System Shock 1 redeveloped in Unreal Development Kit

[6741d89f7374aXenoneo]

The creation of SS1 portable has definitely made playing the original more accessible for everyone to play, but remaking the game with updated graphics is not a pointless endeavor.
We may not want to admit it, but we have bred today's gamers to expect a certain level of graphic detail.
If we want the future of gaming to be influenced by a game like ss1, it needs to be somewhat attractive for the next generation to try.
Besides that, if the gameplay elements were all working on UDK it would also be more attractive to make mods with different missions, completely different games using it's code, and would be easier to convert to later UDK builds with even better graphics down the line.
In the short run some might simply add bump maps to it.
It's absolutely going to take an extraordinary about of time and effort to make, but I personally think it is worth it.
The moment that this has a single fully playable level (or even partial level), I'm certain that not only will interest in this project increase, but you'll likely be offered some assistance by many people.
The "quirks" of SS1 gameplay should certainly be focused on, such as mouselook, stand/crouch/crawl, lean, and maybe alter the menu system to be more accessible for today's gamers, etc. 
I'm personally very excited about the prospects of this project and can't wait to see what you come up with next, time permitting.

[6741d89f739b3Synaesthesia]

Time permitting, the devil of all my details. I'm still planning to work on it but I've put it on a backburner lately. Thanks for the kind words. ;-)

[6741d89f73b92fox]

"What a shame." (JCD) Would be cool to see this released but I have to agree that smaller spin offs would be an even better idea. Also, I really don't know about the IP-question. Wouldn't be the first time a remake gets a cease & decist from EA & Co. - and that would be a real shame after all the work.

[6741d89f73e0aj3rk_]

Hey,

I'm another person who was kicking around the idea of recreating SS1, only my idea was to do it as a mod for the idTech3 game JKA (Jedi Knight Academy). That was merely because I'm most familiar with modding for that game. UDK makes  a lot more sense though, so I'm going to start learning the tools and hopefully we can all join forces and kick this project off! I would also recommend trying to get these folks involved: http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/718775-System-Shock-1-Remake-using-UDK

Seems like a lot of people interested in the same stuff.

Here's some work I've done previously. The only reason I'm posting this is to show that I do have some modding experience and that I am serious about wanting to help on this project. It's hard to convey that without "showing your work", so here:

Nothing fancy, just yet another Medical remake:

http://sites.google.com/site/heroicj3rk/Home/shot0031.jpg
http://sites.google.com/site/heroicj3rk/Home/shot0033.jpg

Good luck to us all!

[6741d89f73ffbicemann]

Man there's barely a game engine I've not seen the Medical level remade in at this point. All of them with textures and no enemies. Some have a few game objects in there if your lucky.

[6741d89f7589eXenoneo]

Man there's barely a game engine I've not seen the Medical level remade in at this point. All of them with textures and no enemies. Some have a few game objects in there if your lucky.

It's true that this idea has been attempted many times and usually doesn't get past the visual aspect.
It's my opinion that the most productive thing anyone familiar with UDK could do to help, is to only work on game mechanics to add to one of these projects.

For SS1 it would need leaning, laying down, inventory UI, ammo types, cyber world, security rating, etc.
For SS2 it would need some more advanced things like skill points, hacking interface, usable psi energy, nanite currency, and skill terminals.

I wonder how difficult it would be to bring some of the original code from these games into UDK.
SS1 in particular may have to made from scratch or reapproprated from other games that do similar things, (ex. leaning) since I believe I've read that the source code for it is long gone.
SS2 could possibly be easier if it uses C++, but I'm not familiar enough with programming to know that for sure.

[6741d89f75ae6j3rk]

Just to be clear, I am suggesting working together on a recreation of SS1; not a game mod or a level recreation project. A spin-off or homage of some kind is an interesting idea too though, that might work. That's why it seems to me like UDK would be a solid choice, and since others obviously have the same idea it seems the most likely to gain traction at this point. Here's an example of some features (like a (rough) inventory system) working in UDK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdSo4kq8uos

I know it's a long shot, but it's just an idea to see if it's possible to get a team together. Gotta start somewhere.

[6741d89f75cb4voodoo47]

I would suggest you try to help out this project then.

[6741d89f75f37Kolya]

Indeed. Robert (author of Revert3d) has been making steady progress with his engine in the last months. (See also his thread here on SMA). It's the only currently active project of that sort (that I know of) and it's the only SS1 remake project for a very long time that I have some faith to be completed eventually.

[6741d89f76065voodoo47]

and the only one that got beyond loading textures and free flying trough levels, I believe.

[6741d89f76168j3rk]

I hadn't heard of the Revert3D project but it looks very promising/interesting. Thanks for the heads up!

[6741d89f76274icemann]

That one is the best of the bunch of the more recent remake attempts. Though the goals of Revert3D aren't so much on remaking SS1, its far more on making a 3D engine.

Either way I was very impressed with the last demo. Looking forward to the next round of improvements & changes.

[6741d89f765ceKolya]

Though the goals of Revert3D aren't so much on remaking SS1, its far more on making a 3D engine.

True, but if someone were to create an SS1 remake with Revert3d they could bug Robert et al. about the stuff they need to be implemented, sharing the workload. And allowing to create such a remake is definitely within the goals of Revert3d from all I read.

[6741d89f766c2icemann]

Of which that wouldn't surprise me considering the content of the latest demo.

[6741d89f767e9Synaesthesia]

What would be the point of using Revert3D? Unless I'm missing something in my cursory glance at it, there's no support for normals/specularity, or any of the other high-end features that make games stand out these days. UDK has an amazing graphical engine, and all you'd need is a programmer to get the game design set up. As I am not a programmer but an environment artist, expecting me to produce anything but visual details is sort of silly.

[6741d89f76c0bBriareos H]

What would be the point of using Revert3D?

Well, having a port without it being one of the stupid HD remakes without artistic direction we get nowadays. System Shock 1 was pretty when it came out but making it convincingly modern would require recreating geometry, textures and some game mechanics from scratch (think Half-Life vs. Black Mesa Source). Just adding detail to the textures and levels is only going to emphasize how silly the game would look under a realistic light.
Give me System Shock running in native desktop resolution with dithered textures and I'm happy.

And before someone says that I'm a hypocrite because I supported JukkaKevät's remake project, I'd like to point out that the HD textures he made were not 1:1 sharper versions of the originals but felt like they were remade in the spirit of awful early CGI visions of cyberpunk, which was obviously what they were going for with System Shock.

[6741d89f76d66Synaesthesia]

I see nothing wrong with the original art direction. And I'm not just making high-res textures of the original files. I'm also creating geometry where applicable and adding detail in places that simply didn't exist before. I've never met anyone who thinks that my work in UDK for System Shock looked "silly" or "bad" yet.

Kevat's remake looked terrible. If you want to talk about a lack of art direction, let's talk about that.

[6741d89f77081Judicator]

I see nothing wrong with the original art direction. And I'm not just making high-res textures of the original files. I'm also creating geometry where applicable and adding detail in places that simply didn't exist before. I've never met anyone who thinks that my work in UDK for System Shock looked "silly" or "bad" yet.

Kevat's remake looked terrible. If you want to talk about a lack of art direction, let's talk about that.

Aircraft, how is It Your project going so far?
Do You intend to mantain the feeling of the game by reproducing the original control method or are You planning to make a plain "modern" shooter (WASD)?
Thanks.

[6741d89f7718dicemann]

Whats wrong with WASD?

Most if not nearly all people played SS2 that way.

[6741d89f77280Synaesthesia]

Assuming this project ever gets off the ground, I will be using standard FPS conventions; WASD being the primary method of movement.

[6741d89f77397Judicator]

Thanks AK.

By the way there's nothing wrong with WASD, I would have liked more the control system of SS1, moslty because It was rather unique and innovative and was part of the gameplay nicely integrated  with UI. It gave a kind of feeling of being an electronically enhanced man.
As I remember, no oher game (not counting UW1, UW2), before and after SS1, had such a feature.

[6741d89f774b3Qmaster]

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!  2011!!!  This CAN'T be another, yet another failed attempt at a remake.  I can make enemy models and and  Err.. ...  AGHHHHH!! come back, is this still here??

hello



anyone...

Pass the Salt.   I have Fries.

[6741d89f775efNE1]

Pity, a seemingly deceased, long forgotten promise of a System Shock remake, lost in eternity amongst the others.........

"Where've all the remakes gone? Long time passing.
 Where've all the remakes gone? Long time ago.
 Where've all the remakes gone? Gone for dreams, everyone.
 When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?"

[Kingston Trio - Where've all the Flowers Gone?]

[6741d89f7775bNE1]

 Where've all the dreams gone? Long time passing.
 Where've all the dreams gone? Long time ago.
 Where've all the dreams gone? Fans believe them, everyone.
 When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

 Where've all the fans gone? Long time passing.
 Where've all the fans gone? Long time ago.
 Where've all the fans gone? Gone for games, everyone.
 When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

 Where've all the games gone? Long time passing.
 Where've all the games gone? Long, long time ago.
 Where've all the games gone? Lost in files, everyone.
 When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

 Where've all the files gone? Long time passing.
 Where've all the files gone? Long time ago.
 Where've all the files gone? Gone to remakes, everyone.
 When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?"