Mod Concept: "The Dark Tower - Gunslingers" Thread

Hi all,

This mod will be kind of like WTF is this? to anyone who hasn't read or heard of The Dark Tower epic fantasy novels by Stephen King. To anyone that hasn't, it is basically a story about a group of 'gunslingers' who's work is to kill with hard calibres, and help anyone in need of help on their way. The books really are amazing and reading them has given me this idea. There are so many characters that would be so awesome to play as in a game, and so many rich locations described by the author just waiting to be mapped and modelled.

My dream right now would be to put together a team to reimagine this epic story into a mod.

I am an experienced sound engineer, foley and sfx artist, and musician; and am part of the Mario Kart: Source mod dev team. It is a shame i am not a coder myself as i would literally get stuck into creating this right now, but instead I am putting all my ideas down on paper, and hoping for some response from modders in this community to help out!

I really do hope there is someone here with a love for The Dark Tower stories, as well as experience in modding and the willingness to try and create this.

Looking forward to your replies,
joeymofo

Just thought I would add a few more ideas of how I would imagine this game would work,

As the gunslingers are all on the same team in the story, it would be nice to have some sort of team based action, and as they fight off many different types of enemies throughout the stories this means each level could have its own type of enemies. I imagine some sort of L4D style co-op, using the 4 gunslingers from the books. It could work in a variety of different ways, but the best thing would be to complete a level by killing every enemy, as that is what gunslingers do best. In this respect it would be in the same 'wave' style like Killing Floor.

This also opens up an opportunity to model a lot of extra characters from the books, and bring in a death match mode where everyone is fighting everyone, allowing more than just 4 chooseable characters.

Each character has their own distinct weapons, and techniques, which would almost give a 'character class' effect to the game, but no so much as medic, engineer etc. More like specific guns, and a few other tricks of the gunslinging trade.

I am so very tempted to look into creating this from scratch, but from my experience of working with coders on MK:S am worried it would just be far too much work. Maybe I will try!

Copyright infringement right there.
But I'd buy and play that game if it existed, provided that the execution is good.

Are you thinking of putting the players into the time before the events of the books? So that 4 gunslingers might actually work together, instead of Roland walking around in a slightly warmer S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game on his own?

Edited by: zombieOnion

Hey, thanks for the reply!
I do believe copyright infringement isn't a problem for mods that don't intend on having any sales or profits whatsoever! Look at Goldeneye: Source for instance!

I was thinking of taking all the great places from the books, and making a map for each one, for instance The Battle Of Jericho Hill would be one for Roland, Alain and Cuthbert. The first shootout in the first town in the first book could be a training level as he is on his own. The shootout in Lud would be great for Roland, Jake, Eddie and Susannah, etc etc. Going over each memorable fight and location in high detail would create a great feeling when in game.

The beauty of it is that this epic story has never been reimagined on film, and very little artwork exists, meaning we have free reign as long as we keep the details accurate to the book.

Re-reading your final comment, have you only read the first Gunslinger book? Throughout the majority of the 7 books there ARE 4 gunslingers working together :-)

I also thought it great for the character/class idea,
- Roland has ultimate hard calibre pistols.
- Susannah is in a wheel chair, meaning she cant jump , but will move faster than other people, she also will carry the plates of oriza weapon
- Eddie not so sure, but he has good gun skills also
- Jake will have a bot helping him constantly (a billybumbler called Oy) which is kinda like an ant eater but the size of a pig or something, but he only gets 1 gun as the others get 2.

There is a lot of scope here to make a great mod, I am going to attempt this!

Hey, these may be helpful:
Moddb.com
Forum.rpg.net
Fallout3nexus.com

(some dead or dying, but it's about the feedback for those)

I've read the entire series but for reasons too detailed to explain; i stopped before the end.
HIGHLIGHT IN BETWEEN TO SEE
*SPOILER* For me The Dark Tower ends just as Roland crests the last hill and sees the tower in the distance (coincidentally exactly where the source poem is set). Life altering stuff happened and it just seemed so poetic to me that my version of Roland never reaches the Tower.
*SPOILER*

Anyway, this is a wicked idea. Not unique though, which isn't a bad thing, get everyone together who's had this idea and you'd have a team already.
I'll help in any way i can. I've modded for the source engine and i'm experimenting with the unreal engine at the moment. I can write, i've done composing and I know plenty of artists that are into the series. Wouldn't hurt to at least make a demo?

Specifically though, I have to say I really don't think it would work as a game. Its just too ecclectic and game mechanics would be sparse (i.e. theres shooting and theres walking). But thats not a reason not to try and if for nothing else, visually it would be a treat.

I can imagine the best way to do it would be to abridge the story. Take the last book, round it up to the best moments and the whole last bit, add it onto the end of The Gunslinger and include any great set pieces from the intervening books (like the Shardik battle [man, would that be cool!] and Eddie and Roland's battle with Balazar) and you'd have a playable story. Weirder and oddly slim, but like they say; times slipping.

I definitely think this would be well received.

Carnaby

I love the idea of making a game/mod based on The Dark Tower Series, although I suggest you make it in a way which portrays the book properly. If you are gonna make it, I suggest you have the players encounter enemies that the characters would have in the story line (like the gunslingers fighting The Good Man's army). Of course I don't think it would work out with the players going through the whole adventure, since it lasts a very, very long time (I have yet to start the final book also), with most of it being traveling/planning.

A note on your idea of a deathmatch mode- Seems a little interesting, with Susannah having nothing from the knees down, Jake being 12, and Roland having arthritis, and a mutilated hand.

I also hope to see very good gore effects, I'd love to rip some people to shreds with those awesome guns with the sandalwood grips (was it Balazar who had his head taken off above the jaw line in the fight at the leaning tower place?). And those sneetches...

One final note: I wouldn't suggest making it like Killing Floor or L4D. I think the best way to make this would be in a way that allows the players to mow down enemies, but mistakes are not forgiven (like, you fuck up, you get a slug in your gut). And for fights to be played out in scenarios, where the players go into battles fighting the enemies, and either win, or fail and die (there weren't any more wolves after they killed the first batch).

Thanks for the awesome replies. I love it how some modders have actually heard of and read this amazing series!

I also can't believe I neglected to mention the fact that I haven't got to the end of the series yet. I am almost at the end of Wolves of the Calla. LOL but i didn't read the spoiler thank god you put it up that it was a spoiler!

I am not looking for any new gameplay mechanics with this idea, I am simply wanting to use a game with an awesome feel to its shooting (for instance CSS) but recreate dark tower content to put into it, I am not fussed with trying to make anything new and amazing, but more a visual treat and do the books some justice.

A story mode as such is not how I would like to do it either. My suggestion of it being like Killing Floor is basically meaning what you said, you can mow down the enemies, but a mistake will be very costly. I imagine the best way to set it up would be to do how Mavis suggested where you join a server and choose one of the four gunslingers and then the map that the server is running will have specific AI enemies who are the ones the gunslingers were fighting in that area in the books. This would cause some great fun co-op games, and as long as each gunslinger was made different but still all as good as each other in their own right, it would be an absolute blast!

Just a quick thought:
What if, to sort through the incongruence of having major characters doing stuff they didn't do (i.e. dying if you're crap at DM's ) why couldn't you say "hey, its just another level of the tower, just another reality and not keystone". In that case you could do anything and include anyone.

But if you are going the route of having no single player story mode, then there really is no other way to go than L4D. Its all in place for you already.

My vote goes to staged set piece shoot-outs from the book in online multiplayer format, in which several people can choose a character exactly like L4D.
I can just imagine it, instead of having "Game Modes" you could have location names that refer to the battle that took place there. And if it so happens that there was a point to the battle e.g. to get an item or to get to a door; then you have to do that before the location can be won.
Also like L4D, wouldn't it be awesome if you could choose to be the bad guys? If you could choose to play as the wolves or the man in black.
So you have, say The Battle of Jericho Hill , and you can choose to be Roland, Cuthbert and Alain or you can choose to be one of John Farson's men and you have to hold out until the Horn of Eld is blown.
DM's with a mission basically.
And you choose good or evil.

I also have to say there's some morbid part of me thats excited at the idea of being a part of the shootout in the *SPOILER* (kind of) [Dixie Pig]

Also, just so you know, all that i haven't read is like the last page of the last book and the epilogue, so there aren't really many spoilers left for me, just trying to be careful though because I know how much I hated seeing any.

And as much as you might not be looking for new gameplay mechanics, in an effort to restrain your ambition, sometimes they are necessary. Susanna's wheel chair would be a nightmare. Would she push with one hand and shoot with the other? how would she get through doorways? or jump stuff if the level required it?

I'm seriously up for making something. I've got plenty of time on my hands and excess love for The Dark Tower. Plus, the only reason people haven't done this yet is because it's absolutely massive and confusing (like making a LOST game that's actually interesting) but soooooo many people want it.

Just another note; slightly more ambitious but we're all ka-tet here The Oblivion engine would be cool. Imagine a free roam Mid-World?

Holy bubblegum wrappers Batman, I've just read there's gonna be an eight book!!!
"The wind Through The Keyhole"

I am speechless.

Carnaby

Edited by: jamiethomaswhite

CarnabyCrimson wrote:
My vote goes to staged set piece shoot-outs from the book in online multiplayer format, in which several people can choose a character exactly like L4D.
I can just imagine it, instead of having "Game Modes" you could have location names that refer to the battle that took place there. And if it so happens that there was a point to the battle e.g. to get an item or to get to a door; then you have to do that before the location can be won.

Carnaby

This is exactly how I want it, and the whole VS thing is awesome too, but wouldn't be needed for the first release. I hope I find a coder with some time on their hands and a love for the project!

Well I've dabbled in C++ and I have good capacity for learning. I'll often just sit at my computer and not move until I've learnt what I set out to. I can be stubborn. If coding is what it would take to get this off the ground then I'll do it. Of course I can't be the only one, this is a large scale story and no matter how small the mod we'll need to work.

I'd really like to start this. First port of call would be to get some documents together like concept art, proof of concept, a model or two, test levels. Anything that can then pull in some more experienced modders. Then its the ModDB page.

I can arrange some concept art. I can contribute myself but if I ask nicely my girlfriend might be interested
Janesummerfield.blogspot.com
That's her blog.

I'll get started on my coding quest. But in the meantime could any visitors to this thread just at least register any interest or give some feedback. And anyone interested list your skills. I see that your profile says you're a sound technician, Joeymofo, fancy making any music? I've got recording facilities, a guitar, piano, harmonica. Just a theme intro, thirty seconds no more.

P.S.
Just a point of interest for me at the moment with this idea is the similarity between Portal and the doors in The Dark Tower. Maybe that could be utilised? Imagine being able to go through one of the doors at will during the level?

Carnaby

Yo, i havent read the books nor do know ANYTHING about them (apart from what was said here EXECPT that spoiler, didnt read that... how dare he try to ruin it for me (thank you spoiler tags)) but id be interesting in playing the game and helping out where i can (dont have much free time, so id be almost as useful as a snail racing a train) but if you guys can get this mod off the ground it would make for an epicccc game.
Peace

Well, the game you guys describe in this here forum thread differs a LOT from what I would have designed.

zenarion wrote: Well, the game you guys describe in this here forum thread differs a LOT from what I would have designed.

Well this place is open to suggestion, what would you have done?
It's such a big story there's room for so many different styles, interpretations and opinions. One mod of The Dark Tower doesn't have to be the be-all-end-all. I personally would love to see tons of them
Any opinions should be welcomed, they rarely don't make a difference. They're essential to building yourself and your idea.

To be honest if I had the team and the knowledge I would have a different plan, I'd be doing an Oblivion or Fallout 3 total conversion and making an open world RPG version of The Dark Tower. Wherein all the locations Stephen King has mentioned are put together in a faithful map set before Roland gains his guns in which you play a Gunslinger under the command of Steven Deschain who has to hunt down all the harriers (in the main quest). You'd obviously accidentally find a door or two and have some involvement with the tower.

But then you've got to narrow you're scope. Not necessarily your ambition though, this could end up as only the multiplayer add-on for a much bigger Dark Tower mod. Who knows? Joeymofo's idea seems the most accessible and like it would stay truer to the lore than other mods.

I for one loved the series and would love to see this concept become an actual project ! A wonderful story, strong characters and wide " sandbox " style environment ( not to mention dimensional jumping ) . Given the proper attention to the series timeline of character and story development was given some respect, it could really be an epic mod. Did you happen to mention or decide on an engine ? I didn't notice one mentioned above.

Hi jjawinte thanks for the reply.
If i were to do it as a FPS shooter it would most likely be unreal or source.
The thing that I am not happy about for creating the kind of game that you mention is that you will only get to play as Roland!
I was also thinking it would be quite cool if instead of having 4 gunslingers vs AI, we could make playable characters for both the gunslingers and the bad guys, meaning much less coding would be involved.
Are you at all interested in helping out?

Christ we're up early, what's wrong with us?
I've been working on contacting other western themed mod's to see if I could get some tips, find some willing people or requisition some handy pre-made characters/guns/maps. Callous, I know, but I'm a realist.
The theme that runs throughout is a dedicated fan base and failure. They all love westerns lots but seem to quit in production.
So it would be nice to see this go ahead.

Unreal's always an attractive engine to work with. If there were enough people on the team the sand-box style would be possible. The Fallout 3 G.E.C.K Editor would be a good option for that, as it pretty much comes prepared to build the city of Lud and bits like the metro in The Gunslinger.

But would people prefer a long mini/main questing game or instant proper Gunslinger action?

Also learning coding still.

Instant Gunslinger Action!! I'm sure it is the easiest way to go as HL2 MP is all setup ready for it, we just need to make character classes, and the rest will be mostly content. I see this as a nice simple base that will be easily expanded upon

Edited by: joeymofo

Personally i think it would be better suited for the UDK, you can make amazing looking western envirmonents with UDK aswell as very fluient animations.
I'm up for working on this mod regardless of the engine, contact me if anything related to this arizes

I do believe copyright infringement isn't a problem for mods that don't intend on having any sales or profits whatsoever! Look at Goldeneye: Source for instance!

Attention: you are incorrect. Copyright infringement will always be a problem for anyone infringing copyright. You are doing it regardless of whether you intend to profit from the work. It is up to the copyright holder to police these infringements, but lack of action from a corporate body in no way represents the attitude of other copyright holders. The list of mods who have received cease-and-desist notices far outweigh the number of successfully completed infringing projects.

frosty-theaussie wrote:

I do believe copyright infringement isn't a problem for mods that don't intend on having any sales or profits whatsoever! Look at Goldeneye: Source for instance!

Attention: you are incorrect. Copyright infringement will always be a problem for anyone infringing copyright. You are doing it regardless of whether you intend to profit from the work. It is up to the copyright holder to police these infringements, but lack of action from a corporate body in no way represents the attitude of other copyright holders. The list of mods who have received cease-and-desist notices far outweigh the number of successfully completed infringing projects.

So you can get taken to court for refusing to take the actions requested in a C&D letter from the original copyright holders, but how does that stand up when there is nothing being sold? How does that work?

Edited by: joeymofo

They use LawyerMaths to calculate how much money your infringing activity has eaten into their profits, and then take you to court for that sum. Since it's LawyerMaths, it doesn't have to involve common sense or fairness. Consider yourself warned.

Gibberstein wrote: They use LawyerMaths to calculate how much money your infringing activity has eaten into their profits, and then take you to court for that sum. Since it's LawyerMaths, it doesn't have to involve common sense or fairness. Consider yourself warned.

I lol'd at your definition of lawyerMaths, and the fact that its so true.

Why not create something original, along the same lines and backdrop of the books. So keep kind of the same backdrop but change the stories and characters. You'll still get a good mod out of it and you wont be sued

hero_kenshin wrote:

Gibberstein wrote: They use LawyerMaths to calculate how much money your infringing activity has eaten into their profits, and then take you to court for that sum. Since it's LawyerMaths, it doesn't have to involve common sense or fairness. Consider yourself warned.

I lol'd at your definition of lawyerMaths, and the fact that its so true.

Why not create something original, along the same lines and backdrop of the books. So keep kind of the same backdrop but change the stories and characters. You'll still get a good mod out of it and you wont be sued

You sir have the best idea.