Generalvivi's - Prototypes and Polygons (now with vr)

[General Vivi]

Hey everyone!

I realized I don't post here nearly as often as I should, so to fix that I'm opening up my own prototypes thread where I can post all of my evil experiments for you guys to test.

If all goes well, I'll also upload editor files for you and possibly write a post mortem of what I learned in the process. Hoping to start some fun discussions on here!

Feel free to drop me ideas for prototypes in a PM.


Prototypes:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

AI Prototype: Radi-Ant (Source SDK)
Link to original post: 

Download Link: N/A

http://youtu.be/lHiXsIkYxMc

 

 

Combine and Antlion Buddy (Source SDK)
Link to original post:

Download Link: (map and editor file)

http://youtu.be/SD1o5WpvJWU

 

 

Dishonored Rewire Tool (Source SDK)
Link to original post: 

Download Link: (map and editor file)

 

http://youtu.be/A0b0JDrEugw

[General Vivi]

Dishonored Rewire Tool - (Source SDK)

Download Link: (map and editor file)

Map Info:

After finishing Dishonored I decided to mess around with some of their mechanics. The final idea was to take those mechanics and rework the intro train map in Half-Life 2 with them seeded throughout. I thought it would be a fun experiment but ultimately one that would require a lot of time I didn't have. I'll post my results for that on another day.

This Prototype was trying to recreate parts of the "Rewire" tool in Dishonored. There is still more that could be done but here is what I did over a night of tinkering. If anyone wants to add more to it, let me know, I'll update the file and add you to the credits.

- Jason

[PogoP]

Pretty cool! Loving the music choice too ;D

[General Vivi]

I might use that music for ALL of my videos, I'm that much in love with it atm.

[selmitto]

Even for a small test map, it looks very well designed! Hiding the resource in the ditch, making the player pick the other one through the force field gate etc.

I didn't play Dishonored yet, so I don't know exactly what a Rewire Tool is

What's the difference between this and a common key/ door mechanic?

Edited March 5, 2013 by Al Anselmo

[General Vivi]

I didn't really hit the core concept of the rewire tool in my prototype. They mainly use it to switch turret like machines over to your side or flip a combine gate so that you can go through but they can't. I might add more to this map in the future.

[General Vivi]

Combine and Antlion Buddy - (Source SDK)

Download Link: (map and editor file)

Map Info:

A 1 day prototype for a mod that I'm working on. The test map features a Combine Elite using a spore pack that helps him control the Antlion. Together they can fight zombies and move cars!

The player can use his gravity gun to take the pack off of the Combine soldier, this breaks the control over the Antlion and causes it to attack the Combine Soldier

- Jason

[General Vivi]

AI Prototype : Radi-Ant (Source SDK)
Download Link: N/A

Map Info:

The Radi-Ant is a mutated antlion that can live in areas flooded with sewage. It's main form of attack is a kamikaze explosion that leaves behind a deadly radiation sack.

The radiation sack emits a cloud that is harmful to the player and other AI, even headcrabs and zombies. Due to it's tough skin, the only way to destroy the radiation sack is to burn it with fire. Luckily, the player can manipulate it by using the gravity gun to punt it into nearby fires. 

 

Notes: Still using temp assets for the antlion skin and radiation sack (helicopter bomb)

 

 

- Jason

[leplubodeslapin]

really cool idea ! It's really an idea Valve could have kept in a half-life episode i think.

The only issue could be that it hurts yourself when you pick it up with the gravitygun in order to throw it after into fire. So you have to loose 5 hp each time you want to kill one of them (or you can only use the left button but it's more complicated i guess)

And it's a bit weird that the model that appears when the antlion dies is bigger that the antlion's body itself.

Good job, i love it !

[General Vivi]

Both valid points. The first one (about hurting yourself on pickup) will be addressed shortly. I was considering having the "pores" on the radiation sack close when it's picked up by the gravity gun.

The fact that it's bigger than the antlion is just a temporary issue. Once I get a new asset in-game, things should look a lot better. The helicopter bomb just happen to roll nicely and have different skin states.

[blackdog]

Hey Vivi, nice work.

I remember this topic for the Dishonored rewire tool, i missed the Antlion buddy. I thought you were doing everyting by scripting, but to implement these new gameplay elements you must be coding it. How long have you been tinkering with code, and how long with Source's in particular?

On topic: reading the description i thought the Radi-ant sack would be destroyed by the fire... it seems a bit counter-intuitive to be able to use it afterwards. Considering it's a sack especially, you'd expect it to explode; I'd model the entity's behaviour the way a barrel does, so catching fire and then exploding.

As for the "picking it up" part, I'd find it especially counter-intuitive to respond to the gravity gun by "shutting down" itself, i mean even if it's easy to make up a sci-fi explanation for that... i don't think that as a player i would ever pick it up! It's dangerous, why would I. (Same reason why I never knew you could capture Man-hacks until a friend told me so )

Different thing would be if the sack was "breathing", releasing spores when breathing out while leaving the player the time to manipulate the sack when it's breating in. At this point the player should understand it's safe to pick it up, and you can code in an increased delay or simply having the sack to close its pores anyway. Also, having an additional animated entity in the scenario would enrich the scene.

Last thought: spores seem to be too lethal for the enemies, maybe tune it down? I also easily see the sack as a "passive" item, using it as a way to make a stand, so maybe they could mainly stun enemies like pheropods do, slowing them down. But if the sack is thrown, on impact it would release a much bigger spore-cloud, hurting every AI in range.

Hope this makes sense

Edited May 7, 2014 by blackdog

[General Vivi]

I thought you were doing everything by scripting, but to implement these new gameplay elements you must be coding it. How long have you been tinkering with code, and how long with Source's in particular?

All of these prototypes were created using in-game entities only. Maybe one day I'll learn to code

 

reading the description i thought the Radi-ant sack would be destroyed by the fire... it seems a bit counter-intuitive to be able to use it afterwards.

I agree, the only problem I ran into was teaching the player about the fire. I wanted to teach them without having a sign or graffiti on the wall that said "BURN IT WITH FIRE!". It seemed easier to have a few "dead" versions of the radiation sack already sitting in fires when the player first enters the area. Eventually they would encounter one that isn't fire and would have to punt it using the gravity gun. I was hoping that would be enough to teach the player.

Tbh, I don't see why I couldn't have the "burnt" version of the radiation sack crumble to pieces after you throw it at something.

[blackdog]

Wow, it's impressive you can do all that stuff combining the existing entities!

On the subject, i guess only testing will allow you to verify if that works or not, but if I try to picture the situation in my mind, I'd say I probably wouldn't be confident to pick it up... at least that wouldn't be my first thought! (I'd probably look for something around to burn it.)

[ESToomere]

Bloody hell, this is amazing.

[General Vivi]

Forgot to post after I made it.

 

Here is a walk-through video on how I built this prototype.