Kengo Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 This is basically why I'm neverous about switching over to GTK Radiant in mid project. I might consider it when starting a new project, but maps are delicate things and the thought of losing anything at all in the cross over wouldn't be a happy one. I'm not suggesting GTK Radiant isn't a great program and technically superior in several areas. By odd coincidence I nearly lost an entire level's entities a few days ago, and man its a horrible feeling to lose a load of stuff eh? It's like you can see the time you spent on it just vanishing into the void forever. Only worse. Like you said "It seems there can be no progress without setbacks.". Seems like if you get a good run then you'll just get a bigger problem when it arrives... Well, looking forward to this level more and more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
master_thomas Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 The loss of every trigger_once in a level sounds horrible. One problem is that it starts out in MP mapping mode, which can screw up SP-only entities, like waypoints, point_combats, and trigger_onces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted June 23, 2003 Author Share Posted June 23, 2003 Originally posted by master_thomas The loss of every trigger_once in a level sounds horrible. One problem is that it starts out in MP mapping mode, which can screw up SP-only entities, like waypoints, point_combats, and trigger_onces. Waypoints? Not also them? Tell me that isn't true! I didn't even check them, because they have been switched off for so long in View menu. Crom! I copied all trigger_onces back. It wasn't as bad as I had feared, because of this nice option to turn world off. It was quite easy to pick trigger_onces, because of the really nice selection of colors in JK2Radiant 2D window (by far superior to GTK) (trigger_once and _multiple have distinct colors). Well, if I must also copy all waypoints, then I guess that's what I'm going to do. Otherwise I have been making relatively good progress. I had to learn some new things for the last puzzle, but it should be okay (haven't compiled). In addition I have done already most of the architectural mapping, only little things left. EDIT: It will be really horrible and nasty and long puzzle, I promise you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRSLou Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 Sometimes, in GTK, the triggers and somethings will disappear for seemingly no reason, but they are there...but you can only see them in 2D. Not sure why, but...that's how it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted June 23, 2003 Author Share Posted June 23, 2003 As the last chamber is basically one big machine system (although it might not look like it, as I had to cut down the amount of machines for the sake of FPS and my sanity), I though to do it a little more lively by adding a computer voice. Also, it's quite essential considering the fact that the last puzzle will be, well, as I said, long and horrible. There was in the mapping/levels forum a thread about synthesized voices and a link to an amazing AT&T site. Of course I immediately generated a whole bunch of lines for the computer (really, really essential, and I mean it, the puzzle would be too hard without them). Bad news is that when I contacted AT&T about the use of sounds produced with this web interface demo (it took them the whole weekend and a little more to respond), they bluntly turned me down. They forbade all use of the sounds except for private home use (not much use for this kind of project). So, I need an alternative source for machine speech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kengo Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 Using Goldwave you can make some Computer sounding voices pretty easily, it even has some kind of built in options allowing for this effect, you can take a human voice and make it completely unrecognisable. I could even use my own voice and have a go for you if you wish, thats how much the original voice can be changed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedge2211 Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 There's also the text-to-speech thingy in Windows XP (Control Panel > Speech), but it's only a male voice, it kinda sucks, and I don't know how best to save it as a wav or mp3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted June 24, 2003 Author Share Posted June 24, 2003 Yeah, Microsoft Sam is not my first choice for a computer voice. And besides, the computer voice must be female. Come on! What kind of computer would have a male voice anyway (especially in a game that is played mostly by men). Go and visit this AT&T site. http://www.research.att.com/projects/tts/demo.html Let the voice be Crystal, and type in some sensible sentence like (hint, hint) "Fifteen minutes remaining until self-destruction commences." It sounds amazing! I have never heard such a good text-to-speech synthesis. No wonder they don't want people to use it free of charge. Does anybody know, if you can, in fact, have different voices for this Windows XP speech synthesis? I once tried to search the Microsoft site, but, um, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kengo Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 Originally posted by lassev And besides, the computer voice must be female. Come on! What kind of computer would have a male voice anyway (especially in a game that is played mostly by men). Go and visit this AT&T site. Curse my manly voice, curse it! Hmmm, what about HAL from 2001 and his cool Canadien voice? Its amazingly tricky to find good female voice actors. If only Eldritch was a woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted June 24, 2003 Author Share Posted June 24, 2003 Originally posted by Kengo Hmmm, what about HAL from 2001 and his cool Canadien voice? Its amazingly tricky to find good female voice actors. If only Eldritch was a woman. Yes, HAL, that's true. But we must also remember that HAL was a very intelligent central character in the movie, so he had to be male. Eh, well, let's say my computer should sound sympathetic, and inspiring, when it tells you are going to be killed in a big explosion in a very short time. Aye, it's a good computer, because actually it gives the player good advice to solve the puzzle. An evil computer would go along nicely with male voice, but not this kind of neutral one. I certainly didn't foresee this problem. Actually, I only came up with the idea after visiting the AT&T pages. Yet now I have built the last puzzle to require a computer voice (even some scripts are ready). Are you sure Eldritch is not female? Perhaps he... Er... She is? Wow, I never thought of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted June 25, 2003 Share Posted June 25, 2003 Originally posted by lassev Are you sure Eldritch is not female? Perhaps he... Er... She is? Wow, I never thought of that. Quite sure. However, I do have some interesting .wav editing software on my computer. Catch me sometime on MSN, maybe I can work something out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted July 2, 2003 Author Share Posted July 2, 2003 Now that everybody's attention is (deservedly) on Clu's Colosseum, I can sneak in and give my petty progress report. Nothing amazing to report really. The files for voice acting (this includes also the computer voice) should be coming my way any day, so it's almost wrapped up. I constructed last of the big machines in the chamber, and actually the chamber is architecturally 100% complete now. I'll just add one corridor out of it (cloning mostly, one hour of work), and the whole, bloody level is ready architecturally. This means, finally, that there's nothing more than scripting and some cameras and waypoints to add. And as I'm no stranger to ICARUS, I don't except it to take forever (it might, though. ICARUS certainly has the ability to surprise). I'll post back, when the scripting is finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Glorfindel Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Great news!!! So would you say in about a month the entire level will be in completion stages? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clu Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Originally posted by lassev Now that everybody's attention is (deservedly) on Clu's Colosseum You're a classy customer, Lassev. Thanks for the props. Personally, I can't wait to play Project Lighthouse. Psyched to hear you're approaching the finish line. -clu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Business_Eskimo Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by lassev Are you sure Eldritch is not female? Perhaps he... Er... She is? Wow, I never thought of that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *shivers* Glad to hear you're almost done with this. It looks quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Originally posted by lassev Nothing amazing to report really. The files for voice acting (this includes also the computer voice) should be coming my way any day, so it's almost wrapped up. You should check your email for the computer voice. It's just sitting there, waiting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted July 3, 2003 Author Share Posted July 3, 2003 Originally posted by Lord Glorfindel Great news!!! So would you say in about a month the entire level will be in completion stages? I hope it's well finished in a month, with beta testing and all. However, the process will probably be disrupted by my summer vacation after a couple of weeks. I'm going to be out of town for more than two weeks, in places where there's no computers at my disposal (well, almost none). I can read these forums with an old computer and a modem connection, but that's all. I really hope I'll be able to send the beta to the testers before the vacation. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted July 4, 2003 Author Share Posted July 4, 2003 My last compile before last evening was a month old... You can imagine the amount of changes I had made since that. Although one should never say this about his own map, and I'm cursed to say this aloud, still I'm quite satisfied with the last chamber architecture (sorry, absolutely no screenshots will be coming this way). and has been working on a set piece section at the end which promises to be extraordinary. This is what Kengo said in his Mapping Monthly, and I just think the chamber might live up to expectations. It's a big hall, not boxy but vast otherwise, yet whatever direction you look at, there's grand machines everywhere, many of them moving at some point or having action otherwise with shaders and/or effects. The FPS is currently hovering at about 40-50 with my 1000MHz Athlon and GeForce4200 with no NPCs (there won't generally be any, anyway). The long and tortuous last puzzle almost worked (well, it's comlicated to script), and has some great moments. Enough of self-satisfied mumble. I leave you all waiting for undetermined time to forget this level, until I bring it up once again (the thread, anyway ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clu Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 Hey sounds cool. So I'm actually still relatively ignorant of the level (didn't read every single post), so this is just to satisfy my own curiosity: 1) When you say not many NPCs, does that mean that it is primarily the puzzles and minimal combat? 2) If there is a bit of combat, what would you say the majority of it would be (saber battles, duck-and-cover shootouts, stealth, etc.)? 3) Is Jan always at your side? Talking? Shooting? Or is it more of a a solo-type adventure? Anyway, if you prefer not to reveal too much, that's OK too. Just curious. -clu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted July 5, 2003 Author Share Posted July 5, 2003 Originally posted by clu 1) When you say not many NPCs, does that mean that it is primarily the puzzles and minimal combat? Um, I was just talking about the last chamber. There's not really any NPCs to reckon with (expect shortly in a cinematic). Otherwise the level contains enough NPCs to keep you occupied. 2) If there is a bit of combat, what would you say the majority of it would be (saber battles, duck-and-cover shootouts, stealth, etc.)? There's plenty of weapons at hand, so it's how you prefer, really. Most certainly one could play almost (but not entirely) the whole level using only the saber. Most certainly one would die very fast by not using the saber... 3) Is Jan always at your side? Talking? Shooting? Or is it more of a a solo-type adventure? Jan will only appear in cinematics. The level design is such that a friendly NPC couldn't survive or follow the player to any great extent. It's a real jedi mission... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kengo Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Originally posted by lassev Um, I was just talking about the last chamber. There's not really any NPCs to reckon with (expect shortly in a cinematic). Otherwise the level contains enough NPCs to keep you occupied. There's plenty of weapons at hand, so it's how you prefer, really. Most certainly one could play almost (but not entirely) the whole level using only the saber. Most certainly one would die very fast by not using the saber... Even with my elite Jedi skills , I found it fairly challenging. Lassev really knows how to suddenly pile well placed enemies on you at just the right times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted July 12, 2003 Author Share Posted July 12, 2003 Just a short update. I have now all the voice files, including the clips for the "sole voice actor" (which isn't actually true anymore). While waiting for the voice files for the baddie, I directed some cinematics to the very, very end of the level, the level ending, that is. They are pretty much done now. The cinematic missign still is a rather lenghty one right before the nasty puzzle I have been talking about. The puzzle itself, with the short cinematics included, is working perfectly and mercilessly. It was probably the most sophisticated thing I have done this far with Radiant and ICARUS. If the last unmade cinematic builds fine and don't resist too much, I will make a beta available for the selected beta testers the coming week Status report: Architectural mapping: 100% Voice acting: 100% Cinematics: 85% Ambient sound: 95% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldritch Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 Ooh, the excitement! :rubs hands together in anticipation: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clu Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 The anticipation is killing me too. Sounds like you've reached black-belt status with ICARUS after that last puzzle. Can't wait to play! -clu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassev Posted July 13, 2003 Author Share Posted July 13, 2003 Originally posted by clu The anticipation is killing me too. Sounds like you've reached black-belt status with ICARUS after that last puzzle. Can't wait to play! -clu Well, you know, Clu, I was quite impressed with your scripts, when I studied them. You are certainly not any green belt level scripter yourself! Actually, by playing the game itself, you don't notice the effects of the scripts in such a straight forward way, as you know very well yourself, of course. Still, I do have a few elegant scripts, in my own opinion. I did not think to include the .txts in the .pk3, but if you want to have a look at them, I can certainly reconsider (concerning the beta. The final level won't have 'em. They don't contain anything new compared to the original game, and without the .map they wouldn't help anyone so much anyway). If nothing else, you can always wonder about some Finnish script names and entity names Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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