Zenith?

[UT99org]

I'm rather not happy to see it's an .exe file...

So that meant I just set up a new UT folder from my CD and install it (Full version with XbpFX fix it mentioned) under that. So in order to set up a .zip file, it's gonna take a while because there is a lot of stuff in it and I can't remember all 'default' files. Also with an .exe means it'll overwrite anything without me allowing/disallowing it. Apparently Higor found a way just to install it on it's own folder. Smarty pant. But I had to mention this because of file mismatch.

Looks like some of the music files are .ogg. And some of it's own OpenGLL and such but I'm missing glide2x.dll and metal.dll from my PC. Trying to set 32-bit on OpenGL crashes my PC.
Zenith comes with renders.PNG (Notices the website use compression at a certain size on this post?)

Well another thing I found out that it doesn't have the gametype set up but instead it uses a mod menu for you to start it and play under from.
zenith mod menu.PNG

And the adventure beings...
Shot0005.png

I keep running into Read-Only permission issue. So I can't save the map. So a timeout for me to fix this issue then I'll restart the whole game and try again.

I get System Shock 2 Vibes... from that screenshot

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

It is not 100 percent original in all it does and it reuses a lot of already avaiable mods(as in their packages I don't mean brush-stealing or something like that, this mod seems original in that regard unlike some), but I think the general idea is cool and so are the Skaarj which some of them split off in the future after the wars and started working with humans etc.
The conversations have timing issues sometimes like the character's voice will keep talking while the text is already ahead and so on, the vehicle maps allow you to save maximally twice then they crash with server already at capacity error, which is frustrating in map 4 especially as basically you can get this situation which I got:
You overcome all those challenges and hard platforming with the vehicle, avoid all the crushers and even fight two police jets in forcefield traps, only to find yourself back at the start (just because you missed a rather non obvious hint where to go) due to the confusing nature of this giant room with multiple paths and highways and then you find that you only have 20 seconds left before its over because those levels even have a timer on that you need to finish them on. That kind of moment can cause some individuals to smash the keyboard and throw it out, especially after you did so well in avoiding everything and not realizing it will bring you back to the start if you're not careful.

Some trigger collisions are also funky and require you to back off and in again. But otherwise the idea and the atmosphere of the mod is worth it, if you can get past the "hardly tested" nature of some parts. because you might also get "hunt down the freeman" vibe from those parts too which I don't think was any way intentional. I think it is one of the best mods overall that came out, it hits the right notes, the idea is fresh and original and they did take time to research the unreal and ut backstory in order to create something unique.

And that is worth praise for, and so are the additional details and some funny advertisements like the "Slith Burgers" and so on. All kind of nice touches and details overall.

It also has some optional maps and somewhat of a hub system later on, the way you get contacted also reminds of deus ex and similar games and maybe system shock 2 i just never played that. All in all this is something in a theme that was badly needed in the modding community. This is not just another xidia-like mod or onp-like mod, it goes further than that. Sadly not everything it does is stellar or stable but it damn tries to make a difference. Parts of it are also a bit like spatial fear but are (to me) more fun than that mod.

[Delacroix]

Honestly what kind of a vehicle has a jump function, even?

I was honestly thrown off by the fact that it isn't actually flying. I couldn't handle the platforming of the vehicle. This needs to be changed, otherwise for some players, like myself, it will be impassable.

[Higor]

The mod in it's current state can be 'fixed', i'm already using UMX containers for the ogg files (but obviously v436 won't support these music files).
But a proper 'full' rebuild would be needed, concluded just from having to fix the first 4 levels alone.

The hovercraft contains the timer and it's a bit troublesome in the second level as it starts counting from the second the map finishes loading.
Having the mod rely on config files can seriously mess up the progression, as you'll end up carrying over stuff from previous gameplays.

The Krall arena in and out transition definetely needs work in the "level memory" department.
I'm seriously considering making v469 export the GameInfo for travel in a similar fashion players travel from one level to another as well, right now only XC_Engine does it, but there aren't any coop gametypes that rely on this feature though.


On a separate note... dependencies to oldskool should be slowly taken out from mods/sp campaigns, there are far more options to make Unreal content work in UT these days.

[Delacroix]

If you CAN add a sp map selector like in 227, then yes, that would be excellent. But in my opinion, there needs to be a frontend / menu for launching SP stuff.

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

Delacroix:
Yes and you didn't even get as far as the fourth level which is like a bunnytrack equivalent of the vehicle sections (just try to picture that, the level you played is peanuts compared to it).

I'm not sure if the authors would be okay with completely reworking the vehicles, after all the maps were designed with it in mind. But it certainly doesn't behave the same way it was intended, it is still buggy and clunky. There should be perhaps a little more of flying/levitation but not being able to fly everywhere because then the maps would have to be redesigned too. The gameplay needs preserving otherwise it is too much of a change. It can be fixed up, because in this state it is frankly not good, but making it an actual flying vehicle like the onp one would require the maps to be redesigned and I don't think that's fine.

Higor: If anything those umx files could be in theory playable on updated openal drivers or so, otherwise it will be silent (but shouldn't crash the game), however you can make a music switch for older clients that will play a different track for example. We did such stuff sucesfuly with yrex for the unreal psx campaign. For example it plays an ogg track if you have it on oldunreal 227 but it will play different music like isotoxin96 for other clients.

[Delacroix]

I would suggest creating an invisible corridor limiting the available area for the vehicle, thus allowing the player to only fly where the authors intended.

If the authors are not okay with reworking the vehicles, then with all due respect, I for one am not okay with playing the modification at all. It's a shame as from the screenshots it looks absolutely impressive but a game should be first and foremost playable.

And in my personal experience, this absolutely isn't. Keep me posted about the vehicles question. If it remains exactly the same as it is, I'll simply delete this off my hard drive and move on to other things.

EDIT: As for the music, the original release file for the modification includes all UMXed music, and not even OGG inside UMX containers but just huge UMX files that play the music fine (well, half, I think I heard it only in one of the headphones instead of from both sides).

I can upload that original package, just give me a bit, please.

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

So you're saying even if the controls get fixed or that you will be able to boost/jump more often than now (because there's a terrible delay and you have to wait until the vehicle sits down basically) and it will be easier to control and feel "more" like flying it still won't be good enough because its not actual flying? Well then I can't really help it, but they can be asked how far they would allow the vehicles to be reworked.

Hell maybe they'll want us to add "GAME OVER YEAAAAAH!!" each time you crash with a vehicle or the timer runs out. That will be an improvement, right?!

[Delacroix]

Honestly, if these jumps are fixed to be actually worth a try, then I'll play. I can give you my word that I'll test out the fix you put out but if it still is too hard to control for me, then I apologize but I'll have to move on.

Like I said, playability first.

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

And playability doesn't mean having to reload 12 times before getting it right, right?

[Delacroix]

You're reading my mind lol. Oh well, I'll get on those obsolete Zenith versions. Hold on, please.

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

Yeah, sure.

[Delacroix]

Updated MEGA folder with Zenith 1.0.0 and 1.1.0.

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

Thanks, I'll check it out in a bit but I'll be a bit busy in the following day(s) though. But by the sound of it the umx files could be improved without it getting ridiculously large though. If they are the same songs as the ogg files.

Basically then we could use the same triggers etc used in upsx and the flp pack/asp for the detection of the engine versions and switch music acordingly, 469 would get the ogg music inside umx while older versions would get the ogg processed into trackers (albeit lower quality).

Only drawback is that the said trigger doesn't function correctly online so the older clients get silence, but I'm sure Higor could help since he knows way more about replication.

When I tried myself it failed, I mean the replication.

EDIT:
It wasn't a trigger i misremembered and confused it with the model switcher.

Here's the code it is just a subclass of musicevent:

Code: Select all

//=============================================================================
// FallBackMusicEvent.
//=============================================================================
class FallBackMusicEvent expands MusicEvent;

var() music FallbackSong;

function BeginPlay()
{
	if(ShouldFallback())
	{
		Song = FallbackSong;
		Log("GalaxyAudio classic detected: changing music to"@Song);
	}
	
	Super.BeginPlay();
}

function bool ShouldFallback()
{
	return (String(class'Engine'.default.AudioDevice) ~= "Galaxy.GalaxyAudioSubsystem") && (Int(Level.EngineVersion) != 227);
}

[Higor]

Music events are server controlled, but it's the client that must decide whether it's safe to play or not.
(I do everything in consideration that the mod may be playable in net games sometime)