**OFFICIAL** Dark Forces Mod revival topic

[swegmaster]

another video of me messing around with the mod, includes showcase of new kyle sounds binded to keys, because no kyle cust. menus available yet, the zuckuss and 4lom boss fight, and rockettroopers and darktroopers moving to locations of where they heard blaster shots hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDX1yi9ZlFg&

[Barricade24]

Okay, I hate to be rather pessimistic here but I really need to say something.

 

Now I am all for adding new concepts and ideas to a mod as things like that are essential to what make a mod great. Such as the adjustment on Fest in the Phrik sample room, instead of simple switches that do nothing, each switch unlocks a different containment lock. Changes such as these are excellent and provide an updated feel. But there is so much that I see that strays so far from the original sources that it doesn't even remind me of the original game and that disappoints me. There are features and changes that just don't seem right. For example the option of customization. Honestly, what is that really needed for? Kyle had one appearance in Dark Forces and he really only needs one. Believe me, I understand the need for changes and adjustments, I do. But when they stretch so far away from the original source, it just feels like a completely different game. I like Robotics Facility and not one shred of it reminds me of the original game. All I am going to say is that I think more focus should be on making the mod more like original game itself than trying to make something new.

[swegmaster]

heres some screenshots of what the original team made for the outside of ramsees hed:

[Teancum]

There are features and changes that just don't seem right. For example the option of customization. Honestly, what is that really needed for? Kyle had one appearance in Dark Forces and he really only needs one. Believe me, I understand the need for changes and adjustments, I do. But when they stretch so far away from the original source, it just feels like a completely different game. I like Robotics Facility and not one shred of it reminds me of the original game. All I am going to say is that I think more focus should be on making the mod more like original game itself than trying to make something new.

Fair enough, but let me throw out a few counterpoints. The customization never has to be used by a player, and the original look is the default. As far as the robotics facility, I do what little I know how to with the tools. Most of the interior had already been done and was so to a very high quality. As I played through the original I see how it follows the spirit of the original, much like the other maps. For the exterior I'm doing what I can but in all honesty mapping using Radiant is an incredibly infuriating process. I try to keep the spirit of things, but when I try to stay true to things I get criticized for it not looking high-def enough, and when I go for something higher def I get criticized for it not staying true enough. 

 

Regardless I start my new career job a week from Monday and it so at that point I'll probably stop the mod. I hadn't planned on announcing it yet, but it's just too huge and undertaking and expectations are such that it's assumed that I'll finish most of the levels. That's just beyond my capabilities.

[swegmaster]

Fair enough, but let me throw out a few counterpoints. The customization never has to be used by a player, and the original look is the default. As far as the robotics facility, I do what little I know how to with the tools. Most of the interior had already been done and was so to a very high quality. As I played through the original I see how it follows the spirit of the original, much like the other maps. For the exterior I'm doing what I can but in all honesty mapping using Radiant is an incredibly infuriating process. I try to keep the spirit of things, but when I try to stay true to things I get criticized for it not looking high-def enough, and when I go for something higher def I get criticized for it not staying true enough. 

 

Regardless I start my new career job a week from Monday and it so at that point I'll probably stop the mod. I hadn't planned on announcing it yet, but it's just too huge and undertaking and expectations are such that it's assumed that I'll finish most of the levels. That's just beyond my capabilities.

if you do end up stopping the mod, do you intend to release any source files so that someone else can continue?

[Teancum]

I don't see why I would. Nobody wanted to help with mapping while I was working on it. I'll let @@Jeff know he can release Jan and the updated Phase II.

[swegmaster]

I don't see why I would. Nobody wanted to help with mapping while I was working on it. I'll let @@Jeff know he can release Jan and the updated Phase II.

well really, coding and mapping are the main things needed to be done, the modeling/skinning are minor, i've just started to learn how to use gtk radiant, so i could probably help with mapping, if you'd like you can pm me the source, and i'll take a look at the maps

[TheWhitePhoenix]

well really, coding and mapping are the main things needed to be done, the modeling/skinning are minor, i've just started to learn how to use gtk radiant, so i could probably help with mapping, if you'd like you can pm me the source, and i'll take a look at the maps

We're not gonna let this die again, HELL THE FUCK no. And yes, I'm keeping it uncensored.

[swegmaster]

now, just wondering if someone could contact or email Darth_Linux and ask if he had some of the files not included in the 6-level demo, like maps, textures, models, sounds, shaders, all of that, and if he doesn't have it, ask if any of the other members has them, the link to the original site is here: http://web.archive.org/web/20110905081533/http://darkforces.jediknight.net/index2.shtml

[Teancum]

Already have been in contact. Everything I now have is the most recent ... that is of the files that still exist. He's put me in touch with others from the team, but the useful stuff actually came from hhunter6. Everything else was older.

[swegmaster]

Already have been in contact. Everything I now have is the most recent ... that is of the files that still exist. He's put me in touch with others from the team, but the useful stuff actually came from hhunter6. Everything else was older.

what kind of useful stuff? i know about the maps, but did they come with any new textures, shaders, models, any of that?

[Teancum]

Nope -- just .map files. DarthLinux and I are Facebook friends now, and he's trying to get me in touch with DarkStarMojo, who has already agreed to send me what he has. Now hopefully he still has his completed Ramsees Hed. If he does I'll trash mine and not feel bad about it. If he also has his Icarus scripts that'll make Nar Shaddaa much further along as well. Really the only textures I'm missing now are some Treeboy used on the Executor. I've already replaced some of those with existing textures, but I kept the untouched .map file in case those textures turn up.

All of this would be so much less frustrating if I didn't have to mess with maps lol. If those were done but none of the code was I'd be happy as could be, but I'll settle for finishing level 8 and hoping his level 7 is done. Then I could release an 8^1/2 level demo (Nar Shaddaa would still be unfinished I think). I also thought I could "warp" players to level 13 since that's pretty much done too.

 

Basically at this point I'm waiting to see what DarkStarMojo has for me.

[swegmaster]

Nope -- just .map files. DarthLinux and I are Facebook friends now, and he's trying to get me in touch with DarkStarMojo, who has already agreed to send me what he has. Now hopefully he still has his completed Ramsees Hed. If he does I'll trash mine and not feel bad about it. If he also has his Icarus scripts that'll make Nar Shaddaa much further along as well. Really the only textures I'm missing now are some Treeboy used on the Executor. I've already replaced some of those with existing textures, but I kept the untouched .map file in case those textures turn up.

 

All of this would be so much less frustrating if I didn't have to mess with maps lol. If those were done but none of the code was I'd be happy as could be, but I'll settle for finishing level 8 and hoping his level 7 is done. Then I could release an 8^1/2 level demo (Nar Shaddaa would still be unfinished I think). I also thought I could "warp" players to level 13 since that's pretty much done too.

 

Basically at this point I'm waiting to see what DarkStarMojo has for me.

oh come on, your version of level 8 isn't that bad, in fact, i liked the zuckuss/4-lom boss fight

[Teancum]

Still, his version is assuredly better. (it's level 7, actually )  If I get his files I want to move the Zuckuss/4-LOM fight to Nar Shaddaa

[swegmaster]

Still, his version is assuredly better. (it's level 7, actually )  If I get his files I want to move the Zuckuss/4-LOM fight to Nar Shaddaa

don't worry, i found screenshots of it from the web link above , i'm just wondering this: if he finds it and sends it to you, will it come packed with the other df recreated textures for it, like the doors, tantive IV lookalike hallway textures that look something like this?

and an end that looks like this?

[Teancum]

Yep, that's the hope. Man, his map is stunning.

[swegmaster]

Yep, that's the hope. Man, his map is stunning.

well really, all the maps made by the team are stunning, including this more-than-a-simple-f*ckin-landing-pad-impcity

[Jeff]

I don't see why I would. Nobody wanted to help with mapping while I was working on it. I'll let @@Jeff know he can release Jan and the updated Phase II.

 

I don't plan on releasing them, they'll stay exclusive to the mod. Btw congrats on starting your new job, and a tip of the cap to you. You did a lot with the mod for a one man team. I would say take your time with it, if it's not enjoyable then walk away and come back to it at a later time. If people don't like that they can always make it themselves. 

[TheWhitePhoenix]

I don't plan on releasing them, they'll stay exclusive to the mod. Btw congrats on starting your new job, and a tip of the cap to you. You did a lot with the mod for a one man team. I would say take your time with it, if it's not enjoyable then walk away and come back to it at a later time. If people don't like that they can always make it themselves. 

I'll second that.

[swegmaster]

some desktop wallpaper backgrounds of the mod:

[KyleKatarn1995]

some desktop wallpaper backgrounds of the mod:

I absolutely love that very first one with Kyle Katarn.

[Teancum]

Yeah, they look great! If the mod still had a dedicated website I'd put them up on the front page!

[swegmaster]

it would be cool if you implemented the etr tracks via code into the game, like you know how when all enemies are clear, the music makes a transition from action to explore via atr, ex. secbase_atr00, well in the original df, it had that, but with a bonus: transition from explore to action, and ja does not have that, i remember reading a txt document in the df mod source files detailing how they tried to implement etr tracks without having to change the code by setting up the dms.dat to be like this example:

 

{

secbase_explore

{

entry

{

marker0 0.00

marker1 34.65

}

exit

{

nextfile secbase_etr00

nextmark marker1

time00 11.79

time01 18.94

time02 28.79

time03 34.65

time04 45.04

time05 56.00

time06 64.17

time07 85.54

time08 105.41

time09 134.65

}

}

secbase_action

{

entry

{

marker0 0.00

marker1 37.91

}

exit

{

nextfile secbase_atr00

nextmark marker1

time00 5.29

time01 8.74

time02 20.02

time03 37.91

time04 51.95

time05 73.15

time06 82.52

time07 85.93

time08 93.72

}

}

the way they tried to make it work is trick the game into thinking it was exiting the action music, when it was really exiting the explore music, it then goes right to the action, then does the action to explore transition, then explore again, but it didn't work, as action music still goes instantly instead of getting a transition

[Teancum]

etr?

[swegmaster]

etr?

the explore to action track, like atr is action back into explore