[QUOTE=Mikesword221;21139262]Nope. Progress is going rather slow though. But it should kick back up in Summer.[/QUOTE]
:bravo:
Would you like any more help, I can use 3ds Max and Hammer, if you want models or levels.
We could use another prop artist for sure. >>PM sent
Don't forget to add that Music whenever you enter that certain room for power ups
Just a little Status Update on our mod.
We decided to switch to Unreal 3 Engine.
I have to admit the reason for using source was only that i was very familiar with it at this time and convinced the others to use this engine.
Evaluating the pros and cons of several engines should have been our first step - like i said, my fault.
Changing to UDK gives us many benefits:
- stand alone distribution (users don't have to own a game based on that engine to be able to play the mod)
- far more advanced and open toolset
- we can easily build our own shaders with the material editor, while on Source we were restricted to the possibilities valves predefined shaders had
- map making is much closer to the way Retro built the Prime games (creating enviroment models in a 3D app, import them and do the lightning & entity stuff (now called actors))
Here's a compairisation screenshot of the Samus Variasuit playermodel. top: source HLMV Bottom: UDK Skeletal mesh editor
[IMG]http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9687/72901703.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/7da9b563ab813dde43f4ae75e7aaac1634b68ffc020e05127052159ba6b862db6g.jpg[/IMG]
The UDK version of the model has also the ability to change the suit colors, allowing us to implement a color chooser in the GUI.
Smoothing groups still need to be edited somewhat.
What we need now are some more 3D modellers and texture artists to do all the cool enviroments and models we're planning to.
Requirements haven't changed much.
[b]3D modeller[/b]
+ ability to produce uv mapped lowpoly meshes and also highpoly versions of these meshes if required
+ is able to bake texture maps such as color, ambient occlusion, specularity and normalmaps
+ is able to or would like to learn how to bake normalmaps from highpoly objects onto game resolution meshes
+ interrested in level design (since most parts of our maps will be built in 3d apps, splitted up and imported into UDK)
[b]texture artist[/b]
+ experience in at least one picture editing software such as Photoshop or Gimp
+ ability to produce tileable texture maps
+ understanding of color theory
As for skill vs dedication, i'd rather see some beginners who dedicate their time to improve themself, then someone with proffessional skills who doesn't do anything and only comes by every 6 months to say hi.
Ofc. skill and dedication would be awesome, too.
If you're going to apply as a mapper, you should either have a good knowledge of mapping with UDK or beeing able to work as a modeller (even if just with very basic knowledge of modelling), too.
Since UDK is very much model based mapping, we'd only need 1 more mapper who really knows the advanced stuff of mapping in UDK, but at least 2 more decent modellers.
This would allow me to focus on building custom animations, work on characters and do some concept stuff.
We'd also accept help in these things, so if you'd like to join us for creating concept art, character design or animation, do it.
More help will only mean faster progress and earlier release.
If you're interrested, please contact me via PM, add me on steam (meta_kraid) or join our forum at [url]http://metroidsource.freeforums.org[/url] and post in the join us section.
Oh , and if you just ever so happen to be fluent in UnrealScript , we'd love to have you on board as well.
Ok, so this is the first mod I have ever seen that I truly want to be finished, I LOVE Metroid, and so, I am going to give you the recommendations that I have come up with through years of playing computer and videogames. Please note that these are just reccommendations, but at least in my opinion this is how the mod would look best.
First of all,
1: Aesthetics:
A: Hud:
[QUOTE=Foda;17599758]-Snip-[/QUOTE]
Excellent job, the models look good, even if they do look a little worse without AA. Now, the virtual hud, not so good. The wording is cut off, and its out of place. If you want a hud, I recommend taking after the Metroid: Other M version:
[img_thumb]http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/metroid-other-m-20090602111600392.jpg[/img_thumb]
The basics of this hud are as following: Missles/other ammo type displays are slightly to the left of the center, more to the left is the current energy(health), and then that in a numerical display the most to the left. Below that is the charge meter, that should be self explantory.
The crosshair is not glued to the center of the screen, as it is for most source games, but rather can be moved around the screen. Moving the crosshair far enough to the side will rotate your vision, think Metroid Prime 3 esque. If you decide to do any sort of lockon system, then it will rotate when locked on.
B: Animations:
Sub-subsection A:
Animations should be smooth. I have seen many games, however in most there is a very noticable sudden start/stop, Or what I call the Teleport Position Effect. Even most games made by Valve have this problem.
Let me give you a example:
Lets say you charge up the charge beam, and then before fireing it decide to switch to a different beamtype, what should logicaly happen is the cannon plays a dechargeing animation to return to normal, then starts the switching beamtype animation, but instead it would normaly return to normal instantly, then start the changing beamtype animation.
This is normally not the case. In literaly all cases that could have a similar problem as this, there IS a problem. I have never seen a 'return' animation, it always snaps to the start of the next animation. All weapons with a 'wield' animation do not have a 'unwield' animation. There are many more examples, but I wont bother you with them. I am truely honestly suprised that even Valve has not seen this problem, because in my opinion it breaks imersion.
You will want to avoid this, here is a good rule of thumb:
While playing, if you can see something like this, change it. If you can see it, everyone else can.
Sub-subsection B:
Animations should be made in mind that some may need to be played in reverse, but what ones need to be depends on the animation. Let me use a similar example to one I used before, and a partial solution example to SECTION 1 SUBSECTION B SUB-SUBSECTION B:
Lets say you want to make the arm cannons decharging smooth, one way to do this would be to play the charging animation in reverse. If you took this path, you would have to build the animation in mind that it has to look decent in reverse aswell. If not then you could have the standard 'charged energy ball' appear to just fade into air in a very unfit looking way.
C: Effects:
Number one rule of attracting attention to a game:
Make the effects fancy. Some people prefer gameplay over fancy graphics, but most like fancy graphics so long as there is good gameplay. Therefor, so long as gameplay is decent focusing on fancy graphics is a wise idea. Try to eliminate artifacts, if you see something that you wouldnt normaly see in real life(or at least relative to whatever game world(Metroid) your working in), EG fog sprites cutting on terrain leaving a visible line where the fog stops, fix it, because like I said before, if you can see it, your players can.
2: Gameplay:
A: Balence:
This shouldnt be too hard, as this game does not have any sort of team system, however you should be carfull in giveing individual players a advantage. If you want to go like the original ds game, where every different player has a innate weapon that they are more powerfull with, then make sure to try and balence those weapons. If you want to have a small number of weapons that no one has a innate advantage with, then make sure everyone can get to them as well as everyone else.
Thatway, if one person can get to a superultra nuke minigun (or just a normal weapon that is slightly overpowered) , then they all can, so no one player has a technical advantage. A person could still be overpowered by trying to prevent players from geting to those weapons, so its still a good idea to try and balence all weapons in general.
B: Diversity:
Don't just have a few different weapons that have slightly different effects and damage types or whatever, be diverse. Have a weapon for every kind of player style, have a sniper rifle for those people who like to sit and kill from afar. Have a big powerfull weapon thats hard to hit with, for those who like to ambush. Got someone who likes straight out combat? Make a weapon for it! Fit the weapons to your players, if they ask for something then consider it.
C: Fustration: Try to avoid making the game fustrating:
Don't keep players out of the fight too long. Have a Last Man Standing mode? Let players choose if they want to spectate or fight inside a seperate arena somewhere else in the map to pass the time.
Don't ever give players a huge advantage. Got some kind of superweapon? Give it a downside so that one person can't just sit somewhere and kill anyone who gets close.
Why? Why not put your time into something that uses a new IP that you can sell?
Holy shit it's still alive, I've been waiting for this to release for a good while now, I hope it someday finally does.
[QUOTE=Cow Muffins;29826878]Why? Why not put your time into something that uses a new IP that you can sell?[/QUOTE]
Because not everything is about money.
Actually it is, especially when Nintendo decides to use a Cease and Desist
They surely would do this if we'd make any profit from this, but as long as we a) are a non-profit fan Mod (fair use) and b) don't interfere with their actuall interrests, we should be more or less safe.
If they'd decide to create another Metroid Multiplayer game, the chances to get a C&D would increase dramatically. But AFAIK nothing like this has been announched.
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