[slow WIP] Shadows of Apocalypse - BETA public DEMO

[Tormentor667]

The videos are nice but doom sounds and textures totally kill the atmosphere.

[ramon.dexter]

I like the doom sounds. And since I'm not a sound artist at all, I'll keep to stock.

[Tormentor667]

It is just a suggestion, do whatever you want in the end, but considering the sheer amount of original stuff you have used, the stock Doom sounds are simply so obviously Doom that it kills all the other original stuff.

If you need better fitting sounds which aren't stock Doom, just check http://freesound.org/ for example, it's free.

[cortlong50]

do you need playtesters?

[ramon.dexter]

Hi everybody, I'm back. The summer's gone, so I'm slowly returning to my project. I!ve packed myself and my life, so I'm ready to work on this again (at least for some time... )

Here is small update, new stuff.

Wasteland map featuring small village, raided outpost, hermit and much more. The village is inspired by (...OK, I know...it's actually a remake of) Shady Sands from Fallout 1. I wanted to keep it as accurate as possible, so You will find the important stuff where it has to be. And little more to the top. The rest of the map is little bit unfinished, but I wanted to keep a wasteland-like style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0I1CA3ncJ0

The scond one is to show you how my project will work. Since I want to keep it open world - in the way that the player will be able to travel freely between maps - I had to incrporate some kind of travel system. I'm not a coder at all, so no funky ACS stuff, just plain base gzdoom stuff. Easy said, I created two/three types of maps: a settlement/quest map and a intermission map.
The settlement/quest type map will include a settlement type of location, with more stuff to find, etc.
The intermission map will be a 'barren wasteland' to give feeling tat player travels the wasteland world. It will be making connection between settlement maps.
https://youtu.be/31Ju-zaD_vA


The situation right now:
- I had made a couple of maps. Large maps. Some has to be finished.
- I have to work on some story. I have a very rough sketch of a story, but I don't know how to make it into a script...
- I have to make some themed enemies. At elast three or four types of these. I know that Vostyok has some beautiful types in his Ashes of Apocalypse, but he won't let me use these until he finishes his project. So I have to stick to stock types as placeholders.
- So, the story!s the main job for now. So the updates will be not so frequent, but I will keep you updated, once I have something.
- Also, I'm working on a tutorial map. ETA sometimes around christmas (maybe as a gift? ....maaaaybe....), but not planned, The map's 50% finished, so I have to think up a little story, stitch it together, make quests....maybe around christmas.

some pics from the mapand some description:
The mage is HUGE. I took a map of a village where I live and used it as a template and basically remade part of the place. It's big and it's HW heavy...




















Soooo........if anyone would like to help me, I would be thankful. Especially artists, or anyone who knows how to make a good story. But keep in mind that I'm creating this mainly in czech language, so there is small language barrier. But I can always translate everything required with no problem.

cortlong50: Well, not right now. It's a in pre-pre-alpha state.

[Vostyok]

I may have some things you can use soon. I will post something later when I am at my PC.

Lol i was worried you'd died pal haha

[ramon.dexter]

Vostyok:
No, no... I didn"t died
But I little bit lost track for what I started this project, my relationship crashed...and then there was summer, I was most of the time away from computer, and so.
But now the winter starts, I will spend most of the time with computer, so I can continue with this project.

Using your assets would be great! I'm still playing with a thought that our world would be something like connected. But you the places would be different...But since the story's not made yet, it's still a thought.

Also, look into the resources forum - I posted a pack of voxels.

[Captain J]

I'm so glad you're back with the mod progressing. I'd like to see more stuff from you and I think i have some weapons and monster sprites to share as well, in my thread!

[ramon.dexter]

Captain J: I will certainly look. The weapons are not the problem - I can say I am overwhelmed by good looking weapons. But the enemies are other question...I will for now stick with the stock ones (as placeholder) and in the meantime try to find some wasteland-friendly enemies.

But as I was checking my already created maps, I have to come up with more location diversity. All maps look the same...sand, dust, sun bleached grass...so I have to think up something more interesting. Otherwise the player will be bored...

[Vostyok]

Captain J: I will certainly look. The weapons are not the problem - I can say I am overwhelmed by good looking weapons. But the enemies are other question...I will for now stick with the stock ones (as placeholder) and in the meantime try to find some wasteland-friendly enemies.

But as I was checking my already created maps, I have to come up with more location diversity. All maps look the same...sand, dust, sun bleached grass...so I have to think up something more interesting. Otherwise the player will be bored...

Yep. One of the criticisms aimed at Rage early game. Look at some cool scenes from movies, and then look at some of your textures. Here's a couple i can think of: old powerplant (full of glowing waste), a skyscraper buried under a mountain of rubble, an abandoned amusement park (PRIPYAT!), ground zero radioactive crater over a nuclear silo

[ramon.dexter]

Yep. One of the criticisms aimed at Rage early game. Look at some cool scenes from movies, and then look at some of your textures. Here's a couple i can think of: old powerplant (full of glowing waste), a skyscraper buried under a mountain of rubble, an abandoned amusement park (PRIPYAT!), ground zero radioactive crater over a nuclear silo

Well, I want to create a illusion of open world, something like in Fallout New Vegas. Most of the textures loook the same, yet there is diversity. And since I have decided to split my project into three episodes, the first episode will be based mainly in desert areas.

But yeah, the powerplant is a good idea. Or some kind of power-transfer station. Yeah, not a bad idea.

For the rubble and stuff...well, I'm trying to avoid this as much as possible, since rubble and broken stuff is pain to make in gzdoom engine. Without proper texture it looks at least "not good". But I will make something out, I just need some good inspiration. I have an abandoned factory in neighborhood, so maybe I'll have a small visit there and then make something.

[Scubbo]

looks 'ing awesome!

[ramon.dexter]

Hello everyone, I'm back with new stuff and new info.

Well, where to start?

Since I had to update builder and gzdoom also, I encountered many new bugs or things, which were not present in the previous versions of both. Basically said, I had to remade or 'polish' some of my maps. That forced me to rethink some of concepts and basically remake like two or three maps. But with the experience I gained during development, it was not a problem at all. So, I have yet created 7 'location' maps (location maps here means that these maps are not combat zones with monsters, but with npc's and quest givers. Map-to-map quests are not a problem with global variables, or with ZSDF dialogue script (which uses actors as variables, easy peasy).

For the RPG-adventure-like feeling I had created many new inventory items. For example, food items giving small amount of health, ammo packs to pack extra amount of ammo or new armors. Most of these items are inventory based, meaning that they have to be activated from inv. to work. You have to 'open' ammunition boxes or 'wear' armor. I'm planning to make alcohol and drugs, but I'm not sure how to make that. Since gzdoom doesn't support any kind of view distortion, I will have to find a way how to mock some screen effects.
For the true adventure like feeling, I have created simple scripts that allows player to 'identify' objects, giving him description messages (think something like in fallout 1&2). I want to have my stuff interactive
I have also polished my HUD. Added armor and ammunition icons, little bit streched inventory background to better fit inventory icon and replaced and repositioned inventory selection bar. But you'll see in screens below.

For the enemies and stuff, thanks to GAA1992 and his aracnocide, I have added lots of spiders and wasps. But for the true adventure stuff, I have only duo cannibals and maybe the fatty from Vostyok. I'm thinking about ripping sprites from models from fallout new vegas maybe...raiders and stuff alike.

I can say that I have like 50% done. Since this will be only first of three episodes, I'm planning to release it Q2 - Q3 2017. Beta will be released when I will finish and connect all the maps (5 locations have to be finished, 2 maps has to be made). So beta is planned maybe on end of Q1 2017.

Aaand since my project does not have a logo yet, I have created a logo. Not so funky, only alpha-stage stuff. I have to polish it. But I'm not experienced with pixelart coloring (or coloring in general), it's nothing big.

So, screens:

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Logo, yay!


New HUD. Next to armor stats, new armor icon. Up the ammo stats, ammo icon.
Also, overlook through the cliff village. First, 'tutorial' like map. It will show player the mechanics and make him go through two or three quests.


Inventory selection. Are 7 positions OK, or should I make them 9?? Tell me your opinion.


House interior. All houses in this map are with 3d object sloped roofs. Hell of a job!


Local doctor. Grumpy person, but golden hands.


Local trader. While this is basically a 'tutorial' map, he is little bit overstuffed.


Chicks. And Pigs. Thanks to shadowman.


More chicks and pigs.


Little peek inside house.


Little peek inside another house.


Map decoration and stuff.


Dead end, or memento mori?

[Slax]

Looking reeeeally appetizing.

[Vostyok]

Agreed. Really impressed with the progres you've made! Logo looks a little familiar though