Merry Christmas!
Like promised earlier, here is the last media release of 2008 (now we won't post anything until next year :) ). This time around we have decided to show a little of our current map progress as well as modeling.
I would also like to add that we are still looking for devs to help out in animation and textures.
Here are a few shots of the first outside area on the first map:
As well as a screen from the chapter "Friendly Fire":
Even though we had a HECU media release last time, we're still working to bring out the tough marines and their comrades in training. Here is a screen of the Boot Camp Recruit:
Lastly, since we haven't shown much in the way of enemies so far, we present the Bullsquid;
Now, you might be thinking; "But this wasn't much more than what they showed last time". That is because more media can be found on our forum gallery! This gallery will contain exclusive updates that only members registered on the forum will be able to see and which we'll update every second week. So, if you find that you have a free moment in these busy christmas days, feel free to stop by our forums and say hi :)
Merry Christmas from the OpBM Dev team!
Everything is sweet except Bullsquid.You changed it too much
OH NOES, ORIGINALETY
I personally think the bullsquid looks awesome. It should maybe have still retained some of its distinctive markings but I like the new additions to its armour, and the suckers are great too.
The level design is lacking in my opinion. The bridge looks too blocky, the textures repeat too obviously and the interior shot is too different from its source material (mainly the fire door).
Man, are you expecting that we will make a port? Ok, I will just make straight corridor as it is in Opfor, just with new textures... Is that better for you? I rly dont understand you, maybe you have to look around the internet and check out what is remake ;). Im also sure, you told that this shot (https://www.moddb.com/mods/black-mesa/images/black-mesa6#imagebox) from Black Mesa mod isnt true to the original (if not, I guess you are one of their fanatic fans)...
Thanks for suggestions anyway :)
Dude he's just giving some advice about the level design. And I agree with the bridge being too blocky. Theres just something that doesn't look right about it.
The bridge just has a texture which doesnt fit there, and its only one but if you change it, it will look great. But actually i really cant understand why the guys said that its too far from the original... This mod looks really fantastic, and if they change a door, it doesnt mean they made something ''wrong''. To port an old game to a newer engine its not only necessary to add never models and textures, but also change some things, because the requirements for games did so, too, and that's exactly what the mod does.
Actually, we're currently working to model the blast door from the original, wether we'll use it there or not though is uncertain at this point:) We'll take that in stride when we get there.
Personally I think the bridge is just right as it is. After putting the bridge model into the map though we realised the textures will need some tweaking to blend like it should with the map terrain, but thats just it, tweaking :)
...yep, TOO~ much
Looks good but yah bullsquid is messed up. The mod kinda looks cartoony is this your intention.
Nothing's wrong with being slightly cartoony. The bullsuid looks pretty good, IMO. ;D
For me, the only thing sweet is the bullsquid.
Wow.. bloody unique bullsquid @@
If you see it from a different angle you'll notice that it isn't really that different. Visit our forum and check out those shots ;)
Hey I thing there is something wrong with the level design of the outside area. That bridge, the textures...
To eviltoast499:
I know, but I rly don´t understand whats wrong, if the map isn´t exact copy of the original map. I don´t see any point in advice like this ;).
About the bridge section, its still "work in progress" (office are is as well) and im sure we will add more details along with new textures and models to it ;)
THAT LOOKS LIKE AM UBER BULLSQUID
I like the bullsquid's tentacles and eyes.
I noticed that his back has dinosaur-like fins. Are you going to apply this style to the rest of the aliens?
I think that the mapping overall looks quite simple and is lacking originality and character. Try adding a little more detail here and there.
Adding a little more detail here and there?
Like what? j/w.
Thats really entirely up to our concept artists and modelers ^^ Most likely they'll all be pretty unique (though still true to the original), which would be logical considering that Xen is a boarder world. None of the creatures 'living' there are native to Xen and as such would not have similar traits.
Quote from The half life story guide (http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/timeline.htm):
'A quick note about Xen: Marc Laidlaw has stated that "nothing is native to Xen" which implies that life Xen is a mish-mash of beings from all over the universe, being willingly or unwillingly transported there.'
The map on the other hand isn't completely done yet as we still have quite the prop placement ahead of us :)I'm pretty sure we'll fill whatever empty areas one way or another when we get down to tweaking.
We can never satisfy you guys. If we make it too much like the original, you guys bitch about it being a black mesa source 'copy', which is just plain stupidity, because as you might ******* know, they're ALL in the same ******* facility with the same stupid Monsters. If we make it unique you bitch about it being different. Give us a break...or better yet, just join our mod team.
oh my god that bullsquid is creepy 0.0,i like it XD!what about the X race aliens?those were sorta my faverate xen race :3.
An image of the shock trooper was posted some time back in the gallery and on our homepage :) We'll take the other beasties as we get there ^^
roadrunner09 - Blunt comments over the net are common and understandable but the key is to try and take it as constructive criticism ;)
If people aren't liking something then you should be finding out why. It'll get them thinking too as they probably don't know exactly why they dislike that something.
Regarding the 'detail here and there' comment, you should focus more on the 'originality and character' bit instead. But what I thinking of by putting detail here and there was the rocky cliffs in particular. They're noticeably blocky although smooth. Meaning, I can clearly see where you've placed those brushes and how you've smooth those edges. If this is the style you're going for then that's fine, but I for one don't find it entirely convincing.
Ask yourself, 'would I see rock formed like this in an environment like this?'. Perhaps some little sharp bits here and there or hard edges would look good in there, perhaps using a rock model or intersecting displacements. I think it would help 'break' the rock from it's consistently smooth form.
I realise I'm being pretty finicky, but hey, take it has constructive criticism, which is also free and apparently under-appreciated.
Also, you may not be able to satisfy absolutely everyone but I do think you could make a good compromise between creating your own designs and original designs. I think the key here though is to make it make sense in order to make it 'work'. For example, why does the bullsquid have dinosaur-like fins? Why does the rocky cliffs like the way they do?
DragonNOR, thanks for the info and history there. I guess that leaves room for you guys to get creative which is good :).
Anyway, keep up the good work, looks like a good amount of progress is being made!
Excellent work, very high quality
Looks great! Good work you guys!
Excellent work. The models look perfect.
Hope in future they came out more chapter of image.
I <3 this Bullsquid =D
The Bullsquid is weird but I loved it.
BM:S's bullsquid is 10000x better
... And if the OpBm team had made it like that, you would be commenting on what a "Bms ripoff" this mod is right now ...
No sir. If you ripoff BMS I would be more happy. I don't care if someone is stealing models or making them similar
I think bets are you'd be one of very few in that case.
I don't think so.