Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: jvgfanatic

I can't wait for this one to be finished

Thanks,

I promise it will be different and it won't be a long scenario either, probably capable of playing in one seating.

The challenge is making it exciting and fun with some variation so that you can try things differently.

Ray (alias Lava)

Hi!

While I'm quite looking forward to comments on my more conventional Fourth Republic Scenario, I continue work on my Bug Hunt Scenario.

I have taken a break from the map to start modding the counters.

Here's the Marine squad that you will command:



A few notes:

The counters with the red in the corners indicates a guy who must survive the scenario. If he is killed, it's instant game over, such as the Sargent and the Medic (with the red cross symbol) shown here. There are a couple others that must survive as well.. as the scenario plays out, you will run into them.

The dude with the "grenade" symbol is a mech.. think "dreadnought."

Have a whole list of other players to mod.. base security (including "Demi Obezynia" [;)]), Scientists, and general worker bees, plus of course, the bugs.

I also have a couple counters I will be using for doors and stuff that will need to be modded. The gray fortification counter is actually a door. [:D]

Each individual, in general, is constructed such that I will be able to generate a .bmp image of the guy .. or bug (whatever the case). So in the right hand corner when you select the sargent, you will see one "jarhead". When you select a private it will be a different one.. etc... etc...

Lots of image modding going on here. In fact, so far this scenario contains 16 modified .bmp files and I expect that to at least double.

Seems strange, but I've trial play tested a small portion, and it seems to work.

I'm looking at doing some "conversation" scripting as well (based on events) via the news, want the game to be PBEM capable and flexible enough to be able to be played a variety of different ways (as far as pathing goes).

I know the scenario sounds like its' a bit simplistic, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I'm putting every bit of my designing skills to the test here, learning lots of stuff as I go, and hopefully will produce a quality scenario.

Ray (alias Lava)

Hi!

Update time.

Back to image modding again...

This time the zoomed out view. Here's a pic:



Modded image files now stands at 25.

Ray (alias Lava)

Hi!

Graphics are just about finished now with the exception of the bugs, small icons and some photography..

So I've been concentrating on scripting the scenario.

The scenario, is kinda like a story which you will read in the News at the beginning of each turn. You have 4 main characters (who must not die and believe it or not I'm trying to give a little "personality" to) and others that you will encounter along the way. As you encounter characters they will normally give the player a bit of information.

The player will gain VP's by finding folks hiding in the facility, by carrying out certain actions which characters will task him with and by escaping the facility before the end of the game. He loses VP's when characters are killed.

Here's a few shots from a hotseat game to illustrate what I mean:

Turn 1:





Turn 2:





Hopefully, you get the idea (and find it interesting). And don't worry, you won't be spammed with lots of conversation.

I'm almost finished scripting Force 1 (humans), need to script Force 2 (bugs) and then balance the scenario.

So still lots of work to do.

Ray (alias Lava)

For some reason I can't get the pictures to display. Can you provied them as a download so I can download them and view them?

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

ORIGINAL: Lava

Notice, the graphics are still in progress. In this case I am modifying the rail.bmp to be a black and yellow warning line.

Going to surprise you with a helpful hint: set rail damage to zero. Otherwise you'll have to worry about the damaged rail graphic.

..hint 2...hide the rail icon, your buggy-spidery-thingies then get at least a modicum of tunnel capability..edit ahhh, not that sort of bug...

..keep mud but make it invisible, it's a useful random chance move disrupter..

Hi Kid,

Here are the the links:

Landing Zone

Crews Quarters

Crew's Quarters Zoom

Marine Counters

Turn 1 News

Turn 1 Screen

Turn 2 news

Turn 2 Screen

Hope that solves the problem.

Ray (alias Lava)

ORIGINAL: a white rabbit

..hint 2...hide the rail icon, your buggy-spidery-thingies then get at least a modicum of tunnel capability..edit ahhh, not that sort of bug...

Actually I have had the same thought about the use of the rail line.. but haven't figured out how to implement it yet. I changed the yellow and black line to the wadi .bmp.

ORIGINAL: a white rabbit

..keep mud but make it invisible, it's a useful random chance move disrupter..

Yep, agreed and is implemented. In fact the entire floor is covered in normal road, except where there is "furniture", which causes extra movement to either push/jump.. whatever.. an obstacle.

The roads are there.. you just can't see them.

Ray (alias Lava)

...rail gives a better supply capability, and adds a virtually instantaneous move capability for the side with rail-move, so leaving helio move for your not-at-all-Starship-Troopers..

..if you want to tone it down then try major road and add transport units...

..in a toaw-acow mod i ran invisible roads over those parts of the battle field that cavalry could really use, with really road-only movement, i'm looking at something similar for the troop transports in Invasion of the Philippines 2, 3 and 5

Hi!

Here is a shot.. under the hood, without the modded graphics:



and a link to the shot:

Under the Hood

[X(]

Pretty weird.. eh?

Ray (alias Lava)

..yup, but what the eye sees....

@ wabbit

I found that without the roads, the "bugs" just didn't have the ability to overrun the marines and it ended up a pushing contest.

Also because the player is constently on the run (and being cutoff from his supply sources), I found he was losing too much combat readiness.

The invisible roads, solved both problems.

Now... how to implement the railways... Once I thought to use them as "Ducts" for the humans to be able to move from room to room, bypassing the corridors. If I use them as ducting to allow the bugs to move through the structure I'm not sure if the AI will use it very well, although in PBEM, it could be quite kewl.

Still thinking...

Ray (alias Lava)

@ Lava

..anytime you want a play-test, i even do repeated restarts.....

..clarify your thinking, which side can do what, helio is great movement, but lousy supply, rail/road is slower but supply is more sure.

..it's the psy-units that become the real problem..

..and the elephants*..

..* just a Ralph type hint

ORIGINAL: a white rabbit
..anytime you want a play-test, i even do repeated restarts.....

[:D]

Got you covered.

Whenever it's ready, I'll definately need to do some PBEM testing and will be looking around for testers.

Thanks for the offer.

Ray (alias "he always losses at PBEM" Lava)

ORIGINAL: Lava

ORIGINAL: a white rabbit
..anytime you want a play-test, i even do repeated restarts.....

[:D]

Got you covered.

Whenever it's ready, I'll definately need to do some PBEM testing and will be looking around for testers.

Thanks for the offer.

Ray (alias "he always losses at PBEM" Lava)

..[8D]..

Hi!

Well... have to admit I have been enjoying the new map on BF2 and the "no vehicle" feature. They're realllly fun.

But I have been doing some work on the scenario and here are the 5 different marines types you will find in the game (names are subject to change.. and probably will).



Ray (alias "the utterly mad TOAW3 designer" Lava)

ORIGINAL: Lava

Hi!

Well... have to admit I have been enjoying the new map on BF2 and the "no vehicle" feature. They're realllly fun.

But I have been doing some work on the scenario and here are the 5 different marines types you will find in the game (names are subject to change.. and probably will).



Ray (alias "the utterly mad TOAW3 designer" Lava)

LOL - this actually looks real interesting - Grats on pushing the envelope with the system!

Brad

Well..

Someone has posted on another forum that using images of Games Workshop products could violate copyright laws. The images are actually personal photos of miniaturers that I own, which, using Gimp, I distorted, resized and repainted to give me the look I wanted.

Here are the photos:



So, the scenario has been put on hold until I can figure out if I have a problem here.

Ray (alias Lava)

ORIGINAL: Lava

Someone has posted on another forum that using images of Games Workshop products could violate copyright laws.

They probably wouldn't care unless you were making money off it anyway. Then they'd want a cut.

Well..

The gist of what I'm hearing is that if it is not for commercial benefit, there is no problem.

Like all folks who enjoy doing scenarios and mods, the benefit I receive is just the fun of doing it.

So...

I continue on.

Ray (alias Lava)