FACEBOOK          TWITTER          INSTAGRAM          YOUTUBE          PINTEREST          PINTEREST

Thursday 6 September 2018

DIE HARD: NAKATOMI PLAZA


I've covered a fair number of Die Hard games so far, but if there's one game that doesn't seem to get the love that it deserves, it's Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza. Published in 2002 by Sierra Entertainment, it was the first and only game to actually attempt to re-create the plot of the original film in video game form.

At the same time, another game featuring John McClane came out on consoles. Die Hard: Vendetta is probably better remembered a lot more for taking over the advertising and shelf space to the point that for the longest time I thought the two were roughly the same game. Both are first-person shooters that each got middling reviews but it's Nakatomi Plaza that tops it by simply being true to the film that inspired it.

There are several parody posters scattered around the building.

From the very moment your bare feet scrunch the plush carpet in the restroom of your estranged wife's office, the game works hard to retell the story in-game as much as possible. This is both the game's greatest achievement and its biggest flaw. For those who've seen the film, it's a joy to participate in amped up versions of various scenes, complete with added enemies to bump up the FPS action quota. On the other hand, it limits the game's variety quite a bit. Most of the game takes place in grey corridors, often recognisable from the film, but boringly grey none-the-less.

On the plus side, the game reuses sound effects and background music from the film, again adding to the authenticity. With the exception of Reginald Vel Johnson reprising his role as the bumbling cop Sgt. Al Powell, most of the new voice cast do a fairly decent job imitating their more famous counterparts. There are a few dips in quality here and there but most of the time it's pretty admirable.

Health can be restored by collecting the contents of the first aid boxes.

As you play, there are three meters you have to pay attention to - health, stamina, and morale. Health is self-explanatory (and if it's not, play more games). Stamina acts in a similar way to the original NES game's Foot bar. It displays how long you can run which will decrease quicker when travelling over broken glass. Morale is all about your confidence. As you kill more terrorists, your bravado will increase and the meter will rise to grant you more shooting accuracy, as well as affecting enemy AI. When you take damage, it will go down thus making you a worse shot. Playing on easy, I didn't see much of a difference no matter what level my resolve was at. I can imagine it has more of an effect on the harder difficulties and therefore adds a fair bit of strategy to your game, but I didn't see enough to experience it.

The game's not entirely a guns-blazing bullet-fest anyway, with many scenarios offering multiple ways to proceed. Other times, the choice is artificially limited to guide you in a specific direction. For example, in your first enemy encounter when leaving the bathroom, the terrorists have their back to you and completely oblivious to the gun-toting, bare-footed off-duty cop behind them. Don't try and attempt a sneaky kill, as they're not as easily felled as they might seem. Instead, zip around the corner and go straight to the fire escape. I didn't know to do this at first and constantly got my arse handed to me no matter what difficulty I chose. It was only when I cheated (don't judge) that I realised that they're programmed to be unkillable to force you to follow the events of the movie.

Some light puzzling will involve defusing bombs and re-starting electricity. 
You'll sometimes need specific items to do this, but often a gun will do.

There are a fair number of moments like this, where you'll need to have knowledge of the film to progress. Later on, after a gunfight with the terrorist named Tony (Karl's brother), the game doesn't automatically load the next level or point you in the direction of where to go next. None of the doors or elevators work which is where you'd expect the level to end and you're left wandering the construction-filled floor wondering what you need to do. If you've seen the film, you'll know that John tries on Tony's shoes as he takes his walkie-talkie and machine gun (ho, ho, ho). So that's what you have to do. Go up to Tony's corpse which hasn't disappeared like the regular goons and hit the action key when looking at his feet. Not signposting these moments for the benefit of those unfamiliar with the movie is the game's biggest flaw and it all depends on the player how big of a deal-breaker it is.

For me, the joy lay in playing the movie. Those plot points I couldn't quite remember came back to me once I figured out the moments that stumped me. Taken as a whole, Nakatomi Plaza should also be given credit by also being a highly entertaining game in its own right. There are enough moments of well-executed action interspersed with exploration and minor puzzle moments that make this almost as memorable as one of cinema's greatest actioners. Well worth a play for fans and gamers alike.


To download the game, follow the link below. This is a custom installer exclusive to The Collection Chamber uses  DxWind to run on modern systems. nGlide 3D Wrapper (included) must be installed. Tested on Windows 10.

File Size: 311 Mb.  Install Size: 842 Mb.  Need help? Consult the Collection Chamber FAQ

Download


Die Hard (the movie) is © Twentieth Century Fox
Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza is © Fox Interactive
Review, Cover Design and Installer created by me


Like this? Try These...

https://collectionchamber.blogspot.com/2018/07/die-hard-trilogy.html  http://collectionchamber.blogspot.com/2018/06/trespasser-lost-world-jurassic-park.html  https://collectionchamber.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/hardline.html

35 comments:

  1. Due to my now pretty old-fashioned PC setup that is still running Windows 7 in its 32-bit form, I was able to die hard in Nakatomi Plaza, so to say, without having to make any technical tweaks for getting the original game to run from scratch. Nonetheless, once more it is great to experience another fine installer done by you, which can be thoroughly enjoyed by a wide audience of gamers. As an aficionado of the first three Die Hard flicks, I do share your sophisticated adulation of the movie's FPS adaption that holds up decently well, whilst being watched through glasses which don't need to be nostalgically fogged-up that much at all.

    Bye for now,
    Thomas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Thomas.

      Die Hard games have a surprising high quality for licensed games, and Nakatomi Plaza is definitely my faveourite of the lot. I'm kicking myself that I've not played it before.

      Delete
  2. Lol this must be the only FPS Sierra ever made. Btw according to mobygames, there were 2 patches released, 1.02.3 and 1.04.1. Are they included or must be added manually?
    Great job once again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's version 1.00. I don't tend to look for patches unless I come across a game breaking bug. Sometime DxWnd does the same thing as the patch anyway (eg. video card compatibility & higher resolution support)

      A quick search tells me 1.02 just adds Radeon support and 1.04 fixes footsteps. None of these were a an isuue for me. If you desire, you can add them manually, but I don't know if they'll effect the DxWnd settings

      Delete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AWESOME! I KNEW if anyone could upload this it would be you!

    Hey if I can make two suggestions, both of which are emulators of Console games to PC but deserve to be on PC. Condemned 2: Bloodshot and Minority Report: Everybody Runs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks!

      I think Minority Report is more likely than Condemned 2 as 6th generation emulation is in a better place than the 7th.

      RPCS3, the PS3 emulator is making decent progress with games like Catherine and Dark Souls 2 playable (no mention of Condemned 2 though), but there's still a huge number of glitches and it takes a massive amount of resources to run smoothly for the bigger games. I don't think it's quite so viable.

      Plus I heard on the rumour mill that SEGA were shopping around for someone to port it and NightDive were interested. Don't know how far they got.

      Delete
  5. Ah well thought I'd ask...wait what about Emulating the XBox 360 version? (I don't do CD based emulation so if it's just as difficult I understand)

    Anyway, I hope to see Minority Report whenever/if-ever you do it :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. XB360 emulation is weirdly non-existant. The OG Xbox emu scene has only just got to a point where a few games are playable. It's a shame 'cos there's some great stuff on there.

      Delete
  6. Thank you for this!
    Been meaning to play it for years, so it's now on my streaming list lol.
    Your custom installer worked like a charm on my Win7 setup.
    I wasn't sure which version of the game this was (didn't look at the comments 0_o) so I went ahead and added the 1.04 patch, which didn't conflict with DxWnd.
    I also added the widescreen fix from here https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Die_Hard:_Nakatomi_Plaza with no ill effects either.
    I'll be sure to shout out your page when I do stream this.
    All the best =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip! I might use that if and when I do a revision.

      Delete
  7. Hi there. Thanks for the site! However, with this game, I'm having issues. It installs without problems, but when running it, it crashes. Then I use windows 98 compability mode, and I manage to get into the game, but now, the cutscenes skips every 1 seconde or so, and when the game starts, I can't really do much, as when i try to look around with the mouse, it's as if there was an invisible wall which won't let me move around... any tips to fix this? Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't run in compatibility mode. It will conflict with the options within DXWnd. Make sure you run the game via the shortcut or Run.bat as the DXWnd hooks won't be implemented (these are required to correct the speed and mouse input). Try running as admin and/or re-install outside of Program Files. There's more info in FAQ as well as specialised info in the ChamberNotes.txt.

      Delete
    2. Previously, I tried running it from the desktop shortcut the instalation created. Once I tried from the dxwnd, it worked!! Thank you very much!! :D

      Delete
  8. Hi! Is there a way to use the god-mode ? autoexec.cfg Change "PlayerTakeDamage" "1" to "PlayerTakeDamage" "0" doesn't work. Any Others File to edit dir this?

    ReplyDelete
  9. When I try to run the game I get an error that says "Nakatomi Error: Couldn't set D3D Emulation mode", anybody know a way around this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll have to look into this when I have the time. On the top of my head, try running as admin or installing outside of program files. The dxwnd options may not be catching because of it.

      Delete
  10. i am in level 11 when you need to help the swat and avoid killing them, specially when i try to go under the water i suddenly have a black screen but i can hear the game , i think there is a problem with graphics when ia go under the water

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Having same issue as you. Ever get it fixed?

      Delete
    2. Same here, never found a way to resolve this.

      Delete
  11. The sewers level "not my day". When I go into the water its completely dark. Is there a way to fix this?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ok so I figured out a workaround to get through the water. It isn't pretty but it works. Make sure you save right before entering the water before doing this.
    Open DXWnd. Go under edit>modify>Direct3D. Under the 3D effects turn on disable textures and 3D wire frame. The hit Try button on the bottom left. The game will turn into pretty much an old virtual boy game. But you'll be able to navigate through the water by following the outlines of the map. Once u reach the top there are enemies shooting u. U can either try and kill em the way the screen is or save once your on the top of the tunnel. Exit and uncheck the 2 previous boxes to run back to normal. It ain't pretty but it gets the job done.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi,

    Thank you for making all of these installers.

    Is the latest patch 1.04.1 included, or do i have to install it separately?

    Otherwise the game works great on Windows 10!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's been a while since I worked on it but the answer is kinda yes, kinda no. The patched files are in there, but some have been replaced with other custom files. Either that or I'm mis-remembering and thinking about a different game.

      I tend to check patches for DxWnd and natively run games, especially if they are proving difficult to run which this one was. Using a program like DxWnd or dgVoodoo, some patches may break the game. Others are superflous as they only alter resolution and aspect ration which those programs do a better job of it anyway.

      Bottom line: it works as best as I can make it.

      Delete
    2. Hi,

      Thank you for replying. I understand.

      I finished the game today.

      Turns out it was no problem, i re-applied the 1.04.1 patch. And two mods for better experience:

      Small Addon

      https://www.moddb.com/games/die-hard-nakatomi-plaza/addons/small-addon1

      and

      DIE HARD: Improved Edition v2.0.0beta

      https://www.moddb.com/mods/die-hard-improved-edition/downloads/die-hard-improved-edition-v100beta

      With these two mods the game is OK overall.

      BTW, the game worked perfectly when i didn't run it in DxWind, running it instead from Naka.exe and capping the fps to 60. I didn't have to use any compatibility mode.

      Because in DxWind, the game was choppy (also in the cut scenes) even trough i capped my fps to 60 and in DxWind it showed up as 33 fps.

      But no matter it was fine otherwise.

      You are doing God's work with those Installers, so thank you!

      Delete
  14. This doesn't work on windows 11 for some reason. I check the event viewer and there is some error related to lithtec. No matter what I do, whatever fix i find the same thing happens.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Unfortunately not working. Ran from DXwind and from the shortcut. It opens the small window to launch game, hit the button, immediatly closes to desktop with no error message. I'm running win10 latest update btw.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Die Hard - Nakatomi Plaza was, in many ways, a surprisingly good game. But there are bits about it that really pull you out of the gameplay. Yes, you're in a building based, in large part, on the actual blueprints of the actual building which stood in, in the film, for "Nakatomi Plaza." There's a bit of "pathmaking" used to make the floors into a bit more of a "maze" than they would be in reality... though the use of drywall in places it would not be or locked doors in situations where there would not be a door at all, yet, for example... but overall, it's pretty good.

    The one part that always made me laugh, though, was the incredible number of baddies present. In some games, that's plausible... at least in part. But in this game, well... you're killing off HUNDREDS of bad guys throughout the game. All of whom, supposedly, arrived in that same panel-van. It's a bit... well, it breaks the whole "voluntary suspension of disbelief" part of the game, essentially completely. This building is occupied with an entire DIVISION of terrorists, it seems... rather than, as in the film, a mere squad. In reality, McClane would have lasted a few moments in this scenario.

    But, apart from that, it's a pretty good "reliving the movie" replica.

    Sadly, I haven't been able to run in it ages... since upgrading to 64-bit Win7. This seems to be a "machine-specific" issue, and generally APPEARS to be related to audio drivers... and is common to Lithtech-based games. I also cannot run NOLF or NOLF2 on this machine, yet can run either one on a 64-bit laptop... both while it was running Win7 and today, running Win11. The main issue, in that case, seems to be the audio drivers. I can get around this, most of the time, by disabling my primary audio card and using a USB-plugged audio dongle instead, or just using the audio going out my video cable to my monitor. (On occasion even this doesn't work... go figure!) It's an issue with ALL Lithtech games... both No One Lives Forever games, Aliens V. Predators 2 (and its expansion), Nakatomi Plaza, and so on.

    If anyone is having serious issues with getting any Lithtech game, including this one, to run... consider disabling all your audio hardware and going with the simplest audio interface you can find, and see if that helps.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Fun fact: This game actually began life as a Half-Life mod. It was incredibly ambitious. The plan was to make the Nakatomi Building fully explorable, with all the events of the movie happening in real time. You would allegedly be able to attack the terrorists however you liked, changing the events of the film depending on your success level. Obviously, that never came to pass here. I'm not too sure how it went from mod-to-published-game. I imagine Sierra just scooped 'em up and threw a budget at them. But who knows.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I also remember reading how the the devs would visit the real life "Nakatomi" building and try to surreptitiously get reference photos.

      Delete
  18. Thank you very much for making an easy-to-go installation package of this, it works like a charm for me. Two wishes/questions left: a) If I understand correctly there is no real AR-correct or even hor+ widescreen patch around and possible. There is just the option to play it stretched to 16:9? b) Do you think you could add some option for language localizations in future versions of this installer? I'm usually not much interested in that, but I heard this game had the official Bruce Willis dub voice actor who did all the voice-overs in the german versions of the movies, too. Should enhance that "true-to-the-movie" feeling for people used to that voice. And I don't know how to patch the german version to work like your installer now (also it's allegedly violence censored, so that's another can of worms on top of that, and would need a work-around for that, too.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found it's actually not difficult at all to mod this installer to make the german version run. You just need an install of the german version and then copy the new install folder to the install of the Collection Chamber version, exchanging the DHN folder under the DxWind subfolder with the german game folder and renaming it to DHN, too. Additionally, I needed the Naka.exe from the english folder and copied to the german one (it was for some reason not part of my german installation and the game would not run without it at first). Then you can start the german with the same shortcut as you would start the original english version with DxWind running its fixes fine. There is a patch for the german version for updating to version 1.02 and also an uncut patch and a mod for making dead bodies stay longer around, you can use that on the german folder, too.

      Delete
  19. I'm finishing this game right now and I want to thank you for your installer. Now I wish someone has the crazy idea of buying the rights for this game and creating a remake. In terms of modern standard it's a game that could be vastly improved. I have played most of it, but without its "Die Hard" plot I wouldn't be that interested. However, I'm convinced that a modernized version could be a success, especially because of the movie, but I suppose it will never happen.

    ReplyDelete
  20. So, trying to get this to run on a Windows 7 x64 Professional machine... I consistently get this error:
    ****************************
    Faulting application name: LITHTECH.EXE, version: 1.0.0.1, time stamp: 0x3cd0834e
    Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 6.1.7601.24545, time stamp: 0x5e0eb751
    Exception code: 0xc0000005
    Fault offset: 0x00033256
    Faulting process id: 0x2854
    Faulting application start time: 0x01da2de2fe204c64
    Faulting application path: E:\1stPersn\Die Hard Nakatomi Plaza (Collection Chamber)\DxWind\DHN\LITHTECH.EXE
    Faulting module path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll
    Report Id: 3c20c28a-99d6-11ee-a5c9-f0038c3ccec8
    ***************************

    Now, "Exception code: 0xc0000005" is an "access denied" error. It's really hard to track that sort of error down, but generally, it seems to be related to a program trying to access a memory location which is prohibited. At least that's how I understand it, though Microshaft is remarkably reluctant to actually TELL ANYONE what their error codes really mean. And their own "support" people generally say "have you run system file checker? How about turning your machine on and off?" In other words, they're not merely useless, but worse than useless.

    I can run this on a laptop I have access to, with Win10. And I can run it on a machine which I keep specifically for WinXP-only applications, running XP (obviously). I have VMs for Win9x and earlier, but the XP stuff is just not suitable for VM operation, since no VM properly emulates hardware acceleration in the VM for XP.

    I'm unclear as to just what is going on here. I do know that virtually every game which uses Lithtech has issues of various sorts, and only recently was I able to get the NOLF games and AvP2 up and running (due to "modernizer" upgrades published by people clearly more familiar with Lithtech's idiocyncracies than I am!)

    But at the moment, it seems that DHNP is the only game I have which I can't consistently make run. Even using the "Collection Chamber" fix set (which seems to work for most folks).

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi mate, I checked the event viewer (I am on Windows 11) and indeed I have the same exact error, so if I run the game, nothing happens, it's really fustrating. If someone have the solution, I am interested ! Many thanks :-)

    ReplyDelete