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EinhanderZwei

Ocean (aka OCEAN, Ocean 2024)

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Good day ladies and gentlemen!

Some time ago I've posted here about a wad I was working on, called Project Savior... http://www.doomworld.com/vb/showthread.php?postid=1048213#post1048213

It was totally not the most polished thing in the world, but it helped me a lot in learning various ZDoom tips and tricks :) During the majority of 2013 it was dead, forgotten in abandoned, however one day I've decided to create a new FPS mod... for the Aleph One engine.

Due to the technical difficulties, the idea proved to be way too ambitious for now, so I've decided to return to the good ol' GZDOOM, and I'd like to present you the demo of the spiritual sequel/remake of P.S., called OCEAN!

This is a wad meant to be considered a thing of its own, like HACX or Harmony. Also, unlike the traditional DOOM gameplay, it's heavily reliant on story, environment and sometimes even stealth. Up until now, all the updates and/or progress were tracked on my DeviantArt profile, but now since the demo is out, I've summed up my courage to show it here :)

And this is not a proof-of-concept, not a 'hey I have an idea' - this is an actual 7-map demo (counting the TITLEMAP) with an environmental plot, horror atmosphere, gore, zombies and some bewbs. The full version would also feature a romantic subplot :3

Here are the screenshots: http://ocean-2024.deviantart.com/gallery/49750318/Live-Screenshots

Here is the FAQ (on my blog): http://e-u-l-mk2.blogspot.com/2014/03/ocean-updated-faq.html

For the credits, general info and stuff like this, you may use this link: http://tinyurl.com/OceanHub

Well, and of course, please feel free to, heh, download the demo from, say, ModDB: http://www.moddb.com/games/sergei-savenkos-ocean/downloads/ocean-demo-10

Haven't uploaded it to /newstuff yet, because it currently violates some requirements (filesize, not-being-a-full-version, etc.), as well as has some nasty bugs - the release notes can be seen here:
* http://e-u-l-mk2.blogspot.com/2014/06/ocean-demo-10-released.html
* http://e-u-l-mk2.blogspot.com/2014/06/ocean-demo-mini-faq.html

Hope you'll like it! :) Cheers!

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Seems very ambitious.

I wanted to check it out quickly, but the startup took forever, so I just cancelled it. The reason for the startup taking forever is that your resources are a mess. Too many missing patches to report.

I'll play it tomorrow.

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walter confalonieri said:

looks interesting from the screenshots.....


Thank you! :) Hoping to hear your feedback anytime soon! ;)

Da Werecat said:

Seems very ambitious.

I wanted to check it out quickly, but the startup took forever, so I just cancelled it. The reason for the startup taking forever is that your resources are a mess. Too many missing patches to report.

I'll play it tomorrow.


Yes, my apologies for that - I'm aware of the issue and the cause, but unfortunately I had to rush the demo to meet the June, 8 deadline (World Ocean Day). This will be fixed in the 1.1 demo; in fact, that's the next thing I'll be working on. It's not because the resources are really a mess, but rather because I didn't have time to cleanup the FreeDoom's TEXTURE lump :(

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OCEAN Demo 1.1 Released!

The download links can be found here: http://e-u-l-mk2.blogspot.com/2014/06/ocean-demo-11-released.html

For your convenience, reprinting the changelog:

* Reduced the number of startup error messages;
* Moved around the hints and opening credits;
* Reduced the number of necessary files;
* Weakened the nurses - now their attack are less frequent and slightly less damaging;
* Fixed one of the ceiling textures in Hypothermia, as well as one mapping issue (now there's an ability to crawl back rom the conference room);
* No more chainsaw puffs in diving mode;
* Fixed a minor GUI issue on MAP01;
* Recompressed some of the textures to JPG.

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Sorry, I totally forgot.

Okay, I tried it. Well, as of now it feels rather unpolished, even for a demo. I could nitpick the visuals for a long time:

http://i.imgur.com/zUIMoE4.png - ceiling.
http://i.imgur.com/q4q8DvQ.png - not the best usage of the blinking light effect. And there's a sky glitch at the background.
http://i.imgur.com/BCU74YP.png - weird lighting.

Et cetera, et cetera. I can see some Marathon design influences, but everything usually looks cleaner there.

Not sure about gameplay. The first encounter with a drone revealed some unpleasantness: you die from a few shots, you can't really defend yourself with your bare hands, and whether you'll be shot in the back while running away feels like a matter of luck.

My adventures in that level were quite fascinating, actually. At first I thought that I need to lure the drone somewhere and then crawl here to unlock the exit. Easier said than done, considering that you can be shot even through a wall. I hope it's a bug. The dialog revealed that I did a good job with some relays or something, even though I didn't. "Okay" - I said to myself, and ran into a railgunner out in the open, with no cover whatsoever. "Ouch" was the next thing I said.

The next day I decided to try the level again. I quickly discovered that it's possible to trap the drone in an elevator, which is a nice touch, even though I doubt that many people will figure it out before activating the drone. Disposing of the railgunner was surprisingly easy this time. As I found out in the next level, that was because my character stopped taking damage somewhere along the way.

I had to start over to get rid of this bug - all of my savegames were affected at that point. This time I decided to explore the level a little more, since there were some "unnecessary" rooms. I found a switch that made me realize that what I did before was actually a sequence break that allowed me to skip the whole mission.

Eh.

Proper progression revealed what I was suspecting already: combat is unforgiving, and the "smart" ways of getting rid of the drones are unlikely to be figured out before dying a few times. Simply running from everything is not an option, because it's barely possible to explore under constant hitscan fire. A lot of trial-and-error gameplay, essentially.

The next level is a very straightforward slaughter in cramped corridors, but I didn't get too far yet.

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Hey, don't worry! We all get busy at times, so... but on the flip side, I hope you've tried the 1.1 demo, because I admit the 1.0 demo was a mess...

Onto your feedbacks:

Da Werecat said:

I could nitpick the visuals for a long time:

http://i.imgur.com/zUIMoE4.png - ceiling.
http://i.imgur.com/q4q8DvQ.png - not the best usage of the blinking light effect. And there's a aky glitch at the background.
http://i.imgur.com/BCU74YP.png - weird lighting.

Those are BEYOND weird... :O Which port are you using? It's most recommended to be ran in GZDoom, since ZDoom and Zandronum may (and will, in Zandronum's case) be incompatible. For all the times I've tested those levels, I never experienced those glitches, at least the first one. I'll look into those anyway then, but that's totally sudden :S

Da Werecat said:

I can see some Marathon design influences, but everything usually looks cleaner there.

Aw, thanks! :D I'm glad they're totally evident, awkward as they are. These maps are actually my first 'serious' attempts - I'm not excusing myself, just putting you into perspective :)

Da Werecat said:

The first encounter with a drone revealed some unpleasantness: you die from a few shots, you can't really defend yourself with your bare hands, and whether you'll be shot in the back while running away feels like a matter of luck.

This is actually a deliberate design choice, to plant the feeling of unsafety in the player. It's not really supposed to play like Doom, I'm leaning more towards BioShock and Half-Life here :)

Da Werecat said:

My adventures in that level were quite fascinating, actually. At first I thought that I need to lure the drone somewhere and then crawl here to unlock the exit.

Yes, I'm aware of this flaw, and indeed it breaks the level objectives sequence :( I'm very ashamed of screwing that up, and it's the very first thing I'm going to fix in the full version (though I'm thinking of a 1.2 demo now, too)

Da Werecat said:

you can be shot even through a wall. I hope it's a bug.

Hm, yes it is, and again, a totally weird one :( It didn't occur to me while playtesting, but I'll take a look...

Da Werecat said:

I quickly discovered that it's possible to trap the drone in an elevator, which is a nice touch, even though I doubt that many people will figure it out before activating the drone.

Well, it's made sort-of-obscure on purpose, but still placed nearly in plainsight...

Da Werecat said:

As I found out in the next level, that was because my character stopped taking damage somewhere along the way.

I had to start over to get rid of this bug - all of my savegames were affected at that point.

Now this is just getting mystical... :O I swear by God nothing like that has occurred in GZDoom 1.8.2, and there are no scripts that are supposed to alter the player's health... oh my :(

Da Werecat said:

Combat is unforgiving, and the "smart" ways of getting rid of the drones are unlikely to be figured out before dying a few times. Simply running from everything is not an option, because it's barely possible to explore under constant hitscan fire. A lot of trial-and-error gameplay, essentially.

Again, this was an intended gameplay choice, to make the game more horror-like, as opposed to traditional run-n-gun action; with a little more emphasis on stealth as opposed to brute force. I'm aware I'm no Sergio Casali, so I've decided to do an FPS subgenre I'm more familiar with :)

Da Werecat said:

The next level is a very straightforward slaughter in cramped corridors, but I didn't get too far yet.

Yup, that one was designed to be a more or less classic shoot'em up level, as opposed to all the avantgarde stuff from the levels before and after it :D Hopefully you'll like it and the last (for now) level, and thank you so much for detailed feedback! Every critique (especially negative) helps me polish the product and deliver what I really want to!

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EinhanderZwei said:

Which port are you using?

A bundled one. I downloaded the full package of the 1.1 demo when it was released.

I understand what you're trying to achieve with this game, I just didn't enjoy the implementation that much. The game mostly forced me to use the saving system instead of thinking.

What I would do, personally, is to expand the level, making it bigger and more interconnected. This would allow the player to reach his goal somehow, even if he runs out of ammo with enemies remaining in the area. Right now it's very easy to get yourself into a hopeless situation, and the only reliable solution is to abuse the saving system.

Anyway, good luck with your project. It's always nice to see something original.

I swear by God nothing like that has occurred in GZDoom 1.8.2, and there are no scripts that are supposed to alter the player's health... oh my :(

I couldn't reproduce it either. But I still have a savegame with this bug.

http://rghost.ru/56588484

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Da Werecat said:

A bundled one. I downloaded the full package of the 1.1 demo when it was released.

I see... I'm so shocked because nobody else has reported these bugs, but a few other folks have reported ones that were completely different from these, and totally unique for each PC :( I guess I should reduce the number of OpenGL bells-n-whistles then, so there'll be some sort of compatibility standard...

Da Werecat said:

I understand what you're trying to achieve with this game, I just didn't enjoy the implementation that much. The game mostly forced me to use the saving system instead of thinking. < ... >

Thank you so much! :) I'll see what I can do, and I'm more than sure that all these maps will be greatly expanded and revamped for the full version, so I'll sure take your notes into account!

Actually, I've inserted a lot of shafts and additional corridors to 'Fear Of The Dark' (the map you've stopped at), because the original design was also very cramped and straightforward; hopefully it plays well enough :)

Da Werecat said:

Anyway, good luck with your project. It's always nice to see something original.

Thanks again! :D Flaws are flaws, but 'originality' is my motto here indeed :)

Da Werecat said:

I couldn't reproduce it either. But I still have a savegame with this bug.

http://rghost.ru/56588484

Alright, I'll take a look once I have the opportunity!

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walter confalonieri said:

So, i finished this recently, is a interesting project!

Haha, thank you very much! :D Can you please advise if you have confirmed any of the glitches reported by Da Werecat? I'm just curious if they're global or exclusive to each individual machine; as I was still unable to reproduce the majority of them

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BUMP TIME!

A month ago I have repackaged and released the 'final' demo, now called OCEAN Episode I

Please feel free to download it and share your thoughts! :D

http://www.moddb.com/games/sergei-savenkos-ocean/downloads/ocean-episode-i-no-time

I have addressed the majority of located bugs, did some new improvements, added 1 new map and 1 new cutscene and much more!

Full changelog:
- Created a voxel model for Overdose (aka Berserk);
- Created a voxel model for Blueprints Memo (aka Computer Area Map);
- Created a voxel model for Night Vision Goggles (aka Light Amplification Visor);
- Removed the recommendation to disable vertical mouselook from the startup card;
- Added the recommendation to bind the 'Seocndary Fire' key to the startup card;
- Redone the fist punch mechanic Hexen-style;
- Added the quick kick to all weapons;
- Fixed the accidental godmode (hopefully);
- Did a little smoother Slayer animation;
- Altered the textures color scheme to be more Marathon-like;
- New NPC: Marina;
- New monster: Aquamorph;
- MAP02: Re-shaded the starting area, altered the monsters;
- MAP03: Put machete near the switch;
- MAP05: Removed the machete;
- MAP06: Fixed the car textures;
- MAP06: Generator door was open from the start for some reason - fixed;
- MAP03, MAP05, MAP06: Reduced and remixed the number and variety of monsters;
- MAP07: New map;
- Altered the zombie and NBCU sounds;
- Reworked the BAT file;

Known issues:
- Marina can sometimes wander aimlessly and ignore waypoints. To fix, just hang around her for a few seconds and let her come with you.

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Well despite any flaws pointed out, these screenshots are definitely interesting, the overall presentation looks fairly unique for a Doom wad.

Why do you have 'ocean' written 3 times in the title though? Ocean, AKA OCEAN, Ocean 2024 - It's quite a mouthful ;)

Either way, best of luck on this. I'll leave proper feedback soon.

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Doomkid said:

Well despite any flaws pointed out, these screenshots are definitely interesting, the overall presentation looks fairly unique for a Doom wad.


Thank you! :D That's pretty much the only foreword I'd like to give - to properly enjoy it, you should distance yourself from classic DOOM gameplay, as Ocean is more in the same key as 'artsy' shooters like BioShock, Marathon and Strife. It has some 'kill 'em all' maps (I'm especially proud of MAP05), but other than that it's more of a horror style mod

Doomkid said:

Why do you have 'ocean' written 3 times in the title though? Ocean, AKA OCEAN, Ocean 2024 - It's quite a mouthful ;)


Haha, it's the same thing as 'Doom' vs 'DooM' vs 'DOOM' :D All three ways are valid and canonical, so it's just a matter of convenience :) Right now, it's mostly referred to as OCEAN, and the full title is Sergei Savenko's OCEAN (my nod to John Carpenter's movies)

Doomkid said:

Either way, best of luck on this. I'll leave proper feedback soon.


Thank you!! I'll be waiting for it! :)

grouchbag said:

Well,I like it no matter what.I will certainly be good when it's done.Good luck!


Yaay, thank you so much! :D The release is currently scheduled for October 15, so there's not much time to wait left!

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EinhanderZwei said:

Ah, this is Doncella Suicide, Spanish photo model :) There's a page on OCEAN Wiki dedicated to her, and it has the links to her Facebook, Instagram and so on: http://oceanhub.wikia.com/wiki/Doncella_Suicide


Thanks, could you also point me to the name of the texture of that command prompt? I'm curious to see what it says. whoops, turns out you linked me to it.

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invictius said:

What does Doncella think of your wad? I'd be very flattered if someone made a wad that quasi-revolved around me.

Well, she's fully aware of it, and she happily agreed to participate in the promotion! I didn't include her photos without her permission, and I even paid some royalties :) In return, she's promoting my wad on her DeviantArt and Instagram pages!

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