of the mod's files from inside of the grune folder into your EDuke32 folder.
3. Run Grstart.bat from inside your EDuke32 folder with the custom game content directory settings on the "grune" option.
Both methods will allow the mod to work with EDuke32 and function in the same manner, though the latter allows the user to play the mod without having to drag the "Grgame.con" file into EDuke32.exe each time.
To play the updated version of the mod (version 1.2) with a source port, such as EDuke32, do the following steps:
1. Install the original version of the mod in MS-DOS or a DOS compatible program such as DOSBox by placing all ten of the mod's files into your Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition directory (directory = folder) and running the Grstart.bat file.
2. After the original version of the mod installs, unzip the patch12 folder. Copy and paste the following three files into the patch12 folder:
- Grune.GRP
- KEXTRACT.EXE
- KGROUP.EXE
Copy and paste the patch12 folder into your Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition directory. Install the version 1.2 patch by running the Grintsal.bat file.
3. After the patch installs, go to the patch12 folder inside of your Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition directory and copy and paste the following ten files into a new folder (the new folder can be named anything you want; for the sake of simplicity, this 'example' folder will be named "GRUNE12"):
- Credits.txt
- DEMO1.AMO
- GRDEFS.CON
- GRGAME.CON
- Grstart.bat
- Grundo.bat
- Grune.GRP
- Grune.txt
- GRUSER.CON
- interview.txt
4. Right click on the the "Grstart" application (it is a .bat file), then choose edit. Delete all of the text inside of the Grstart.bat file and type the following:
eduke32.exe /ggrune.grp /xgrgame.con
This will allow version 1.2 of The Realm of Grune to access EDuke32.exe. Save the modified Grstart.bat file after editing it.
5. Copy and paste the GRUNE12 folder into your EDuke32 folder, then copy and paste all of the mod's files from inside of the GRUNE12 folder into your EDuke32 folder.
6. Run Grstart.bat from inside your EDuke32 folder with the custom game content directory settings on the "GRUNE12" option.
Development[]
According to the "interview" text file included with the mod, development on The Realm of Grune took approximately six months. Gabriel Crown (Wolf) was getting accustomed to the Build engine in Shadow Warrior, though he decided to use Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition to create The Realm of Grune instead since it was easier to modify and was the more popular of the two games. An idea for a sequel was mentioned and Gabriel Crown (Wolf) wanted it to use the Quake II engine or the Unreal engine. It is unknown if a sequel was actually developed or finished.
Episodes and difficulty levels[]
(Episodes 1, 3, and 4 are the same as the ones in Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition)
Episode 2: Grune[]
- Welcome to Grune
- Land of Disarray
- Grune Keep
- The Nightmare
- Facility of the Damned (secret, accessible from Welcome to Grune)
- Valley of Despair (DukeMatch only)
Difficulty Levels[]
- Feeble Mortal
- Mortal Bravery
- Godlike Powers
- Total Damnation
Credits[]
Project Director: Gabriel Crown (a.k.a. Wolf)
Level Designer: Wolf
CON Programmer: Wolf
Music Composer: Jenna M. Ramsey
Weapon Artist: Gabe Crown
Enemy Artist: Gabe Crown
Boss Artist: Shawn Harkin (a.k.a. The Assassin)
Ending Animations: The Assassin
Other Art: Mystique
Lead Beta-Tester: Shawn Harkin
Beta-Testers: Voodoo, NukeDukem, Mitchell Day (a.k.a. PI!), Luis Garcia, Blake Dent (a.k.a. WildFire), Justin Dent (a.k.a. The Mage!), Tony Battafucio
Special Thanks: Scott (for the inspiration)
Credits information source: Credits text file and Grune text file included with The Realm of Grune.