D3ads Portfolio

Thanks for the attention

The problem with TF was that it started out doable, I had a lot of ideas that would work well but when I worked on the storyline fully I realised it needed more, so I hired other people to help me out. This turned out to be a bit of a chore since people either weren't doing stuff or I was too busy working full-time to actually manage everyone to keep tabs on them. The project just grew too big and I realised that it would be crazy to try and carry on with it because when I did have spare time it became increasingly frustrating for me to work on it, knowing that a) the path ahead would be a very long one and unrealistic and b) I lacked the motiviation to do anything knowing that. Soon after that some of my family were ill and I just couldn't do it anymore so I made the decision to can it...

The attention to detail was incredible I admit, but that apartment building that you all liked so much took about 3 weeks to do... for one room that was crazy and some of you pointed that out, me in my denial refused to accept that and thought I could carry on this method to make full environments. That got massively complicated when a map system was added and I needed drawn layouts so I could build the levels to the same specifications as the player's map. TF was basically Silent Hill meets Hellraiser, it wasn't exactly the most original title ever. I was the first time my work was made public though and thanks to it I've learnt some valuable lessons about modding.

As for stopping mapping, I never have... I just haven't shown anyone anything in awhile.

To be continued because I'm tired and the USG Ishimura is still crawling with undead aliens...

Part Deux...

So, after I stopped working on TF I got on with life for awhile and then eventually I joined the Cry Of Fear team, but the problem with me is I need to be doing something that is my own vision as well or else I lose focus and interest. So because of that (and the fact that I wasn't very good at the task I had been given to begin with), I eventually left. I'd also got an idea for a new mod using Paranoia's renderer and code to make something that was still Russian but a lot lot more detailed. I was still in touch with one of the guys I worked with on TF and he expressed an interest in my idea and so we both started working on it around the end of 2009. Unfortunately due to the deaths of 3 of my family members as some of you know.. 2010 was a real fuckup and I didn't get a lot done... Now it's 2011 and things have moved on more, I'm still not ready to show any maps yet but models have been progressing a lot;

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Last one is obviously WIP.

Skins by me but the models are by Wonrz, the one responsible for "Alyx" in Cry Of Fear. You're thinking to yourselves "But those wont work in HL1!" trust me, they do.

Actually there are a couple of map shots, but it's heavily WIP;

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The soldier is WIP too, and the insignia is wrong... heh.

There's also this one which is so old and shit, I'm just going to link to it;

http://media.moddb.com/images/members/1 ... e_new1.jpg

The red wire thing is supposed to be a transformer btw, which hasn't been finished.

So yes, the mod is another Half-Life project with an enhanced renderer and codebase. I can already sense a lot of you are going to turn around and with the usual "But D3.. HL is shit!!!11" but the thing is, I know what I'm doing and this is not some huge project like TF was, I've learnt my lesson as I said. The thing with Paranoia is that most of the code is already done, so any additional coding needed will be very little so build time will be reduced a lot.

The mod is set in Russia (sorry Minos...) and is called Outpost about an unknown biological plague infecting a fictional region of the country. It is basically the old generic zombie apocalypse but in Russia for a change (and there aren't technically any zombies... but shhh, spoilers). It should be about the same length as COD4 is (you know... not too short, but not long enough to outstay it's welcome.)

I'm still interested in newer tech believe me though, I'd like to have a go at dabbling with Cryengine 2 (or 3), but if I was going to do Outpost on such an engine, it would be about 10x the workload and it's unrealistic to do that much, at least with GS it's doable.

As for a job in the industry, I would without a doubt have to move to another part of the country or even overseas (which I'm really not comfortable with), I'm settled where I am for now. Once I've finished the above... who knows, for now I just want to work on my own thing.

Well... I mean, sure from a technology and limitations (does CE2 even have any?!) standpoint, it would be easier but it'd require much higher res textures, larger poly models and just more detail in general. I like the idea of a sequel on the engine rather than a largely pointless remake, we'll see how this goes first.

The textures might appear dark in HLMV, but if you look at the screenshots they look alright in-game. Bare in mind the textures for the brushes are using detail overlays and I haven't finalised those yet. People can always adjust the brightness settings in Steam if it's too dark, it kinda meant to be dull anyway being that it's Autumn verging on winter time, to the foliage hasn't completely come off all the trees yet

I'll post map WIPs in the levels thread soon.

Quote from Thrik

I just read through all this, most excellent. It does sadden me you've not managed to get an industry job D3 because there're no end of opportunities you could probably take advantage of and people who'd help you out. You've clearly always had great talent and determination to be the best within your limitations — unfortunately you've chosen to stick to limitations that're very outdated. I suspect if you were to seriously tackle stretching modern engines to the same limits you push HL1 to you'd be a master of your craft.

I hope eventually your circumstances and mindset hits a point where you are able to get an industry job because I hate to see such passion kind of go to waste.

I guess I've just got comfortable where I am with HL... I know it inside-out.. pretty much all the tricks, how to get around limitations etc.. it's easy as pie to put stuff together, doesn't take that much effort (well for me.. some of you guys who have been spoilt with new tech will be lost).

I plan to look into Cryengine 2 when I've got a new machine anyhow and I'm making random "new gen" textures to keep me up-to-date so to speak.. so I'm not *that* far behind...

As for an industry job, it just depends where it is and what's being done, I think I'd find it very hard to be motivated if I was working on some generic Halo type game.. or Ultra-Real-Desert-Combat-Warfare-9... Perhaps I'd just slip into it ok.. I look at how my motivation is when I'm working on my stuff and it's not great but a lot of that has to do with having to do other things in life... if I got a job in game-design, It would pretty much over for modding.

but yeah, I'll work something out

and thanks HP, really appreciate that

Would anyone be interested in me releasing some of this stuff? I mean some of the older stuff was lost in a HD crash.. but most of it is backed up, some of it actually playable abeit buggy...

I have no idea how to do that and I have no interest in learning how to either. People are more than welcome to do it themselves however!