**OFFICIAL** Dark Forces Mod revival topic

[Teancum]

Yeah, I don't plan to actually remove anything from the DF build. I'm gonna lock in the file paths to /base and /dfmod, so it won't really be usable for other folder-based mods, but it'll still have all the OpenJK-compatible code so you can use any of those features in Dark Forces.

 

On a different note, I'm done with architecture for level 7 - Deadly Cargo. The boss fight works great (Zuckuss/4-LOM) and so at this point I just need to do item placement and objectives. Once that's done it's time to move to level 8 - Robotics Facility. For now I'd like to spend no more than a month per level (up to level 10). Once the first passes are done and it's in people's hands I can work on the last four. Once those are done and a beta is in people's hands I can go back and make improvements. I'd rather have a 8.0/10 level of quality than a totally incomplete mod. I can always go back to improve things.

[TheWhitePhoenix]

@@Teancum Since OpenJK uses stuff in the Base Folder anyways, I'm not complaining.

[Teancum]

I dont have anywhere else useful for the moment, so I'm putting together my quick design notes. I'll add to it as I have time.

 

• CODE
  • WEAPONS
    • Melee: up damage, enable kicks and grapple by default (done). Make it so that if no direction is pressed, you can quickly kick forward.
      Fusion Cutter: Primary fire should "rotate" between barrels. Secondary should fire all four at once.
    • Mortar Gun: Should fire thermal-like projectiles that have a longer arc to them. Primary explodes on impact, secondary on a timer
    • Assault Cannon: Primary is a regular projectile, secondary is rockets. Be able to track rockets in the secondary ammo section of the HUD
  • ITEMS
    • Environmental Suit (replaces gas mask): Kyle can obtain an Imperial Worker suit. When active it should negate the per-brush damage over time
    • Stormtrooper Disguise: Kyle can find this. Simply put you can wear it and "be" the stormtrooper NPC. You cannot progress through certain areas with it on though as you have to kill certain key-holding enemies and high-level enemies would "see through" the disguise
    • Field Light: A forward facing flashlight
  • AI
    • "Gunner" boss AI. A more agressive AI specifically for things like non-flying bounty hunters
      • Have acrobat variant
    • Dark Trooper AI
      • Phase I - melee, fast movement
      • Phase II and Phase III - flying, slow on the ground
• UPDATED FEATURES
  • NewGame+ mode: simply put, if you accept the NewGame+ option after beating the game, all the things you have unlocked can be used from the start (basically, we just load up the first map again)

[ensiform]

Sadly a flashlight in idTech3 doesn't really work because of the way lights and lightmaps are handled.

[ensiform]

FYI your code changes didn't make it to the repo yet.  Seems only changes to the readme.

[minilogoguy18]

Well, good thing OpenJK does allow you to easily add more sabercolors via one of the sites tutorials. So, no worries, dude.

Why are you worried about saber colors when you don't even use a lightsaber or come across anyone that does in the Dark Forces game?

[TheWhitePhoenix]

Why are you worried about saber colors when you don't even use a lightsaber or come across anyone that does in the Dark Forces game?

Personal modding interests, Mini. Plus, I can always give imperials Force Pikes.

[Teancum]

Sadly a flashlight in idTech3 doesn't really work because of the way lights and lightmaps are handled.

That explains the "Light Amplification Goggles" then.

 

FYI your code changes didn't make it to the repo yet.  Seems only changes to the readme.

Yeah, I've been afraid of accidentally committing to the parent project. The GitHub Desktop app committed to OpenJK the first time. I tried to commit to my project, but it was waiting on some validation. I'll have to take a look.

[ensiform]

You can't commit to the parent project, you don't have write access.  You would at best make pull requests.  I don't know how you set it up.  So its hard to say.  The github app is kinda crappy.

[eezstreet]

I know only command-line git. I don't use any fancy apps.

 

Assuming you've made commits, all you need to do is:

 

git push origin

[Teancum]

@@ensiform @@eezstreet

Well I found out I could do manual web commits, so that'll do for the moment. Right now I'm getting the dang "cannot include windows.h" file again during compile, so I'm in the process of uninstalling all the different versions of dev tools and am going to start clean from there with VS2013, which is what I was using. I no longer need 2015 for my class, and I have a lot of legacy stuff still installed.

 

Should I bust the weapons out into totaly separate entries? I get the impression that at least ensiform is willing to help, but I don't want to ask too much. I'd prefer not to replace any weapons. I had planned on putting the Fusion Cutter in WP_JAWA's weapons.dat slot, and the Mortar Gun in WP_RAPID_CONCUSSION's, leaving only one additional slot taken by the Assault Cannon. I thought if I branched them out with dummy code it might help, but if it's better left to someone more well versed that's willing that's okay too. Again, not wanting to ask too much.

[ensiform]

Anything above the explosives is considered not usable by players.

[DrXann]

You could use the light amp goggles item to help you see in the dark if you add it back in.Add Snow troopers to the Robotics Facility

[Teancum]

Already done on both counts, although right now the Robotics facility is mostly just interior. The outdoor terrain hasn't been done yet, so there's just this one small area outdoors.

[KyleKatarn1995]

In a cutscene with Jabba talking to Kyle, would this model of him I found on here fit for a hologram?

https://jkhub.org/files/file/2140-jabba-the-hutt/

[Teancum]

I'll probably just use film footage or something and make it a 2D hologram. Or record the Star Wars Battlefront II Jabba in a green-screen level and make him a hologram

[KyleKatarn1995]

I'll probably just use film footage or something and make it a 2D hologram. Or record the Star Wars Battlefront II Jabba in a green-screen level and make him a hologram

Perhaps the Battlefront II Jabba will totally work even for a remake of Dark Forces.

[Teancum]

yes, but JKHub has a policy against using content from another game, so I would have to record it and then turn it into a 2D hologram.

[Barricade24]

Incidentally, @@Teancum let me know if you want your own section in the Mod Project Forums. 

[ensiform]

Also would be a wise idea to idle in the jacoders irc channel with a real client. Can sometimes get decent help there etc.

[Teancum]

Sounds good. I'm starting to feel more comfortable with C++, it's been a long time. For now I'm focusing on the Mortar Gun, as I think it'll be the easiest to perfect. Once that's done I'll break the new weapons out into their own .cpp files. That way *if* OpenJK or JK:Enhanced want them they're up for the taking without overwriting anything.

[Teancum]

I've resumed work on level 8, the Robotics Facility. I've started to build out the descent into the area where you plant the explosive charges. I'm also working out exactly how you'll work through the upper floor to progress. It's very different from the original game, so I have to come up with ideas that adapt to the new setup.

[ensiform]

What do you mean its very different from the original game?  Is it too complex for 3D?

[Barricade24]

What do you mean its very different from the original game?  Is it too complex for 3D?

I assume he is referring to the point where Kyle drops down a ventilation tube down to where the exchange couplings are located. Ideally, it wouldn't make a lot of since of Imperials to just jump down there for maintenance purposes. So I agree that another route down would be a nice touch.

[Teancum]

What do you mean its very different from the original game? Is it too complex for 3D?

No. The layout is different (better). But there aren't many clues as to how they wanted to do objectives, keys, stuff like that. I thought about doing a public release of that level to help me figure it out.