SS1 System Shock ReWired v1.32 Fan Mission

[673f59b2c724fJosiahJack]

Why does it bug me that they say this:

but only now are fans finally equipped with the tools to produce mods for the game, thanks to Nightdive Studios releasing the source code.

Just urgh.  dertseha made the tools and made it possible without the source code.  The community made this possible.  Sigh


Edit:  I am glad to see this getting publicity though!

[673f59b2c741bvoodoo47]

we're here for guns and glory, not fame and fortune.

[673f59b2c7538JosiahJack]

Lol, ya no hope of that for us. 

[673f59b2c782b3RDplayer]

Well, I am very displeased about this. I just used the tools that were given to me by dertseha. And you guys worked countless years together on this. So I send the articles in question a mail. Nicely asking to change that bit of the article. Because I feel like its robbing the community and dertseha of their achivements if it doesnt get mentioned. The only news website that did not wrote an article yet is kotaku. And believe it or not, they send me a e-mail asking me if I would answers some questions BEFORE posting some halftruth nonsense on their website. So I take the opportunity to give credit where credit is due.

[673f59b2c7b84unn_atropos]

Installing the mod is a matter of "six easy steps," as creator the-3rdplayer explained, apparently without irony. It involves replacing some files, a process that isn't exactly brain surgery but that can be a little intimidating if you haven't done such things before.

Is it just me getting grumpy with old age, or is it makind? Copy and paste?? Whoaa! Complicated like brain surg* !!!



*some ReWired humour   

[673f59b2c7cc1voodoo47]

remember, an average Joe the (steam) Gamer usually doesn't even know where his game files are, so no wonder having to backup/replace/swap them around feels like a brain surgery.

that's why I'm saying that we need to get it working with the source port in a way that would only require extracting an archive, or lose 90% of the younger audience.

[673f59b2c8142Marvin]

that's why I'm saying that we need to get it working with the source port in a way that would only require extracting an archive, or lose 90% of the younger audience.

Are you referring to the oh-so-large community of young adults who can't resist playing somewhat obscure PC games older than them but also don't know how to copy & paste?

[673f59b2c824cvoodoo47]

I'm guessing that the number of people who would be willing to try all this weird retro stuff but are put off by all the install shenanigans isn't as negligible as one might think.

[673f59b2c83c9ZylonBane]

I grew up having to install mods the hard way, and I don't even have the patience for it anymore.

[673f59b2c84f1JosiahJack]

I still like installing mods by hand and don't trust automatic installers much.  Come to think of it, SS2 Tool is the only mod installer that has worked really well for me so I'm hopeful you all will figure out a good way for 3RDplayer to distribute his next fanmission  


Psst!!!  Did you guys find the light saber?  I did!

[673f59b2c87d9dertseha]

I can relate with the sentiments here. The few support requests I had about the editor were mainly about how to get it running (you have to provide command line arguments). Can't blame these people for never having a terminal open. It's all "Install APP" here and "Click on Desktop Icon" there...
It's about tools meant for end-users, not enforcing archaic computer wizardry, just because we had to grew up with that. Yes, I remember optimizing autoexec.bat and config.sys just to get a few more KB (!) of memory available - but do I want to do that nowadays?

...Says the one who made the editor with the bad UI/UX - hey, it was mainly a proof of concept - the new one is underway (it even has undo!  )

[673f59b2c8a36Marvin]

I'm guessing that the number of people who would be willing to try all this weird retro stuff but are put off by all the install shenanigans isn't as negligible as one might think.

So they'd put up with SS1's "weird" interface and controls but couldn't be arsed with two shortcuts? I don't buy it.

[673f59b2c8b17voodoo47]

it's "backup and replace original files", actually.

[673f59b2c8c68JosiahJack]

Did you guys find the hidden charge station on medical?  I like all the niches and secret areas.  Also, what?!? I had no idea shock was capable of nearly transparent windows like you have in the neurosurge office with the keypad!  I thought there was only red, blue, and green transparent force doors/plats.

There were a few other cool features I didn't realize you could do...oh right the custom text for doors and switches when you use them.  Also, the triple layer lift 

Oh and access granted but door still locked.  What?  LGS are wizards and I think it's cool you exploited this feature that probably never existed in the original game.

[673f59b2c8db2dertseha]

heh, yes, the engine has quite some features and untapped potential. Even the source release uncovered a few things that I couldn't reverse engineer, as the original game didn't use it at all. I could spoil you, yet the whoa! effect would be cooler if a modder would exploit that

[673f59b2c94163RDplayer]

I'm hopeful you all will figure out a good way for 3RDplayer to distribute his next fanmission  

Why me? Why not someone else? I am done. Leave me be with sshock! I have to go back to Thief. Still got until November before the Thief 20th anniversary mapping contest on ttlg is over! LOL Just kidding... I already have an idea for a sequel. But it would require some additional changes to HUD, replacing textures maybe?, That I didnt do in ReWired. Because the sequel be a more action driven corridor shooter ala doom starring an UNN soldier that cannot be manipulated and bought. At least that's the raw idea I have. Nothing concrete. Oh and outdoor areas

I thought there was only red, blue, and green transparent force doors/plats.

Oh and access granted but door still locked.  What?  LGS are wizards and I think it's cool you exploited this feature that probably never existed in the original game.

I didn't even know there werent white/grey forcedoors and bridges in the original game until you told me. I guess LGS just never inserted some?
The original game doesnt use both locked parameter and access level paremeter on doors. either, or, not both.
But they use locked parameter on metal gratings, because critters try to open a metal grating that cant be opened and cause "door-open-sound-loop-chaos" how I call it.

heh, yes, the engine has quite some features and untapped potential. Even the source release uncovered a few things that I couldn't reverse engineer, as the original game didn't use it at all. I could spoil you, yet the whoa! effect would be cooler if a modder would exploit that

My level was entierly made with shocked, the old version, its not as bad as you think it is. It's amazing in its own right until hackED is fully blossomed. So don't downtalk on your beautiful shockED Also don't have secrets for me. I wanna try! :p

[673f59b2c952fvoodoo47]

seems like the latest SP beta update has resolved the rainbowy texture issue, so as soon as we'll know how to tell the AS header file how to load multiple res files, the FM should be SP beta ready after a small repack.

[673f59b2c97a33RDplayer]

seems like the latest SP beta update has resolved the rainbowy texture issue, so as soon as we'll know how to tell the AS header file how to load multiple res files, the FM should be SP beta ready after a small repack.

There is still a problem with screens that point to surveilance sources. when leaving some of them, the game crashes
Also some alternating picture sources don't work properly yet. Otherwise I wouldve repacked it already.
Axemeleon just posted his updated .as file for launching additional resources.

[673f59b2c9919voodoo47]

yeah, seen it, and it works. still not clear how additional resources would be loaded though - some documentation would really help.

so now we have

ResLoad("xyz_cybstrng.res", true);

for cybstrng, and

RestabSetBase("mission", "xyz.dat");
RestabSetBase("alog", "xyz_citalog.res");

for dat and citalog. so what would need to be done, if I also wanted to load custom death.res? what's up with the "true" part of ResLoad?

[673f59b2c9a423RDplayer]

I guess we have to wait until the sourceport is out fully, then we can ask for specifics. Didn't axemelon said he wants to have angelscript removed? hmm. I tried to setup my .as file for rewired as he instructed in discord. but he did a typo and it resulted into an error. haha. but now I could check that loading citalog really works, no original audio anymore for the logs.

For the other lines, we have to wait how I mentioned initially.

[673f59b2c9b1fJosiahJack]

Wouldn't it be xyz_alog.res? 

[673f59b2c9c31voodoo47]

*quickly tests stuff* it can actually be anything, so it seems like you basically tell the engine to load a resource (RestabSetBase), specify the res type (mission, alog, we don't know the rest), and a filename with its location (XYZ/xyz.res).

so as long as we know the load codes for all the res types, it will be possible to load any resource via the AS file.

[673f59b2c9d7bicemann]

Try your hand at SS2 FM making next 3rdPlayer :p. Thief has a zillion FMs. SS2 on the other hand has only a moderate amount.

[673f59b2c9f32voodoo47]

yeah, the total SS2 FM count is barely making it out of the single digit area - as mentioned elsewhere, SS2 mechanics are too complex, and assets are not generic enough to pump out new missions easily without compromising quality (a problem Thief doesn't have).

anyway, I think I have seen voiced logs/emails for ReWired mentioned somewhere (would be great, as no System Shock FM should be without voiced mails/logs) - how are you tackling the Shodan voiceovers? I did manage to achieve decent results just by using free online voice generators when creating audio for the Minstrel AI (Ariadne), but getting such a voice to sound even remotely Shodanesque would require some serious sound editing skills.

that's pretty much why my top two recommendations to anyone thinking about doing a SS2 FM are "do voiced logs/mails", and "no Shodan" - RttUNN would be a good example. almost no cringe in the audio area, especially with the latest patch.