Level 1 Update/Level 2 WIP

It's been a while since the last update, a long while, and some major changes have been made to the game.

First off, as the video will show, is the cinematic at the beginning of the first level. It's really difficult to understand what's happening in it, I know and I'm sorry, but it is entirely voice acted, and I personally love it. We're still working on animation for Lucifer and we're having problems with getting the skeletal meshes into the UDK. Minor problems that will be addressed tomorrow at the latest.

One of the other major updates is the addition of bots. They are not custom skeletal meshes or anything fancy like that right now, and probably won't be in time for the final presentation, but it is still something I'd like to pursue further post-graduation. So for now, the bots are the default UDK bots with our guns, and they're really good with them.

Another major change is the HUD and the pause menu. At this time, we also have an inventory/stat screen implemented, but it didn't get finished in time to make the video. The HUD actively tracks the player's health and mana, as well as weapon and ammunition. It's all excellent looking, functional and fits with the game perfectly. Colin really did a great job will all the UI work he did.

That brings us to the second level. The idea behind it is sort of a recent expansion of the nearby human warehouse that was wiped out as Demons climbed their way out of Hell. There is also the room containing the shotgun, the office space and the cafeteria. I like the cafeteria best with all the blood stains on everything. The room just looks like chaos hit it.

The last room is the only piece of level two not finalized in terms of design. It still needs a bit of work until it's completed but the idea is there. Essentially, the room is the stage of our first boss fight, possibly our only boss fight done in time for presentation. The AI for the boss is in the works right now, so hopefully it's done in time.

Lastly, the music. Both songs were created by myself using a program called Acoustica Mixcraft. It's a really cool program that lets you use virtual instruments to create a completely unique song. The first song is called "Antarctic Waltz", and the second is called "Red Eye".

More updates to come,

Nathaniel Kirst

Turmoil Studios

Gauntlet Update

As week two of our six week break from classes, Turmoil Studios has been hard at work getting more and more of In Light and Darkness up and running.

To start off this update, a little news. We recently got all of our scripts up and running in the new version of the UDK. This had been a major problem in the weeks leading up to the beginning of our break as there were some minor changes to the scripts within the UDK itself and we couldn't seem to figure out how to get it to work. With our scripts working in the newer version, we now have access to the new interface software, Scaleform, and a number of small changes that will ultimately make In Light of Darkness a much better product.

In the video below, we showcase a number of the latest changes and additions to In Light of Darkness. First off, a new recording of the first level with the update lighting as well as a few minor changes. Some of these changes include: fixing the Nocturne Pistol to no longer fire the Shock Rifle beam, cleaning up the level spawn, adding and changing some lighting, fixing a few clipping issues and a few bug fixes. The biggest change to the level was the retexturing of the door at the end of the level so that the runes would glow, and the effect is quite awesome.

As for what is left to be done in the first level, we still need to get the enemies to have AI, need to setup the cinematics and stream the end of level into the second. Tim, our modeler, is also working on some small models that can be used to fill the empty spaces that scatter the entire first level and break up the level a little more.

The second part of the video shows the Gauntlet. The Gauntlet will be the first weapon the player receives in the game and will serve as a melee weapon as well as the player's access to summoning, inventory and spells. Basically, the Gauntlet will open up to allow the player to access the various interfaces that are associated with inventory, spells, weapons, stats and the game encyclopedia.

The Gauntlet is entirely custom modeled and textured by myself. It currently has no in-game functionality and the animations are giving me all kinds of trouble for reasons that are beyond my understanding. As far as I can tell, the Gauntlet has bones setup and the mesh is set to respond to them, just like all the other skeletal meshes I've made, but, once in the UDK, the bones no longer deform the mesh. It's a strange problem because my earlier animations still work on their respective meshes, but they don't on the Gauntlet.

More updates to come,

Nathaniel Kirst

Turmoil Studios

Antarctica Storyboards

The team has recently received a bit of down time from being in class every day. For the next five weeks, we are all on a vacation, per se, but will be continuing development on In Light of Darkness on a bit of a lighter schedule until classes start again.

The biggest development in the last week is the completion on modeling the Gauntlet. This will be the primary melee weapon throughout the entirety of the game and will also have a number of other functions. This includes accessing inventory, character info, weapon selection, power selection and quest log. In addition to these functions, it will serve as a powerful weapon the can be upgraded, as with all weapons, to become more powerful in it's ability to take down the enemy.

For the time being, the Gauntlet is in the stages of being rigged for animation and textured so that it looks just as good as it performs.

Since requirements for our senior project ask for at least three levels of gameplay, I have personally storyboarded out the major areas of all three of the Antarctic levels. Each will progressively move the player further into areas that are more human in architecture while also showcasing some of the enemies and their personalities.

There will be a mini-boss at the end of the second level and a major boss at the end of the third level. In addition to the bosses, there will be a few quests started along the way th

at will continue well into the rest of the game.

One example of this is the Language Acquisition quests, which will allow the player, if they so choose, to learn more of a respective races language. This will open up further dialogue options later in the game and allow the player to understand more of what his or her adversaries are saying both in and out of battle.

More updates on their way.

Nathaniel Kirst

Turmoil Studios

Helicopter - Hellfire Rounds Update

After continuing development on In Light of Darkness, Turmoil Studios has accomplished a great deal since the last update and this is a showcase of a few of the things we have done.

Firstly, the Nocturne Pistol as been re-textured using UV maps to be much more visually stimulating. We incorporated a number of different layers including: diffusion, specularity and normalization as well as a mask layer to provide the glow for the Demonic script along the barrel.

At this time, we have no idea why or how the Shock Rifle fire trail is occurring but we are working diligently to fix it.

In this update we showcase the helicopter, Demonic door and Hellfire Rounds for the Nocturne Pistol. It may be difficult to see, but the pistol has a number of major changes to it. These changes include: custom sounds for equip, fire and impact as well as a custom modeled projectile, impact explosion and fire trail. The weapon was modeled, textured and coded by myself. This includes the weapon itself as well as the projectile it fires, the Hellfire Round.

Both the helicopter and Demonic door were modeled in house by Timothy Lewis and textured by myself. They include diffuse, specularity and normal maps to create the complete effect. The helicopter uses a mask on the spotlight but it's rather obscured in this video.

More updates on the way as In Light of Darkness continues in its development

Nathaniel Kirst

Turmoil Studios

Nocturne Pistols ~ The Beginning

We finished the first stages of adding the first weapon, the Nocturne Pistols, into our game. It took a bit of ingenuity to get the models to load correctly and in both the correct scale and position, but it was achieved.

Below is a video showcasing some of the things we've completed so far in regards to the weapons. We're hoping to have a second pistol implemented so the player can effectively dual-wield the guns, firing them in tandem, as well as an alternate fire mode.

More progress to come,

Nathaniel Kirst

Turmoil Studios

Introduction ~ Level One Design Video

Hello everybody,

My name is Nathaniel Kirst and this is the first post for Turmoil Studios. We are a small group of students currently enrolled at the New England Institute of Technology in the Bachelor degree program for Game Development and Simulations Programming. The entire team has received an Associate degree in the same technology program and has a great deal of experience in a number of programming and design applications.

Currently, Turmoil Studios is developing a game to complete our required education and graduate with a Bachelor degree. The game is currently called: In Light of Darkness. The game began development almost two years ago with a great deal of research and documentation to solidify the game's features, style and content.

The premise for the game centers around a character named Ferox who has been awakened from an icy prison beneath Antarctica after centuries of stasis. Following his awakening, Ferox is met by a mysterious figure and receives a means of summoning weapons into the material plane, known currently as: The Gauntlet. Antarctica is the first area that the player will interact with and is also the setting for the current prototype.

The game is primarily story-driven with a heavy emphasis on being able to make choices that are not limited to simply good and evil. The primary storyline follows Ferox as he attempts to discover his identity and understand the confusing situation surrounding him.

The enemies range from the Legions of Hell to the Armies of Heaven. The Legions of Hell are comprised of a multitude of demons including Flesh Hounds, Incubi and Succubae as well as a number of fictional demons that include the Cruciatum and Shades. The Armies of Heaven include the different Spheres of Angels including Thrones, Seraphim, Cherubim and Powers.

There are also a number of important names from both sides. These include Lucifer, Leviathon, Lilith, Gabriel, Raphael and Michael. Each of the important figureheads plays a vital role in the story and interacting with each of them in different ways will alter the way the game is played.

The game is being developed in the Unreal Development Kit. A working prototype will be completed by the beginning of June with a second version being completed towards the end of August.

Included below is a video of the level design for the first area of Antarctica where Ferox emerges from his tomb to meet the mysterious figure.

We are looking forward to sharing more content as it is completed and any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Nathaniel Kirst

Turmoil Studios