I won't be able to do much for the project in the next 2 weeks or so, ravenclans.com will (have to) go online this week, ravencommunity should follow next week or so, and within 2 weeks ravengames.com has to move to the new server as well, as the contract will be up early April with the current hosting provider. Since a large part of the infrastructure (like e-mail services, mailing lists, password protected areas etc.) are not yet set up on the new server and all domains should go online with the new layout (that's only halfway finished yet) at the new place, I don't think I'll be able to spare much time for the Korax project before the 2nd week of April. I'll most probably do nothing on Scattered Evil, and only the most important stuff on KMOD2, if there is anything I have to do for the mod, pls put the requests in this forum, reading/answering here is going to be less sluggish than with e-mail (as Mago very well knows, [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] ). Sorry for this, I took my time to leisurely with the new website layout and new server setup, and now it burned on my fingers... [img]images/smiles/icon_sad.gif[/img]

I can say something similar. I'm planing to release Vavoom version 1.12 at the end of the month so I will focus on doing stuff for Vavoom.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

I'm still waiting for the answer about the new weapon, though.

Oh my, sorry about that... I guess ppl really shouldn't send me mails unless it's about something unimportant (or urgent about fixing something), while I tend to answer forum posts the same day, e-mail can get stuck for weeks (and sometimes for months). [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] To give you - at long last - an answer, I find the idea of additional inscreen weapon graphics cool, and I think it should be possible to implement them into the game engine. The only thing to say though is that the other stuff I outlined in a post a day or 2 ago is IMO more important. But once the NPCs and damage skins are (more or less) finished and we still have time (and you the energy), I'd even like you to create new in-screen weapons and spells (for me, the 2nd is the more important). BTW I'll send you the image files of Witchaven (a fantasy DOOM clone from '95 or '96), it's got a cool Morning Star inscreen weapon complete with all animation phases, with little changes it could be used for Korax, I think. The Morning Star was one of the few things I really liked about Witchaven (which was else a rather disappointing game). It was also one of the 2-3 things in Daggerfall I liked at all. I'm indeed a big Morning Star fan, but never really had a *good* 3D FPS with one, Korax SE might be the first... [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Janis Legzdinsh: <strong>I can say something similar.</strong><hr></blockquote> I think there's a misunderstanding around these parts, some people seem to think that once they claim they don't have time to work on the project, they'll automatically rise to the status of project leader... [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] (j/k)

About the Witchaven, please do it! I liked the game a lot (mostly the graphics, of course, because the gameplay was very strange, bad actually), and I'm also a great fan of maces in general, although I prefer axes (I really like the two bladed axe from Withchaven 2). The new spells sounds cool. Anyway, you are right. I'll finish everything first, and then think about it more seriously. One question, though: how will I have time to work on it, if you said I should make as many characters as I can untill SE is finished? [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] [ March 19, 2002: Message edited by: Mago ]</p>

No problemo. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] I, in the other hand, think I'll have a little MORE time to work on the project, since I'll have some free days ahead. Anyway, good luck for both of you. PS: Yeah, I sure know what you mean! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] I'm still waiting for the answer about the new weapon, though.

Oh yes, about the woman! Do you want just the walking and talking series, right? I think I'll add one more frame to them all (city mage, helmless cleric, peasants...), a "standing" frame. Do you think it can be done? I mean, it would replace the default frame that is used when a sprite is still (I believe it's A1), for this new one. The problem with A1 is that in this frame, the monsters and players are already "moving", even though they are, in the game, standing still. This gives them an odd look, specially for persons.

The first moving frame doesn't need to be A, I can asign frames as I need, for example A for standing, B-E for walking, etc.

Witchaven had some good qualities, but the overall score I'd give it out of 10 is 3 or 4. Gameplay was bad, the underlying engine was real crap (there was a 50% chance every time you hit a key that the prog won't react, this is no joke!), it had the same 5 music tracks for all 30 maps... the map design was strange as well, the 1st map was very cool, but then it degraded fast... the first time I stopped at around map 10-12 or so becuz it was boring underground crap one after the other. A year or 2 later I started again and this time played through to the end and was astonished to find a couple of maps over #20 that were actually amazingly good-looking. I loved the Morning Star in the 90s becuz my favorite fantasy series were about a half-orc warrior-cleric who smashed in all and any heads with his Morning Star and was a cool figure in many other ways as well. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] What I thought for new spell animations is mostly to rework existing ones, like making a green fire out of the yellow-red one and calling it "liquid poison" or whatever. <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

One question, though: how will I have time to work on it, if you said I should make as many characters as I can untill SE is finished?

Here is a tip (or if I'd be a good marketer I'd call it a secret, there are books sold in high volumes with tips similar as this, with titles like "the 150 secrets of successful marketing"): Every time you have more on your to-do-list than you can possibly finish, set priorities up front, *before* you start working. Decide what must absolutely be finished for the deadline and what's least important, then set up a priority list, start at the top and work your way toward the bottom. This way, if you have to stop at any given time - and you already reached and passed the red line in the list that separates the crucial from the optional -, you can say you did your best that was possible under the given conditions. In your current case, I'd set up following priority list: 1) finishing the feminine NPC (we don't want a completely boring town, huh? [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] ) 2) creating the basic standaround and talking frames for your medieval merchant (forget about Sylon's shopkeeper, yours is better), and for the innkeeper for which Sylon made a standing front frame (BTW did I ever send you the original frame? Checked my HDD and my mail archives and I think I'm in trouble, I couldn't find the original one, only the 80-pixels-high distorted version. I'm currently checking half a dozen backup CDs, I just hope it's on one of them... FOUND! hey I thought I got it in July 2001, after KMOD 1.0 came out, but it was on a backup CD from June 7, i.e. I got it before KMOD release. Anyway, they're already up on koraxdev). 3) the damage skins for the common monsters (green and brown bulls, ettins, centaurs and slaughtaurs, bishops) plus the Heresiarch and the Death Wyvern. I'd say don't start with damage skins for the 3 leaders of the orders, Korax, the Afrits and the Stalkers (the afrits are going down most of the time from the 1st hit, and you don't see them very well anyway, the stalkers dive after every hit anyway). Leave the Reavers (Wraiths) as last, they're uncommon, you see them mostly only in dark places, and half of them are translucent anyway. Unless you've got a good idea how they should look like when damaged, just put them in #4 of thie priority list. Oh yes, the Wendigos, dunno what could be done for them, hm what about a cracked surface of their ice bodies, it'd look like it's going to shatter any moment (which it'll do anyway after the next punch of the Fighter). 4) once the 1st 3 groups are all finished, we are over the red line I mentioned above. After that, there are 3 further groups that are more or less equally important, and best might be to have a little from each category (whereas the list order is a kind of priority list once again, first on list being most desirable): - new in-screen weapons and spells - new NPCs - new monsters (or slightly changed versions of existing ones, like a slaughtaur with a winged helmet so you see at first look it's an officer; or a slaughtaur with a Morning Star instead of a barbed sword) Hope I could answer all your questions. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] [ March 20, 2002: Message edited by: RambOrc ]</p>

NOw I got it! [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] Yes, now it's more clear, and now I know what is more needed for the game. Just some Q: -Witchaven: Yes, and don't forget about the real boring "breaking weapons" feature. Everytime I wanted to crack some heads with the broad axe or the long sword, they would break, and leave me defenseless among the hordes of (difficult) monsters. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] The animation wasn't very good too, specially for the monsters. But the weapons were very cool. I really liked the shield too. It was cool to fight the monsters attacking with a sword, and then defending his blow with the shield, just to attack again. At least untill the shield would break. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] -The Death Wyvern- well, i think it shouldn't have a damage skin, because it is too small/powerfull, and I doubt many people will see one at close range. I myself spend most of the time running from them, trying to attack from afar. BUt if you insist, no problem. By the way, don't you think the mage's Invulnerable spell is too powerful? I mean, I can kill most of dangerous monsters, even in packs, using it and attacking. Not even the Death Wyvern is a match for this strategy (invulnerability and thunder after thunder). Maybe it should be shorter, or take more spell points... -In screen art: it's, like I said, the most enjoyable, but the most difficult, because players will see it up close, and many times, so they have to like it. Anyway, I'll try my best. I would really need the other game's art you could give me... For learning, etc. -New monster: the modifications sound cool, and they are quite easy to make, so I could make more things in less time. I honestly prefer more diversity than a new monster (even if they are good). As for the rest, don't worry! Mago will take care things. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [ March 20, 2002: Message edited by: Mago ] [ March 20, 2002: Message edited by: Mago ]</p>

Just one thing: do you mean you actually face the Death W from the front? This must be a lie! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] (Kidding) The only way to kill them without flying is to run and hide (specially with the warrior). Of course, with the mage you don't have that problem: you just have to cast invulnerability and kill him while it attacks you. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]

Some other monster variations ideas... - Blue (maybe light blue) Chaos Serpents that fire electricity. - Ettins with only one head (Orcs). - Ettins or Orcs with bow and arrows. - Centaurs that can throw their shields as a razor-like frisbie or boomerang. - D'Sparil type enemies, or human (mages or fighters with a polearm type weapon) riding Chaos Serpents. When the serpents die, the rider would then attack you. - Death Wyvern riders maybe? - Zombies (Undead Warriors maybe) that turn into Reivers when damaged enough. - Another kind of zombie that sometimes get back up after being killed.

The shield idea has been suggested by other ppl as well, if coding and 2D art is taken care of, there should be no prob with it, both for the Fighter and the Cleric. ...so you're running from Death Wyverns like a chicken, huh? Well, you're in trouble then becuz one of the quests in SE is to get rid of one (or maybe even several, not yet sure), by using fly spells or artifacts to keep long enough in the air, becuz a Wyvern's lair is never at any place you could climb by human means... [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] The mage's invulnerability spell is too strong, we know that since KMOD 1, OTOH we never found an alternative that would be less strong but wouldn't render the mage unplayably difficult. Don't forget both KMODs have predefined maps, limiting our possibilities greatly. The only little downgrading we did make to balance things a bit is that the mage can't grab or use the Icon of the Defender, meaning he can't have a backup defensive artifact if he runs out of Magic. In SE, you won't get the invulnerability spell until very late in the game. Unlike in the mods, this time the maps and the game progress, the number and kind of enemies encountered can be directly modified. The Fighter and the Cleric won't get as strong as fast as in the mods neither (provided we can put together enough maps for a long enough game flow). <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

I would really need the other game's art you could give me... For learning, etc.

Which game do you mean? <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

I honestly prefer more diversity than a new monster (even if they are good)

I like to hear that, I was meaning to have half a dozen or more sub-types of each original Hexen monster, varying in size, equipment, etc. Like - Ettins in purple panties (OK, OK, LOL) - Ettins with swords instead of maces - Ettins that are slightly larger (it'd be something for Janis, instead of new sprites it'd be better to simply scale them in-game) - Ettins that are *way* smaller and have no weapons (=Ettin children) - Ettins in full body armor (this one would be maybe more difficult) - Centaurs in full body armor - Bishops with differently colored robes - Centaurs with winged helmets - Centaurs with horned helmets - green bulls with a 3rd horn in the middle of their foreheads - brown bulls without a tail - etc. etc. it's just some ideas I had spontaneously, feel free to make just any kind of modifications, be they similar to these ones or not... the basic idea is that there are different subtypes of a monster that have different characteristics (HP, attack strength, armor class, speed, maybe even behaviour, etc.) <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

As for the rest, don't worry! Mago will take care things.

LOL, sounds good. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Hey Mago in case you didn't notice, in KMOD(2) the Death Wyvern works differently than in Hexen, it now uses the Afrit's AI pattern, so you *have to* face it from the front, becuz he won't show his tail any more as in Hexen. And there just might not yet be a defensive spell for the mage at that point in the game... [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

Blue (maybe light blue) Chaos Serpents that fire electricity.

Sounds cool, but I guess it should be through palette change (like player clothing colors), if possible. I'm OTOH against orcs, they just don't suit the world of Hexen. I see you like the bow/arrow theme [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] , would you want to try to create something in this direction (either for a monster or a player class)? Frisbee-throwing centaurs? LOL... but it's worth a try if someone codes it. The Reiver idea is cool, what about a standard monster (or a human being) turning into Reiver when killed in certain maps (or everywhere, between midnight and 1:00 am)? Interesting that you come to the same idea I had already back in '99 or so for Korax' Heritage, i.e. another Serpent Rider, or a Serpent Flyer. I'm still thinking about how to implement it into the story, though. The story of Korax' Heritage should be as strictly Hexen-only as possible, but I think a Mage riding a brown serpent or a Bishop riding a Wyvern could fit into the story of The Serpent Power.

Another idea for the Chaos Serpent is to have one fire something that can temporarily blind you, with the screen going black for a few seconds, then gradually getting brighter as the effect wears off. I like the bow and arrow concept because it gives you or the enemies a way to cause some damage (maybe a whole lot) from very far away. I would generally use archers in high places like in castle towers, rooftops in a town, or on cliffsides. And as for the shield throwing centaurs... I can just imagine a bunch of centaurs running around wearing goofy Captain America outfits while they fling around that shield of theirs, heheheh. You know how Reivers can sometimes heal themselves with the melee damage they do to you? Well, I was thinking (and tried to do on my game, but can't seem to just yet) about having them drain away a little bit of mana as well. By the way, I think I'd like to know how to put MD2s in my game now. I have a few ideas for some new models, like new pots and other decorations. I might even attempt to make a new one or two. I probably won't use them for monsters though.

Draining away mana? If you mean Magic/Faith, it's a real good idea IMO. As for MD2 in CG3, did you try copying ModelDef.txt, doomsday.exe and the md2 folder from KMOD(2) to your CG3 dir and starting your game? It might work, AFAIK MD2 handling is all in doomsday.exe.

Actually, I was referring to the man itself (blue and green), say, 1-3 points lost in every attack, but the faith and magic would work as well. You could also have them drain away the battle rage, or whatever it's called (I tend to call it stamina). And as for the models, isn't there supposed to be some code I had to put in the .dll for it to work? I'll have to try it later today anyway. Also, is there any way to make certain things rotate (like the Quake weapons or Hexen 2 items)?

This is strange. I copied everything I was supposed to copy to the game folder, then started the game. It loaded the MD2s just fine, or at least it told me that it did, but when I play the game, I see nothing but the sprites. It doesn't even attempt to use the models, even though I have "usemodels 1" in the .cfg file. Also, is there any way to make it so that the sounds aren't always at full volume all the time?

In function H2_PostInit add the following: for (p = 0; p < NUMSPRITES; p++) { spritereplacement_t rep; rep.spritenum = p; rep.modelname = sprnames[p]; gi.Set(DD_SPRITE_REPLACEMENT, (int)&rep); } In dd_share.h enum of DD_ values should end with: DD_TRANSLATED_SPRITE_TEXTURE, DD_TRACE_ADDRESS, DD_TEXTURE_GLOW, DD_SPRITE_REPLACEMENT In other words value of DD_SPRITE_REPLACEMENT should be 0x4005. Also add the following declaration: typedef struct { int spritenum; char *modelname; } spritereplacement_t;

Good. That worked. Now the only problem is the constant full volume sounds. I was planning to use ambient sounds, but if they are all at full volume, it ruins the effect.

If you mean ambient sound having a origin (like the wind), then it should be implemented as object constantly emiting a sound.

Not quite. The ambient sounds are for many of the torches, which will constantly play the sound, but it won't be at full volume and it should fade out when you move away from it. You shouldn't have to hear the sound when there's nothing to make the sound. Also, I'm using ambient sounds that play once in a while (frogs, rats, etc.), but they won't be at full volume either. It's also a bit annoying when you have a bunch of enemies nowhere near you. They're halfway across the map, but they sound like they're right next to you.

Now there's another problem. I keep getting Z_Malloc error now, when I didn't get any before I added those models.

Z_malloc is AFAIK a "low on memory" type of error. What's your RAM size? I'm not sure whether it has anything to do with the -maxzone option, but you might want to try to increase that.

I have 512 MB of ram, so low memory isn't the problem. What is maxzone anyway?

Maxzone is amount of memory that engine will alocate for it's memory manager. If you took the exe from kmod 2.1 then the default value is 8 megs, in my later builds I increased this to 64 megs. Also I have a feeling that DoomsDay is one of those stupid engines that uses about 10 times more memory for md2 models than needed.