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Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom 2.0 [RELEASED]

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User avatar WhirlWindWabbit
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Subject: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom 2.0 [RELEASED]

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 22:14

Developer: Originally developed by Team Zephon. Patching done by WhirlWindWabbit, and some scripting help from Raven.

Status: Released

Synopsis: You crash-land on an icy planet called Zephon. Try to find your way off of it!

Fixes in this version:

- Fixed the intro bug reseting the game difficuly to "Medium",
- Major overhaul of all translator messages, including proof-reading & design tweaks,
- Improved A.I. paths,
- Massive redesign of the Military Bot (no more rocket spamming, deals less damage, has less health etc.),
- Fixed doors,
- Improved other movers,
- General overhaul of gameplay (health and ammo supplies changed, some enemy tweaks),
- Fixed broken map scripting,
- Fixed some BSP and collision problems on ZP01, ZP08 and ZP11,
- Fixed performance issues on ZP01. There remains one low-performance area in the map due to heavy usage of dynamic lights.
- Added a coop failsafe in ZP10 for the Skaarj ambush, preventing the map from becoming stuck. Doors auto-release after 5 minutes after invoking the ambush.
- Fixed annoying music loop in map 5 after reloads.
- Other shit I can't remember right now.

My goal on this was to tweak the new version of Zephon for a more enjoyable SP experience. There is more health, shields and ammo, especially in the later levels, and some of the enemies are easier (most notably the Military Bot). Consequently, the COOP version has also been watered down as far as difficulty goes (although not completely, I just filtered out some enemies).

Known bugs in 2.0::

- It was reported that in ZP05-NitroMining, near the lift on the top floor, there is a small BSP error that kills you if you walk into it. Stay away from the corners of that lift (the one that goes to the roof), stick to the center and you'll be OK.

Latest News:

Finished. Download links:

FileFront: http://www.filefront.com/17208172/Project%20Zephon%20Battle%20For%20Freedom%202.0.zip

MediaFire: http://www.mediafire.com/?c3vg05d8nh7if5g

DISCLAIMER

Please keep in mind, that while I did do my best to fix the gameplay issues, Zephon is a big mod, so there are bound to be some errors still, and that it is impossible to bring the game to a level of comfort that will be equally shared among all the players. I hope you will enjoy it none the less!
Last edited by WhirlWindWabbit on 18 Aug 2010, 20:42, edited 7 times in total.
"Sir, we're surrounded!"
"Good, we can attack in any direction."

UB_
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 22:16

lol

Just now that I recently completed Zephon on Unreal difficulty without any problem at all :B
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User avatar Hellscrag
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 22:17

UBerserker wrote:lol

Just now that I recently completed Zephon on Unreal difficulty without any problem at all :B


Yes, well... you're weird!

Keep up the good work W3. :tup:
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User avatar Stakhanov
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 23:26

Oh hey , long time no see !

I stopped short of finishing Zephon without cheating (the warlord was really unfair due to the arena layout , even on medium) and went quite far on unreal once , still painfully remembering many enemy encounters in detail. I am curious to see Zephon benefit from a new balance between quickload russian roulette and map touring.

Also welcoming the spellchecking effort. But I'll be sure to double-check just to be sure :P

By the way , it occurs to me that Zephon's military bots have the same profile as those found in Deus Ex. Something you managed to extract ?

User avatar WhirlWindWabbit
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 23:36

Probably from Deus Ex, yes. I wasn't really that implemented in the development apart from my contribution. As much as I remember anyway. I do think that the "Military Bot" fits in the mod quite nicely, it's just unbalanced. Unless you duck behind cover and shoot rockets at it when it stops shooting for one frigging second, you really don't have a good chance of killing them. They were also incredibly overpowered as far as health goes (1500 points of health by default, saw a few with as much as 3000 - the Queen in Unreal has 1500 points of health). Someone already agreed to fix up the script a bit, so it will play smoother. I hope it will work out :)
"Sir, we're surrounded!"

"Good, we can attack in any direction."

UB_
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 23:42

The Military Bots were the easiest enemies of the pack. DP them, run away, DP them, rinse and repeat. Not to mention they get always stuck behind walls or seemingly nothing at all!
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User avatar salsaSkaarj
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 23:43

WhirlWindWabbit wrote:Developer: Originally developed by Team Zephon. Patching done by WhirlWindWabbit
Status: Beta Testing!


OMG!! WWW you are my God Warlord!
I have been hoping for a patched version for so long now, I almost gave up hope.

Unfortunately, however much I would want to, I can't volunteer for gameplay testing as July is turning out to be the busiest month for me, but you (and others) have my utmost moral support. This is really good news: Zephon had only the gameplay balance (seriously) against it but it seems it will in the end take its place amongst the great mappacks.


edit: while I'm at it - Unreality also needs some serious gamaplay tweaking.
Last edited by salsaSkaarj on 28 Jun 2010, 23:51, edited 1 time in total.

UB_
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 23:50

This is pretty much the stuff I want in Zephon to be fixed:

1)Cardi's Map 5: there's a tower which you can ascend with a small, electronic Skaarj-designed elevator. On top of it there are three Skaarj Troopers with Automags all put together. There shouldn't really be enemies in here. Maybe in the lower floor, non-hitscan guys obviously.
2)Cardi's Map 5: the gameplay of the whole Skaarj outpost (the one with several floors) has to be remade from scratch. Will give more details in another moment.
3)Derdak's Map 8: remove the three Skaarj Snipers put in the same room, near the end of the level.
4)Last map: remove the super ASMD Skaarj Officer.

And probably lower the health of the mini-boss Skaarj, especially the ones with hitscan weapons.
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User avatar WhirlWindWabbit
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 28 Jun 2010, 23:58

UBerserker wrote:lol

Just now that I recently completed Zephon on Unreal difficulty without any problem at all :B


I never really had problems with Zephon myself, when I played the game constantly. After long years of playing the game, enemies became predictable, and I learned pretty much all the tricks there are to this game. The only challenge left to me was to finish the game on Unreal difficulty with unfair odds.

However, this is not good game design. That's what this is about. Giving the players, even the less skilled ones, a fair chance at the game. Even if it is three years late :) That's all. Hardcore gamers can still play version 1.20, just like before.

UBerserker wrote:This is pretty much the stuff I want in Zephon to be fixed:

1)Cardi's Map 5: there's a tower which you can ascend with a small, electronic Skaarj-designed elevator. On top of it there are three Skaarj Troopers with Automags all put together. There shouldn't really be enemies in here. Maybe in the lower floor, non-hitscan guys obviously.
2)Cardi's Map 5: the gameplay of the whole Skaarj outpost (the one with several floors) has to be remade from scratch. Will give more details in another moment.
3)Derdak's Map 8: remove the three Skaarj Snipers put in the same room, near the end of the level.
4)Last map: remove the super ASMD Skaarj Officer.

And probably lower the health of the mini-boss Skaarj, especially the ones with hitscan weapons.


1) Never saw the proble with those. I usually ASMD'd them before I even got to the top No biggy.
2) That would be a real bitch, you know. That's basically 75% of all the combat in the map, and that area is huge. I don't see how changing the game-play of the Skaarj building would benefit Zephon, unless the design was altered as well. But I'm not trying to change the way the maps look or generally feel. Just making the odds fair.
3) Good idea. They're not a problem anymore really, but still, probably a good idea.
4) I was seriously thinking about that, but didn't know what to do. He takes less damage before death anyway, so we'll see.

Which "mini boss Skaarj" are you refering to?

@ salsaSkaarj: I'm pleased to see someone is looking forward to this :)

EDIT: Added a poll, I want more opinions on that "hit-scan Skaarj".
"Sir, we're surrounded!"

"Good, we can attack in any direction."

UB_
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 00:11

I wonder why I didn't use the ASMD combo for those three Automag dudes. But the Skaarj outpost is just a bitch on Unreal difficulty, really. There are four enemies per floor, and all placed in every side (your chances of avoiding projectiles are really low). Also the Skaarj Officer with the Razorjack found on the top has way too much health (this is an example of a mini-boss that you wouldn't expect to be so strong); not to mention, after you kill him you'll be assaulted by a group of Skaarj spawning below (and they get stuck under the large elevator most of the time).

The three Skaarj Snipers in Map 8 can be replaced with a Lord with 420 health (the layout of that room is rather interesting for a "cat & mouse" game).

As for the ASMD Skaarj Officer, it has to go: the room isn't big enough and you're always too close to him. I only managed to beat him by exploiting his AI (making him got stuck on a slope ledge; afterwards, I sent a raindown of Flak Shells onto him, from a safe position).

p.s.: you can see how much of a Zephon fanboy I have become now :P

edit: while I'm at it - Unreality also needs some serious gamaplay tweaking.


That would mean remaking it totally from scratch.
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User avatar WhirlWindWabbit
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 00:19

My philosophy has always been this: If you come barging in a room, guns blazing, naturally you'll alert every possible pawn in the room. I usually take a discreet approach and take them down one by one with no problems. You also have to realize now, and this is important, that you can not judge Zephon on it's old game-play standards anymore. That particular fight was a real bitch on Unreal, I agree, but now the odds are a lot more even. I can make it easier, but that would really erase the entire "challenge" factor in the map.
"Sir, we're surrounded!"

"Good, we can attack in any direction."

UB_
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 00:22

What battle are you talking about?
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User avatar WhirlWindWabbit
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 00:24

Cardiologist's map, ZP05 (Nitro Mining). The "main" building with 4 floors and the "basement" if you will; you also get the bomb on the top of the map.
"Sir, we're surrounded!"

"Good, we can attack in any direction."

UB_
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 00:34

I always thought the basement was okay - maybe the ambush happens a bit too quickly.

For the other floors, I remember having a lot of fun beating the Brutes, rather than the Skaarj, due to the layout. Brutes were both challening and entertaning to fight - I wouldn't be against having all Brutes in the upper floors, but it will need testing for sure.

Skaarj Officer mini-boss could have his health lowered only for a bit. He has 750 HP on Unreal difficulty. 600 HP is enough, I guess. Plus it has to be more recognizable as a mini-boss, in some way. I didn't expect him to be powerful.
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User avatar WhirlWindWabbit
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Subject: Re: Project Zephon: Battle for Freedom (version 2.0)

Post Posted: 29 Jun 2010, 00:36

UBerserker wrote:Skaarj Officer mini-boss could have his health lowered only for a bit. He has 750 HP on Unreal difficulty. 600 HP is enough, I guess. Plus it has to be more recognizable as a mini-boss, in some way. I didn't expect him to be powerful.


Already done ;)
"Sir, we're surrounded!"

"Good, we can attack in any direction."

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