[DEVLOG] Alien Breed 3D 2: The Killing Grounds total conversion for GZDoom

[CravenCoyote]

My friend, the Ashnarg

 

[0x4BADC4FE]

I don't like him and you can't make me like him!

 

Nice model though :)

 

Never could figure out what the name meant.

[0x4BADC4FE]

Once, due to an error when assigning frame numbers in the GameLinker tool (I was trying to use some unused frames from the asset) I accidentally got his firing frame mixed with his reverse frame. So it looked a bit like he was firing the plasma from his ass. I was tempted to keep that...

[Gez]

6 minutes ago, 0x4BADC4FE said:

Never could figure out what the name meant.

Does it need to mean something?

 

If anything, it reminds me of the Black Speech from Lord of the Rings. It's ash nazg, not ashnarg, but pretty close.

Spoiler

 

 

[CravenCoyote]

Don't worry, his menacing arms are just for show!

 

9 minutes ago, 0x4BADC4FE said:

Once, due to an error when assigning frame numbers in the GameLinker tool (I was trying to use some unused frames from the asset) I accidentally got his firing frame mixed with his reverse frame. So it looked a bit like he was firing the plasma from his ass. I was tempted to keep that...

 

Dare we bring the Ashnarg dangerously close to HDoom territory? 😂

[0x4BADC4FE]

23 hours ago, Gez said:

Does it need to mean something?

 

Yes. Call it a non-neurotypical response but not knowing what it means bothers me :D

[CravenCoyote]

Haven't posted an update for about a week, so here's a sneaky screenshot of MAP05 (WIP)

 

[0x4BADC4FE]

I like the dangling cables, that's a nice touch. I don't miss that floor texture though. I guess it's meant to be all alien but to me, it always looks like weird crazy paving.

[CravenCoyote]

4 hours ago, 0x4BADC4FE said:

I like the dangling cables, that's a nice touch. I don't miss that floor texture though. I guess it's meant to be all alien but to me, it always looks like weird crazy paving.

 

Weird alien crazy paving! Aliens can have style too, y'know

[0x4BADC4FE]

Well, I don't think the Breed got that particular memo. Their crazy paving is like something you'd find discontinued and discounted at your local home improvement store. In 1970.

[CravenCoyote]

We've now mapped out the first drafts of Map01 - Map08. We've decided that we're not going to be using the thirteen keys that were used in the original and instead we'll be sticking with a basic set of four - Red, Blue, Yellow and Green.

 

Some areas that required one of the thirteen keys to access will likely already be open for access, access made via an alternate route, access made via a switch, access given via one of the RBYG keys etc. Whatever we do there will be done with cautious attention, keeping the maps close to their original but without the arbitrary and mundane task of key hunting for the sake of key hunting.

 

We've also revised the DoomEd Numbers to make things easier to expand upon, but of course then had to modify the original drafts.

 

All in all, we're making good progress and the project is coming along nicely! If there's anything in particular that anyone would like to see, let us know and we'll see what we can share with you!

[TigerTheGreat]

Wow this is bloody awesome!

 

I'm definitely going to treat this as the definitive AB3DII experience once it comes out.

 

Question though: will the demo level as well as some custom levels that were released also going to be remade? It'd be a shame to lose that legacy.

[CravenCoyote]

On 8/15/2024 at 5:08 AM, TigerTheGreat said:

Wow this is bloody awesome!

 

I'm definitely going to treat this as the definitive AB3DII experience once it comes out.

 

Question though: will the demo level as well as some custom levels that were released also going to be remade? It'd be a shame to lose that legacy.

 

I'm not actually aware of the demo level and I don't have any custom levels to hand. I did find a pack of custom maps online in my search for resources but I didn't download them.

 

The beauty of what we're doing is that we're trying to keep it as mod-friendly as possible, so with this being made as its own iwad, people should be able to make their own maps without too much issue. The same of course can be done already for Project Osiris.

 

We've been making good progress with the TKG conversion so far. There are 16 base maps in TKG. Maps 01-13 (bar map11) have had at least a first-pass-draft made of them and are both playable and finishable. They need cosmetic tweaking, but they're there. We still need to add the Spiderbot, Wasp and final boss to the monster roster.

 

All monsters otherwise have voxel models added in some form although not all finished. For example, the Triclaw has a first-draft voxel model but still uses the death sprite I made up for it.

 

Spoilers if people are curious!

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited August 17 by CravenCoyote

[TigerTheGreat]

You can find (to my knowledge) all extra levels in existence for AB3D II enclosed here.

 

There was one more item, a heavily modded AB3D II with a single level, but I cannot find it anywhere. If I ever get that file as well, I'll be sure to attach it.

 

Enclosed are:

- Xenium Core (16 levels + easy mode fix that gives you more HP at start)

- AB3DII-Xtra (1 level)

- Budgy Breed (1 level)

- Datanomi Breed (1 level + 2 custom aliens)

- Jens Breed (3 levels in total)

- Manitbois Breed (1 level)

- TKG Episode preview (3 levels + 4th being a sample)

- TKG Episode (7 levels) (different author)

- TKG Level (1 level)

- AB3D II Demo (1 level)

 

IMO it's worth to consider having them remade after the official ones, even if at a bit later date, so that we have everything in one place.

AB3D2_xtra.zip

[CravenCoyote]

Thanks for those @TigerTheGreat, it was Xenium Core I came across previously!

 

For the time being, we'll focus on the core version of TKG and once we've got everything nailed down properly we can begin to look at map packs that were released into the wild. I think it would be a neat idea to have an Episode Selection type interface where people can play these map sets if they'd like. One of the issues that concerns me there, however, is that we have revised some of the lock functions from the original game (ie keycards) and adjusted some routing.

 

We do still have the original 13 passkeys coded, so we could still add them to the maps, but the fear is that finding 13 keys in a map can be a bit cumbersome in today's age. There's also the option of revamping these map packs, but they they'd no longer be original. I'll talk with @Arcturus and see what he thinks about it. I suppose it's also possible we could release the original campaign 'unmodified' as a 'classic episode', but that'll take us more time to do as well.

 

Lots of things to think about here!

[Dynamo]

Out of curiosity, did the original AB3D also have custom fan-made maps, or was that only a thing for AB3D II?

[TigerTheGreat]

It was only a thing for AB3D II for which the editor was released alongside the game.

[TigerTheGreat]

On 8/17/2024 at 9:23 PM, CravenCoyote said:

'll talk with @Arcturus and see what he thinks about it.

 

I'll take an educated guess as to what you'll hear in response.

 

Arcturus didn't shy away from modifying certain aspects of the original experience to improve it. Kinda like you are trying to reconsider passkeys. E.g. the secret level of Project Osiris, from the second Alien Breed 3D demo, has an entirely new sequence that serves as its climax. Some things had to be approached differently due to differing limitations between original game's engine and that of GZDoom.

 

Be prepared to make changes as needed in my opinion, and don't be afraid of purists coming after you because it isn't 1:1. I'm pretty sure that whoever comes across your project (why not just call it Project Osiris II?) will consider it the definitive AB3D II experience. What I'm seeing on the screenshots and on the gameplay video is giving me hope it'll be exactly that. Have trust in your ability, for it is considerable.

 

EDIT: Added the "Duke Nukem Level" thingy which features some customizations for weapons and aliens as well.

AB3DII_DukeNukemLevel.zip

Edited August 20 by TigerTheGreat : Added final custom level

[Arcturus]

On 8/17/2024 at 11:07 PM, TigerTheGreat said:

 

I'll take an educated guess as to what you'll hear in response.

 

Arcturus didn't shy away from modifying certain aspects of the original experience to improve it. Kinda like you are trying to reconsider passkeys. E.g. the secret level of Project Osiris, from the second Alien Breed 3D demo, has an entirely new sequence that serves as its climax. Some things had to be approached differently due to differing limitations between original game's engine and that of GZDoom.

  

Be prepared to make changes as needed in my opinion, and don't be afraid of purists coming after you because it isn't 1:1. I'm pretty sure that whoever comes across your project (why not just call it Project Osiris II?) will consider it the definitive AB3D II experience. What I'm seeing on the screenshots and on the gameplay video is giving me hope it'll be exactly that. Have trust in your ability, for it is considerable. 

 

EDIT: Added the "Duke Nukem Level" thingy which features some customizations for weapons and aliens as well. 

AB3DII_DukeNukemLevel.zip

 

Can confirm that yes I would pretty much say this! Although I'm not that interested in porting custom stuff personally as it's out of scope for the main project (and honestly, I'd like to make some non-AB3D stuff at some point) the option is always available for people to add new maps. I think Craven said (correct me if I'm wrong) he wants to have a go at porting some custom content after the main game is finished, and I'm sure he'll make sensible decisions if there are issues with those maps, particularly in regard to tedious twisty keycard mazes. Either way, the main game is the priority for the moment.

[slackshoe]

Just joined up to say all the best with this project, it's nice to see this game getting some love and hopefully being brought to a much bigger audience.

I could be remembering wrong, but when the source files were released in the late 90s, I spent a good while looking through them (a real mess) and I seem to recall there being the original 3D objects of some of the enemies in Imagine format. Might be worth checking?

[CravenCoyote]

8 hours ago, slackshoe said:

Just joined up to say all the best with this project, it's nice to see this game getting some love and hopefully being brought to a much bigger audience.

I could be remembering wrong, but when the source files were released in the late 90s, I spent a good while looking through them (a real mess) and I seem to recall there being the original 3D objects of some of the enemies in Imagine format. Might be worth checking?

 

Thanks for signing up just post here!

 

We've taken a look through the source files a few times but haven't managed to find any 3D objects at this point. The most I've personally found are sprite sheets. Being able to find them would save a tonne of work though, I can say that much! I'm currently working on some 3D models for weapons at the moment, though they are far from perfect at the moment. Have been learning how to have them work instead of sprite weapons and they're quite particular in their settings. Also on the cards is learning uv-unwrapping so I can texture up what I have at the moment properly rather than simply applying a single texture to the model and having it look quite odd.

 

I think @Arcturus was happy to attempt to model the boss monsters but we've both been quite busy with things lately. He's managed to get map titles working nicely as well with a kicking rad melody for story introduction text per level.

 

We're also looking into new all-new music as an option rather than the standard TKG loop for those that want some variety. In all, we're both very much involved in working on this and progress is still steady. I'm very much enjoying working on this project and hope that people are happy with what we deliver when it's finished

[CravenCoyote]

Weapon models are underway!

 

Oh, you want a teaser of some mod progress? Sure, I guess.

Spoiler

 

[CravenCoyote]

Teaser video of some of the progress and developments we've made:

 

 

[Gez]

Would you also include the original Project Osiris in that, so that it can benefit from the voxels and other improvements?

[CravenCoyote]

20 minutes ago, Gez said:

Would you also include the original Project Osiris in that, so that it can benefit from the voxels and other improvements?

 

That would really be for @Arcturus to answer, but AB3D 2: TKG has a completely different bestiary to AB3D, the only one in common being the little red pack hunters. Weapons are in a similar situation.

 

If you mean making voxels and models specifically for the original Project Osiris, I'm not sure I'd personally have the will power for this any time soon. They take a lot of work and there are still TKG models and voxels we're still currently working on

 

 

[TMMMS]

nice youve used much better sound fx this time around!

[Gez]

5 minutes ago, CravenCoyote said:

AB3D 2: TKG has a completely different bestiary to AB3D, the only one in common being the little red pack hunters. Weapons are in a similar situation.

Alright, I thought it was kind of a Doom II situation, with new monsters in addition to the old. If there isn't that much overlap, then it makes more sense to keep them separate.

[Arcturus]

1 hour ago, Gez said:

Would you also include the original Project Osiris in that, so that it can benefit from the voxels and other improvements?

 

Personally I don't have any desire to voxelise the AB3D sprites. The reason we're doing it for this one is it solves both the issue of having to draw diagonal sprites and also having the sprites react properly to dynamic lights (which is an effect in TKG that you can't really replicate in GZDoom, as far as I know)

[0x4BADC4FE]

Looking good guys! That table in the captain's ready room looks strikingly familiar :D

[Teivman]

would it be possible to add that neat shiny chrome effect that some of the weapons had? I know it's possible to do as a few mods have utilized it before such as Lambda. Also the addition of muzzle flashes would be appreciated even though its not accurate to the original.