So what have you been doing?

[vs322]

So what I was thinking was to have a thread about the mods that people are making for s2 / s3- and post screen shots; explain the ideas and stories that they are coming up with and keeping the rest of the community updated- I hope that this both encourages people to tell us what their up to and get people excited about what is coming down the line.

 

so...

 

I'm working on making a larger variation of random encounters. I want to eliminated the repetitive nature of the original game's random encounters. I want to build themed randoms that when replayed are different each time.

 

I've been doing this through nested variations of templates. In these templates they have joining points that are similar but the layout is different between them. The pics that I'm putting up are three variations of an underground system that is made of three interconnected templates, each one with about 5-9 variations.

[DoomMunky]

Great post, vs!

 

 

What ARE you up to, guys...?

[Slaughter]

Very interesting! Does that mean you can make secret rooms behind the walls? Oh, and great post!

[vs322]

About secret rooms- This brings up one of s2 /s3's biggest flaws to me; no actual exploring; my teem is going into an enemy base with little intelligence, but as soon as the map starts I can look at all levels, parts of the map that are very far from my teem and so on.

 

So yes you could have 'secret' rooms, but you would just see it on the other side of a wall and would get a 'path not found' message. So you blow a hole in the wall and walk in. Not too secret.

 

The real problem is that the passages are meant to be underground, but you can blow a hole in the ceiling of them, climb up, and run around in total darkness look:

always more to do

 

-vs

 

(it's ok to upload pics isn't it? I'm trying to keep them a small file size.)

[Slaughter]

Hehe, well, secret rooms on top of the tunnels then . Seriously though, there should have been some sort of Fog Of War. Would have been great!

 

(it's ok to upload pics isn't it? I'm trying to keep them a small file size.)

I didn't think members had the permission to do so. But as long as it works, feel free. We'd like to set up a special "Modders group" so you can at some point.

[DoomMunky]

Heh! So used to playing the game that when I loaded up your little picture, there, vs, I right-clicked on it and tried to rotate it around to get a better look at it!

 

I'm stupid!

 

 

 

And yeah, there should have been a fog of war of sorts. Something to disallow you from seeing EVERYTHING.

[vs322]

Hey monkey- I had an s2 image for my background for a little and would instinctively try to rotate it- ha ha...me too, needless to say I had to change it.

 

-vs

[KoMik]

'Sorry' but I don't have now much time to write my bad and easily misundestanding english because I have to be a chick (I'm finishing a childrens 2D-chick-character animation work to Finland public television).

 

Nice work vs! I see you like dungeons (undergrounds rules! Too bad that S^s got no darkelfs or other dungeon 'monsters' but in S^3 there is mining stuffs (walls/objects) so you can make 'real' dungeons not just those industrial-style parts). You know the Min/Max floor properties? :In templates properties window you can give Min-floor and Max-floor values so players can't go/see too low or high. If you build room to floor -2 but give Min-floor value -1 then players can't see that room... until they blow a hole to the floor over it. There might be some problems with it because if I don't remember wrong the unit under Min-floor somehow might come unvisible and player can't select movingpoint if there is floor on the way (but it might work with small rooms)... when I have time I will try it (or you can try it) and post how it is working. Secret rooms are very good idea!

 

Other way is make a subtemplate :You can place ladder to min-floor and when player squad reach it and click it the game loads a specific subtemplate (which can be a small/big underground part... 1room might be too small because fighting starts right a way). In random encounter maps there can be so many subtemplates as you want but in scenario zone there is limit (was it 3-5 or something...?).

 

Keep up the good work! (my mod-works and -ambitions are just too (badly)humorous to wide public acceptable use (goddamn realistic-freaks) and if you manage to do such a good work (like straight&serious) I can keep doing my stuff my way without pissing off players and have FUN!) Nice1!

 

edit+PS: I just realize how to make secret room via script -PlaceTemplate( "####" )- (oh how clever I'm sometimes... not too often but I got my moments... ehem). If you want to read my (crappy english) tutorial how to make it just let me know... otherwise I will steal your idea... hehehe...

[vs322]

The min max floor iThe min/max floor level won't work for the way I envision the map as a hole- I have this other 'construction' kit of buildings on stilts that connects to the underground part. I'd like to not have to do the templates switching thing- I can't say that I really am 'playing it strait' The maps I'm working on fit into a genre that I've been working in for quite some time- I wont say 'fallout' or 'wasteland' because of the implications- but defiantly some sort of post-apocalyptic setting is what I'm going for- defiantly not ww2.

 

About dungeons/underground I started the underground kit before I got to any of the sewer or mine missions in s3 (I was replaying s2 as allied). I thought I was doing something new at the time.

 

If I could talk about the 'kit' idea that I've been working on:

 

I start by making a bunch of small templates - an 'L' shape for corners, a 'T' intersection, a four way intersection, etc. I then make about ten variations of each, then assemble them into the larger templates that I talked about in my first post. It makes putting together a new map with similar elements exceptionally easy.

 

secret rooms: I'll try putting things below the min floor today- I'll tell you all how it works out.

 

KoMik- tell us about your outlandish ideas- they might seem stranger to us than they are because of the language barrier, but I'd still like to know.

 

-vs

[FryWalker]

Well, I am currently working on a multiplayer mod from Silent Storm: Sentinels.

 

Progress is fairly good as I am starting to get to grips a bit more with the games scripting system, but there is still a lot of work to do...

 

In the mean time - here are a couple of screenshots previewing the squad selection and equipment screens from the S^3 loader that I have designed:

 

 

 

The idea is to have the loader client side so that each player can select and equip their respective squads at the same time (to save a bit of game preparation time).

 

Then there will be a map selection screen which will in turn fire up the (modified) game with the required squad, inventory and map data

[KoMik]

Wow, wow and WOW!!! That is MOD what would be in really big use to me and my friends! Great project! I would like to write more 'glowing' about that (and a little description about my small_mod campaing too) but I have to get back to work (blaaah).

 

Two questions for you Fry Walker:

-Is that going to be lan, server or hotseat multiplayer game?

-Can we play coop campaings with it? (that would be so great and I'm completely ready to make some!)

 

To vs:

-Now I get a picture how your random-generator works and it sounds great... truly a RANDOMs!

-I think post-apocalyptic is good 'backgroud' for a game.

 

Have to go... (all work and no play makes KoMik a dull boy :The Shining)

[Slaughter]

Okay, topic pinned. Keep up the good work guys!

 

@vs322: You just let the cat out of the bag! Those keywords is something I've wanted to hear since I first played Silent Storm! DO let us know about the progress on your potential post-apocalyptic work!

 

@KoMik: Keep us posted on the small_mod and random mod! I am very eager to play

 

@FryWalker: That sound AWESOME! Keep us posted, and I'd like to know what KoMik asked about as well.

 

Hmm, I sound like a fan-boy...

[FryWalker]

Two questions for you Fry Walker:

-Is that going to be lan, server or hotseat multiplayer game?

-Can we play coop campaings with it? (that would be so great and I'm completely ready to make some!)

Well firstly: my initial idea is to develop the mod for LAN multiplayer as the current design I'm working with requires a lot of data transfer. However I should think that it would be feasible to play online as well if both players have a broadband connection.

 

I will probably include a hotseat option, but LAN is my priority as I feel that this will add the element of stealth and strategy missing from the original S^2 hotseat play.

 

As far as COOP is concerned - sure, why not!

There is no specific map requirement and therefore a COOP scripted map should work great

 

I am not designing any new maps myself atm so for the time being I'm just going to select a few that I believe will work well for multiplayer. Ofc I would welcome any map suggestions or custom maps that you expert mappers may have in development too

[Qaz]

edit+PS: I just realize how to make secret room via script -PlaceTemplate( "####" )- (oh how clever I'm sometimes... not too often but I got my moments... ehem). If you want to read my (crappy english) tutorial how to make it just let me know... otherwise I will steal your idea... hehehe...

Script PlaceTemplate() don't place costructions (walls, floors). Only objects.

[KoMik]

Oh... no building pieces? That sucks.Thanks for info Qaz = saved my time. I have used that script only for items (weapons to loot, mine/bomb in sight! Be careful/disarm it or DIE!+game over ), units (reinforcements are behind you ) and objects (there was NOT barricade before when I looked ).

 

And welcome to the boards (oops... heh... doing one of the Slaughter's & DoomMunky's 'jobs' here ).

[DoomMunky]

Dammit! Now I can't welcome him!!!

 

 

Curse you, KoMik!!

[KoMik]

Morjesta pöytään... small_mod (to Sentinels) small description:

 

Time&World:

After that damn WW2 in small island called Moland which is somewhere between Timbuktu and Rovaniemi (a town in north Finland). Moland succeed to avoid massive militant attacks of WW2 (axis forces actually tried to occupy the island but eventually without resistance they just manned some areas and set up there some kind of military-power-loving reich). Moland is full of peace loving civilians who don't like militant forces but there have been rumours about some organization called "BIG" which is trying to take over the island...

 

Story:

First you meet Boris, your old war(drinking)buddy and escort him to though some danger areas. Boris will then set up the organization called "small" which main goal is wipe all militant power-lovers out of the Moland. There is still some axis forces and those areas should first occupy back to peace loving civilians. BIG organization seems to come even more dangerous enemy and "small" organization have to fight hard to get rid of those bastards...

 

Simple isn't? So it is supposed to be. I have thought that end of this campaing isn't happy. After all "small" organization is military-force and they also must be destroyed... there will be chaos in end... that's for sure.

 

The begin of this campaing is like a single player game (1-3squadmembers and no one can die or it's game over). But when the base become ready to use and you can hire those mercs it will become more available to play with friends as coop (3-3units... which was my main plan: "small_mod must be playable with friends!" ...and we have already played those missions via my computer... and via drunk). Humor has also a small part in my campaing missions (oldschool: find a key and open the door). I'm still looking for scripts which could make individual chaptermap bases, block that exit chapter area and how can I make dialogs.

 

First I thought that I finish one chaptermap in time and release those as version number "1.chapter = v0.1" but now it seems that H&S will be released soon and I will definitely move to it (as player and modder... and soon there will be that Night Watch too... huh...) so I don't know how much time I can give small_mod to make it 'better' and longer (now there is 22playable maps but in my small_mod database there is still about 30 unscripted (bigger)maps which I would like to add to campaing too). I try to keep it simple because I don't have much freetime to modding but I still would like to make interesting objectives to missions (and I'm learning more and more ways how to do those and I would like to use my 'knowledge' with H&S- and NW-editors too... but with those I will definitely try to make some good-scratchs before I start messing around with new mods). Small_mod will be my first 'mod' (if I don't count some scenario maps what I have made to Combat Mission 2: Barbadossa).

 

[Slaughter]

That sound neat! You HAVE to finish it. Can't let all this work go to waste

 

Regarding H&S, it's being released in Russia now. There are people playing it already

[DoomMunky]

God KoMik, yeah, it sounds really great. Please don't forget that you have some helpers around here if you need some helping hands.

[goseecal]

I was told to ask in this thread for my questions of S3 mods. I am sorry if this is not the correct place.

It is hard to play a game with such long battles, looking at a character whose uniform you find unappealing. In S2 this was a slight problem, but in S3 it is much great. In an expansion they would reduce the number of uniforms available? Illogical. But it is fact.

My questions are:

 

Is it possible in some way to convert the more-uniforms mod of S2 to be compatible with S3? Is there any way to customize the uniform component without use of map-editor? Is anyone working on a mod for S3 that would make available more uniforms?

 

Whatever the case, I do hope that in the next game there is provided some greater customization, or at least a large choice - we have the face perfectly, now for the clothes!

 

Thank you

[DoomMunky]

Hey there, goseecal!

 

Sacramento area? I am!

 

Keep harassing these guys. You'll get an answer eventually.

 

Welcome!

[vs322]

Here's some info and pics on the mod I've been working on.

 

Right now it is called 'Sandy Wastes' and takes place in a post apocalyptic 1978- where all is desert and what remaining technology is horded a select few- The open sands are plagued by raiders who prey off the scavengers who are trying to rebuild a life for themselves.

 

The game play will have much more Role playing elements: Dialogs where your choices matter, factions to join or fight, and a real outcome to your decisions. The party will also be kept small and the fights less-hi powered (as in no panzerkins, less heavy weapons and grenades, less ammo all around).

 

The baggiest influences to this mod would be: movies: 'a boy and his dog', 'blood of heroes', 'hardware', 'mad max' (no cars though, but fighting over gas) games: 'wasteland' 'fallout'; It's not faithful to any of them, I'm working on a back story and overarching plot still... I'll post some picks soon) -Nothing too faithful to any of them, but small inspirations and hints at.

 

The pics:

 

 

A desert raider, and a 'cleaned one,' a follower of the church of the Rubicon.

 

-still a long way off (3-4 months realistically), but I might start putting betas out to get some feedback and bug finding sooner.

 

-vance

[Slaughter]

My heart just skipped a beat! That looks fantastic! Keep us updated, and if there are issues you have with the modding, I'll try bugging Nival again. Let me know.

[vs322]

(this is also in the news post)

Back story / setting for 'sandy wastes'

 

Among the scientists that worked on 'the gadget' (the first atomic bomb which was tested at the Trinity Test Site in New Mexico) there was a traitor. Through unknown means he was able to leak almost all of the research and designs to Japan. The Japanese shared the information with Germany and the two began their work on their own bombs. Their combined efforts proved exceptionally fruitful. Both countries had a sizable stockpile by the time that America decided to use 'Fat Man' and 'Little Boy.' This resulted in the obvious: nuclear retaliation by the Japanese. Las Angeles was first hit on August 12, 1945, then again on the 13. Few survived, the bombs that the Japanese had developed were far superior and deadlier than the American versions.

 

The Russians, however, had discovered the German's nuclear nerve center, deep under Berlin. The technology was beyond anything that had been seen before, hundreds upon hundreds of 'little gadgets,' each with their own means of propulsion and guidance. The Russians attempted to launch a counter-attack. Unfortunately, the German system was not operated properly: thousands of drone bombers were launched, targets chosen at random- seeming to favor the most populous places... By August 14 little was left.

 

What technology that remains is all from the '40s - little progress was made towards rebuilding the world. Some of the survivors found the new world strangely appealing.- The individual was king- no governments. The lawlessness was rampant- people could not see past living through the day- this sped civilizations decline. By the '60s women had almost vanished- their lives had become quite terrible as one could imagine- it seemed that the current generation would be the last generation.

 

Raiders have garnered much power. They used to simply be more aggressive scavengers, but they have organized and started building bases underground where they horde what goods are left.

Small thriving towns have sprung up- seeing the eventual end of mankind they are people banding together to form a semblance of a normal life. Usually completely untrusting of outsiders, it is quite difficult to enter their walled towns.

The Church of the Rubicon and its followers 'the cleaned' try to bring about contentment in their current life through the technology of the old- They have developed an irreversible process that allows one contentment and inner-peace even in the harshness of the waste.

Into this world has come a sweeping plague- 'vapor sickness.' Red clouds that can paralyze, blind or even kill. You have gotten word that the one female you have ever known, Polly, has been exposed. You emerge from the waste to help her.

[screeg]

Your new building/ terrain models look fabulous! Like the story too.

 

But don't you think you're going a little overboard with the red environment lighting?

 

Can't wait to try it out.