A Darker Peragus Enhancement Mod

[Gatherum]

So I was casually perusing KotorFiles, when I stumbled upon this here Peragus reskin by Canderis and I got to thinking that the idea is pretty awesome. Peragus is the sort of place that had a lot of potential to be a more unnerving part of the game, given that almost everyone in it is dead, and the darker visual aspect is perfect for it.

 

However, it takes more than just the visuals to make an atmosphere like that; you need a suitable soundtrack, not to mention that it could do for some other edits.

 

I am not a modder, and wouldn't know where to start. The music would be a simple matter, but I think it would be kind of cheap just to take Canderis' mod and release it with a replacement audio track.

 

A list of ideas that I had:

 

• Using Canderis' A Darker Peragus... reskin.
  
• Finding a song like, "The Valhalla's Depths," from the Metroid Prime 3: Corruption soundtrack and using it to replace the main Peragus theme. One could simply steal it outright to great effect, I suppose, but I only really mention it here because it's the sort of music that I think of when I imagine an ominous, creepy situation.
  
• Replacing the Peragus battle theme with something a bit more anxious and frantic. Heart-racing. Something like, "Vs. King Kihunter," from Metroid: Other M. Once again, one can steal it to great effect, but I'm just outlining what kind of music I'm thinking of (also, sorry; Metroid games just have the best music when it comes to ominous and/or desperate situations ).
  
• Adding blood puddles and blood trails to the various corpses found throughout the facility (save, obviously, for the ones that died in the Dormitories, since they died via asphyxiation), as well as in other places without corpses simply to give the player the idea that someone who was on the verge of death walked, or was dragged away from, there. This would be especially fitting for the Harbinger as well, considering the circumstances.
  
• Reskinning the Mining Droids to add blood spatter to their frames, to accentuate the fact that they are the ones directly responsible for most of the deaths at the facility.
  
• Brightening HK-50's photoreceptors so that they glow and contrast highly with the surrounding darkness.
  
• Adding sparks to various pieces of machinery in the facility since the flicker effect works well with the darker environment and to give the impression that the Mining Droids not only carried out their directive of killing all the organics, but essentially went on a rampage to do it, causing excessive collateral damage. This can work especially well in the Mining Tunnels, given that an explosion occurred down there.
  
• Preventing Atton's contacts of the Exile via the comlink while traversing the Mining Tunnels, to give the player a greater sense of isolation.
  
• Adding Sith Assassins and/or Sith Assault Troopers to the Fuel Depot during the PC's final run to the Ebon Hawk, where they will end up clashing with Mining Droids while they're trying to kill the Exile and companions (which makes more sense anyway since they're supposed to be getting chased by, "a hundred stealthed Sith killers").
  
• There are other, crazier, and less likely ideas that I've come up with, such a situation in the Mining Tunnels where the commotion awakened a nest of fuel-feeding parasitic creatures native to Peragus but previously unheard of, which are now running rampant throughout. They would be shown sneak attacking Mining Droids, and then scurrying away at first, before finally clashing with the Exile. I imagine them being similar to a Laigrek: black in colour, and no larger, if not smaller. But this is not really a necessary addition.
  
• New cinematics to accompany all of it (by "cinematics," I just mean new scenes playing; I don't mean new BINK movies).
  

 

Good idea, y/n? I did my best to make it seem reasonable.

 

Some of these ideas might also work with the Telos Military Base, come to think of it. But that's probably another mod for another time.

[Sith Holocron]

I recall that there was a mod over at Deadly Stream forums called "Peragus Tweak" to change what the bodies look like, making them look less burned (as the bodies are "fresher")

 

This might be something to consider to add.

 

Speaking of music, I thought that the Alien soundtrack (and portions of the soundtrack to The Shining soundtrack would be better fit for Peragus than what is in game. However, inserting my suggestions or yours would be a clear copyright violation.

[Canderis]

I may be able to do something about the music, I found a site with free music for use in projects that it would be legal to use. They have some pretty creepy stuff.

[Seikan]

I like the idea, Peragus should really be a scary place, if someone could actually make Peragus scary (it's hard with a rpg to be really scared...) it would be really great.

[Phildevil]

About the music. Well, if you want to do something about-it yourself.... as I can see, you like Metroid's music. If you can get your hand on the songs you mentioned (in mp3, in preference... not sure that the game would handle .acc, .ogg or .mp4...) well look for your StreamMusic folder in the "TSL" folder. When you get ther, look for the files that has "per" in their names. All these files stand for music on Peragus. Now, rename one of your metroid song with the same name as one of the peragus song. Then, play and you'll see what song has been replaced and adjust in consequence. While you cannot release any mod with this, you can still do-it for your own private use...

[Gatherum]

I recall that there was a mod over at Deadly Stream forums called "Peragus Tweak" to change what the bodies look like, making them look less burned (as the bodies are "fresher")

 

This might be something to consider to add.

 

Aye, that too might make more sense.

 

Speaking of music, I thought that the Alien soundtrack (and portions of the soundtrack to The Shining soundtrack would be better fit for Peragus than what is in game. However, inserting my suggestions or yours would be a clear copyright violation.

 

I don't think that it matters at all... There is already a Music Replacement Mod on KotorFiles that basically uses a bunch of tracks from other RPGs.

 

 

I may be able to do something about the music, I found a site with free music for use in projects that it would be legal to use. They have some pretty creepy stuff.

 

Link?

 

About the music. Well, if you want to do something about-it yourself.... as I can see, you like Metroid's music. If you can get your hand on the songs you mentioned (in mp3, in preference... not sure that the game would handle .acc, .ogg or .mp4...) well look for your StreamMusic folder in the "TSL" folder. When you get ther, look for the files that has "per" in their names. All these files stand for music on Peragus. Now, rename one of your metroid song with the same name as one of the peragus song. Then, play and you'll see what song has been replaced and adjust in consequence. While you cannot release any mod with this, you can still do-it for your own private use...

 

Oh, I already possess all the relevant soundtracks. I have them in OGG, and the game can't interact with those, you are correct, but it's really a simple matter of conversion, which my media player can do. If the MP3's are needed, I would be happy to provide if someone undertook this.

 

Answers in bold.

[harIII]

I'd be interested in doing this, just to give me something fresh to work on and plus I thought Peragus sucked because the lacking in these ideas. Let me see what's going on later on and I'll give a final answer as to yay or nay...

[TimBob12]

Can i point out that the miners were killed with mining lasers which were to designed to slice through and would not have created any blood. Other than that nice idea though.

[Canderis]

Some beat you down, an har, keep to sote, I am already doing this one.

[harIII]

Canderis - Go for it...

 

One thing I would add if I were to build this is to try and mirror what we saw in the PS2 game Area 51. Add debris piles, turned tables and chairs, add fire and smoke and so on...

[Phildevil]

Can i point out that the miners were killed with mining lasers which were to designed to slice through and would not have created any blood. Other than that nice idea though.

 

Well, there are some droïds that tries to beat you to death with melee attack. That could do some nice blood splatter indeed!

[Gatherum]

Canderis - Go for it...

 

One thing I would add if I were to build this is to try and mirror what we saw in the PS2 game Area 51. Add debris piles, turned tables and chairs, add fire and smoke and so on...

 

This.

 

And, Canderis: If you end up needing any music, I have a vested interest in Dark Ambient. That, and I am not a bad writer (as in, creative writing, grammar, etc). If you happen to be in need of either of these at any time, let me know.

 

Question: Also, is it possible at all to edit the AI of the mining droids so that, even if they have mining lasers at their disposal, they'll occasionally quit shooting and opt instead to melee the PC (and anyone else they want to kill) instead? I suppose it's not required, but something to think about, anyway. Also, I doubt it, but are there any melee animations for Mark II Mining Droids?

[harIII]

Gatherum - The only problem is that you'll have to find music that isn't copyrighted. If you bring music into KOTOR or TSL you have to get written permission to do so or you can quit literally face a law suit.

[Canderis]

Or find royalty free music like I did for this very mod.

[VarsityPuppet]

This.

 

And, Canderis: If you end up needing any music, I have a vested interest in Dark Ambient. That, and I am not a bad writer (as in, creative writing, grammar, etc). If you happen to be in need of either of these at any time, let me know.

 

Death Cube K comes to mind. But, again, the music has to not be copyrighted.

[Canderis]

http://www.lucasforums.com/showpost.php?p=2758575&postcount=186

 

See that post.