UnrealSP.Org

Developer: Forgotten Classics team
Status: Developing





Synopsis: My name is James Cavanaugh, but recently I was referred to only as Prisoner 853. I was sentenced to death by electrocution but the Vortex Rikers crash has allowed me to avoid this fate. Another prisoner, I believe her number was 849, has also survived the crash. Well, this makes two of us. Anyway... she didn't free me, but she didn't fry me either. I got out myself... somehow. To be honest, I consider myself lucky she didn't push the fucking button. That electric chair was one of the few things still operational on this damn ship.
Anyhow, I reckoned that I should follow her trail. It wasn't hard to trace her, all I needed to do was follow the stench of death and those bodies left behind. Kinda impressive, 849 seems a tough lady. She survived where many others didn't. I followed her down to the mines of Rrajgar and further, into the temple of Chizra. After that, I lost track of her.
After leaving the temple, I headed into the mountains. I figured that mountain areas provide more places to hide from the invaders and I would be able to survive there. Much like those Afghan people during the Soviet invasion centuries ago, I would be able to live out a fairly normal life. The life of a hunted man, but at least not a dead man. I never intend to go back to Earth, unlike 849, I did a lot to deserve my punishment and I'd rather NOT part with life just yet.
Anyway, the nearest mountains were Shamutanti so I headed there. Eventually, I reached a Nali village. Much to my surprise it was so remote and secluded that it seemed as if the Skaarj would never reach the place. So, I considered that a chance to live out a normal life, without fear or tension. Days have passed. I spent nights in the local tavern and farmed my own fruit. I started getting used to it.
Bad idea. One should never get used to a peaceful life on a planet under invasion. Sooner or later you will be found. I realized this the hard way. One day, the Shamutanti Village was attacked by a batalion of Skaarj. When one of them found me in the tavern, he stabbed me and left for dead. Lucky for me, he did not make sure I was dead.
After going back to my senses, I explored the tavern, carefully eliminating the patrolling invaders. When I got to the roof, I was shocked: before my eyes was a Nali Arch Priest. Alive, in the middle of this hell.
The story he told me was equally shocking. It seems that every benevolent Nali god, be it Chizra, the God of Water, Novana, the God of Nature, or Vandora, the Goddess of Thunder, every single one of the entire pantheon has their own reflection in the Shadow Pantheon. One of the most powerful gods in the Shadow Pantheon, perhaps even THE most powerful is Soquatre, the God of Night. His priests have struck a deal with the Skaarj: they are to rule Na Pali hand in hand and the price would be the Crown of Kings, a Nali artifact of extreme power that would allow Soquatre to tread the planet in a physical form if he obtained it. Of course, the Skaarj had no idea about the full scope of Soquatre's power, otherwise they'd known that the demonic deity would never keep his promise and seize the planet for himself. But they are unaware of Soquatre's plan to betray them and they have scattered around the area in search of the four Runes required to activate the Crown of Kings. Each Rune is not only guarded by a powerful sentinel but also taken care of by one of the Arch Priests, such as the one that I was talking to. To maintain the balance, two of the Runes were in the temples of the Shadow Pantheon, whereas the other two were secured in the temples of the benevolent deities. Terrific. If *I* do not help them, all is lost...
So, four temples to search through. To top it off, the Crown of Kings was already stolen from the Tower of Shamutanti and taken to a place the call the Citadel of Ice. Already guarded by Soquatre's minions... My luck is pure shit as it seems...
Well, I don't have much of a choice. If I don't help the Nali, I'm going to have to escape the planet, because there will be no place for me to hide if the Shadow Pantheon takes over. All will be enslaved, forced into backbreaking labor, malnourishment and indoctrination by Soquatre, no one will be able to live here normally. Be it Terran, Nali, Krall or Skaarj - Na Pali will become hell for all, regardless of species. Even worse than it is now.
Ironic as it may be, in order to save myself, I need to save everyone, and in order to save everyone, I have to fight everyone: brutes, Krall, Skaarj, Nali dark priests, demonic deities. Two words: suicide mission. But it's still better than giving up. Soquatre, time for you to write down your last will and testament, because I am coming for your head.

Latest News: Shadow has contributed his Unreal Tournament SDK for the ShamuQuest project. Many thanks to you!
Creavion has officially joined up as a mapper! His task is to create the Eastern Swamp level, utilizing his unfinished Antalius map.

Features: All of the six original ShamuQuest maps updated and bug-fixed, along with cinematics and sixteen new levels to finish the saga and fill in the gaps.

Links: ModDB, BeyondUnreal thread, UT99.org thread.

No, he did not. I have been unable to contact him and I tried for months. I gave up and decided to go rogue, you might say. But I don't suppose he'll have anything against it. To quote stemple.txt - he is tired with Shamu maps...

Well, I have two mappers on board and one voice actor: me. I'll need more voice actors. Would you like to join in?

I hate to be the guy that drags down the mojo, but as a player I think I'd be more comfortable playing such a project if the original author gave his consent, and as a mapper I'd know I'd like to know about something like this even if I did wash my hands of it. Your effort is commendable, and I'm sure I speak for a lot of people when I say finishing an incomplete classic is as noble an effort as any. My two cents are simply this; before you guys get too far ahead of yourselves, maybe spare some more effort trying to contact Jean, if possible. I'd doubt he would cry foul about this...but having his blessing would just make the whole endeavor that much more a'special. I'd suggest contacting Hourences, since he might have some leads.

Will, sorry, but I made ENOUGH effort to contact Jean. I even sent a snail mail letter to him to the address at Spoke.com. Sorry, but FOUR people tried to search for the man, me, RMFX, Leo(T.C.K.) and someone else whose name now eludes me. Hourences' leads are no more active as both Leo and I followed those leads and failed. Sorry, but even I must know when to give up. I would love to get Jean's blessing on this, but as of now, we have no option but to continue without it. You ARE right though, but I did EVERYTHING I could before going rogue and I swear on my heart - I did EVERYTHING. All that is left is to go on rogue.

Well if that's the case then it sounds like you did your best to contact him. As I said, I doubt he'll jump back onto the scene a couple of months from now and go "WTF IS THIS!?", but it's always unfortunate when you can't reach the original authors. As a mapper, my advice to you would be, of course, to do the original pack justice...but try not to get pigeonholed into making an homage. After you get passed Jean's portion, do your best to let the pack really take off and make it your own.

I'll be sure that mappers who volunteer to work alongside RMFX and RMCollins3 follow your advice, Will. Thanks for kind words of support.

This sounds like it could turn into a great project. However:



Ugh... Please don't tell me you are adding voice-acting to the original Shamu Quest maps! The Shamu Quest maps are 90% exploration, and as such - voice acting just would NOT fit. In my opinion, it would completely ruin the experience. If it were up to me, I would leave voice-acting out altogether. It's nice when you can think for yourself, rather than hearing an obnoxious voice babbling on, telling you what to do/think. Of course, you didn't exactly say the voice-acting would be for the player, but seeing as how you don't really visit any lifeforms in the original Shamu Quest maps, I don't see how it couldn't.

rmcollins3 = Doublez-Down

rmcollins3 was my old BuF handle....just to clear up any confusion.

Back to the flyby....seeing interpolation points in my sleep nowadays.

The Arch Priests for one thing... they do speak to you and you understand it. True, they speak Nalish, but it is unrealistic that this pops in the Translator instead in your head - after all Nali mages should know a thing or two about telepathy. And when one uses telepathy to contact you - you automatically hear the words in your own language.

Second, the monsters. The titan in the first level asks: Who dares challenge me? Another thing that should be voiced. Besides, the dark Gods will also drop a few lines to you before engaging you. And the player will reply... Trust me on this, I have a good feel to it. I thought about leaving everything in text, but... But. I have a pretty good feeling this will turn out just FINE.

You could always turn this into a separate map pack...no reason to try and continue something that wasn't meant for completion...

The author intended to create 12 maps... The readme for the first pack states that CLEARLY. So it WAS meant for completion and WILL be completed, Shiv.

OK, let me get this straight. Please keep any posts trying to discourage the crew from continuing ShamuQuest out. Constructive criticism such as Lightning Hunter's post is welcome, but stuff like "do not continue the pack" most definitely is not. Discouraging people from work is a really bad idea and it is a bit distasteful, to say it blunt. This is a pack that went ahead of its time and the potential it promised should be seen. Trust me Shiv - you will play this with pleasure when it's done.

I wasn't trying to discourage people from work or anything like that...I simply think the author should decide when to finish his map pack...and that perhaps what you are working on now should be a different map pack all together...your own map pack...

I talked to Shinigami recently, and asked about what happened to the rest of the Shinigami levels, and he said that they are almost complete, the whole pack...yet he has no time to work on them at all due to his job. And I offered to complete the map pack for him, but he refused, and said that "It wouldn't be the way I want it, the way I imagine it, and even though I know I have no time to work on it, I simply can't have someone else complete my dreams."

Well, but at least Shinigami can be contacted and asked for opinion whereas Jean sadly can't. However, ShamuQuest will be completed and moreover, it will be completed most faithfully to the spirit of levels already done. The author may decide whether to allow others to finish his work or disallow it - but only when available to be asked for opinion. If someone like, totally leaves the community - and that's what Jean seems to have done - and cannot be asked for opinion, then it is a matter of the successors' conscience. Whether they want to continue his pack or not, it is no longer his decision. Although I do so regret that I was unable to contact him... It would have been WAY better if he himself finished the pack. But... he is not here to do it...

If you do make some of the Nali and monsters talk, could you make sure the voices don't sound at all human? And I don't mean to just have someone talk funny into the mic. It's just so embarrassing listening to someone try to change their voice in the mic or to try and talk "cool". The only way to possibly do it right is to manipulate the voices using sound editing tools. Manipulate them beyond recognition, if you have to.

I'm not sure if you've played my map for Deja Vu (map 3), but if you have, do you know the new sounds the Cave Slith boss makes? Those were literally created by having my brother just make some stupid ridiculous throat noises into the mic, then I took them and modified them beyond recognition. You would never know a human made those noises after I was through messing with them. My point is, please make sure the end result doesn't sound like some nerd changing the pitch of his voice (and no, I'm not saying you are a nerd). I have played so many professionally created games that don't even have good voice acting, and these people were paid to do it.

I will personally make sure that the person selected for the job is a professional... No one else will touch the project.