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As a lot of people know that Aftermath now spans two games, below is focused on Aftermath: Battalia Requiem. Unlike other mods out there, Battalia Requiem is not a standard mod, it is pretty much a complete rebuild of Legacy. I havent been active in either community for a while as I took time off from things but now that I back into modding I mainly working on Battalia Requiem. Every now and then I be doing some things for Starforce for BC. Main focus is Battalia Requiem for me at the moment.
The official announcement of Battalia Requiem is hopefully out by the end of the month (technical problems) but for now I can start working on the promo for the release. Aftermath: Battalia Requiem was originally slated for a November 2010 release but since unexpected things happened and release will be some time in 2011. There may be a small chance I can have it ready this year but I wont be pushing for it.
Below is your first official shot into how Aftermath: Battalia Requiem looks like:
(http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/479/enginebuildc.jpg)
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I was wondering when this was going to be announced.
Tim, if you need any balancing or resizing gruntwork done, I can do it for you. I'll let you or whomever do the hardpointing but it would be nice to contribute a bit.
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I will probably need balancing as BR is a complete rebuild of both Legacy and Aftermath. Pretty much all existing content has been ripped out bar physics. The weapons, a new set is coming in to match up to the non-linear battle system that the game now has. Battles are more hectic, knife-edged and less predictable. Plus big fear element as torps can now be fired at particular parts of the ships :D
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other than not having modeled on torp tubes- Nice
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:lostit: look closer ;) they are modeled in even on P81 model (this is stock Legacy model which is simply revised Rick Knox aka P81 model)
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Everything is where it should on the Intrepid, just no phaser strips up the front. Those werent modelled in.
As the graphics engine was updated, several maps now display more advanced lighting techniques with Des Neros bearing most of the benefits. Des Neros already had a self manipulated light source but now it has all new effects. The type of lighting effects are very similar to those seen in the new Star Trek movie. Many of these type effects are more consistent throughout all the systems that make up the Berratta Verge.
(http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/416/desneroslighting800x600.jpg)
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Stunning :eek really this looks awesome dude :thumbsup:
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Here is a quick shot of the Terrans before their major overhaul begins. Currently working out some new treatments for the race and try to develop them further than just Federation ships with yellow paint on them. I want to give them an identity of their own by giving them some uniqueness that the Federation dont have apart from alternate artillery and yellow paint on them. One being some of the shared ships (Federation/Terran) will have different class names. Proxima family being one of them. The Terrans will have the Philadelphia variant of the class (this was a planned 3rd version of the class but will make it the sole Proxima themed class for the Terrans). It loosely follows canon principles for the Terrans as by the time the TNG/DS9 era came around, the Terran fleet was aging and not top of the line compared to its enemies as it was in the past so bringing in the Philadelphia varient of the Proxima family stays within that ideal. Its an older ship but weaponry beyond its prime. This also allows a back story of 'stolen ships' that the Terrans have taken from other races, it is something that is more apparent in the later era's as the Terrans lose their balance of power and become more vulnerable; hence the idea of stealing ships from other races to bolster their fleets. It adds an element of desperation for the Terrans as they try to reclaim their standing within the galaxy.
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1104/terransent800x600.jpg)
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just a suggestion, but why not name the ships after infamous people- Hitler, George III, Hades etc.
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just a suggestion, but why not name the ships after infamous people- Hitler, George III, Hades etc.
Going by the concept of the Mirror Universe, where "Good People = Bad", and "Bad People = Potentially Good", who is to say that Hitler was the ruthless/genocidal leader in the Mirror Universe, that he was in ours? For all we know, in the Mirror Universe, it could've been Roosevelt and Churchill who were the aggressors :P
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Pretty much all Terran ships in Aftermath already follow darker naming conventions (bar the last 3 that were put in and Enterprise). You have some like Genocide, Renegade, Katana, Ryuujin, Onuris etc. The Terran Aftermath ships follow naming conventions like weapons, gods of war, acts of loss/deceit, natural disaster zones and the like. The last 3 Terrans ships brought into Aftermath were never followed up on like the first set were.
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Something a little different today, some beta footage of the AM dev engine being tested by Dagger/Rusty. This is test footage of the AM Engine applied to an existing Aftermath install. The engine is being stress tested in various forms of Legacy (stock, existing Aftermath installs, Battalia Requiem and other mods) and over a wide variety of systems ranging from laptops, low end, mid range and high end. Also testing are XP, Vista and Windows 7 compatiability testing. Daggers footage is from a Windows 7 machine.
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Today I started working on my transition screens for Battalia Requiem. These are also more known as loading screens. Something I have been wanting to do for last couple years is build a more seamless transition process. The guys who worked on previous Aftermath releases know of it too and some of the ideas that were being thrown around for it. The transition screens are an area of Legacy that very little thought gets put into it as mainly no one really knows what to do with them. Even with Aftermath we really didnt know what to do with them.
Below is the first concept of Battalia Requiem's transition screens. I want this area to focus on the region where the game is set: the Berratta Verge. Some of the ideas I have for it have come from other games and also some real things like Vegas and K-pop/J-pop. With games like Mass Effect, the main worlds are all different and have their own distinct look the ones I most interested in are Illium and Omega from Mass Effect 2. The transition screens for Battalia Requiem I want to set up in sort of like a travel brochure for each system but with that 'Vegas glitz' like look to it. With the K-pop references, the music videos of alot of the K-pop artists are very slick and high impact. Over the coming months I want to build a working prototype. The look also mimics the interface so everything must tie together. Below is a text sample that I want to use:
(http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8852/transitiontitleconcept.jpg)
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Damn, your mod makes me want to get another copy of Legacy :D all of this sounds like a true improvement (dunno how modding scene in Legacy looks like now as I got rid of my copy few months ago but this one is the best so far)
Good choice to base systems upon ME2, region like the Citadel would be extremely cool of course with different base, any chance you could base any region upon Omega 4 graveyard / Collectors base ??? would be even better ;)
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Legacy modding is still going. You still got 2-3 TC mods still going (UUM and Aftermath, not sure on the New Gen mods). Only thing now is everyone is now separate. It may sound doom and gloom but its a chance for everyone to grow completely on their own as the dominance factor is gone. Depending on where you go in the community now, each of the TC's flourish without having another TC mod in the same medium. I think the biggest difference now for me anyway is I now actually enjoy and like modding Legacy. Before it was borderline seething hatred :funny
Even now with Battalia Requiem still in its early stages, the 3 TC's look so different to each other it really is like 3 different games.
Ive based alot of Battalia Requiem off both Mass Effect 2 and Darksiders. The basic system outline is very similar to Mass Effect 2 and the systems themselves once they are fleshed out all have their own distinct feel to them. I would like to bring in a Citadel like system or even a Flotilla type environment. The Omega 4 region that is something that would be a major draw card to the game but depending how well I go we will see. I do know one system I have in concept stage; if I can pull it off it is insane.
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More concept work for today, currently Im in the process of a new logo. Still havent got far with the ensignia bit but the text I playing around with a few options. The Berratta Verge text is one sample, the Battalia Requiem sample below is another. I playing around with 2 distinct concepts; fire and ice. The Berratta Verge text fits in the fire concept and the Aftermath text fits in with the ice concept but the Battalia Requiem text is something different. I have two samples below:
(http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9003/battaliarequiemtitlecon.jpg)
(http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9003/battaliarequiemtitlecon.jpg)
Posted Image
The first sample was the first one made as I was only playing around with things. The second one was when I was trying to apply an ice like effect to it and ended up coming with something else. The second one now fits in within the games concept: Heaven vs Hell. The first one though fits in with one of the concepts for the interface; a carbon fiber/red cybernetic highlights type interface (for anyone thats played Mass Effect 2, the Geth network thing but red and more sparse). A more darker styled interface
The problem with Battalia Requiem now is finalizing concepts and bringing them together.
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Something that gets brought up alot with Battalia Requiem are the treatments ships and races get. These treatments are what also give Battalia Requiem its unique look. Some ships have a glass like effect to them (Romulan Gryphon) while others have a metal-hull effect (Klingon D7). Below is a treatment for the Constellation class that gives it a 'bronzed/aged hull' look. These treaments also take full advantage of the environments they are in, reflective capabilities. Another unique one are 'dual appearance' ships such as the Proxima family (Proxima, Refit and Philadelphia), the ships in darker environments have that evil and sinister look to them but in lighter environments they have that 'ship from the heavens' look. The ships looks interact with whatever environment they are in. Gone is the 'everything looks like plastic' look and that matte/flat look many have done before. The AM ships are more 'realistic' in terms of battle damage and aging effects. I dont want the AM ships looking like they just came out the spray booth.
(http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1316/constellationtreatment8.jpg)
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Constellation-class! :kiss: :dance :drool: Hmm.. perhaps I should try hunting down Legacy PC version as well..
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Might show the new Akira and the Philadelphia varient of the Proxima family soon :D But for now, letting people know of another game concept for Battalia Requiem.
The Glorified Battle Sequence Concept (aka Kill Shot/Power Move)
Another concept that is on the table for Battalia Requiem is a gameplay element called a 'Glorified Battle Sequence' or GBS for short. This concept comes from games like Darksiders where on an enemies defeat, a finisher sequence plays out on an enemies death. The GBS is a replacement for the sub-system targeting feature of Legacy. Battalia Requiem's focus is gameplay, offer the most intense game style on offer to any ST mod or game. The idea behind it was to finally do something with Legacy's sub system targeting feature; a feature of the game that has been constantly slammed by modders and players since the game released. It is something I want to try and do something with by replacing it with something else.
How does the concept works?
The GBS sequence starts the same way as the existing sub-system targeting feature works; require a full target lock on an enemy and enter the sub-system targeting ability of Legacy. This is where the similarity ends. Once you get a full target lock and enter the GBS sequence, the game slows down for a short time to allow the player to have free targeting capabilites on an enemy ship to provide a 'kill shot' type experience. As the game slows down to allow the player to chose a specific part of the ship, the player can either fire their phasers or torps at that particular spot of the ship at a higher damage rate. A power move. Once the shot has been fired and either an impact or miss happens the game then returns to normal speed.
Will this occur anywhere else?
This style of gameplay was considered for the death of a ship but with the amount of ships that can be seen on screen at any given time (upwards of 500), it was decided to keep it as a 'event' type element; hence replacement for the sub system targeting feature. The game slowing concept is also up for consideration for near-misses to add more feel to the battle experience.
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Now its time to show the final for the new logo and text treatment. It has elements from all the concepts and progress and here is how it now looks. Its a very different look for the entire Aftermath brand and also one that fits in with the new interface that is being designed. The interface is based off a K-pop music video; about as far removed from Star Trek as you could possibly get for inspiration :funny
(http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/7411/ambrlogofinal.jpg)
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The is quite illegible. If I didn't already know the name of the project, I would never be able to make out what that says.
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The text was used for placement with the logo, its by no means the final sizing of it. The sizing has already been shown elsewhere and is legible.
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Something for show today is a concept of a different kind; promo concepts. I dont actually think anyone has ever tried conceptualizing their own promo but it is an area that Aftermath has been well known for; slick promo. Anyone that usually does promo work in mods its usually take shot and slap your logo on it and spam it out to the world. Apart from the actual shot and the logo, that is the only reference to your actual mod. With Battalia Requiem, the promo in the concept below also has ties to the new interface. The new interface ties into every aspect of Battalia Requiem, including its promo. You will find this out over the coming months as the promo for Battalia Requiem has a secondary component.
Promo will be split into 3 types; generic, premium and video. Generic promo will all be at the 800 x 600 resolution for forum browsing. Premium will be 1440 x 900 resolution for special promo and ModDB and video is self explanatory. The smaller resoultions for the promo is down to internet speed, not everyone has high speed internet and many countries now run capped internet services. It may be something small but it shows Aftermath takes everything into consideration.
(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/474/promoconceptshellii800x.jpg)
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Today some random concept artwork for show. This is part of the 'Statica' series of Aftermath. The series is a bunch of artwork that gets created for later use within the dev cycle of the game. The one below is currently being trialed with the new interface. The new interface I will start going over it in depth in roughly 2weeks time.
(http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/3483/staticaconceptteaser.jpg)
For anyone that has followed development of previous Aftermath releases may pick up something on the above... Memory testing :P
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Now I know DS9 station is special to many and many try to recreate it as canon as possible. However, Battalia Requiem is not canon. Canon has no ground in Aftermath. Below is the AM version of the Nor station. Battalia Requiem is a very different version of ST for you all. That will be known this weekend (fingers crossed...).
Something special, the first shot taken of the station reworks for Battalia Requiem. Station on show for today are the Nor type stations. This one is of its first treatment test and on a test map. The ideal for the new Nor station is to have a far more formidable and menacing look and to make it look larger than it actually is (it may get an actual size upgrade later on). The station has a more war like persona to it and in environments it has a more stranger stance. There is also a second variant...
(http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/3765/ds9battaliatest800x600.jpg)
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Just like I put up the process involved of how the new Aftermath logo was created (progress of the logo was at another site), I will be doing the same with many areas of Battalia Requiem. This time the focus will be on the AM version of the Norway class. Now the AM Norway already had some work done to it in one of the Add-ons for Aftermath 2.0 but time has come to re-work the Norway to fit in with Battalia Requiem. Currently, the AM Norway will be the first Federation ship to receive a complete overhaul and the first to be trialing new treatments for the Federation race.
(http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/4338/amnorwaywip1800x600.jpg)
Current work has seen the ship revert to a white hull with blue paneling. You cant see it in this shot but in the ship select the ship is actually white. Its not grey or cream like the previous AM version or stock version. Reason for using a white hull are for treatment use. The AM Norway is getting a very radical image change. Plus white is neutral and with the lighting of all the systems within the game it highlights treatment work better and the lighting environments. Also ships look different in every system you play in.
Once work is complete on the AM Norway, a comparison will be made between Stock, the previous AM Norway version and the new AM version.
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I might pick up Legacy again when this comes out. :dance
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I might pick up Legacy again when this comes out. :dance
...now who did I sell my copy to :idk: ...
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Over the past few months, Dagger from CombatAce has had exclusive hands on access to the upcoming release Battalia Requiem. Its something I decided on a long time ago was to allow different sites access to Aftermath material. CombatAce being the first to get a hands on preview of Battalia Requiem. Recently CombatAce did a feature for Aftermath and focused on the upcoming release; Battalia Requiem.
A lot of the material in it has been taken from small interviews here and there, hands on testing, various promo releases over the previous months and the staff members own input into how things are shaping up. The review does jump back and forth in a few areas mainly due to the previous promo being scattered everywhere and some can be traced back to late last year. In the review you get to see a few bits and pieces into what is to come.
CombatAce feature review: Aftermath Battalia Requiem (http://combatace.com/topic/57421-aftermath-new-release/?s=1099229709a897a0ee33c61ff62b7f03)
This is the first time I have let a site have hands on access to an early build of an upcoming release.
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A few months late, here is the official announcement ofor Aftermath: Battalia Requiem. Listed in the announcement is the path that will be taken for the latest release and what is beyond in the future. A new direction for the Aftermath franchise.
ModDB alternate video link
Aftermath first began way back in late December 2006 as an untitled mod. At first it was just a small interface mod that changed the stock interface of Legacy for a more user friendly type interface that saw reductions in lag and some new backdrops. For the next six months, this small untitled mod slowly grew into a new total conversion mod; Aftermath. On the sixth month, the game changed forever...
(http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9906/hyorainupdate1.jpg)
The smallest of all the total conversion mods for Legacy began making changes to the game that kept it at the forefront of the modding community; game play advancements. Spanning a total of 4 major releases and 12 minor releases over 3 years, Aftermath kept the community in a constant cycle of activity. That all ended in March 2009. Development support of the Aftermath 2.0 release had come to an end. The Aftermath team was soon disbanded soon after. A new major release for Aftermath was planned; Aftermath 3.0. Within months that release was scrapped. Instead of quitting, work continued on a new untitled release but at a much slower pace than normal. Work began on creating a brand new Aftermath release starting from scratch...
(http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/4470/ds9battaliatest.jpg)
After several months of uncertainty, that untitled project became Battalia Requiem (battlefield of the fallen). The darkest of all Aftermath releases yet the most grand in scale. The name was chosen in memory of all that had come before that had since passed on and also for the last Aftermath release. The final battle. This final battle is waged within a region of space known as the Berratta Verge. A long fought battle tore this region of space in which the stories of the scarcely populated natives of this region refer to it as the battle between Heaven and Hell. The ones that participated in this battle that tore this region of space apart have long passed leaving the Berratta Verge split into two distinct sectors representing the result of these two factions. Since the collapse of the Borg Transwarp network, this region of space has now been discovered by the other races of the galaxy. Though this region of space has many secrets it has kept hidden for so long, all is not as it seems in this region of space.
(http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8246/desnerosupdate.jpg)
With inspiration taken from games like Mass Effect (both 1 and 2) and Darksiders; Aftermath Battalia Requiem is the least Star Trek influenced release for what is still essentially a Star Trek mod. With next to no Star Trek influence, Battalia Requiem is doing something no other Legacy mod is; standing completely on its own and running under its own momentum. The only reference to Star Trek canon is the collapse of the Borg Collective. No canon look, no canon feel and certainly no historical battles of canon events are present in Battalia Requiem. Battalia Requiem is the first representation of Legacy as a completely different game. No throw back to ideals of yesterday, Battalia Requiem is a re-imagined version of Star Trek in a much darker portrayal. Less technical and more brutal. Unforgiving and savage. An apocalyptic type realization of the Star Trek franchise.
(http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/761/arsuanesystemtitle.jpg)
With massive advancements to the core game engine, Battalia Requiem is well on track to going out on a high note. Everything from the way the game plays, the look of the ships and the environments will all be unique to Battalia Requiem. With a heavily stylized look and feel, Battalia Requiem is to be the last Star Trek version of Aftermath. With inspiration ranging from other games right through to music videos, K-pop and carbon fiber; Battalia Requiem is ready to leave the Star Trek franchise behind. The departure from the Star Trek franchise is reason for the state of Battalia Requiem. The final send off. The uniqueness of Battalia Requiem is to pave way for non Star Trek versions of Aftermath.
(http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/5327/promoconceptshellii.th.jpg) (http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5872/negarasystemtitle.th.jpg) (http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1500/desnerossystemtitle.th.jpg) (http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/1838/hyorainsystemtitle.th.jpg) (http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6302/amnorwaywip1800x600o.th.jpg)
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New download for Aftermath:
Aftermath: Nepera Dissi (Battalia Requiem reject) (http://www.moddb.com/mods/star-trek-legacy-the-aftermath/downloads/aftermath-nepera-dissi-battalia-requiem-reject)
This is one of the maps that was originally made for the Aftermath 3.0 release and spawned the start of Battalia Requiem but since all content made after it; it really doesnt fit in with the release anymore. Plus I dont like it that much either. This map would not have held up well against the other ones that are in the release. Nepera Dissi was also a testing ground for some of the new techniques that are found in the Battalia Requiem map set. The map is very dated, was made last year.
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Compatiablity: Aftermath 2.0 and above
Map name: Nepera Dissi
Mode: Death Match
Players: 6
Description:
Nepera Dissi was the first maps made for the upcoming release Battalia Requiem but due to the level of content that is being created for that release, this map did not fit in with the overall project.
Nepera Dissi was the missing link to the entry into the Berratta Verge and also the last Borg stronghold before this new region of space. The Borg set up their stronghold within this system as they were losing too many of their ships inside the systems of the Berratta Verge. With their ships being destroyed by an unkown source, entry into this region of space was a long fought battle for the Borg to understand this area.
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There will be more little releases like this by the time Battalia Requiem drops ;)
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The second dev cycle is now underway for Battalia Requiem. Doing things in cycles so I dont overload myself with too much at one time. For this cycle most of the concepts shown in the first cycle enter their dev cycles so the interface and GBS feature make the transition from concept to in-game. Interesting times for those two areas.. For today is one of the new systems that will be in the release, Esio. Esio is the lead map of the second dev cycle where the bulk of all testing gets done in. Esio has the most advanced lighting set up currently present to mimic a realistic lighting environment. Light and shadow showing in the right places rather than randomly and against normal conventions. The lighting set up in Esio is also set up specifically for the reflective ships that are being made. Instead of the toothpaste look; many of the ships now actually look they are made from metal. A couple ships that really show the map off are the Romulan Gryphon and the AM Centaur that is being developed. The environment gives the ships a complete new look. The AM Centaur progress will be shown over the next few days.
(http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6191/esiointrepidshot800x500.jpg)
Once the lighting set up is finalized, it will be carried over to all of the other system maps to portray more realistic light and shadow. The intrepid shot above shows how far along it is, its slightly off at the moment but it shows the direction where things are going. Esio also has a lot of placeholder content in it. The final version of Esio will look different to how it currently is.
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Wow that looks amazing. Keep up the awesome work.
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For Battalia Requiem, all of the races are getting mass overhauls of pretty much everything. The ships are no different. Breaking away from tradition is something that the Romulan race will go through; main thing being green ships. In BR, very few Romulan ships will actually be the standard green colour. Here is an update version of the AM Heavy Defender. From an earlier build, the changes have been a switch to a gold tinted hull and a frosted metallic texture effect. Also updated are new detailing effects to give the ship a velvet/suede like look. Initially to be white, the gold treatment worked very well for the ship and will be further tested on other Romulan ships.
(http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/2645/amheavydefv22800x500.jpg)
(http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/3668/amheavydefv2800x500.jpg)
As a whole, the Romulan ships may make a permanent shift over to gold coloured ships as currently trials on the other ships are coming up pretty good. It is a big difference in terms of presence as their fleet now has new persona's to play with.
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The ship above is actually the Vengeance class and not the Heavy Defender. Can always change their names around though :funny Heavy Defender is also being worked on too.
Next up is one of the Klingon ships; the Deathrite. I rarely show how Klingon ships are looking at the moment as a lot of them are the ships that get used in the reflection testing. This one though has just started its initial work stage for its overhaul. Like the Romulans, the Klingons too are ditching the green ships theme as for a race that is war like, the green ships do not match that persona. Instead, the Klingon ships will be going for a bone colour look with a red tint. The ships look more older and have a far more aggressive/intimidating look to them.
(http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/4677/amdeathrite800x500.jpg)
When you play BR, at the ship select screen many if not all ships will look strange. The ships are being developed for specific environments and not for pretty things in the ship select screen. The ship select screen is not an environment.
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Here is your very teaser look at the Terran Philadelphia class.
(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/8641/amphiladelphiateaser.jpg)
This ships existence was known earlier in the year when there would be a third variant of the Proxima family in Aftermath: the Philadelphia class. The Proxima Refit is the base for the Philadelphia class for the Terran race but unlike slapping some yellow stickers on the ship ; she will have a far more aggressive look over the existing Proxima Refit. Only in its initial stages, the Philadelphia class draws heavily on design elements from today's battleships plus use of carbon fiber and LED treatments to have a more brutal stance when in flight. The Philadelphia class will exist as a Terran only ship; there are no plans to have a similar ship sit above the Proxima Refit for the Federation.
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Borg today and also new system. Usually keep new systems as separate promo but was testing Borg out aswell. This is the first time in a couple years the Borg have had any further work done to them. They all know have an ice/frost treatment applied to them which in certain systems come up really well. For today I will show how the TOS Cube looks. The system is Nullabyron which has a proto light set up to mimic heat and mirages. The reflective and metalic ships give off a shimer/mirage like effect when on this map and normal ships give off brighter bursts of light. This is the first time a treatment has been applied to an entire system. The whole set up is to mimic a desert like environment. The Borg though show off a different side to their ships with their ice/frost treatments that they have; the treatments allow the Borg ships to show more characteristics rather than a plain grey look.
(http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/8030/amtoscube.jpg)
Video footage was also taken of the Borg tests in the new system.
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Two shots for today of the latest build of the TNG Diamond. The ship had a weird look before with strange purple glows but they gone now. They green. The ship has also had an ice treatment applied to it. The treatment makes the Borg ships more 'colder' than what they use to look like before plus it shows up detail they have always had but never came through from the way they were set up. This was the first Borg ship I started on but will go back in to do more work on it. Want to give it a more aggressive look than the awkward one it had before.
(http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/822/amtngdiamondtest.jpg)
(http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/362/amtngdiamondesio.jpg)
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Video footage of the new TOS Cube today, finally put it up over at YouTube and ModDB. Same cube that was shown a few days ago on the new system Nullabyron.
Will also be thinking about closing down the main Aftermath site, simple reason being just dont have the time to update it anymore. Will see at the end of the month.
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Last few things to clear out then can go in and start on some more things. Will show both the AM TNG Sphere and the Terran Centaur. The Sphere is in its first stages. Out of the Borg ships that were first done a couple years ago the TNG Sphere I did not like at all... So its now back to its stock look with a few enhancments. It has an ice treatment applied to it but not in the same intensity as the TNG Diamond or the TOS Cube. At this stage, the Sphere may not adopt an ice treatment like the higher Borg ships. May give the lower level Borg ships a different treatment. But the Sphere will be changing again.
(http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/876/amtngshpere.jpg)
Now the AM Centaur. Due to both the Steamrunner and Norway being in the Federation for the TNG era; the decision to make the Centaur a Terran only ship was a lot easier and allows more room to develop it further as a Terran ship. Having all 3 of them under the Federation it blurs the lines of what role each of the 3 had. As they are all essentially cruisers within the game, the room to develop each one further is very limited as they step on each others toes.Now that the Centaur is a Terran only ship, it allows for a more stronger presence and identity within the game. Currently having new nacelles, revised hull detailing and a few other minor changes; the Centaur is still in its early stages of development. Like the Philadelphia, it will take on similar characteristics to make the Terrans stand out from all other offerings within the community. The Terrans are being developed as a fully fledged race and not a bunch of Federation ships with yellow stickers on them.
(http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/9551/amterrancentaurteaser.jpg)
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New stuff for today, the AM Ravenous. As everyone knows, BR is a complete overhaul of both Legacy and Aftermath and the release will upset people over how some areas are handled. There are many ships within Legacy that simply do not fit the races they were meant for; the Ravenous being one of them. Currently in the Legacy community (stock and all mods), the Ravenous is a Klingon ship. In BR, the ship makes a race change over to the Romulans. Under the Klingons, the ship is out of place in terms of progression. Its down as a TOS era ship but compared to all previous ships and the ships that proceed it; it just does not fit in. Having Klingon treatments applied to it just didnt work either so it now is taking steps to become a part of the Romulan fleet. Initial treatment work has so far proved the ships works far better as a Romulan ship than a Klingon ship. The Ravenous also fits in more with the progression of the Romulan fleet.
(http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/1291/amravenousteaser.jpg)
At this stage, its era alignment is not confirmed but is currently sitting in the TOS era for testing purposes. The AM Ravenous is not the first ship to change races for Battalia Requiem and certainly wont be the last. Along with the Centaur, the Ravenous is the second confirmed ship to change races within Aftermath. In the coming weeks I might show one of the ships that have now become a part of the Vulcan fleet. Every ship in Aftermath is being developed further towards a certain goal; to set the release apart from every other offering. The entire race fleet structure is being changed to eliminate the Federation bias that Legacy came with. Ships will change races, small amounts of ships will be added and some ships may get dropped completely from the game.
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Started working on playing with the warp effects and have come up with this one so far. I know what look I want to have but for time being playing around with it. The end result will be an effect that looks like it is damaging the surrounding area when ships enter and drop out of warp. This one is also testing out stronger bursts of light when you drop out of warp.
(http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7575/amwarptest.jpg)
In other things, currently working out a new game mode for the release with possible MP...
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I love all of this, rock on :thumbsup:
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Here is a proto version of the Galaxy class. This is not the final AM version but a proto version where treatments and ideas get tested out on. This version is testing out possible Terran treatments and other effects.
(http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4286/amprotogalaxy.jpg)
The AM engine has had some more work done to it to bring in a more hectic styled combat system. As this work is a global effect, every aspect of the final product is in the process of changing to match the new work to the engine.
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Another promo shot today, this time the start of the ENT Borg transformation work. Below is the ENT Cube in its current form. It has had bronze hull treatment, an ice treatment effect and its glows altered to whitish/blue color. The ENT era Borg overall look is not finalized yet but so far am leaning towards a more 'smoother' look instead of the industrial look they have at the moment. The transition from the Borg in ENT right through to TNG leaves too many questions and there is not much linear progression apart from the shape of the ships so the potential for a very different looking Borg fleet is quite good.
(http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/359/amentcube.jpg)
Another issue is the Aftermath home site, http://theaftermathmod.star-trek-games.com/ (http://theaftermathmod.star-trek-games.com/) . Just dont know what to do with it anymore. With ModDB covering all the bases, it leaves the home site with a big question mark. With the rate of progress and the amount of time needed to update the main site it does not add up. Its just how to make it work for the brand. Over weekend will look at other games at how their main sites are ran and take things from there. Might lock the site down for a month while I work on it but really do not know what to do with it.
With Aftermath across two games, whatever I do with the main site will have to be what works out best for both the Legacy and BC versions of Aftermath.
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Two things for today, a video and a download.
Video is footage of the new system Esio. Had the ENT era ships out on it and you get just over a minutes worth of footage. This is also the first video taken since the new updates to the engine were applied. The changes made to the engine are all process based changes; they are not blindingly obvious changes that have happened like changing the colors on a ship but the Legacy community might be able to pick up the difference.
Next bit is a new download; Tein Bessa. This map was made during Dev Cycle I for Battalia Requiem but I dont want it in the final release. The map has simply been made redundant by the more advanced maps that have come in since it was made. This is now the second bit of content that has been dropped from the Battalia Requiem release. The quality and content control for Battalia Requiem is very strict; if it dont fit with the overall image of the release it will be dropped. The goal is not to have the biggest download but to have a solid product.
Aftermath: Tein Bessa Download link (http://www.moddb.com/mods/star-trek-legacy-the-aftermath/downloads/aftermath-tein-bessa-battalia-requiem-reject)
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For show today is one of the proto systems that have been created. Proto systems are a little different to the normal systems that are made throughout the dev cycle as they are usually just test beds for other features. This one will make the final release as a system called 'Whyr Garaan'. For initial testing, the map is being used to test out nebulae formations for use in atmosphere enhancements. The one in the map currently is the largest single object nebulae in an AM release with next to no lag. The final form of the system will not look how it currently is in the shot below but the lighting is finalized.
(http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/7359/whyrgaraanproto.jpg)
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Work has begun on the mechanical parts of Battalia Requiem other than the main engine. The new artillery system that will replace the current weapons system. Its little tests at the moment before the major work is done for it. At moment effects are being tested both firing, impacts and overall feel. Physics are in the process of being applied to the artillery system and groundwork has been set up for vibration effects. The physics of the artillery system is something that has been tested on and off for a couple years, the first of the work was started just before Aftermath 2.0 was released. All the weapons will now have 'weight' added to them and force. Current tests are promising especially with the smaller ships. Its doing exactly what I want the system to be doing but in the most extreme of cases. So now its on to find why the little ships are displaying the behavior and how to control it so I can then apply it to every other ship. The new artillery system is a massive change to Legacy.
At the moment the biggest issue with it is implementation. I can either use the existing structure or rip everything out and start from scratch. Build the generic set then once Im happy with the results go in and start filtering out to give it variance and customized to each ship/race. I still deciding to have the new set up as a template set or have it arranged ship-specific. Difference between the two is the template set is similar set up to the upgrade system. Ship specific is similar in a way but each ship will have its own unique artillery set up.
The other areas are to bring in a more involved playing experience. In final form, the artillery system will be something unique to Aftermath. None of it will be canon and none of it stock. Staying canon there is no challenge in it as its been done before by countless modders as the end result is the same (what everyone has seen in the shows). No surprise to it. It will be a very different look to what people are use to with both Legacy and ST in general. The Battalia Requiem release has very little ties to Star Trek and that will be evident throughout the entire game.
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(http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9691/sovprotob.jpg)
Here is the first look at the current build of the AM Sovereign. The ship has a gold treatment applied to her and various other treatments to highlight paneling. The combination of all the effects applied to the ship result in some unique lighting effects on certain maps like Nullabyron and Whyr Garaan. The shot is just a WIP, the deflector dish will be changed later on to a new version.
Soon will start putting together the first beta version of Battalia Requiem with content that are at the 85% complete stage and above for a test to see how everything is coming together. Currently the release is being tested in certain parts but would like to start testing everything together other than the build version where I make everything in. There is still a lot of work to be done but already there is enough content made to support a beta version.
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Here is a few minutes footage of the current build of the AM Sovereign. Slightly different to the shot shown a few days ago, this version has had a little bit more done to its hull. In the video you get to see the gold treatment effect the AM Sovereign has and the metallic hull effect. The footage comes from the system Whyr Garaan. You also get to see a few seconds of the Galaxy R concept
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cool!! :D
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Here is some footage of the AM Galaxy R concept that was previewed a couple months ago. This version of the Galaxy class will be released shortly as it will not appear in the final release version of Battalia Requiem. The Galaxy R is a concept of possible Terran and Arbitor race treatment effects. The Galaxy R that will be released will be slightly different to the one shown in the video; the footage was taken a month ago.
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Now you get to play with the Galaxy R Concept. This download is a little different to the other two that came out before it; this ship will look different if you place it in Battalia Requiem. I left certain things out on purpose for the download as I dont want some parts of BR being out a whole year before release. To have the Galaxy R playable in Battalia Requiem all you will need to do is put the odf file into the Battalia Requiem install.
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/galaxy_r_release_version.jpg)
Aftermath: Galaxy R Concept (Battalia Requiem Reject) download link (http://www.moddb.com/mods/star-trek-legacy-the-aftermath/downloads/aftermath-galaxy-r-concept-br-reject)
Compatiablity: Legacy and these mods (Aftermath, UUM and Trek Battles)
Ship: AM Galaxy R concept
Race: Federation
Era: TNG
Description:
The AM Galaxy R is a concept ship where many tests are carried out on. Due to the nature of the ship, the Galaxy R concept will not appear in the upcomming Aftermath release; Battalia Requiem.
The Galaxy R was a test bed for possible treatments for the Terran, Federation, Borg, Romulan and Arbitor races. Tests such as reflective hulls, black glass, LED lighting, alternate cloaking techniques and much more. Apart from the visual tests, many mechanical tests were carried out on the ship such as its EAI system (Emotive AI). The Galaxy R was made out to act out payback, wreckless and tease tactics.
Please note this ship is not balanced for any version it is placed into. This is a just for fun mod. Its more expensive than a Galaxy class, weaker hull, stronger weapons, weaker shields but regenerates its shields much faster. Slightly faster too.
Alternate Battalia Requiem version
Although this is the 'generic' version of the AM Galaxy R, for the Battalia Requiem release the AM Galaxy R will have a different look if this mod is placed inside Battalia Requiem. To play the alternate version of the Galaxy R Concept in Battalia Requiem you will need this mod installed into Battalia Requiem.
Please note the generic version will look slightly different to the one in the photo.
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(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/am_akira_p1.jpg)
Here is the very first look at how the AM Akira is shaping up. Unlike the other AM versions of the ships that are slowly being shown; the Akira is the first one which is getting its textures completely rebuilt. The AM Akira will be built piece by piece, the process is longer but the end result is a completely different looking Akira. The main reason for rebuilding the Akira texture set is the concept for the AM Akira would not work with its existing texture structure. It is an issue that is coming up more frequently as more ships switch over to their AM counterparts. The concept is heavily influenced by the visual style of Mass Effect 2.
Depending how well the process goes in reaching its concept visual; other ships may swap over to the texture rebuild process. Current progress of Battalia Requiem has hit a brick wall. Will wait till I build the rest of the Berratta Verge up then take a look at where everything is going. The issue I keep running into is Star Trek itself; just dont know what to do with it and how it fits in with the Aftermath Universe.
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(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/hysan_rift_southern_end.jpg)
Another new system made in the second dev cycle; Hysan Rift is a twin start system. The system has a unique feature where it can send pulse lights through the nebulae band to each of the stars depending on where in the map you are. The pulses can mainly be seen from the Southern end of the system towards coming down from the northern star. The southern star has moons orbiting it which is tied to the story mode for Battalia Requiem.
As of now, I am no longer working on the ST material for Battalia Requiem. In the new year will make decision on what is going to happen to the ST material. At the moment, the only relevance ST has to the AM Universe is the last part of the story line from Aftermath 3.0 which the release was cancelled over a year ago.
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(http://media.moddb.com/images/mods/1/10/9519/concept_system_select_screen.jpg)
Here is a concept of how the system select screen may look like for the Battalia Requiem release. The concept does away with the old scroll based system and replaces it all with a more physical approach to selecting your system. The select process is video based in concept form, roll over the sector and a short video of that system will play in the top right corner. There are a few parts of it that are different to the normal Legacy system/game type select screen. The goal is to show how else the Legacy engine can be presented other than staying within the confines of its current layout.
The initial interface concept is the same one from the TLG 3.0 main menu concept both Accurus and myself were working on a few years ago. The application is different between TLG and AM but there was a prototype built a few years back when we were playing around with a proto version of a video interface.
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Oh wow that sounds awesome.
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With the second dev cycle now officially finished, Battalia Requiem is getting close to its first full beta stage and closer to its actual release. The second dev cycle was a little quieter than the first one as it covered the holiday periods and generally the last few weeks of the year are usually pretty busy. New concepts were brought forward and work begun on existing concepts first shown in the first dev cycle.
There were very little changes made to the AM game engine during this cycle. Apart from a few adjustments to the glow and gamma settings not much work went into the engine as I am getting closer to a final version of the AM engine. At this stage the engine is getting towards its final stages; any further work to be made to the engine will result from extensive stress testing. The AM engine itself has been in development for around 16 months of heavy changes and extensive testing so the next couple dev cycles should see the completion of the AM engine.
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/esio_system.jpg)
The Berratta Verge saw the next four systems officially announced. The systems that made final release are Esio, Hysan Rift, Nullabyron and Whyr Garraan. With half the Berratta Verge now officially announced, the remaining eight systems will all be announced during the third dev cycle. Once the entire locale has been created then the mode specific versions will be created. With the entire game locale all being present in each and every mode it enhances the story telling elements of the final product. Although all the systems will be finalized in the next dev cycle; all the systems are not in their final form. At the moment the systems are in their ?bare bones' state. In total to date, there have been just under twenty maps created for Battalia Requiem and only eight have made the official release. While some maps are purely test maps, others have been full fledged systems. The full fledged systems that don't make the grade will be released throughout development.
The next part that has slowly taken shape is the new interface; both the main GUI and the in-game interface. The entire interface will differ greatly from all previous Aftermath releases and other mod offerings within Legacy. The main GUI is being developed as a ?structure-less' menu system; with no clear buttons it has a very minimal look. As there is no need for an over-the-top interface system; the whole interface is being kept simple yet effective. This also improves interface transitions and performance. The in-game interface is currently undergoing potential new layout configurations and new concepts are being developed to maximize feel during gameplay. The new interface (both main GUI and in-game) should be finalized in the fourth dev cycle.
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/hysan_rift_system.jpg)
With all other areas progressing at a steady pace, one area which has been less positive has been the Star Trek components of Battalia Requiem. As Battalia Requiem is the first release to exist within the Aftermath universe, there has been a lot of difficulty in getting Star Trek to fit inside the Aftermath universe. The original concept for Battalia Requiem was to be everyone's first look into Aftermath as a new IP. During this concept there was no use of Star Trek assets. Over the last year there has been growing difficulty in changing the ST assets over to AM assets without completely alienating them in the process. As the ST assets people know for over 40 years and to turn them into something different without alienating them is difficult. The storyline that was developed to tie Star Trek to Aftermath would have alienated the entire Star Trek fanbase and broke away from the traditional feel-good story lines that the fanbase are used to seeing (aka good guy beats impossible odds against hell-bent enemy). The story line was the one for the cancelled Aftermath 3.0 release with AM assets being introduced throughout (such as the Arbitor and Mynnon races) as the Star Trek races were basically in apocalyptic mode. Apart from the story line, there was great difficulty in turning the existing ST races into AM assets; the ships were simply not working out. Around mid December all work on the ST assets stopped. Unfortunately, all the ST assets will not make the release. Battalia Requiem will release with no Star Trek content. It will stand completely on its own.
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/nullabyron_system.jpg)
With development of the AM assets going from strength to strength and development of the ST assets going nowhere; the decision was made to drop all Star Trek assets from Battalia Requiem and go ahead with the original plan of having Battalia Requiem exist entirely within the Aftermath Universe. The ST assets just would not work with the final outcome. Having spent over a year working on the ST assets and to have them dropped from the product does suck as that was a good 12months of work down the drain. That time could have gone into developing the AM assets further.
At this stage I will not put in concrete when Battalia Requiem will be released. There is every chance it still can make a 2011 release but I won't push for it but realistically you're looking at another year of development. There is no team building the release; it's all one person so far. Battalia Requiem will be released when its ready. Currently three races will debut in the first Aftermath universe release with each one being announced when the time comes. Unlike Legacy, Battalia Requiem won't have a need for era's so building the AM races won't take as long as expected.
Concept artwork for the new races will appear throughout dev cycle three and beyond. In the meantime, footage of the ST assets will continue as placeholder content.
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/whyr_garran_system.jpg)
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With things now moving ahead into the third dev phase of Battalia Requiem; this dev cycle is where bulk of the work nears completion. With the remaining systems being built to make up the Berratta Verge, the new interface and in-game interface heading into their final stages as well as all the groundwork for the AM races this dev cycle will most likely span 6-8months. With the departure from Star Trek; all the previous shown ST material will be released shortly in the form of Aftermath 2.5. Before AM 2.5 is released there will be another couple BR reject material released prior. The AM engine will not be released in AM 2.5.
First info heading into the third cycle is interface progress. Over the last two dev cycles everyone saw how the interface was shaping up via a few concept shots and teasers released over the last 12months. The interface is a huge departure from previous AM interface designs and other Legacy mod offerings by keeping things as simple as possible. The interface is very minimal at this stage and will only have subtle detailing; the goal is to have a slick interface that has performance in mind and not flashy over-the-top designs. The origin of the new interface is where things are very different... Unlike other mods where the bulk of the interface design comes directly from Star Trek; Battalia Requiem's interface comes from a very unlikely source completely removed from the whole Sci-Fi universe. The interface comes from K-pop. More specifically the bulk of the main interface comes from ideas shown in the following music videos from SNSD (Run Devil Run) and T-Ara (I Go Crazy Because of You).
While design cues are more easily picked up from the SNSD video (the black and white minimal theme), the detailing comes from T-ara's music video. The main white interface is directly sourced from SNSD while some of the detailing and emblems have come from a few more artists within K-pop; especially when creating logo work for the three races. Below are some of the interface concepts and the two main videos for you all to spot the similarities.
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/concept_system_select_screen.jpg)
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/concept_entry_screen_black_statica.jpg)
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/concept_entry_screen.jpg)
The interface also extends to outside of the game too; the promo shots that have been shown over the last 10months all had the interface in them :)
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Wow, thats really cool.
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(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/mods/1/10/9519/thumb_620x2000/haru_non_native_shot.jpg)
First system to come out of Dev Cycle III is Haru. Haru is still in its pre build stage but already has twin belts passing throughout half the system. Haru is a system that belongs to the Kyzral race. Unlike the Arbitor and Hyrogan races, the Kyzral have only a few dozen ships in their fleet; two thirds of that fleet being non-combat oriented. Haru is close to the Hysan Rift, Esio and Des Neros systems and forms part of the Sector 1 cluster of the Berratta Verge.
The Kyzral race were almost wiped out when their home system was invaded by an enemy that has long left the systems of the Berratta Verge. The Kyzral are a non playable race in Battalia Requiem and have no combat roles within the game. They are a trader fleet primarily.
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There has not been many updates on progress as lately I have been flat out with other things and had no time to work on Battalia Requiem. I was suppose to have released Aftermath 2.5 last month but had no time to put it together so hopefully over the next couple weeks I can put it together to release it.
As for Battalia Requiem, I will be pulling the engine back in for work. It was finalized in early February but since then have had other ideas I want to try out (graphics and gameplay wise) so will be bringing that back in for more work. I pretty much pulling Legacy apart and rebuilding it. Its the only way how I am going to get what I want. Scale is another area that will be tested. With one structure being around 20km long I do need to work on some sort of scaling. The biggest structure in Battalia Requiem is the Skybridge. Its a Citadel like structure that was used for transporting a race but has since been turned into a permanent starbase.
Races still not finalized as to who are going to be playable and who arent. So far the Arbitor and Hyrogan races are set as playable races. The Mynnon race I am undecided on if they should be playable or be a NPC race or merge them in with the Arbitor race. There are only going to be 3 playable races.
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Just don't quit. I've gotten back into playing Legacy and I don't want to miss such an awesome work in progress. ;)
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TJoz you can do it, take your time you'll get it done.
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Been a while but I am putting Battalia Requiem on hold for the moment. It will still be going ahead but at the moment I have no time to work on it at all. With the races, I am still at 2 confirmed playable races (the Arbitor and Hyrogan races); a third race is still unkown. The Mynnon race is now an NPC race. One race fleet has been designed but no idea who it will be for. At this stage, each playable race will have around 8-10 ships and not all races will have the same ship class designations. For dev purposes; ships will be grouped into Tier groups 1-5.
Maybe in a couple of months things have died down enough for me to get back to working on Battalia Requiem. At the moment I do not have the time to work on it. I havent even had enough time to package up Aftermath 2.5 or work on stuff for BC with Starforce. So late April/early May things should start back up again.
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Development is slowly starting back up for Battalia Requiem after the break taken. The 3 playable races have been decided and will bring them out in next major news for the release. The entire Berratta Verge has been finalized with the remaining 6 systems just needing to be built. There are a total of 16 systems but one is not a conventional system.
Here is your first look at one of the final systems to make up the Berratta Verge; Darrakor. This system is still in proto stages but is one of only 3 systems that will have one of the remaining Skybridge's. Darrakor is also the catalyst for the story arch; the whole storyline kicks off from something that happens in this system.
(http://media.moddb.com/images/mods/1/10/9519/darrakor_non_native.jpg)
The Skybridges more on them will be explained later on but they are massive structures. You find out why they were built and why some are still in the Berratta Verge.
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Very nice! The Skybridges do sound interesting.