Unfortunately I must retract my application to become a reskinner for K1RP, as events in my life have arisen that means I very highly doubt I could devote much, if any, time to K1RP in the near future. Sorry SithRevan, but thanks for giving me a chance. I would have liked to be a part of it, but alas, "real" life gets in the way :xp:
Good luck to you guys :)
Don't worry about it Syko.;)
And thanks for trying.:D
I'm deeply sorry to hear this SykoRevan. Best of luck in your situation.
SithRevan, as the cracking of lightmaps draws closer, and this project gets into the air, I'd like to take the opportunity to review what has been done so far, and what is planned to be done in the project. Organizational details and such, benchmarks, etc.
I'm curious as to what we have on the table so far, and how this project will be structured.
I've been looking at the dead M4-78 project, and I have to say that the advice Pavlos gives upon his departure is golden, and we should heed it. This project will have certain opportunities that no other project has had (and so far has also been blessed with some exceptional talent dedicated to it too). It may be best to lay things down here on this board (out in the open) for the sake of transparency.
I'm deeply sorry to hear this SykoRevan. Best of luck in your situation.
SithRevan, as the cracking of lightmaps draws closer, and this project gets into the air, I'd like to take the opportunity to review what has been done so far, and what is planned to be done in the project. Organizational details and such, benchmarks, etc.
I'm curious as to what we have on the table so far, and how this project will be structured.
I've been looking at the dead M4-78 project, and I have to say that the advice Pavlos gives upon his departure is golden, and we should heed it. This project will have certain opportunities that no other project has had (and so far has also been blessed with some exceptional talent dedicated to it too). It may be best to lay things down here on this board (out in the open) for the sake of transparency.
Okay, that sounds actually like a pretty good idea SF. So here is how this mod should play out...
First off there will be 4-5 parts to this mod, depending on what new arises out pf the examination of the game, which you all already knew from my original post on this thread. All of the parts will be released at the moment they go into thier RC1 stage, after that updates to the part will be done regularly until we all deem that the release of that part is gold and will be the absolute final product of which will go into the installer and will be installed when the final package comes out.
Getting more specific into the mechanics of what will be going on behind the scenes; we will be first creating all new areas which identify to the current part we are working on. This means that all minor modding in levels to fix bugs and what not will be pending until we have implemented all new areas if there are any to implement in that part. If all new areas are implemented or if there are no areas to be impemented we'll begin work on sorting out minor details and finding known bugs within the area that we'll be working on. We *WILL* all be working on the same area, so like lets say I am working on Taris, so will the whole team except for the ones who are on the Sleheyron project.
I really hope tha gives you guys a bit of an understanding in what we will be doing to make this possible and I hope that was what you mean by your comment SF.:D
Just a small question SithRevan, in the screenshots of Sleheyron if custom modules are ever finally fully cracked (they will be , we're very close know :D ) will you try to build the modules to somewhat resemble the screenshots, and therefore BioWares original intentions with the planet, or will you be steering the planet in a new direction through your own ideas & imagination, either way though, Sleheyron in Kotor is gonna rock!
Just a small question SithRevan, in the screenshots of Sleheyron if custom modules are ever finally fully cracked (they will be , we're very close know :D ) will you try to build the modules to somewhat resemble the screenshots, and therefore BioWares original intentions with the planet, or will you be steering the planet in a new direction through your own ideas & imagination, either way though, Sleheyron in Kotor is gonna rock!
I'm not exactly sure what SithRevan's opinion is here.
But I can say, in my own opinion, as I have been writing it I've done both.
There obviously is not enough left of Sleheyron to restore it to its original shape, size, and module design; we don't have any sketches of the 'blueprints' of the module. But I have a strong desire to stay within the bounds of the spirit that the David Gaidner conveyed in his comments on the planet, and to make the planet feel entirely natural to the game (i.e., nothing crazy or absurd, nothing unprofessional, nothing too much, nothing making Sleheyron absurdly larger and too disproportional to the rest of the game, etc.).
My own vision is to have Sleheyron 'look' like the screenshots as far as the color scheme, building shapes, etc. However, the actual layout is up in the air at the moment, although I have a nebulous idea of it (and I can't put anything firmly down yet, because there are so many other opinions of the team I'd like to hear, and I'm still in drafts).
For example, in my mind, there is a large open street district that the player enters once exiting the landing pad modules.
(the one in the this screenshot):
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/6230/slehey5brighteneduu9.th.jpg) (
http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=slehey5brighteneduu9.jpg)
To me, this area is to be filled with a large number of NCPs, all alien, all walking in different directions. This, to me, is an entertainment district with a cantina and the coliseum. They serve as rest quarters for the starport, serving a diverse clientиle of restless off-world cargo haulers (who probably have been in space for a while, and would like to unwind, perhaps some bloody action is exciting), ship workers, employees of the Hutts, and bounty hunters looking for work. This may be the least nasty area of Sleheyron, but its still pretty bad.
All very drab, with the cantina all shot up on the inside, brown colored walls, ambient smoke, and lights fading in and out. (Imagine the Taris lower city cantina crossed with the look of the Iziz Cantina in the second game.) That, to me, is the Sleheyron cantina. I'd like to have unique music too.
So, I'm really trying to do both. Its not really a contradiction. I'm being faithful to all descriptions of Sleheyron, but adding in creative license to fill in the vast blanks.
Perhaps add in some industrial equipment, lots of crates, cargo ships taking off (or landing/loading/unloading, like Taris or Manaan).
Imagination needs to be a strong factor on this project.
Well , SithRevan has putted me in the design team for Sleheyron .
He asked me , just like Southern FOx mentioned to stay as close as possible of what we have of this planet.
It is not much , Some actual textures, wich you can view and extract with Kotor-Tool if youre curious .
The shown Screenshots , and as far as I know one piece of concept-art .
Ofcourse Bioware must have tons of art , but I think very fiew pieces got published .
I'm already drawing and thinking out some stuff , but ofcourse this is far from what can be considered finished pieces . If where serious about all this and want a good looking result this will take months , just to get the area , no NPC or scripts added . ( You can view my Scribbelings on the Jawa-Forums )
Really , it will take time to find a good balance , and lots questions will need answers .
And I can't imagine what of unseen things will crop up .
But as SF pointed out this is a heavy-industrial looking planet , shades of brown , ugly greens , black and filthy looking white .
Most things are banged-up , used and re-used without much cleaning .
One of its main attractions is ofcourse this huge arena / colloseum .
Another key-feature or element I think is "pipes" lots of them .
Pipes where ever you look , transporting fuel/ gasses to big factorys , storage silo's and such .
And ofcourse the cilinder, round shaped buildings .
But lets await the anwser of out "Big chief" SithRevan ;)
I'm already drawing and thinking out some stuff , but of course this is far from what finished pieces . If where serious about all this and want a good looking result this will take months , just to get the area , no NPC or scripts added .
I definitely agree here. The areas alone are a monster of a project.
I would suggest a large meeting at some point to pool everything and everyone together so far, define responsibilities, set benchmarks, etc.
I definitely agree here. The areas alone are a monster of a project.
I would suggest a large meeting at some point to pool everything and everyone together so far, define responsibilities, set benchmarks, etc.
And everyone has a different view on them ,
things to consider :
what need lots of detail , do we spent that much polygons on this or that feature .
How long should it take for a player to cross one area , 5 minutes or 3 , is there much to see or do at that area ?
Is this area just for passing through and a small fight or is it used for cut-scenes or used for a major quest ?
Is the lay-out / plan of the area logical , it might be evident to the designer where a door might be , but a new player might feel totally lost and stuck .
THe list goes on , and there a lots of things to consider .
Does Sleheyron need to be as big as Taris ? Or more like Korriban ?
Yes, these are all considerations and will require time and a high degree of professionalism.
We really should get everyone together to put everything down, and lay it all out.
Get things ironed out to a point where we have a firm outline, defined roles, organized teams, a list of priorities, goals on how to approach certain problems, general principles to follow in the face of certain issues (i.e. how to approach voice-overs, which thankfully are overwhelmingly alien), design and layout of modules (blueprints, where one can go and what one can do). Opinions need to be pooled together to get the firm final version.
Pipes are a great idea too.
Personally, I am imagining Sleheyron to be a world of layers (like Taris, and distantly like Kashyyyk). The highest layer contains the landing pads, entertainment facilities that serve the Huttese starport, and fuel depots that store assets being shipped out, Huttese residences, etc.
Beneath the highest layer of the city are slave pens (for labor slaves, not the household slaves, who are a bit better off), refineries, and mining operational headquarters. There is little to no sunlight – all lighting is artificial and quite bad. Slaves live communal pens, caged together in like in a zoo as animals and taken out when used for labor.
Beneath this even that layer of Sleheyron is the lowest of all layers – the deep cavernous fuel mines and where many pipelines originate. This is a dark world where many of the slaves work once they are dragged outside of the pens (dangerous caves and deep mines) – where the volcanic nature of Sleheyron is more apparent beneath the industrial apparatus. Logically, the Star Map is here, buried like the relic that it is.
Yes, these are all considerations and will require time and a high degree of professionalism.
We really should get everyone together to put everything down, and lay it all out. Get things ironed out to a point where we have a firm outline, defined roles, organized teams, a list of priorities, goals on how to approach certain problems, general principles to follow in the face of certain issues (i.e. how to approach voice-overs, which thankfully are overwhelmingly alien), design and layout of modules (blueprints, where one can go and what one can do). Opinions need to be pooled together to get the firm final version.
Pipes are a great idea too.
Personally, I am imagining Sleheyron to be a world of layers (like Taris, and distantly like Kashyyyk). The highest layer contains the landing pads, entertainment facilities that serve the Huttese starport, and fuel depots that store assets being shipped out, Huttese residences, etc.
Beneath the highest layer of the city are slave pens (for labor slaves, not the household slaves, who are a bit better off), refineries, and mining operational headquarters. There is little to no sunlight – all lighting is artificial and quite bad. Slaves live communal pens, caged together in like in a zoo as animals and taken out when used for labor.
Beneath this even that layer of Sleheyron is the lowest of all layers – the deep cavernous fuel mines and where many pipelines originate. This is a dark world where many of the slaves work once they are dragged outside of the pens (dangerous caves and deep mines) – where the volcanic nature of Sleheyron is more apparent beneath the industrial apparatus. Logically, the Star Map is here, buried like the relic that it is.
Guess where almost at the same level here , I knew Sleheyron was also known for the slave-market .
So I would imagine some sort of elevators coming out of the lower levels to the upper with cages or pens .
And I'm thinking about trains/ metro lookalikes for the lower and upper levels on planet transport .
I would say the Hutts keep the air open for their business and freighters flights off the planet . And not spill it on bringing pieces of from one factory to another with ships or shuttles .
Don't know if you see something in this , but I thought this could or would give something unique to the module , heavy cranes loading containers , a whole field full of containers , the perfect maze to fight in with Bounty Hunters and their likes .
Also perhaps one of the Hutts is a collector of antique ancients objects ... I think he might be interested in this old burried temple starmap thingy .
Just some wild thoughts that are flashing throw my mind , but I know youre on top of this Southern Fox .
If you want you can sent a PM with things you noted or thought already , these could give me a bit more direction on what to design for certain parts of the areas :)
Guess where almost at the same level here , I knew Sleheyron was also known for the slave-market .
So I would imagine some sort of elevators coming out of the lower levels t
the upper with cages or pens .
And I'm thinking about trains/ metro lookalikes for the lower and upper levels on planet transport .
I would say the Hutts keep the air open for their business and freighters flights off the planet . And not spill it on bringing pieces of from one factory to another with ships or shuttles .
Don't know if you see something in this , but I thought this could or would give something unique to the module , heavy cranes loading containers , awhole field full of containers , the perfect maze to fight in with Bounty Hunters and their likes .
Also perhaps one of the Hutts is a collector of antique ancients objects ... I think he might be interested in this old burried temple starmap thingy .
Just some wild thoughts that are flashing throw my mind , but I know youre on top of this Southern Fox .
If you want you can sent a PM with things you noted or thought already , these could give me a bit more direction on what to design for certain parts of the areas :)
Metros, in some form, are a great idea, but I am curious about the possible animation of them. Even if animated or not, large rails being raised above the streets in the main districts are a great idea for the ambiance of an industrial world, transporting assets here and there. I can imagine walking underneath a large rail track above me while in the city. As well as in the lower levels too; I'm thinking in the form of the 'swoop tunnel' to the side that is in the module on Taris where the player fights Brejik.
Ambient industrial equipment is a must, I agree. The port and landing pads are probably full of it. Crate meshes exist in the game files too, and definitely are a major sight.
Some really good thoughts here. I have an idea for the Star Map and the details about it, and I'm trying to add a twist to it too. The Hutts have their own interests at heart, as always.
I'll send you some very rough notes of mine. They contain the screenshots too as a rough visual aid. One is a bit more professional than the other, but I've only gotten three or so short pages down. Its just a draft. The second is much longer, a more rougher and earlier draft, detailing the upper levels of the city and only lightly touching the lower levels. The Star Map is mentioned in it too.
Can you PM a way of e-mailing you?
Just a small question SithRevan, in the screenshots of Sleheyron if custom modules are ever finally fully cracked (they will be , we're very close know :D ) will you try to build the modules to somewhat resemble the screenshots, and therefore BioWares original intentions with the planet, or will you be steering the planet in a new direction through your own ideas & imagination, either way though, Sleheyron in Kotor is gonna rock!
Actually GK I plan on doing both really, we don't have enough of a visual description of Sleheyron to actually build it exactly to the specifications BioWare had originally created. So what we'll be doing is taking thier main idea and adding to it in order to create a fully functional area that is similar to the one they originally made but not entirely exact.;)
We will however make it ver fun for the user to go through, that I promise.:D
I've been looking at several of the drawn sketches, and they are amazing.
http://team-jawa.kotor2files.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=155)
I have two favorites in particular that I really want to push for in compiling Sleheyron. The first is the look of the landing pads. Its very open-air, like a real port. There are several of them too, and not just the player's ship's pad (like on Manaan); it is a believable starport. At first, I was uncertain of what 'look' to visualize the landings pads, but this is absolutely perfect.
The second is the slave pit. At first, I imagined a more two-dimensional pen, like a zoo cage, but this is so much darker and demeaning. I think that it would be theoretically possible too.
Actually GK I plan on doing both really, we don't have enough of a visual description of Sleheyron to actually build it exactly to the specifications BioWare had originally created. So what we'll be doing is taking thier main idea and adding to it in order to create a fully functional area that is similar to the one they originally made but not entirely exact.;)
We will however make it ver fun for the user to go through, that I promise.:DOkay, cool, whatever you feel is best! :thumbsup:
I personally can't wait to see the final product, it will add a lot of replay value to the game and i'm sure the entire K1RP project will attract new players to the game.
SithRevan, I’ve been doing some deep investigations into the various pieces of the game to be put together, and I’ve formed some opinions on how to approach them. Looking at everything, this is an immense project.
The project is definitely underway, with a great stimulus from your enthusiasm – although until lightmaps are fully cracked a great deal of material remains in the concept, art and writing stages.
Right off the bat, I would strongly recommend:
1. Setting up an FTP server for internal use by the project members for exchanging, reviewing, and testing assets – all creating a free flow of information. Everyone needs to be on the same page. All art, word documents, idea sheets, game assets of all kinds, etc, are to be stored here. All members need to download assets regularly not just to stay abreast of information, but for backup purposes. This is to prevent any loss of information or material – for example, if someone critical leaves, disappears/becomes inactive, or has a computer failure.
2. Regular meetings at a pre-designated time and with a pre-designated chat server whereby all of the project team are strongly urged to attend – transcripts are to be kept and posted. Again, everyone needs to be on the same page, and a free flow of ideas is critical. Everyone needs to know everyone.
3. A series of milestones, goals, and benchmarks are to be mapped out immediately. Such an arrangement provides focus, attention to current problems, and creates sensible priorities. Without benchmarks, priorities are doomed to be disorganized.
Sleheyron – with its environs, and all related content – is going to be a massive project, on a scale that I’m not sure that the project is prepared for yet. We should not kid ourselves on the depth of such an undertaking.
It is all exciting given that it is very do-able with the latest breakthroughs, and with lightmaps becoming less elusive by the day.
I’ve been investigating different cut parts of the game, and I’ll post some nice findings shortly.
Looks like we found our manager and top co-ordinator ,
You got may vote on all the above Southern-Fox , this is a project wich need an attidude of "long-vision".
I must admit I'm rather a person of shirt attention spans , so I need a firm set-up of date's , so that indeed I have a focus .
And ofcourse you nagging my head of , where's the picture ? Why isn't there a picture ? Did you finished the art , is that it ??? :lol:
And I'm in luck , we had an interesting speaker at college this year , he was a head-artist or lead-artist of a game studio .
He took us roughly how they designed a level , he showed us footage of concept-art , 3D mock-ups ,and actual peices of the level itself they where currently working on .
In each step he explained why they made these choices and what problems had cropped up .
It was very entertaining and educational .
Mainly to see how the pros do it . And not unexpectly it takes TIME , lots of it!
So I'd say have a serious talk with Sith-Revan and get yourself a temporary time-table with tasks for each department of the project .
I think this is the way to go with such a huge project. Do stuff in parts at a time and don't rush things. If you aim for little goals instead of large ones the project, before you know it should eventually come together real nice, of course the bigger the team the easier the project will become (and the shorter it will take). I've seen all the concept art on the team-jawa forums, certainly looks promising! :D
Well I agree with both of you two, I think would should have these things and I am really confident that if we do we'll exceed the expectations of the good people here at LF and the rest of the Kotor modding commmunity.
So anyway SF, give me a PM on this and tell me exactly what we'll have to do. I'l talk with the other team members or post an announcement on the boards and we'll get this gigantic ball rolling.;)
Well I agree with both of you two, I think would should have these things and I am really confident that if we do we'll exceed the expectations of the good people here at LF and the rest of the Kotor modding commmunity.
So anyway SF, give me a PM on this and tell me exactly what we'll have to do. I'l talk with the other team members or post an announcement on the boards and we'll get this gigantic ball rolling.;)
Don't push to hard , or we'll get squashed :lol: ( Indiana Jones tune starts playing ) :p
Ow , jeez , shouldn't be lurking on the boards , there's work to do !
I’ll gladly send a message to you SithRevan.
I’d like to post some findings on different parts of the game that was cut. Soon, it may be a good idea to make a breakdown of what needs to be done and worked on in each module (a list of walkmeshes, lightmaps, doors, reworking or retooling, content, etc.).
For now, I only really looked into two areas, there are others.
Korriban; The Czerka administrative facilities.
http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/2946/shot0012jb5.th.jpg) (
http://img186.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shot0012jb5.jpg)
The module can actually be seen in the above screenshot, and in brief flashes throughout several game trailers.
The module seems to be close to being solid, with a few spare parts missing. Walking through it, I noticed that perhaps walkmeshes could be adjusted; lighting seemed actually good and consistent in most of the module. Certain surfaces definitely need work. The entrance door to the module that leads back into central Dreshdae needs to be filled in – it is just a gaping hole to nowhere. Doors are also needed in many of the walk-arches, as the released screenshot show that doors were in the module.
While there is no direct evidence, I think that it is intuitive that the plot/purpose of the Czerka modules is actually hinted to inside Bioware’s description of Korriban:
The unwary traveler arriving at the tiny spaceport of Dreshdae will only find a barren, forgotten backwater community of temporary settlements and crudely constructed shelters. Perhaps as the competent local mechanic services your ship, you might begin to sense that there is something else here, something festering. Soon you may start to hear things such as harsh voices slowly drifting through the thick air. Your heart will begin to beat faster, and your skin will begin to itch under your collar with the urge to climb back into your ship and leave this soulless place behind forever. Korriban is a graveyard of Sith Lords and a former power base of the Sith order. This is the cradle of darkness.
The spaceport is under the roof of the Czerka Corporation stronghold, the very center of power for the giant corporation run by President Pollard Seario. The city itself owes its existence to the power created by Czerka's generators. Perhaps Pollard seeks solace from his uncountable holdings in the vast emptiness of this world; perhaps he dreams of shadowy promises that ooze from the tombs of long dead Sith Lords.
Within Dreshdae is the Sith monastery -- still teeming with those who would wish to join the Sith order. Its ominous halls resonate with the cries of anguish from those who are undeserving of the order's dark power. Their stay within its merciless walls is short, brutal and forgotten.
For the very few who survive the Sith training and wish to complete their final rite of passage into the cold embrace of the Sith, they must face the Valley of the Dark Lords. Hundreds of ancient Sith sorcerers wait within the mausoleums. They lie in their dusty beds waiting to devour the weak and unworthy. The Valley seethes with the foul energy of a thousand restless spirits murmuring of sinister glories.
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Pollard Seario's desk?
It seems that this nice snippet of the game was removed either in the middle or late part of the development cycle – perhaps it had a very involved and detailed quest. There are still references in voice dialogue of Czerka employees to Dreshdae being a regional administrative headquarters. It seems that this was modified from the original idea of being the central headquarters.
Knowing all of this, I’d like opinions on how to fill the module. Personally, I’d like the regional headquarters status to be kept, and the module reintegrated into the game with this in mind.
Czerka is meant to be a ‘slimy’ and self-centered corporate organization – it does not actually participate in the war, and has not ‘declared war’ on the Republic. This is evident by the references that Czerka maintains a public relations kiosk on Coruscant and has shareholders in the core worlds. However, Czerka is clearly arming and aiding the Sith Empire. Putting the module in as a ‘central headquarters’ disrupts this plot, and puts Czerka too much overtly on the side of the Sith – and the modules are a little small for such a job, considering that there must be a presiding board of some kind.
Pollard Seario needs to factor into this somehow – perhaps a regional manager of Czerka; a very high-ranking person.
Tatooine; the catacombs and ancient Rakatan ruins
Much more work is needed here. Certain walls and surfaces need adjusting and are transparent. The player can see through walls often if they lean against them.
Walkmeshes are very incomplete, certain walls can make the player 'get stuck', and have to turn around. Lightmaps are needed here, probably identical to the ones found in the caves on Korriban and the ruins on Dantooine; a dark atmosphere with dust/fog ambiance is needed.
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The pit room.
I'm not certain of the exact storyline, but we know what was in there from the writers:
We cut several sections out of Tatooine. The Star Map on Tatooine was originally located in the maw of a Sarlacc pit. The player had to find the Sarlacc pit in a cave complex and then figure out how to descend into the pit without becoming the Sarlacc's next snack.
While not evidence, I assume from the bold part that it was not just a cakewalk to explore the entire cave/temple all at once, probably there were barriers in the way.
The player had to get into the temple (which must have had doors planned/intended, like the ones on Dantooine), and then through the temple, and then into the pit room.
As far as the Sarlacc, I have to sadly argue against restoration of the it. It is however just my single opinion.
In short, I don’t think that it is realistic – the animations and complexities of creating such a creature are just too much, unless we have quite a bit of knowledge about custom game animations, and I am under the impression that the community does not. Personally, I’d love it, but I have doubts that it can be done professionally – and if it cannot be done right, we should avoid doing it at all. That is, unless someone has a brilliant idea on how to make it.
I'd really like to be wrong on that.
I'd be thrilled to have more modules in the bottom the pit, with a descent like on Kashyyyk. Down there, beneath even the temple, a much darker, danker, and more misty cavern exists. Maybe even several puddles of water; if significant moisture exists on Tatooine, it is certainly this far down underground. There, the Star Map rests.
Wow, didn't know that there was so much Cerzka Corp on Korriban .
I don't have much to say about this , but it looks great and like you mentioned a bit easier to restore and repait then the other cutted-parts .
Allthough one questions : What is Revan supposed to do there , going in to kill the head-director is just a bit pointless . Why ? What is his goal to go fighting ?
The plot should not over-do the main quest of infiltrating the Sith Academy , IMO .
On the Tatooine-Temple , restoring Walkmeshes will soon be a piece of cake , Magnulls program Kaurora works like a charm .
It just needs some good polishing , but that's Magnulls department ofcourse.
But we need direction , guess thats your job SF ;) , we can't be working on allthings the same time , it'll be mess anyway to get just one of these areas working like we want it.
The plot should not over-do the main quest of infiltrating the Sith Academy , IMO .
I fully agree. The quest/plot of the Czerka area should not interfere with the main plot of Korriban. It would be highly unrealistic to assassinate such a figure close to the Sith and then suddenly become a member.
We have a new update on our site! Check here (
http://team-jawa.kotor2files.com) in the "Status Reports" page.;)
Great update! This is very exciting, I hope you can get the breakthrough by the end of the year. And Quanon, your concept art and models are impressive. Really amazing! Good job, everyone, keep it up. ;)
Exciting times indeed, I just wish it wasn't so hard to get in touch with Quanon in real time.
Pretty cool project. I hope you will all have fun in the proccess. "KotOR I" is perfect as is, and this will only continue to make it even more greater. Kudos!
Thank you all! We're really excited about this new update and all of the cool thing that, I can promise, will be coming out soon and your appreciation of what we have done gives us the kick in the behinds to get done what needs to get done.
Pretty cool project. I hope you will all have fun in the proccess. "KotOR I" is perfect as is, and this will only continue to make it even more greater. Kudos!
Also in particular I want to thank you The Source for your comment as it is in-fact one of your last posts. So thank you.
And again thank you all for your support!:D
Just for kicks, here is the concept of the Sleheyron mineshafts.
Dark, and deep into the bedrock, here is where the ores and gases are mined for Sleheyron's booming fuel exports. It is well underneath all of the industrial apparatus above, and a hot deathtrap. Not all tunnels are this narrow, and some open up into large natural vaults. It is also where the player descends in a certain search:
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/346/sleheyronminesgj3.th.jpg) (
http://img444.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sleheyronminesgj3.jpg)
Quanon has seen it.
I intend to disperse to the team members as soon as I can a sort of 'descriptive guide to Sleheyron' soon – complete with interwoven concept art, original screenshots, and footnotes.
First to SithRevan, then immediately to the developing staff - as soon as I can get around to finishing it though.
I really think the concept art by Quanon is amazing, by the way. It spurs on more ideas just looking at it. SithRevan, your personal work on Korriban’s Czerka facilities look excellent and highly professional.
SithRevan, your personal work on Korriban’s Czerka facilities look excellent and highly professional.
Thank you SF, I actually am no where near getting all of the doors in the module aligned correctly. I am close however most of the doors in the module are off by fractional amounts unfortunatly. I am however working on fixing that.;)
Also, another thing that I saw in the level were two rooms that had been cut so who knows we may see even more new areas in the new area.:D
Exciting times indeed, I just wish it wasn't so hard to get in touch with Quanon in real time.
I know , you canadians are hard to catch ;) :lol:
If I'm not there in real time send me PMs or e-mails , most of my communication with SF is through e-mail and it didn't stop us from swapping ideas .
Or unless you have a privite Jet , I can come to youre house untill the mod is released :D
Don't worry about it to much Adelphus , if you got some neat arty or 3D things post them in the Jawa-forums .
As I'm interested what you have been up to .
Saw the new concept art update, Quanon, and it's really amazing. I could already see someone working at a terminal, and droids walking by. :)
Quanon, I recently saw the 3D experimental renders on the website forum and I loved them.
With the eventual use of the Sleheyron textures, I think that really I could not distinguish it from the 'feel' of Sleheyron expressed in Bioware's screenshots. It is all very professional.
The internal room (a depot near the port, I assume) is exactly how I imagined it; it is great in keeping with size and proportions of rooms found in the rest of the game. The mini-map is fantastic. When writing, I imagined a depot room in the main street (near the port) that is close to the feel this room.
On a side note, right now, I'm wrestling with a take on the Sleheyron Arena.
I'm viewing it as having multiple modules, but not too much. I am thinking that there is a cantina-like room in the interior (roughly like a concessions area, but much much much more 'bar' like). Patrons, scum, etc.
In all probability, the player cannot actually enter the bleachers (a tad too jarring, and too many NCPs), but can fight in the main arena, alternate arenas, or enter various rooms in the building. Bioware's comments highlight that there were multiple arenas other than the 'main one'.
Private box rooms, a hypogeum like arena area, etc. I have rough notes on a private box room for a character called 'Borrcha the Hutt', that the player can enter and interact in and has importance to gaining an audience with Suuda.
A lot of the inspiration comes from the Mos Espa Arena level found in the TPM game but I'm trying a different and better take on it.
Your plans for the arena seem wonderful but I hope you're taking stock of the demarcation between concept and reality. It's great to have these creative ideas but the ability to put all of them into motion is just as important, if not slightly more so. I'm just speaking as one who has made this mistake in the past (on the not-to-be-named-failed-project :xp: ). It all looks so terribly exciting, and I'd hate for it to go down the drain. Ambition is wonderful... just channel that ambition into something possible and get the boundaries clearly set in your head. You are probably well aware of all this and I'm just babbling but I wanted to make sure you don't make the same mistakes as we made on M4-78RP.
I hope this doesn't come across as a criticism because it's not intended as such - merely as advice.
I hope this doesn't come across as a criticism because it's not intended as such - merely as advice.
Not at all, I am in full agreement with your sentiment, and I understand and appreciate the echo from my own internal concerns (that are not best expressed when I go on openly about concepts and ideas).
Be aware, I entered this project as a skeptic.
When writing drafts, I often attempt to catch myself from going too far; hence the difficulty associated with working on such a project. My two largest concerns are that the project can't be too disproportional to the rest of the game (the arena is a serious danger in this regard), and that there is a fine line between imagining and implementing.
I generally believe that several ideas, particularly about the arena, that will be shortened, abbreviated, etc. I would hope that others are not under any illusion that this won't happen.
Personally, I've kept everything (at least, my work in the project) on the note-only level for this reason, and held back until I've seen a working new module. Quanon has seen drafts for his own purposes.
The departing advice post given at the demise of M4-78 is of a strong importance to this project, I would hope that others agree.
The departing advice post given at the demise of M4-78 is of a strong importance to this project, I would hope that others agree.
Demise? Does that mean you guys aren't going to restore M4-78?
:3pdance:
I'm really excited about this!!!
Fortunately I have C3P0 to dance a jig for me.
Demise? Does that mean you guys aren't going to restore M4-78?
They are. He meant the demise of Team Bantha's M4-78.
They are. He meant the demise of Team Bantha's M4-78.
Oh good. :thumbsup:
@Pavlos : Fear not , I'm fully aware that all this work and effort may be in vain , there's no telling how things will turn out .
But its not all lost , working on this project gives me a change to boost my skills in Max .
I have tons of fun drawing , modelling , ... etc .
And with SF drafts I have a more clear path to follow , besides I'm fully aware will need to drop things down a notch here and there .
I think where all now in a sort "everything-is-possible" mind set .
But again , I see the oppertunity this project gives me .
Else I wouldn't have joined up , cause I know there are a lot of dead threads here on Holowan about BIG GIGANTIC MODS .
Ayways , back to work :p .
And SF if you have new drafts and ideas PM me or e-mail me , been awhile since I heard of you ;)
Wow, just checked out the progress page and it looks really impressive. Nice work guys!
Here's a possible music restoration. LucasArts's Knights of the Old Republic page (now no longer up) featured a music sample titled mus_area_tup.mp3. However, this music was never heard in the game. Based on the fact that it is area, not battle, music and on "tup," I think it was intended to play as area music in Davik's estate after Malak orders the destruction of Taris and the player is making his/her escape.
Here's a possible music restoration. LucasArts's Knights of the Old Republic page (now no longer up) featured a music sample titled mus_area_tup.mp3. However, this music was never heard in the game. Based on the fact that it is area, not battle, music and on "tup," I think it was intended to play as area music in Davik's estate after Malak orders the destruction of Taris and the player is making his/her escape.
I've actually had the file on my computer for a while.
I'm not sure what exactly it was intended for; 'area' denotes an actual place rather than a battle theme (and it actually has the sound and feel of a video cut-scene theme).
I think I may know which area that music was intended for. At first I thought it may be for a new planet with the first three letters "tup", but going through the wikipedia Star Wars Planet database I found that there are no such planets with no such letterings. So I came to the conclusion, after looking through the "Streammusic" folder for the game, that it was not for a new area or even a area like Davik's Base but for the Upper City of Taris. I believe this music to be the Alpha stage music variant for the upper part of Taris. I base this conclusion on the fact that there is a file in the streammusic folder that closely resembles the files name, "mus_area_tup," and it is for Taris's upper section and it's name is "mus_area_tarisup."
Now as for using as it was originally intended to be used... well I don't know about that. The music for that area suits it well. I'm thinking of maybe using it for another area that doesn't have quite the right music or maybe using it for the launcher that we'll be releasing in this modification.
It is something we'll have to think about though.
Hmmm... To me that sounds more like battle music than an area, but SithRevan is probably right about what it was going to be used for, the first that came to my mind when I saw tup was Taris Upper City :). But I really don't think it suites Taris at all, maybe battle music Taris, but not like walking around Taris music, I prefer the current Taris music present in game :)
I think that SithRevan is right; it is most likely connected to the Taris Upper City.
However, I am somewhat skeptical that it was the 'walking around' music. Its just too jumpy. It had to have some certain purpose, I'm not sure what.
If nobody minds, I was thinking of adding this track to a mod I'm working on, as new music is part of what I'm adding, and I think I could find a place for this particular track.
However, I am somewhat skeptical that it was the 'walking around' music. Its just too jumpy. It had to have some certain purpose, I'm not sure what.
Well you have to remember SF if this is indeed the Alpha stage music variant for the Taris Upper City it most likely would have fit into the portrayed environment. Taris, originally in it's Alpha stages, was supposed to have a Dark Jedi occupation and you were supposed to already have your Jedi abilities when you got in there. Now since that was supposed to be the storyline for Taris you would expect to find more daunting music in that area. Now though since they have constructed a storyline in which you get your Jedi abilities after leaving Taris it would completely irraticate the need for such music as there would not be any Dark Jedi or daunting fights.
@Everyone: No, we are not restoring the Alpha stages of Taris BTW.;)
If nobody minds, I was thinking of adding this track to a mod I'm working on, as new music is part of what I'm adding, and I think I could find a place for this particular track.
I don't mind. Just know that we might think about using that music in other places in the mod.;)
Rev check your email. And, i think I'll take you up on your offer about letting me use SL. That takes a load off my back. If you liked my BluePrints i can make you some more.