Cloning Facility

[TheIdiot]

Been wanting to make a non-life-consuming level for a long time. After a series of poor designs and concepts which would take another trillion years, I decided to start on a random level called "Cloning Facility". The idea with this level is to simply not have an idea...I started with a blank level file and am proceeding forward without a plan (unlike my other levels which are meticulously planned-out). I'm just building the level and adding in ideas as I go - the name "Cloning Facility" may be a placeholder as there may end up being no cloning facility at all; the name came from an image of an abandoned, sterile faciltiy overgrown with foliage I had in my head. So far, all I've decided is that the level is going to take place on a small island, and I plan on using some of the less-seen MegaJungle stuff.

Spent a lot of time today getting the skybox just right, I tried to go for a tropical sunset. This is the starting beach, which you'll need to solve a small puzzle to escape:

(Click on thumbnail for full size)

I have meticulously placed every single object in order to ensure any overlapping is to a minimum, as I want the level to both look good and be fully stable.

[tatu]

Oh this looks good.

This is kinda what I've wanted to do for a long time. Just do a level that has random scenery that wouldn't fit in a level. Either because it is a tiny area, or no puzzles etc. One that is almost only about the atmosphere.

[TheIdiot]

Oh this looks good.

This is kinda what I've wanted to do for a long time. Just do a level that has random scenery that wouldn't fit in a level. Either because it is a tiny area, or no puzzles etc. One that is almost only about the atmosphere.

That's what MegaJungle is for - I never thought MJ would ever be playable at all, it was meant to be TresEd only. This on the other hand is meant to be a proper level with puzzles and all, just a smaller one compared to the massive projects I usually subject myself to...less purpose-made models and such, though I do plan on doing a TC~Isle-esque ocean at least. The level uses the MegaJungle .wtd file which is larger than TestScene but smaller than most other levels, though I tried to use as much of the terrain as possible for the island itself.

[TrespasserGuy]

Wow, that preview image doesn't even look like Tres. I'm impressed! Can't wait to see how this turns out.

[Draconisaurus]

I am thoroughly impressed. Finally the MegaJungle creator has returned to show us what his assets are really about. Glad Trespasser is getting so much attention lately - keep it up.

[Rebel]

That looks super sweet, T.I.

[Draconisaurus]

Hey TI, I trust your new models are treating you nicely? Or visa versa..

[TheIdiot]

Hey TI, I trust your new models are treating you nicely? Or visa versa..

Nicely as in "not making the game crash"? Then yes, everything's going fine at the moment, though there's one specific spot you can look which can make the game unstable. I'm working to figure out the cause of this, seems it might be the palm models themselves which are doing it.

[Draconisaurus]

The palms, eh. CE seems to get a bit finicky with your MegaJugle stuff, if you don't keep the settings lower. I'm hoping RTJP is playable heh. Possibly it will just need low settings.. I remember some pretty vast areas in the last version I saw. With CF, perhaps a graphics settings adjustment is advisable.. Or, maybe this can be one of the mods that works on high settings.

[Draconisaurus]

Hey TI, am curious how this level is doing. I sense it has a lot of potential and benefits from being less taxing to work on.

[TheIdiot]

Hey TI, am curious how this level is doing. I sense it has a lot of potential and benefits from being less taxing to work on.

About as slow as ever. I haven't been gaming much overall this summer - we haven't had a rainy day for 2 months now so I've mostly been outside. The southern part of the island that you start on is nearly finished, however, though I keep going back and adding further detail. This level is turning out to be probably my most detailed yet, aside from the couple of MegaJungle example areas. Just been trying to come up with a couple of puzzles before I move on.

[Draconisaurus]

Well, that does sound pretty good to me! I am imagining this level benefits from being entirely original, similar in approach to the HD Trespasser levels but without any external accuracy basis. Can be very important.

[TheIdiot]

Well, that does sound pretty good to me! I am imagining this level benefits from being entirely original, similar in approach to the HD Trespasser levels but without any external accuracy basis. Can be very important.

That's a pretty accurate description. I'm going for a vague "InGen" look, but otherwise I'm not really tying myself to anything. The whole InGen thing will simply be to explain why there's a dinosaur cloning facility on an island without me having to invent any specific plot. I've actually considered mashing together some Anne quotes in order to acknowledge just how sick of ending up on InGen-owned, dinosaur-infested islands after all these years of fan levels..."InGen...*sigh*...I was really hoping that wasn't gonna happen."

[Draconisaurus]

Haha, that sounds great...

[TheIdiot]

Another quick sneak peek of the beach area, where the game begins:

(Click on thumbnail for full size)

I've already plotted out the first puzzle and thrown in a few custom voice-overs, as well as scripted a quick starting cutscene. I plan on making more custom objects to add to the level over time in order to detail the more open areas.