(1) Project Y4: A Total Conversion

[Rao Dao Zao]

RDZ Industries: Project Y4
A singleplayer action-adventure. A total conversion.

A remote RDZ Industries industro-military research and development facility has gone dark... Its factories are on overdrive, producing AI-controlled drone units that have destroyed everything in the facility. Take control of the brand new, highly experimental All-Purpose Assault Mech as you are sent to investigate the stricken facility -- get in, regain control of the base systems, and find out what the hell happened.

Singleplayer.
Action-adventure.
Explosions.
Guns.
Swords.
Robots.
Robots with guns and swords.

RDZ Industries: Project Y4 IS OUT NOW

After R01, Project Y4's development will continue to add new side quests, equipment, bonus missions and more.

---

Here's the original intro post... It's all out-of-date, but that's the way life goes!



---

Project Y4 is a science-fiction total conversion map for one player.

The remote industro-military development and manufacturing facility EY23 has gone dark. Communications ceased, and a team was dispatched to secure the area. They found the facility on over-drive, churning out drone mechs that had killed anyone caught in the open -- and they shredded the small team that tried to enter the facility.

You are Pilot 0451, driver of the experimental All-Purpose Assault Mech, and you've been scrambled to EY23. You've got to cut through the drones and defences and take back the facility -- then find out what the hell happened.

The AP-AM's main attack is provided by the large arm-mounted razor blades, while a front-mounted EMP cannon allows it to disable foes. Finally, it is equipped with an artillery cannon that can fire shells over long distances. It also has the ability to push its motors into overdrive, giving a massive speed boost at the cost of damage.

The AP-AM is an ultra-modular design, right down to its paintwork.

• Blades: the main attack can be augmented with fancy effects by swapping blades
• Blast shields: these protect the vulnerable turret
• Artillery Shell Mods: these alter the behaviour of shells fired from the artillery guns, from a weak EMP blast to releasing clouds of caustic gas
• Undercarriage rack: any non-standard functionality can be implemented with an undercarriage rack, from adding more artillery shells to repair drone bays and force-field generators.
• Paintwork: for a small fee, the main chassis can be resprayed a variety of camouflage textures. More can be unlocked by a variety of means.

The facility is on a lunar world beneath the heavy gaze of the gas giant Zeus. Rivers of lava flow freely, but there are massive supplies of the precious energy crystal taschari that the company has braved the dangers of this almost airless world to mine.

---

All artwork is custom and by me, except some skybox textures from http://www.nasaimages.org.
Sound effects have been constructed from General MIDI samples.
I fully intend to voice act and produce music, though I suspect I might need to cave in and get at least a little bit of outside aid for these.

History:
RDZ Industries started in about 2004 with some terrible terrible models: Series X.
RDZ Industries attempted to make a campaign several times: Series Y.
RDZ Industries failed again and again to make maps, and became a non-game project: Series Y2 & Y3.
RDZ Industries returns to Warcraft III: Series Y4. Project Y4. And this time, it will be done.

Progress:
Reasonable. There is still a lot of work to be done, however, and I'm a working man now. This project is not 'near' completion.

I have previously written a number of development diaries, which go into a detail about some planned features. As you can see, this has been in the works for some considerable time now.

 

[BoneBreaker]

So awesome. Good luck on the completion of this project!

 

[Miss_Foxy]

Very nice, I'd be glad to help out in any way I can too, good luck!

 

[GhostThruster]

Will you use the keyboard to control your suit? That would be awesome.
I like the screenies, but the textures need more details, dirt and grime.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

The control mechanism is standard WC3. Arrow keys are a large can of worms I really can't be bothered opening.

 

[Vengeancekael]

The only thing missing is a personal ship.

Nice to see you've made a thread about it here.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Niceness. Looking forward to seeing this ready!

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

The only thing missing is a personal ship.

Funny you should say that, but I intend to (attempt to) put the command ship in the skybox. Not that you'd see it except from a few choice cinematics, but still.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Awesome, kinda reminds me of Mech Warrior

the more cartoony art style is interesting, it's not often you see a wc3 map where someone actually put serious thought into the art style.

 

[mckill2009]

is this WC3?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

is this WC3?

Yes.

 

[Odellia]

It didn't looked like it. But I know its WC3 because its a forum for WC3 map developments lol.

 

[Misha]

oho.. I'd like to play-test this every time :]

 

[Vengeancekael]

Me too, I was your first cheerleader.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

This map is full of giant explosions, so here is the current champion.

For the interface, I've gone for pixel art main ability control buttons and screenshots for the items. Not sure if I want to make all of the crosshair borders into the deeper orange colour, or leave the mix of yellow and orange.

You play as Arthas, and are a Strength hero.

The static-filled portrait is a placeholder for everything... What I'm thinking is maybe hire somebody to draw some stills to put behind the static, like in Deus Ex infolink messages.

 

[Deolrin]

God-damn! That UI looks AWESOME! But maybe you should try to improve those skins, or get someone to do so for you? Especially the AP-AM. It lacks shading so badly!

Also, love the minimap.

 

[indomitable1319]

I'm wondering if I'll like this better than... *GASP*

[rainbow]THIS WRECKAGE

[/rainbow]

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

I'm wondering if I'll like this better than... *GASP*

[rainbow]THIS WRECKAGE[/rainbow]

No, it won't. Project Y4 has a very simple plot, there aren't many side quests (though I am planning unlockable mini-scenarios)...

Really, though, you shouldn't compare the two. Although they share many gameplay mechanics, they're completely different things with completely different objectives.

TL;DR: if you're looking for another This Wreckage, this won't be it. Even so, I hope it will satisfy at least some miniscule part of your mind.

 

[indomitable1319]

Oh, okay. I won't compare them, but I'll still play this.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

You planning on letting the pilot ever get out of the mech on occasion? Could allow for interesting mechanics like short puzzles or that sort of thing, maybe a mission to stealth inside to try and unlock some huge door/barrier to get your robot in.

 

[indomitable1319]

Good idea! I like it.

How about that, RDZ?

 

[Mechanical Man]

Since the movement and control will be standard RTS, will the player occasionally control some additional units besides the main character?

 

[indomitable1319]

How about once you exit your vehicle, you have to enter places that can only be accessed by your man, then control other robots that you need in order to advance and complete the puzzle? Sort of like:

You unit faces a puzzle wherein he has to cross a huge ditch, but he can't cross it because he can't jump to the other side. He then has to look around for a Bridge-Bot, that transforms into a bridge to help him get across. He then recieves a bonus for his bot or something like that.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

You planning on letting the pilot ever get out of the mech on occasion? Could allow for interesting mechanics like short puzzles or that sort of thing, maybe a mission to stealth inside to try and unlock some huge door/barrier to get your robot in.

Nobody will ever be getting out of the mech; maybe you've noted my previous failures to make organic models?

However, Metal_Sonic recently raised the same idea of making hacking a puzzle rather than a defence. For that, I would try something like this, rather than doing a 'get out of mech and punch circuits to win'. But I'm not sure at all.

Since the movement and control will be standard RTS, will the player occasionally control some additional units besides the main character?

I plan to add in a satellite call-down option later on in the game, whereby you can summon a random one of a variety of "Support Units". These will have special abilities; the one I currently have in the works, the "Ice Vulture", will have pretty bad attacks but can do Cone of Cold to freeze enemies solid (cue shattering).

There are also plans for the spiderbomb artillery shell mod (an EMP blast and a little spiderbot appears, like in Deus Ex: Invisible War).

Oh, and you gain control of civilian vehicles as you try to escort them out of the base to safety. Extracting civilians isn't a primary objective and you won't lose out for letting them die (except maybe in this case), but you will get paid handsomely for each one you get out. Civilians might also have things to say about what has happened at the facility.

 

[Vengeancekael]

(Bumping) Love it, love it. Any new updates?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Funny you should ask that...

I've mainly been working on environmental stuff, such as a monorail track system. Basically, I don't think "industrial" unless I see a shittonne of overhead struts criss-crossing the screen. As such, the facility is full of pipework and its own internal monorail system... But not to the extent that you can't see where you're going (or shooting at).

I also spent half of today's lunch hour blocking out the Spider-bot that will be summoned by artillery shell. The concept is this (actually, now that I look again, mine looks nothing at all like that), and don't be put off by the 98 triangle polycount -- these will be quite small.

 

[Vengeancekael]

Love the spider-bot model

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Love the spider-bot model

To continue hopping about all over the god damn place, I've been working on computer terminals.

In the Deus Ex style, these will provide background and general ambience -- from computer logs to personal diaries of facility staff.

I'm considering also making some of them control access to containment chambers, so you (for example) have to pay some money to get a pot-luck item held inside. I thought about making some password protected, then realise that would be absolute hell to implement nicely (I wouldn't like doing it with chat messages... suppose I could do it with short number codes and a keypad, but that's all for later).

So... AMBIENCE!

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Hmmm when do we get to see some UI?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Hmmm when do we get to see some UI?

Silly Willy, I've already posted a picture of the UI. It's not finished and may need some more tweaking, but that's the vibe I'm going for.

 

[Vengeancekael]

So what have you been working on lately?

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Well, VK, today's lunchtime was involved in making one of the "Support Units" I mentioned earlier...

So the conversation managed to get onto the concept of the facelaser in chat last night, and I decided that Project Y4 needed a bit o' that.

This is a combination of Supreme Commander's Galactic Collossus and Transformers' Shockwave, so I might wheel out the old purple camouflage for this one. Physically about as tall as the AP-AM

His face is actually going to be a plasma stream, but that's mechanically (and visually) a facelaser, so don't bag me.

 

[Callahan]

So these camouflage textures are compatible with all your RDZ industry mech models?

 

[Miss_Foxy]

So when will the game be released fully? It looks pretty awesome so far

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

So these camouflage textures are compatible with all your RDZ industry mech models?

Damn straight.

There are three texture layouts (barring the terrain textures/tiles/etc):
RDZMech
RDZBuildings
RDZTech

So every camouflage variant or rival corporation texture can be pasted onto the AP-AM, as long as I tie it into the selection system.

So when will the game be released fully? It looks pretty awesome so far

Release is still a long way away. I've recently had to start rebuilding my enemy pathing and respawning systems because they'd become a bit of a mess.

I am also planning to replace the blizz cliff models, because the normals are totally wrecked and I can save doodads by dressing the cliffs themselves up a bit. Don't worry about polycount, of course, I've made stupid savings on that everywhere else.

So much work to be done. ;_;

 

[Vengeancekael]

Your procedural generation idea is amazing.

 

[Mr. Bob]

Needs moar polies.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Your procedural generation idea is amazing.

Which one? This one?
TL;DR, I've decided to attempt to implement a mini-game that is just navigating a procedurally generated maze (with a time limit) as 'hacking' into a computer terminal. I think there's a lot of scope for fun here.

It should be mildly amusing, and a welcome break from the sea of beige and grey.

The art style will be like these:

 

[Mr. Bob]

Hey look! Its kernal panic! http://springrts.com/wiki/Kernel_Panic

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Hey look! Its kernal panic! http://springrts.com/wiki/Kernel_Panic

I think this kind of aesthetic predates that by just a little bit. I've never played anything on Spring, though I'm sure somebody linked that mod when I originally unveiled that first image.

 

[Mr. Bob]

All in all its a great art direction in my opinion.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

All in all its a great art direction in my opinion.

Even if it's done with a minimum of triangles?

 

[Mr. Bob]

I'll live...maybe...D;

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Hey look! Its kernal panic! http://springrts.com/wiki/Kernel_Panic

Actually the first thing I thought when I saw that was Marble Madness

Marble Madness

DAMN YOU SPACE LEVEL!

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Looks like I've got the maze generator working.
I was having a lot of trouble with it spuriously breaking mid-way through the generation algorithm; Anitarf suggested that I was hitting the op limit, and it turned out to be true. So with some help from Griffoo' and some cheerleading from Archmage_Owenalacaster I now have a wonderful, shiny maze generation system!

Huzzah!

 

[Vengeancekael]

Ooooh, so that's the maze generator you were talking about...

 

[Deolrin]

Haha, this maze is awesome, but it really hurts the eye(somewhat).

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

Haha, this maze is awesome, but it really hurts the eye(somewhat).

I did vow to produce striking visuals, and if they just happen to be so striking they bring tears to your eyes...

 

[Mr. Bob]

You should make the cliff colors red or something. Its hard to tell where the cliffs are atm. Looks sexy like monkey sauce though.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

I was more thinking of making a variety of different coloured blocks to plop down, but that might work. It looks a little more... comprehensible... from the 45-degree camera angle I am planning for glorious isometry.