(1) Project Y4: A Total Conversion

[Rao Dao Zao]

Teehee, watched the video before the post was even made.

Your rampant subscribing only causes you spoiler-pain. Seeing things before everyone else? You only have yourself to blame!

This is awesome! but wait, these are all that you've already made? Nice.

Well, I couldn't video them if I hadn't made them...

Yes, these are most of the current roster. I don't have Deltas with cannons in the random spawn line-up right now (let alone Deltas with cannons and shields) because cannons are so totally imbalanced and I haven't started work on the later stages of the game just yet.

I do plan more variety among the existing chassis, and I'm thinking it might be possible to revive even more terrible terrible old concepts into usable machinery. We shall see.

 

[Narrat0r]

I have remade the teaser trailer longer and better (i.e. I took more than five minutes to make it this time).

Lots of new footage, dramatic intro stuff... Hopefully you will enjoy.

You... divided Warcraft by zero.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

You... Divided warcraft by zero.

fffffffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu--

 

[Tleno]

I don't want to be Captain Obvious here...
...but will the final boss have an Omega mech?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

I don't want to be Captain Obvious here...
...but will the final boss have an Omega mech?

You can't be Captain Obvious here, because I don't think I've even once remotely mentioned the possibility of the Omega ever doing anything.

The main problem with the Omega is that it has the side cannons. There is no real way in Warcraft to make those work. It's also big and long, so the large collision radius would make it awkward to work with.

So no, actually -- the Omega is extremely unlikely to make an appearance, and even if it does, it certainly won't be related to the final boss (for whom I have a billion alternative designs for in my doodle-pad at work... I'll settle on one eventually).

 

[Tleno]

Then the final boss will be... erm... Zeta? Delta Mk2? Uberme... you know, I think I should stop guessing now... not like you're going to give away all the surprises.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Then the final boss will be... erm... Zeta? Delta Mk2? Uberme... you know, I think I should stop guessing now... not like you're going to give away all the surprises.

Yeah. I will not say anything about the finale (much as I'd love to).

Suffice to say... there will be a final boss.

 

[Miss_Foxy]

I'm guessing that you have even more units up your sleeve, hehe

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

I'm guessing that you have even more units up your sleeve, hehe

Well, the video doesn't explicitly cover any of the special/unique bosses except Firegun, plus there are the HoverCon units from their side quest(s) (HCHK, HCD, HCM), then there will be G1 Technology units that haven't been made yet for their side quest(s)...

Most of the enemy variety comes from alternative weapon/shield sets, but there is still plenty more fun to come.

 

[Tleno]

Kinda lacks TlenoTech

Oh, so if enemies will have different armament, will different units use different tactics too? I mean, long-range ones using hit&run/kitting tactics and such, or you're not going to make any enemy behavior modifications?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Oh, so if enemies will have different armament, will different units use different tactics too? I mean, long-range ones using hit&run/kitting tactics and such, or you're not going to make any enemy behavior modifications?

Uh, this is Warcraft we're talking about.

I don't have any plans to adjust the drone AI; it already takes a billion triggers to set up the proper patrol routes I have right now. Obviously ranged units will stand back and shoot, while melee ones will run at you.

I suppose it could be interesting to make some variants of the ranged units with minimum attack ranges, so they try to run away from you.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

A small update: I have redesigned the Delta biorifle weapons.

I felt that the old ones didn't really feel enough like biorifles, and the Delta with biorifles is actually a relative common opponent (once you've beaten the waste processing annex the first time). I think I will add it to lore that Facility EY43 is very much up in the programme to weaponise biowaste.

 

[Tleno]

Minimum attack ranges could work with super-light walkers with high movement speed and probably some electromagnetic shields or some anti-missle system to protect from ranged attacks...

Yes, now they do look biowasteier!

 

[Miss_Foxy]

Oo... Looks a bit more techy hehe.

 

[Tleno]

Oo... Looks a bit more techy hehe.

Well, super mega awesome futuristic bipedal combat vehicles are supposed to be techy :3

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Yes, now they do look biowasteier!

Well, the old versions didn't really have anything remotely biowaste-related in them, so it had to be done.

I am reaching the final stages of the main plot elements. This has necessitated that I design a management computer terminal, something larger and more bad-ass than the usual terminals you'll find throughout the facility.

I think I'll use this opportunity to introduce one final node-hacking maze, since you don't get to do any of them after the first round of node hacking.

 

[Vengeancekael]

No random numbers on the screen?

 

[Tleno]

Hmmm, some text on the screens would look nice, that's true.

 

[Miss_Foxy]

There will be constant updates even after it's fully released, right?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Hmmm, some text on the screens would look nice, that's true.

The screens are pretty small in-game, it's not really a big concern for me.

There will be constant updates even after it's fully released, right?

Depends what you mean by "updates". I fully intend to release a functionally complete product, with all bonus missions and content installed and finalised -- post-release, there should be no need for constant updates.

However, there will be bugs and I will obviously make as many fixes as are required after release.

 

[Miss_Foxy]

All right

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

I would like to present to you... The most deadly opponent you will face in Facility EY43.



The... assembly arm!

Yes, even the factories conspire against you. With a tiny range and doing very little damage, these machines strike quickly at those who dare walk within their miniscule range.

I also put a few more generic preview screens on the ModDB.

 

[Vengeancekael]

But can they survive my bullets?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

But can they survive my bullets?

Considering there isn't a single way for the AP-AM to shoot bullets... Yes. Yes they can.

 

[Tleno]

Can they survive my roundhouse-kicks & Missiles, then?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Can they survive my roundhouse-kicks & Missiles, then?

The AP-AM doesn't kick either, but there is now a GEP Gun undercarriage mod which launches a missile that can one-hit all but the toughest opponents. Needless to say, the Assmbly Arm is not one of the toughest opponents.

 

[Tleno]

Oh, so they are killable...
so if there wil be assmebly arms, will there be some Stationary drills/saws/those things that squish metal scrap into metal cubes?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Oh, so they are killable...
so if there wil be assmebly arms, will there be some Stationary drills/saws/those things that squish metal scrap into metal cubes?

I think I will make welding arm/etc variants of the basic Assembly Arm (which is actually a cutting arm), eventually.

I want to add other industrial machinery to the two underground factory parts, but I'm not sure if I physically have enough space to cram them in (let alone enough doodads to get away with it).

 

[Deolrin]

Metal smashers that hang from the ceiling, like, on a construction line or something, could be really cool if you can put them in. Like, a giant metal cube\plate with spikes(?) on it, on a conveyor belt.

 

[Miss_Foxy]

Lol. Make it deal damage when it hits something too!

 

[Tleno]

Or even better, some things that release or throw rolling barrels filled with explosives, forcing you to dodge these or shoot at them, making them demolish nearby enemies!

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Facility EY43 is a research, development and production centre, not a scrapyard. Barrels will not be launched and metal will not be crushed.

 

[Tleno]

Still, a device/vehicle throwing something explosive at you, forcing you to demolish the explosives or dodge them, would be awesome.

 

[Miss_Foxy]

Maybe just a barrel of toxic waste falling from the ceiling would do heh.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

I have finally updated the PMech so it has a drone cockpit. See it at ModDB.

Still, a device/vehicle throwing something explosive at you, forcing you to demolish the explosives or dodge them, would be awesome.

I smell engine fighting. WC3 is not this kind of game.

 

[Vengeancekael]

Maybe change the color of the 'acid' to a more brighter one, because first I actually thought that was grass, IF it's possible without having to redo everything.

Also

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Maybe change the color of the 'acid' to a more brighter one, because first I actually thought that was grass, IF it's possible without having to redo everything.

Luckily it's a single tile texture that is easily replaced. I don't want it to be too bright, because then we end up confusing biowaste and plasma, but I suppose a little boost to counteract the dull reddish lighting environment can't hurt.

Also

Est-ce qu'il y a une problème monsieur?

 

[Vengeancekael]

Pas du tout, mon seigneur.

 

[Tleno]

Erm... subtitles, please?

 

[Linaze]

Erm... google translate, please?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Just posted a blog update, with details of what I've been working on recently and where the map is at.

Also added a new screenshot at ModDB, of the underground factory assembly units you'll be fighting through later on in the game.



I would post some WIP shots of the model I'm currently working on during lunch hour at work, but he's kind of spoiler-tastic so I've got to keep shtum.

 

[Tleno]

One word: [rainbow]Awesome[/rainbow].
Ah come on... put that model in a spoiler tag or something...

 

[Linaze]

Don't post it, neither in nor out of spoiler tags. Because then I will look, and I don't want that.

 

[Callahan]

The ammo pack shield actualy looks like reactive armour.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Don't post it, neither in nor out of spoiler tags. Because then I will look, and I don't want that.

Don't worry, I'm not just keeping tight-lipped about the finale because I have never played long enough to get to it. There will be no spoilers.

It just means that the next while is going to be really boring in terms of artwork teasers.

The ammo pack shield actualy looks like reactive armour.

I have actually considered the idea of ablative/counter-explosive armour that reduces damage at the cost of only being able to absorb a certain number of hits before disintegrating, but at this point I'm not quite sure how to implement that. If only the "Unit Takes Damage" function could be assigned a variable instead of a hard unit reference...

 

[Miss_Foxy]

That is just so... Speechless

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

That is just so... Speechless

Speechless bad or speechless good?

I know the ice artwork still needs a lot of love, but I only work on it in little spurts...

 

[Tleno]

from what I know about Foxy, making her Speechless bad is pretty much hard...

 

[Grey Nightmare]

Well I'm speechless in a good way, I'm just adoring how the art-environment is coming!
It's stuff like this that really take you away from Warcraft III and into something truly wonderful and unique!

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

It's stuff like this that really take you away from Warcraft III and into something truly wonderful and unique!

I do my best.