Update on the Fallout mod for Morrowind

Kreegle · Post by **Kreegle** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 10:53 am

<strong>[ -> N/A]</strong>

Xaphod, project leader of that amazing-looking <a href="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/xaphod/holocaust/index.htm" target="_blank">Fallout mod for Morrowind</a>, has sent in an email clearing up the <a href="http://www.duckandcover.net/forums/view ... nfusion</a> from before:<blockquote><em>The Apocalypse mod hasn't closed, and it isn't over. We're actually all working very hard on the design work necessary to pull this off properly. Two of the team leaders are actually university qualified in Games Design, so we know what we're doing.

This had to happen, simply because the Morrowind engine cannot cope with the Fallout system properly. I say that confidently, because we had two of the best Morrowind scripters working on making it.

The hibernation I mentioned referred only in terms of external appearances. We're still working at the mod, and we're developing an official website for people to look at. Above all, don't worry, and expect more information soon.

In the end, try looking at it this way - there's now two post-apocalyptic mods in progress, ours, and the one that the Post-Apocalypse team are now working on. Be happy.

Xaphod.</em></blockquote>Thank you very much Xaphod... and good luck.

Red · Post by **Red** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 11:05 am

*yawn*

Xaphod · Post by **Xaphod** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 3:49 pm

Thanks Kreegle for putting the news up so quickly.

I noticed lots of people seemed to have deep opinions from the last (now closed) topic, so I'd like to address those, if I may.

Yes, Apocalypse will be played from a first-person perspective. It will, unlike Deus Ex, be a full RPG, and use the Fallout gaming system. Expect about as much freedom as Fallout gives you, perhaps some more.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that because we're switching engines that we're making a different game; the reason behind us switching engines was to do with the inflexibility of Morrowind, and has been explained to death.

Any questions?

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 7:28 pm

Switching engine is regrettable, we all know what happened with Daikatana... :roll:
So what engine are you using now and how big is your team?

Saint_Proverbius · Post by **Saint_Proverbius** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 9:20 pm

Xaphod wrote:Yes, Apocalypse will be played from a first-person perspective. It will, unlike Deus Ex, be a full RPG, and use the Fallout gaming system. Expect about as much freedom as Fallout gives you, perhaps some more.

Apparently they don't teach about license infringement in that university.

Red · Post by **Red** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 10:22 pm

Regardless of, um, other issues, do you have anyone experienced in UT scripting? Any idea how "much of" UT2k3 will be scriptable (I mean the game's not out yet, how can you estimate how much control over the world you'll have through scripting. UT is a reference, but it's not the answer as they can add/remove stuff from it for various reasons), and how persistant the scripting options will be? Futher more, how do you plan to address the dialogs?

If you have the answer to all these questions, then maybe I'll understand you even looking at UT2k3 as an alternative.

Stealth Rabbit · Post by **Stealth Rabbit** » Wed Sep 11, 2002 7:19 am

ALL HAIL MORROWIND!

Stealth Rabbit · Post by **Stealth Rabbit** » Wed Sep 11, 2002 7:19 am

...um... i mean... ALL HAIL FALLOUT!

Xaphod · Post by **Xaphod** » Wed Sep 11, 2002 6:17 pm

Red wrote:Regardless of, um, other issues, do you have anyone experienced in UT scripting?

Yes we do, and we have other experienced programmers who are reading up on it, the similarities between Unrealscript and C make switching to it quite easy.

Red wrote:Any idea how "much of" UT2k3 will be scriptable (I mean the game's not out yet, how can you estimate how much control over the world you'll have through scripting.

Unless Epic release the C++ headers which would give us complete access, we will have access to everything apart from the Rendering API and the core AI pathfinding from day one. They released the C++ headers for UT quite quickly, though to be honest I'm not sure they'll be necessary for us. We "estimate" this mainly from press releases, and the information Epic has published about the new builds of their engine, mostly on their own forum.

Red wrote:If you have the answer to all these questions, then maybe I'll understand you even looking at UT2k3 as an alternative.

You do right to say "looking at UT2k3 as an alternative", because you're right in thinking that's all we can realistically do until the game is released.
This probably won't really slow us down that much, because until we've finished the design of our mod, we can't start work on it anyway.

Stealth Rabbit · Post by **Stealth Rabbit** » Sat Sep 14, 2002 3:17 am

Xaphod, good idea on making a modification that turns one of the best-looking RPGs into one of the most involving. I hope you finish it soon, cuz Morrowind is getting boring for me.

TheReaper · Post by **TheReaper** » Sat Sep 14, 2002 3:24 am

Stealth Rabbit wrote:ALL HAIL MORROWIND!

*Tries to contain his laugh of disgust.*

Stealth Rabbit · Post by **Stealth Rabbit** » Sat Sep 14, 2002 7:42 am

What? Morrowind is a deep, involving RPG. Given, it is long and frustrating but when you heavily cheat it gets amazingly short...

Red · Post by **Red** » Sat Sep 14, 2002 9:31 am

Xaphod wrote:Unless Epic release the C++ headers which would give us complete access, we will have access to everything apart from the Rendering API and the core AI pathfinding from day one. They released the C++ headers for UT quite quickly, though to be honest I'm not sure they'll be necessary for us. We "estimate" this mainly from press releases, and the information Epic has published about the new builds of their engine, mostly on their own forum.

Well, based on UT, how much is scriptable programmable now? You mention C/C++ headers... You can make the game link to DLLs (I never followed the Unreal modding scene)? That'd be pretty damn good then, but you still don't know how you'll address several points, and I even less, so I'll ask a few: How much control do you have over the UI? (To make dialogs, character stat selection and skill use possible), and how much control do you have over weapons? How will you even preserve the stats of the player through the different maps and through the saving mechanism? And the items? I know Deus Ex does all of that (ie stat and item persistance through the game) but they had access to ALL the code, not just a plug-in/module loading mechanisms and scripting languages.

On another point, will you need to have a model for every weapon? And how will Agility relate to action points since you're in a FPS?

This probably won't really slow us down that much, because until we've finished the design of our mod, we can't start work on it anyway.

What's the use though if only to fall under the same conclusion as Morrowind "Oops, crap, we can't reproduce SPECIAL" or whatnot.

As a sidenote I'm not trying to "bring you down" or anything, I'm trying to help you guys really. If you already know all these answers then that means you're on your way, and if you don't well, you'll know you'll need to address them

.

Rosh · Post by **Rosh** » Sat Sep 14, 2002 9:39 am

VasikkA wrote:Switching engine is regrettable, we all know what happened with Daikatana... :roll:

Don't forget that something good came from Daikatana. Not only was Primadonna Romero laughed into shame, but Rune was created from the license that was for Daikatana II.

For a good laugh, take a look at these:

Daikatana on Game Boy Color:

http://www.planetdaikatana.com/dkcgb/

Welcome to PlanetDaikatana's section for the Color GameBoy port of Daikatana. This game, called Daikatana Adventure, is a pretty damn faithful version of the PC title, but palmicized...

Wow, a 6.5 meg movie of Daikatana on the GameBoy! Who would want to miss that?

A more important question would be: Who cares?

http://www.planetdaikatana.com/dkcgb/screenshots/
It's Link with racial stereotypes! But only...shittier!

Wow, from shit FPS to a Link wanabe. Even more funny is this:
http://www.planetdaikatana.com/dkcgb/features/

Unlike the N64 version (which is a port of the PC version), Daikatana Adventure features a third-person perspective, making it easy for players to master tough jumps and overcome other challenging game obstacles

Red · Post by **Red** » Sat Sep 14, 2002 1:21 pm

I just tested UT2K3 on my system, see if it could hold up... Well, it's no front running in the Frames/s ratings, but it's quite playable on my p2-450 w/ 256 RAM and a geforce2 mx, with all details on max in 800x600. Note that I used hardware 3D sound (in normal stereo only), which might have helped, but I doubt it and am running Windows XP.

As a note, I find the game hardly original. The only thing I liked is how the bodies tumble down slopes instead of just kinda "entering" walls. I guess that's the physics option which I turned up to the max too.

The goal was to check wether the general fallout community would actually be able to play the game using such an engine, and well, the only thing to do really is see what systems people have...

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Update on the Fallout mod for Morrowind

Update on the Fallout mod for Morrowind

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