DF-21 Forums

[Jackson]

After reading through DF II: The New Dark Trooper (working title), I was just a-thinkin' to m'self: not to say that any current full-scale missions-in-progress should be abandoned, but wouldn't it be easier for DF editors to work on mini- or showcase levels? (Think of Barry Brien's "Anchor Hed: Tusken Raid," intjacob's "Ski Attack," or any of Casey Neumiller's showcase levels, for instance...)

I'd imagine that these smaller projects would be less likely to bog the editors down with work than full-scale missions. Plus, instead of waiting months for the next big mission to be released, it could be a matter of weeks (or maybe just ONE week!) between the releases of mini-levels. Personally, I think a bunch of mini-levels and showcases would definitely raise the enthusiasm of the DF community.

Any thoughts?

[Fenwar]

Why not. Or even just setting the size bar lower for a while some with some shorter levels.

My brother (Tommos)'s current project isn't huge, most of his work is going into making a few areas look really good rather than making a big sprawling level.

SECBASE is a lovely mission and it's hardly huge. I don't know if a mod released today that was the same size would be classed as a "mini-level". (And after all, no-one calls Mines a minni-levvel. Do they?)

[Rimciv]

I'm working on a SECBASE-like mini-level. You are Kyle(again? ) and you must steal the coordinates for an imperial suppy convoy's route.

[DF4GL4ever]

Definitely a good idea. This will introduce a lot more variety because with lots of these we'll have lots of new world's and plots to explore instead of just a few mega detailed worlds and plots.

[Burning Gundam]

I'm taking parts of my old SBoT project to build my new Assassination on Tarsalus project. It will pretty much take a third of the original SBoT level and rebuild certain areas that need to be replaced. So pretty much I got almost half the first level done in an hour.

Oh, and don't forget about my incredibly short level for the Jedi Crystal series I did that got 4 stars

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

[Tom Manning]

I think it would be cool if some editors worked together on this, and we could have totally different levels and locations and tie them together with one overarching storyline. I would love to make a mini level, I haven't edited in months, mostly becuase I was scared of starting again and not finishing like I have a million times before.

I like the idea!

_________________
Tom Manning
For all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you, Stand, Men of the West!
Aragorn: Return of the King

[Patrick Haslow]

I think this was the impetus behind the "one room wonder" contest. It will either raise spirits or prove once and for all that the DF community is reduced to minor releases only. And yes I am sorry DTIII is so delayed!

[Scape Goat]

Smaller levels would certainly be worth encouraging. I'm probably incapable of it, but.....

[Madine]

Hmmmm.... Maybe I can use my test level I'm working on now as a mini-level for this? Not sure. I'm about 1/30th of the way through, but if I go mini-level, this could happen... I guess I could have two goals and that's all. Not a bad idea, actually.

Hmmmm.... /me ponders.

[Casey Neumiller]

Hmmm...

Both levels I'm working on right now (one that a few people know about, one that nobody knows about) are supposed to be fairly short...

I'm a bit stuck architecturally on the level BB, AlexG and a few others know about. Not quite sure how I want to do a few things.

The other level is actually along the lines of Madine's proposed TC, save it's SW-based. (E.g. stealth over firepower.)

If I can figure out exactly what I want to do with either level, they could be finished in short order.

[Jackson]

Awesomeness. Personally, I'd love to see a bunch of new action-packed levels -- not so much "mindless shooting galleries" as "short but sweet missions" -- surface on the DF-21 front page.

I've plans for a serialized collection of missions, most of them showcase levels connected by plot. I really don't know if I'll be able to complete them anytime soon (the new semester starts in a week, and I'm still somewhat amateurish at editing -- my crowning achievement is "Armed & Dangerous"!), but I'd still love to give them a shot.

We shall see, we shall see...

[Nottheking]

I've had an idea for a "short" (by epic standards; about 600-900 sectors) level, that I know I'd be able to finish within a month (If I tried), but I've been quite distracted from DF, especially since my new comp doesn't like DF (though it does like all other DOS games, oddly enough). I think I'll give it another shot though, as my new comp currently seems to have a bad CD-RW, so I'll be using my old one for class work now that the semester has begun. Let's wait and see what happens! (It wouldn't hurt to duck and cover your ears, though)

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

[Barry Brien]

I had a cool idea for a mini-level recently. Imagine you were one of the sand people and you had to try and shoot as many passing speeders as you could in a given time. I tihnk I'll start on that today...

[Nottheking]

[Barry Brien]

Well I started it, but that was all. I'll try and do some more next time I'm home.

[alkaline888]

The short LEV idea is exciting for all sorts of reasons -- and sometimes it's just a necessity.

For example, the Heresy Machine game (yes, still actively working on it, though I've become a total hermit around DF-21) has so many VOCs and components, and is so dense with INF, that we've been forced to split it into little LEVs:
(a) so that the GOB doesn't crash under its own weight,
(b) so I can keep all the INF straight in my own head,
(c) so that we can actually finish and release some small portion of Heresy Machine before the year 3000.

Short LEVs also opens the possibility for events that are mainly narrative in purpose. A couple of our LEVs basically are like cutscenes.

And, since DF lacks an in-level save feature, shorter LEVs allow a player to accomplish goals and then put the game away a couple days.

Bring on the small LEVs!!!

_________________
Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.
—Kurt Vonnegut

[Fish]

[Armydude71490]

this mini levels thing is a very good Idea!

(what a new member? I just joined a few seconds ago glad to see that this game is still alive and twitching i guess but still! after seeing the craped up dark troopers in Starwars: Battlefront I rememberd that I still had my dark forces game and well I found this site. DARKFORCES ROCKS but is very hard to make maps for! as i have seen by dling the editing tools (all i wanted was to edit a map for my own personal use but I guess my skills arent good enough to do that btw it was the training map the danger room I wanted to add all enemies in the game i.e. boba fett, phase 3 dt's, gremorians, imperial officers, interrigtator droids, and imperial commandos.))

Wow sorry about the rant but I am just excited to see a game like this still alive!

(if their is any good map making person who wants to help me on "fixing up the training" I would greatly appreaciate it! http://www.hillside.co.uk/glyn/dark/danger.html (this is not my site so don't blame me for its info it is just where you can dl the map with some info!
It says in the read me that the creator diden't want the map used to make additional maps but since his e-mail and sites are down I don't think he would care
If you wan't to do it just pm me
Btw My e-mail is: dragonswhiskers@optonline.net
Just in case someone makes it this is where the files would be sent!)

AHH I have to stop ranting what a crappy first post a request damn will everyone in this forum flame me!

[Nottheking]

Ah, this one your first post?

Welcome to DF-21!

All new members are very welcome, just be sure to check your sanity at the door...

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

[Armydude71490]

What what was I talking about!

I told you to shut up!

What, shut up I don't even remember what I was going to say!

I said Shut up!

Make ME!

:Grabs a hammer and bangs head a few times!:

What!

Just shut the hell up already!

!!!!!!!!
LOL

[Fenwar]

Hey Armydude, welcome to DF-21

We like to try to keep threads on topic in Levels & Editing... nothing wrong with the occasional random post but General Discussion is the best place to let off steam

Have fun

Fenwar

[Tom Manning]

Well, I was really bored, so I opened up a folder in my computer I hadn't opened in forever, the one called DF GOLD PACKAGE, and I started looking through stuff. Then I pulled out my old INF notebook with the INF guide printed out and started looking through it and I had an idea for a great mini level. I am planning to try a test GOB later, inwhich I will try and get all the INF smoothed out because the level, even though it will be very small has the potential for having a whole lotta INF. And it could also get really tangled up and stuff. If the test works out I might need to make a second, slightly more elaborate test, and I may turn that into a demo to get some interest in the project.

If this works out, it should be pretty cool and should also be a very fresh original MINI level.

_________________
Tom Manning
For all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you, Stand, Men of the West!
Aragorn: Return of the King

[Tom Manning]

and a year later, no mile levels, though the project I hinted at is taking new life as my contest entry.

_________________
Tom Manning
For all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you, Stand, Men of the West!
Aragorn: Return of the King

[Lonestar]

Coober 2.0, Revenge of the Coober.

P.S. I didn't make Coober, but it is a cool level to try to beat without dieing.

[Jackson]

B-b-but it's not a year later! It's been ten months! There's still time for the mini-level revolution!!

[Geoffrey S]

I'll see if I can churn out a mini level by the end of next week. One of my older projects (Base) I could get finished within a month if I throw out some of the more ambitious ideas.

[Nottheking]

I'll see if I can try to get DF running on my machine (a year later) and then I'll boot up WDFUSE. Or perhaps I can partake in the frustrating glee it is to make a level without any ability to test it. I still have my "epic" series in the works, and the number of sectors I've deleted from the two levels aready in progress seems to surpass 3,000 easily... My "mini" level hasn't really budged either, and still at some 50 sectors (and 1,500 verticies) I just might actually put out something for the contests, though... I couldn't really think of something suitable for the "as seen in Star Wars" part, and the "tower" concept was originally my idea, so... But perhaps I'll find a way to make a level that satisfies BOTH contests, so I might double my odds...

_________________
Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you..

[DF4GL4ever]

Well now that I've finally got GMidi working on my Mac via DosBox, I went around looking for good MIDI songs to convert. So far I've successfully put the Tyrian asteroid level theme, a few TIE Fighter songs, James Bond theme, and The Simpsons theme songs in a bunch of levels. It'd be fun to make a quick little 007esque DF level with the Bond theme or something this summer. Will have to see what I can do...

[Tom Manning]

Ahh, yes, a Bond level, that takes me back a few years....

_________________
Tom Manning
For all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you, Stand, Men of the West!
Aragorn: Return of the King

[Jackson]

Ahh, yes, indeed...

(More [url=http://web.archive.org/web/*hh_/jamesbond.df-21.org/]here[/url].)