Jump to content
meshcarver

Large S.T.A.L.K.E.R. inspired Island "NOVA ZONA"

Recommended Posts

Hi,

Just had a thought, I realize you say things like 'Stalker inspired' etc, but you should probably move away from the STALKER name all together. Cos imagine the company behind the game want to buy a variation of the ARMA III engine to make a new Stalker game. They might get all your hard work shut down. It has happened before with other fan made work on other engines.

So you could just come up with a new name and then only the odd vague reference to stalker. I think most people are going to love an eerie, jittery, dark, survival, horror type themed game. Just think Stalker crossed with Cthulhu set shortly after WWII or something maybe.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi,

Just had a thought, I realize you say things like 'Stalker inspired' etc, but you should probably move away from the STALKER name all together. Cos imagine the company behind the game want to buy a variation of the ARMA III engine to make a new Stalker game. They might get all your hard work shut down. It has happened before with other fan made work on other engines.

So you could just come up with a new name and then only the odd vague reference to stalker. I think most people are going to love an eerie, jittery, dark, survival, horror type themed game. Just think Stalker crossed with Cthulhu set shortly after WWII or something maybe.

This would never happen'..

The "engine" needs for a STALKER game is far different of those RV has to offer.

So..i say..

"GO GO Meanmachine!!" :)

Edited by GiorgyGR

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The Knock idea is great. Very simple way to build suspense! Especially if there's a way to randomize events that occur after the knock.

Stalker is pretty hard to secure a mechanism of market-protection for since the word has common-usage to mean hunter (implies stealth). Eg. Deer-stalker.

The universe of the Stalker games is likewise hard to protect with copyright since its cross-genre and essentially "wasteland with some magic items".

IMO there's no cause to worry. If a project was so sensitive that a non-commercial fan mod is a threat to its success it'll probably fail anyway.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I like the "knock on door" code idea a LOT.

But...it seems to me that doing a series of whistles from a distance would be smarter.

Better yet, each faction could have its own easily portable clicker/clacker that would have its own pitch. One could have the correct code, but if it also produces the wrong pitch - well, rounds will be flying your way!

Still, I love the knock-code a LOT. It would be positively dreadful to go up to a door, see candle/fire light seeping out through its defects/gaps, knock, and then wait for a response. Perhaps this most-dreadful of code relays should be reserved for inner sanctums, where group leaders/bosses are sure to have extra security?

Also, in regards to foliage, it would be eery to include the kind of irradiated vegetation that's showing up in and around Fukushima. It's very unnerving to see. I can't imagine having to walk through it, up against it. Talking about feeling instantly contaminated, especially if one goes prone in it...!

I'm trying to find an image of some wild grass in the region, as it showed that randomly along its length one will find small, yet INTENSE regions of altered colors, nearly the entire range of a "rainbow," and then suddenly the tissue's green again. Every once in a while, enough radioactive material landed on it to not only give it psychedelic rainbow-spots, but also etch a small hole through the tissue (note: it does NOT look burned). Yes, it would be most unnerving to move through vegetation like that.

Here's some images of various mutated vegetation/fruit for depressing inspiration: http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=63s&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=711&tbm=isch&tbnid=1TUa8Y174OGjXM:&imgrefurl=http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2012/05/mutated-baby-bird-with-2-heads-3-beaks-follows-mutated-plants-in-fukushima-us-2199264.html&docid=N27pLhs1EizWWM&imgurl=http://cdn1.alexanderhiggins.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Mutated-Bird-Follows-Mutated-Plants-In-Fukushima-And-US.jpg&w=630&h=630&ei=6cBLUZ7wA5O40QGR8YCQDQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:13,s:0,i:124&iact=rc&dur=240&page=1&tbnh=172&tbnw=162&start=0&ndsp=19&tx=137&ty=40

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi chaps,

thanks again for all this input.!

Aye, I suppose it's a concern about keeping ref to STALKER series, but as long as I state it's in inspiration alone etc I should be ok? I do not want to copy them at all...

Thanks very much for pointing it out anyway.

Also the whistle idea is really good too, and the Clicker-Clacker one is even better imo Kyle..!

I was going down the "knock...knock...knock..." route, as primarily an atmosphere builder and secondly as a practical use. It's just the thought for me of hiding in a building somewhere then you hear the ""knock"..! ;)

I am keeping notes on ALL these suggestions and also looked at the Fukishima ref you sent too- very creepy man... I will certainly be adding little details like that in sporadic patches.

Alright guys, I'm getting back to this little building I'm currently doing.

Thanks again..! :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OH, I just thought of a cool thing. Have you seen that film Apollo 18 or played Skyrim... Well, how about some of the rocks in your mod are crab like creatures. You can't tell unless they move. But they can be a weak enemy and a source of food. They could be also seen to converge on corpses and devour them.. This will help get rid of too many corpses in the map that might other wise slow things down. Also it would be more believable that corpses be eaten and disappear rather then just sink through the ground :O)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi charliemilk..!

Thanks very much for your input mate, is good to have ideas thrown around here as believe me, I consider them all.

One thing worth mentioning now though is that at this point, I'm still more open to ideas about the environment itself, buildings/structures and anomolies etc, not so much the "creatures" that will inhabit this island.

Creatures etc will come much later mate, but I'm first and foremost an environment artist were this project is concerned. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've always liked the fact that there are stashes in the STALKER games. Makes more sense to have them than not. It would be nice to see some scattered in attics, in car trunks, under beds, etc.

It would be cool to have something that fulfills the same role as emissions did. It could be something like acid rain or a huge solar radiation spike (maybe that's causing the apocalyptic landscape). It would force you to enter a well-protected building.

Maybe you could make a team so that you could reduce some of the workload on yourself. If you ever need someone to make a heightmap for you, I'm your guy! I almost want to see this fully realized more than the vanilla game itself.

Edited by comc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi comc,

Excellent ideas mate. You'll be happy to know I plan to include stashes anyway, and might have things like hardy metal boxes, almost like lunchbox kinda things that are chained to tree stumps and poles etc for other Stalkers to leave for fellow travellers, sort of like "goodwill" stashes. I think many posts back, Kyle and I were talking about these and maybe the option to booby trap or lock them too...

And yes, I'll be having many types of environmental large scale anomalies too..!

Thanks for the offer of your help too mate, but for now at least I really want to keep this to my own project..! ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, I'll mostly forget about creatures for now until you have the map and structures in place. How about barns. The barns in Dayz were pretty miserable, they seemed dull, boring, un-inspired and too much ambient light inside them. Barns can be huge and some can be colorful but still have an old and weathered look. Check out this image (1st image that comes up when I searched abandoned barn in Google) http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=4574481&catID=20879

Look how red it is and see how dark and uninviting the entrance is, like an ancient tomb. I can almost hear the wind making weird noises as it blows through the holes, creaking. There would be dust all up in the place making it seems almost foggy inside. Once stepping in you can not even see to the far end with out a powerful flash light. Little unseen things scurry across the rafters, pausing now and again to listen or hide. There is a slow intermittent very low bass noise, barely audible. Is it the wind? or something breathing.

Maybe something got in long ago and ate/absorbed all the cattle, it grew so big and changed in nature it never left. It just waits for people or creatures to wonder in from time to time....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi charlie,

Very quickly as I'm about to goto bed as it's late here mate..!

Fantastic feedback, thanks very much for your link too. It's a good sign that I sketched a structure last week thats very simillar to that one, the huge high roofing etc, it'd look great silhouetted against the dark grey sky on a hilltop..!

It's exactly this kind of ideas and suggestion that keeps me checking this thread everyday..!

Thanks again charlie..!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Another idea (borrowed from an old British short horror story called Urban Blight, (I read it over 10 years ago) of which I can find no reference online).

One small part of the story describes an old abandoned indoor swimming baths on the outskirts of a town.

I can not remember much of it, but I did 'visit' the place whilst daydreaming a few times and my imagination elaborated on the paragraph or two I read from the story.. So I shall ad-lib and try and paint a picture of how it is in my mind:-

The council had closed the 'Old Grey Baths', as locals called it, down about a decade ago and the surrounding area and car park etc had become heavily over grown. The building it self caused much controversy at the time, being part of the councils brief flirtation with Brutalist architecture movement of the early 70's. With its solid slabs of dull concrete walls to the jutting angular boxes, seemingly glued on, it made the Bauhaus movement look positively cheery and enlightened.

All round the building was a repetitive use of glass rectangles and squares, designed to 'brighten' the place up, but instead made it look like an office block or jail rather then a leisure center. The entire north eastern wall was glass, meant to brighten and warm the main feature which was an Olympic sized swimming pool. The ceiling of the pool was a mixture of rotting metal and broken glass that allowed water to partially refill the area. Not that you could see any of the main feature any more.

The place acted as a kind of greenhouse and strange leafed plants could be seen growing inside, their leaves completely covering the inside glass, competing to get every inch of light they could from the dirty, algae stained windows. Some of the tips of them even came up through the roof and occasionally would bloom with sickly smelling, mottled flowers that would attract no insects I'd ever seen before. I would often wonder if birds had set up nest in there as occasionally if I stood and looked long enough I could make out darting movements between the leaves.

Looking at now this Tuesday evening in late July it actually looked more 'alive' then it ever did when it had been in use. The odd golden ray of the setting sun breaking through the clouds and dancing off the now green windows made part of it glint like dull emeralds still stuck in a rock. But even in the most glorious of sunshine there was always a darkness to the place. It was the way the top of the building was in some parts wider than the ground floor so there was always constant black shadows... etc etc...

Thanks for reading and check out Brutalism Movement on Google for pictures of that style of building.

---------- Post added at 04:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:39 PM ----------

Sorry to keep posting, but a quick update... I've been up in the loft and actually found the book I was talking about. It is:- Dark Terrors 4. The story is called 'Suburban Blight' by Terry Lamsley.

I also wanted to ask you to watch Chernobyl Diaries if you have not already seen it. Some great footage actually filmed around Chernobyl and not a bad horror movie either!! :couch:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@ Charliemilk,

aye, thanks again for your ideas mate, and yes I've heard of the Brutalist Architecture style, there's a lot of it in Britain where I come from, depressing stuff..!!!

@Emoglobinsky,

I nearly always use generic ones, that tile in the direction they need to tile.

There are 4 1024*2048s on that structure, and everything from wooden beams to the inside peeling wallpaper tiles from left to right across the texture sheet..!

Edited by meanmachine1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

About time for another update..!

This one took longer than it should, as I had a right arse of a time deciding how to place the supporting pillars in the front, and then whether to have them at all or not..! I was thinking about AI etc, so hopefully I found a good compromise that won't hinder them, bless their little virtual socks...

I thought it'd be nice to set it up so when you're taking cover inside the room, that there's a large series of pillars in front of you so they affect your shooting angle.

Also, this little structure has a flight of stairs to get up onto the roof for overwatch, even though one corner of the roof wall is damaged... anyway- here's the shots with a bonus interior sheet:

External:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/86890612@N02/8597347742/in/photostream/

Interior:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/86890612@N02/8597349200/in/photostream/

Also, in my blog (sig) there's a more detailed description and a link to a cheeky shot of House_01 ingame in the ARMA3 engine...

Take it easy Stalkers...

Edited by meanmachine1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Beautiful model, as always!

I was thinking that it would be nice to have an area, however small, that is mostly unaffected and beautiful. It would really help to contrast the bleak atmosphere and accentuate it. Remember, the saddest songs frequently have a few major chords in them. ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Holy trousers comc..!?!?! :)

You won't believe how close you are to something I plan to have in this island..!!!

Lets just say it'll be a beautiful area with a twist... ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Downloading the Misery CoP mod haha I can't wait for your map to release! Are you planning on making a mission to go with this island? :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi CptCubano..!

Well, my priority is completely just to create this island first and foremost... Then we'll see, although I'm sure others will come up with some missions...

Btw, are you from Cuba?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Holy trousers comc..!?!?! :)

You won't believe how close you are to something I plan to have in this island..!!!

Lets just say it'll be a beautiful area with a twist... ;)

"The Oasis? A myth, everybody's always spreading all these rumors about the place, but nobody has ever been there, or knows where it is. Except one, that's right, for just a few rubles, you can find the one place in the whole Zone that does more help than harm, but getting there... might not be so easy STALKER..."

Sounds great, can't wait to delve into the secrets and subtle areas of thsi map, also the building looks amazing, the damage you always put in always looks spot on and seamless, keep it up!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Korro,

cheers man..!

Yes, hopefully there'll be lots of little areas that are unique in type and layout, that's what I'd like to get out of this the most- some places have their own strong identity, so as to encourage exploration more and keep it interesting. I have a good amount of ideas and sketches/notes for a lot of places.

Right now, I'm working on one variation of an old cargo container that's been adapted by Stalkers/Bandits to act as a defensive position, so holes/slots cut into it and perhaps a welded metal plate on the top as a shield.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I posted before but I really didn't get out my full opinion.(.-.) I like the idea of a creepy atmosphere, it adds in the sorta fact that every step you take will lead you to your certain death. Arma nightime really didn't have that effect on me when I was alone in the dark. I can see this map being very promising and adding a very well detailed atmosphere :D!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×