[ck3D]

I'm still slowly but surely adding gameplay to level 8. This is shaping up to be a longer level than I ever expected it to be, making it to the second keycard (not lock) takes me a good 45 minutes. I'm glad I've been spending extra time structurally reworking that one a bit - really pays off in comparison to the former style. Working in small bursts seems doable these days despite my real life concerns, so we chillin' but also rollin'.

[ck3D]

It's been a while since some in-editor screenshots, so seeing as this particular map is turning out to take quite a bit to finalize gameplay-wise (it's large and open and also required some expected structural alterations here and there), here are some, for now it's about 75% traversable, once this one is out of the way progress should start looking smoother again (unless real life gets in said way).

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[Ninety-Six]

That's a very dreamlike sky...

[ck3D]

Thanks, yeah I'm still not 100% certain to keep it at the end of the day but so far I find that it really works (it looks better in-game than just like that in the editor too), so may be a keeper unless I change my mind at the last minute - that's three maps in the episode currently using this same sky (in different color tones), where every individual instance works just as well but I'm also trying to nitpick and watch the line between coherence and redundancy.

I'm definitely on and off with mapping these days, focused on other stuff and generally low on energy but here's a general status update for the curious and interested (actually one that may be long overdue now that I think about it), as of today:

- all things .con code including the 40 enemy variants, the new sounds etc. are done, unless new ideas pop up or some adjustments need to be made,
- manual is still WIP but I'm not behind on it at all,
- level 1 has been tested and is done minus the need of some quick visual clean-up (really a 5-minute job),
- level 2 has been tested and is done minus the need for clearer navigation hints and some minor detail around a corner of the map (should be quick too),
- level 3 has been tested and is done,
- level 4 has been tested and is done minus the need for quite the number of small gameplay adjustments, as well as the last-minute implementation of a few effects I've been sleeping on this whole time, this actually may take a few days,
- level 5 has been tested and is done,
- level 6 has been tested and is done minus some possible minor alterations to the current navigation I'm still thinking about,
- level 7 is done and will be tested soon,
- level 8 is structurally done with 80% of the gameplay in but needs some optimization (right now the new enemies combined with the base sprite count often result in the 'too many sprites spawned' crash),
- level 9 is structurally 99% done, none of the gameplay is in yet but adding it should be rather straightforward, it's not one of those overly open maps,
- level 10 is structurally 98% done (might want to refine aesthetics here and there and add some quick detail), 10% of the gameplay is in but again should be a fast one to populate,
- level 11 has been tested and is done but the gameplay needs quite the number of basic adjustments since it's a tricky concept map and I'm still experimenting with what works best,
- level 12 is structurally done, 10% of the gameplay is in, in that one though the sprite count is so high already I suspect many last minute optimizations will have to be made for it to run well,
- level 13 / secret 1 is structurally done, none of the gameplay in, same situation as above regarding sprite count,
- level 14 / secret 2 exists but would require a lot of work to look good (it's that scrapped A.W.O.L. map I'm trying to repurpose), I might do it or I might leave it out then release later as a user map,
- I might want a last-minute epilogue map

[ck3D]

Level 8 is now complete and just about to be sent to Aleks for betatesting after I'm done with a few surface level fixes real quick. I'm including my end of level stats on a casual test run since people seemed to enjoy that the last time Aleks did it (I even picked up on his MS Paint trick to censor the level's name), and a bunch of gameplay screenshots since I feel like I've already given so much about this one away anyway, might as well show some pedestrian action. This one is another one of those marathon maps, but I reckon it could be traversed in 10 minutes if so one chooses.

This was the level that needed the most alpha fixes at this point, hence the long drag but now feels good having it out of the way.

PS. I realize the sky looks mad distorted on those screenshots because that seems to be how eDuke32 freeze frame reacts to player movement (?) here, but it actually looks fine in game. The aforementioned last minute fixes were made and the level has been sent for betatesting.








edit - and oops, I ModDB'd it again: https://www.moddb.co...ugust-27th-2022

[Merlijn]

I'm getting Billy Boy vibes from those shots, also pretty trippy/abstract looking (the sky is undoubtly playing a part in that).
Great to see steady progress, keep it up!

[ck3D]

Thanks for the continued moral support and interest Merlijn! Good catch, I definitely was super into Billy Boy's style around the time of making this one map in particular, it's pretty clearly conceptual to the point where for one moment I once realized it may be the first (or at least a rare case of a) city map without any doors - and then I remembered about one pair of swinging doors somewhere. The sky in those screenshots looks way too warped to really qualify them as representative of how running around the level feels, since in game it's normal/flat. The general design is pretty abstract but playing won't give you that kind of unreasonable motion sickness (hopefully). I still have no idea why this behavior happens, by the way - I don't think it's player movement at the end of the day since come to think of it, that one security cam footage screenshot can only be static but on that one too the sky looks warped.

I started adding (some) gameplay to level 9 this morning, confirming that this should be a rather fast one to finalize and then every other map left (but the secret one) is at least partially populated already, so despite the slow pace we're doing good!

[ck3D]

Busy with work this week, but some quick news. Gameplay in level 9 is about 80% in, all I need to implement anymore is basically all the action past the third keycard, and then retro-fit the correct ending and transition onwards to level 10 (which I couldn't design in advance at the time). So far it takes a good hour doing everything and facing about 300 monsters, final should be a bit longer and tougher. I've coded in a couple of new enemies and bosses I'm rather happy with, one of the new Overlords in particular is so fucking aggro. Realized I was going to want even more 'new' Duke quotes around the maps and so I need to work on this aspect too, but both that and finalizing the current map should be really quick - and then, again I suspect the following ones won't take long either. So we're actually looking pretty good.

I've also gone back and edited two new screenshots into the aforementioned ModDB update that originally weren't there: https://www.moddb.co...ugust-27th-2022

[ck3D]

Went and added about 30 new Duke quotes to the library, after I realized I could use more here and there around the maps, I still want to refine that aspect here and there in some of the levels but for now they seem to add a lot to the atmosphere and pacing. Also almost done with level 9 and kept going yesterday after another test playthrough to complete the episode, traversing the rest of the maps after hitting the Nukebutton; level 11 already is populated and just needs refining, and so 10 and 12 (and secret) are the only maps left on the gameplay list after 9, and 10 is short, so we're actually moving fast. Still not sure I should clean up that potential second secret map (that's going to be some work), but I'm increasingly tempted so maybe I will and maybe I won't.

[ck3D]

I've mostly been busy with A.W.O.L.'s release and updates lately, but I've also been on this, level 9 only needs a few more rooms filled with monsters, I've been importing more sound clips and most importantly I started a new epilogue map, already in the 700 sectors or so and well on its way (I only started it two nights ago). I won't be posting screenshots of that one. I'm low-key with updates but things are groovy.

[ck3D]

Gameplay in level 9 is all in, sound environment still needs some fine-tuning but otherwise the map is complete with around 350+ monsters and 25 secret places. That means every big city map (minus the secret level) is now traversable and I only have a couple more conceptual levels to finish populating. Haven't touched the epilogue map since my last post, but it's there and only awaiting a few more sessions spent to be done when I can find the time - it's not a huge one at all and most of its structure already is in place. Been ripping and adding more sounds too.

[ck3D]

Some screenshots of the epilogue map after all because I've been mapping out of my ass today and can allow myself the comfort of showing some of an abstract new section, it's turning out to be a fully fledged level of its own after all and I would say 50% complete already (90% structure 30% effects). 888 sectors / 9663 walls and should keep progressing real fast, might be done in a couple of days. I've ripped more new sounds, added Dukematch/Coop starts to a few levels that still needed them, heavily tested level 9 and am probably going to alternate between the finalization of each remaining level now since there are only so few left to populate.

I'm still uncertain about the second secret map but really less and less so since out of the blue (and boredom) the other day I managed to kill every of the rendering glitches it had that were bothering me. Would need some heavy retexturing but that plus gameplay should only make a week or two worth of difference.

edit - made a lot of extra progress, make that 60% of the effects.

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[ck3D]

Epilogue map is turning out pretty cool and a lot faster to make than expected, 90% of the effects are in and for this one I'm adding gameplay as I go and already have implemented 30%. Should be done within the week for certain unless I get sidetracked. I'm actually relieved because for maybe two years now I had been trying to come up with a satisfying conclusion to this episode's story, and now this idea I finally had is just it, for me at least and the average player probably isn't ready for it, too.

Generally I'm feeling inspired to wrap this up as soon as possible, maybe before my birthday in November, or if I somehow miss that then for Christmas. There really isn't that much work left to do on this now, one solid month of intense work and then testing should suffice.

[Quacken]

It'd be a pretty awesome Christmas present to get to play this! I'm really liking the look of that epliogue map. It's got some nice purples and reds in it that I think look very nice together. Keep going!

[ck3D]

Thanks for your enthusiasm and moral support, Quacken! Yeah I was also thinking that timing would be the best and most appropriate. Ideally I would have liked to be done a bit earlier, but I've had an unpredictably pretty rough year which might have slowed me down. Typical September work rush is over and so is my work on A.W.O.L. now so hopefully I can fully concentrate on this again for one last intense run, which should suffice. Taking some perspective was necessary anyway, I needed that time to figure out where I really wanted the episode to land. Building every map first, and only then add gameplay to them really was the way to go about this project too as to ensure a gradual progression in the encounters, enemy types and challenges, but boy did I underestimate how long populating each map would then take and how draining it would be. It's been months since I essentially worked on nothing but gameplay, and now for that reason making the epilogue map feels exciting again. It's also almost done now - spent most of yesterday on it and all the effects are in place and gameplay in at 60%. Uses quite the number of various effectors for a map of relatively humble size.

Those screens were from an underwater section by the way, I'm also quite the fan of how the blue underwater tint can make the Duke palette look. Reds turn into pinks or oranges, greens and blues shine brighter - we're not really used to seeing that in the game.

[Aleks]

ck3D, on 27 September 2022 - 11:22 PM, said:

Yeah I was also thinking that timing would be the best and most appropriate. Ideally I would have liked to be done a bit earlier, but I've had an unpredictably pretty rough year which might have slowed me down. Typical September work rush is over and so is my work on A.W.O.L. now so hopefully I can fully concentrate on this again for one last intense run, which should suffice.

I'd say you should aim no sooner than for Christmas, both because it is probably the best time to release a bigger mod as people tend to have more time to play it, but also because I know the testing alone will take a while (and I should know ).

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Those screens were from an underwater section by the way, I'm also quite the fan of how the blue underwater tint can make the Duke palette look. Reds turn into pinks or oranges, greens and blues shine brighter - we're not really used to seeing that in the game.

It looks even cooler in polymost - I was genuinely amazed seeing green tint from underwater slime mixed with blue palette in the 4th Shaky Grounds map, but it was also the effect of polymost colour-mixing possibilities.

[ck3D]

I suspect that testing phase actually might go by quicker than you think (or maybe I'm only hoping it does), over the past couple of months I've had quite some time to think about how to best address all the issues you've reported earlier this year and so I think the last/extra pass on the maps that do need one should be relatively trivial in execution; plus the new ones I just sent you I think already are in a somewhat more refined state than the previous ones (but I'm sure you'll find stuff). I also just pretty much completed the epilogue map (it's only missing the closing sequence as well as a few respawns and sounds) and should be able to start tackling that finer combing of the whole lot soon. Replaying through the entire episode from zero I will have to make happen myself eventually, honestly I'm dreading that as much as I'm looking forward to it just because close to 20 hours of gameplay I already am familiar with is quite a bit!

Some random stats, episode files currently weigh in at 30 MB, and comprise 160 new sounds (mostly, but not limited to, Duke talk). Depending on whether I end up including the second secret level or not, we're sitting on top of 14 or 15 maps.

[Ninety-Six]

This is shaping up to be as meaty as some huge TC/standalone projects, except it's all classic (+new enemy variants which I am still excited for).

[ck3D]

I'm glad to hear it, so far every new variant seems to play really well and add a lot (also great for eliminating hitscan frustration concerns in open environments). These past few days I've been working on level 10 and adding a 'transition' from level 9 it was lacking in addition to gameplay (which I have also tackled), turns out to be making for an extra eighth of the map or something (as well as nearly ten new secrets). After this one is out of the way, level 11 only needs some refining that might happen in a day tops and then it will be boss map time, then secret level(s).

Some new screens of recent areas throughout various maps, last four are underwater, I've been getting into designing submerged rooms at odd collapsed angles:

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[Quacken]

That second screenshot in particular looks so at odds with itself that I actually like it a lot. The bright yellow, black and cool blue shouldn't mix together, but they just do for some reason. I think it's most likely the blue contrasted with the hints of red in the distance that makes it look good. Keep it up!

[ck3D]

Thanks Quacken, yeah we're at the moment of the episode where the action starts going from crazy to insane and the colors also do to match. I mean the whole episode is rather colorful on both accounts, but the last few levels in particular veer towards thug life surreal.

I wanted to get progress done today and so I took a whole day off to work on level 10 and try to implement all of its gameplay in one go (with breaks). Turned out to be very productive times and now 85% is in, I have some hours ahead of me still too and so can probably finish. More linear design probably helped the pace (as suspected); so far 40+ minutes and 300-something monsters to get to the last couple of areas I haven't populated yet, and 18 secrets. Plays well/as intended, refined some of the aesthetics too, coded in one new enemy variant and even worked on the manual a little, today was a good day. I'm excited to move on after this one because level 11 already has gameplay and so does the epilogue map, so level 12 will be the only one left to require that and then all of Blast Radius will be traversable minus the secret level(s).

[ck3D]

... anddddd onto the boss map now. It's soon time to kick butts.

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[ck3D]

I've been extensively playing/testing/refining level 10 today and just sent a new build to Aleks for beta testing. Final (?) stats for that one: 600+ enemies (on CGS), 21 secret places, and 70 to 80 minutes on average to do everything depending on approach. Room in the screenshots just above has changed a bit, too (now looks nicer).

[ck3D]

Quick progress report since I've been pretty seriously on this the whole week:

- started adding gameplay to level 12/boss (skipped over 11 for now as refining the gameplay in that one will be so quick it's anecdotal), whole first 25%/blue key section is done (already takes 20/30 minutes, against 160+ enemies on CGS) and I'm just now realizing it was the most tedious part of the level to set up too (that and a lot of the rest already is populated), so I'm hoping to finalize this one throughout the next couple of days and finally move onto the last, secret map(s);

- cleaned up some code as to tame an increasingly recurrent 'too many sprites spawned' issue, now the new projectiles look a bit poorer by not emitting smoke trails but at least everything seems to run smoothly even in the most extreme circumstances I've been subjecting Duke to, so that's reassuring;

- finalized all of the per-level script and soundtrack sections in the manual, so essentially the story is done;

- now uses (placeholder?) Stevie Wonder MIDI as title theme.

[ck3D]

- coded in a brand new late-game enemy on the basis of certain existing tiles, was a good exercise in .con for the evening (it's nothing complex at all but still for me was a step up), it still needs some refining in its attack patterns here and there but otherwise is fully functional and looks, sounds and plays good, I'm quite stoked;

- ripped and coded in about a dozen more sounds;

- boss map is now traversable at 65, 70% - gameplay is in until just past the second key door and from that point onwards most of the map already has monsters, but there's quite a bit I want to revisit there. Progress is being great otherwise with both proficient and satisfying results. Already takes roughly an hour to get to that halfway point of the level (unless one goes for some risky skips), action is over the top as many a culmination would have it. Map increasingly sort of feels like a Duke 3D variant of Super Mario 3D World's 'Champion's Road' with the more I test it;

- completed some more sections of the manual, a lot about its script is ready by now;

- beta reports of the latest completed maps starting to come in from Aleks;

I want to finalize this, and I'm not letting go. More screenshots soon and hopefully video trailer time (I've been looking forward to that).

[ck3D]

Remember this level? Well, it's going to hate you.

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[Aleks]

Looks brilliant, although I fear it's gonna take me ages to beta-test this one alone I especially like the "green" shot in the bottom row...

[Quacken]

Good god, this level looks like complete madness. Can't wait to play it!

[Radar]

Which map was the one with 200+ secrets? Is that still going to be in the final release?

[ck3D]

Radar, on 15 October 2022 - 08:51 AM, said:

Which map was the one with 200+ secrets? Is that still going to be in the final release?

Ha now that's wishful thinking, no map ever had 200+ (I never even mentioned that number), but I think you're referencing the level with 72 secrets that we brought up some months ago. Yeah of course that one is still in, I just went and did a per-level tally of all the secrets (as of currently) for you:

- Level 01: 17 secrets
- Level 02: 23 secrets
- Level 03: 24 secrets
- Level 04: 72 secrets
- Level 05: 4 secrets
- Level 06: 16 secrets
- Level 07: 7 secrets
- Level 08: 26 secrets
- Level 09: 25 secrets
- Level 10: 21 secrets

Levels 11-14 exist but have no secrets due to being straightforward end game stuff, or secret levels themselves, but I might try and add some (I like the idea of a sudden cut in that department after the lore culminates, though). That's still 235 in total, so you weren't so far off with your estimation. And if I ever do end up including level 15, which also exists but would need complete retexturing, then that one already has 6 secrets but is big enough to earn a lot more. All of this is subject to change and so current numbers only.

@Quacken - thanks, yeah this one is quite wild, but I think the epilogue map tops it in craziness - you'll see and be the judge. Whole episode is a bit surreal in tone but things really do become quite unhinged towards the end. I haven't even shown any of the stuff I find is actually good yet (ever altogether I don't think, to be honest). I hope you'll enjoy it!

@Aleks - shouldn't take you any longer than some of the other bigger maps so far. You'll feel accomplished when you beat it though (hopefully).

Re: current progress, I've been finalizing the gameplay in that boss map, it's in at about 85/90% now, only two small locations need extra monsters. I've been quite intensely struggling with the sprite limit, map already had 15387 sprites prior to its gameplay pass and so in order to diminish the possibility of crashes I've been having to cut some of the detail, mostly hundreds of sprite shadows I didn't think looked that good anyway and all kinds of leeway I had, but now I'm running out of that too; hopefully I'll make it work without having to cut too much more (the changes so far have had close to zero impact on the cosmetics, would be annoying to have to get there). Aleks' beta reports of levels 7 and 8 are also in, and he's been playing level 9. Been ripping more new sounds while I still can and all that kind of sweet stuff.