I just came up with an idea of an SP project for Unreal. This would be a total conversion of the classic Amiga FPS: Alien Breed 3D, along with its sequel, The Killing Grounds.
The target platform would be Unreal 227. Remake should cover everything, most notable features would be:
- all monsters and weapons,
- all levels
- all textures (must be S3TC!)
- the HUD
The Unreal Gold desktop background would be replaced two selectable wallpapers, one from AB3D full version, the latter from AB3D II demo. The entry level would feature the colony from Tower Assault as a flyby.
Now, one thing (apart from moving everything into perfect 3D instead of sprites or such) would definitely be changed: instead of texts at the beginning of each level, one would see an overhead view of the map just finished and hear Reynolds speaking, just like 849 in Return to Na Pali.
The main question is: does anyone here wish to participate in such a project? My main skill is good and efficient style of organisation and leadership - but I need a team to lead.
Now, what do I need:
- 3D artist / modeller
- 2D artist / texture artist
- coder
- sound engineer (well, someone who would ensure the quality of voice acting is proper)
- voice actor (preferably a black person - we never gain certainity what was Reynolds' skin color, but I consider black skinned marines especially stylish, vide Apone, so even if Reynolds was white, we would change that for the remake's purpose)
- mapper
- german2english translator
Did I miss anything? Guess not. Well, the more, the merrier, so multiple persons on any of the vacancies are strongly welcome
The AB3D series that the remake is going to base on includes:
1. The AB3D demo. It is a prologue level to the full game.
2. The AB3D full game.
3. The AB3DII demo. The level would have to receive an ending as it doesn't have one.
4. The AB3DII full version.
5. The AB3DII add-ons, they include:
- The "Duke Nukem Level" (has no connection to Duke whatsoever, pure AB3D). I have this on an oldie amiga disc, doesn't float on Aminet, will have to go get it if we're supposed to do it.
- The "Killing Bricks" level
- The "Budgy Breed" level
- The "Xenium Core" expansion (16 complete levels)
- Some German 7-level expansion
- Jason Frecknall's 4-level expansion
That would be one of the wallpapers:
http://www.mobygames.com/game/amiga/alien-breed-3d/screenshots/gameShotId,69685/
One thing would have to be added: MULTIPLAYER! There was only coop in AB3D2 as far as I remember and no real MP. Some AB3D-themed DM maps are a necessity as well as full coop support.
Now, as I have no real skills in UnrealEd, I can concentrate on what I do best: organisation. And I WILL BE ABLE to keep this project running but I need PEOPLE to do it! Do you want this project to succeed? It's the very 0%/vanilla start moment of it! Are you ready? ARE YOU READY? Then report, soldiers!
Due to the REMAKE nature of the project... yes, the creativity of people is limited - but not closed down.
Remember Tomb Raider? Compare it to Anniversary. This is the aim of the project being presented: bring AB3D to a decent engine.
Now, new sections of the levels will be welcome, maybe even subquests? I mean: the goal of the level was to blast out a monster, why not add a little gizmo to activate it first? One of the most obvious lacks of AB3D's gameplay was no intex terminals or objectives, the complex itself seems to have no purpose - why not add a thing or two here'n there to make the colony image closer to the original 2D Alien Breed? Creativity IS possible here, but the main "skeleton" of the level must remain fairly untouched.
HUD will definitely be taken from part 2 as well as the weapon models. The Plasma Gun will gain the triple shot as alt-fire, as well as the Lazer, but the altfire for the first one will be added later ingame as an improvement - take note that there was no triple shot in AB3D1!
Now, the grenade and rocket launchers will not require any significant amount of work, as well as the AR. All are in RNP, only the altfire would have to be removed and the model changed. The Blaster is pretty much the automag - only the blaster is a notch slower. The shotgun can start off with quadshot as a base class, only "taken care of". The mine will get out of the weapon selection and hop into inventory. This way, instead of 10 guns in AB3D2, there will be seven in AB3D anniversary:
The AR, grenade and rocket launchers, the plasma gun and the shotgun in the original Osiris III campaign, with laser and blaster added in The Killing Grounds. The mine will be usable as an inventory item.
I am still trying to decide whether to stick with AB3D Demo and TKG music theme Packed Test or use Bjorn Lynne's CD32 AB3D tunes for the Osiris III campaign. I guess that music will have to be created absolutely anew if we're about to scrap Packed Test, because Lynne's work is probably going to be trashed. This decision will however be consulted with the team as it grows.
STATUS REPORT:
Original game redistributable preparation: 99% done.
Resource extraction: 5% done.
Music: 90% done.
Wallpapers: 100% done.
THE TEAM:
Vergil a.k.a. Delacroix - Team Leader, resource extraction, redistributable preparation.
Artifex - UWindows desktop backgrounds.
PRIMEVAL - Music conversion.
Mappers:
Charon - has agreed to make a DM map or two once the classes and resources are fully coded and ready to use.
Justing - has offered his services as a mapper. Will be contacted when the time calls for it.
Some videos of the original games for you to check out:
The AB3D redistributable:
http://rapidshare.com/files/147873390/AB3D_Redist.zip.html
Contains the preinstalled games in a fairly easy to use package. Do view the readme before doing anything.
- although its been a while since I played it, hehe 
...227 offers more and is more optimized...
