Its been about a month since I announced the sequel to the 2d sidescroller for quake 4 and things couldn't be better.  Working on this mod has been one of the smoothest rides ever.  Problems were getting fixed left and right.  The whole wishlist of features when making a game has been added.  This is nothing like any mod i've worked on before.

Why was it such a smooth experience?  Well the team is smarter this time around and knows more.  We are making it on Doom3 instead of Quake 4 which means more stuff could be done outside the sdk and quicker.  We were easily able to port the basics of HQ1 to HQ2... and then improve it.  The doom3 community also was a huge help in getting some much needed features added in.  I  would have never thought we would be able to get a fully controllable camera system inplace, or fix the collision issues we had in the first game.

Yet there is more to come.  We've added in almost every feature that didn't make the first game, and improved all the others.  It is trully a sequel.  The game feel very solid.  From the second it starts up, it has a polished feel to it.  Almost nothing feels clunky or hacky.   We are on track for a august release and i don't see anything stopping it development wise.  Nothing dev wise can stop it because we are 98% done with the codeing.  All the assets are also there.  Its inches away from becoming a finished product with only one thing missing, levels.  But making levels isn't a problem.  If everything else is done, then its just time  needed to finish them.  one out of the nine levels is almost done.  We might have even 2 done soon.  But who knows.  Either way, the amount of levels for our first release isn't a problem, as long as it gets done.

We didn't just make a 2d mod for doom3, we've made a 2d game period.  So many things could be done with it.  Its a very exciting time.

http://www.hq.atomicarmadillo.com

Been a few months since I last posted here. so much for keeping extremely active with this...

A couple weeks back I released the Revility weapons mod for doom3. It did only so so. I didn't expect this small tweak mod to do too much, but I had hopes it would. I still would like to do a sequel to it and really beef things up in and add in some better features. Most of the talk I've been doing about Atomic Doom3 resulted in this little mod. Its not what I originally had planned, but it got the core ideas out.

Here is a link to the mod...

http://doom3.filefront.com/file/Revility_Weapons_Mod;99009

Ruiner is also still going. Things have slowed down a bit in the last month with real life ripping at some of the team. I also got a few more applicants for helping out with animations for it. Hopefully they will work out and I can spend more of my time mapping than animating. If that happens, a release this year would be golden.

Still playing left4dead too. I'm probably only playing because I've gotten into a small group of people to play with. L4D is a blast when you play with friends and just go stomping the noobs in pubs. The DLC should be out by the end of the month. This should help out because the game is finally starting to wear out on me after all these months. I've also gotten 49 of the 51 achievements. The next one I will reach is Zombie Genocide. getting the final achievement is harder than hell, so I doubt I'll ever pursue it. 50 out of 51 isn't too bad if you ask me. I also hope the DLC adds some more in there that aren't just Survival mode related.

During the last couple of weeks work has continued on Ruiner in quite the favorable manor.

The latest internal build will be wrapped up by the end of this week.  I got 80% of the goals achieved for it.  There are still about 5 or 6 non animated related things I wanted in it.  But that isn't too bad considering just how much was added.  We also got fully support for hand to hand combat which really opens the door in the realm of combat.  I won't even think of starting ADoom till after those 5 or 6 things are done.  I also might start mapping again very soon...

We got two more team members, both animators.  I really hope they both work out.  If so, we could definitely get this mod out this year.  If they work out really well, I could get back into mapping, which would guarantee this mod does get released this year.

The Ruiner website was also updated twice.  First was a big help wanted ad and then a media update showing 8 enemies from the game.  We did really good on our mod db page for Ruiner.  It got up into the top 10 popular mods for the weekend.  We've been higher ranked before, but the amount of visitors doubled our last big update.  So far our visitor amount has increased constantly since the fall which is great.   I can't wait to see how things go when we do our next first true in game trailer.  I will be doing this trailer myself this time around because its mostly in game footage.  I need to be careful I only show the content that is worth showing at this point.  I think once this trailer is shown, things are really going to sky rocket for Ruiner.  Its one thing to list features for a game, it is another to actually show them.

Current Mood: energetic

Consider this an official announcement...

For many years I have been claiming there will be a demon expansion pack 2 for Doom 3 modding.  Sorry to say that this is not happening.  Many of the changes we added to Ruiner affected all enemies. Enemies from the DXP were also updated a little bit more on top of this.  What this means is I have to strip out allot of code to port them back to Doom3.  This is the type of work I don't really like to do because there won't be any large gains from doing it.  The DXP2 would end up feeling like 1.5 release because the additions to it and other bug fixes won't be nearly as good as original.  The rule of a sequel is that it needs to be better, or be a totally different product with the same spirit. It would be neither.

Then there is something else to let everybody know.  The full Ruiner source code probably won't go public until after Doom 3 has gone open source and we migrate to it.  In the mean time there will be something coming out quite similar.  It is tentatively called Atomic Doom 3.

AD3 is basically D3 with true thirdperson support, and all the other enhancements we have added to D3.  This doesn't sound very exciting to players, maybe just some modders.  To rev it up a bit, this mod/toolkit will also include various updates and changes to many of the existing Doom3 assets.  New weapon sounds, weapon models, enemies, enemy models, tweaked textures, and hi resolution textures to many of the Doom3 enemies.  That alone might sound like a nice graphical mod, but when added in with all the Ruiner additions, its going to create a really fresh feeling to Doom3.  The mod will also be fully compatible with all default Doom3 maps, playable in third or first person view and might feature a new 9 level campaign to go with it.   As for a release date, I'm not quite sure.  It would be after Ruiner is released of course.  It would then depend upon how big of a bang I'd like for the first release.

Current Mood: geeky

Started doing the Advocate animations today.  This was one weapon that really needed custom firing animations.  Their almost done. There was still something wrong with it...
it wasn't big enough.  So I enlarged it quite a bit which really helped it feel better to use.  Weapons are a tricky thing to get right.  If it sounds wimpy, not very usable or its animations are crappy, people won't use them.  It also looks like I might have to modify the textures a bit now that I have the crossbow strings on it moving. 

The onslaught shotgun is going to be the next big weapon animation I have to do.  Its firing animation will be a bit tricky.  Its a lever action shotgun.  So I have to time the player's movements right with the gun's lever movements.  The gun is also attached to the hand via code.  This means that when the hand moves, the gun bones connecting to the weapon move.  I have to lock those bones during the animation so the entire weapon doesn't move around.  I plan on doing 2 different firing animations for it.  There are a handful of ways to cock a lever action rifle.  Onslaught is a big ass gun, so single handed lever actions aren't going to look right.  I will be sticking with two handed ones for it.

The Onslaught shotgun, and Advocate auto reloading crossbow are very connected...
They both use the same form of ammunition.  Each one also requires different amounts of ammo per use.  The player must decide which weapon is best for the given situation before using them.  The advocate's burst fire mode makes it ideal for long distance sniping.  Its automatic firing mode is good for long distance crowds.  Onslaught is as one would guess, good for close quarters.  Its homing bo shurikens alt fire mode helps out for those frantic times when you need to kill something and just can't get a good aim on it.  This is very helpful fighting Archviles. They require the player to constantly move if they want to avoid damage.

Current Mood: productive

Today I started preparing the next media update for the Ruiner website.  I have also been thinking of doing a public Q & A.  We have yet to do any interviews for Ruiner.  There were a couple planned, but none ever happened.  I think this could be an interesting experiment to do.  What we would do is pick a couple of forums where people would post their questions.  Then I would pick out which ones to answer and post them up on the site.  This would also help in figuring out what people are most interested about in the mod.

 

Current Mood: chipper

I haven't touched left 4 dead in a few days.  The addiction has finally worn off.  I'm not the type of person to play a game longer than a month.  I've been playing this one sense it came out last year which is really good.  I guess I'm getting a little bored.  I know I'll be back once the new content arrives.

Part of the reason I've lost interest in L4D is my modding batteries are fully charged and going.  It only takes one small thing to light them back up.  This time it was getting the exploding arrows for the Ruin Bow working.  I've finished the weapon mode or alternate projectiles for Ruiner.  Ivan implanted a very simple to use, but powerful system.  I had a list of what each weapon was going to do, but that changed as I tried out the ideas.  It came out better and more useful than I thought many of them would in the end.  The alternate firing modes for weapons should have a use and feel cool to use.  Now they do.  The next time I update the Ruiner website, I'll detail out what each one is.  I still haven't shown none of the item pick up models yet.  I put that on my things to do list too.

I'm now tackling a bunch of other small task needed for the mod.  Our goal is to have everything but the animations wrapped up by the end of February.  I'm also really hoping to get some sort of game play trailer up around April.  Our goal currently is to have two more trailers up before release.

Current Mood: accomplished

Its been along day and there isn't very much going on.  Currently I'm working away on Ruiner.  Nothing really worth mentioning right now.  Within the next month we will have allot of the major work wrapped up and then progressing into the final phase of asset development.  When I mean asset development, this means that everything is done except the levels and beta testing.  At this point the mod is now a sandbox for development.  Everything you need to make the game is there, you just have to finish the levels for it.

Still playing Left 4 Dead working towards a few more achievements.  I know the new content isn't coming out anytime soon, no matter what valve says.  So I'm taking it easier now.

I've been thinking of what to do after ruiner is complete or something to start up before it is.  If I do another mod after ruiner, This is the time I usually start planning out my next project.  When I'm nearing the end of the road on whatever it is I'm working, I start planning the next.  The main reason I do this is because my workload is either concentrated on few things, or there isn't as much work to do.  In Ruiner's case, a majority of my work is based on animation.  I need a break from it sometimes so I don't burn myself out and end quitting.  This is where planning the next thing comes into play.  I always find the planning phase to be the most fun because that is where everything is new, fresh, and exciting.

I've thought very heavy on a couple of projects.  The first has been to do a Left 4 Dead mod.  I don't like working with source because it is tied into steam too much and requires allot of editing in c++ to things I can do without hard coding in Doom3. 

The other has been another Doom3 project, this time a First person shooter.  Both mods would be an FPS.  This would be my first FPS lead project.  Both projects would be small scale and done in phases.  If it is an fps in Doom3, it will be done off the Ruiner Source code.  I really love all the features we have added to Doom3 with Ruiner and believe they could create an exciting FPS experience. 

Then there is a third project I have had sitting around.  For half of Ruiner's development, I was adding the features into standard Doom 3 too.  This was called Atomic Doom3 or Doom 3rd.  It was D3 in thirdperson, with all the ruiner upgrades, plus additional weapon tweaks and cosmetic changes.  My favorite part of this was the Chaingun which now used the same sound fx from the movie predator.  Predator is where the mini gun sensation started, and it was what I still compare a game's mini gun to.  So it only seemed fitting that is what it should use.  There were other changes to the weapons like a new pistol model and sound, and new sounds for the shotgun.  I eventually stopped upgrading the Game with Ruiner because Ruiner's changes became huge and the constant intergration was becoming a hassle.  I will chat a little more about it in a later post.  If I were to finish upgrading it and add in everything else planned, like Hi resolution textures for enemies, then one it would feel like Dead Space.

I just need to think up of an idea.  Once I do, everything will fall into place.  I could also just stick with Ruiner and work on a sequel. That would depend upon Ruiner's reception.  Only time will tell where I walk towards next.

Current Mood: groggy

Today we started fully implanting the firing mode system in Ruiner.  Before I get into that, lets look into all the options the player has when fighting enemies...

If the player has the Ruin Blade equipped, they are in melee combat mode.  They can attack using the primary attack key, or the secondary attack key.  They can also do directional based attacks while holding different movement directions.  That is 6 attack options right there.  Then there is our combo/Special move system.  Our combo system works like special moves in Mortal Kombat.  Press a series of keys, like back forward forward, to perform a special move or an automatic series of moves (combos).  Combos can do multiple hits to a single enemy or hit multiple enemies at the same time.

Rifles/ Long Range weapons mechanics:
Press the primary attack key to fire the weapon.  Press the alt attack key to perform a defensive melee move.  Defensive moves include pistol whipping, round house kicks or shoulder rams.  These attacks are used to push enemies away or stun them while fighting.  We added this in so the player doesn't get gang banged while using guns.

Firing modes:
None of the weapons in Ruiner need reloading.  This was done to help simplify combat and speed it up.  This left us with an extra key to use.  We replaced the reload system with a firing mode system.  When the player presses the reload key, it changes the projectile type of the weapon.  When using the Ruin Bow, this switches between standard arrows, or exploding arrows.  Exploding arrows do more damage, but at the cost of using more ammo.  This gives the player 3 main attacks with long range weapons.  They can also perform combos with with them too.  We are taking full advantage of this for the pyrokinetics spell.

Current Mood: calm

Some l4d Fun today...

Achievement generator fun:
l4d-fr.com/achievements.php
I know this has been around a while, but its good fun...

The next link is to the first hunter training map.  Make sure you turn steam cloud off before using.  Instructions on how to start it up are in the thread's download link:
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=791392

And here is an old l4d forum thread with tips and tricks for playing hunter.  You might need this to get around the map:
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=770952

Current Mood: curious

Last night in Left 4 Dead I achieved the "What are you trying to prove" achievement.  This was beating all campaigns on Expert.  It was also the smoothest expert run I was apart.  Everybody in the team only died once through out the entire campaign.  We didn't starting using our med packs till Death Toll 3, but that was only because we were starting to goof around.  The AI director was overloading us rewards.  I don't really know what calculates pick ups, but maybe it had something to do with us just demolishing anything in our path without a hurt on the team, and the massive amount of head shots we racked up.  Having two people with shotguns, one with a m4, and then another with a sniper rifle proved to be a great combo.  The finale itself was a cake walk too.  This was the opposite of my first expert campaign.  For the first one I did Dead Air with just bots.  It was brutal working with those stupid things.  I was the only survivor for that one... because I used the bots for meat shields against tanks. ;)

All my websites have been updated with Ruiner related news.  The reaction to the our bow & arrow system has been favorable.  Next month I'll set up the site to start spot lighting our new enemies and changes to existing ones. I also finally finished the Website for DP. 

Progress on the Ruiner mod is also going decent.  The coding side of things should be wrapped up by the end of February.  This will leave only animations and maps.  Once we get the animations done, we can really start bug testing the game.  With the website stuff wrapped up, and the biggest reason I've been playing L4D done, I will be putting more time into Ruiner.

Current Mood: accomplished

Now that the journal is ready to live again, its time to figure out what to do with it.

Currently I spend most of my time working on the Ruiner Doom3 modification.  I've been on it for close to two years now and have less than a year's worth of work left it.

I also have one website left to do...  which is long overdue

Finally, I spend the rest of my computer time playing either Left 4 Dead or the Quake Live Beta.  I love both of these games and can't wait for the new L4D content to drop.

This week also looks like it is going to be news week for me.  I have to do a news post for the Ruiner website.  This news post was suppose to be up last month.  My main website also needs to be fixed.  I am no longer using the journal there and will be linking that site to this one.  Ruiner also has a second website on the mod database.  This website also needs a news post.

I'll write down some more in depth stuff later.

Current Mood: amused

Its been years since I last wrote in my journal.  Many things have changed since I started it.  To reflect all the changes, I've deleted all my journal entries and started from scratch.  A majority of the stuff I wrote about back then has nothing to do with what is going on tomorrow and today.  I will do another post within the next few days with what my new agenda is for this place.

Cheers!

-rev

Current Mood: peaceful