Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
Coraline

Hypertension: Harmony of Darkness (Psychological-horror FPS for Dreamcast)

Recommended Posts

You guys might remember this when it was branded as a Blood-based total conversion for EDGE, well, it has nothing to do with Blood anymore. As well as the negative reception we received from certain communities, Atari had also gotten involved with an actual takedown request late in the original development cycle, so we halted production for a few years.

https://scontent.fsnc1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/11227560_950297641679692_5934675328248842301_n.png?oh=73ec63b9cfe56eb3e8d5168a1a4fe637&oe=564EC965

For a brief history, check out this thread on Duke4.

Anyways, long story short, it's a commercial shooter for Dreamcast using 3DGE as a base for the engine. As a result, 3DGE has been getting lots of updates to facilitate the game. Currently, Hypertension is one of the most anticipated Dreamcast games due to being one of the first shooters released in a long time, as well as being full 3D. The other is SLaVE, which my team is also porting that was done by a different developer (Jayextee on DW). GOAT Store Publishing, LLC is publishing and distributing both games, while we are in negotiations with another company to handle the marketing.

So, I sort of wanted to create this thread to show off some of the assets and things we are putting into the production. This project also spawned 3DGE Builder, which is a customized version of GZDB, so we could import OBJ for terrain and other goodies like that. As soon as polyobjects are completed for 3DGE, Hexen-format maps will be mostly supported (no ACS though). Also integrating a camera scripting engine, cutscene support...all that jazz. We are looking at a late 2015, early 2016 release date.

Our Facebook has a lot of media content, including pictures and videos of the game in development, 3d models, etc.

I am programming the engine and gamecode, but I also dabble in story, dialogue, 3D assets (motion capture for the models, mostly), and graphical work. The script itself has gone through a billion rewrites before I actually hired someone to handle that stuff (he actually came from Ubisoft). I have spent an exhausting amount of my life on this project (almost a decade), so I'm hoping it'll come to a close so I can move on.

Anyways, just thought I would launch a development thread as you all would give us the most critical feedback being a commercial TC based on DOOM and all. I post screens and video every once in awhile in the Post Your threads in Doom General.

Here's a recent trailer we released a few days ago (older technically than the next video I will show, mostly made to show off the production value):



Newer-ish trailer released earlier showing new engine stuff:


For comparison, here's a trailer we released in 2009 when it was still based on BLOOD:


And then, when Atari finally let us continue development as long as we replaced all copyrighted assets, we released this at the Midwest Gaming Classic 2014, but as evident, lots of Blood stuff was still in this version:


Just as a note, we know the 3D assets are low poly - we have to design them around the limitations of the NEC PowerVR2 (16MB video RAM, but god-like texture compression lets us get away with 512x512 max), but we just implemented normal mapping on MD5 and MDL models since Dreamcast supports bump-mapping. And we have really good 3D artists who are constantly improving upon the models and assets.

I have a pretty well rounded team, but we are always looking for more help (specifically, with engine programming and level design), so feel free to inquire if interested. Any questions feel free to ask, I'll keep this thread updated here and there with assets as time goes on! =)

Share this post


Link to post

Although i find it to be extremely weird to put time and resources into developing a new Commercial Dreamcast game as its an ancient nearly forgotten console (in the mainstream) it also strikes me as amazing to see this happen.

Share this post


Link to post
Voltcom9 said:

I am excited to see this in its completed state. But that being said I'd love to see it ported to PC as well as the Dreamcast.

Yeah we are hoping it does well enough on Dreamcast so the publisher will let us port. We have significantly higher-quality assets that would run well on a modern computer, so hopefully it sells enough that we can put it up on Steam or something similar.

Share this post


Link to post

Awesome stuff, Chu. I can probably convince my boss to bring in the Dreamcast to play! Last year for Extra Life we played a variety of DC games so maybe we can do a stream as well!

Share this post


Link to post

I think Dreamcast is a really strange platform to develop for, but looks interesting enough. Should've gone with a PC port right away IMO.

Share this post


Link to post

May I ask why the Dreamcast? It was a console that failed pretty much shortly after its launch, and AFAIK, unlike the (also failed) Sega Saturn, it didn't even gain enough of a foothold in its native country, Japan, which usually kept some equally failed technologies (such as Sony's MiniDisk) on life support for somewhat longer than in the rest of the world.

Share this post


Link to post

There are still plenty of shmups being made for Dreamcast. High quality too. While I can say you'll make more money on PC or consoles... seriously, you do what you want to do and have fun doing it! Everyone with a Dreamcast and the money to buy your game will feel special because they own it and no one else does.

Share this post


Link to post
Jaxxoon R said:

Spooky like a reverse nightmare.



So a horse day?

Share this post


Link to post

No, apparently it's where you wake up but you're dead somehow. That's what the crazy lady that fights giant cooked chickens at the farm told me at least.

Share this post


Link to post

Hypertension, it will kill one of us one day.

Share this post


Link to post
Jaxxoon R said:

No, apparently it's where you wake up but you're dead somehow. That's what the crazy lady that fights giant cooked chickens at the farm told me at least.

Do you have a problem with me or something? You made your points at Zdoom and I explained what happened...so I'm just going to assume you are trolling at this point. It was funny the first time, but pointing it out like this is overdoing it.

Besides, dialogue is supposed to be cheesy in a horror game. And that trailer...did you even read the preface?

ANYWAYS, we were offered a contract but it only applied for a Dreamcast game...back in 2010. The good thing is that the disc will be pressed and will be a physical release. Developing this game is very much a different experience than it is developing a modern game...its really neat :-)

Share this post


Link to post
geo said:

There are still plenty of shmups being made for Dreamcast. High quality too. While I can say you'll make more money on PC or consoles... seriously, you do what you want to do and have fun doing it! Everyone with a Dreamcast and the money to buy your game will feel special because they own it and no one else does.

Or you could run it on an emulator and have one less piece of archaic hardware cluttering about.

Chu y u no pc instead of contract?

Share this post


Link to post

Will this be available on PC as a 3DGE mod? I probably don't speak for everyone but I don't have a Dreamcast laying around.

Share this post


Link to post
Chu said:

Do you have a problem with me or something? You made your points at Zdoom and I explained what happened...so I'm just going to assume you are trolling at this point. It was funny the first time, but pointing it out like this is overdoing it.

I made my points at Zdoom. Not here. Now they are here for those that don't Zdoom. You can't write cheesy dialogue without facing the consequences; That if you write a Jill Sandwich everyone will make fun of the Jill Sandwich.

That is all.

Share this post


Link to post

I kind of disagree that horror games are supposed to have cheesy dialog. I prefer it when they either have no dialog or serious dialog that immerses me in the game more. I play Resident Evil as a comedy game more than anything just because the Jill Sandwich line just makes me cackle every single time.

As well as that part where he goes WESKEEEEERRRRR!!!!111!!1one

Share this post


Link to post

Especially something that's apparently psychological horror. When I hear psychological horror, I think Silent Hill kind of things.

Share this post


Link to post
Jaxxoon R said:

Especially something that's apparently psychological horror. When I hear psychological horror, I think Silent Hill kind of things.

Yea, definitely noted. The big lot of dialogue that we have recorded since is a bit more serious. Sorry about flying off, I just had a rough day today. :/

SYS said:

Chu y u no pc instead of contract?

I know, but at the time it was a dream come true! I'm certain that we'll be able to port, no biggie!

SavageCorona said:

Will this be available on PC as a 3DGE mod? I probably don't speak for everyone but I don't have a Dreamcast laying around.

It will not be available as a mod (ever) only because the publisher has invested in the project over the course of the years and I'm sure they would not go for it. The game is completely stand-alone in every way (including the version of 3DGE That it will use).

Though, I have been lobbying for a PC/etc release since then, so let's hope the DC version sells well!

Maes said:

May I ask why the Dreamcast?

The devkit is GPL and it's very fun to develop for. It has a really big underground following. It's not like we can design the game with modern processors in mind - it has to adhere to very specific design limitations...but as we all know, design limitations can lead to lots of creativity and impressive stuff. =)

Share this post


Link to post

Oh I actually misread that this is a full on game not just a Doom mod. I'm a dummy. But yeah holding out hopes for a PC release. I wouldn't mind dropping a few quid on it.

Share this post


Link to post

I hate to burst your bubble Chu, but isn't the Dreamcast out of production at this point?

Share this post


Link to post

It is, but as I've said, it has a huge following, and is the oldest console that still receives new games on a yearly basis...obviously there's enough support from the community that developers can still make a living on them. ^_^

Share this post


Link to post

Hypothetically speaking if this doesn't get a PC release would you be really mad at me for emulating this?

Hell I'd probably even donate the retail price if it came to that

Share this post


Link to post

You can buy the disc and emulate it through nullDC...I think that would be the only legal solution here. GSP cracks down pretty hard on places like TheIsoZone/etc for hosting/ripping DC games that they've published/produced. Piracy is inevitable, sure, but I'd really like to avoid it as much as possible because my guys are really putting a lot of effort into this. ^_^

nullDC is not flawless. I use the emulator to test various 3DGE builds and it's not quite as accurate as testing on my console (which sits right next to my computer, complete with a little TV). Not sure about other emulators as I haven't tried them.

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×