Author Topic: [WIP] Shepherds  (Read 15298 times)

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Offline Colt

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After unexpected internet problems pushed this announcement back a couple days, I am pleased to announce a new campaign...


This is a temporary title card (pro-baaa-bly).

What is Shepherds?

Shortly after releasing Walls Closing earlier this year, I resumed work on a bigger project. By August I had a draft down for the storyline of this project, working title Project Olympus, decent progress on most of the missions and tables modified to work. Naturally a bit of fatigue started to wear in, so I finished up any loose problems and put it to the side. I then began work on something that was originally planned to be bite-sized like my first campaign. In the end I've created an unintended sequel for Walls Closing that will link it to the same universe as Project Olympus, and clocking in at a decent size of 9 missions (11 if you include the intro and outro cutscene missions).

What to expect from Shepherds?

-11 missions that are set during the GTVA's retreat to Capella near the end of the Second Incursion.
-Mods such as Axem's In-mission jump script and BP-like HUD, Fury's Fury AI (BP version), Black Wolf's ANIs, and more.


Taking inspiration from (or basically just outright copying :nervous:) Orpheus' The Lost Generation: Ashcroft and NeonShivan's Project: Final Generation WIP threads, here is the progress on this campaign.

Progress:

Intro: Complete
Mission 1: Complete
Mission 2: Undergoing rework - 90% complete
Mission 3: 25% complete
Mission 4: Complete
Mission 5: Complete
Mission 6: Complete
Mission 7: 10% complete
Mission 8: 50% complete
Mission 9: 50% complete
Outro: No progress

Release date?

I'm aiming to release it for February 7th, which will be a full year since Walls Closing was released. However, if I'm not satisfied with the quality of the campaign then I'll probably post a progress update in it's place at the minimum.

Before getting back to work, I have a few screenshots and the intro cutscene ready for viewing! If the video's blurry for the first 10-15 seconds just wait it out. I blame Youtube.

Intro Cutscene:

Screenshots:
Hidden Text: Show







« Last Edit: December 22, 2019, 05:24:04 pm by Colt »

 

Offline Goober5000

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Looks very cool. :)

 
Amazing, already in love with the cutscene :) :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:

 

Offline Thaeris

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That looks wonderful. Not sure it will get me to pick up FS2 again, but allow me to repeat that your campaign looks wonderful.
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Offline Mongoose

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Awesome camera work on the cutscene. :yes:

 

Offline Nyctaeus

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I don't get the sheeps stuff, but this thing is gonna be dope :yes:
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Offline Colt

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I don't get the sheeps stuff, but this thing is gonna be dope :yes:
shep·herd
/ˈSHepərd/

noun
a person who tends and rears sheep.

verb
1.
tend (sheep) as a shepherd.
2.
guide or direct in a particular direction.

I bolded the last point because I found it accurate of what the player will be doing in the campaign; screenshot 5 is from a mission where you get to choose paths to take when escorting a high-value convoy for example.  :)

 

Offline Colt

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Update!

First off, I know -- it's not the 7th yet. However:

-One, I need a respite from the repetitive task of adding messages,
-Two, I know for certain it won't be done by tomorrow.

Since announcing Shepherds, a lot of ground has been made. Several missions have undergone complete reworks that make them both far more enjoyable then before and help further the plot and keep it nice and smooth. An example of this is the second mission, which was originally a convoy escort mission like first and third missions. Gameplay-wise it felt... repetitive? Boring? I didn't like the idea of having the player wait until the fourth mission for something different.

NEW PROGRESS UPDATE:

Intro: Complete
Mission 1: Complete (small rework under consideration)
Mission 2: Rework Complete
Mission 3: Undergoing rework - 25% complete
Mission 4: Complete
Mission 5: Complete
Mission 6: Complete
Mission 7: Undergoing rework - 75% complete
Mission 8: Undergoing rework - 90% complete
Mission 9: 50% complete
Outro: No progress

I should have Missions 7 and 8 done within the week, then focus all my attention back to the juggernaut (heh) that is Mission 3. I reworked the beginning of that mission, and I can say I'm pretty excited to get back to it once I finish 7 and 8. After that I can finish up the last mission, then work on the outro cutscene. There is still some work after that as well; loading screens and mission names, and of course extensive testing of the final campaign file to make sure I've got variables working right (a key part of Shepherds is saving allied ships so that they may assist you in a later mission. The outro cutscene will also list the survivors at the end of the campaign). I'm also debating on reverting the background for Gamma Draconis back to what is seen in the MediaVP's to maintain consistency. On the one hand, it would free up a beautiful skybox for later use for Olympus, on the other it would mean a bit of extra work.

Thank you for reading! Have some new screenshots. :p



 
Oh that's nice, thanks for the update~ :)

Looking forward to get my hands on the campaing. ;7

 

Offline Su-tehp

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This looks very interesting. I'll definitely keep my eye on it.

Also, "sequel" is spelled with two "e"s. :p

Seriously, don't people use spellcheck anymore? :banghead:
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Offline Colt

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This looks very interesting. I'll definitely keep my eye on it.

Also, "sequel" is spelled with two "e"s. :p
Blah! No amount of proofreading will save me from even a single typo. Thanks for spotting that. :p

Seriously, don't people use spellcheck anymore? :banghead:
I'm basic. I used paint for the titlecard. Paint doesn't have spellcheck. Still not an excuse though. :nervous:

 

Offline Su-tehp

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This looks very interesting. I'll definitely keep my eye on it.

Also, "sequel" is spelled with two "e"s. :p
Blah! No amount of proofreading will save me from even a single typo. Thanks for spotting that. :p

It's what I do.  :D :cool: :D

Seriously, don't people use spellcheck anymore? :banghead:
I'm basic. I used paint for the titlecard. Paint doesn't have spellcheck. Still not an excuse though. :nervous:

Oh, I see. But, yeah, as a longtime reader and grammar nazi, stuff like misspellings and mixed idioms stand out like sore thumbs to me. We humans have a gift for pattern recognition, and I can spot inconsistencies like that better than most. It's what makes me a good editor. (*Ahem* False modesty? What's that? :p)
REPUBLICANO FACTIO DELENDA EST

Creator of the Devil and the Deep Blue campaign - Current Story Editor of the Exile campaign

"Let my people handle this, we're trained professionals. Well, we're semi-trained, quasi-professionals, at any rate." --Roy Greenhilt,
The Order of the Stick

"Let´s face it, we Freespace players may not be the most sophisticated of gaming freaks, but we do know enough to recognize a heap of steaming crap when it´s right in front of us."
--Su-tehp, while posting on the DatDB internal forum

"The meaning of life is that in the end you always get screwed."
--The Catch 42 Expression, The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Steadfast

 
GRAMMATIK MACHT FREI

 

Offline Mito [PL]

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Mmmm, that progress looks really nice. Can't wait!
How do you kill a hydra?

You starve it to death.

 

Offline Su-tehp

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GRAMMATIK MACHT FREI

LOL! I see what you did there.  :lol: :D :lol: :drevil:
REPUBLICANO FACTIO DELENDA EST

Creator of the Devil and the Deep Blue campaign - Current Story Editor of the Exile campaign

"Let my people handle this, we're trained professionals. Well, we're semi-trained, quasi-professionals, at any rate." --Roy Greenhilt,
The Order of the Stick

"Let´s face it, we Freespace players may not be the most sophisticated of gaming freaks, but we do know enough to recognize a heap of steaming crap when it´s right in front of us."
--Su-tehp, while posting on the DatDB internal forum

"The meaning of life is that in the end you always get screwed."
--The Catch 42 Expression, The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Steadfast

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Looking good!  :) :) :) :yes: :yes: :yes:
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Offline starlord

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Very nice. I have to ask a question story wise though:

Would that ravana happen to be the nebiros?

 

Offline Colt

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Very nice. I have to ask a question story wise though:

Would that ravana happen to be the nebiros?
The Ravana in the intro cutscene and the screenshot is the SD Andromalius, the primary antagonist of this campaign. The Nebiros will also be encountered.

 

Offline General Battuta

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SD Manbad

Spoiler:
i like the name

 

Offline Colt

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