Duke-RT adds path tracing to the classic Duke Nukem 3D game engine

Duke-RT is a fork of the Raze source port that integrates a path tracing render backend based on NVIDIA’s NRD (NVIDIA Real-Time Denoiser) and Ray Reconstruction technology. This modification brings modern lighting, shadows, and reflections to the 1996 title while maintaining the original pixel art aesthetic. The project requires new material definitions, such as normal maps, to provide the necessary directionality for the path-traced lighting to function effectively. While the mod supports voxel rendering, the current implementation suffers from significant performance bottlenecks, often limiting frame rates to 50 FPS even on high-end hardware. The developer recommends disabling voxel rendering to maintain a smoother experience. The mod is currently in active development, with future updates planned to include volumetric smoke, particle effects, and improved water rendering. While the mod is most effective in city-based levels, it remains a functional and visually interesting way to revisit the classic shooter on Windows systems.

Duke-RT is a fork of the Raze source port that introduces path tracing to Duke Nukem 3D. The mod utilizes NVIDIA's NRD and Ray Reconstruction to generate real-time lighting, shadows, and reflections.

New material definitions, including normal maps, are required to properly showcase the path-traced lighting effects. Enabling voxel rendering currently causes significant performance issues, limiting frame rates to approximately 50 FPS.

The mod is currently in active development with plans to add volumetric smoke, particles, and water effects. The lighting enhancements are most effective in the game's city-based levels.