New large News update, (movies, screens, info); - The Closure mod for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Movie;
Over the years a lot of people asked me how levels (games) are actually made, and because footage says much more as words or even images i always wanted to make a mapping movie. Well, finally i have one made, it shows the complete mapping of one part of a level, from start to end. Because the actual mapping took about 10+ hours i decided to speeds the recording up so you see it all happen in 8 minutes. Hopefully you like it, it took days to record and edit it.
(you can use link below, or watch it under the Video section. I tried to make it show here, but whatever i tried, it didn't work, only a link to it i could make work here, and upload it to the video section).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGIHCwxkgSE

(for those who don't have a high Internet speed connection i have also upload the movie in total, you can download it from here ;) Gamefront.com

The 10 screen be all seen under the tab button Screenshots, they represent several maps. On some of the screens you see probably combines with purple weapons, this is because the world model of that weapon doesn't have a skin. I just use these weapons that where taken from GameBanana.com for now, they are not the final weapon versions that will be used. In fact, everything is still WIP, (work in progress).

Story;

Now a bout the story, i have been thinking a whole lot about it. As you maybe know did this mod start out as just 2 sp-maps that i made for a mapping contest ("Rooftopville" - PlanetPhillip.com mapping contest). After my last HL2 ep2 sp-mod Final Project Diary (FPD) i decided to stop with Hl2 modding and to go on with newer games and engines, i even am looking in to indie game development.
But FPD was not that good, it was more a collection of maps with a rather small story that wasn't developed well enough. And to close my HL2 modding time with that was not a option for me. At the same time i was just mapping on a 3th map, and from there a small story grow, but it was still rather small. Until last week, my HL2 mapping time really started with the Coastline to Atmosphere sp-mod, that was my answer as a possible episode 2 to the (to me) not so satisfying end of episode 1. Back then there was still no ep2. And people liked it a whole lot. So why not make now a possible episode 3 as my last HL2 project, and call it ep3; The Final Battle. Because it is my last big HL2 project, (for now. when ep3 really is realised i probably will be back with new sp-mods for HL).

Till now this mod had the title "Rooftop Retreat", that was thought of our friend and team member Jasper, who is no longer with us (on earth). So, at one side it does hurt me to have to change the title of this mod, because he thought of the title. But on the other hand, the name doesn't cover the content of this new sp-mod well enough anymore. So, i keep Rooftop Retreat as working title, but the final name will be Ep 3; The Final Battle. (don't know if changing the name here will make that i loose all trackers, so i will keep the working title name for now.) The story will take of where the original episode 2 ended, although it will take from there a completely different direction as what you thought would happen next, (that i leave to the original ep3, ones it is released.)

I am working on a new 4th teaser movie, but i couldn't get it finished it time, and just quick finishing it will make a loss of quality. So this 4th teaser i will upload later this week.
For now i think i have enough new News content.

Voice actor needed;

I have added a add to the job section here on Moddb, for voice actor, (in fact, I need 2 male voice actors, its a not paid job of course). I have gotten some replies to it, but most of them don't mail back any more ones they know what i need for voice. Maybe it's to hard, what i ask. I need a voice that sounds familiar to dr. Kleiner, and, then a crazy version of it. dr. Kleiner has went over the edge, he is completely crazy in this mod, and therefore he does need to sound a bit like that. Should you be interested in this job then please mail me (see jobs section).

Please bump mapping;

As you can see on the screens and movies are a lot of the new used custom made textures not bump mapped (they have no real depth and are flat, like old fashion HL1 textures). And that simply doesn't look right anymore in 2011. That's why i have decided to learn bump mapping with already existing textures. Baltic is a big help with this, as he is with a lot of other things, for instance all the face poser scenes will be made by him.

Use the 'track' option here on Moddb, when you are interested in this new HL2 ep2 sp-mod and want to keep informed about new screens, movies and or info. Just click on the text; "Track this mod" you can find this at the right side of this page, somewhere in the middle.

Thanks for reading and watching and hopefully till next time!!

Leon
(SPYmaps)

(don't forget to watch all screens and movies in my screens and movie section)