After a long silence I come back to LucasForums to officially present my next SP project: Syndicate:Initiation. This very small level was earlier called The Puzzle, and as a legacy from that title, it will have a high amount of tricky and complicated, scripted puzzles. Likewise it will have very little fighting (but don't let you guard down just yet, though).
The events of the Syndicate:Initiation will take place during the attacks of the Cult of Ragnos against the Jedi Academy. When Luke was sending the few Jedi available to guard places of residual Force activity, one of those sent found more than he bargained for...
For more information, you can have a look at the Serpent Code Productions website (
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/) (the site is unfortunately very 56k unfriendly.)
Some screenshots for your evaluation:
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot4.jpg)
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot1.jpg)
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot5.jpg)
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot3.jpg)
And let me present the door called Hamburger...
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot7.jpg)
... and Sandwich:
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot6.jpg)
(In this last shot on the left you can also see the real offer: only 19.99 Credits extra cheap floating platform. Especially convenient for crossing deep chasms...)
Seems to me you've been putting in a serious amount of work on this project lately, and that can only be a good sign! The fact that you're posting about it here also indicates its getting there, bit by bit :)
You've picked a completely different style from Lighthouse, done it with great elan, yet it still looks destinctively yours - no easy achievement! I definately think your architectural skills have improved yet further, and I cannot wait to see the devious puzzles you're cooking up for us. My one and only concern is that, just like the Lighthouse beta, it might be just a little too dark? It's always hard to tell from screenshots because they often look darker than it does ingame, but I seem to remember your monitor being a fair bit brighter than mine? Anyway, that'll be something for beta testers to handle - keep it coming man, its looking great :D
// Too dark.
Everyone will end up repeating that. :P
Looks extensive. How many hours did you put in?
Originally posted by Kengo
My one and only concern is that, just like the Lighthouse beta, it might be just a little too dark?
Originally posted by The Truthful Liar
// Too dark.
Argh! Yes, it's quite dark. And my monitor settings indeed are very bright. However, I must point out here an interesting fact (although I might still boost up the lighting just a little bit): This map has parts that need to be dark. You won't see it here and now, but when you play this map, you will understand (if you survive the tricky puzzles, that is).
How many hours? Please don't ask! Far more than any sane person would or should... This is a very small map, but it will end up having nearly as much brushes & patches (and file size) as all the Lighthouse maps summed up...
Beneath the surface, this map will have some exquisite script and entity use - and that will make the puzzles far more interesting than in Lighthouse.
I'm really looking forward to this. It will be a nice change environment-wise to the standard Star Wars settings...
it looks just right to me.. but.. my monitor is bright... so.
But yeah, looks good :) Excellant architecture, the mapping has a good ammount of detail.
I replaced the grating in the chamber with a couple of granite textures (shaders actually) I made in Photoshop. Here's some evidence. I think the change is to the right direction.
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot9.jpg)
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot10.jpg)
Nice shots there. I agree, it is better.
Also, I just have to say something about your script...I read it over to get ready for doing those lines for you, and...it's awesome. I'm really looking forward to this level, you've got a great story behind it!
Thanks, Wedge! I really appreciate your words, as I have witnessed your writing skills, and they are truly considerable.
Here are a couple of more screenshot for you, people:
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot11.jpg)
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot12.jpg)
This is the merging place of the indoors section and the EasyGen generated outdoors portion of the map. It's also one of the complicated, scripted puzzles of the map.
I have also acquired or made all the skins needed for the level. One is the excellent hf jedi modification by Amidala, and the rest are more or less original Raven skins. The one in the least original shape of the skins I prepared is Saboteur (on the left is the original human_merc used as a template):
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/saboteur.jpg)
Whole thing is lookin sexy! =)
Wow, that skin is awesome. It will fit perfectly with that level. ^_^
keep up the good work. ;)
Thanks for the feedback! :)
There's nothing much going on now. I have coded and directed about 35% of the cinematics needed for the level. It's kind of dull work to observe from the outside. I'll drop here a screenshot from the opening cinematic.
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot13.jpg)
The Syndicate Lady on the left, the Saboteur on the right. The Lady uses the jedi_hf_expansion skins by Amidala from Chop Shop.
That skin looks way better, lassev!
Originally posted by Prime
That skin looks way better, lassev!
Thanks! It's a high praise coming from the author of the Skinning monthly!
You could consider this as the basis for a costume:
http://premium.uploadit.org/Amidala/rendeavor10.jpg)
http://premium.uploadit.org/Amidala/rendeavor11.jpg)
It's torso_a2 lower_e2 with playertint 60 60 60. The brown leather could be recolored.
Originally posted by Amidala from Chop Shop
You could consider this as the basis for a costume:
It's torso_a2 lower_e2 with playertint 60 60 60. The brown leather could be recolored.
Ah, yes, I indeed could. To speak the truth, I only selected the red head as the type I wanted, but I was at loss considering the rest of the skin. I believe my expertice in the area of women's clothing is quite lacking...
Thanks for the much needed suggestion!
Restless Endeavour! Hell yes!
Ahem, looks good Lasse. :)
Sorry to hijack your thread lassev, but I this post doesn't deserve it's own thread, and since both gothix and wedge are checking it I thought they might like to see the new multiplayer splash screen I'm working on:
http://premium.uploadit.org/Amidala/mp_loading_1600.jpg)
It will include wallpaper versions and a screensaver that has full-screen versions of the screenshots. There is also a different single-player splashscreen.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
O-o-o-orbital? *hugs Amidala*
Originally posted by Amidala from Chop Shop
It's torso_a2 lower_e2 with playertint 60 60 60. The brown leather could be recolored.
Have you released a new edition of the packet, or is the lower_e2 just a typo? :confused: I don't seem to have lower_e2 skin option in my packet. There's only lower_e1.
The playertint is defined with the customRGBA entry in the .npc file, is it not?
My mistake, it's lower_d2.
I don't know about tinting NPCs, I used playertint <r> <g> <b> for my own character. But I saw Twilek NPCs with different tints in the SP game, so I know it is possible.
Here's just one fast image with the changes suggested by Amidala, the author of the enhanced human jedi lady.
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot14.jpg)
Just to keep you updated, I have now fully scripted two of the three cinematics needed. If everything proceeds smoothly, this level might be ready for beta testers in the beginning of July.
And remember, this level will be brought to you by no other than
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lvaarisk/external/masshot17.jpg)
Yeah. It's an in game shot...