The revival of my old project: Persona N Created 15 years ago2009-11-07 05:41:46 UTC by Hipolipolopigus

Well everyone, long time no see. After months of school work, then exams, then more school work, I have decided to see if anyone is still interested in my old project.

The plot is still brief, and the ideas are still up in the air, but I would like to get them all out of my head!

I/We (if we get more people on board) would be looking for:

? About 5-7 voice actors
? About 3-4 mappers
? And perhaps one or two nuts to thicken the plot a little

So if anyone wants something extra to do around the holidays, please let me know!

Thanks everyone,
Morgan

EDIT: Just realized that the title thing cut me off again, just like it did last time! Curses, foiled again!

Pop that plot down and let's take a look.
I'd offer to make a few maps, but this is a source mod, yes?

Hi, can you re-describe your project so we can know what's about ? Or provide a link to a description ? Is it source\goldsource ?

I may be able to map for source(although my skills in mapping are not so good yet, you can check my maps) , as for goldsource... my Ati Radeon card doesn't let me do it.
I can help being a voice actor though, if my voice interests you. I tend to have a voice a little thick, but certainly not as a tenor. I don't think it's your everyday normal Joe voice, but for my age(16) it's a little thick. Because English is not my mother language and I come from Romania, I sometimes have a strange accent, a bit Russian like. But it's not exaggerated.
I can simulate different moods. If you put me to be nervous, I can be quite funny. I have on my pc a record with my nervous voice, but it's in Romanian. I think it's the most funny nervous recording I ever did.

If you want I can upload a wav or mp3 file with 20-30 seconds of my voice.

I seem to remember that the story involved G-man somehow... Lemme dig through the forums...
http://www.twhl.co.za/forums.php?thread=16073
http://www.twhl.co.za/forums.php?thread=16057

nigga's gotta geta 'one or two' nut

/edit

i can voice act.. i'll post samples later

Right, my .info site has been removed(curses at webhost), but my .co.cc is still up! Link:http://www.rmarchive.co.cc/UPLOAD/PNG/Persona%20Non%20Grata.htm
That'll contain idea vocal ranges, basic plot summary etc. That site probably won't be used, however. I lost the password for it.

Also, characters haven't already been drawn up, so voice actors could also shape their own characters, based on either their voice or a drawing of their own,

@The_(c)Striker:
Mapping skills are mapping skills. If not using hammer to make the map, perhaps just layout etc. That's also an important part! As for your voice, feel free to upload a short clip saying just about anything. Just something that gives me an idea of your vocal capacity.

@JeffMOD:
Yeah, someone similar to G-Man. Perhaps another G-Man? Perhaps the same G-Man. Obviously the mod would be a lot tidier if there was a separate G-Man with a different voice, instead of the same G-Man with a different voice.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a modeler somewhere willing to give our suited friend a new head.
There's tons of folks that can voiceact here, try asking Urby or Huntey, they've been kind to me in the past, voice-wise. And I can toss in ideas for the story if you want.

This will not work, I can tell.
There is far too little information available which will result in that people won't want to join you simply because the foundation isn't done yet.
I mean come on, you don't even have a story, so we really have no idea what kind of mod we are joining, hell you haven't even specified if it is a SP mod or a MP mod, for all we know this might be an MMO.
You need to set up and show us your ideas in a clear way which on the same time interests us enough to join you.

Put some more effort into it

@Madcow:
Bad day, much? If you read the info at the provided link you SHOULD know:
? The story. Might not be much to look at, but hey, it's there.
? That the game is single player
You might also take a look at the interest that was expressed when I first conceptualized the whole idea. Thank you for your input, but no.

@JeffMOD:
Any story ideas would be great. Mister positive up there seems to think we need more.

Okay, well... We need an overarching goal for the player.
We need the starting location, and where the player will end up. We need the kinds of sequences you want. I can try to write some stuff from there.
For instance, why are the combine trying to kill a teenage girl?

Alrighty... Starting location should be somewhere populated, somewhere the Combine would want a southern Citadel. Perhaps Sydney or LA?

Sequences? Well I had this idea: The start of the game could be in an abandoned Black Mesa facility. The player was in some kind of stasis but was awakened when the Combine cut the power to the facility. Her G-Man has a brief enigmatic chat and then the player is dumped from a stasis pod and into the game.

Just a thought. I think it's kinda rubbishy though.

As for WHY they are trying to kill her, I thought she could be akin to Gordon Freeman: A Savior of some description. Just spewing more thoughts.

LA? Not Los Angeles for sure. Or did you mean Latin America? In that case, how about a funky samba-y bunker in the Matto Grosso? I won't map the trees, though

I can already picture it. Someone smashing headcrabs in sunny Rio with a suiting samba soundtrack. It's so Half-Lifey.

Either one will do. Mato Grosso could be very interesting...
Maybe as another project. Why not Los Angeles, though?

Because the gangstas would beat the shit outa da combine mothafu.

Besides, how could you refuse starting a HL mod with an aerial view of Rio and this as soundtrack?

Sample Scene for Los Angeles:
#Gangsta1: Yo, Combine mothafu-
#Combine5642485: Shoots Gangsta1

Sample Scene for Rio:
#RamblingLocal: Rambles on about something
#Combine2135467: Shoots RamblingLocal

Hm... this is getting off topic... Sorry, Stu. You're gonna have to leave.

So, wait, what is the full name of this mod?

All you said is that it's "your old project".

Edit: Never mind, I saw Jeff's link. You should really have clarified that though.

This will not work, I can tell.
There is far too little information available which will result in that people won't want to join you simply because the foundation isn't done yet.

I don't agree with you. There are people like me, who never participated at making of a mod( well, the TWHL source mapping and putting all those maps together, but that's not very important). I don't know why, but I'm a little excited and I can't wait to work in the team. And not only the happiness to be in a team, but I can add later something more in my biography right ?

@The_(c)Striker:
Mapping skills are mapping skills. If not using hammer to make the map, perhaps just layout etc. That's also an important part! As for your voice, feel free to upload a short clip saying just about anything. Just something that gives me an idea of your vocal capacity.

Alrighty then. Cosider me as part of the team. I sent you a pm, if you want to talk in an instant messaging service, it's easier. As for my voice, I'll prepare a sample today and upload it. BRB !

Okay, so we have the player in sydney... That opens up a lot of voice acting, as well, since a lot of the TWHL members are from Australia. Time to spew ideas!
The player is in her apartement with her mother; her father died fighting the combine in the 7 hour war. A combine raid starts in the complex, and the mother starts barricading the door. She gives the player a CD, saying not to let the combine get it- it's vital information to the resistance. She kisses the player on the forehead, and opens a window, telling the player to run. It's out the window and down the fire exit unless you want to be shot at by the metrocops. The player picks up a crowbar/pipe (or whatever the main melee weapon is) in the alley below, and starts walking around town, trying not to be seen by the combine forces- If they see you armed, they'll sound the alarm and start shooting. Luckily, most of the cops are busy beating on people inside, and the citizens don't care if you're armed, so you don't have much trouble. Eventually she finds a store with it's plate glass window broken, goes in, and finds a rebel corpse. Beside him/her is a pistol, and nearby a broken part of the floor. underneath is a tunnel with a ladder, plain in sight since half the wooden hatch is gone, so the player breaks the boards with the melee weapon, and goes inside.

Is that good for an intro? Can you work on that?

@JeffMOD:
Sounds like a reliable start. Perhaps not a CD, though. Something, more portable, ie Thumbdrive etc.

I disliked the idea of a single melee weapon in the HL franchise, so perhaps more than one, with each being able to be used for specific purposes eg Wrenches for opening valves.

I can do apartment maps, just cells with doors/windows. Perhaps for the escape, we can have the window being closed behind the player, we hear the cops break down the barricade and then the window gets splattered with blood.

Perhaps not a CD, though. Something, more portable, ie Thumbdrive etc.

What about one of the things Alyx uses to take the data from the citadel?

That might work.

Perhaps for the escape, we can have the window being closed behind the player, we hear the cops break down the barricade and then the window gets splattered with blood.

Having the mother just stand in front of the window when the cops break through would make sure that happens, I think. And if the player doesn't run soon after that, the cops will kill her.

What's the model file?

Perhaps after ther player reaches the bottom of the fire escape, we can have a brief G-Man scene.

Does anyone think we're going to need custom textures/models? I don't really like the low-res default textures/models.

What's the model file?

For G-man, just use NPC_Gman. (monster_ for goldsource)

And the HL2 models are low-res? You'll need new v_ weapon models for the player's hands, and a new G-man with alternate head, but that should be all.
New textures, though, you'll probably need.

EDIT: You'll want NPC_metropolice with SMGs, (maybe have a part of the fire excape you can drop down but not climb up to prevent getting SMGs before the pistol) and the mom should be an NPC_Citizen with a new model for her head.

I meant for Alyx's emp/usbhdd thing XD

To me they are low-res, compared to some other games or even FakeFactory's models.

EDIT: Found it!

Okay, the team for the mod so far is:

Tetsu0: Mapper
JeffMOD: Storyboard kinda guy

Sorry, Striker. I haven't had a chance to listen to your audition. I'll get to it soon!

I work freelance, however, I've helped out with HL:Static Friction, Made a scientist model for a woman who didn't want her son to shoot scientists (that was today, actualy.) as well as making my own mod more or less on my own. I'll help when I can, but don't depend on me, K?

Right-o!

Alright, just in case some of you guys are interested, I've come up with a brief list of weapon ideas at:
http://hipolipolopigus.freewebhostingpro.co.cc/UPLOAD/PNG/PNG-Weapons(13.11.09).htm

I'd be doing this right now if Steam wanted to work. But does it? No. It does not.

At least you can get it to work some of the time...

um.. well if I was members of this site, I would like to see contributions from you Hipo... what do you do? Do you model, map... and if so can we see some screenshots of your past work? As of now, it kinda sounds like you want to create a mod team, but the only participation you seem to want to do is order other's around.

Now I hav'nt followed this thread, nor have I seen your last thread, so these suggestions might be completely irrelevent, if so just ignore.

Btw, you want people to donate money so your 'staff' can get paid?

-think about it.

Dear Unbreakable,

Although I may not have any past work, let me assure you that I do not simply boss others around. I have a little mapping skill (just from messing around in hammer), but I prefer to work on game plot (I passed this year mainly on English Creative Writing assessments). This may not quantify as an important skill in your books, your main skills being mapping, code and models, yes? I wasn't going to upload these links publicly yet, but here are some developments that both JeffMOD and myself have worked on.

::http://hipolipolopigus.freewebhostingpro.co.cc/UPLOAD/PNG/PNG-Weapons(13.11.09).htm
::http://hipolipolopigus.freewebhostingpro.co.cc/UPLOAD/PNG/PNG-Plot(13.11.09).htm

I'm not sure if I would call your comments irrelevant, but I do prefer to acknowledge all posts.

The 'Staff' being paid was an original idea from when I first posted here, but I don't think it would be necessary.

Thanks,
Morgan ("Hipo")

I don't even want to begin to delve into the problems created by a mod team leader whose primary focus is creating the storyline for the mod, but let me just say that it's not an environment I'd ever want to work under. You run into issues with feasibility of the work involved vs desired output from the writer who has his own vision, yet can only put that vision down on paper. It takes a mapper with experience to sort out problems like this, and if you've never tried working on any projects or even attempted to create a mod on your own before you probably can't understand this.

Reading through your plot summaries, I'd like to see you try to implement some of these things you mention in an effective way. For instance, following the sounds of voices through tunnels is a really great idea, but a technical nightmare depending on how you go about it. It's stuff like this, and the creation of plot elements which you yourself have no capability to produce that makes me think you're getting in a little over your head. Your style of writing bears a stark resemblance to my own back when I had little understanding of the process involved in translating my active imagination into playable maps.

Words are so much easier to create than maps, it's scary.

On that note Srry, yea tis true, How can Morgan know what can and cannot be down with the engine but anyway I'm not meaning
to bash the mod, or even you Morgan, just yeah research the engine as much as you can, learn how to create icons (40x40 .bmp file, if its game.bmp, rename the structure to game.ico) change the splashscreens for practice.. learn how to change the loading screen, fonts would be another you can learn to change.. anyways, yea, anyway, this mod does seem to have an interesting story line, but as of now, remember it is in its earliest phase.. and btw I know how hard it is to creating a mod without writing the plot out first, thats why I never succeeded. I was to focused on all the other stuff to do for the mod that I just winged the story line as I went on... a perfect example of this is my '121 Communications mod'
Found Here:
http://twhl.co.za/forums.php?thread=10458

take a look through that.. sure it seems to be going along great, but there was no storyline, so it failed miserably.

Yes Morgan I do realize that the plot is just as important as everything else.. but to lead a team, you should know as much as you can learn about modding the half-life engine.

^This is a source project.
Also, AFAIK, He's doing the coding as well.

If I was to give one suggestion, it would be to nail down the major points of the story from the beginning to end. You need this overall view of what you're working towards in your mod. At this point, detailed descriptions of events pertaining to certain areas of a map will just bog you down. I'd recommend not even trying to record stuff like that yet. That's the kind of thing that's really up to the mapper anyway. It's much better if you just start mapping with a solid overall outline and let creativity do its work. If you know you want to create an apartment building, just create the building and along the way throw some cool ideas in. This step-by-step planned event thing will do you no good.

Jeffmod, please don't interupt with a bs comment like that.. like, really man. It doesn't matter if it is on the Source engine, or goldsource.. either way, he should know the engine inside out.

Everyone, settle down! srry, Unbreakable, it seems to me that the two of you have a lot of experience in your respective fields, which I respect, but you can't just use said experience to tell others how they are going to fail. Perhaps you could volunteer to be impartial advisors on this project, suggesting things to both myself and the team, instead of saying that certain aspects of this project will not work.

That's what I just did, was give a suggestion on how to improve. I certainly don't have the time to dedicate myself to this mod (especially considering I have other unfulfilled obligations), so I'm just throwing out suggestions for a first-timer.

My point was, if you keep up with this business of planning out these incredible-sounding gameplay elements and sequences, you're going to get to a point where you realize nobody on your team has the experience necessary to follow through with them. And at that point you basically start half-assing stuff so it "sort of resembles" the original design. It's better to just skip all that and let the mappers deal with the minute details. They know better than anyone what they can handle.

Touch?. Thanks for your input.

I'm with srry, I too is way too busy for any other projects, but I will look at the new updates, and if I want to comment I will PM you to keep it private between us, just because I dont want to cause anything in your thread.. but yeah, I got to go see a movie with some friends.. good luck man

Hey I'm from Australia, I could do some voice acting for you if you need it rather than an American putting on an Aussie accent which always sound ridiculous lol. A Sydney mod would be great, a change from America for once oh and I also have some mapping skill, but in Goldsource. I have one more exam to go, then schoolies, and then I'll be buying the valve complete pack so I can get into some modding, with my new rig I bought recently

yeah over the summer I built a new rig with all the high end parts so now that Im back at college, I have no money anymore and all I need is two more parts, a psu, and a corei7-920. Its maddening when your so close to completion.

Alright, it's been a while but I've got steam working again
And, of course, I've hit a wee snag. Does anybody know how to make an NPC ram a door like in HL2?

Scripted sequence and npc_furniture for the door?
Experiment with stock animations and sequences.

Okay, thanks.

I don't even want to begin to delve into the problems created by a mod team leader whose primary focus is creating the storyline for the mod, but let me just say that it's not an environment I'd ever want to work under.

Agreed. We all seen mods like those failing, nobody can name a good mod with a leader who is only involved with the storyline.

And also try to keep the team at minimum. The bigger it gets, the harder it is to finish the work required.

Thanks for the advice, Sajo. I'm doing other stuff too, ya know

Hey All!

I've been off the grid for a while (2TB HDD burning out, downloading all of my Steam games again, getting capped by my damned ISP half way through... ) So I haven't had much time to do anything, but I have update the (very basic) site!

http://hipolipolopigus.freewebhostingpro.co.cc/UPLOAD/PNG/Index.htm

It's just got some small modifications, and I'm still working on the storyline!

BTW Still looking for a modeler and a mapper to take off the stress that I'm about to apply to Tetsu0!