[Danukem]

Duke Nukem: Alien Armaggedon

Version 1.0 Tentative Release Date: July 1, 2018


Version 1.0 Release Date: August 24, 2018

UPDATED WITH DOWNLOAD LINK AT MOD DB


DNAA is an overhaul mod with a ton of new characters with sprites by sebabdukeboss20. It leaves core gameplay intact but adds various enhancements, some cosmetic and some gameplay.

Trooper Dan, on 11 February 2018 - 10:22 PM, said:

Hey William,

It has been ages since we worked together! You asked about anyone mapping for the sebabduke characters. Well, I don't know. I have started putting together a project to showcase everything, but I was planning to use existing maps and just insert the new characters into them. If you wanted to contribute your mapping skills to this, that would change things for the better. We would be going for 3DR style maps, nothing super detailed and no fancy new map effects. Basically the project would showcase all of the new characters, some new cutscenes, one new weapon and a few other things. Think of it as an update of 1996 Duke. Let me know what you think.

Best,

Dan

Since then, we gained Merlijn and Maarten, so the team consists of myself, sebabdukeboss20, William Gee and the Ostrum brothers. The mappers have been working on a single map so far, but there has been talk of including modified versions of (some of) their other maps to comprise an episode. In addition, DNAA will have an optional new characters mode which works like this: if you load any user map that does not already contain the new DNAA characters, then some of the new characters will be inserted following certain rules. This way, the mod can be enjoyed without the need to have maps made specifically for it. With that mode turned off, you still get the cosmetic and gameplay enhancements, but you don't have the new enemies thrown into the mix.

Rather than give a further list of features, I'll point to my YouTube channel, where all of the videos in the last couple of months have been about this project, showing various characters in various states of completion.

The video below shows some more extended gameplay from E1L1 and E1L2, using slightly modified versions of those maps. Keep in mind that this is WIP and lots of stuff can change. For example, Bombshell will not randomly show up when you are playing a map -- she will be included when it makes sense. Also keep in mind that this latest video doesn't show the new enemies very much, although starting at about 7 minutes in you can get a good look at the new strippers. One more disclaimer: modified versions of the 3DR maps are not being included, this is just for demonstration.



February 2019 EDIT. The trailer for version 2.0:

[Phredreeke]

Wow! This looks amazing! Wonder how long before someone calls it the Brutal Doom of Duke Nukem mods though

[zykov eddy]

I can see some short freezes in the video, I guess this is where the game is trying to load sound files. I experience that a lot myself, even when playing regular Duke 3D with no mods. Maybe it's because my setup isn't right.

Also, the mod looks totally kickass.

[OpenMaw]

Kicking ass and taking names.

It is a shame we don't have more, and more prolific, Duke mappers in these parts, because I can see a lot of scenarios being built around these new alien bastards.

Imagine a modern take on track side tragedy with those pig jeeps, or a destruction derby type scenario.

Having a Pigsty scenario with the heavy pigs busting down the walls and shit. (I love that ground pound/shaking effect on them. So cool.)

[Player Lin]

Hyped already.

Wow, it seems more kickass than WoA mod. Can't wait when it release on July!
Just hope I have time to play......

[Danukem]

zykov eddy, on 05 April 2018 - 04:56 AM, said:

I can see some short freezes in the video, I guess this is where the game is trying to load sound files. I experience that a lot myself, even when playing regular Duke 3D with no mods. Maybe it's because my setup isn't right.

Also, the mod looks totally kickass.

That's possible, or it could be due to me using Xsplit Gamecaster to record the video. I think that happens every once in a while even when not recording, but it's very rare.

Commando Nukem, on 05 April 2018 - 04:57 AM, said:

Kicking ass and taking names.

It is a shame we don't have more, and more prolific, Duke mappers in these parts, because I can see a lot of scenarios being built around these new alien bastards.

Imagine a modern take on track side tragedy with those pig jeeps, or a destruction derby type scenario.

Having a Pigsty scenario with the heavy pigs busting down the walls and shit. (I love that ground pound/shaking effect on them. So cool.)

If anyone wants to make a good level and have it done by June 10 (gotta leave a few weeks after for testing etc), then it could be included with the initial release on July 1. But this is why I generaly code mods to work with vanilla maps. There's always going to be a far larger number of vanilla maps out there than there will ever be maps for a specific project.

[Bloodshot]

Phredreeke, on 05 April 2018 - 04:05 AM, said:

Wow! This looks amazing! Wonder how long before someone calls it the Brutal Doom of Duke Nukem mods though

Probably as soon as the general modding community gets wind of it, already happened with my Quake mod.

Not that that's a bad thing mind you, all it means is that there's extra blood and people really want it

[MrFlibble]

Will there be a way to replenish Bombshell's health when she is your sidekick? Will she respond to commands, at lest the simple stuff like in NAM?

I would love new levels specifically designed with the new expanded enemy roster in mind. For example, the Pig Cop cars would be interesting to use in more open areas than those in the first episode maps I suppose.

[Danukem]

MrFlibble, on 06 April 2018 - 12:43 AM, said:

Will there be a way to replenish Bombshell's health when she is your sidekick? Will she respond to commands, at lest the simple stuff like in NAM?

There's a lot of work left to do on Bombshell, including some basic stuff like swimming and being able to surface from under water. Until the basics are finished, I'm not going to work on the rest. But, my current thinking is that when she is down, she will go into a revivable state showing a pain animation, and then you can hold the use key on her to bring her back into action, much like a teammate in a coop game. This may come at some cost to the player -- perhaps it costs a chunk of your medkit and if your medkit is below that level you have to leave her to die.

I believe that making a command system would be a step in the wrong direction, since this is an expansion of vanilla Duke, and it is not an attempt to make a squad-based shooter. I'm pretty sure I can make her smart enough to be plenty useful without commands. Commands would be an extra burden on players to learn new controls that would rarely be useful.

MrFlibble, on 06 April 2018 - 12:43 AM, said:

I would love new levels specifically designed with the new expanded enemy roster in mind. For example, the Pig Cop cars would be interesting to use in more open areas than those in the first episode maps I suppose.

Yeah, I would like to see the SUVs in a big outdoor area. Their use is somewhat limited compared with pig recons, because they require flat ground. If they were models, they could be tilted for slopes, but alas that is not possible. Still, I'm sure that we can come up with some good scenarios for them.

[Phredreeke]

if medkits will be shared between Duke and Bombshell, will there be a mechanic to ration them? (maybe consuming only a limited amount of the medkit per use regardless of Duke's current health?)

[Danukem]

Phredreeke, on 06 April 2018 - 02:44 AM, said:

if medkits will be shared between Duke and Bombshell, will there be a mechanic to ration them? (maybe consuming only a limited amount of the medkit per use regardless of Duke's current health?)

I see your point. You wouldn't want to use your entire kit on yourself to get full health if it means you can't revive Bombshell later. So, yeah, it could be that making the medkit work in discrete chunks would be a good solution (with the caveat that if you need to heal < chunk amount, it will only use the lesser amount you need). I would still want the medkit item to give 100 though, because vanilla map compatibility.

[Lunick]

Trooper Dan, on 05 April 2018 - 11:37 AM, said:

That's possible, or it could be due to me using Xsplit Gamecaster to record the video. I think that happens every once in a while even when not recording, but it's very rare.

Have you thought about using OBS to record your videos?

[Phredreeke]

Will Bombshell be able to heal from other sources? Will her AI adapt based on how much health she has?

[Mike Norvak]

Awesome announcement. Only complain I have is please don't use environment hazards! Some of the things I hate in WGR2 code is burning, it doesn't add anything gameplay wise and is just annoying. Or at least make the boots invulnerable to it with no amount cost.

[petrus]

Great first impression, but it needs more ketchup! The best is the kick, i wish Ion Maiden would steal it.

[Jblade]

Bombshell definitely shouldn't be kill-able; I think the best compromise would be to incorporate the first aid system as you suggested but otherwise she's down and out until say you're finished fighting the current set of enemies and then she'll be revived with a certain chunk of health (maybe depending on difficulty level) I think it's more interesting to make the player decide to heal her out of personal choice rather than being obliged to otherwise they'll lose her permanently.

I'm one of the saddos who just won't take an ally into combat if I have no way to heal them (unless they're forced on me like HL2's squad mates and I have no real way to preserve them) of course this is all down to my personal taste.

BTW the SUVs; when you say flat ground I'm assuming they'll still work with minor slopes and stuff that won't look strange when it climbs up them, or is it literally only flat terrain they work on?

[Danukem]

Lunick, on 06 April 2018 - 03:02 AM, said:

Have you thought about using OBS to record your videos?

Just downloaded it.

Phredreeke, on 06 April 2018 - 03:06 AM, said:

Will Bombshell be able to heal from other sources? Will her AI adapt based on how much health she has?

Nah, I don't think that's necessary.

Mike Norvak, on 06 April 2018 - 07:38 AM, said:

Awesome announcement. Only complain I have is please don't use environment hazards! Some of the things I hate in WGR2 code is burning, it doesn't add anything gameplay wise and is just annoying. Or at least make the boots invulnerable to it with no amount cost.

You're probably worried because you saw that "You're Burning!" quote at one point in the video. That's a quote from the original USER.CON from 1996 that never got used. But, you know, the player can be burning. There is technically a status effect, but you probably won't notice any difference other than the quote and the screen turning reddish. You can sit down in a dumpster fire and you will take about the same damage as in vanilla Duke (maybe slightly less) and it lasts only about a second after you get off of the fire. There are no enemies with flamethrowers or anything like that.

Jblade, on 06 April 2018 - 08:35 AM, said:

Bombshell definitely shouldn't be kill-able; I think the best compromise would be to incorporate the first aid system as you suggested but otherwise she's down and out until say you're finished fighting the current set of enemies and then she'll be revived with a certain chunk of health (maybe depending on difficulty level) I think it's more interesting to make the player decide to heal her out of personal choice rather than being obliged to otherwise they'll lose her permanently.

That seems reasonable. Currently it's a non-issue because like I said, her basic features aren't even finished yet. I guess one thing I wonder about though is whether every instance of her sprite has to be THE bombshell. Maybe there could be pal swaps that are other NPCs and they could die (and we are using an extended palette so there may be some interesting possibilities there).

And in regard to the SUVs, I just meant that sprites cannot be sloped; the vehicle can drive over uneven ground as you could expect from a normal actor.

[Player Lin]

Just like the Alyx in HL2, give Bombshell infinite of health(or never take any damages) and don't waste time to worry about her heal or health problems.

(There was an unused weapon can killed Alyx in HL2 EP1 and the result was...crashed the engine. lol)

[Forge]

But can you shrink bombshell, tie some dental floss around her ankle, and drop her down the back of your pants?

for serious application, can she be shrunk and follow the player through places that require such action?

[Danukem]

Forge, on 07 April 2018 - 08:56 PM, said:

But can you shrink bombshell, tie some dental floss around her ankle, and drop her down the back of your pants?

for serious application, can she be shrunk and follow the player through places that require such action?

She can be shrunk, but she just runs back and forth like the enemies who get shrunk. At least Duke won't stomp her.

I have given her the ability to swim since last posting, and also the ability to follow the player into water and back out of the water. The latter is trickier than it sounds, since actors only respond to SE 7 water transports in one direction -- pushing against the water ceiling does nothing.

Anyway, we have been talkkng about the NPC version of Bombshell which was never intended to be a full-fledged companion. She will have voice samples and the revive feature added, but other than that there's not much else she needs. If she gets stuck behind while Duke is shrunk, that's not so bad. I anticipate the NPC Bombshell will be used in one of two ways: 1) She is in a map by design, with a specific place she starts and a specific place she says goodbye. 2) She can be summoned via an inventory item (drops in from a chopper when you shoot a flare maybe?), in which case she would most likely have a time limit or health limit before she goes away -- in other words she would be entirely optional to the mission if she were a summon. So either the mapper has already anticipated the route and would not expect her to go through a small opening, or her presence is entirely optional -- in neither case would there be an issue.

[Forge]

Trooper Dan, on 07 April 2018 - 09:41 PM, said:

If she gets stuck behind while Duke is shrunk, that's not so bad.
(drops in from a chopper when you shoot a flare maybe?)

Or like when Tails falls of the screen in Sonic - he hovers back in from above - Bombshell can do the same, except she'll use a leg instead of a tail to chopper in.

[Danukem]

Forge, on 07 April 2018 - 09:51 PM, said:

Or like when Tails falls of the screen in Sonic - he hovers back in from above - Bombshell can do the same, except she'll use a leg instead of a tail to chopper in.

Yeah, having companions teleport to the player is an old gaming tradition. Modern games do this, too, quite a lot. I do that with dukebots in some of my mods. One nice trick is to make the companion teleport in at a point just beyond where the player can see, but where you know their limited pathfinding will lead them to the player. With luck the player won't even know they cheated. I may add that eventually, but I know that once I add it, I'm no longer motivated to improve the AI. Also, I can't really test the pathfinding when such a feature is active.

And guys, the problem with simply giving her free unlimited revives is that she is too useful. She could literally kill everything in the level by herself. That's not true of Alyx in HL2, it's not true of Elizabeth in Bioshock Infinite, etc. But this is Bombshell and she is very good at killing bad guys, so there must be something to balance it.

[Phredreeke]

Random thought: what if each revive cuts a chunk of her max health? Possibly with a slow gradual recovery over time?

[Player Lin]

If she's so powerful to solo the whole level all by herself then I agree she should needed something to balance that.
Limited revived times or long cooldown time (like a few minutes) for her next action happens or something...

But for some reasons, "she can solo the whole level" that's sounds like she just overpowered...

[Danukem]

What I meant was that if you were to lead her around the level, you could in theory have her do all the shooting. She will get shot, though. But if you could just keep reviving her at no cost, then she could in theory kill everything without Duke doing any of the work. Which would be dumb. Anyway, enough about that.

[Merlijn]

Quote

Since then, we gained Merlijn and Maarten, so the team consists of myself, sebabdukeboss20, William Gee and the Ostrum brothers. The mappers have been working on a single map so far, but there has been talk of including modified versions of (some of) their other maps to comprise an episode.

To expand on that: the level we're making will be a sequel to OGBB. And it will feature scenario's made specifically for these new enemies and NPC characters.
Here's a little teaser screenshot:

[MajorTom 2417]

This.....this is perfection.

[Mike Norvak]

"You're probably worried because you saw that "You're Burning!" quote at one point in the video. That's a quote from the original USER.CON from 1996 that never got used. But, you know, the player can be burning. There is technically a status effect, but you probably won't notice any difference other than the quote and the screen turning reddish. You can sit down in a dumpster fire and you will take about the same damage as in vanilla Duke (maybe slightly less) and it lasts only about a second after you get off of the fire. There are no enemies with flamethrowers or anything like that."

Well as far as it's just random encounters with fire as in the original game I think is ok.

[Jblade]

You got to add a proper ammo count for the liz troop pistol, not just that bar

OGBB is one of my favourite levels so a sequel sounds super duper.

[Danukem]

Jblade, on 08 April 2018 - 09:26 AM, said:

You got to add a proper ammo count for the liz troop pistol, not just that bar

Yeah. I left that for now because I haven't decided whether the entire hud for all weapons is going to be replaced by something new.

EDIT:

I went ahead and fixed it using the old HUD style.