suggestion: DX2 as a DX1 mod... - by SteveB
SteveB on 11/1/2004 at 23:22
Any DX modding heroes feel like saving the DX universe? Judging from the
demo and most reviews from DX1 fans, if ION Storm had just done that in
the first place, then the game would have been five times better. Like lots of
people I anxiously awaited this game for years. The final product seems to
be a crying disappointment. Shouldn't the textures and sound files from DX2
be convertible/usable for a DX1 mod?
BlackCapedManX on 12/1/2004 at 00:00
I'm not sure if you could re-use the textures/sounds/etc could be used in the old UnrealED (I'm not huge on the whole mapping business of things, I only have a bit of practice with it, but I don't know much about compatibility/coding/etc). However I have been sitting around thinking "hmmmm how cool would it be to have the entire DX2 game created using just what they have in DX1" with maybe a few new textures and possibly new guns (and if the sounds from DXIW worked those could be used). Since DXIW is a fair bit smaller, and the DX1 engine seems to be able to stand much larger maps, you could combine the little maps from IW into bigger ones (thus less loading) and the whole process might not even be altogether that too huge of one (maybe). It would solve some problems with IW (like the slow as ass framerate at high res, and the lack of leaning). But this is just a personal fantasy. Plus I own IW, so I'm not as motivated to go and try to get people who could work this out together. Meh, I think it would be a cool idea, but I'm not sure how plausible it would be.
madphilb on 12/1/2004 at 00:30
I think I'd pay good money for that :D
The problem with Ion Storm re-using the old system and building on it is that all the reviews would have read something to the effect of the engine being dated, lack of new stuff, etc.... all the things they say about any of the Half-life based games.
PHIL
sergeantgiggles on 12/1/2004 at 01:44
It would still be the same game, with the same maps (unless you make it otherwise, of course, and throw in those missions we all wanted in the first DX like the moon mission and the militia war in texas)and the same characters, and the same story. I think the problems with IW are far more than the interface, the guns and their lack of headshotitude, and the skill/aug system. Of course, not a bad idea for those without the game.
BlackCapedManX on 12/1/2004 at 06:07
I think what SteveB was talking about was a fan mod. I think it would be madfunny to build a mod for DX1 which was essentially the whole DXIW game built on the old engine, and release it before DXIW is released globally.
Primal on 12/1/2004 at 06:46
That would be incredibly cool, but yeah I think it's bit of a pipe dream. Bummer :(
(now on the other hand...a DX mod called Deus Ex II, that actually made a coherent sequel to the original? That I would pay to get my hands on ;))
oRGy on 12/1/2004 at 15:02
You should be able to extract and re-use textures, sounds and so on no problem. There's a program called DXTool that does this already I think? A UT2K3 UnrealEd would probably be able to extract sounds from the .uax's. Music is in .ogg I think so no problem there?
Models would be more difficult (though I'm sure some hacker could do it, as I doubt they're not far removed from UT2K3 format), and animations impossible to carry over, the main visual issue would be trying to reconstruct maps using 1/10th of the polygons. All the plot/conversation I assume you could do with the DX1 tools but with take lots of time and debugging.
Would be funny, though.
MSX on 12/1/2004 at 20:42
Not really worth it though. The story element has sadly very little intrigue. Some people liked the story but I found it was irrationally predictable. (As in once you realize the illogic the game runs on the story falls into place and you don't need to actually beat the thing.) So no... not a great idea in my mind. Though it would probably make the gameplay more fun with headshots and all.
Its not that IW has small maps because of the games constraints. It was a design decision which is guessed to be related to the x of all boxes. So you could very well do the opposite porting DX1 over to IW's engine(if we had an SDK, or at least a map editor...). This is also not a good idea as even if you make the gameplay to the classic it will still be the classic. Something you've probably beaten 3 or 4 times so the magic will still be gone so that kind of project is frivolous.
The mod community for DX1 didn't have too much steam and I'm guessing without an SDK most of the one's modding IW now are going to run out of steam if IS does get around to releasing one. Its kind of sad really. A cutting edge engine people actually want to mod but can't.
Huckeye on 17/1/2004 at 03:34
I think the really cool thing would be to remake DX1 using the new unreal engine. Upgrade the graphics and levels and leave what made it great a lone. I already play DX1 over and over again, overhauling it with better everything would just be bonus!
As to your suggestion, I would rather see fans create new content as I am not impressed with anything I have seen or heard from the professional version. No level editor will be the death of Thief 3 as fan missions really gave that franchise a lot of its fame. I am confident fans could do some amazing things with the right tools and have already.
