[Project] Tristania 2

[Gez]

Texture dimensions can be nearly anything, though you should probably keep to powers of two, or at least multiples of eight. Just browse through Hexen's textures in SLADE's texture editor.

Another World and Cave Story both had HD remakes published long after, on which other people worked. Another World also had the publishing staff added to the credit of course. The original games were still designed, coded, drawn, animated, and soundtracked by a single person.

[Reactor]

Hm. SLADE is a good editor for modifying textures, sprites, HUD and in-game graphics? If so, I'll be more than happy to download it, yea.

I was referring to the 1992 Another World, not the remake (I have both). Yesh, I managed to complete Another World and its sequel too (Heart of the Alien), and the end credits displayed more people not just one. I think the sounds and music were created by Jean-Francois Freitas, and the graphics also weren't made by Chahi.

All in all, it's really not a good idea for me to "learn" the programming. Even if I'd have that much time beside the other 80% of the game, my so-called knowledge couldn't compare with someone here in the forums who has a decent routine at least in some features. I didn't expect a single person accomplish ALL the features I wish...only what he can.

Mostly I tend to use real-life graphics. For the three characters in the game, I hired two male and a female model, so I can work with their hands...it'll be a LOT more authentic I suppose.

[wildweasel]

All in all, it's really not a good idea for me to "learn" the programming. Even if I'd have that much time beside the other 80% of the game, my so-called knowledge couldn't compare with someone here in the forums who has a decent routine at least in some features. I didn't expect a single person accomplish ALL the features I wish...only what he can.

Sounds like you just don't want to learn. You don't know how good you'll be at something until you give it a try, right?

[Reactor]

I wouldn't say that if I wouldn't already try it. EoD had a pretty basic and simple coding method, and I still couldn't figure out what does what...without the tutorials, I couldn't even code the Artifacts. So I don't just assume I suck at programming and coding, I speak from experience This is why I need help of experienced code crackers and programmers. After all, these features only need to be written ONCE...so I think it's not THAT big ask. I'm experienced in the other 80% of the game, and I suppose I can also learn perfect map editing as well under these different circumstances. This 20% is what I need assistance with.
Also, if you don't ask for the feature list, how do you know it'll be difficult to implement them in the game?

[wildweasel]

Well, it'd still be nice then if you could show anything that you've got done, however finished it is. The Projects Forum rules do state that you need to have something to show, after all. Even just a bunch of wall textures or prototype weapon artwork. Something more substantial than a bunch of flavor text and a title screen...

[Reactor]

I know, this is why I created the cover art at the first place. But I understand the rules, so don't you worry about this. I already posted some of the stuff in the Resources forum, but if you want to see them here too, I make no problem out of it. I have around 250 gigs of raw material, the stage is set - the only thing I need now is a programmer for the features and "decoratedshit". ACS is not a problem, I already hired someone for it.

Obviously, the first thing I want to show is Tristania3D itself (download link is on my profile now). Without it, it wouldn't have much of a sequel. It might be good if you download and complete Tristania3D, it'll make a lot easier to understand the story, the characters, and of course, the features.

Then there is the cover art. I'm mainly working on the screens now (like, the Main Menu screen), since no matter what engine I choose, they will remain unchanged.

And, here are some pickup sprites which were also submitted to the Resources forum.

I'm also willing to release the weapon handling frames, but I feel they need to be customized to GZHexen first, am I right?

[Snarboo]

I know there are SOME one-man development teams - in fact, I single-handedly put Tristania3D together - but GZHexen is a LOT more different. Not having any programming knowledge, I don't think I could solve even one feature, not to mention all of them.

I find this statement confusing. Isn't Tristiania3D a Wolfenstein 3D mod? I'm not sure how you can say that you don't have any programming knowledge when 90% of Wolf 3D modding consists of modifying the executable by coding in new features missing from the base game. Unless there's a ZDoom-esque port for Wolf 3D out there that I'm not aware of.

In any case, decorate is extremely easy to pickup. It was designed for those with no programming skill in mind. Just crack open one of your favorite ZDoom mods in SLADE3 and dig around in the decorate files to see how they tick. It takes a lot of practice, but it's very rewarding when you begin to figure things out on your own.

Saying you can't do this alone isn't go to fly when projects like Zen Dynamics exist. Not only was it designed by one person (Xaser), but it was also made in an earlier version of ZDoom that didn't support half the features we have now. Xaser even had to code in reloads himself through ACS. If Xaser can make an entire mod by himself, so can you.

I'm sure I can dig up plenty of other examples of one man projects if need be.

[wildweasel]

Also, did you even try my tutorials at GunLabs? I've tried to write them in such a way that even someone with no experience whatsoever can learn how to make a simple weapon from them. If you have, where did you get stuck? Did you have problems with them somewhere?

[ibm5155]

Hmm nice, i have some sugestions for you
download it http://zdoom.org/wiki/ZDoom_Editing_Demo, and you could see in slade or in doom builder how to do many things.

The best doom map editors (for me) is Doom Builder 2, and if your computer run it, Gzdoom builder
Gzdoom builder:http://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=32392
doom builder 1/2:http://www.doombuilder.com/

about acs, if you anderstand the basic of how to write it, for me i just look at this page http://zdoom.org/wiki/Doom_Builder_ACS_configuration, see what sounds with what i want, and sometimes i search about what exactly this think does...

I recomend you to use zdoom doom in udmf format, or gzdoom doom in udmf format, i know it have more buttons (like blender) but when you understand how to use then, you´ll lost less time doing maps...

and what more, hmm, nice work dud =D

if you have more questions about how to do it look here http://zdoom.org/wiki/ , and if the wiki can´t help you, then you can try questing here =D

EDIT:http://realm667.com/index.php?option=co ... Itemid=248 this page helped me too

[Reactor]

Thank you for your kind help, I'm downloading the tools right away. First I tend to work on stuff which doesn't require the features to be made.

I find this statement confusing. Isn't Tristiania3D a Wolfenstein 3D mod? I'm not sure how you can say that you don't have any programming knowledge when 90% of Wolf 3D modding consists of modifying the executable by coding in new features missing from the base game. Unless there's a ZDoom-esque port for Wolf 3D out there that I'm not aware of.

It's very easy. There is a forum called DieHard Wolferz forum. There is a forumtopic titled "Code crackers" and "Code tutorials", where every new feature has its own topic. For example:

Topic title: How to add weather effects

Description: Add these lines to the source code: vndvnuwiefewuzfewbwe....

The EoD engine is indeed a heavily modded Wolf3D engine, but this forum actually had topics which made me possible to add all the features you see in Tristania3D. All I needed was to open the desired file of the source code with NotePad, and copypasta the stuff which was written on the forums. This way I didn't need to actually know programming, and still, the features worked. Most of them. I was hoping that I'll find something here on this ZDoom forum as well, but unfortunately no....so far....

Saying you can't do this alone isn't go to fly when projects like Zen Dynamics exist. Not only was it designed by one person (Xaser), but it was also made in an earlier version of ZDoom that didn't support half the features we have now. Xaser even had to code in reloads himself through ACS. If Xaser can make an entire mod by himself, so can you.

Well don't forget that we're not all alike. I bet Xaser had plenty of experience in programming and coding, which I don't have. I truly believe that there are some one-man development teams, who can do simply everything, even programming, but most of us aren't capable of that. It's like I would tell you that "OK, in this case, you can pretty much handle Reason and FL Studio, so create a complete soundtrack all by yourself". I would be really curious how many of you are capable of doing that...even a simple MIDI music can cause lots of headache to an average game developer, not to mention Reason, Cakewalk and such tools.

Examples are fine of course, however, I don't know if there are an ZHexen/GZHexen mods to learn from, as most of you seem to be modding Doom, not Hexen, so this is a big problem for a start. Secondly, if I'm a complete dumba$$ for programming, how should I know what does what? It's like reading Chinese for me, the most I can do is copypasta
Thirdly, I strongly doubt that there are many ZHexen/GZHexen mods with features corresponding to Tristania 2's desired features, so I doubt I could use anything from them.

I haven't tried the GunLabs tutorial yet, mainly because this is also feature-required. Hexen doesn't have any hitscan weapons (e.g. bullet weapons, where the shots immediately landed), so this is one feature that needs to be implemented into the game engine before I could use any tutorial.
Most of the weapons would be simple of course, however, there might be problems with Prism rifle and Incinerate!!!...but first, hitscan weapons needs to be programmed into ZHexen.

If a programmer would take a look at the features list, he might be able to tell which ones are already submitted here, so a simple copypasta could solve'em.

[Snarboo]

Well don't forget that we're not all alike. I bet Xaser had plenty of experience in programming and coding, which I don't have. I truly believe that there are some one-man development teams, who can do simply everything, even programming, but most of us aren't capable of that. It's like I would tell you that "OK, in this case, you can pretty much handle Reason and FL Studio, so create a complete soundtrack all by yourself". I would be really curious how many of you are capable of doing that...even a simple MIDI music can cause lots of headache to an average game developer, not to mention Reason, Cakewalk and such tools.

First, no is asking you to create an epic mod at the drop of a hat with no prior knowledge. The only person asking that of you is yourself. You could just as easily start off by making a simple weapons mod, or a small scripted map, anything other than an epic megaproject that will never be finished. In fact, everyone in this thread has suggested that you do just that! The reason Xaser was able to make an entire mod on his own is because he built up experience by making smaller mods first, then he applied what he learned from his earlier mods to Zen Dynamics. If he can do it, you can to.

Secondly, you are right: composing midi music and using a tracker is difficult, especially for those with no former music training. However, anyone can do it if they're dedicated enough! I've recently started messing around with that myself, and while the scraps of music I've made have sucked, I'm still learning, growing and having fun as I do it. That's the whole point of this conversation: no one is going to do any work for you if you can't prove that you're dedicated enough to see this through on your own.

Examples are fine of course, however, I don't know if there are an ZHexen/GZHexen mods to learn from, as most of you seem to be modding Doom, not Hexen, so this is a big problem for a start. Secondly, if I'm a complete dumba$$ for programming, how should I know what does what? It's like reading Chinese for me, the most I can do is copypasta :(
Thirdly, I strongly doubt that there are many ZHexen/GZHexen mods with features corresponding to Tristania 2's desired features, so I doubt I could use anything from them.

I haven't tried the GunLabs tutorial yet, mainly because this is also feature-required. Hexen doesn't have any hitscan weapons (e.g. bullet weapons, where the shots immediately landed), so this is one feature that needs to be implemented into the game engine before I could use any tutorial.
Most of the weapons would be simple of course, however, there might be problems with Prism rifle and Incinerate!!!...but first, hitscan weapons needs to be programmed into ZHexen.

If a programmer would take a look at the features list, he might be able to tell which ones are already submitted here, so a simple copypasta could solve'em.

You do realize the entire point of ZDoom is that it's cross game compatible, right? I could literally take a preexisting Doom mod and port it directly over to Hexen with just a few minor tweaks. All the features you want or need are already in the engine! That's the beauty of decorate code: it's universal. I'm not entirely sure why you're fixated on doing this in Hexen given all the features Hexen has are also available in Doom, or Strife, or Chex Quest or really any game that ZDoom supports.

You want hitscans in Hexen? They're already there, you just have to call the right action special in a weapon definition to use them. If you had taken the time to learn a little bit about the engine your mod is supposed to be for first, you might have figured that out on your own. No one will take you seriously if you won't put in the modicum of effort needed to learn about what you're trying to do first. Doubly so if you expect someone else to do the work for you.

If you're serious about doing this, you're going to have to start small and be willing to listen to others. If you want help, there are plenty of places on this forum where you can ask for it. But don't expect anyone to do the work for you.

[Gez]

Thirdly, I strongly doubt that there are many ZHexen/GZHexen mods

There's no such things as ZHexen or GZHexen. It's ZDoom, whether you use it to play Doom, Heretic, Hexen, Strife, Chex Quest, Urban Brawl, Harmony, or Hacx.

And yeah, all the features are available in all games. Copy the imp sprites in a wad, convert them to PNG so that they'll be independent from the palette, load that wad with Hexen, and type "summon doomimp" in the console. Look who appears.

(In fact, you can do that with anything. But if there are no sprites, they'll be invisible; so if you type "summon doomimp" in the console in Hexen without providing the sprites, you'll be attacked by an invisible monster.)

[Reactor]

First, no is asking you to create an epic mod at the drop of a hat with no prior knowledge. The only person asking that of you is yourself. You could just as easily start off by making a simple weapons mod, or a small scripted map, anything other than an epic megaproject that will never be finished. In fact, everyone in this thread has suggested that you do just that! The reason Xaser was able to make an entire mod on his own is because he built up experience by making smaller mods first, then he applied what he learned from his earlier mods to Zen Dynamics. If he can do it, you can to.

This is not true. As I said before, I've already created not just a mod, but a whole game. In fact, Tristania 2 will not be a mod either, it will be a TC. I've managed to complete Tristania3D because the DieHard Wolferz community had lots of useful forum topics about how and what to modify in the source code. I know, Tristania3D is not ZHexen engine, but the emphasis is not on the engine, it's on the method of working.
The only difference between a small weapons mod and an epic megaproject is that the epic megaproject takes more time. Even the small weapons mod would require a programmer...

no one is going to do any work for you if you can't prove that you're dedicated enough to see this through on your own.

I am dedicated enough in stuff which are I am experienced with. As I said before, most of the developer teams consists someone for graphics, someone for sounds&music, and someone for programming. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much of a Doom either, if you'd just think John Carmack can do everything in the game all alone.

I'm also aware that ZDoom/GZDoom is compatible with Hexen as well, I am talking about the game itself - Hexen. If there are no hitscan weapons programmed into Hexen, I can't work on their appearance and behaviour either. But since you said there ARE hitscan weapons in Hexen, this was pretty useful information.

About the features: I'm not talking about universal features here. I'm talking about features, which are NOT in most ZDoom/Hexen etc. mods. For example, weather effects (snowing, raining, fog), timed levels (when the ticker goes zero, it's game over for you without dying), certain wounded enemies could collect health restore items, various traps which'll kill the enemies once stepped upon, walking enemies as opposed to all enemies standing still, sniper scope for the Kruger, and so on. BTW,these are all EoD features. So,as you may see, there are VERY few common features, at least this is what I saw so far...

However, if all features are accessible in all games, this'd make the programmer's task even easier.

Besides, I saw other people also asking for programmers. Here is one for you now:

"Rise of the Dead! (3D Programmer Needed)
1 ... 22, 23, 24by Nash » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:35 pm"

I'm not asking anything special, or doing the work for me, if it's already written somewhere,and I only need to copypasta is. It worked at the DieHard Wolferz forums, so I don't see the reason why wouldn't it work once again.

[wildweasel]

This is not true. As I said before, I've already created not just a mod, but a whole game. In fact, Tristania 2 will not be a mod either, it will be a TC.

You're arguing semantics. You're using ZDoom's engine as a base, ergo, it's a mod. If you coded your entire engine from scratch, then it would be "a whole game."

I'm also aware that ZDoom/GZDoom is compatible with Hexen as well, I am talking about the game itself - Hexen. If there are no hitscan weapons programmed into Hexen, I can't work on their appearance and behaviour either. But since you said there ARE hitscan weapons in Hexen, this was pretty useful information.

A_FireBullets. It's right in the tutorial, pal.

About the features: I'm not talking about universal features here. I'm talking about features, which are NOT in most ZDoom/Hexen etc. mods. For example, weather effects (snowing, raining, fog), timed levels (when the ticker goes zero, it's game over for you without dying), certain wounded enemies could collect health restore items, various traps which'll kill the enemies once stepped upon, walking enemies as opposed to all enemies standing still, sniper scope for the Kruger, and so on. BTW,these are all EoD features. So,as you may see, there are VERY few common features, at least this is what I saw so far...

Weather effects can be done - Realm667 has ready-made stuff for that, I think. Timed levels are all a matter of scripting. Traps are really easy - in fact Vanilla Doom even does things like that, if you count the crushing ceilings - and enemies already walk around on their own, and in fact ZDoom has patrol points you can set. Scopes are in GunLabs' fifth tutorial.

Besides, I saw other people also asking for programmers. Here is one for you now:

"Rise of the Dead! (3D Programmer Needed)
1 ... 22, 23, 24by Nash » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:35 pm"

He's looking for something extremely different. And he has something to show for his own skills. I think what he's looking for is someone to work with 3DS Max.

[Nash]

I ended up writing myself the tool that I was asking for anyway. :P Oh and... I'm not going to even try and justify my coding abilities.