Byond The Abyss - Small Update!
by Will Zettler · 04/27/2009 (7:15 am) · 11 comments
Welcome!
Well, I have great news for those who have been following the very slow progress of our game, Beyond the abyss. First off, before I do anything else, I would like to thank Associate Tom Spilman for his comments in www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/17065 and I quote him:
I honestly wanted to port it over to T3D before this, I think Tom just saved me hours if not weeks of extra work! Thanks Tom!
With that, I was planning on using the TGEA 1.8 engine to finish the project out and still am as of now. I think we here are going to wait until T3D becomes more stable before we make any games with it right now which isn't really a big deal since we have to learn the new engine anyways.
I was checking out research pics for the game when I stumbled upon an old old Zombie flim on You Tube. Do a search for Zombie (Lucio Fulci) Tribute if you want to see it on You Tube (I didn't post the link as I didn't want to offend anyone due to the graphic nature of it) and it actually got me re-motivated for the project again more so then before. Not actually the same layout the game has but would make for an interesting ending to our game. Funny how the zombies all start on a island too, kinda like my game is moving into...
The Basics Of The Game (for those who don't know)
Basically, the game was putting you on a underwater oil rig deep under water. The rig is going to next to an inactive volcano about 2 miles below the ocean and right on the edge of a deep abyss that no one seems to know where it leads... Thus the name of the game. There is a military installation under the volcano doing top secret research on not only advanced weapons systems but some human subjects as well. Later in the game you find the base through the abyss (almost like a back door that was never sealed) and then we begin the nightmare of what we think is an abandoned base, actually houses thousands upon thousands of the living or reanimated dead roaming the other end of the base.
Basically, I wanted an ending to really blow the player out of his seat. I was thinking of a few ideas but I can't really figure just one out so we may have multi-endings based on how the player plays the game. I'm sure that is possible with this game and engine. Really, anything is possible if you put your mind to it and if you have the talent which I don't but I'm working out each problem as it comes up.
The ending may reflect a ship that gets a few zombies on board but I don't know yet. I wanted to blow the base up at the end and when the base blows, half of the volcano comes down and we see the base was actually inside the volcano and the island. But all that is still up in the air. Should make for a fun project though overall to try and figure the ending out... and now with the GMK www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/17073 and it's cut scene editor, I might be able to pull off what I have always been hoping for, a movie style action game!!!
Many thanks too go out to Alan James for his awesome Corridors & Conduits SciFi Construction Kit TGE/TGEA EA Edition and for the smaller packs he has created and helped me with over the last several months. He is an awesome guy to say the least and a cool friend. :-) I'm using his SciFi Pack for my game for the base so it should be mind blowing to say the least. Go check his packs out at www.monsterpacks.com and besure to tell him Will sent you.
Future Plans for the game
I expect, as I have blogged about way way back at the beginning of this year, a mini-pack game. This game will feature the first 4 levels to the game. This way, I can keep it simple and parted. The 2nd pack I am planning to release, will also be anove 4 levels and so on. Each mini-pack will allow you to play through any map as much as you want but keeping my process simple and un-complex. Don't get me wrong, game design is a complex function in its own right but I like keeping life and this as simple as I can, so thus, I'm going the mini-pack route for this series. There will be 4 editions total to bring the levels to a 16 total for the game.
I might be able to get one of the editions to use Torque 3D but that's many months from now down the road, and going back to my opening of this, I value what Tom said about stay on track, so I am doing just that. Until I'm sure I'm ready for the new engine, we're staying with TGEA 1.8.1 and TGE 1.5.2 which are still strong engines and nothing is wrong with them.
Well that's it for this blog... when I have some quality screens and a playable video I will post a few of the game for all to see. Thanks for checking this out... type at you soon...
Will Zettler
will_zettler@dlsstudio
www.dlsstudio.com -- Update Coming May 1st (New Design)
St Louis, MO (for now)
Well, I have great news for those who have been following the very slow progress of our game, Beyond the abyss. First off, before I do anything else, I would like to thank Associate Tom Spilman for his comments in www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/17065 and I quote him:
Quote:My suggestion is to stick with what you got and not convert it over. Its not worth derailing your project and its timeline.
There will always be better technology or improvements that can be made to your game. If you spend your time chasing the mythical perfect tech you'll never get the game done and it will drag on for years.
Save it for your next project.
I honestly wanted to port it over to T3D before this, I think Tom just saved me hours if not weeks of extra work! Thanks Tom!
With that, I was planning on using the TGEA 1.8 engine to finish the project out and still am as of now. I think we here are going to wait until T3D becomes more stable before we make any games with it right now which isn't really a big deal since we have to learn the new engine anyways.
I was checking out research pics for the game when I stumbled upon an old old Zombie flim on You Tube. Do a search for Zombie (Lucio Fulci) Tribute if you want to see it on You Tube (I didn't post the link as I didn't want to offend anyone due to the graphic nature of it) and it actually got me re-motivated for the project again more so then before. Not actually the same layout the game has but would make for an interesting ending to our game. Funny how the zombies all start on a island too, kinda like my game is moving into...
The Basics Of The Game (for those who don't know)
Basically, the game was putting you on a underwater oil rig deep under water. The rig is going to next to an inactive volcano about 2 miles below the ocean and right on the edge of a deep abyss that no one seems to know where it leads... Thus the name of the game. There is a military installation under the volcano doing top secret research on not only advanced weapons systems but some human subjects as well. Later in the game you find the base through the abyss (almost like a back door that was never sealed) and then we begin the nightmare of what we think is an abandoned base, actually houses thousands upon thousands of the living or reanimated dead roaming the other end of the base.
Basically, I wanted an ending to really blow the player out of his seat. I was thinking of a few ideas but I can't really figure just one out so we may have multi-endings based on how the player plays the game. I'm sure that is possible with this game and engine. Really, anything is possible if you put your mind to it and if you have the talent which I don't but I'm working out each problem as it comes up.
The ending may reflect a ship that gets a few zombies on board but I don't know yet. I wanted to blow the base up at the end and when the base blows, half of the volcano comes down and we see the base was actually inside the volcano and the island. But all that is still up in the air. Should make for a fun project though overall to try and figure the ending out... and now with the GMK www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/17073 and it's cut scene editor, I might be able to pull off what I have always been hoping for, a movie style action game!!!
Many thanks too go out to Alan James for his awesome Corridors & Conduits SciFi Construction Kit TGE/TGEA EA Edition and for the smaller packs he has created and helped me with over the last several months. He is an awesome guy to say the least and a cool friend. :-) I'm using his SciFi Pack for my game for the base so it should be mind blowing to say the least. Go check his packs out at www.monsterpacks.com and besure to tell him Will sent you.
Future Plans for the game
I expect, as I have blogged about way way back at the beginning of this year, a mini-pack game. This game will feature the first 4 levels to the game. This way, I can keep it simple and parted. The 2nd pack I am planning to release, will also be anove 4 levels and so on. Each mini-pack will allow you to play through any map as much as you want but keeping my process simple and un-complex. Don't get me wrong, game design is a complex function in its own right but I like keeping life and this as simple as I can, so thus, I'm going the mini-pack route for this series. There will be 4 editions total to bring the levels to a 16 total for the game.
I might be able to get one of the editions to use Torque 3D but that's many months from now down the road, and going back to my opening of this, I value what Tom said about stay on track, so I am doing just that. Until I'm sure I'm ready for the new engine, we're staying with TGEA 1.8.1 and TGE 1.5.2 which are still strong engines and nothing is wrong with them.
Well that's it for this blog... when I have some quality screens and a playable video I will post a few of the game for all to see. Thanks for checking this out... type at you soon...
Will Zettler
will_zettler@dlsstudio
www.dlsstudio.com -- Update Coming May 1st (New Design)
St Louis, MO (for now)
About the author
- Ambient sound artist since 2004 - Texture artist since 2001 - Terrain designer since 2006 - Android app design since 2016 - Game design (Sky Fall, A_Clone) 2018
#2
Yeah actually, a coder/scripting guy is needed to get the weapon engine working how we need it and get all these packs installed so we can finish out the first of the 4 editions of the game. Saw your profile, you interested in coding? Could you do the weapon system and the installing of the content packs? just wondering and what would you charge? I'm taking bids on the deal.
Have my cousins doing some models for the editions as well and another guy doing some art as far as texturing goes. I could use some help yeah if the price is right. I work a day job and do this as a hobby til we get on our feet. Oh and BTW, I dont expect anyone to work for us for free, I know if I did something for a game, I would expect payment so name a price that you think this is worth. Thanks much man for the info... or you can always email me privately at will_zettler@dlsstudio.com thanks!
Will
04/27/2009 (2:48 pm)
@ Andrew:Yeah actually, a coder/scripting guy is needed to get the weapon engine working how we need it and get all these packs installed so we can finish out the first of the 4 editions of the game. Saw your profile, you interested in coding? Could you do the weapon system and the installing of the content packs? just wondering and what would you charge? I'm taking bids on the deal.
Have my cousins doing some models for the editions as well and another guy doing some art as far as texturing goes. I could use some help yeah if the price is right. I work a day job and do this as a hobby til we get on our feet. Oh and BTW, I dont expect anyone to work for us for free, I know if I did something for a game, I would expect payment so name a price that you think this is worth. Thanks much man for the info... or you can always email me privately at will_zettler@dlsstudio.com thanks!
Will
#3
I am shooting for a Left4Dead like game later in edition 2 of this game. Here is a list of what I'm looking for right now to help on the game:
First uses the TGEA engine... 1.8.1
Need help adding multi weapons to the game. User can select different types with the 1-9 keys or use the Xbox 360 pad on the game.
Inventory system to hold items like bombs, guns and ammo.
Health and air system
Content packs: SSAO, BigCliff, GMK, and a few others to be installed into the game engine which right now, they all over write the others work so I can't get a complete start on this.
and a few other things that slip my mind right now that i need perfected before I can finish the game the way I planned it to feel like.
If you can help, let me know and lets contract up something. If you have those kits SSAO, bigcliff and GMK that would greatly help. Thanks much man for the info...
Will
04/27/2009 (2:56 pm)
@ Andrew:I am shooting for a Left4Dead like game later in edition 2 of this game. Here is a list of what I'm looking for right now to help on the game:
First uses the TGEA engine... 1.8.1
Need help adding multi weapons to the game. User can select different types with the 1-9 keys or use the Xbox 360 pad on the game.
Inventory system to hold items like bombs, guns and ammo.
Health and air system
Content packs: SSAO, BigCliff, GMK, and a few others to be installed into the game engine which right now, they all over write the others work so I can't get a complete start on this.
and a few other things that slip my mind right now that i need perfected before I can finish the game the way I planned it to feel like.
If you can help, let me know and lets contract up something. If you have those kits SSAO, bigcliff and GMK that would greatly help. Thanks much man for the info...
Will
#4
04/27/2009 (3:49 pm)
I sent you an e-mail. We'll talk more about this. 
#5
You'll want to add in a svn server and auto check/download program to tgea in order to keep your game up to date the way you want. There was one around this site a while back, but I don't recall the name of it.
As for adding the content packs, (lisence's aside) the only problems you may experience is getting them to all play nice with each other, especially if they have overlapping code.
04/27/2009 (6:12 pm)
This sounds like an interesting game. You'll want to add in a svn server and auto check/download program to tgea in order to keep your game up to date the way you want. There was one around this site a while back, but I don't recall the name of it.
As for adding the content packs, (lisence's aside) the only problems you may experience is getting them to all play nice with each other, especially if they have overlapping code.
#6
Yeah, I've been running into heavy resistance on using the GMK with Big Cliff, the Skies pack, SSAO and Tweaker. For some reason they all seem to use one or two files that I need to merge and it's totally throwing a flaming panda at me that I can't fix. I just want to throw in and give up sometimes but I don't... as we truckers know, never give up is the word, right? :-)
Hey Mike, is that your truck? Wow, never drove a Pete, at least looks like a Pete from here :-). I'm in a uh... Volvo... Yuck... trying hard to get upgraded to a International.
Will
04/27/2009 (6:27 pm)
@ Mike:Yeah, I've been running into heavy resistance on using the GMK with Big Cliff, the Skies pack, SSAO and Tweaker. For some reason they all seem to use one or two files that I need to merge and it's totally throwing a flaming panda at me that I can't fix. I just want to throw in and give up sometimes but I don't... as we truckers know, never give up is the word, right? :-)
Hey Mike, is that your truck? Wow, never drove a Pete, at least looks like a Pete from here :-). I'm in a uh... Volvo... Yuck... trying hard to get upgraded to a International.
Will
#7
BTW, just wanted you all to know the web site is done and redesigned... www.dlsstudio.com. I would have posted a blog about it but it won't let me post two a day... so i will post tomorrow about it...
Let me know what you think...
Will
04/27/2009 (7:15 pm)
To all:BTW, just wanted you all to know the web site is done and redesigned... www.dlsstudio.com. I would have posted a blog about it but it won't let me post two a day... so i will post tomorrow about it...
Let me know what you think...
Will
#8
04/27/2009 (7:57 pm)
Quote:Hey Mike, is that your truck? Wow, never drove a Pete, at least looks like a Pete from here :-). I'm in a uh... Volvo... Yuck... trying hard to get upgraded to a International.Yes. That's my truck (2008 pete) with the San Bernadino fire raging in the background. (from last year. It had just started.) An internation is Not an upgrade from a volvo. Trust me. It just isn't.
Quote:Yeah, I've been running into heavy resistance on using the GMK with Big Cliff, the Skies pack, SSAO and Tweaker. For some reason they all seem to use one or two files that I need to merge and it's totally throwing a flaming panda at me that I can't fix.That's why I use winmerge. It makes it easier as I can see the two files side-by-side. Even then, sometimes it doesn't work.
Quote:I just want to throw in and give up sometimesI know that feeling well.
#9
04/28/2009 (5:12 am)
As a Brit I usually think truck -> pickup truck. I love the way in the US truck means that, but also means the SS Titanic With Wheels! 
#10
That reminds me of Duke Nukem Forever... (It really takes forever)
Anyway, your consept sounded really cool actually.
04/28/2009 (10:53 am)
"There will always be better technology or improvements that can be made to your game. If you spend your time chasing the mythical perfect tech you'll never get the game done and it will drag on for years."That reminds me of Duke Nukem Forever... (It really takes forever)
Anyway, your consept sounded really cool actually.
#11
Yeah you got that right. I really wanted to use the new T3D for the game but hey, there will be more chances. I'm sure there will be a Beyond The Abyss 2 down the road, all depending how the first one is welcomed or rejected by the audience.
I like the idea too. I was toying around with the idea of something Bioshockish without coping them or the idea so I came up with this about a island, a volcano and a base under it, and no one knows whats going on next door til it's too late.
The 4 editions will be small, kinda reminds me of a soapy how they always leave you on edge til the next one. That is how this will be. 4 small levels per edition to keep it small and fast paced. I want to shoot for making the 4th edition with a good stable release of Torque 3D to show off not only my ideas better but using a engine that will blow every ones mind due to the eye candy, battle scenes and overall fun aspect I'm hoping to bring to it.
This is my first major game, I'm hoping it goes over good. :-) I'm even throwing around the idea of making the fist level, the idland on edition 1 free to show off the work. Won't be much of a level, just an island with nuts to throw, play target practice and listen to tunes on a solar radio... but other then that, it will give the player some idea of what to expect... I might even throw in a zombie or two just for kicks to let the player have something fun to do :-)
Thanks for the comments. I hope it comes out as good as we all are hoping. Just taking it slow to make sure we do everything right.
Will
04/28/2009 (11:02 am)
@ Tuomas:Yeah you got that right. I really wanted to use the new T3D for the game but hey, there will be more chances. I'm sure there will be a Beyond The Abyss 2 down the road, all depending how the first one is welcomed or rejected by the audience.
I like the idea too. I was toying around with the idea of something Bioshockish without coping them or the idea so I came up with this about a island, a volcano and a base under it, and no one knows whats going on next door til it's too late.
The 4 editions will be small, kinda reminds me of a soapy how they always leave you on edge til the next one. That is how this will be. 4 small levels per edition to keep it small and fast paced. I want to shoot for making the 4th edition with a good stable release of Torque 3D to show off not only my ideas better but using a engine that will blow every ones mind due to the eye candy, battle scenes and overall fun aspect I'm hoping to bring to it.
This is my first major game, I'm hoping it goes over good. :-) I'm even throwing around the idea of making the fist level, the idland on edition 1 free to show off the work. Won't be much of a level, just an island with nuts to throw, play target practice and listen to tunes on a solar radio... but other then that, it will give the player some idea of what to expect... I might even throw in a zombie or two just for kicks to let the player have something fun to do :-)
Thanks for the comments. I hope it comes out as good as we all are hoping. Just taking it slow to make sure we do everything right.
Will
Torque Owner Andrew Hull