Crates are like square, and barrels are groovy, man. Barrels all the way. 

just slam into their crotch when they die and watch the physics-engine fun begin 

A barrel is essentially a round crate, so you're comparing apples to apples! 

But would that maze in Doom's E2M2 (or was it E2M3?) have been as tense if it had been barrels? 

its always crates. 

Crates can be stuffed with player items or even creatures for a sneaky ambush... barrels can be filled with water or explosive fluids... what's more fun, hacking open crates or igniting barrels? 

Crates can be stuffed with player items or even creatures for a sneaky ambush... barrels can be filled with water or explosive fluids... what's more fun, hacking open crates or igniting barrels?

Duke3D had two kinds of barrels: tattered barrels had items, and sludge-filled barrels exploded.

Also, some of the Quake 2 crates both exploded and had items in them. I never understood how the crate would explode but leave the rocket ammo untouched. 

I never understood how the crate would explode but leave the rocket ammo untouched.

Suspend your disbelief ;) 

crates > 1000*barrels.

crates are essential.

barrels are merely optional.

end of discussion. =) 

Barrels haven't gotten their fair shake yet, dammit. I forsee much fun with them sliding, gliding, bumping and banging cylinders of fun. 

When brainstorming ideas for Ontranto, I had visions of being able to pick up barrels, move them around to make barriers, or throw them at approaching beasties, either knocking them back (indestructible), inflicting damage from shrapnel (normal), or blowing them up (explosive).

But obviously I gave it away as too much trouble.

But you try rolling a crate down a slope into a pack of monsters - with all those sticky-outy corners and all. 

can be pushed downhill and roll!

thus becoming rolling explosives !!

i guess crates can kinda roll, but it just aint so easy.... maybe on some stairs... 

Crates are essential to avoid. Barrels are merely desirable to avoid. Crates win. What was the question?

I've managed to make 15 maps without one crate, come on it isn't that hard. 

Hollowed out balls 

crate = lower r_speeds 

Bees.

Actually, have you seen those screens of the Doom3 crates? They're awesome - not merely simple six-sided cubes - they have cool bevelled edges. It's obvious id wanted to pioneer the next stage in the evolution of the crate. Although personally I think pipes are set to become the next big FPS cliche. 

PIPE 

The true answer is that there is no winner. Doom3 shows us that barrels, crates, and even pipes can live together in the same game! using the same unified lighting system! all equally bumpmapped!

PEACE. 

http://userpages.umbc.edu/~roneil2/cvb.jpg


(crate wins, CRATALITY (flawless victory) ) 

Crates are very helpful, when you can't make a nonsquareish architecture. Then, instead of curveish, slanted and detailed walls, you're adding squareish crates and you're getting a nonsquareish architecture, because crates are even rotated, ergo- they aren't too squareish !!

Poland loves crates. 

Are they really bevelled in the geometry, or is that just a nice use of the normal mapping? 

Yes, the actual model is bevelled quite a lot. In addition, the normal mapping adds all sorts of extra geometrical details on top of this. Crates have never looked so good. 

post pics!! 

Doom3 crates:

http://photopile.com/photos/sloochyslooch/quakemisc/137396.jpg