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Q1 - In the Shadows

  • sock
  • December 9, 2012 at 9:41 PM
  • sock
    • December 30, 2012 at 7:22 PM
    • #21

    [Blocked Image: http://www.simonoc.com/images/pages/top_sp_its.gif]

    Well here is it, 'The Cosmetic Upgrade' because it has so many visual additions. New particles, new models, new skins, new textures, new tutorial, more main story, new stealth books, new menu/help system and a few changes to the layout of some maps!

    V1.1 Download Link (16.5Mb File Size)

    V1.1 Readme File

  • sock
    • January 2, 2013 at 12:03 AM
    • #22

    I wrote a couple of articles about some of the features for the MOD In the Shadows:

    Discussing the new AI systems with screenshots from in-game and editor:

    http://www.moddb.com/mods/its/features/looking-smart

    [Blocked Image: http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/21/20892/thumb_620x2000/its017l.jpg]

    Talking about exploration and how it can integrate with the storyline:

    http://www.moddb.com/mods/its/featu…tion-is-the-key

    [Blocked Image: http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/21/20892/thumb_620x2000/wellstory_2.jpg]

    Review of the MOD:

    http://www.quaddicted.com/tronyn-reviews…shadows_by_sock

  • sock
    • January 8, 2013 at 7:55 PM
    • #23

    I have been busy the last couple of days creating promotional videos of the stealth gameplay. The previous videos were looking really old compared to the latest stuff. So here is some stealth hints, tips and sudden deaths to keep everyone wanting to play the mod and give feedback!

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    S1M1 - Shadow gate

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    Start - Training area

    EDIT: Typos

  • Kedhrin
    • January 8, 2013 at 8:04 PM
    • #24

    *** edited, sorry, i didn't watch all of the video for the first part derp.

  • sock
    • January 9, 2013 at 11:02 PM
    • #25

    The last one in the set of gameplay videos showing hints, tips and sudden death moments.

    External Content www.youtube.com
    Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.
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    It took me ages to plan the routes, enemy encounters and then finally syncing it all to music to make the right impact. Some of the sequences I probably played 50+ times to get the perfect demo but it was worth it in the end. I played a lot with poison bolts in the gameplay videos and it turned out to be a lot of fun, I might try a poison bolt only mode (no axe) and see how it works out.

    Anyway thanks everyone for the feedback so far it has been awesome. Time to get back to making stuff and not constantly talking to myself in this thread!

  • Graktauk
    • January 18, 2013 at 3:38 AM
    • #26

    Hey Sock, just found this post, this is really exciting . I played Q1 for a long time and this brings back a lot of memories.

    I watched most of the videos and I must congratulate you on all the work you've put in, lots of good stuff in there !

  • mjens
    • January 18, 2013 at 8:36 AM
    • #27

    I don't get it why they look at you but they can't see you

  • Skacky
    • January 18, 2013 at 4:15 PM
    • #28

    It's because you are invisible.

  • selmitto
    • January 18, 2013 at 11:06 PM
    • #29

    I have to agree. The enemies seemed too unaware "for my taste". Wouldn't they find suspicious seeing a lot of bolts being to a wall in front of them?

    Was the player really invisible?

  • onji
    • January 23, 2013 at 9:37 AM
    • #30

    This thing looks awesome , I've got a lot of fond memories from playing Quake. I really hope I can find some time to reinstall and play this mod.

  • Wail
    • January 23, 2013 at 9:47 PM
    • #31

    This looks really cool and right up my alley. Now just to track down my copy of Quake.

  • sock
    • January 24, 2013 at 11:25 AM
    • #32
    Quote from seir

    I don't get it why they look at you but they can't see you

    This is something a lot of people say, 'The AI looks dumb because you are standing infront of them' 'why does the AI not notice you' 'this looks too easy because the AI don't notice you'.

    The problem is a visual thing, people (watching the video) do not feel the player is invisible. People assume because the player is not lurking in the shadows (aka thief) or hiding all the time that this is not stealth. Another problem is the stealth eye, a lot of people are not realizing what it does and are wondering why the player in the video can walk around and not be noticed.

    The stealth system starts when the player gets 'The Amulet of Shadows' which is similiar to an existing Quake item called 'The Ring of Shadows'. When playing Quake I liked when the player could get this ring because it can be used to scout a new area. I wanted to extend this mechanic and allow the player to see what is ahead and then plan their next move. In the traditional sense this is not pure stealth, the player is not forced to hide in shadows or avoid AI. The best analogy I can think of is imagine the player is like the film predator with a suit of invisibilty but it is flawed up close and there is no Arnie!

    http://www.simonoc.com/pages/design/sp/its.htm

    I know this is not going to be popular but I did write up an article explaining the stealth eye system, how the AI detects the player at distance and if the player is in the AI's field of view. Check out the section ' How does the stealth system work?' There are images explaining the AI FOV, the radius and angle zones around the AI and what the colours of the stealth eye mean.

    This does raise an interesting point, how to create a video that shows stealth properly. One problem is that stealth is often slow and can be difficult to watch because it lacks lots of action. The next problem is the assumption of what stealth is in games. The final problem is I know how everything works so it is easy for me even on the top skill level and my play throughs videos make the system look too easy.

  • mjens
    • January 24, 2013 at 2:08 PM
    • #33

    Invisibility can be shown by an effect on weapon (Crysis-like - I guess not possible in Q1) or postporcess (like quad damage effect, maybe an ambient sound).

    Still we need to remeber that postporcesses or other "non-stop ON" thingies can be annoying for player after few minutes of playing.

    Some less immersive ways to show invisibility/enemy alarm level to player is by giving him info on HUD. Somehow your "eye above enemy" is such an mechanic and it doesn't colide with immersion but the eye symbol is not so clear for me. I thought that this is a saint's aureole. Skyrim used eye symbol on crosshair - not so awesome but not bad after all. I have an idea of 3 AI stages. "Calm" stage - no icon, just a monster wandering around. "Upset" stage - the AI "heard" or "seen" something weird (player ) and the "?" symbol appears above the enemy. "Alarmed" stage - there is a "!" symbol above the enemy or no symbol but he AI attacks, screams etc.

    The player's visibility feedback can be fixed with HUD info like crouch/prone/stand icon in COD series and may more. When noone sees you, there's no info or "invisible" text/special crosshair with symbol thay will say you're invisible. When someone will notice player's action, the cursor/sign will change. With this and some effects (particles? ambient? quad damage-like postprocess?) player should understand that he's invisible.

    These are two ideas on player's visibility/enemy behavior but it all gets to lots of coding in Q1, hard to make I gues... Anyway, if you still want to work on that MOD you can consider such ideas. Still it's only "observer's" problem - maybe the intro or welcome message gives the idea on the invisibility and I didn't noticed that Good job and good luck!

    EDIT:

    Wait a minute. There was invisbility in Q1. That flying eyes Some went step further with the opacity. On GLQuake the water can be transparent so why not the weapons?

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  • sock
    • January 24, 2013 at 2:43 PM
    • #34
    Quote

    I have an idea of 3 AI stages. "Calm" stage - no icon, just a monster wandering around. "Upset" stage - the AI "heard" or "seen" something weird (player ) and the "?" symbol appears above the enemy. "Alarmed" stage - there is a "!" symbol above the enemy or no symbol but he AI attacks, screams etc.

    I saw a similar system recently in the game Mark of the Ninja - http://www.ign.com/v...ja-video-review and even thou it is an awesome game for stealth game play, the obvious '?/!' symbols just breaks the immersion for me. This is why I went with the stealth eye because it felt like something that was alive and helping the player. I also linked it with story and idle animations (it looks left/right and blinks at the player). The other problem I have with ?/! symbols is that it makes me think of WOW and quest givers. The ?/! symbols have become an universal visual language in games, especially mmorpgs.

    Quote

    Invisibility can be shown by an effect on weapon

    Now this is something I can do! When the player has the amulet their weapon is partly visible (alpha 0.75%). I do play the ambient invisibility sound in the background but you will never hear this in the video demo's I do. I would love to add the invisibility icon to the HUD but the engine stops drawing all weapons and that is awkward if you are trying to work out which weapon is active. Ideally I should have proper HUD icons showing player states but that would require an engine update.

  • mjens
    • January 25, 2013 at 11:26 AM
    • #35
    Quote from sock

    I saw a similar system recently in the game Mark of the Ninja - http://www.ign.com/v...ja-video-review and even thou it is an awesome game for stealth game play, the obvious '?/!' symbols just breaks the immersion for me. This is why I went with the stealth eye because it felt like something that was alive and helping the player. I also linked it with story and idle animations (it looks left/right and blinks at the player). The other problem I have with ?/! symbols is that it makes me think of WOW and quest givers. The ?/! symbols have become an universal visual language in games, especially mmorpgs.

    True, !/? is the first step to make it too arcade-like. How about sounds? The Calm/Upset/Alarmed states can be set with idle sounds maybe.

    Quote

    Now this is something I can do! When the player has the amulet their weapon is partly visible (alpha 0.75%). I do play the ambient invisibility sound in the background but you will never hear this in the video demo's I do. I would love to add the invisibility icon to the HUD but the engine stops drawing all weapons and that is awkward if you are trying to work out which weapon is active. Ideally I should have proper HUD icons showing player states but that would require an engine update.

    How about the player icon on the HUD? In Q1 there was eye/helmet icon if I remember correctly. The sound, alpha, icon and PP should do the job.

  • sock
    • March 26, 2013 at 11:35 AM
    • #36

    [Blocked Image: http://www.simonoc.com/images/design/sp/its_knights.jpg]

  • sock
    • April 10, 2013 at 7:06 PM
    • #37

    An image of new/remade assets for the next release of the MOD ...

    [Blocked Image: http://www.simonoc.com/images/design/sp/its25l.jpg]

  • Kedhrin
    • April 10, 2013 at 7:21 PM
    • #38

    heh weird i JUST downloaded this 2 hours ago, btw, link on your first post to DL is broken (but works on the web page).

    Going to give it a whirl when i get a chance... going to play it in Darkplaces though.

  • sock
    • April 10, 2013 at 11:46 PM
    • #39
    Quote from Kedhrin

    heh weird i JUST downloaded this 2 hours ago, btw, link on your first post to DL is broken (but works on the web page).

    Awesome, I have updated the links at the top of this thread. The latest version has not changed since January, I am putting together a new version which I will release soon. The recent images are to show what is new in the next release.

  • sock
    • July 29, 2013 at 3:12 PM
    • #40

    This project is still alive but progress is very slow, hence no real updates in the last couple of months. Lots of work has been done in the background with the Quake code to include new monsters and more game design features like movable liquids and better particles effects.


    The main problem with the previous version of the mod is that the player had very little feedback on what was happening with stealth mode. The next version hopes to solve this problem with a new player weapon model, unique skins and various sound and particle effects. This should allow the player to visually understand what state the stealth system is in and why the monsters can/cannot see them.


    New player weapon model, The Shadow Axe

    [Blocked Image: http://www.simonoc.com/images/design/sp/its42l.jpg]

    ... with 5 sets of animations, 5 different skins to show amulet status, new swipe/amulet sounds and various blade particle effects.


    A quick teaser of things to come, a small brushwork interlude on the way to the crypt ...

    [Blocked Image: http://www.simonoc.com/images/design/sp/its43l.jpg]

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