All New Trespasser Fan Levels

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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by mleise »

As a veteran of Myst, Riven, Myst III - Exile, Myst IV - Revelations and Myst V - End of Ages, I don't mind a hard puzzle now and then. I just wasn't prepared for it and thought it would be another "collect key, open door" type level. Also Anne's health is right on spot when you know about it. It gives you a nice feeling of tension especially if the first thing you do is run into the hunter body with the three raptors around and wish you could somehow grab that rifle.

I found that axe on the platform next to a wrench early on, but the attachment point was wrong so Anne held it by the blade instead of the handle and I thought that it's probably just a random buggy item with no use. By the way I used the wrench to open the rusty lock on the little shed only to realize that I was probably supposed to just shoot it instead. I need to think more logical... wrenches are not used to open locks. But now that you mentioned a big palm tree, I guess I should find that axe once again. It's going to take a while to chop it down.

And don't change your level yet. Yours is not the only level that has a different health system. Maybe Lee will have a look at it if you drop him a note. He implemented other features from ATX.
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by mleise »

Ok, got it now ... but after an hour of looking for the second code I fired up TresEd.
Spoiler: show
I totally missed that area to the left of the broken bridge. I just didn't consider going back past where I found the first code. In fact I didn't move out of the valley again after I was through the first gate. Things I tried was axing the second panel, shooting it, shooting down the car in the tree to see if the code was in there, crossing the river and looking on the other side, walk around every tree, stone and mast and trying to climb over the fence. Maybe you could add some hint for the first key pad, since you cannot actually push the buttons and it looks unpowered. After I found the code I died, reloaded a save game from before I picked up the code and wondered why I cannot enter 2023. So I said to myself "I have to go back to the turbine and figure out what I missed about the power for the gate. And if that fails I might have to pick up the code again to trigger something, but that's unlikely as all the key pads in trespasser work by manually entering the code." :wink:
All in all I liked the beginning of the level very much. There were unexpected dangers everywhere, you are low on health, have no weapon and try to make sense of the whole place with several locations to go and a bunch of items to pick up and use. Later on it was more linear with a tube like terrain and dinos already visible ahead of you. Aside from the easter eggs I found that part was a bit boring.
Now you have some criticism to work on for the Everlasting Jungle :P
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TrespasserGuy »

Yeah, I knew finding that second code would be hard, so I moved it to beyond the first gate, inside that enclosure, so there will be no backtracking for passcodes.

On another note, does anyone feel like modeling for me a low-poly space rocket for my Hunter's Camp level. I know it sounds weird, but it'll make sense in the end. It has something to do with the dark secrets of Biosyn.... Unfortunately, I can't model at all and don't have any modeling programs that would make a .3ds ready for converting to a Trespasser .TPM. Here are some pictures that I would want the rocket to look like.
Spoiler: show
Image

Image

Some classic James Bond movie fans might recognize this as the space shuttle from the 1979 movie "Moonraker". If anyone wants to model something like this, you can reply or, I dunno, PM me? If nobody wants to, that's fine. I wouldn't want to put a burden on anybody

Also, I wouldn't want the inside to be hollow. I don't want Anne going inside it, like in a cockpit or something, but just want something for the player to look at and marvel at.
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by machf »

TrespasserGuy wrote:
Spoiler: show
Some classic James Bond movie fans might recognize this as the space shuttle from the 1979 movie "Moonraker".
No need to mention it... ;)
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TrespasserGuy »

Well, here's another update on Hunter's Camp, though I think about changing the name to "The Lost World", what do you guys think? Anyway, the level has been extensively modded. A whole slew of objects and puzzles have been added. All the hunters' keys have been placed for you to find. All the hunters' boxes open. There's nothing inside them yet, though. There's a whole new sinister set of hints pertaining to Biosyn and their activity on Site B. I hope this release will excite you a lot! ALso, a new boss has been added...

http://www.mediafire.com/download/y17d2 ... mp_v.4.rar
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by Draconisaurus »

Hey TresGuy - this level sounds interesting! Don't suppose we could see a screen?

T@#124
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TrespasserGuy »

Draconisaurus wrote:Hey TresGuy - this level sounds interesting! Don't suppose we could see a screen?
Yeah, sure. Here are some I took two weeks ago.
Spoiler: show
Image
This is your view of the Hunters' Camp.

Image
Another view

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A JPDS raptor. Pretty cool-looking.

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In the Hunters' Camp itself.

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Some random area near the Hunters' Camp.

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An ominous tunnel...

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A gas station from Hppav's TO level. It looks marvelous in the Plains area.

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Finally, some dino action! Fighting a Carnotaurus.

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DAMN, son, that's a pretty neat DAM you got there! :lol:

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A plains research and observation tower. :)
And that's just HALF of the level. There's plenty more to be found...
Spoiler: show
in the tunnels...
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TheIdiot »

Hey! Now that I'm back, I'll give a big, long review on the new level you released recently, Mountain Road, in a little bit. Check back soon - and no worries, I loved it! I'll have to give it another playthrough quickly tomorrow. :) I haven't tried the new Hunter's Camp level, but I'll give it a quick go as well.

EDIT: Snooped around the new Hunter's Camp a bit, it looks pretty awesome - you've come a long way! I see you've used my crappy old models of the embryo cold storage machines. :D You've got spinosaurus labelled as one of the species, yet in this level it seems you're using suchomimus instead..? If you want, I have a working Jurassic Park III-style spinosaurus in my files you can use for your level. There's also one in the Xmas Gift level on the main site that looks pretty awesome. Just a little nitpicky thing that I'm unsure if you were planning or not.
Also, I have a suggestion to make the tunnels even more interesting - why don't you try and add some triggers that use a "fog fade" effect (where over a sequence of several actions, the fog progressively gets closer and thicker so as to look nice without an instant transition); that way, you can limit player's view distance, as well as make things seem darker if you change the fog color to black in this trigger as well. :) Trespasser is long overdue to have some creepy indoor areas - last one I saw was the Venture in TC~Isle. A few distant sounds such as things banging or dinosaurs as ambiance could help to add to this area's atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, this area is fantastic and you should be very proud of it, especially with limited resources - I'm just throwing suggestions everywhere!
Oh, and the whole dam area looks great - can't wait to see what's on the other side surrounding that little walled facility.
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TrespasserGuy »

Just stopped by to show everybody these fake box-arts of my levels.
Spoiler: show
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Image
Keep watchful eyes for Everlasting Jungle! :)
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TheIdiot »

Nice little box art mock-ups you did there, TresGuy. Not sure how I missed your last update.

Anyway, as requested, here's my long overdue review of Mountain Road, which I just got finished playing and am now exploring in TresEd. Behold, the Great Wall of Text, all conveniently packed into a spoiler for your viewing horror.
Spoiler: show
The level opens up with you disembarking your crashed helicopter. My immediate impression was good: neat terrain textures, beautiful ambiance, and even a new texture for the BioSyn helicopter. I was quickly reminded of JPDS as I followed a vague path into the jungle and was instantly horribly lost - which is a good thing. I stumbled across a pond with a so-far unseen dinosaur, dryosaurus, and wandered a bit until I came to the little fenced-in village.

I noticed here that the fence was a bit...huge - I might suggest scaling it down a little bit, though it isn't really that much of an issue. Heading into the Generator Tower, I discovered that I could drink the canteen, bringing a little smile to my face. The interior of this building is very nicely detailed, quite a step up from the original in Tres, with moss hanging down and more clutter. I continued down the path and entered a small, empty house. I noticed you even put a puddle of water in the sink - good thinking! If you have performance issues with the level at any time, however, removing that would probably help out a bit. I gathered a wrench at a house foundation, and made my way into the apartment complex (which is always going to be a very fun building to explore). Was a little disheartened to find nothing there in any useful manner, until I reached the final room where I discovered a key. I also investigated that hard-to-find back room and nabbed a gas can, as well as another drink of water from the canteen and a first aid kit. Clubbing a Raptor to death with my wrench, I used the key to unlock the turbine shed, and quickly solved the puzzle. I was quite pleased with this sequence - everything was placed in a fair way, and the puzzle was satisfying once I had everything I needed. The power generator rumbled to life and I continued on my way, following the road back out of the village. I also have to commend you on the use of actual, linked power lines - that's a bloody daunting task, and you did it excellently :D

Following the road, I came to another well-executed tunnel, which had sadly collapsed. I actually missed the little camp near here in my playthrough, but looking at it in TresEd gives it a thumbs-up (could definitely have used that revolver later in the level). Back along the road, I eventually came to another fenced complex, though this one had been breached at some point. A smack with my wrench threw the lock off of a small shed, and I grabbed a drink from another canteen. As I continued to the helipad ahead, I was attacked by a baryonyx straight out of my old RTJP level - glad to see him used somewhere, though I have to suggest using the original version from JPDS (suchomimus), since mine is a bit odd looking without the back spikes. I also suggested replacing this guy with a spinosaurus as I felt that it would suit this scene better, though now that I look at it, the sucho definitely still works. I dodged the carnivore and ascended to the helipad, grabbing a SPAS-12 with which I blasted a few rounds at the sucho and then fled back the way I came, this time following the one remaining path to a cliffside. Arriving at the titular "mountain road", I was ambushed in a rather well done little scene by a pack of Raptors - the actual attack came from behind me, though, just like it should have! :) I fought them off (died once, though) and reached a gap in the ridge.

This is the first part where I got stuck. I knew that palm tree had to be the way across, but I tried everything - a whack from my wrench, a shotgun shell, but nothing worked. I actually still haven't been able to find the solution even with TresEd, though I did find a pair of axes in the basement (one of which is the woodaxe I made for Tres: Reborn - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you do NOT use that, as it is heavily bugged and will never be held correctly!). I eventually had to fly my way across to continue. Any hints as to the solution? :(

Continuing on from the gap, I came across a shattered bridge. As I attempted to cross it using the nearby plank, I foolishly tripped up and dropped it into the river, forcing me to make a perilous jump to the railing on the other side. Perhaps you could find a way to ensure the plank never falls into the river, or if it does retrieve it? Maybe have it freeze in place once dropped into the general area it needs to be in? I was actually very surprised to see an actual river moving rather than a TWaterEntity, and in TresEd I see it is actually a bunch of Reborn TWaterfalls - holy crap, that must've taken some time! :| Anyway, I made my way further down the road, luckily stumbling across a wrecked jeep with a passcode to a Gate A, which was stored in the game, ala JPDS (SWEET!). At the next section of mountain road, I fought off a couple of Raptors before realizing that I had been trashing ammo-heavy guns for even more ammo-heavy guns. I must suggest removing a few guns here and there to make ammo a much more dire situation, especially in this section of the level. At the end of this section, I found a hidden canyon with a rather eerie Mayan face at a rockslide, but gathered nothing more as I made my way further along. I came to the gate for which I had the passcode, so I slammed my hand into the pad and made my way through. :P

A dilophosaur attacked here, and I disposed of it quickly. This valley yielded a very silly easter egg across the two most coincidentally positioned fallen trees of all time - maybe changing those over to a single tree and scaling it up would work better. I mowed down on some JPDS 'shrooms (was kind of hoping for a "drug" effect, honestly) and was suddenly halted by another gate. This time, I was locked out, and I was never able to find the passcode in-game. In my TresEd exploring, I found it waaaaay back along the path in a fairly hard to find location. This really needs to moved, to be honest - I would have had to backtrack a very long and now fully-explored distance to locate it, and I doubt I would ever have found the path leading there. I think this area is probably better off as a side area, or, if you want to leave the passcode there, it needs to be essential that players will easily discover this, because for the moment, the path leading up there is very hard to spot. Additionally, I found the hidden easter egg at the summit of that mountain, which seems like a long way to go all the way up and then all the way back down if you don't have the head (which is also hard to find). This whole puzzle needs a bit of a redesign if it is to be fair, I think, but to be fair, this is the only major gripe I had with this level. :? I think that most players would expect to find the clipboard somewhere in the area after the collapsed bridge - if this were true, the rest of the mountain area would be better suited as a hidden place rather than a required location, where you could find bonus items or the like. Perhaps the cliff camp could contain the mountain idol's head instead? :)

Also, I never found that Mayan valley in the game. I would have liked to see an easier way to explore it, rather than making it an easter egg type area, because it is very cool and I think it could even make a good place to place the clipboard I mentioned earlier! I'm actually unsure of how it is currently accessed or its purpose at the moment, which is sort of sad to say because the entire area looks very neat, especially with the rope bridge across the chasm. I was pleased to discover the memorial area, which is a great easter egg that I'm sure will be appreciated.

SO ANYWAY, back to my in-game progression. Having had to fly past the locked gate, I continued down the road, coming across an awesome sight - a crashed chinook on a cliff, overlooking more human ruin. This whole place was extremely neat to look at, and this valley started to feel very haunting, especially as the chopper creaked when I passed it. But, as I made my way further...the level ended! :| It's a great cliffhanger for the next level, Everlasting Jungle, and it really sets the mood of what the next stage will be like. I am looking forward to seeing what comes next, and what the dangers this canyon ahead might hold!
Annnnnd...phew! There's my in-depth review. In conclusion, it was a pleasure to explore and a very well done level, with some interesting locations, unique ideas, and fun, fair exploration. My only problems revolve around two puzzles which are hard to complete, but other than that, it's a 100% exciting experience! It makes you want to play again and search for things and places you may have missed, because there are a lot of out-of-the-way, off the path type places that really flesh out the level. So, the verdict:

Map Design: 8.5/10 - Consistently well designed, and always keeps you wanting to explore. There is so much to see and do in this map, and the concentric design around the central valley is presented very well. My problem with the whole second passcode and the area it is found in brings this score down a bit, and I would have liked to see perhaps a *tiny* bit more in the terrain texture department. Great work, nonetheless.
Gameplay: 7/10 - A fun, exploration-based level with a lot to find, be it a new item, or a tool to help you on your way. This was also brought down by the couple of puzzles I couldn't complete due to them being very hard to discover the solution for, and the large amount of backtracking involved in the completion of one. A few many guns at one point as well.
Story: 7/10 - Not much of one, though I assume this is not the central focus of the level versus the action/exploration aspect. The voiceovers were integrated well, though.
Creativity: 9.5/10 - So much done well in this department, from the design of the valley, to the bridge made of some fences and wood planks, and especially the tunnel, as always. A variety of puzzles and plenty to find on second playthroughs, plus some well-placed easter eggs and use of limited resources to make something new. Excellent work here!

OVERALL: 8/10
Enjoyment abounds. :mrgreen:
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TrespasserGuy »

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I know I shouldn't have place the second passcode so far away from its location. I've moved that to a more logical place and I've moved the Mayan head to a more logical place. :)
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TrespasserGuy »

Get ready...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjTp5NiMjXI

If anyone wants to test it out, PM me. :)
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by machf »

Wow, looks pretty good...
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by Vesiapina »

Wow the video looked good! Maybe a bit too much dino killing for this dino-loving guy, hehe. I usually try to let the dinos live. :)

I gotta install my PC to try this. I haven't played Trespasser since I moved to my new apartment in january. Been too lazy to install my PC and I've just used my Mac. Now this and some other stuff got me so excited that maybe it's time!
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Re: All New Trespasser Fan Levels

Post by TrespasserGuy »

Are there any good modelers out there that can be of service to me? The objective is to just take a .3ds model, knock a few polygons off of it so Tres can handle it, give it textures, and convert it to a .tpm. If anyone wants to help with this, PM me. :)
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