the unKnowing

Hi;

Screenshots for "the unKnowing".

NOT be confused with a previous project "unSpoken, Glyphs of the Ancient Souls" - (a DEAD project [for now])!

On the left - screenshots of "the Castle of Discovery". On the right - exterior shots of some new terrains.

I expect to release to the community in the next 7 - 10 days a couple of levels (COMPLETE) WITHOUT hiding (ie., rapped in a .wrs file) the files as a user contribution.

Right now ... tell me what you think of the screenshots. C and C welcome! But, please note - from the castle, the soul is "a soul" and morphs into a "lower" form to play the first part of the game.

-Thanks, myKael.

I like "the Soul", and it's idea quite a bit.

The top castle shot seems to want a different floor texture. Also, I picture something a little softer than the hard white color lighting in the middle castle~ I like what you did with the bluish light in the bottom picture, tho.

I also think that a the modest use of some per-pixel normalmapping (with an FFP bumpmapping fallback) added to a few select blocks would make a nice addition. I don't think going "shader crazy" is in order, but used in moderation it would be cool.

I like the lighting and atmosphere of the terrain. The environment is set well and I feel that a bit more defined fog would add to the creepy feeling that it wants to give me. I would enlist the use of mutitexturing detailmaps on the terrain to give it some better definition and percieved quality. Again, not necessarily overboard on the effect, but maybe (2) unique detailmaps. Grass and soil/gravel, for example.

All in all it seems like a very well thought out approach. It is quite nice that you will be contributing this to the community. This must be taking a fair amount of your time.

Eric

Actually the small size dont allow me to see it in details.
But from here ,the screenshots look good,especially the right middle one !

Good to know your project 's still alive! The screens look very promissing to me...looking foreward to see more!

Lol, you mixed left and right ehehehe, my brother does that all the time, lol, anyways, I really like those interior shots!! Great style and very nice texturing man, good work!

Cheers

Awesome dude!

looks cool!

Not bad! In my country game creation contest you win!
indago.gamez.lv

ReHI;

Firstly - thanks for all the GREAT comment. Appreciate them.

Decided to release a few (er - lot ) of screenshots of the castle. Tell me what you think?

@steempipe - Yeah ... retexturing some things now, including the floor and relit a few places. Check it out . And you are one of my "heros" here dude. Your contributions to the community inspired me.

@zzzgames - Larger screenies this time. Hope you like.

@loopix - Your terrain with shaders was my inspiration to move from interior to exterior. You are awesome.

@PHeMoX - Tried to make it an "spookie" b&w (mixed with "some shades of color") circa 1950-60's "B" movie style. You noticed that ... THANKS.

@HackerL - Hey - would be proud to win your contest

OK ... now that all the a$$licking is out of the way <- rofl (j/k) - all of you guys have BEEN and CONTINUE to be an inspiration. That said, some "new" screens of the castle. ->ALOT of them, so give them time to load <-




























Hey guys - made them bigger this time

Remember - this is a commercial game for sale, but am - true to my word, going to release the code here in a demo. Give me a few .

Thanks.

Next year ! I can get in the contest ! But you need to WRITE latvian language! I can help you with words!


Words=vaardi
next year=naakam gad!

In my country you can win $600!

Those are really nice screen shots. But I have to admit that whenever I see the default texture in any level, it seems like it's only half way done. Are you really keeping the default texture in the level? I suppose that unless you use 3DGS, you wouldn't recognize that texture.

The default texture is being used right now until I create a few more textures. It's a place marker because I haven't decided what will work in the "scene". But you didn't comment on the rest of the level - what, can't recognize a "marker"? Besides that - what did you think of level design?

Certainly more involved than noticing a default texture - don't you think?

Now with larger screenshots ,i still think the level building looks good .
But,to me,the lighting is not as good as the map.
I would like less contrast between dark and bright areas .
Some textures look cool like on the 15th screenshots,its a good screenshot .
I hope you'll fix the "default" texture on the floors and columns .

Sorry. My bad. The level geometry is quite professinal looking, especially when looking up. The ceilings are a nicely done and score big points in my book. Usually, it's the little things that, when done right, really put a level over the top.

When counting from the lower picture upwards I like the shadows of about 15 of the screens you've posted, lighting is done really good in those 15, but the top few screens could use some more shadows or lights for that matter, keep going like you did up to now and it'll be great,

Cheers

OK ...

Here's a demo of the castle. As promised, I haven't hidden anything except the levels. All code and models are available. Remember - this is a commercial product that am developing but have used suggestions, code snippets and such from the community here - so giving back my interprations of those.

Alot of code has been change to accomadate the needs of the game. USE THAT as examples (how to apply) in your game.

Unique models (like the confessional) are mine but up for grabs - meaning you can design something "like" it or based on "it" and I won't complain

That being said - GAMEPLAY:

1.) You will find a inventory system in use. This is base on A5 (yeah, I lazy) and uses the arrow keys to move around (shift-arrow to run [va6 is in development])
a - when you start ... enter the room with the goblin - and yes - he's supposed to act like that. If you are an ASTUDE gamer - will note that thro his animation, "he's in pain" - but points to a reference point. REMEMBER that for now, but - walk past him - RIGHT CLICK on your mouse to bring up a "grab cursor" and get the sword in the confessional.
b - turn around ... walk "thro" the skull, and using your right mouse again ... open both doors.
c - explore the castle and figure the rest out YOURSELF - rofl. If you get it right will be able to visit the chapel ... get all 4 card which will "release" you into the throne room and outside. <- HEY, can't give it all away (LOL )
c - any doors or "lifts" can be activated using the right mouse botton and clicking on them.

So here is the link. Since I didn't compress it - is ~ 23 meg:


unKnowing level one Beta

Enjoy - figure it out ... get to level 2 and write me - what you think!

myKael.

The part in which players should grab the sword is totally unclear without this 4 line walk-through, you'd better change that, it seems as if the sword is way out of reach. Apart from that I've noticed some slow-downs near the table with the goblin. I think maybe the game's character is out of proportions, but that kinda depends I guess, since it's obviously not a normal person judged from it's appearence.
Anyways, I'll check it out some more if I've got some more time to spend,

Cheers

your game is so good! great job and thanks for contributing!

i tested it and noticed the following things wich may help you:

-click distance for the sword is very big (too big to pick it up in my opinion)
-you can get stuck in the 2 doors behind the skull
-the fps in the rooms after the skull is real bad you should think about methods to improve the fps
-the sword wasnt there after i made a restart new game

all in all it looks good, i saw you know how to make levels, you really should think about redesign because of the fps. use fewer polygons/blocks, less particles. make the world smaller or so that the gameplay is fluid.

good luck !

I had no FPS problems and I like the athmospere very much, but I don't like the controlling of the character. I also don't like the position of all these stuff you have to find. There is no methode behind the positions. It's just running around and hope that you find something. But I think you will be able to solve these problems, and all in all I think it's good.

Now - this is WHAT I am talking about, lol . Good constructive C and C. Helps a game developer SO MUCH. Screenies are one thing, but to have a beta walkthro that people can see the continuity is something else!

@utz - Thanks. You're right. Without a storyline that is explained at the beginning of the game, won't work. Altho, is an RPG and inherently in that gendre, is about running about to solve things. For that very reason, I DIDN'T release the storyline splash screen to see how you guys would react. Astute observation - and confirmed some of my gameplay strategies. THANKS. The skull have been a pain in my butt since I created it. Looking at ways to inprove it now. As for the particle effects, a necessary evil in a "dark, magical world" - but am looking at LOD to increase fps.

@SirSven - I agree, character movement at this point is a bit "sketchy" - but remember it's a SOUL and as such should "stumble and lurch" - it's getting it "legs" back so to speak. Since it was written based on a5 technology, am porting it to a6. Positions in the final game - will be placed random on each new game.

THANKS guys for keeping me on my toes. I have decided to "redesign" the castle, now that I have Dan's excellent - Arch-E tool. This again was just a walkthro beta to see responses. The outdoor level in the first set of screenies is NOW where the actual game will begin and end - with instance transports to the castle, ect.

Curious, has anyone made it to the throneroom - and outside to the courtyard? - LOL

Keep the C and C coming. Only way I know to make a "hell of a game"

-myKael.

EDIT: And jeez ... no STARZ. Not that I am an egotist or anything - but NONE???
ROFL

OK ... think of this. The "castle" is a structure that is build to be utilitary - ie., functional. There really is NO NEED to have a "surrealistic" structure built on the ceiling other than to invoke thought (and advance gameplay) from someone visiting the castle.

In a way, taking all you guys concepts and incorporating them into a actual "real world" enviroment - that is what surrealism is about.

Remember the "old B-Movies" - low budget. Only thing that kept you glued to the screen (be it big screen or TV) was how directors USED special FX - to make it surreal. That is what we try to achieve.

Some call it "dark" - some "forbidden", whatever to be surreal touches the psyche at some "subconscious" level - draws you in like "an old friend".

Hard to explain and in games that is exactly what is being done ...

-myKael. (frozenbaby)

Here

is a screenie of the NEW menuing system I am currently working on ... front panel only. All done in psp7. The book background is several layers. "Burnt" pages are old school psp7 techniques.

I hope to achieve something unique here - by "drawing the player in" with something that challenges their "belief systems" while encompassing that which they believe in and yet they still don't understand, and, at the same time give them abit of the "storyline". With NO expectations of the 3d world created.<- Hard to explain, but read the menu.

What do you think? Does the menu achieve that?

-thanks guys.

Lookin pretty shnazy. Good work.

only 1 problem i see :P some of the letters overlap onto the page underneath =)

The Level is really nicely done, but the movement of the player is a bit strange.

Te letter overlaps look a bit funny... And those pages are a bit too clean... you could try to add some dirt and maybe coffee marks there to make it look more interesting...

I know .. rebuilding all levels ... hang in there ... will put something up in a few days (er, weeks).

you better *shakes fist wildley

@Frozenbaby: qiuck quick we all are waiting for you..

OK ... not sure if I should close this THREAD.. but the game is under review from several publishers and I have been offered several deals.

Which means I have signed "non-disclosures" - and so I "may" not be able to post anymore screenies or code and all that good stuph 'n things.

Currently working on Bilbo's castle ... re-texturing and creating an entire village. Again when I do will release all models and code. BTW
- BILBO, it rocks.

I will keep you up to date. Sorry I haven't responded earlier ... but "mama Della" passed away earlier and it hurt. But she got me off my depressed "butt" in a dream and got me back to work.

So I am back - and checking out 6.4 HARD

You folks have been great. I will GIVE BACK.

-myKael.

Damn sorry to hear about mama della, my mates grandad just died which was a real shock,
what castle would that be by the way? the fantasy one or helms deep? and thank you very much ^_^

edit: congrats on the possible publishing deals!!! lets hope they pay off :P

Congrats on the game.

Did the publishers come to you or you shopped the game around?

Thanks for the "congrats" - still in early negotiation -> "meaning going for the last 6 months, but waiting for the "bidding" wars to start"

@Bilbo - the fantasy. I see great potential in that. With the addition of a terrain that includes a moat, your ruins and the "chapel"where services are still held - a great village can be built that I think will run nicely (framerate that is) "nestled" on top of a hill.

@prophet - I shopped around. Here is a great list of publishers to try. I simply "bugged" the hell out of them - with screenies and demo-walklthro's:

publishers

Simple matter of believing in what you are doing - buggin' them enough so they take a look at your work. Forget about rejections. Going to happen. Press on. Most will tell you they don't accept submissions and will distroy them on the spot. Bull - they look at them. If you make a good impression, they will come "snooping" around

But then again - NOT SOLD YET. But they are interested enough. But they are interested ENUF to review them under NON-DISCLOSURE - and that is a start.

-myKael.

You contacted every one of them in the list?
Please keep us posted. It will be cool to see another one of our own get a nod from a publisher.
Until then, best of luck!

yay.. Hope'll you get high-class publisher forom there, like Atari or so

Theres also Remedy \o/