I’ve spent a little time playing around with the Forge editor in Halo Reach and I’ve completed my very first level. It’s designed for 4 to 8 player team slayer or free for all. As you can probably guess from the name, the level is a cube… a cube filled with pure awesome! You can find it on my file share. Search by my gamertag “Elsin Storm” or by using the tag “omegastorm productions”
… Last level I make for Unreal Tournament 2004, that is. It’s true that I’ve only made a handful of levels anyways, but I think it’s time to pony up the dough and actually buy Unreal Tournament 3. Need to keep up with the times, haha. That said, I think it’s time to actually finish Skyhook Spires instead of wasting time… then again, wasting time is what I’m good at doing.
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great time over the past two weeks with their family and friends during Christmas and New Years.
I know it’s been awhile since I last posted and I do have an excuse. Well, two excuses actually. First off, during the Christmas holiday (e.g. the last two weeks), I had no access to the Internet. That’s right. Zero. Nada. It was an unfortunate side effect of not having an Internet connection at home and work being closed… it could not be helped. The two weeks before that, on the other hand, are a completely different story that can be summed up with one word: Neglect. I simply failed to post anything at all. Shame on me, I know. But enough about that; let’s get on to the real stuff.
As of right now, I have a number of projects on my hands, because as you very well may know, I am good about starting things and not finishing them before moving on to something else. (It’s ADD I tell you! ADD! …well, maybe.)
The first and foremost is Skyhook Spires, a UT2k4 Capture the Flag level I had started working on a couple of months ago. I had made decent progress as you can see by the few posts awhile back, but have otherwise not progressed any further. The level for the most part is already blocked in (just need to add a few things) and then I could get started on actually adding textures, static meshes, etc.
The next project was begun a couple of weeks ago, a new musical flash animation featuring Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) by Journey (the ‘classic and much better’ Steve Perry version of it). Only a little work has been done on it so far. So little in fact that only the logos at the beginning have been completed. This is something I want to finish, but for now, has been shelved to make room for a much more pressing and important project.
The newest undertaking requires a little bit a learning. Well, a lot of learning actually. It’s time I actually put my education (if you can call it that) to use (since it’s apparent that no one wants to hire me right now). I’m working on learning ActionScript. Yes, you heard me. ActionScript. So far, I’ve tried to avoid any form of programming (though I have done it before to a limited extent), but now it’s time to add to my repertoire.
Last year, me and a group of friends got together (I’m sure you remember Turbo Pixels) and attempted to create a game. Needless to say, nothing really came of it other than some game ideas and the realization that we needed to learn just a bit more. Now, this is where my next project comes in: using one of those game ideas to make a flash game. This is why I need to learn ActionScript. The best way to learn is to focus it into a working project, so it this case, the flash game.
While I won’t give away an major details about the game, I will tell you this: It’s an platform-shooter similar to Metroid or Megaman. It’s not going out of the box, but it will have some unique features. Besides, being in the box is better for learning anyways; you can always climb out later.
But enough of my rambling… Here’s to the new year! May it be more productive than the last!
I’m still adding more BSP here and there, and while doing it, I’ve realized that I’ve also added more things that players can potentially use to cross the gap between the two spires.
There are a few different things I can do for this: One is consider the these extra potential paths and allow players to use them, giving the level more variety; Two is adding volumes to cause damage to players outside of the acceptable play area (with an excuse like being depressurized or something) or blocking the ability to reach said areas (but this one is lame). I could of course forgo placing these visual enhancing BSP, but I’d rather make things interesting.
I took a brief break from all of the BSP mess to go ahead and play around with the skybox a little. I modified a skybox from another level (cause I’m awesome like that) to create the kind of feel I want. It’s still not complete yet though. I need to add more clouds around the level as well as below it. Another thing is that I want to have terrain visible below the level and I’m wondering if terrain (actual) placed in the skybox will be projected into the distance the same way static meshes are. Of course, the best way to find out is to test it. If it works, that will be awesome.
Still working on blocking Skyhook Spire; currently getting them connected via the pipes and platforms through the center.
As I mentioned before, the platforms will have thrusters under them, but I’m thinking that I’m also gonna have some suspension cables running from the spires as well. All of this in addition to the blimps that will be helping everything out.
My goal is to increase the level’s visual appeal over what my previous levels have put forth; give the players something to look at in addition to owning the other team.
I’m currently working on getting Skyhook Spires blocked in. During the process, I’ve actually changed the original layout slightly to something that’s not only a little more cool, but also enhances gameplay choices. Instead of straight stairs in each of the spires, I’ve changed it to 2 curved staircases that connect at the top and bottom. The rest of the layout is pretty spot on so far. Of course, there will most likely be more minor changes as I move forward. Here’s a couple of pictures the editor. Enjoy my delicious “construction” despawn texture that might make things hard to make out.
Short, sweet, and to the point. This document gives a brief description of what the level should be like along with how it should be laid out, roughly. Download the PDF here.
Suspended high above the surface of a planet in violent upheaval, the Skyhook Spires are observatory platforms used for monitoring the molten hot reshaping of the planet below.
The molten lava below fills the sky with a bright orange-red glow while the white star, W121, radiates high overhead, providing power to the twin observation platforms of Skyhook Spires. Fumes from the lava constantly bellow up, making it dangerous to stay outside for a long period of time.
Located around the star W121, the uninhabited planet of Kir’rok was recently knocked out of its close orbit by a comet. The Intergalactic Terra-forming Organization immediately took notice of this event and dispatched a survey team to the location of the planet. Initial observations determined that the planet was now a proper distance away from its star to support life on the surface once the world had reached stability.
The ITO commissioned the construction of a special observatory to float high above the surface of the planet and monitor its violent reshaping until it was ready for stage two of terra-forming. They named the observatory Skyhook Spires because of the more traditional method with which it would be suspended above the surface of the planet and it’s unique design.
The control room of each of the spires is situated on the second floor. Every command for the spire is issued from here. Both the Red and the Blue team have set up their flag in this room. Directly connecting the control room on each of the spires is a slow moving tram. While using this may seem like a great idea to capture the flag, survival on it is tricky, as it provides little cover along with its slow speed.
The lower floor of each observation platform houses the various systems used to monitor the planet below. Thick windows around the room allow view of the cloudy skies while protecting those inside from the elements (and high speed projectiles). Stairs in the center of the room allow access to the upper floor.
In between each of the observational spires is a series of a small platforms held aloft by a series cables, balloons, and thrusters. Jumping from the center platforms and the spires is impossible without the help of jump pads. Once on the center platforms, players must navigate between them by jumping around on a series of small beams that hold them together.
Zeppelin, Balloons, Trams, Tram supports, Platforms thrusters, Platform beams, Jump pads, Windows, Window trim, Spire structure parts, Planetary monitoring equipment, computer monitors, hanging lights, wall lights
Fire from thrusters under platforms, sparks from tram moving, smoke from planet, lava, clouds, sparkles from jump pads, water dripping from cooling units, glow from the white star, rust being blown away from platforms
Located around the star W121, the uninhabited planet of Kir’rok was recently knocked out of its close orbit by a comet. The Intergalactic Terra-forming Organization immediately took notice of this event and dispatched a survey team to the location of the planet. Initial observations determined that the planet was now a proper distance away from its star to support life on the surface once the world had reached stability.
The ITO commissioned the construction of a special observatory to float high above the surface of the planet and monitor its violent reshaping until it was ready for stage two of terra-forming. They named the observatory Skyhook Spires because of the more traditional method with which it would be suspended above the surface of the planet and it’s unique design.
This new UT2k4 level is currently in the planning stages. It will be a Capture the Flag level designed for 10-14 players. Each observational platform or spire will be the location of each teams’ flag.
The Skyhook Spires are suspended high above the surface of a planet in violent upheaval. Used to monitor the planet below, these observatories are held steady above the molten lava by large dirigibles and thrusters situated below each of the platforms. There are 2 methods to transverse the gap between the spires. Connecting the upper levels are two slow moving trams that alternate between the platforms. To transverse the gap from the lower levels, players must use jump pads to leap from small platforms scattered between the spires.
With the completion of Area 51: Warehouse and Tetris Attacks (and its subsequent slide into obscurity with a score of 3.51), I now have no unfinished projects laying around. Now I’m tasked with coming up with a new project to work on and I wonder which area I should focus on at the moment.
I could start working on another Unreal Tournament 2004 level, but I have to answer a few questions in consideration. What game type do I want this level to be? Well, so far I’ve only got 2 deathmatch and 1 assault levels created, so what game type do people most play that I haven’t created yet? You guessed it, Capture the Flag.
So if I make a Capture the Flag level, how big do I want the level to be (read: how many players should fit comfortably)? I’m thinking a smaller level for about 10-14 (5-7 on each side). I want the design of the level to be focused on a particular feature or element. Perhaps two bases suspended over lava with cable cars moving between them? Hmm… maybe; I should take that idea and run with it.
In any case, I should start putting the ideas to paper until I have something worth making.
As for more flash animations… It’s certainly something I want to keep doing. I learned a lot while making Tetris Attacks and intend to improve upon myself. I would like to make an actual cartoon animation but I’m not all that great at drawing characters and my distinct lack of a drawing tablet would only make that worse. Perhaps that’s something I might buy in the future when I have the money to throw at it.
Another option is to make a flash game of some sort, but there is yet another roadblock in this category. Actionscript; I don’t know it. I’m really not the programming type so I don’t really feel like attempting to learn it either. Although, I do have friends that are programming oriented, so maybe they’d be willing to learn Actionscript enough to pull something off. We’ll have to see…
Well those are the major things I see myself doing in the future, but there is always smaller alternative projects that I could crap out relatively quick. More simple Warcraft 3 levels could always be on the horizon. And on that RTS note, Blizzard is planning to release the level editor for Starcraft 2 for the beta (whenever that will begin) and I will definitely be grabbing it in order to make some levels for it.
Anyways, that’s all I have to talk about at the moment. Until next time!
After a somewhat lengthy hiatus from posting pretty much anything on OSP, I am proud to annouce the completion of DM-A51-Warehouse along with 4 simple Warcraft 3 maps loosely based around Advance Wars maps of the same name.
Now as to why I’ve been gone, I’ve had quite a few things going for me lately and posting to the blog just hadn’t been a huge priority until recently. Don’t fret, I plan to return to my normal routine of creating walls of text for your viewing pleasure. In other news, with Area 51: Warehouse out of the way, I plan to focus hard on finishing up Tetris Attacks and getting it onto Newgrounds so ya’ll can have the pleasure of voting 5.
AREA 51: WAREHOUSE
Deathmatch (6-10 players)
August 2009
“Back on Planet Earth, a certain secret military base, dubbed Area 51, was thought to be lost forever. Recently, an excavation team uncovered what was thought to be just another warehouse filled with ancient nonsense… that is until they saw the large 51s paints on its walls. Inspection of the crates stored there proved that the technology that once existed has long since been surpassed.”
Bean Island
Melee Map
August 2009
Crater Isle
Melee Map
August 2009
Triangles
Melee Map
August 2009
Fan Isle
Melee Map
August 2009
OmegaStorm Archives 