Resident Evil: Behind the Mask [+Hazardous Battle]

[Gemini]

Fix the thighs, I see you switched them to the other side. The pants pouches are facing inwards now.

No worries, that was from a previous version of the model I was untriangulating for performance boosts. The current one looks like this:

[Ultimacloud123]

Hey Rusty, where can I find that model of yours?

[-Rusty-]

No worries, that was from a previous version of the model I was untriangulating for performance boosts. The current one looks like this: *image*

Ah I see.

Hey Rusty, where can I find that model of yours?

Right here with all my other releases.

http://re123.bplaced.net/board/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=6

[Gemini]

As per what said on Twitter, here goes Black Tiger:

Took me a bit to put him together the way I wanted him to be. As always, more info in description. This footage contains the latest engine additions, like the new status menu draft and the HUD set on Smart mode.

[Mikhail]

The snake, spider and plant42 battles would great if done in the turn based style of Koudelka / Shadow Hearts.

Coming back to the limb targeting system idea, how about having every shot decided by a randomized cycling loop that automatically picks a limb to shoot, like the one hit kills in director's cut.
That way it makes the game more difficult because you'll waste 2-3 bullets to get a single head shot where as the other bullets will only stun limbs like the chest that blasts them backwards or a leg shot that brings them to their knees so they crawl towards you instead or a arm shot that will stop them grabbing you when closeup.

[Gemini]

With Black Tiger out of the way, this is my current boss implementation:

Planning how it works was kind of a hassle because the tentacles move separately while the main bulb is just there pulsing. For once I decided to go RE1 style and made the enemy spawn tentacle entities, which are linked to the bulb's temp matrix (at some point they are supposed to detach and fall to the ground). Model has been optimized a bit and inconsistent normals regenerated for good.

Once Plant 42 is implemented I can go back to Yawn, the last boss barring a demo from being released.

Coming back to the limb targeting system idea, how about having every shot decided by a randomized cycling loop that automatically picks a limb to shoot, like the one hit kills in director's cut.

Like I said before: overly complicated with no real benefits. Critical hits in Director's Cut are nothing more than the M92FS switching hit power with the Colt Python at random intervals.

[Scream]

I assume for BTM you will use an inventory screen similar to RE1-CV?

Critical hits in Director's Cut are nothing more than the M92FS switching hit power with the Colt Python at random intervals.

Interesting tidbit!

[Getta robo]

Both black tiger and plant 42 look fantastic. However, I think they could both have some more polished colors, reflecting their aggressive and dangerous nature, pretty much like in the real world.
Would you consider modeling them after real and similar counterparts?
For example, take a look upon these tarantula's colors.

If I'm not mistaken, similar color patterns were also used in later games. You can add a reddish variation in addition to silver, and it's going to look even better!

[-Rusty-]

Ugh, I want those DS models.

[Gemini]

I assume for BTM you will use an inventory screen similar to RE1-CV?

Bingo. I've got most of the code done already, but never showed it because BTM has been on hiatus for a while until we can get back to it with a more complete engine (i.e. when Hazardous Battle gets the green light of 'plays like RE').

Interesting tidbit!

RE2 does also the same, I think it gives you a chance of 1/64th for getting a critical hit.

If I'm not mistaken, similar color patterns were also used in later games. You can add a reddish variation in addition to silver, and it's going to look even better!

As far as I'm aware, later revisions of Black Tiger didn't alter his appearance, following directly what he looks like in the original artworks. I'm not really going to change enemy color schemes unless there is a huge mistake somewhere; so far they look perfectly fine as they are. Currently the only enemy I did change a bit is Plant 42, but all I did there was fixing his normals to be consistent since RE1 does funky lighting calculations that make no sense. I didn't want to add hackish code to my engine just for this specific case, hence why the "change".

[Kegluneq]

As per what said on Twitter, here goes Black Tiger:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSikJjMPgos
Took me a bit to put him together the way I wanted him to be. As always, more info in description. This footage contains the latest engine additions, like the new status menu draft and the HUD set on Smart mode.

I think you should review your Black Tiger AI. You're making it too easy. Not because the venomous spit has been decreased from 3 to 1 but because of the way it moves across the room after it has been hit - which allows the character to reposition before the Black Tiger counter-attacks despite the lagging shotgun recoil animation from an upfront shot.

The Black Tiger was designed to be the type of enemy which you can't strike from upfront because there's no delays in counters. If you use the Flamethrower (or the Survival Knife) against it, you need to be positioned to the side (close to the back) to not be caught by its counter. It's all about strategic placement which your AI is effectively tearing apart.

My suggestion would be to review the time-frame animation of Black Tiger's counter depending on the distance put between the player and the boss.

And I dunno what's up with the Super Tyrant but it seems to be missing the rampaged attack it does when it gets tired from chasing player - the attack which can easily corner the player into the wall and set-up the deadly three-hit combo. I suspect you're still messing on how to incorporate it since that's potentially the most devastating attack the Super Tyrant has and it's the hardest to evade.

Nonetheless, I'm enjoying the progress you're making, Gemini. It's looking pretty wicked!

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[blackpower]

Gemini: you forgot Shark neptune, you could increase the size to make it difficult to defeat?

[Vanya]

Generally speaking, as far as the models are concerned, I feel it would be really cool and worth the effort if the infected animals were a bit more monstrous like their concept art. I remember feeling underwhelmed by the in game designs of Yawn and Black Tiger since they were basically just giant size versions of normal animals.
And with Neptune I didn't even get a giant animal. He was just a stupid shark. Anything that could be done to improve him would be awesome. Just saying, it would be great if it felt like I was actually fighting Neptune instead of feeling like an asshole for putting him down after draining his water away.

[Ultimacloud123]

Here's an improvement,sharks with laser beams.

Textures could always be improved to be more grotesque. I know that's not part of your plan.

[Gemini]

Programming Plant 42 is taking way longer than it should have due to all the parallel AI code it requires to coordinate bulb and tentacles, plus the original code is as usual one big mess to follow and understand. Some attacks seem to be able to grab and lift the player, but I don't remember that boss to ever trigger said type of attack, unless it's a cutscene with P42 grabbing Chris/Jill and Rebecca/Barry coming to the rescue. While working slowly on P42 I followed a parted route and went back to implementing more core stuff:

This is the FN Minimi from RE1 PC, with the original model altered a bit and given a proper texture painted in pixel art. I've also got the Ingram MAC-10 partially implemented, but it still lacks proper animations and a refined texture; besides fixes, it works just like the Minimi with more turn speed and a weaker damage table. I also took some time to improve the sound engine for switching from dynamic to static sample allocation, in order to fix enemies that spawn way too much SFX at the same time (like Black Tiger) and to make one-shot samples work as intended.

My suggestion would be to review the time-frame animation of Black Tiger's counter depending on the distance put between the player and the boss.

You're completely right about it. My Black Tiger is a loose interpretation of what the original moves like, but that's entirely because the code is a mess to follow and in the end I had to remake most of the logic using external footage. I noticed better how he behaves by replaying RE1 on my own, since most of the footage either goes for the quickest way to kill him or it's a knife only challenge; either case didn't help much. Anyways, what you can see in my last video was only one of the many reaction he has to weapon hits. Powerful weapons like the Remington cause him to execute a circular strafe with venom spit at the end. With other weapons he instantly spits poison and keeps on moving around until a stress counter becomes zero.

And I dunno what's up with the Super Tyrant but it seems to be missing the rampaged attack it does when it gets tired from chasing player - the attack which can easily corner the player into the wall and set-up the deadly three-hit combo. I suspect you're still messing on how to incorporate it since that's potentially the most devastating attack the Super Tyrant has and it's the hardest to evade.

Yup, he's missing the taunt attack in that difficulty, also the claw attack doesn't blow away the player. Harder difficulties should include taunt+rush and a harder-to-avoid rush claw attack.

Just saying, it would be great if it felt like I was actually fighting Neptune instead of feeling like an asshole for putting him down after draining his water away.

The problem is Neptune was never meant to be a boss, he's more like an easy obstacle that can instantly kill you.