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Dark XL Community Project - Rogue Stormtrooper
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Taton
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Sep 28, 2009 04:37    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Does it count as progress if I spent 2 hours making a lovely courtyard to be invaded by the evil empire?

Curvy stairs are the bane of the adjoin limit. Thank-goodness for Dark-XL able to load custom GOBs.

_________________
"A fight should be clean and elegant, without waste"
-Asuka Langley Sohryu, Evangelion

Tsophika
Gamorrean

Joined: 14 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Sep 28, 2009 21:41    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Is the intent of this project to create a DarkXL-specific feature set, or be completely compatible with vanilla Dark?

Taton
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Sep 29, 2009 03:58    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

I'm not project lead, but I viewed this as a project to show the liberation of DF editing. I don't think the project would make much use of extended features other than getting rid of adjoin limitations. It would allow authors to make levels in the style and feel of Dark Forces, without having to worry about HOMs. That's just my take on it though.

_________________
"A fight should be clean and elegant, without waste"
-Asuka Langley Sohryu, Evangelion

Burning Gundam
Kell Dragon

Joined: 28 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Sep 29, 2009 08:09    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Yeah the intent was to break away from the traditional editing that we've done over the past decade +. But that doesn't mean we can't get started with what we have now and add in the neat cool features later.

_________________
I don't think outside the box... I customize it.

Burning Gundam
Kell Dragon

Joined: 28 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Oct 11, 2009 20:48    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

Since Klasodeth has yet to show up, I think we could do one of three things

1) Continue in his absence and work with what was given plot-wise
2) Vote on a new story revolving around the same setting
3) Or drop the project completely

3 unfortunately seems much more likely since no one seems to have started anything and the new beta hasn't been released yet. In hindsight, it may be better to wait a while until we get some news on what's going on before we go into this in full. Although I must admit, I was hoping for a bit more attention on this project especially after the re-release of the game on Steam.

We'll see what everyone else thinks first I guess.

_________________
I don't think outside the box... I customize it.

klasodeth
Trandoshan

Joined: 03 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Oct 16, 2009 06:58    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

...Slowly opens door and attempts to tiptoe in quietly...

Sorry I haven't been around in a while, but I have a Really Good Excuse* for my absence. Anyway, I'm in the process of looking over my notes to get up to speed, but I figured I'd better acknowledge my continued existence first.

*Totally Lame Excuse

Burning Gundam
Kell Dragon

Joined: 28 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Oct 16, 2009 08:10    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

I'm curious as to what this excuse is regardless Razz

_________________
I don't think outside the box... I customize it.

klasodeth
Trandoshan

Joined: 03 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Oct 17, 2009 09:49    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Burning Gundam wrote:
I'm curious as to what this excuse is regardless Razz


As soon as I think it up I'll let you know. Razz

Anyway, after going through the notes and suggestions, here's a revised version of the first two missions:

Level 1 – “Peacekeeping” mission
The player is an Imperial Stormtrooper who is sent on a mission to quell an uprising. The player battles local insurgents in order to restore peace to the city. Various coup leaders are caught, interrogated, and executed. The leader of the insurgency is revealed to be hidden in a certain part of the city. The player's squad goes to retrieve the leader, only to walk right into a deadly ambush. The squad reports the ambush and calls for reinforcement/evac. There is silence over the comm channel, then a question: "Have you located the insurgent leader?" The squad reports that he is not at the location, and again calls for reinforcement/evac The request is denied on the grounds that a rescue effort will interfere with operations. The squad is told to hold position and to take out as many of the insurgents as possible. Soon after, a general broadcast announces that orbital bombardment of the city will commence shortly. The squad desperately attempts to call off the bombardment, but there is no response. The remnants of the squad rush to take cover as the orbital bombardment lays waste to the city, indiscriminately killing insurgents and civilians alike. As the player desperately seeks shelter, he witnesses the deaths of many non-combatants. Eventually the bombardment stops, and the player realizes he is the only survivor of his squad. Further calls for evac go unanswered, so upon witnessing an Imperial shuttle landing at the top of the nearby dam, the player decides to head there for extraction.

Level 2 – Turning on the Empire
Once the player reaches the dam, it becomes clear that the dam is being rigged with explosives. The resulting breach will flood the city, killing off any survivors of the bombardment and concealing evidence of the orbital bombardment. The player meets with the demolitions team, which instructs the player to defend the team from any insurgent attacks while the explosives are set. The insurgents, realizing what the Imperials are planning, attempt to assault the dam. As the player fights off the insurgency, the demolitions team promises to extract the player once all the charges are set. Eventually, the demolitions team finishes its job, and they depart without making any effort to extract the player. As the player finishes off the last of the insurgents remaining in the dam, it becomes clear that the player only has minutes to live before the explosives destroy the dam. Angry about being left for dead twice now, and beginning to consider the implications of a dam breach, the player decides that self-preservation comes first. The player makes a mad dash to find and disarm the explosives, which are being protected by hastily placed defenses such as shields, mines, and combat droids. The player successfully prevents the demolition of the dam and leaves the city. Having just committed treason, but having nowhere to go, the player is reluctantly debating whether or not to return to base, when he is spotted and picked up by an Imperial patrol.

Level 3 still requires some work, as the character's justification for going rogue has changed somewhat. It's harder to justify the player assassinating high-ranking figures and stealing data if he really just wants to go AWOL, so something needs to happen to take the next step from simply abandoning the Empire to actively fighting against it. Of course, that could be as simple as realizing that the Empire treats everyone as an expendable resource, and it cost him the lives of his buddies, as well as nearly costing him his own life. After surviving the day's events, the player has plenty of time to reflect on what happened, and to pay more attention to how the Empire treats prisoners, civilians, and it's own troops.

klasodeth
Trandoshan

Joined: 03 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Nov 29, 2009 09:16    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

OK, after thinking about it, this is what I came up with as a "personal" motive for the player turning on the Empire. The changes from the previous version of the draft are highlighted in orange. Please post any comments or criticisms.
------------------------------------------------
Level 1 – “Peacekeeping” mission
The player is an Imperial Stormtrooper who is sent on a mission to quell an uprising. The player battles local insurgents in order to restore peace to the city. Various coup leaders are caught, interrogated, and executed. The leader of the insurgency is revealed to be hidden in a certain part of the city. The player's squad goes to retrieve the leader, only to walk right into a deadly ambush. The squad reports the ambush and calls for reinforcement/evac. There is silence over the comm channel, then a question: "Have you located the insurgent leader?" The squad reports that he is not at the location, and again calls for reinforcement/evac The request is denied on the grounds that a rescue effort will interfere with operations. The squad is told to hold position and to take out as many of the insurgents as possible. Soon after, a general broadcast announces that orbital bombardment of the city will commence shortly. The squad desperately attempts to call off the bombardment, but there is no response. The remnants of the squad rush to take cover as the orbital bombardment lays waste to the city, indiscriminately killing insurgents and civilians alike. As the player desperately seeks shelter, he witnesses the deaths of many non-combatants. Eventually the bombardment stops, and the player realizes he is the only survivor of his squad. Further calls for evac go unanswered, so upon witnessing an Imperial shuttle landing at the top of the nearby dam, the player decides to head there for extraction.

Level 2 – Turning on the Empire
Once the player reaches the dam, it becomes clear that the dam is being rigged with explosives. The resulting breach will flood the city, killing off any survivors of the bombardment and concealing evidence of the orbital bombardment. The player meets with the demolitions team, which instructs the player to defend the team from any insurgent attacks while the explosives are set. The insurgents, realizing what the Imperials are planning, attempt to assault the dam. As the player fights off the insurgency, the demolitions team promises to extract the player once all the charges are set. Eventually, the demolitions team finishes its job, and they depart without making any effort to extract the player. As the player finishes off the last of the insurgents remaining in the dam, it becomes clear that the player only has minutes to live before the explosives destroy the dam. Angry about being left for dead twice now, and beginning to consider the implications of a dam breach, the player decides that self-preservation comes first. The player makes a mad dash to find and disarm the explosives, which are being protected by hastily placed defenses such as shields, mines, and combat droids. The player successfully prevents the demolition of the dam and leaves the city. Having just committed treason, but having nowhere to go, the player is reluctantly debating whether or not to return to base, when he is spotted and picked up by an Imperial patrol. The player is restrained and placed in a room, where he is brutally interrogated by the Imperial commander. Due to the events at the dam, the Imperial commander believes the player helped the insurgent leader evade capture and then deliberately sabotaged the dam operations to aid the insurgents. The whole time the player insists he was just trying to avoid being killed in the attack and that he never willingly aided the insurgents. After torture fails to reveal any useful information linking the player to the insurgency, the Imperial commander loses his temper and goes on a tirade, telling the player in no uncertain terms that the player's life means nothing, completing the mission is all that matters, and that he will not allow his plans to be jeopardized just because a few stupid soldiers put themselves in mortal danger. The Imperial commander makes it absolutely clear that collateral damage is of no concern to him. As the Imperial commander leaves the interrogation room, he orders the two Stormtroopers standing watch to escort the player back to his cell.

Level 3 – Assassination
Prior to the interrogation, the player had only considered going AWOL. After the interrogation, the player no longer feels guilt for any of his actions. For the moment the player wants nothing more than to get revenge on the Imperial commander before his inevitable death. As the torture left him battered on the floor, the Stormtroopers aren't particularly attentive when dealing with their prisoner. Not as incapacitated as he appeared to be, the player grabs a convenient weapon--perhaps a torture implement left lying on the table, or maybe just an ordinary item used as a club. The player neutralizes the Stormtroopers and sets out to kill the Imperial commander. The player has relative freedom to move about initially, as it is not common knowledge that the player was arrested. Due to unfortunate circumstance, the player is unable to assassinate the Imperial commander, and his cover is blown in the process. However, during the attempt the player stumbles across data detailing Rebel operations in the region, as well as information regarding Imperial operations in the area. This information also details the fate of prisoners arrested by local Imperial forces. The player quickly begins to understand that the way the Empire treated him is the rule--not the exception. The player, still wanting revenge against the commander and beginning to see the Empire for what it really is, resolves to take the information to the Rebels.


Level 4 - Leaving the planet
Now a wanted man, the player must find a way to escape from the planet. A local spaceport has been seized for Imperial use, and supply freighters come and go regularly. The player will attempt to stow away on a freighter to get past the Imperial blockade surrounding the planet.

Level 5 – New destination
The freighter carrying the player docks at a large spaceport for refueling. Now past the blockade, the player is free to steal a small craft without fear of being shot down by a fleet of Imperial warships. Security forces will attack the player if he enters secure areas. Of course it will be necessary to enter secure areas to steal a ship. To produce a more constant threat, the player’s first attempt to steal a craft should result in failure, causing the spaceport security to mobilize in search of the player. The security force should not consist of Imperial troops.

Level 6 - Seeking the Rebels
Once past the Imperial blockade, the player travels to a planetary system with known Rebel activity in order to attempt to contact the Rebellion. Due to a recent uprising, the city the player arrives in is on lockdown. The player must wait until cover of night to sneak through the city to locate the Rebel Agent. To add a little variety to the enemies, a local police force possibly augmented by mercenaries is enforcing a curfew.

Level 7 – Proving Grounds I – Preparing to escape
Having located the Rebel Agent, the player is given an initial task to prove his trustworthiness. The Rebel Agent has a hyperdrive-capable craft, but the craft was heavily damaged during a failed Rebel operation. The player must acquire parts to repair the craft. The Rebel Agent does not yet trust the player, and does not provide much information at this point.

Level 8 – Proving Grounds II – Salvaging a failed mission
Now that the Rebel Agent’s craft is operational, he reveals that he was part of an attempt to rescue Rebel POW’s from a nearby Imperial facility. Unfortunately the mission was a failure. While the Agent was able to escape, his craft was heavily damaged in the process. The player must infiltrate a nearby Imperial facility, and retrieve information pertaining to the transfer of the prisoners. With the Agent’s craft repaired, the Rebel Agent and player can flee the planet before the Empire has time to respond to the attack.

Level 9 - Overtaken by Imperial vessel
During the escape, the Rebel Agent’s craft is overtaken by an Imperial patrol vessel, and is captured by tractor beam. The player must repel the Imperial boarding party and find a way to disable the vessel's tractor beam and weapons systems so that his ship can escape. This will likely involve destroying a main power coupling, or perhaps sabotaging the ship's main reactor. To avoid being too cliché, this could alternately involve destroying the tractor beam machinery and sabotaging any turbolaser batteries that could fire upon the escaping craft.

Level 10 – Rescue Mission, Take 2
The player and the Rebel agent meet with Rebel leadership. Based on information acquired by the player, the Rebels determine where the prisoners will be transported. A rescue operation is planned. The player is to neutralize outer defenses in preparation for the main assault. Once in-mission, the player notices that perimeter security is unusually light. Suspecting something is wrong, the player takes to high ground. The player sees the prisoner transport is late and that no preparations have been made to receive the prisoners. The player radios the other Rebels to warn them of a potential ambush, but it is too late. The squad is attacked by Imperial troops. The player does his best to help, but there are too many troops. He is unable to help the squad, which is subsequently captured. After a heated battle the player manages to escape.

Level 11 – Hated by both sides
The Rebels suspect that the player lured the squad into an ambush. Not certain of the player’s true loyalties, the Rebels are unwilling to risk additional troops. On his own again, the player considers his options. On the outer perimeter of the prison compound, the player locates the prison’s administration/maintenance complex. The player is able to intercept information that reveals the prison vessel is still in orbit around the planet. The captured Rebel squad is scheduled to be transported to the prison vessel for interrogation by the local Imperial commander’s staff. The player locates the transport craft before it can leave for the prison. The player kills the security escort and forces the pilot to fly into the prison to pick up the Rebel prisoners.

Level 12 – Redemption
With the Rebel prisoners safely out of the prison, the player chooses to fly to the prison vessel. The Rebel prisoners may or may not still be on the transport, depending on whether they were dropped off outside the prison perimeter, or they chose to stay and help the player. The pilot chooses to crash the ship into the hangar of the prison vessel, forcing the player into an immediate firefight with the troops who rush to the scene. The player fights his way to the prison deck, only to find that the cells are all empty and that a group of prisoners had been lined up and executed. Over the loudspeaker the local Imperial commander demands the player’s immediate surrender. The commander threatens to promptly execute the prisoners if the player does not comply. The player’s options seem very limited at this point.

Level 13 – Duel of deceit
Realizing that the commander will execute the prisoners anyway, the player chooses not to surrender. Instead, the player locates the prisoners, and finds that they have been lined up for execution. Realizing the player cannot engage the Imperial forces without the prisoners being executed in the process, the player attempts to negotiate with the local Imperial commander. He agrees to turn himself in, in exchange for the freedom of the prisoners. As part of the agreement the prisoners are to be placed in a transport and allowed to fly away once the player has surrendered. Even though the local Imperial commander has agreed to the terms, the player realizes the commander has no intention of allowing the prisoners to escape. However, with the prisoners inside the transport, the player can now attack the Imperial forces without the guaranteed deaths of the prisoners. The local Imperial commander realizes he has been tricked, and escapes in his personal vessel. After killing the last of the Imperial troops, the player pursues him in the prisoner transport.

Level 14 – Final showdown
The local Imperial commander flees to the prison with the player in hot pursuit. The prison’s turbolaser batteries cannot fire on the player without serious risk of hitting the local Imperial commander’s craft, so the player is able to chase the commander to the prison. Troops are awaiting the arrival of the local Imperial commander, forcing the player to land elsewhere in the facility. The local Imperial commander has called for emergency reinforcements and has placed the prison on high alert. The commander is determined to prevent the escape of the prisoners. The former prisoners in the transport help secure the impromptu landing zone and begin to free prisoners from their cells. Nothing about the rescue operation has gone according to plan, so now the player must neutralize the prison’s turbolaser batteries from inside the prison. Unable to attack the turbolasers directly, the player finds the main power trunk for the turbolaser defenses. The player severs the trunk, enabling the Rebel rescue craft to fly in and begin the evacuation. On the way back to the landing zone, the player encounters the local Imperial commander and his security detail. The commander is furious and looking for blood. The player has no choice but to fight the commander. Upon victory, the player manages to reach the landing zone and escape. The local Imperial commander is dead along with many of his troops, many innocents have been rescued, and the Rebels have valuable data that will enable them to conduct effective operations in the area. It’s a great day for the Rebellion and its newest member.

Taton
Trandoshan

Joined: 25 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Dec 03, 2009 03:42    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Reply with quote

I like what you've done klasodeth. The second half need more detail, but I do like the number of twists you've incorporated into the story.

On level 13, there needs to be something more that keeps the imperial troopers at bay. While killing bases full of troopers in fairly common in DF, I don't believe it fits very well into the "universe" of the mod. Part of the mission would involve incapacitating large number of troops, or slicing security systems. Perhaps some-kind of ally could seize the security room to lock down and open parts of the base to your advantage.

Do keep up the good work!

_________________
"A fight should be clean and elegant, without waste"
-Asuka Langley Sohryu, Evangelion

klasodeth
Trandoshan

Joined: 03 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Dec 03, 2009 08:07    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Taton wrote:
I like what you've done klasodeth. The second half need more detail, but I do like the number of twists you've incorporated into the story.

On level 13, there needs to be something more that keeps the imperial troopers at bay. While killing bases full of troopers in fairly common in DF, I don't believe it fits very well into the "universe" of the mod. Part of the mission would involve incapacitating large number of troops, or slicing security systems. Perhaps some-kind of ally could seize the security room to lock down and open parts of the base to your advantage.

Do keep up the good work!


Thanks for the input. Smile There definitely will be a fleshing out of mission details. For the initial draft of the story I wanted to focus mainly on elements directly related to the story. I didn't want to go too far into secondary details, only to have them get thrown away in the event of a rewrite. Assuming everyone else finds the current plot outline to be satisfactory, the missions can be fleshed out and given details that tie them into the story better.

As for your assessment of Level 13, I wholeheartedly agree. When thinking up the general idea for Level 13, I was imagining it being something vaguely like the Detention Center level from Dark Forces. Sure there was shooting involved, but the mission was meant to feel like a low-key infiltration. I was imagining Level 12 being a relatively straightforward assault, but once the Imperial commander throws down the gauntlet, the player is forced to be much sneakier throughout Level 13 in order to make sure that the commander isn't angered to the point of prematurely executing the prisoners.

Regarding your suggestion of an ally in Level 13, that should be pretty easy to justify. The current draft of the story leaves the possibility of the player bringing some Rebel troops with him wide open. Not only does it allow for some puzzle-based mission elements, having the allies come along for the assault makes more sense than having the player insist on going alone.

sheepandshepherd
Trandoshan

Joined: 01 Apr 2008

PostPosted: Dec 04, 2009 20:42    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

Taton wrote:
On level 13, there needs to be something more that keeps the imperial troopers at bay. While killing bases full of troopers in fairly common in DF, I don't believe it fits very well into the "universe" of the mod. Part of the mission would involve incapacitating large number of troops, or slicing security systems. Perhaps some-kind of ally could seize the security room to lock down and open parts of the base to your advantage.


Sounds like you're suggesting being able to gas rooms full of stormtroopers, thereby killing them all slowly and painfully Twisted Evil
I like the idea, it'll add some amazing variety to the mission. An ally in the control room would be great too - he could deal with a lot of the locked doors, eliminating the kill-officer-get-key method used in most of DF's levels. Instead, the player could be challenged by the need to protect this slicer and keep him out of trouble, or something similar.

klasodeth
Trandoshan

Joined: 03 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Dec 07, 2009 06:58    Post subject: View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote

OK, if there are no issues with the current changes, that means the basic framework of the story is pretty much finalized, and we can move on to fleshing out the individual missions.

sheepandshepherd wrote:
Sounds like you're suggesting being able to gas rooms full of stormtroopers, thereby killing them all slowly and painfully Twisted Evil
I like the idea, it'll add some amazing variety to the mission. An ally in the control room would be great too - he could deal with a lot of the locked doors, eliminating the kill-officer-get-key method used in most of DF's levels. Instead, the player could be challenged by the need to protect this slicer and keep him out of trouble, or something similar.


Avoiding the whole "get the keycard" nonsense is a good idea. Imagine how many heroes in how many games would have been thwarted if the guy with the key had taken the day off. Razz

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