The Dark Mod

[codereader]

I didn't mean big changes New Horizon, just something that could improve the experience even more . I just find radiosity lighting far more superior than direct lighting.

If changing the engine's lighting is a small change, I dare not to ask what you think would be a big change.

[New Horizon]

I didn't mean big changes New Horizon, just something that could improve the experience even more . I just find radiosity lighting far more superior than direct lighting.

But would it be even possible to add radiosity lighting and combine that with dynamic shadows in D3? Or do you always have to choose between direct & dynamic or radiosity & smooth dynamic lighting?

As code reader was indicating, it would pretty much be a rewrite of the engine. I would assume it would have to be rebuilt in such a way that it could be disabled on lower end systems.

[sNeaksieGarrett]

I kind of agree with the Magpie. But of course, it's ya'lls work so you can do what you want. "The Dark Mod" is certainly a nod to thief's name, but the word mod implies a modification to something. In this case, a "mod" for doom 3. However, if D3 source is released, and this project becomes standalone, the term "mod" could be confusing to Doom 3 owners who think that doom 3 is required to run it. Although, I guess it wouldn't be a big deal, you could just put some big note like: NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED DOOM 3 BECAUSE THE DARK MOD IS STANDALONE NOW. Or something like that.

[New Horizon]

I kind of agree with the Magpie. But of course, it's ya'lls work so you can do what you want. "The Dark Mod" is certainly a nod to thief's name, but the word mod implies a modification to something. In this case, a "mod" for doom 3. However, if D3 source is released, and this project becomes standalone, the term "mod" could be confusing to Doom 3 owners who think that doom 3 is required to run it. Although, I guess it wouldn't be a big deal, you could just put some big note like: NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED DOOM 3 BECAUSE THE DARK MOD IS STANDALONE NOW. Or something like that.

It is a modification of something, the Id Tech 4 engine.

Regardless of when we get the full source code, this is still a 'modified' Id Tech 4 engine, whether it requires doom 3 to be installed or not. Every Id Tech 4 game based on the engine is essentially a Mod of Carmack's original work, the only difference is that we're acknowledging it. Our work to GTK Radiant is also a Modification of the original source.

That alone is enough reason, but please also consider that we are not exactly releasing a game...we're releasing a toolset. The toolset will be used by the community to make missions and hopefully campaigns. Call those whatever you want....but the core toolset is a modification to the engine.

It has been and always will be a mod, source code isn't going to change that. Debate isn't going to change it either. I don't think anyone will be paying much attention to the name of the Mod once a map is loaded up.

[sNeaksieGarrett]

You got a point, but i didn't think of it in terms of ID Tech 4 engine, i was thinking of Doom 3's engine. I guess you did cause me to put my foot in my mouth, since Doom 3's engine is ID Tech 4. Great explanation, makes me feel like an ass now. Okay the magpie, you and I need to stick our foots in our mouths. That makes more sense now; so if it became standalone, it'd be a "mod" of the id tech 4 source. The name still fits. And to be truthful, I rather like the name The Dark Mod anyway.


I know it's a toolset, but I was under the impression you guys might make a campaign after it's done? *wink* *nudge nudge*

[Springheel]

if D3 source is released, and this project becomes standalone, the term "mod" could be confusing to Doom 3 owners who think that doom 3 is required to run it.

It's not likely to ever become standalone, as we use a number of assets from default D3, including textures, models, particles, animations, and sounds. At the moment I can't imagine ever getting to the point where our time would be best spent redoing all those assets just to be able to release TDM as a standalone product, especially when D3 only costs about 10 dollars (and can even be legally downloaded by those that can't find physical copies).

[sNeaksieGarrett]

Ah, I see.... I was not aware of that. Well that's fine. Even more justification for keeping the current name.

More on-topic:
oh, and good work so far... keep at it you taffers!
I do hope that AI animation is a top priority, as the current motions evidenced by the Thief's Den are goofy. Of course, I know it was just a demo.

[Springheel]

Just wanted to let interested folk know there was a new update to our website.

www.thedarkmod.com

or,

www.mindplaces.com/darkmod/

[Neb]

Interested.

Thanks.

[BrokenArts]

Hey, thanks for the update, thats pretty cool. The gas arrow radius makes total sense, it works well. I do appreciate these updates, and reminders. Keeps us interested.

[Springheel]

New update is up.

[ZylonBane]

That's a neat idea with the cloud cover affecting the light gem, but since the dynamic cloud cover doesn't actually lighten or darken the terrain, it looks kind of broken. Will this be fixed by the final release?

[Shadak]

If you watch the video again carefully you'll see that the terrain does in fact darken and that's what darkens the light gem - it's no trick with the light get, just a direct result of less light in the area

[ZylonBane]

Well foo, so it does. It's such a gradual effect I didn't notice it when letting the video play at normal speed.

Why isn't the torch right next to the player keeping the gem at full illumination?

[jtr7]

That's a pretty cool idea!

[New Horizon]

Why isn't the torch right next to the player keeping the gem at full illumination?

It's actually a pretty old video, so I'm wondering if all the lightgem tweaking had actually been finished by that time. It's hard to tell in the video, but I think the player isn't standing as close to the torch as they appear to be.

[Peanuckle]

I'm not sure if anyone else has seen this bug, but one time I was on the buildings, getting ready to hop over the fence, when the watchman (not the guard, but the regular looking guy) flew like 50 feet up into the air, stood still, and pelted me with stuff. Then he fell down and ran around in circles.

I lol'd.

[sNeaksieGarrett]

LOL

[ShadowSneaker]

I had that too, except he flew around for ages, all over the place.
That moonlight affecting the light gem is a cool little touch.

SS

[ZylonBane]

The cool thing is that they managed to get the skybox to modulate the world lighting. Lightgem integration was presumably a natural side effect of this, since the lightgem level is determined literally within the renderer.

[Springheel]

Why isn't the torch right next to the player keeping the gem at full illumination?

The torch isn't a very large light--if you look at the ground you can see the illumination starts to fade before it hits the half-way point of the screen.

[Yandros]

Never thought I'd see the day where I could play a thief mission and wait carefully for clouds to obscure the moon before running across an open courtyard!
Fantastic work.

[New Horizon]

Never thought I'd see the day where I could play a thief mission and wait carefully for clouds to obscure the moon before running across an open courtyard!
Fantastic work.

It's an optional feature of course.

[pavlovscat]

That's really cool! I always wanted to do that.

[jay pettitt]

Darkmod is looking sweet indeed right now.