Commented 9 years ago2015-05-18 02:18:19 UTC
in vault item: UrbyComment #20883
Hilarious. The outer bounds were a bit empty, and the HDR exposure levels made the sky basically blindingly white, but the commentary itself made up for it.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-17 16:19:32 UTC
in vault item: Colony 42Comment #20881
So happy to see this get released!
It was a very ambitious project to undertake alone and you should be proud that you got it this far! That said, it's certainly not without its flaws.
The pre-disaster chapter actually had me really pleasantly surprised. The mapping is blocky and the lighting is criminally bland, but you've actually done a really good job at creating a 'living' world to explore. Almost every NPC encountered during this chapter is just resolutely getting on with their day and it never feels like they're just standing around waiting for their turn to be seen by the player.
The references throughout are excessive and heavy-handed, with some falling into the category of ridiculous, but actually I found them really endearing for the most part; though I have to ask: is there anybody on the Colony 42 station who is not a member of TWHL?
Were it not for the intro text, however, there is little to indicate that the story unfolding takes place on a space station. It's not until the very final hallway of the mod that we start seeing some space-age looking architecture and viewing ports. Everything else about the station feels fundamentally and disappointingly terrestrial, with standard box rooms and endless hallways with 90-degree corners.
I enjoyed seeing Urbles and myself have a little conversation in the control room. I'd genuinely forgotten that I'd recorded a few lines for this, though given that the original files on my PC are dated as January 2009(!!!) it's no surprise that I'd forgotten!
Unfortunately once the combat begins, the mod takes a bit of a nose-dive in terms of enjoyment. Whilst exploring the largely open maps during the pre-disaster chapter was fun, once it becomes a matter of figuring out where to go to progress, it gets insanely irritating. I was constantly left wondering if I'd gone the right way or if I'd missed something and this was not helped by the lack of an overarching objective.
The combat, too, is all rather samey. Highlights were few and far between as most encounters happened in the bland hallways that make up the majority of the level design. A couple of good door-scares with zombies and wide open vort fights were entertaining, but on the whole gameplay really suffered from repetition.
The model reskins were cool, though I'm still not sure if there is any notable behaviour difference between the different colours of vortigaunt, and it seems a shame that you didn't extend the colour change to their zappy discharge, which stayed stubbornly green throughout, despite my best efforts to coax them into changing colour.
One of the best philosophies I stand by with modding is giving everything in the world a story, and there are times when you've really, really nailed this. Be it simply the right props for the right rooms or more extravagent carnage (highlights include a room torn to pieces by an employee who has just received a letter from his girlfriend letting him know she's leaving him & an unfortunate scientist who's triggered a shotgun attached to a tripwire), this attention to detail stood out to me as being the best aspect of your design.
You should also be pleased about some of the props you were able to make with just basic brushwork and good texturing. Everything from toilets to coffee machines are elegantly represented by some really neat brushwork!
I'm not sure if there was going to be a more overarching story that got cut for this release, but I never really got a sense of what Colony 42 was, what it was doing or indeed what the disaster was that had caused the influx of aliens and 'splosions. There are a couple of hints towards experimentation along the lines of the Lambda Complex, such as tamed houndeyes and chumtoads, but otherwise I was left in the dark. It's obviously a massive facility, given its inclusion of everything from eateries to an entire shopping mall, but there's nothing to explain why such a station exists.
Overall, you know exactly what the problems with this are, and I can see why you fell out of love with it. It's not representative of your current skill level, and I was really pleased to read your addendum in the credits - you've got exactly the right attitude. Be proud that you released it, and seeing something of this scale leave development hell is truly inspiring. Bravo, sir!
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-17 16:12:38 UTC
in vault item: Colony 42Comment #20879
Lighting is very bland all around, I want to add. Look at this room--might as well be fullbright.
Same with this area.
There's no contrast in any of the lighting, even in the areas which look passable.
These places would look so much better if there were some variance in the lighting.
THIS AREA IS INEXCUSABLE.
The levels also harbored some rather strange, stretched textures. Why are these walls so stretched? I know it's hard to tell, but the minor stretch still doesn't do much justice to the tiled plate metal walls.
And yes, the custom textures are nice, but they would have been even nicer if their dimensions fit the brushes they were put on.
And it may be an alpha release, but I'm still going to rate it as a normal release. I'm not going to rate something better just because it claims to promise better content in the future, if you plan on continuing this project.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-17 12:22:13 UTC
in vault item: Colony 42Comment #20878
I've just finished the mod, and I very liked it. Yes, this is alpha release and maybe levels are not so detailed as they can be, but the mapping and scripting are good, also there are some good custom stuff, so I don't understand how someone can rate it 2/5, it's just nonsense.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-17 01:52:10 UTC
in vault item: Colony 42Comment #20877
Tbh, I kinda see why it sat unfinished for a while.
A lot of the areas are gray, monotone hallways, and the interesting-looking areas are in a vast minority compared to the dull-looking ones. There were some rooms that were entirely GREEN.
The level design was a bit confusing. The doors you can open aren't very well differentiated from the ones you can't open, especially in the beginning maps, and there are a lot of dull copy+pasted offices that you have to explore for keycards. Enemy placement wasn't too inspired, either, and there were a lot of doors in small areas that I didn't even know I could go through until I tried every other one.
But the custom voice acting was nice, so there you go.
Can i compile the SMD files or i can only compile the QC files? I am asking because i want to add the original hgrunt animations to the heavy weapons grunt.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-15 11:26:40 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61708
By writing "Planetes stream anime" I got 4 websites in first 10 google searches that allow me to stream it for free. And I don't see what's illegal for you there, it has been 10 years already since it came out, if it could make any more money than it has it would have already be doing so.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-15 10:35:43 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61699
I've wanted to watch Planetes for a long time, but I couldn't find any way to watch it unless I wanted to shell out a few hundred for a DVD box set. While I would prefer to watch things legally and in a way that benefits the creators, that's not an amount I would be prepared to spend. It was a long time ago that I looked into it, so I will have to have another look during the summer.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 22:27:37 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61696
@Jessie: There really aren't many colossal animes. For the 5 or so that have been running for ages, there are 200 or so full- or half-season (25 or 13 episodes) new shows every year. I also prefer the shorter shows, if you want some recommendations, send me a message
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 21:12:26 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61692
Scratchman Apoo reminds me of Midvalley the Horn Freak from Trigun. Trigun came on TV. Trigun FTW. Give it a chance before you die or you're missing out!
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 20:36:15 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61707
Due to release dates of one chapter of Manga per week and one episode of Anime per week, Anime, and manga, have become something I do once a week.
Besides One Piece I am currently reading The Gamer, Noblesse and Dr. Slump.
Like my self, many people like grand adventures to look forward onto catching up what's gonna happen next. In my case One Piece is so good I rarely read anything else.
And because it happens once a week its easy to make time for it.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 19:12:59 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61698
If it helps, part of the reason I liked Wolf's Rain (a small part, but a part nonetheless) is because it was short. Like, 25 or so episodes short. I can deal wit' that =P Oh yeah, there's also the disparity of most animes — as my understanding goes — being generally better experienced through subbing than dubbing, but most of the time when I watch things, I'm doing something else at the same time. Mapping, for example. Can't read subtitles while trying to do other stuff.
It's not really related to my previous gripe, but why are there so many colossal animes?
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 09:45:43 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61706
I never said its something to watch in one sit I watched 2 episodes per day when I started. Much more enjoyable. Anime did get a little boring until episode ~300.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 07:22:17 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61705
I for example never watch regular TV nor movies/series. I find them extremely time wasteful to watch alone.
On the other hand comic books and manga, such as One Piece, I love to read on my own. With added animation, voice acting and sound effects Anime intensified my experience with the manga.
I also like to watch cartoons that have good humor and coolness, like The Amazing World of Gumball or Gravity Falls.
And an comic book, anime, such as one piece that is based on true values in life is really something one should try getting into.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 06:41:22 UTC
in journal: #8545Comment #61697
I've tried anime, and I didn't really like it. Of course, that opinion is somewhat swayed by the people I know who watch it. And also by the fact it seems that a Venn diagram charting people who watch anime regularly and the people who can't stop banging on about it is basically a single circle. Only in my experience, I assume; a generalisation like that is no doubt false under a wider scope. That said, I loved Wolf's Rain to bits that one time I watched through it. None others I've experienced have captured my appreciation.
Tl;dr: I loved Wolf's Rain, but I still wish people wouldn't bang on about anime in general quite so much.
As an aside, I imagine this offtopic-ness is fine because it was quite a non-sequitur from ninja.
Commented 9 years ago2015-05-14 03:48:43 UTC
in vault item: Bosconian_Beta_002Comment #20873
Copy/paste from the thread:
Ooh, yeah, that made it a lot better. Looks like you've addressed just about everything (as you've stated). Only found one bug this time round. It seems that pressing fire and then a direction nigh-simultaneously, you can end up shooting parallel to your line of travel. Obsoive (Note that there's no turns in the trail): http://oi58.tinypic.com/2k3r83.jpg http://oi57.tinypic.com/wtva69.jpg Other than that, fighters seemed a tad... hesitant to bother coming after you, but that sporadic-ness actually felt like a nice touch either way.
Only thing that bothered me was that fire-stopping-when-you-turn thing, but you've acknowledged that.
Fortunately nobody in the actual Mafia would be dumb enough to call himself out as such. It's actually rule number 1 on the list. So we don't have to worry about ninja being involved with organised crime
STATUS: ALIVE
POSTMORTEM: OH GOD, ZOMBIES
O
"You're a curious fellow, ninja."
Not that I've ever played Day of defeat, wich I haven't.
It was a very ambitious project to undertake alone and you should be proud that you got it this far! That said, it's certainly not without its flaws.
The pre-disaster chapter actually had me really pleasantly surprised. The mapping is blocky and the lighting is criminally bland, but you've actually done a really good job at creating a 'living' world to explore. Almost every NPC encountered during this chapter is just resolutely getting on with their day and it never feels like they're just standing around waiting for their turn to be seen by the player.
The references throughout are excessive and heavy-handed, with some falling into the category of ridiculous, but actually I found them really endearing for the most part; though I have to ask: is there anybody on the Colony 42 station who is not a member of TWHL?
Were it not for the intro text, however, there is little to indicate that the story unfolding takes place on a space station. It's not until the very final hallway of the mod that we start seeing some space-age looking architecture and viewing ports. Everything else about the station feels fundamentally and disappointingly terrestrial, with standard box rooms and endless hallways with 90-degree corners.
I enjoyed seeing Urbles and myself have a little conversation in the control room. I'd genuinely forgotten that I'd recorded a few lines for this, though given that the original files on my PC are dated as January 2009(!!!) it's no surprise that I'd forgotten!
Unfortunately once the combat begins, the mod takes a bit of a nose-dive in terms of enjoyment. Whilst exploring the largely open maps during the pre-disaster chapter was fun, once it becomes a matter of figuring out where to go to progress, it gets insanely irritating. I was constantly left wondering if I'd gone the right way or if I'd missed something and this was not helped by the lack of an overarching objective.
The combat, too, is all rather samey. Highlights were few and far between as most encounters happened in the bland hallways that make up the majority of the level design. A couple of good door-scares with zombies and wide open vort fights were entertaining, but on the whole gameplay really suffered from repetition.
The model reskins were cool, though I'm still not sure if there is any notable behaviour difference between the different colours of vortigaunt, and it seems a shame that you didn't extend the colour change to their zappy discharge, which stayed stubbornly green throughout, despite my best efforts to coax them into changing colour.
One of the best philosophies I stand by with modding is giving everything in the world a story, and there are times when you've really, really nailed this. Be it simply the right props for the right rooms or more extravagent carnage (highlights include a room torn to pieces by an employee who has just received a letter from his girlfriend letting him know she's leaving him & an unfortunate scientist who's triggered a shotgun attached to a tripwire), this attention to detail stood out to me as being the best aspect of your design.
You should also be pleased about some of the props you were able to make with just basic brushwork and good texturing. Everything from toilets to coffee machines are elegantly represented by some really neat brushwork!
I'm not sure if there was going to be a more overarching story that got cut for this release, but I never really got a sense of what Colony 42 was, what it was doing or indeed what the disaster was that had caused the influx of aliens and 'splosions. There are a couple of hints towards experimentation along the lines of the Lambda Complex, such as tamed houndeyes and chumtoads, but otherwise I was left in the dark. It's obviously a massive facility, given its inclusion of everything from eateries to an entire shopping mall, but there's nothing to explain why such a station exists.
Overall, you know exactly what the problems with this are, and I can see why you fell out of love with it. It's not representative of your current skill level, and I was really pleased to read your addendum in the credits - you've got exactly the right attitude. Be proud that you released it, and seeing something of this scale leave development hell is truly inspiring. Bravo, sir!
The levels also harbored some rather strange, stretched textures. Why are these walls so stretched? I know it's hard to tell, but the minor stretch still doesn't do much justice to the tiled plate metal walls.
A lot of the areas are gray, monotone hallways, and the interesting-looking areas are in a vast minority compared to the dull-looking ones. There were some rooms that were entirely GREEN.
The level design was a bit confusing. The doors you can open aren't very well differentiated from the ones you can't open, especially in the beginning maps, and there are a lot of dull copy+pasted offices that you have to explore for keycards. Enemy placement wasn't too inspired, either, and there were a lot of doors in small areas that I didn't even know I could go through until I tried every other one.
But the custom voice acting was nice, so there you go.
I think i've checked in on IRC once in a blue moon.
Welcome back, now, to update your promised "will update" journals, haha~
And I don't see what's illegal for you there, it has been 10 years already since it came out, if it could make any more money than it has it would have already be doing so.
It was a long time ago that I looked into it, so I will have to have another look during the summer.
Fighters are too easy and shooting backwards makes it too easy.
Besides One Piece I am currently reading The Gamer, Noblesse and Dr. Slump.
Like my self, many people like grand adventures to look forward onto catching up what's gonna happen next. In my case One Piece is so good I rarely read anything else.
And because it happens once a week its easy to make time for it.
Oh yeah, there's also the disparity of most animes — as my understanding goes — being generally better experienced through subbing than dubbing, but most of the time when I watch things, I'm doing something else at the same time. Mapping, for example. Can't read subtitles while trying to do other stuff.
It's not really related to my previous gripe, but why are there so many colossal animes?
I watched 2 episodes per day when I started. Much more enjoyable.
Anime did get a little boring until episode ~300.
I find them extremely time wasteful to watch alone.
On the other hand comic books and manga, such as One Piece, I love to read on my own. With added animation, voice acting and sound effects Anime intensified my experience with the manga.
I also like to watch cartoons that have good humor and coolness, like The Amazing World of Gumball or Gravity Falls.
And an comic book, anime, such as one piece that is based on true values in life is really something one should try getting into.
That said, I loved Wolf's Rain to bits that one time I watched through it. None others I've experienced have captured my appreciation.
Tl;dr: I loved Wolf's Rain, but I still wish people wouldn't bang on about anime in general quite so much.
As an aside, I imagine this offtopic-ness is fine because it was quite a non-sequitur from ninja.
Ooh, yeah, that made it a lot better. Looks like you've addressed just about everything (as you've stated). Only found one bug this time round. It seems that pressing fire and then a direction nigh-simultaneously, you can end up shooting parallel to your line of travel. Obsoive (Note that there's no turns in the trail):
http://oi58.tinypic.com/2k3r83.jpg
http://oi57.tinypic.com/wtva69.jpg
Other than that, fighters seemed a tad... hesitant to bother coming after you, but that sporadic-ness actually felt like a nice touch either way.
Only thing that bothered me was that fire-stopping-when-you-turn thing, but you've acknowledged that.
All-in-all, a lovely improvement!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjQrA0usWMk
1. A criminal without a boat.
2. A criminal with a boat. Arg.
Those be the rules of the sea ya seadog!
Does that mother f****r have four elbows? Gasp.
Fortunately nobody in the actual Mafia would be dumb enough to call himself out as such. It's actually rule number 1 on the list. So we don't have to worry about ninja being involved with organised crime