Tres: Reloaded - SUM

[Draconisaurus]

I think we should keep tribe C and tribe A and possibly consider removing tribe B and replacing that with a better skin. And also, if we are still have a BOSS raptor type deal, maybe have an alpha pair????

Definitely sticking with this skin for Tribe B.


I'm still more for a new version of Tribe C, however we want to do it..
As for the boss. An alpha "pair" sounds cool in essence, but do not forget where the giant raptor came from:

VH38: The raptor padded in towards sundown. It drank nervously, careful of the dangers of the Jurassic waterhole.
VH39: N/A
VH40: For four months we monitored it while it preyed on herds in the southern forest. We never knew why it grew so large. In the summer of 1988, it began moving north.

This, btw, is also direct suggestion for non-dinosaur animals on the island, which we should seriously consider including. But anyway - it's left rather mysterious why the one raptor got so big, and I think it's meant as such. I personally suspect it was a genetic anomaly resulting from imperfections in their earliest clones.

...Hmmm! Perhaps Anne could meet this giant raptor earlier in the game.. and then the last fight is like a final settlement on the bones she and him have to pick with each other. And yeah, we'll need a skin for that guy..

Hmm. I suppose we could potentially use the tribe-B-derived skin as the large raptor.. Despite being called "RaptorCBoss", we know he started out in the South, where tribes A and B prevail.. maybe something like that, idk, and in that case I *might* be open for a new tribe-B skin.

[Second Illiteration]

Well these are the ones I have already made, some may work:



The bottom left reminds me of the skin the current boss raptor has. I think the tribe A should be in the town rather than tribe B. I don't know what you think about any of these other ones for a new tribe B skin. We could always do some kind of poll.




Also I wanted to bring up what the purpose of the "complex" at the summit is to figure out exactly what kind of layout it should have and what types of equipment and building it should have.

Now my two thoughts are that it's to broadcast a radio signal obviously, but then also wouldn't it be for monitoring weather? I think the elevator lift should be removed...it's cool as a puzzle but doesn't make any logical sense to have it there...I'm assuming they would want to drive right up to the "complex". What do you think?

[Draconisaurus]

The bottom left reminds me of the skin the current boss raptor has.

Yeah that is a pretty tight skin for that....

I think the tribe A should be in the town rather than tribe B.

Meh, agreed, though the retail does have both tribes there. I never did see the tribes fighting each other in the town.. And, I think it should be mostly Tribe A in the Plains, so your point is good.

I don't know what you think about any of these other ones for a new tribe B skin. We could always do some kind of poll.

Meh, I like polls sometimes but the last one didn't prove to be too useful. The middle-left raptor looks a bit like the alternate skin from that one concept render, which would go with part of Tres: R's premise.. Tell you what. If you want to start a poll and come up with a number/letter system to represent each skin in a photo, go ahead. Might want to provide a few other options, too, as I know you've done more raptor skins than that (perhaps allow each person to vote twice. Btw, I increased the forum's max poll options to 20 ). Other than that, I think that the middle-left raptor could work for tribe C and that we should keep your tribe B remake for tribe B.

Also I wanted to bring up what the purpose of the "complex" at the summit is to figure out exactly what kind of layout it should have and what types of equipment and building it should have.

Now my two thoughts are that it's to broadcast a radio signal obviously, but then also wouldn't it be for monitoring weather?

Hmmm, what would mountain-top weather-monitoring equipment look like, other than a windsock?

I think the elevator lift should be removed...it's cool as a puzzle but doesn't make any logical sense to have it there...I'm assuming they would want to drive right up to the "complex". What do you think?

I dunno about that. I know there are already at least a few people anxious to see the elevator lift puzzle returned to the state it's in as seen floating in Ascent, where the switch is on the platform and there are a few more pieces included.. I was kinda looking forward to that, too. On the one hand, it makes sense because, if the mountain were really shaped like that, they'd need a way to lift up all the building materials that were used to set up the complex, there. On the other hand, in TLW they have chinooks, which could bring everything.. And hell, there just happens to be a looping path in the stone around the mountain which allows a road to be built, why not extend it to the top? Hopefully some other members will voice opinion on this. Actually, I can just start a simple poll for that now..

As for functions of the Mountaintop Facilities, obviously it has a wind-power generation system, which is probably only for powering itself.. It provides the high-speed satellite uplink to the rest of the island, where the short-range dish in Burroughs (and with the CRAY in the Lab) would connect to the outside world for data transfer when needed, as well of course as basic communications with the mainland. This would make the facility highly valuable, so there should be some decent security on hand... It also serves as a landing platform for helicopters, of course. It's difficult to figure out the difference in use between the one with the Ops Center and the one at the Summit, except that the Ops Center one is obviously surrounded somewhat by jungle and the Summit would be safer in most cases, I'd think..

Here are Hammond VOs pertaining to the Summit:
VH17: A few weeks after we landed, we went to the Summit to put up a crude satellite link.
VH18: We went by helicopter; young technicians scrambled to put up the dish as the wind howled. High speed uplink.. *laughs* state-of-the-art.
VH145: Come on son, get us out of here. (This is played close to the end with a helicopter sound - I believe it's where Hammond finally leaves the island with Ludlow, who is there for professional reasons on the last day.)
VH70: Cameras and seismic instruments in yellow crates. They set them in the dust as the helicopter rose. (This may or may not be related to the Summit - but I always thought it made sense as describing the time when Hammond first arrived on Isla Sorna, which I think may have been the Summit, with the idea being that this is where they established communications and then built outwards from there. Also makes sense because the seismic instruments would be used to do various tests on the crater. EDIT: Reading VH17 again, I see that's not quite the case.. Oh well, take from it what you will.)

So, as is sort of suggested in the current layout, there should be some amount of records-keeping going on up here.. Hmm. Maybe a bed in a cabin? For sleeping between shifts of being on radio-duty? Oh and yeah, maybe a little spot with evidence of monitoring the crater's condition/activity.. Hmmmmmmm there should also be a little observation tower or something, with grabbable binoculars that let you look out across the island.

That's 'all' I can think of atm.

[Second Illiteration]

Not exactly sure what kind of weather monitoring...but I would think more than a wind sock. Also maybe they had plans here to set up an alternate power plant type deal using wind power as a back up system or to provide additional resources.


As I said about the lift in the poll, I like the lift idea, but where it's at as a puzzle seems weird. Not sure. But there def has to be some other alternate route of SOME kind so they raptors have a way up there.

Looking at the Tribe B skin I did, maybe it would be better if I changed the red to a different color...that may be all that needs to be done. Any of the other skins I've done I consider of lesser quality, and most of these ones are by using old skins and adding more skin/scale/wrinkle detail or whatever you want to call it. For Tribe A I think we should use the obvious Tribe A skin, but also the far left middle row skin which is the TC Isle updated skin that I did.

[Draconisaurus]

Not exactly sure what kind of weather monitoring...but I would think more than a wind sock. Also maybe they had plans here to set up an alternate power plant type deal using wind power as a back up system or to provide additional resources.

Hmm.. So what are you saying, that they had geothermal too? And I think that would only be a good idea if we make the facility expansive enough.

As I said about the lift in the poll, I like the lift idea, but where it's at as a puzzle seems weird. Not sure. But there def has to be some other alternate route of SOME kind so they raptors have a way up there.

Oh LOL that's a good point.. hmmmm

Looking at the Tribe B skin I did, maybe it would be better if I changed the red to a different color...that may be all that needs to be done.

Eh? Why? Red's a great color for a raptor.

Any of the other skins I've done I consider of lesser quality,

and most of these ones are by using old skins and adding more skin/scale/wrinkle detail or whatever you want to call it. For Tribe A I think we should use the obvious Tribe A skin,

Hmmm... OMG, that far-right-middle raptor looks better than the simple tribe A skin from you I'm currently using in PL. I'll have to check again but I'm not sure that I have it.. (and I think I have all skins you released publicly + JPDS-exclusives) The one in this pic here is upgraded with scales and such, while the one.. well here:

but also the far left middle row skin which is the TC Isle updated skin that I did.

Yeah, that's rather like the alternate skin in the early Tres concept, which I think would make a great C (or possibly B) tribe.

[Second Illiteration]

Yeah the summit complex would have to be a bit more expansive...but it already has the wind turbine things doesn't it?

[Draconisaurus]

Well yeah it does. I'm not sure I want to bother with putting in a second power generation method..

[Second Illiteration]

Well yeah it does. I'm not sure I want to bother with putting in a second power generation method..

I'm not suggesting that it has to be complex or anything...nothing like the geothermal plant. Just have a few more buildings that kind of thing.

[Draconisaurus]

K well, since you're the project leader, I s'pose you get to decide that. Just draft up a plan and TRK will probably model it for you, hehe..

[TheRaptorKiller]

Sure I could do that if you want me too

[enigma]

A weather stations would not really need to be much mroe than a single room to data interpretation. Maybe a computer and some little living area.
Something a lot like this might be stuck on top of the building http://proweatherstation.com/images/eas ... 20copy.jpg
http://www.gmd2.org/Template/McP_WeaterStation.jpg
I would imagine major weather reports would come from mainland or weather ships. The weather atop the mountain would be very much different, so not so useful for people on the ground.

Found this as well, http://www.lifeinitaly.com/images/img/m ... friuli.jpg pretty high altitude monitoring.

[Draconisaurus]

A weather stations would not really need to be much mroe than a single room to data interpretation. Maybe a computer and some little living area.
Something a lot like this might be stuck on top of the building http://proweatherstation.com/images/eas ... 20copy.jpg
http://www.gmd2.org/Template/McP_WeaterStation.jpg

Second link doesn't work, btw.

I would imagine major weather reports would come from mainland or weather ships. The weather atop the mountain would be very much different, so not so useful for people on the ground.

Oh idk about that.. a station ontop of Mt. Watson would be able to look out some distance over the island in all directions. I'd think it would be quite useful for people on the ground. The point of the weather station would not be so much to monitor weather AT the station.. Could maybe even put a small doppler radar up there.

Found this as well, http://www.lifeinitaly.com/images/img/m ... friuli.jpg pretty high altitude monitoring.

Yay, I like that!

[Second Illiteration]

Yeah I'm going to research a bit. I guess I'm kind of seeing the summit as the main access point of Isla Sorna to the outside world/ mainland/ ships. It's a high point so it picks up satellite signal and radio signal better than relays all that to where ever it needs to be on the rest of the island. So it would be used to monitor weather reports from mainland or out at sea that kind of thing. That's just the thought I guess. I also see it as the place where survivors of the hurricane would have trekked to to get off the island or call for help should all else fail.

[Draconisaurus]

Indeeeed...

VH106: Known as the "Maharaja" to his fellows. Highly skilled, but only works alone. He was meant to radio for picking up from the Comm. Station.
VH110: Karamcheti, V, still missing.

He'll likely be one of the dead hunters in Ascent. Although, we could try sticking some of the "named" dead hunters in some of the new levels, to give them some voiceovers to work with.......

[RexHunter99]

PIN THE MEDAL ON MY CHEST BECAUSE I READ THIS TOPIC!

Okay I have oodles to say, but my mind is blanking ^^; first off.

It also serves as a landing platform for helicopters, of course. It's difficult to figure out the difference in use between the one with the Ops Center and the one at the Summit, except that the Ops Center one is obviously surrounded somewhat by jungle and the Summit would be safer in most cases, I'd think...

Urm this makes no sense to me since up higher the wind is very different, in fact it becomes incredibly strong, even strong enough to blow a Helicoptor about (if not knock it out of the whole damned sky)

I agree that the Summit just didn't seem right at all, also I've been thinking about how the raptors could be better applied to the level, many seem unrealistic but are a part of Tres gameplay... so I thought that instead of immediately killing the raptors, the player needs to traverse the area, avoiding them as much as possible (perhaps they have a revolver so they can ward off the raptors thanks to the DamageFear value ) by crawling through shafts, under cables, over crates, running through narrow passages. Here the idea is to find the means to communicate with the outside world as planned previously in the retail level.
Once finding the radio, the player then needs to find the helipad located around there, (be it up high or on the same level as the main area, it doesn't matter as much) There's some maps of the area in the building that has the radio in it, this indicates where the player must go. They go outside again, with a new weapon they managed to smuggle from the radioshack, from here they make their way to the helipad, trying to conserve ammunition as they go. They pass an ammunitions storage room (small so it only has a few weapons in it) and should make mental note of it's existence, despite the door being locked up tight.
Finally they reach the helipad's entrance... only to find the electrified gates locked, now comes the task of backtracking (taking a new path) to another building from there they can unlock the gate and escape.

All the while they are only encountering raptors that were there from the start, (possibly using the teleport script to move them closer at set points in the level progress) finally they should come back out to the larger area before the gates and from between some boulders and off ledges the Alpha raptor should prowl. Here the boss MUST prioritize Anne as a target, it also needs to pose enough of a threat that the player doesn't try to escape through the gate without at least attempting to bring the abnormally large creature down first.

The ammunitions storage should now also be unlocked, allowing the player access to weapons that can aid them in their battle.

Any surviving normal raptors should be teleported to convenient locations to stalk from and also annoy the player. This poses an element of which the player has to conserve ammo for the Alpha raptor, but also to somehow either deal with the normal raptors or avoid them altogether.


I have a mental image of that entire description... it looks both convincing, it includes elements from the released Summit and not only helps to add an element of realism to such a situation but adds epicness and desperation to the final symbolic march to salvation.