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http://wiki.techhaven.org/NcSource:Overview << it is a wiki, so feel free to edit, but please read the policies of the tech haven network and wiki, and if you add a new page, use the ncSource: prefix
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Thanks Biglines! When I get some time, I will add some input to the Wiki as well. It's a good starting point to getting this thing organized and moving towards the right direction.
I also want to thank all of those in the community who have offered support to the project, especially the guys a TH.org who have let us host our Wiki page there. Also, much thanks and praise goes out to everyone who has/is contributing work towards the project. Without your help, we wouldn't be able to showcase what we have so far. I never thought my idea for a P1 map (and really Trilaac's TH map idea was first :p ) would spur into this grand idea of a DM mod for Source.
Have we made a decision as to where the source code will be hosted? I have the entire project created on my PC, it's just a matter of uploading it to the appropriate place. It may be of note to know that all of my in-game renders and Youtube videos were taken in the completely compiled source code for the project. If our first goal (and it sounds like it is) is to have simple HL2: DM maps for the community to enjoy, everyone needs to know that we will need to release an "alpha" client as it stands now because the maps, models and mod in general is written/compiled in Orange Box source code and regular HL2: DM is NOT an Orange Box game. However, Valve being the smarty pants guys they are, allow you to create a mod with ANY gameid that you want using the Orange Box code... which is why you see my work with the HL2: DM gamerules. So rather than downloading some maps and running HL2: DM, you'll be getting the full mod to enjoy.
All that said, we're still a good ways away from having any maps to release, but please stay posted. There's good stuff coming your way!
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besides the gravlift particles, so far everything can be maps of HL: DM btw
on another note, I've been working on the PE pa, and screw me for starting out with the hardest damn model in the game (the others are pretty geometric, pe is very organic)
oh well, this is how far I got:
http://www.biglines.nl/ncmod/pe.jpg
and thats over 6 hours of work :S
the dodgy edges will look better once I render a normal map for it in high res, this is the low res base model with only basic smoothing
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Good to see the wiki is up- I'll try to work on it later this week :)
@Whitestuffs- since I'm eager to start comparing my work to everyone elses (and find any compatibility issues early on) I have decided to set up a 'public' (can be private if need be) svn server. Public means anyone can download our work but only authorized users can write to it.
NCSource svn (all contributers please pm me a desired name/password for commit access):
Windows gui svn client: http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/
SVN address: www.g0dsoft.net/ncsource
The directory structure is as follows
modsource/ For mod specific source code/binaries. Who ever the programmer is can set up the inside directories. Compiled version of art source can go directly here.
mapsource/ Map source files (for the time being we might as well include built maps here?)
artsource/ Doodad source files/character source/texture source
We can always move it later if anyone wants something more neutral.
I'll also setup some shared webspace (where all svn commiters have access) to dump binary/map/screenshot files for general distribution.
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@Rambus: Sounds great! However, we should use the directory structure that Valve uses for building the mod itself. It's pretty self explanatory and I will definitely give you the directory structure I have on my PC. Basically all of the work gets put into specific folders in a general mod resource folder. Then, when you use compile programs, even Hammer, it copiles the information and automatically places it in the appropriate steamapps folder for use in the game. I will get the info on the directory structure to you so we can set it up that way, to standardize our efforts. I should probably go back and rename the project to Neocron: Source, so we can get that squared away from the start as well. And finally, when I edit the wiki, I will give a detailed description on how to create a mod on Steam, and what to name everything so everyone has a uniform and compatible system as we move forward.
@Biglines: Unfortunately, building the maps in Orange Box prevents them from being loaded in HL2: DM. I tried removing the particle systems and recompiling and even tried recompiling the map files in HL2: DM edit mode in Hammer, and the map crashed every time when trying to launch it in HL2: DM. It probably has to do with some major updates to the vphys_ entities that are being used in the grav lifts. And, as a positive, they were not behaving correctly in the Ep:1 version of Source, so it works out. :D
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Right, I've added the NcSource namespace and tidied things up so it all works properly.
Any other wiki requests, just leave a message on my Talk page.
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I've updated the wiki page again with a roadmap, and what sort of people we still need.
Also I think we need to vote for some leadership roles, just so we know who's responsible for which areas, of course these roles do not include authority, only overview and coordination.
I think we need the following roles:
- Project coordinator (knowledge of all the things related to the mod)
- Mapping coordinator (Keeping track of the different assets (models, textures), compiling final versions of maps)
- Programming lead (overview of all the source code, doesn't have to be a perfect programmer, but has to be able to understand what's going on)
- Modeling Lead (overview of all the models, keeping track of integration, consistency and handling completed models for distribution)
- Concept/texture art Lead (overview of all the artwork and textures, works with mapping and modeling lead)
I'm willing to take on modeling lead and if nescesary project coordinator, so please state for which position you would like to set yourself available, if we have more people for a slot, we'll have a vote either here or on the wiki
As a reply to the guys from UneX, I missed your post about having all those services available. As soon as we get a bit more organised we are better able to see how we could best use the different offers and help, for now I think the techhaven wiki is likely to be the best place as it is already very active with different neocron players, but that is my personal opinion.
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@Whitestuffs
Feel free to modify the directory structure in any way you wish but please note:
- It is intended that the modsource directory (or what ever you want to name it ) contains the valve mod folder structure as you stated.
- You can grab 'sub' svn folders in different locations locally, so you would sync the modsource folder INSIDE steam while the art production folders could be elsewhere more convenient. (Instead of grabbing the root svn g0dsoft.net/ncsource grab g0dsoft.net/ncsource/modsource )
- The mapsource and artsource folders are for the production of art assets (think photoshop .psd files, and hammer editor files). These should be kept separate from our mod directory.
@Biglines
I don't mind the concept of roles, but maybe we should leave them as 'soft' titles for now. I've stated before that I have worked on AAA commercial game projects (writing at thesis at the moment) as a software engineer. I would be happy to organize programmers/programming efforts (including feed back on the actual effort required to implement a requested feature), but for the time being don't want to use my spare time doing what I do all day :)
Please don't underestimate the time involved in learning to properly write code for the source engine- we need to find programmers ether with preexisting source modding experience or a lot of time on their hands.
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Hasn't been a screenshot in a while so..
These guys are hand modeled by "Frosty" and will be scattered around dead in my subway battle (as it is a re-creation of the TGvCA fight from the demo).
Note: They still require original textures so I will post them again when that is done.
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ye what i meant was even that leads are just the person who have the overview, doesnt meant they're the boss or so, just who can be talked to if u have questions etc
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I wouldn't mind taking the lead mapping role mate
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could every1 upload their screenshots to the wiki and add them to the corresponding pages?
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http://www.biglines.nl/ncmod/pe2.jpg
body is much easier, still I'm learning new stuff about modeling pretty much every poly I put out. I'm also loving the sculpting tools in blender, more intuitive than moving vertices around...
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Looks good mate! Watch out though. Every tutorial for Hammer cautions about using the carving tool because it creates irregular polys and makes it harder to skin and less efficient. Of course, I have no idea how Blender's sculpting tools work, but they produce some phenominal looks! Can't wait to see some more work from you.
How many polys do you think it will be when it is done?
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atm way too many, I still need to optimize, this part already has 1100 faces, most of which are quads which will be converted to around 2000 triangles in source.. I'm not sure how many I should aim for tho, and I have no idea whether I'll be able to rig this model in blender (haven't seen anyone do a complete multiplayer character in blender, but then again, no one had ever done a viewmodel in blender either).
If not we'll have to find someone either willing to do it in xsi or milkscape (if milkscape can do it), cuz I sure as hell am not ever gonna use xsi, that prog just pisses me off just by looking at it.
I should be able to do custom animations, but it would really be more efficient if i can just use the combine soldier animations (no facial expressions needed either).
this character is also a bit of a project for me, so I might make a very high poly model of it, and play around with animations. The high poly version can also be used for baking normal maps onto the low poly version.
The sculpting tool actually just moves existing verts around, so if anything it makes the polygon shapes more regular (I use it mostly for either moving whole sections, or smoothing over certain areas), also, I still check all the poly's by hand