Blog - Devotus_Mustelus

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Jul 28th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

Many of you probably used our job application form to join the team, but for the last 6+ months your applications were sent to a non-existent email.

This was the mistake of a web programmer who had helped build a CMS for the site.

I only recently discovered he was the cause of the lack of applications we experienced all of a sudden several months ago.

It works now, and I apologize.

Miriscus.com << Click to apply

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Jul 27th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

Greetings,
This is Christopher, the leader of the project.

Many of you have been following this project for quite some time. This project has been an interesting experience for me, a learning one too. The project is a sensitive one, due to copyrights.
This community and few others have given me the cold shoulder for starting this mod. (Not saying the majority of you, but certain individuals.. some for their own personal reasons/conflicts of interest)
There is abuse even on a personal level at times, not so much these days, but in the early days it was very bad.

What has not changed is recruiting. Recruiting for this project has been a nightmare.
That is because the communities I tried to recruit from, like this one... only lecture you about copyrights. Of course, I don't see it happen with the Star Wars mods, or other various IP related projects. Seemed to be isolated to only mine when it happened.

Everyone has to share their two cents, when one person telling you is enough, but it turns from informative into stoning. Even now, I still think we are 'out casts' in the eyes of CERTAIN people in the modding community for doing this project; I know there was a lot of ugly feelings and comments from certain individuals over the fact that we made #2 in ModDB MOTY 2007 for unreleased.
Why? Because the project was "unoriginal"... and "only winning because of its name", and it was also "unfair" or "unjust" and not worthy of mention because it is "illegal".
Maybe there is truth to that, but I still sensed envy ;P

No, the project is not attacked when this happens, I am. I become the human face for the project, and the punch bag. I've considered shutting it down NUMEROUS times, because I got so @#$in;g tired of the douche bags in the modding community. Especially the ones that judged this project and did copyright projects themselves. I wanted to get this off my chest, sorry :P

No, I am not throwing in the towel and announcing defeat. The project is continuing, but it has to change. The issues above are only part of the problem, a great majority but still not the whole problem.
The project is just too big, too grand. It needs to be smaller for two important reasons.
Reduce workload, and reduce the risk of copyright. Obviously if we went pure map pack, I don't think anyone would worry about copyrights, it is just fanart afterall at that phase, not a game. Some will argue with me on that, I expect someone to argue with anything I say just for the sake of arguing. However, fan art is protected... it only starts to get into the "grey areas" when it is "software".

I personally believe what happens with the modding community in SOME situations regarding copyrights is an absolute crime, and in other cases, justified.
Copyrights sometimes are over-reaching, and that is why the fair use doctrine had to be written, because power like that CAN be abused. Remember, Life Alert thinks they own the sentence
"Help, I've fallen and I can't get up", cause they put a TM next to it. I guess if you guys ever say that on TV, you better get some lawyers. Seriously, there has to be a line drawn somewhere.

We will continue to do a mod, so it will still be in a 'gray area', but nowhere near the threat that we may have been facing previously.
Effective immediately, the project is now multiplayer co-op.
It features one location from Isla Nublar, instead of the multiple that would have been done for Singleplayer. There is no more Singleplayer, and will never be.

I want this project released by December at the latest, and I want to move on.
An MP co-op Jurassic Park with CE2 graphics has to be good enough for you guys, and it is better than waiting forever for an SP game that this team could never do. It is too much work, and recruiting is never going to be good enough for an SP game. An SP game is too grand and epic and only raises our risk of "issues" with legality, as it can for instance be seen as "competition" if Universal decides to do a SP Jurassic Park game again. I know competition is one reason from real life examples.
Use of material that isn't supposed to be redistributed without licensing/authorization, such as music or clips of the movies, is another.

This will not completely clear up legality, but I think it will help as we will no longer be telling the story of the movie, or remaking/showing cinematics. None of the recorded music will be used, but we can record/render our own arrangements. We may or may not use the official sfx, if not.. no worries, I know so much about the creation of those sfx I could recreate them and they would sound the same, but they wouldn't be the official recordings, which is great.

Yes, we will still have the character names and the name Jurassic Park.. but if this is all we have from a 16 year old movie, and our project is as small and insignificant compared to the singleplayer idea... I am not afraid nor worried about the release of the project. There are grey areas, but they are exactly that.. grey areas.
I will not take my chances with singleplayer, but I will with this new direction.

This down-scaling will allow the small team that I have, to actually be able to make progress production wise, and not be so overwhelmed and over burdened.

I can not tell you all the details on the scripting side of things with this project, especially regarding co-op, because I am not authorized to; but I can tell you co-op already works, A.I. and MP together.
It is only a matter of art assets mainly now for this team. Customization of characters, weapons, enemies, and the levels. It is something we already have progress in, and the amount of assets we need at maximum have been reduced to this list..

Setting:
Visitors' Center Compound, Isla Nublar; August 1993

• The Visitors' Center
  • Exterior
  • Rotunda
  • Cafe/Kitchen
  • Control Room/Lab
  • Garage
  • Misc
• Raptor Pen
• Safari Lodge (NOT FOR CERTAIN YET)
• Emergency Command Bunker
• Maintenance Shed
• General outdoor area
• Helipad

Characters:
Dr. Alan Grant
Dr. Ellie Sattler
Robert Muldoon
Ian Malcom

Dinosaurs featured:
Velociraptor
Compsognathus
Dilophosaurus
T-rex

Vehicles featured:
Jeep YJ
Ford Explorer
Helicopter

Weapons used:
Spas 12
Pistol
M16
Switchblade

Already many items on this list have been done. All the vehicles, all the weapons, half the dinosaurs, and a good amount of the "settings/structures".

We only have 1 character model, and we have a Visitors' Center to finish.
That basically sums up what we need to finish before December.
The Visitors Center, and 3 character models.

I've been resuming work on the Visitors' Center as you can see. And I'm redirecting the former weapon/prop, and vehicle modelers to the Visitors' Center to help me detail it.
The Visitors' Center is the big big majority of the work that needs to be done, because it is so extensive, but it will be done.

I'm not worried about anything else, because that can be done without much a problem.
It would be nice to find additional help for those assets, but even if we do not we will be fine because I'm planning on it NOT happening. I can't rely on new members joining now can I?

Anyways, this new direction once again is 4 player co-op.
It will take place in the Main Compound of Isla Nublar.
The Visitors' Center, and the outdoor area around it.. which features the Raptor Pen.

No miles of island, paddocks, or aviary, etc. Yes, it is a bummer, but it does reduce the work load.

My goal once again with this new direction is before December 1st.
Thus a release would follow. The more help we have, the quicker, but even the team I have now can pull this off because the workload is far less. Thanks to all of those who have been following and supporting this project, and thank you for taking the time to read this announcement.

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Jul 25th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

Aldhollen is a mining city expanded into a trading hub in northern Ebion; three major roads connect from the southeast, south and west, each leading to major cities. It will be built extensively onto the surrounding mountain sides in a large collection of winding streets. Aldhollen also possesses a large prison system and prisoners are often used as slave labor in the mines.

I, Chris am not the creator of this mod nor have I created any of the assets seen.
I am preparing this article and update for Rob, who is the founder and leader of Vis Malae.
There is a video provided; a 9 minute walkthrough of the map as it is so far; which I did personally.
Their were two map files sent to me; Aldhollen 2, and Aldhollen 2.2
Obviously the latter was more updated, but I didn't know this when filming, so anytime you see Aldhollen with pink fog, that is the older outdated map. The one with the white and thick fog is the more recent map, which does have some notable changes; mostly terrain.

Unfortunately I don't use CE2 that much at the moment, so I didn't figure out how to 'clear' the fog until after the video. You'll notice the pictures in the image gallery are much clearer, less dense fog. That is because the fog in the map was controlled with the Time of Day editor, and when I figured that out after making the video, I fixed it. Well, at least the pictures of '2.2' will have a little less fog/overcast.

Additional info about the map...
Rob tells me that the cities as they are now are alpha phase. You notice a repeating single house model for the entire settlement. He explains they are just a sort of 'placeholder', and that as more variations of buildings are created, they will be added and the city will be beautiful.

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Jul 24th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

The intersection of Broadway and 46th
street now is surrounded by structures. Some more detailed than others,
but perfectly outline the scale and proportional of their real life
counterparts. A recent addition done yesterday is what filled this
intersection. But more notably is the more detailed and well known
structure known as 1585 Broadway.

The
total count of low poly structures added is now 5. There is still many
more low poly structures to add before any medium to high level detail
can be added; however, the map is already starting to come alive and
feel genuinely like NYC. I'm very excited about this project, and can
not wait to reveal the next update to you. [:

Since this news
article I have further updated and have a video for you as well, which
also shows off yet another new structure added. :D

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Jul 22nd, 2009 digg this super bookmark

The size of the cafe room was reduced in width. The side walls have been brought inward by 5-7 feet; A major difference.

The distance of the room, from the mural to the back wall, has been reduced as well.

All part of making this cafe accurate to the movie as possible.
The goal for the margin of error is 6 inches and under. I think we can achieve that.

You can see a hint of the Kitchen in works. :)

To help you guys understand how HARD it can be to recreate a soundstage to accuracy with margin of error 6 inches and under.

We thought our original updates were accurate, until I started placing the doors on each side of the backwall for the kitchen. They were spaced too far apart.

Furthermore, check out this picture...
Miriscus.com

What you notice is that a view from the kitchen, looking directly out the kitchen entrance door, shows the entrance door to the cafe from the rotunda. My setup before did not have this view...

When we placed the door holes, and tried to simulate the view in that photo, I was seeing the very end of the mural, so the door was several feet off. However, the placement of the door to the kitchen was determined by how far out the wall came on the side, so basically I realized, that the walls on the sides would have to be brought in more.
The room was too wide in the back.

Upon looking at the shots from the movie again, it does seem that they come in further, but I missed it previously because it is very hard to tell from looking at it from an angle like the one this render presents.

It is VERY easy for something to be 5-10 feet off, and not notice it immediately. And 5-10 feet is a HUGE margin of error. Can screw everything up later. That is why it is important to get the room itself as close to perfect as possible, before moving on to the next room, and then details.

Proportions are the most important. Scale may be off slightly, and can be off. IF proportions are proper, scale is easily fixed.

I conclude this update with a final image. Not as major an update as the previous images, but still some progress towards the front entrance of the Rotunda. Like the cafe and kitchen, this area has to be quadruple checked to make sure it is done accurately. This is just a test to see if the space at the end of the hallway is large enough, but not too large.

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Jul 19th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

My last blog touched upon 3 mapping projects I am working on.

I'll be shifting priorities now though after some recent events with the Jurassic Park project.
The Visitors' Center map will now become my top priority map of my 3 mapping projects.

I still have an announcement to make about the project and a new direction I have for it.

Yesterday I did more work on the Visitors' Center, after a year of not touching it.

This is finally progress beyond the Rotunda. Finally we begin to see a teaser of a second room in the Visitors' Center; The Cretaceous Cafe.

At this point I am setting up the basic outline/positioning of the walls, ceiling supports, doors.
In this phase, it is all about making sure everything is as close to perfect as possible. Once the basic room is modeled, I will be moving on to the Kitchen, which will likely be so easy given its simplicity, that it will be done 30 minutes following the cafe.

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Jul 16th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

Today I am typing up a blog for you about my latest projects.

I have been shifting Miriscus's focus towards mapping/addons. No total conversion modding, atleast temporarily.

I'll first list three specific maps on my list that I am working on, and somewhat multi-tasking; no worries I am making great progress on two of them.

1. Jurassic Park Maps - I am deciding to release our Jurassic Park content, and attempting to downscale the project from mod to maps/addons. The Raptor Pen, and some outside terrain is already finished.
The Visitors' Center is the unfinished map that I will be focusing on. However, I will not be focusing on it until after the completion of the next 2 addon projects, which won't take as long as you think, so no worries.

2. Left 4 Dead - Escape From New York - This addon campaign for L4D puts you in Manhattan in an alternate reality.
The map campaign at this time will go as follows.
A. Hotel
B. Broadway
C. Subway/Sewers
D. Concourse Mall
E. WTC South Tower (Observation Deck).

A map of the WTC plaza already exists, and I will be borrowing and editing it to cut down production time. Subway/Sewers, and Hotel are all pretty generic locations already done in L4D and thus easy to create. The 2 locations that will be more custom and not so common in L4D is the Concourse Mall and Broadway. Broadway is the most difficult part of the campaign to create, but it happens to be what I am working on first.

I already 7 blocks of road/sidewalk perfectly replicated. Can't be off by more than a few inches.
Majority of the skyline is already done in Google Sketchup. Detail work has to be done for the immediate buildings that you see close up, or go into.

3. Rats style maps - I've been working on, as many of you may already know, a rats map.
A little test copy of the map was already released, with some basic navigation for now.
The map for the most part just needs more design put into how you get around to certain locations, and more details. More props.

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Feb 26th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

Update-
You probably notice the carpet is much greener now. That is just a test, will likely go back to original.
2 monitors I am working on - An SGI Computer monitor for the Iris 2400T workstation (1986).. and a television set, just as old if not older. I'm trying to avoid having to use an MDL for both. That won't be hard for the computer monitor. The TV still needs alot of work and I hope I can get it the way I want it using only brushes.
The other update is the bed. Underneath, I've textured it, added the drawers. The picture is black and white cause its not lit under there, thus dark.. and when brightened in photoshop the colors look bad thus I converted to black and white.

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Feb 25th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

Updated work to the Bed mesh. New detail, Peaches records and tapes crate.
New wood textures for bed and crate.
Wall texture updated.
Bedroom size modified slightly, walk-in closet added.
Fixed main bedroom lighting. Added window w/ sunlight.
EDIT: Working on Computer desk wood texture..

0 comments by Devotus_Mustelus on Feb 23rd, 2009 digg this super bookmark

I've seen that Source engine has improved since I last used it. I don't know if all my issues I had have been resolved but I bet they will with the next major Half-Life game in the series.

It is called 'Ferrets' due to the original map I made, which featured a ferret cage.
These maps where the player models are tiny are generally called 'Rats maps'.. so Ferrets became a nice little unique title.

This new Ferrets map will not directly copy the old version. It has so far been done completely from scratch. The old map WAS indeed based on my old bedroom at a duplex I lived in at 2005.
This new map will have a slightly similar layout, but it has been altered into a fictional bedroom.
The furniture is based on real furniture, and same for the props/electronics.
Many of which I do actually own; And that will shock you cause I'm about to tell you what makes this map hugely different in one aspect, from the old one.

This map is set back 23 years. Circa 1986.
Features posters such as "Back To The Future", "Terminator", "Pink Floyd - Animals", and more will come.
Technologies/electronics/appliances include...
1. A JVC Television. Whether or not this will include the UHF,VHF dials I have yet to determine.. still looking at JVC models.
2. A JVC QL-5 Turntable - LP props ('Peaches' Record Crate)
3. A Yamaha DX7 Synthesizer keyboard.
4. A video Cassette player/recorder - Includes Video Tape props
5. A video tape rewinding machine
6. Possibley a beta tape player as well. - A Beta tape prop with that.
7. A portable audio cassette player/recorder - Cassette tape props ('Peaches' Tape crate)
8. A camcorder (old school obviously)
9. A Minolta Maxxum 7000 camera.
10. A Nintendo Entertainment System (Game cartridge/instructions props)
11. An SGI 2400Turbo computer workstation (Irix 3.x - 4sight ws, Unix V)
12. An electric guitar (haven't decided which one yet).
13. A land-line telephone
14. And an alarm clock

Of course we covered some of the other props already.
1. Peaches Crates (Peaches is a Record and Tape store back in the day)
2. Nike Bruins
3. Other misc apparel that's otherwise old school.
4. Coca-cola soda can
5. Compact Discs and Floppies for workstation.
6. Manual to a Jeep CJ, with the keys on top.

And that is just naming a few things here and there...

A more intricate prop in the room is the trainset. The trainset, will be rideable by players. It will move around the room on the floor normal, but then go roller coaster fast inside the walls, and making quick apperances into the main room. Thinking of doing a haunted house style doors to one segment of it where the cart can come out slowly, and then turn into another door.

I had a basket elevator in my last map from the AC vent. I'm not sure I will include the AC vent again in this map, but I definitely want to do a better job with the basket elevator. De_Deathcooking map used a horizontal basket from one side of the kitchen to the other.. which was certain death.
Lolobubu did something better with moving baskets in his Bathroom map.
Diagonal movement. Twice the purpose, not only does it take you from one elevation to another, but also one side of the room to the other. And it looks cooler too.

So I'm going to be doing the same thing with the new ferrets map. Teleporters will also be present, like in the old version, but I want to shoot for a new teleporter platform design.

Want to touch back on the differences of the room itself, and some of the returning furniture, the bed mainly.
The bed was completely rebuilt, not edited or adjusted. Only thing I copied over was the pillows, but I'm likely to redo those cause they have bugs.
All furniture, electronics, props.. will be proportional and to scale.. not off by more than 1/4 of an inch. Everything is measured and calculated based on the upscale of the room, which is 19x.

More custom textures will be done, specifically now for the wood of the bed, and the computer desk. Both the computer desk and the bed are for the most part complete mesh wise. They only require a little more work. All textures, like the custom ones before it are high-resolution. I may go higher with some of my older textures, such as the wall texture. The wall texture's tiling is too obvious sometimes, reoccuring pattern. It 512x512 now, probably needs to be 2048x2048 and tiled less thus.

The bedroom layout of course has changed, only loosely based off the original. The window dimensions, height dimenions of the room, doors.. are based on my current room. The closet is being transformed into a walk-in closet. Freeing up space inbetween the closet doors, and the door to the room.. allowing for a little entertainment center, and stereo setup between.
That is where alot of the electronics will be housed. Record player, VCR, NES.. etc

The walk-in closet will of course be full of props and other electronics. I'm going to keep this walk-in closet moderate in size, not a large walk-in closet.. a smaller one. Enough space that you could realistically walk in it of course, but just not to overdo it.. the main area of the map is already large enough.

There are going to be plenty of tunnels, along the walls, below floor level, above floor level.
This map probably won't work very well for CSS, but virtually all Rats maps don't. You can play in them, but CSS generally has long wait times already once dead, Rats maps just make it worse.. especially the larger the map.

This new map will not be specific to any game like the last one. Although I did update the old version for HL2DM and Gmod later.
But the new one is for any Source engine game that wants to use it. And if there are any Orange Box advantages to mapping, there will be both Episode 1 engine, and Orange Box engine release.

I'll be compiling the map for the following games of course..
Counter Strike Source, Half-Life 2 Deathmatch, Garry's Mod, maybe even Source Forts.
Other games I may consider compiling for, although it might not fit are..
Team Fortress 2, and PVK II.
TF2 is cel-shaded style obviously, and PVK II is not exactly in the 20th century.
But hey, a map that can be used in multiple games is likeable.

Other possible considerations are Zombie mods. I played my old version of the map once, with a bunch of zombies.. in GMOD. It was quite fun. Could be interest to have Zombies Vs Humans in lets says.. Zombie Panic: Source.. or Zombie Master.. or maybe even Left 4 Dead Co-op.

Once the map is actually complete. Brushes/sculpted, MDLs, Custom textures, sounds..
The rest is just knowing what entities/classes are used to control players and gameplay goals/triggers for the following games. I just plug them in to my map.

Here is a picture. Not up to date but I don't want to go take a newer one cause I'm going to update more today and take one later.
Miriscus.com
That is about two days of work so far.

Anyways, keep following my progress. I'll update often as I can.