Hell Denizen (Early Access on Steam)

[TwinBeast]

I think I change the story line a little. Tested some Wanted poster about the player character that also mentioned the "crime" but that felt kind of heavy and then the whole story about the demons hunting the player character because she's transgender started feeling heavy. While the Wanted poster was sort of cool idea, realized I'd need lots and lots of posters and signs. Would probably need to do more realistic locations/levels and I prefer making abstract levels. Also I may be a little lazy sometimes.

 

Here's what might be the new short back story:

Earth has been invaded by demons many years ago. The demon rulers have slaved, tortured and killed everyone who resisted. They found out you were plotting a rebellion against them and are now hunting you as an enemy of the state. Your goal is to start a rebellion and overthrow the evil demon rulers and their minions.

 

Player character would continue to be transgender, but that wouldn't be mentioned in the story anymore?

 

And here's a screenshot with curved brush geometry, maybe I should do some more stuff like this now that I figured out how to do curved brushes with textures nicely aligned:

[TwinBeast]

Started wondering if the decoration/hazard objects should sink or float in water. Resulted in floating Oil barrels and TNT boxes that sink. Probably adding some non explosive pushables too and wondering if player should have some grab button?

 

Some junk in Level 06 Junkyard.

 

And a conveyor belt.

 

Hud and powerups, no exact counts displayed for them anymore (except the Power Ammo), felt like too much too numbers in the hud. Picked up every powerup here. The oxygen bubble above the health icon would show up underwater when 5s or less oxygen, turns red when 0. Not visible in this screenshot, but also added low thresholds for the numbers, so they show in red when low and grey when 0.

 

[mrthejoshmon]

 

I'll be waiting.

[TwinBeast]

Early Access getting closer, Level 06: Junkyard is now completed, and now just need to make Level 10, which is going to be a boss arena that can also double as a DM level. Then I also have an earlier "Start" level that is no longer used as a "Start" level, but a slightly bigger version from it could become another DM level and there would be total 4 DM levels.

 

Also need to go through every level and make some wall lamps and key door lamps into func_detail_illusionary. Colliding into such small details is a bit annoying. Probably doing some other little adjustments too.

 

Then there's also some coding stuff like the game menu is a bit bloated with too much options / sub menus. Also the weapons need some changes if playing DM, smart and guided weapons need to be less smart/guided, and some weapons need to do less damage against players.

 

Around 20 seconds to the video, player encounters a Catnomicon, which was earlier intended as a semi easter egg item that permanently upgrades ammo capacity, attack, health or armor, and each type of upgrade could be collected 10 times. Tested how the game felt with the player character fully upgraded and well, uhh, she was a bit too strong and the game lacked challenge. So now they just give some ammo, health and armor, but no upgrading. Maybe there's still going to be some achievement for finding all of them, each level going to contain at least one.

 

 

[TwinBeast]

Released Hell Denizen Early Access on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2347390/Hell_Denizen/

 

The first version contains the first episode which is 10 levels + 2 secret levels, and 3 deathmatch / survival levels. The game takes place in futuristic southern Finland. The player character codenamed MeowMeow (you can change the name) starts the game at her workplace where the demons had kept her as a slave. Now she must fight the demons and start a rebellion to overthrow the evil demon rulers and their minions.

 

Version 1, Release Notes:

• Default video mode is 1600x1000 windowed
• Forgot R as one of the default bindings for Pause
• 256 color palette glsl postprocessing shader might not work with AMD graphics cards
• RT World Lighting may be very slow

These things will be fixed/changed in the next or later updates. I'll collect feedback data for a few days and then address all the simple easy to fix issues for the next update. Fixing the RT World Lighting slowness can take a little longer and will be in a later update. I'm using version numbering like: 1, 2, 3, 4... So the next version will be version 2.

 

I've also added a Discord server for Hell Denizen, though it's still a bit quiet there.

 

 

Here's some random screenshots:

Shooting a pack of zombies with the shotgun.

 

Firing the assault rifle in third person.

 

The demons getting incinerated with the flamethrower.

 

If you play the game, feedback is very much appreciated :3

[Daytime Waitress]

This project has looked fun from the videos you've posted so far, but I wasn't expecting it to be this much of a delight. There's a joy to it that I'm having trouble putting into words - something about the way the textures and lighting combine with the fluidity of Unreal/Quake-era movement, and how that all gets wrapped up by the genuinely cathartic rhythm of blowing away large groups of enemies in increasingly fun combat set-pieces. Only three levels in and it's an absolute banger.

[BGreener]

I'm in the same boat as @Daytime Waitress here, three levels in and it's tons of fun. I'm really liking the enemy volume: Lots of meaty mobs for those grenades and shotgun alt-fires.

This was gleaned from what you've been showing us, but the style reminds me of "Stroggos invaded by hell" - right up my alley! Having a great time so far.

 

[TwinBeast]

So glad you like it @Daytime Waitress and @BGreener

 

Just uploaded version 2 and then immediately had to update to version 3, which fixes the Reset to Defaults functionality, uhh. Here's the release notes/changelog:

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2347390/view/3681180462710570156?l=english

 

Has anyone found this level yet:

 

And I've been wondering about making the flamethrower alt fire have a charge function by holding the alt fire button down for a while. Quick tap would fire the current non power ammo alt fire (the incendiary grenade), and holding the button down longer would add the circling flames up to 8 flames (the flame bomb, seen in the screenshot).

 

Maybe also add a charge function for the grenade launcher (alt fire)? Though not entirely sure what the charge would do for it, shoot multiple grenades? Maybe the plasmagun alt fire could (rather) have charge, so both high tech weapons would have something similar in their alt fire?

[TwinBeast]

Making progress on Episode 2. The portal at the end of Episode 1 took player to Northern Finland.

 

The demons have been experimenting on regenerative technology in Rovaniemi Lab to improve the Zombies to be more durable in harsh environments.

 

The Brutes also got some armor and a machinegun to guard the experiments from intruders. Should make some snowy textures other than just snow and ice.

 

Then I've been tweaking the weapons and turning the Power Ammo into a timed triple damage powerup. Feels more useful than the version 3 power ammo that just has a minor effect on the alternate firing modes.

 

[Lila Feuer]

Had no idea this was a thing, it looks very cool! I'll be sure to check it out down the line.

[TwinBeast]

Version 4 is out. There's new areas in some of the levels and realtime lighting performance is better. It's also possible to turn off the monster shadows while keeping shadows on the world, which further improves the framerate. Though levels with large open areas like Level 07: Catwalks can still be slow with realtime lighting on.

 

Spent kinda lots of time on tweaking the weapons, suppose they're pretty good now, but definitely not going to add more. Rather I'll just polish the current weapons models/textures if needed. Maybe doing a new model for the Railgun, as it's no longer a Sniper Rifle type of weapon, it's become more Shotgun like and uses Shells for the ammo.

 

Then there's also a Gameplay Settings menu that allow some other kind of gameplay changes than just how many monsters are in the levels. For an example it's possible to turn off the more powerful powerups for extra challenge.

 

The crosshair can now change color depending on target health. Green: 100 - 76%, Yellow: 75 - 51%, Orange: 50 - 26%, Red: 25 - 1%, White: No target and Blue: Explosive barrels etc, or player with health over 100% (maybe there should be different colors for these two).

 

Level 04: Toxic Tunnels got some extension and more toxic slime.

 

Level 08: Blood Processing got some more blood, there's a large pool of blood ahead where player needs to swim for a bit.

 

Secret 99: Hexed got some adjustments too. The quicksand got replaced with water, which makes this area more attractive looking and plays more fun.

 

And here's a more detailed changelog: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2347390/view/3709336113899540693?l=english

[TwinBeast]

Released version 6. It's got one new level, improved textures, better 256 color palette postprocessing shader and bug fixes. Was kinda stuck on making the new palette. Didn't know exactly how the palette should have been, and some colors just didn't like to work nice, but eventually with some inspiration from the Blood palette and combining that inspiration with the old palette, the new palette formed.

 

The new level is Level 11: Rovaniemi Anomaly. It used to be the level named Vengeful Entry, but it didn't fit into Episode 1, so it became the first level of Episode 2 with new/extended areas.

 

Here's a yard outside, there's still "the choice" between the red and blue buttons.

 

Later player ventures into the basement underneath the yard.

 

The facility is heated with some lava.

 

This red lit corridor with the demon spawn didn't change much, but there are some buttons at the corridor ends. What could they do?

 

The first 2 screenshots are with the new palette and the second 2 screenshots are with a new posterize shader that tries to mimic some of the paletted look. The posterize shader may work faster on older computers than the 256 color shader.

 

Patch Notes:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2347390/view/3961546575204993796?l=english

 

[Redneckerz]

I love that this game exists.

[TwinBeast]

Released version 7, made a new gameplay trailer and updated the store page, and there's a 20% discount for a week.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2347390/Hell_Denizen/

 

Version 7 adds Level 12: Power Plant. It's a kind of large level that has some non linearity. Player and level stats can be recorded and there's some background stories about the monsters, weapons and levels. There's also some weapon tweaks and bug fixes, and player can do a Power Meow, which knocks enemies away from player.

 

The magnum pistols primary fire is now the magnum bullets and alternate is an explosive magnum flare. The machinegun got an alternate fire: mini rockets. The rocket launcher got renamed to missile launcher and only fires guided missiles. It has 3 types: basic, incendiary and fusion. The lightning ripper was reverted back to using energy cells and the alternate fire is a slow moving ball lightning that can slide along surfaces and fires secondary lightning bolts at nearby targets.

 

Here's the trailer in YouTube. Wanted it to have some episode 2 stuff, but maybe later when more episode 2 levels are complete.

 

Here's a video where I was testing the Ball Lightning in Level 12. Note: the weapon doesn't actually appear in the level.

 

It's snowing in Level 12: Power Plant.

Just a random action shot from Level 09: Pit of Decay with the posterize shader.

Stats and some background information about the stuff.

 

Version 7 patch notes if you need something long to read while falling asleep:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2347390/view/4101161968283337389?l=english

 

Plans for next version: Going to make proper specular textures for all level textures, so they don't use the fallback specular, which makes every surface using it shine the same amount. All monsters should have at least 2 death animations, and remove the silly spinning. The player character could have some updates: like a bigger visor for the helmet, maybe return the cat ears, and remove the skirt, the belt part of the skirt could stay. Then maybe some other polishing, maybe no new levels.

 

Plans for the whole year: Here's a collage / plan image for Episode 2. The image is missing: Level 15 which may contain a boss monster, Level 20 which will be the final level, Level 11 which is already complete. Don't know if I'll make them in order, though the first two levels of episode 2 were made in order. Levels 14, 16, 17 and 18 are the most complete.