Recall 2010 news

Good Morning,
If I recall, my last news post was in or around this time last year, isn't that something! Anyway, hello to you my fellow Arnold fans and Total Recall enthusiasts. Another year of work has passed on the most highly anticipated science fiction action comedy first person shooter spy mod ever made and I have to say that I'm very excited about the progress that Total Recall has made since it's beginnings. But before I begin I would like to thank some people who have contributed to the mod and have sinced moved on. These include Bekey, Gigantor, Ranger McFriendly, and Brashen whose help is greatly appreciated and they will always hold a special place in my heart. Bon voyage guys! Ok let's get to it...

This past year my main focus and the majority of work that I have done has been on level design. I knew that once the Recall universe had come to life in the form of a few levels that the pace of the mod would improve dramatically, and only now is it beginning to pay off. A big lesson that I have learned along the way is that making levels is no easy feat and requires a considerable amount of time, patience and determination. I will admit that I started out with ambitious plans of building over ten levels for Total Recall but due to the lack of mod help received I have decreased the amount to a count of seven or eight. If the mod is to be released at all I will have to be realistic in my ambitions. But this is good for the mod in a way as it helps me put more focus on the quality of the mod as a whole rather than the quantity of unpolished levels.

In mid October 2010 I finally finished the core layout of one of the toughest levels that I have created yet. The level is set in a vast underground processing plant where all the Turbinium ore is liquefied and processed into breathable air. I wanted to combine a cryogenics lab with a hydroelectric style dam and so far I'm quite happy with the results. Once completed this level will make for some exciting game-play which might involve swimming with CryoTech scientists.

The following excerpt is taken from Total Recall's design document which describes Quaid's covert entrance to Central Administration...

Quaid enters the main reception area of Administration where a dimly lit lamp is casting a lonesome hue against what appears to be building's reception desk. It's well after business hours now and everyone's gone home for the evening except the night workers and some stragglers determined to make their deadlines. The only thing preventing Quaid's progress is the reception's security gateway system which must now be passed by climbing over it using nearby renovation material. The martian sunlight wanes through the sky-bridge overpass window giving evidence that night time is well on it's way. Quaid finds his footing and walks on but suddenly a nearby door opens and a single patrol guard comes walking toward the vending machines with the hopes of getting a quick snack. Quaid uses the door leading to the ground floor office complex where the distant murmur of data translation chirps from the passing cubicles. Following the office hallway Quaid now takes the elevator to Securicom on the second floor...

The elevator doors open to the sight of a passing ceiling turret which now serves as the facility's active security system. Quaid slips to one side of the elevator to get a better view of the turret passing along the hallway where it turns and moves down another route. The late night hum of lights cast their hypnotic beams against the floor leaving shadows in all their mystery. Securicom, the central hub for all security measures on the Mars colony is down for the night but still confidently retains it's active duty. A sudden pang of heat develops under Quaid's skin as he steps out into the hallway and resumes his mission...

For my final piece of level design news I would like to present a screenshot from one of the earlier levels on the Mars Federal Colony. Too long have you guys heard about the colony and have yet to see what it will actually look like. Hilton Plaza and Venusville are probobly the most exciting levels I'm working on because of the similarities they have to actual city architecture. On one hand we have Hilton Plaza which acts as the main tourest hub on the colony and includes an airport, subway, shops and the famous Hilton hotel. All of which are supposed to represent the colony's thriving economy and statis. While in Venusville the aim is to be the complete opposite, a combination of steamy backstreets with seedy nightclubs to cover up the colony's poverty stricken slum districts.

Regarding other aspects of the mod, The menu system has been through a few changes during 2010 and the most recent design seems to be the most promising. My aim is to create a menu system with some decent animations to present the idea that you are in the cockpit of some space craft and controlling the interface. My thanks goes out to 6th Venom (doom3world.org) for creating such a user friendly main menu mod that in my opinion is the best Doom 3 mod out there.

Well that's it for now regarding Total Recall's progress but I'm not done here yet. I originally began making this mod out of love for the old action movies from the 80's/90's and over the past ten years there has been nothing really worth talking about bar The Expendables. All these movie remakes are becoming a pain in the behind and with news of the Total Recall remake scheduled for release next year I'm not even going to bother wasting my time looking at it. Personally, and I don't think I'm alone here, I think that directors these days haven't a clue how to make a decent action movie anymore. If there are any guys out there that want to make a kick ass mod based on styles from the 80's and 90's, hit me up.

For those who were expecting a release date soon I apologize for the lack of it and I hope they understand that I'm more or less still working alone.
Hint, hint! :)

Well, that's it from me for now and I hope you enjoy the screenies.

Good luck!

Quaid.