Hive Keeper - Dungeon Keeper remake

[Bibendus]

Quick Description
This map is freely inspired to Dungeon Keeper 2 but all the game will be transported to the starcraft universe. That means that all DK units, rooms and spells will be converted in SC2 units, giving them similar roles and abilities as they had in the original game.
For people who don't know, Dungeon Keeper was one of the most in depth strategy game created by Bullfrog in the old '90s.


Gamepaly
Dig underground tunnels, build rooms and attract creatures at your service, then use your army to annihilate your enemies. Each room has a different use and can attract a specific type of creature, so it's up to you to build the best dungeon possible. You can even build traps or research new spells.


Game Features
- Use your drones to dig and build your perfect underground hive/dungeon
- Attract different creatures researching and building new rooms types
- Full featured creatures AI that allows them to eat, sleep, train and work autonomously if you provide them the needed rooms
- Each creature has different a different abilities and can level up fighting or training
- Quickly drag and drop your creatures where they are needed, you can even slap them to increase their work efficiency
- Research and build traps to welcome any intruder that dares to step into your territory
- Research and use spells to quickly destroy your opponents or support your army
- Play in different game modes, against waves of invading heroes or against other keepers
- Full featured playable tutorial


How to Play
You can play Hive Keeper on EU/NA/SG/KR servers in single and multiplayer mode, a full ingame tutorial is available to learn the basic game mechanics.

Media

Some screenshots on version 0.95 beta




Some 2vs2 gameplay on version 0.22 beta

Original combat soundtrack

Few Considerations
I'm working on this project since 2+ years, the game is still in beta but it finally reached a stable release state with good performances and almost all basic features complete. However I want to add a couple more things before goin out from the beta state.
I hope this map can become a good competitive game one day, specially considering it's really deep and complex, even if totally different from starcraft 2.


Useful Links
Project page on moddb: http://www.moddb.com/mods/hive-keeper/
Project page on sc2mapster: http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/hive-keeper/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bibendus83/
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/bibendus83

 

[The World Is Flat]

Gggodly


Are you going to make it so that humans can play as the heroes? that would be godly.

 

[Maker]

This could be very cool. I spent so much time with DK and DK2. Good luck with the project.

 

[HINDYhat]

Hey, cool, I used to love Dungeon Keeper as a child. Keep it up.

 

[The World Is Flat]

Ya, best game ever made imo

 

[Grey Nightmare]

I wouldn't go that far... but as far as advancement in the galaxy editor goes, this looks very promising, good job!

 

[Alrik.ger]

Yeah looking forward your map,

if you need some models maybe I would like to join, especially for inner
dungeon walls etc.

EDIT: Oops it is the HIVE, not a dungeon I forgot

 

[Bibendus]

I already used existing models to make some room previews, what other models could I use to make treasury, library and casino?


Lair


Hatchery


Training Room


Workshop


Guard Room


Prison


Torture Chamber (Infestation Chamber)


Combat Pit


Graveyard


Temple


Edit:
Made library too (evolution chamber):


I still need some help for treasury and casino, any ideas?

 

[Bibendus]

The new dev diary is out

 

[Deolrin]

It's awesome you're now on the Hive, too.
I thought the project died since you didn't post anything on UDMod.
Anyways, looking great as always, keep it up. ^^ I just dislike the Hybrids, they're really out of place in those screenshots. The color scheme and everything is off.

 

[Taylor Mouse]

I love the Idea !!

I adored these games

I see if I can find some cool resources for you

T.

 

[Taylor Mouse]

Since EA Games is busy with a MMO on DK, and it has been released for some time in the Eastern countries, here is the url from the concept art of the new DK Online:

http://dk.91.com/download/wallpaper/yh/pic,1.shtml

T.

 

[Taylor Mouse]

Just read that an new "look-a-like" Dungeon Keeper is coming out in Feb 2011, check it out it looks neat.

See google.com and look for Realmforge Dungeons

T.

 

[Dr Super Good]

How many rooms are supported? Remember that a person could spawn a different room in every tile.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

looks promising. i really want to test it myself. where can i play it.

 

[Taylor Mouse]

So... euh is there any update on this, ... ?

T.

 

[The World Is Flat]

Yeah, I'd like to hear more about this.

I think they have a sc2mapster profile Taylor.

 

[Bibendus]

Yep, I keep updated my project page with my dev progression:
http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/hive-keeper/


BTW here is a small preview of what's coming

 

[andreasaspenberg]

i really want to play it. where can i get it?

 

[Bibendus]

still in alpha, ill start a closed test when at least the basic AI will be finished

 

[Bibendus]

The third developement diary is finally out

 

[Bibendus]

And the 4th dev diary is out too showing heroes invading the hive

 

[The World Is Flat]

Dear god, keep this up!

 

[Statharas]

That took a while.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Hopefully the spawn system will be less broken than the actual game. I remember never getting more than 1 of the unit type I wanted despite having ample capacity. Maybe the RNG just hated me or the rarity of late game units in the orignal used values incompatible with XP and newer OS.

 

[Statharas]

Maybe you sucked at the game ._.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Not really... I met all the requirements for them, just none ever came. Well 1 would come every few games if you kept killing/throwing out minions fast enough.

 

[Bibendus]

Here are some news about the project.

I recently released some news about the map release schedule, you can find them here:
http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/hive-keeper/forum/26643-hive-keeper-release-info-announcement/?unread

I made an interview last week focused on my project and general modding experience
http://www.livestream.com/sc2stream...6d73&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

To complete this thread I leave you with a new dev diary showing the remake of the old unit's UI and leveling system

 

[Deolrin]

That's great; But I do wonder. Will we, as Hiveworkshoppers, have access to this singleplayer 'demo', or will you only hand it out for SC2Mapster users? Because I'm really looking forward for playing this map, and I'd hate to miss out just because I'm not active\registered on SC2Mapster!

 

[Maker]

This would be so awesome with Dungeon Keeper models.

 

[Bibendus]

Don't worry, the download system of curse/sc2mapster is like the one here, you don't need to be registered to download a map but you need it if you want to post in the forums (and I would be happy if you do so ).


BTW I continue to read that people wants the original DK models in game, still I don't get it considering that the starcraft world fits perfectly with it.

 

[andreasaspenberg]

people that have played the original dungeon keeper games wants the mod to be as similar to that as possible. i have played dungeon keeper 1 and 2 myself.

 

[Bibendus]

If you want to play the original game just play it, there is no reason to make the exact copy of an old game.
Do you prefer great sc2 models or crappy custom made dk models?

BTW if you are really looking for a DK copy take a look at this
http://warfortheoverworld.com/

 

[Maker]

If you want to play the original game just play it, there is no reason to make the exact copy of an old game.
Do you prefer great sc2 models or crappy custom made dk models?

The original game is great, put it has poor graphics. DK2 sucked in some ways.

How about great custom made DK models

BTW if you are really looking for a DK copy take a look at this
http://warfortheoverworld.com/

Holy shit! YESSSSSS!

 

[The World Is Flat]

Looking tasty.

 

[Bibendus]

Santa brought his gift tonight, Hive Keeper is currently playable on EU/US servers.

Here is the release video I edited during the christmas night

 

[Deolrin]

OH HELL YEAH! Gonna check that ASAP!

 

[X-OMG-X]

Didnt know you were on the hive too
You might recognize my signature.

 

[Bibendus]

Didnt know you were only the hive too
You might recognize my signature.

What? :O

 

[Deolrin]

Alright, so I tried it out.
Some time before Wave 2 reached me, all of my drones just stopped working and stood there, around the Hive Heart. Although 1 or 2 Drones would dig up any areas I ordered them to dig, they would never transform the floor and walls into creep. I only had 1 Nydus Worm room, 1 Hatchery and 1 Lair, and I wanted to create a Library. Shortly after, the heroes from Wave 2 arrived and my weak forces couldn't handle them... But, even after slaughtering my entire army at the Hatchery room, they never proceeded to attack my hive heart. They just stood there.

Any idea what's causing this, or how do I go around this?
Other than those rather major problems, I actually found the game extremely enjoyable, and I really want to continue and advance and get to see all of the cool stuff you've done. I don't really understand how nydus worms work, but hell, I guess I'll learn eventually.
Looking forward to updates, btw. ^^

 

[Bibendus]

I just updated it 5 minutes ago, the drones problem was related to minerals dropping when the treasury was full.

Here is the changelog:

BUG FIX
o Drones no longer freeze their AI when all the treasuries are full
o Doubleclick on rooms/spells/traps tabs to open the research menu now works correctly
o Costs now show correctly on UI buttons
o Creatures will no longer keep the speed bonus buff after a fight

CHANGES
o Increased the food needing of some creatures
o Reduced the training speed of all creatures
o Increased spells vespene costs
o Increased rooms minerals costs
o Reduced starting vespene and minerals
o Reduced treasury max storage amount per tile
o Bottom minerals patch on map "Under Siege" moved
o Added error message while trying to build a room having not enough minerals

 

[Deolrin]

Hmm. One thing is bothering me. Will it eventually be possible to repair walls...? I sort of don't like having holes through my rooms everywhere.

 

[Bibendus]

Nope, it never exited on dungeon keeper and I'm not going to add it
It's the fun of the game, defending your dungeon becomes harder when heroes dig many tunnels around your base

 

[Dr Super Good]

Map appears unplayable in its current state to me.

AI is horrible, interface is poor and most building options do not seem to work.

It appears that you can only build 3 types of room (beds, food and library), and use 1 spell (spawn drone). I am aware advanced rooms are not yet implimented but what about the trasury and training rooms, they are just grey for no reason apparently. Same with the mind blast spell which is also grey for no apparent reason.

There is no hint where your spawner is. Players should eithor start with one or be made very clear where one is and the importance of getting one.

I was having creatures leave my dungeon for being "unhappy" for no reason at all. They had ample living space as well as food but where "unhappy". Further more I only had creatures of that type so I am sure it was not unhappinies from other creature types.

Drones are the single stupidies piece of **** I have ever seen. They pioritise digging over furnashing and seem to be blind 50% of the time to not ever consider flooring breaches by the heroes. The result was I could ding without them ever going to lay a single floor in a certain direction. I also had drones sit on unrefined ground while heroes beat them to death without doing anything at all until I resced them manually...

The defensive AI is also retarded. When you are under attack all your troops in a large radius should start to run to help defend. Instead you have to manually drag them there but that clearly is not viable in its current state.

Trying to use the keeper hand is too cumbersome at the moment. The creatures are so small that if they decide to do any movement at all it is like trying to catch a midge. There is no confirmation that you are still holding something. When unloading you are highly prone to slapping your poor creatures which is clearly not what you want. If improving the defensive AI is not an option atleast add an auto rally millity option to the hand so that you can gather all your troops with 1 button click and unload them where needed.

There is no interface confirmation of where you are selecting to dig until you make a complete selection often resulting in you overshooting or undershooting your desired area.

Surrounding a hero spawner does not shut it down. I am prety sure hero spawners were permantly shut down in DK2 when they were surrounded by your dungeon tiles. Spawns that were not meant to be shut down had atleast 1 undiggable tile around them.

On other notes there are 3 areas which the map is noteworthy about. The room creation system seemed to work flawlessly. The gold gatering system also fealt like it was from Dungeon Keepers. Finally the level up system also fealt like out of Dungeon Keepers.

It would be nice if you could queue build orders like more modern games such as Evil Geneious. In there you could specify a room type to build in the earth and it would automaticly go about digging and furnashing the room. The sort of system I expect would be where you click a room type and select an area (with or without walls in it) and it would automaticly dig and furnash the room (making room tiles as soon as the floor is finished at a certain tile). This is just a convenience feature that makes playing games like this just that much easier.

 

[Deolrin]

Have you even opened the research menu, DSG?
The Training Room and Treasury are implemented. You need to research it. Same with Mind Blast... In my last playthrough on the first version, Mind Blast was OP, seeing how I was permanently on max Mana\Vespene. I don't know what generates Vespene, but it seems sort of overpowered to me. ><

When you are under attack all your troops in a large radius should start to run to help defend. Instead you have to manually drag them there but that clearly is not viable in its current state.

I agree, actually. Beating the whole game with Mind Blast wasn't *that* great. Also, I thought the map was randomly generated, but I get the same map every time...? D: What, then, is generated at map-start? :S

 

[X-OMG-X]

What? :O

Bah, it was ment to say "on" instead of "only". Shame on me.

 

[Bibendus]

Map appears unplayable in its current state to me.

AI is horrible, interface is poor and most building options do not seem to work.

It appears that you can only build 3 types of room (beds, food and library), and use 1 spell (spawn drone). I am aware advanced rooms are not yet implimented but what about the trasury and training rooms, they are just grey for no reason apparently. Same with the mind blast spell which is also grey for no apparent reason.

There is no hint where your spawner is. Players should eithor start with one or be made very clear where one is and the importance of getting one.

As Deolrin said you can open your research menu by doubleclicking the rooms/spells/traps tabs or by clicking M. I placed tooltips on every button of the game to explain what they are for. The only missing one is the vespene, it's generated by the amount of tiles you conquered (like in the original game).
BTW I know these tooltips are not soo intuitive, I'll work on some kind of tips that will guide you through the game.
Ex. you have a lot of unspent research points and you didn't research anything, a TIP will tell you that you have to press M to research.

I was having creatures leave my dungeon for being "unhappy" for no reason at all. They had ample living space as well as food but where "unhappy". Further more I only had creatures of that type so I am sure it was not unhappinies from other creature types.

You should see on their status what they are needing for, generally food or sleep. Or maybe you slapped them too much

Drones are the single stupidies piece of **** I have ever seen. They pioritise digging over furnashing and seem to be blind 50% of the time to not ever consider flooring breaches by the heroes. The result was I could ding without them ever going to lay a single floor in a certain direction. I also had drones sit on unrefined ground while heroes beat them to death without doing anything at all until I resced them manually...

If you played DK you know that imps were stupid too, often running on heroes swords
The AI might be improved by making them run away few seconds when they get hit, however the behavior is quite similar to the original game.

The defensive AI is also retarded. When you are under attack all your troops in a large radius should start to run to help defend. Instead you have to manually drag them there but that clearly is not viable in its current state.

The detect radius is quite small, I know. I reduced it for performance issues, I may try to increase it a bit.

Trying to use the keeper hand is too cumbersome at the moment. The creatures are so small that if they decide to do any movement at all it is like trying to catch a midge. There is no confirmation that you are still holding something. When unloading you are highly prone to slapping your poor creatures which is clearly not what you want. If improving the defensive AI is not an option atleast add an auto rally millity option to the hand so that you can gather all your troops with 1 button click and unload them where needed.

The big problem I saw was with mutalings, I don't know why but they are almost uncachable. I have to check if their pick area can be increased before working on a UI that allows you to pick creatures by interface (like in the original game).

There is no interface confirmation of where you are selecting to dig until you make a complete selection often resulting in you overshooting or undershooting your desired area.

Yes it's a feature I need to do as fast as possible, I noticed it too.

Surrounding a hero spawner does not shut it down. I am prety sure hero spawners were permantly shut down in DK2 when they were surrounded by your dungeon tiles. Spawns that were not meant to be shut down had atleast 1 undiggable tile around them.

It's in the TODO list and not soo easy to do, if you want I can add some undiggable walls around them so you are not not pissed by the lack of this feature

It would be nice if you could queue build orders like more modern games such as Evil Geneious. In there you could specify a room type to build in the earth and it would automaticly go about digging and furnashing the room. The sort of system I expect would be where you click a room type and select an area (with or without walls in it) and it would automaticly dig and furnash the room (making room tiles as soon as the floor is finished at a certain tile). This is just a convenience feature that makes playing games like this just that much easier.

Evil genius was kinda different on the building system, I don't know if that would fit in a game where managing corridors and traps on them is really important. I may think to add it in the future but it's really on a low priority considering the lacking of more important features

 

[Bibendus]

I agree, actually. Beating the whole game with Mind Blast wasn't *that* great. Also, I thought the map was randomly generated, but I get the same map every time...? D: What, then, is generated at map-start? :S

Did you try the mind blast on v0.02? Is it still overpowered? Because I may add some additional cost to it

The map is always the same for now, I had no time to work on a random generator for now but I'll do it in the future!

 

[Dr Super Good]

As Deolrin said you can open your research menu by doubleclicking the rooms/spells/traps tabs or by clicking M. I placed tooltips on every button of the game to explain what they are for. The only missing one is the vespene, it's generated by the amount of tiles you conquered (like in the original game).
BTW I know these tooltips are not soo intuitive, I'll work on some kind of tips that will guide you through the game.
Ex. you have a lot of unspent research points and you didn't research anything, a TIP will tell you that you have to press M to research.

Or you could just make a dedicated button called "Research" and avoid any obscurity at all. Reasearch interface is nice and does seem to work I admit.

If you played DK you know that imps were stupid too, often running on heroes swords
The AI might be improved by making them run away few seconds when they get hit, however the behavior is quite similar to the original game.

I would classify them being stupid as a game fault rather than a game feature. You must remember that a lot of things such as AI were restricted by the limited processing power of old computers back when DK1 and 2 were made. The drones should automaticly tile every square they can reach including breaches. The drones should also task share with some tiling while others dig instead of everyone digging then tiling then walling. Drones should also avoid hostile units, (automaticly run away and stay away) unless there is sufficient allied forces nearby.

The detect radius is quite small, I know. I reduced it for performance issues, I may try to increase it a bit.

What you do is use a trigger to detect when a unit enters combat. You then order all units in a large radius to run into combat and aid the unit. Instead of detection of enemies, you assist allies in need. This should be more performance efficient as you only need to send the order every 5 or 10 seconds of combat and can issue it only to applicable combat units. Ofcourse after the basic system is implimented, you should consider improving it to detect multiple combats and allow units to run to whichever is closest.

I keep losing to wave 3 which completly obliterates my forces.

 

[Bibendus]

Or you could just make a dedicated button called "Research" and avoid any obscurity at all. Reasearch interface is nice and does seem to work I admit.

I just need a spot to place it
The UI is not final, I'll do some rework in the future but it's not a priority.

I would classify them being stupid as a game fault rather than a game feature. You must remember that a lot of things such as AI were restricted by the limited processing power of old computers back when DK1 and 2 were made. The drones should automaticly tile every square they can reach including breaches. The drones should also task share with some tiling while others dig instead of everyone digging then tiling then walling. Drones should also avoid hostile units, (automaticly run away and stay away) unless there is sufficient allied forces nearby.

I assure you that I'm already touching the editor limits, I feel like having the same issues :|
BTW I think it was a choice of making them stupid, you had to manage them with doors and it worked well
As I said the AI lacks a bit of improvement like making them run away when they are hit.

What you do is use a trigger to detect when a unit enters combat. You then order all units in a large radius to run into combat and aid the unit. Instead of detection of enemies, you assist allies in need. This should be more performance efficient as you only need to send the order every 5 or 10 seconds of combat and can issue it only to applicable combat units. Ofcourse after the basic system is implimented, you should consider improving it to detect multiple combats and allow units to run to whichever is closest.

The performance problem is related to the custom sight check script I made so that units won't start to attack enemies behind walls because they can't see them.
This problem could occur with allies helping too, that's why I would need to use this advanced script even with allies call for help.
I could optimize it adding to the range not only enemy units but even allied units in combat, that should work good!

I keep losing to wave 3 which completly obliterates my forces.

Dunno, it doesn't seem too hard to reach at least level 6, I've heard of people finishing the whole 11 waves on sc2mapster :|