SEXY! New biks always add an undeniable touch of professionalism to a mod.
When it comes to dialogue, I am quite picky, and often end up re-writing the dialogue present in most mods (which is how I came up with my own).
Don't rush to the end in a race to release it. Get beta testers to pick your mod apart. You wont believe the strange bugs people come across and you don't want to be releasing patch after patch.
I agree - except for the spelling errors that were originally in the quote. ;)
Rather than giving you my typical breakdown of progress, I have decided to show you by way of the modded areas that have been completed (marked DONE), to partly completed (marked STARTED), to those that are have not been attempted yet (not marked). As you can see, still a fair bit of work to be done, although alot of the remaining areas are small in nature and size.
HIGH LEVELS
451CAT – Keralt High Level – DONE
MIDDLE LEVELS
452CAT – Keralt Middle Level – DONE
453CAT – Entertainment Complex – DONE
LOWER LEVELS
454CAT – Keralt Lower Level – STARTED
455CAT – Wyvern Dragon's Base
456CAT – Cathalan Warrior's Base
DARK LANDS
457CAT – Dark Lands
459CAT – Outsiders Hideout
460CAT – The Crypts
OTHER “UNDEFINED” AREAS
458CAT – Mattersan District
461CAT – Sector Fifty-One
Wow, 11 new modules. Quite an extensive new planet - most I've seen have been five or six, at the most. Keep up the good work, Jaevyn.
I have four more screenshots to give to you guys as well as a few announcements. Rather than re-skinning every single modded area (which is highly time consuming and difficult), I'm reskinning certain modules that I feel do not give the right gravitas to their setting. I've already completely reskinned the High Levels, and I intend to do some reskinning of the lower levels. The Dark Lands will get a complete overhaul as well as the Crypts. Other areas will experience minimal structural changes, but will nonetheless feel different with small changes in atmosphere and hues.
Here are the pictures below:
http://www.rockmyspace.info/image-upload/uploads/1/screen9.png)
The Entertainment Complex. Rather than reskinning the whole lot, I've changed the dynamic colour and added fog. Basically it feels almost like a unique level with minimal effort.
http://www.rockmyspace.info/image-upload/uploads/1/screen10.png)
With greater encounters and chances to advance plots, you'll come across chances to also increase or decrease your influence with your companions.
http://www.rockmyspace.info/image-upload/uploads/1/screen11.png)
This picture shows the Lower Levels, which I plan to heavily re-skin to make them look and feel more desperate and depraved. As you can see, the occupants already fit that description.
http://www.rockmyspace.info/image-upload/uploads/1/screen12.png)
As you go through the planet, you'll come across more desperate individuals, depraved enemies, and what basically amounts to a nice amount of potential experience.
Time for your thoughts. Is there anything which you think needs improvement or revision from what you can see?
Really great but one question: How come all the people are orange?
Really great but one question: How come all the people are orange?
It appears that way because the display settings on my computer are low, but also because it is the hue or light that is prevalent on the planet. When on brighter resolutions, the orange will not appear so marked.
Oh. Thanks for clearing that up.
VOs coming soon, Jaevyn. I promise.
It appears that way because the display settings on my computer are low, but also because it is the hue or light that is prevalent on the planet. When on brighter resolutions, the orange will not appear so marked.
Your display-settings shouldn't interfere with how a screenshot looks on our computers, I think. Anyways, I think the idea of different colored people pretty good, especially with the explanation of the air on Cathalan. But I'd suggest to try actually make it visible that the air is kinda orange too (if that's possible at all, I never worked on modules so far). So far, the contrast between the persons and their surroundings is too high, imho.
Otherwise, GREAT JOB :thmbup1:, looking really forward to this mod!
Btw. If you need more VO actors (especially some with an accent for example for an alien), I'd be happy to help, I have good equippement to record.
Looking nice. I would suggest possibly forgoing the orange people...just use orange in the light but it may be a bit hard to have orange coloured character models ...just a thought. Otherwise looks great. thanks for keeping us updated.
Work continues on the mod. It's slow, but I'm gradually getting there. The Lower Levels are all but complete, so I'm now planning the Dark Lands.
Just an update on how far I've progressed. Things have slowed up somewhat, but by doing a little bit each day I have managed to get through the Lower Levels and am now working on The Dark Lands.
HIGH LEVELS
451CAT – Keralt High Level – DONE
MIDDLE LEVELS
452CAT – Keralt Middle Level – DONE
453CAT – Entertainment Complex – DONE
LOWER LEVELS
454CAT – Keralt Lower Level – DONE
455CAT – Wyvern Dragon's Base – DONE
456CAT – Cathalan Warrior's Base – DONE
DARK LANDS
457CAT – Eastern Dark Lands STARTED
459CAT – Western Dark Lands
460CAT – Outsiders Hideout
461CAT – The Crypts
OTHER “UNDEFINED” AREAS
458CAT – Mattersan District
462CAT – Sector Fifty-One
Screenies please?
Don't spoil it! I want to be suprised! :xp:
Then dont look. :p.
(Starts chanting)
Screenies screenies
(helps with chanting)
Screenies screenies
ps. great job really getting it done(you have a lot more comitment then me)
I'm now well into constructing the Dark Lands, I've now created all the scenery and am now creating the scripts involved.
While the inhabited areas of Keralt (High, Middle and Lower) were designed to set up the atmosphere and look in depth at the social and political problems of Cathalan, the Dark Lands is structured to increase the intrigue in the stroy line. Basically this is where the story line really begins to heat up and some unexpected things are revealed about what has truly gone on before entering the Dark Lands. Here you get to meet the fabled "Outsiders", who are described by many figures as being dangerous. You also run into the Sharrakan, a sub-set of humans who were cast out of Cathalan society into the depths below.
A BRIEF HISTORY:
The Dark Lands is an area of the planet that has a regulated air supply, in other words, the air is actually breathable. It is on the surface at the bottom of the structures built to house Cathalan's denizens. The Dark Lands used to be a designated mining area for Trittium, which was a principal export before the societal schism between the aristocracy and the miners that continues today. As a result, the former mines are now largely uninhabited except by the Sharrakan and mining droids that have suffered binary decay.
No one knows where the valuable Trittium was exported to except for the rich ancestors of those who ran the mine. However, it is known that Trittium was easily attainable and was used to create very flexible, yet sturdy armour. Some of the armour has even managed to find its way into the republic, although few understand the process in which it is created, let alone who created it.
... AWESOME gonna be a great story I bet. Still want screens. Post some soon please.
Nice to see a little of your story unfold, Jaevyn!
It seems that you are really taking this task on in the right way, and continuing to proceed at a better-than-average pace :D
The more I hear, the better it sounds. Keep the good work!
P.S. Although this sounds a little like Taris, don't you think?;)
The more I hear, the better it sounds. Keep the good work!
P.S. Although this sounds a little like Taris, don't you think?;)
There've been a bunch of stories/games with planets or cities where the rich live on top, with lower and lower layers for lower classes. Depending on the story around/within it, it's still very possible to keep such a city/planet different enough to feel original though. From what we've seen so far (and obviously the finished product would have even more depth), it sounds reasonably distinct from Taris already.
On a semi-related side note, I've always thought about the possibility of a location where the opposite is true (maybe a mostly underground city where land on/near the surface is less desirable than deeper locations, perhaps due to radiation, or some more original idea that I haven't though of). The heroes of the story/game might come upon what they think is a small town on an inhospitable world, hear the people talking in fear about the 'Underdwellers' or something. Assuming the underdwellers are monsters of some sort (villager: oh, they're monsters all right), they'd find that they were in fact the higher castes of society. Perhaps an angry surfacedweller might find the robot-guarded surface air vents that filter and provide air for the underdwellers, and try to sabotage them, freeing his people from oppression, but committing genocide to do so. And now I really really wish I had time to make a planet.
New screenshots, including the newly constructed Eastern Dark Lands which I only finished making last night (from the 231TEL template). I know many of you have been insisting on some pics, so here they are:
http://i.imgur.com/ff8yE.png)
http://i.imgur.com/dsZTW.png)
http://i.imgur.com/3IFy3.png)
http://i.imgur.com/ugPNt.png)
Cool the Sharrakan looks like a zombie is it supposed too?
Cool the Sharrakan looks like a zombie is it supposed too?
My aim was to make him look less like a zombie and more like a guy who has cracked skin as a result of hard living conditions. The Sharrakan represent humanity without the civility and society. In other words, they represent the unkempt true human nature that lies beneath the expectations we make on others.
I've really have quickened up the making of the mod in the last few days, and it has paid off big time for me! I have now completed the Eastern Dark Lands, and am now moving on to the Western Dark Lands.
HIGH LEVELS
451CAT – Keralt High Level – DONE
MIDDLE LEVELS
452CAT – Keralt Middle Level – DONE
453CAT – Entertainment Complex – DONE
LOWER LEVELS
454CAT – Keralt Lower Level – DONE
455CAT – Wyvern Dragon's Base – DONE
456CAT – Cathalan Warrior's Base – DONE
DARK LANDS
457CAT – Eastern Dark Lands - DONE
459CAT – Western Dark Lands - DONE
460CAT – The Crypts - STARTED
461CAT – The Outsiders Hideout - STARTED
OTHER “UNDEFINED” AREAS
458CAT – Mattersan District
462CAT – Sector Fifty-One
Just thought I'd mention that now the end seems truly within sight for the first time. Therefore I'm penning down a speculative release date (might be modified) for mid-May. The only two areas I have not yet touched are the Mattersan District and Sector 51, nonetheless I will shortly be looking at bringing them into existence.
Cool just don't rush I want this to be as good as you can possibly make.
Awesome! Good luck, but don't beat yourself up if it's not out by the end of May. :)
In celebration of my 23rd birthday today, I am updating information on the mod. I have now almost completed the Dark Lands, with only the Crypts remaining incomplete at this point.
Here are two new images of the Dark Lands:
http://i.imgur.com/wQJLa.png)
The feeling I wanted to get here was not only a very earthy feel, but also a dark dusty one that does not get a lot of light. I used dynamic colours and fog to attain this effect.
http://i.imgur.com/J7o5Y.png)
Even the buildings did not stay the same. Here is a progress report:
HIGH LEVELS
451CAT – Keralt High Level – DONE
MIDDLE LEVELS
452CAT – Keralt Middle Level – DONE
453CAT – Entertainment Complex – DONE
LOWER LEVELS
454CAT – Keralt Lower Level – DONE
455CAT – Wyvern Dragon's Base – DONE
456CAT – Cathalan Warrior's Base – DONE
DARK LANDS
457CAT – Eastern Dark Lands - DONE
459CAT – Western Dark Lands - DONE
460CAT – The Crypts - STARTED
461CAT – The Outsiders Hideout - DONE
OTHER “UNDEFINED” AREAS
458CAT – Mattersan District
462CAT – Sector Fifty-One
It just looks weird how the sky is just pitch black. Can't you make it like metallic (due to buildings above it) or have it fade, like how they had it on the Tarisian Underccity?
Love the feeling! Would you be willing to map the caserns too, so we can get inside?
Nice your getting really close. It looks very good.
Yeah, the skybox needs to be a murky, gray, brown mass of fog or something like that, but something very dark.
Good suggestions, thanks for the input guys. I have some relatives who live over in Sydney who have photos of the last time the city was enveloped by a dust storm. I'll use those photos to construct a better skyline.
Looks like it's really coming together. Can't wait to try the finished product.
A dust storm! That's brilliant! Good thinking.
realy looking forward to this mod,looks great!Keep up the great work!
Nirran
I've taken a five day break (or so) from working on the Cathalan mod. Now, I'm getting right back into it by reskinning and modifying the pre-used area. I don't have any new screenshots or updates for you, but I do have a storyline reveal:
THE CRYPTS:
This area is named this way due to the conflict of the societal schism between the miners and the aristocracy. In one particular event, an unknown assassin killed many of the mining leaders who had met to discuss plans for general action against the corrupt aristocratic overseers. Rather than breaking down the social uprising as the aristocrats had hoped; the assassination united labour workers against the upper establishments, deepening the conflict into a full blown civil war. Since then, the area has been nicknamed "The Crypts" due to the bloodshed that occurred there, as well as being a catalyst for further conflict with continues to this day.
More coming soon...
The past couple of days have seen some major development on my mod. Let me share the new and exciting news with you guys. The Crypts have now been fully modded and completed to my satisfaction, and secondly the storyline has been tweaked a little for realism purposes. Here are two images below:
http://i.imgur.com/Vqygu.png)
http://i.imgur.com/HiP7P.png)
Thirdly, as per your suggestions the Dark Lands now have a new skybox:
http://i.imgur.com/JelAl.png)
That means that only two areas remain to be created, and I'm well on the way to creating one of the areas (the Mattersan District).
Enjoy!
Question. Why is the character in the first picture orange? I could see if he was outside like in the 3rd picture. I think you need to fix that.
I think that is how his computer takes screenshots.
LOVE the skybox. Looks pretty cool.
Looking good, can you tell us what was tweaked with the story or are you gonna make us wait till you realease?
Looking good, can you tell us what was tweaked with the story or are you gonna make us wait till you realease?
You'll have to wait until the release. If I told you the storyline changes, it would spoil your experience of the planet, especially considering the tweaks are all to do with the important parts of it.
I think that is how his computer takes screenshots.
LOVE the skybox. Looks pretty cool.
Cheers for that. Yes, it is how my computer behaves when taking screenshots. The characters aren't nearly that "orange" in the real thing, trust me.
Great work! The skybox is nice, but I think making it a little more orange and slightly desaturating it would help considerably. Just my opinion, though.
http://i.imgur.com/ff8yE.png)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the Upper Taris cantina?
Also, looking very good. Can't wait for more screens.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the Upper Taris cantina?
Also, looking very good. Can't wait for my screens.
That's the Iziz cantina reskinned.
Ahh thanks for that. Was scratching my head for a bit.
More updates! ONLY ONE AREA REMAINING. I've been working furiously on the mod over the past two days and boy have I got results for you! Now the Mattersan District has been completely done, with a customised skin and story to boot. Here are some images of the area:
http://i.imgur.com/SyEBr.png)
http://i.imgur.com/Hy0YV.png)
http://i.imgur.com/YPCW9.png)
Now for a progress report:
HIGH LEVELS
451CAT – Keralt High Level – DONE
MIDDLE LEVELS
452CAT – Keralt Middle Level – DONE
453CAT – Entertainment Complex – DONE
LOWER LEVELS
454CAT – Keralt Lower Level – DONE
455CAT – Wyvern Dragon's Base – DONE
456CAT – Cathalan Warrior's Base – DONE
DARK LANDS
457CAT – Eastern Dark Lands - DONE
459CAT – Western Dark Lands - DONE
460CAT – The Crypts - DONE
461CAT – The Outsiders Hideout - DONE
OTHER “UNDEFINED” AREAS
458CAT – Mattersan District - DONE
462CAT – Sector Fifty-One - NOT YET STARTED
Now what does this all mean? before I release it to the general public I'll have people testing the mod for consistency and gameplay, to make sure that everything flows. Additionally, there remain voice overs that have not been completed, or even attempted yet, so I'll be getting onto them before I continue onto the last area. However, with only one area yet to be completed, the release of the mod is coming soon.