Current mood:

groggy

thinking

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.