Hard Light Productions Forums
Hosted Projects - FS2 Required => Blue Planet => Topic started by: Vespene on April 30, 2011, 02:25:23 am
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Hey there Blue Planeteers.
I just finished War in Heaven after going through the original Blue Planet. I must say, this is the most impressive mod I've ever played. It takes a lot to take me off Civ and WoW but your work pulled it off, and against those games, that's saying something.
I'm interested in doing some kind of feature on the site I work for where I can showcase BP. This is the kinda stuff the industry needs to hear about and I'd be more than happy to try and get you guys more exposure out there. Normally we don't cover mods aside from passing mentions but BP clearly goes beyond the modding spectrum as a stand alone full fledged production. I don't know why everyone's clamoring for Freespace 3. You ARE making Freespace 3.
Yes there are some areas that aren't fully modernized such as the lack of proper cutscenes to show character interaction in between missions. Having to rely on the game's old text logs format to move the story forward can be limiting. But when you warp in to the rings of Saturn and those fighters zoom by you, lights and sounds overwhelming you at every turn, coupled with Fury's amazing post processing, it's easy to forget I'm playing a 10 year old game.
So what ideas do you guys have to showcase this as a feature on GT? Something along the lines of a preview? Or perhaps shown in one of our features such as Level? This wouldn't be happening until sometime after E3, but it would be great for the team to start thinking of some ideas.
Again. Amazing work. Can't wait to play through it all again when the voice acting is in place. I'm also eager to jump on Maya and crank out a few ship models. I do all the 3D and graphics for the site. =)
(excuse the possible typos as I wrote this on an iPad)
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Well, I can't speak for the team, but I know a few of them would like some attention given to the other wonderful projects going on (someone mentioned this after a feature about FreeSpace 2 contained 1 page about the original game and 2 pages about BP). Wings of Dawn isn't very polished, but it was made by one person and is an outstanding achievement, and Vassago's Dirge is very original in several aspects of gameplay. I think both of them, and I'm sure some other projects as well, deserve a bit more attention than they've been given.
Again, I can't speak for the BP team and I know they'd appreciate some more publicity, but BP isn't the only project here.
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The problem is that our traditional method of marketing is based on word of mouth, and spur of the moment "Hey, this is cool, can we show this to people?" decisions. I personally have no idea about marketing, I just flail around wildly and stuff happens.
That being said, as a team, we're not that comfortable with taking all the credit for ourselves. BP is only possible because of the accumulated work and expertise of the community, we wouldn't be able to do this without the years of work that went into (and still is going into) the SCP and the MediaVPs, not to mention other mods such as Wings of Dawn. If we seem more awesome, it is only because we are standing on the shoulders of awesome giants, to paraphrase an old saying.
While we are of course flattered that people see us as a possibility for FS3, we really don't think we are.
Okay, now that that's out of the way, I think the thing we would be most comfortable with is a feature similar to the FS2 retrospective (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-12-12-retrospective-freespace-2-article) that went up on Eurogamer a few months ago.
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So how about something that highlights the SCP as a whole?
I haven't played all the other mods aside from the 2BPs, Derelict and the BSG convertion. I played through all of FS2 as well with the media vps.
I bring up BP as it is the more advanced of the mods, and our site features are geared towards covering game titles, not gaming communities. Still, I'm sure there's something that can be done to show some of the other mods as well. I haven't played them all yet as I just finished Blue Planet, but I'm sure there's cool stuff to show there as well.
Would it be safe to consider SCP as "the game" and all it's mods the chapters within it?
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I haven't played all the other mods aside from the 2BPs, Derelict and the BSG convertion. I played through all of FS2 as well with the media vps.
Just making sure you're up to speed- the "BSG conversion" is sooooo much more than the BtRL demo that I presume you played. The new project is called Diaspora, it's not a code fork so you won't be limited to an outdated version of the engine, and the model/texture work at least is so good it landed the modellers a professional job with BSG Online. Check out the trailers- there's amazing work being done there. No release yet, but it'll be worth the wait.
Would it be safe to consider SCP as "the game" and all it's mods the chapters within it?
Weeeeellllll... not really. "The game" is always first and foremost FS2. The number one rule of the SCP and FSU is not break retail compatibility, so that FS2 plays the same as it always did even with the graphical enhancements and new features.
For your purposes, though, yes, what we know as "FreeSpace" is the retail campaign plus the rest of the experience, including mods.
btw I just lost The Game
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If you wish to focus on BP, that's fine. But it should always be accompanied by mentions of the other stuff that is happening here. If you read the Eurogamer article, that's a pretty good summary of the situation, I believe. What I mean to say is, you should make an effort to point out to people that BP, or the MVPs aren't the be-all end-all of FS2 modding, even though they are among the best.
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So how about something that highlights the SCP as a whole?
I haven't played all the other mods aside from the 2BPs, Derelict and the BSG convertion. I played through all of FS2 as well with the media vps.
I bring up BP as it is the more advanced of the mods, and our site features are geared towards covering game titles, not gaming communities. Still, I'm sure there's something that can be done to show some of the other mods as well. I haven't played them all yet as I just finished Blue Planet, but I'm sure there's cool stuff to show there as well.
Would it be safe to consider SCP as "the game" and all it's mods the chapters within it?
FSO is for all intents and purposes a game engine. Perhaps you could focus on that aspect?
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Ok how about the evolution of mods in the SCP, starting with the source code release to where it is today. As you say, there is a rich legacy of assets and tools that have been iterated on with each landmark mod. If you were to pick 3 landmark mods that got you guys to where things are now, which would they be?
Also, I would like to put some emphasis on how some mods have enhanced the game beyond visual tune-ups. The glide mechanics, reverse thrusters, checkpoint system, in engine cutscenes and fully modeled cockpit views with head tracking stand out just as much as the campaigns themselves.
BTW this is precisely why I made this thread. I'd like everyone to feel happy with how your work is being portrayed.
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Hmmm........
Inferno. Without Inferno, BP wouldn't exist (Even though their released stuff is nowhere near current standards).
Derelict, because of the storytelling.
Sync/Transcend, because they showed that FSO can be used for more than just straight military SF.
(Note that these are personal preferences of mine. While I am certain that there's an overlap with the opinions of Darius and Batman, I cannot guarantee it, or presume to speak for them or the team as a whole on this matter)
Also, I would like to put some emphasis on how some mods have enhanced the game beyond visual tune-ups. The glide mechanics, reverse thrusters, checkpoint system, in engine cutscenes and fully modeled cockpit views with head tracking stand out just as much as the campaigns themselves.
This is where it gets a bit difficult. Glide was first featured prominently in TBP, along with reverse thrusters (It should be noted, however, that FS2 retail had very limited glide-like abilities as well, Maras and Dragons use them all the time). Checkpoints, as far as I am aware, are a BP innovation. In-engine cutscenes.... hmm.... I only know that for me, BP was the first mod to really utilize them well. I'm sure others who have been part of this community for more than 3 1/2 years can point out earlier instances of them being used.
Fully modeled cockpit views and head tracking are another feature that has been available for a very long time, and that can't really be tied to one specific mod. Just like normal mapping, (and while we're at it, glow and shine mapping as well) it's something that was made possible by SCP enhancements, and then being made awesome by the artists that contributed stuff to the MediaVPs and other mods.
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Wings of Dawn isn't very polished, but it was made by one person and is an outstanding achievement,
While I appreciate this post, saying its "not very polished" makes you sound like you haven't got a clue what you are talking about. I've put hours upon hours upon hours into polishing every mission and asset in WoD to the best of my abilities. And I can proudly claim that I feel that it is by far more polished than the very large majority of freespace mods/campaigns out there.
Anyway to do some shameless self promoting to Mr. Vespene Gas here (I normally don't, but its apparantly easy to just get completely ignored if I dont speak up for myself, BP has been featured in game magazines and websites. WoD... nowhere at all). Please do check out Wings of Dawn if you haven't already. Because this line Normally we don't cover mods aside from passing mentions but BP clearly goes beyond the modding spectrum as a stand alone full fledged production.
applies even more to WoD than BP. For the simple fact that I created a large amount of models/weapon effects/****ty textures my self while BP uses publicly available community assets. (which is in no way a bad thing btw) Along with a completely new setting. Had to learn and make it all alone and I've poured hunderds of hours into it.
Yes BP's writing and plot are by stronger than that of WoD, but WoD does something fun and unique quite unlike the majority of freespace mods and conversions.
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Yes. WoD was A Good Campaign.
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wod rox, man
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Anyway to do some shameless self promoting to Mr. Vespene Gas here (I normally don't, but its apparantly easy to just get completely ignored if I dont speak up for myself, BP has been featured in game magazines and websites. WoD... nowhere at all). Please do check out Wings of Dawn if you haven't already. Because this line Normally we don't cover mods aside from passing mentions but BP clearly goes beyond the modding spectrum as a stand alone full fledged production.
applies even more to WoD than BP. For the simple fact that I created a large amount of models/weapon effects/****ty textures my self while BP uses publicly available community assets. (which is in no way a bad thing btw) Along with a completely new setting. Had to learn and make it all alone and I've poured hunderds of hours into it.
Yes. One thing that should always be mentioned is that our community is just as active as other modding communities out there (while maybe not being quite as big). However, and I do not mean any disrespect to you, Spoon, something that is as far removed from FS2 as WoD is can't ever be more than an indicator of that activity in the context of an article about FS2 and fan-made FS3's. Yes, I agree completely that WoD deserves its own feature articles, but it should stand on its own and be featured prominently without having to contrast it against FS2/BP.
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Yes. One thing that should always be mentioned is that our community is just as active as other modding communities out there (while maybe not being quite as big). However, and I do not mean any disrespect to you, Spoon, something that is as far removed from FS2 as WoD is can't ever be more than an indicator of that activity in the context of an article about FS2 and fan-made FS3's. Yes, I agree completely that WoD deserves its own feature articles, but it should stand on its own and be featured prominently without having to contrast it against FS2/BP.
Unforunately, following that logic means WoD will never ever even get a simple mention anywhere. FS mod related articles are rare enough as it is. TC that do get coverage get that because they are based on an exisiting IP. So while it is a wonderful thought to have an own feature article, I just don't see that happening. So it's either 'tagging along' on a FS2 article or nothing at all...
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So how about something that highlights the SCP as a whole?
I haven't played all the other mods aside from the 2BPs, Derelict and the BSG convertion. I played through all of FS2 as well with the media vps.
Have you played FSPort (FS1 ported to modern FSOpen standards) and Silent Threat: Reborn? (FS1 expansion pack re-released to be awesome instead of a little half-baked).
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Again. Amazing work. Can't wait to play through it all again when the voice acting is in place. I'm also eager to jump on Maya and crank out a few ship models. I do all the 3D and graphics for the site. =)
(excuse the possible typos as I wrote this on an iPad)
You absolutely should. The community could use all the skilled modelers it can get. If you have any trouble with the asset path to get models in-game, we can team you up with someone else who can show you how it's done.
Everyone else: please let us handle this discussion with Vespene in private. The only thing I'm confident in saying Blue Planet has done better than all other projects is help promote other projects and the SCP as a whole, and we'll continue to do that.
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I don't really see why WoD wouldn't be polished enough. The only thing that might be put down as unpolished is the occasional jump in difficulty, but that's a matter of opinion (I don't think it is, but I can understand people interpreting it as such).
Unless you mean polished as in massive polygon counts and extreme high-res textures.
The only bug I ever encountered playing through WoD (and I did that several times) is a single crash I couldn't even reproduce myself, so it could have been anything's fault from the OS to the graphic driver to the FSO engine or even the first tidings of my motherboard breaking (which it did two month later).
Blue Planet AoA (which was pretty much a solo project by Darius and only picked up a team after release) on the other hand had far more problems, though it was still a fantastic mod, just far less polished than WoD.
I think WoD is great and that it was done by one person alone is just amazing. Don't misunderstand this as BP bashing or anything. I just wanted to point out that WoD isn't unpolished at all, even though it was a solo-work.
I love both WoD and BP greatly and am greatly anticipating their respective continuations.
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Wings of Dawn and BP complement each other very nicely I think. Opposite ends of the Freespace spectrum really.
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Wings of Dawn and BP complement each other very nicely I think. Opposite ends of the Freespace spectrum really.
I agree.
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:)