I don't like delaying, I really don't like delaying two times in a row...
So in order to not delay a third time, I just won't set a deadline this time.
No new release date, just a good old "When it's done"
In the meantime, to present the delay, here is a very appropriate new trailer.
I hope this will make you feel better.
Now to the good news:
Prologue Remake
The Prologue Remake, which will be included with the release of Chapter One is nearly complete.
The House now features a whole set of new events, as well as new dynamic puzzles.
The power in The House can be turned off completely, and sometimes during a storm, it will go out, and it's up to you to get it back on by changing the fuse, but beware, at night, with no lights, it can be tricky.
The fire place can now be turned on and features a dynamic light that casts a very lovely shadow, the same treatment has been given to the TV and the fridge.
The House also features a new tutorial, that has been extremely improved and turned to an "almost" mini game, featuring Jake's Swat training day.
Programming
In other news, Underhell's code is finally moving forward, with great new features such as dynamic RTT shadows, multiple Projected Textures and many more to be announced soon.
Since it's the an area I am not working on myself, I cannot promise anything, but I can say that after 2 failed attempts at meeting a decent programmer , third time is the charm.
Music
As you can hear in the trailer, Tom Stoffel is making amazing tracks, right now we have 4 times as many tracks as the Prologue had, and we are not done yet.
The OST for this Chapter will be MASSIVE (over 1 hour) , and will be available for purchase upon the mod's release.
Thanks to the Programmer fixing a sound issue, Music tracks can now be stopped, paused and resumed, allowing for a complete control of the music system, and therefore letting me play with it in ways rarely seen before in the Source Engine.
Voice Acting
Underhell Chapter One has reached 2500 lines, from 12 Voice Actors, and some extra lines will probably be added still.
"Why so many lines?" you must wonder.
Well it turns out that Underhell's conversations are not always the same.
This does not apply to all the cutscenes, but mostly to environmental scenes, conversations you hear while walking around, or talking to NPCS.
The scenes are randomized, and not all of them will play all the time, so you might hear different conversations during multiple playthroughs.
In addition to that, the game features a few secondary quests that you can do by talking with NPCs, the quests either get you a reward, or alter the levels in a specific way.
Randomly placed survivors can be rescued for similar effects, but can also die on their way to the safe room, altering some events in the process.
But don't worry about babysitting, the survivors can fight back.
Once rescued, the survivors will show up in the safe room, and you can talk to them from time to time, their lines may change depending what you have accomplished.
(These aren't planned features, these are completed features.)
Level Design
Underhell's levels are mixed, some are linears, others are "hubs" that you can come back to if a quest takes you there, it is an extremely complex Level Design that feels unique due to the different factors in place.
Randomly generated codes, special vents that require a tool to open, locked doors that NPCs you rescue will unlock for you, all these different factors and some others affect Chapter One's layout making the game extremely replayable.
A clear example is the introduction of the game, that can end in 3 possible ways, leading to 3 possible beginnings for the Chapter, that will alter the way the player will ultimately start playing the game.
All of this without forgetting about the new Chapter 1 House, that features new puzzles, new events, new dreams, and a brand new location, that you can figure out if you have discovered a certain "plan" in a certain attic.
Release Schedule
When it's done, I know it sounds classic, but this has become bigger than I had anticipated, it's so big in fact that I won't have the time nor courage to translate the new chapter into the French and Spanish languages that were previously available at launch.
It will be released soon, that I can guarantee, just hold on a bit longer, we're almost there.
Quite tasty, if its half as good as the current prologue, than its worth what ever wait.
'The power in The House can be turned off completely, and sometimes during a storm'
Yeah, I have a feeling there are quite a few surprises to be seen when the power goes out during a storm...
This is awesome :)
Awww. Well keep up the good work.
Take your time: good quality always worth a waitin ! (look at CoF) ;)
I guess somewhere between chapters 2-7 a music radio is gonna be added for the house, right?
"released when its done,"
I know as mapper/modder that you don't want to say this, but just want to name a date. But after time you experience that in most cases its hard or even impossible to name a date, and delays are a bad thing.
So after all, you only can say, that it will be released when its done.
Or name a date when you are getting close to finishing it, but even then can spoil unexpected things a release date.
So, don't worry. Its done when its done, and nothing can change that.
We will keep tracking and following, thanks for the update!!
success,
Leon
OMG looking so forward to this :D
...Delays?! MORE DELAYS?!
(╯°□°)╯彡 ┻━┻
Tableflip aside, take your time. I want to play something solid, not something on its release deadline. Rush it out and release something problematic and buggy and broken, and I won't ever forgive you.
You should patten your scare system, and call it... Realtime Dynamic Horror. And for people to use this technique, they'll have to pay 1,000,000 dollars! Mwahahahaha!!!!!
Take your time... Great and Hard work leads to success. Look at Cry Of Fear for example ^_^
I didn't read carefully enough,and thought that you said that we would have to purchase the chapters,but then I saw that you meant that the soundtrack will be available for purchase.
Startled me for a sec,that did.
look freakin awsome keep up the good work!!!!!!
Here I am, nearly an ENTIRE year later, and no ch. 1. I mean COME ON!
You dont know how mapping and modding is hard so wait. Waiting is hard but we're almost there