Big announcement: Battlezone 2 HD Mod.

[bigbadbogie]

I have officially started another mod: The Battlezone 2 High Definition Mod.
This one is a complete recreation of the original BZ2 assets.
All models and textures will be remade and replaced.

The point of this is to bring the game into the 21st century once and for all.
I believe that the completion of this mod may in fact be important to the long-term survival of the game.

QF2 is still under development, but this mod will take priority for the year ahead.

http://www.moddb.com/mods/battlezone-ii-hd-mod

For now, the mod will only be replacing material assets, and not altering any of the ODF or DLL code.
This MAY change later on, but not before the assets are complete.

This means that I am working on 2 full scale mods simultaneously and I am doing a full time university course. All I can say is - BRING... IT... ON.

[General BlackDragon]

Should keep it to textures/wav files, so it doesn't break assets.

[MrTwosheds]

That's very ambitious. The textures alone are a fairly monumental task, the models even more so. Chances are by the time you finished todays high definition, they will be tomorrows low definition once more....

[Red Spot]

That just means he can continue work on a v2

[Nielk1]

I would personally prefer that mods adding story went over mods cleaning up visuals.

In addition, while that image you have up looks amazing, it just doesn't feel like an ISDF unit.

[Echo 343]

I like the new design, its different , but doesn't stray from the original model a shocking amount. Beautiful work, as always BBB.

[Ded10c]

I'd say avoid the sound files. They simply don't need it.

[Zero Angel]

A lot of people I know enjoy using SpAce's sound pack -- as well I have a few sounds that I use to replace some of the stock sounds

abetty9.wav -- damage critical sound 'system alert'
snip01.wav -- sniper rifle shot
wmgr1.wav -- bullet hit sound (vehicle)

[bigbadbogie]

it just doesn't feel like an ISDF unit.

I beg to differ.

I think that once everything HD is complete, it will look native in that environment. I admit that the backdrop of the original game makes it look a little out of place for now.

That's very ambitious. The textures alone are a fairly monumental task, the models even more so. Chances are by the time you finished todays high definition, they will be tomorrows low definition once more....

The pinnacle of high definition has already been reached with games like BF3. I'm not trying to make it that good, just as good as I possibly can. It doesn't matter how much better, just better at all!

Yep, it is pretty ambitious, but I think that with only modelling and texturing I have a real shot at completing this.

[Nielk1]

Maybe it is just too shiny?

[bigbadbogie]

Or the backdrop isn't shiny enough.

Trust me, if I think that it is unsuitable for the final mod release, I'll edit it as much as I have to.

It looks pretty nice on the QF2 maps with an HD backdrop.

[Zero Angel]

I like the simplicity of the original ISDF scout. Mind, I don't mind it looking a little more sharper and 'cut', but I think that picture of the scout is equivalent to taking a scrawny but decent looking girl and giving her layers and layers of huge bodybuilder muscles because you think muscles look better on things. In other words, I think it might be the wrong approach to things.

Also that new thruster does not appeal to me either. The original thruster opening had a blob like shape which looked good because it matched up well with the nacelle and had something of an organic feel to it, but the new perfectly circular thruster looks like a step backwards -- sort of going from an advanced, organic, design back to a more angular and primitive one.

[bigbadbogie]

I went for a circular thruster simply for the sake of realism.

Also, it's almost the exact same size as the original in-game.

I know that people are going to have issues with things looking different, but the simple answer is this: They are all going to look different. The basic resemblance will remain the same, but every unit, object and texture will look different. This is not Battlezone Classic. I am not trying to recreate the game seamlessly. I'm improving them in a way that I like. If others don't like it, they are perfectly free to continue using the original models.

That said, please critique my models as they come. I will take your opinions into account in making decisions.

Also, if there are any preferences for future models, feel free to tell me. If there is anything in particular that you would like improved from the original models, now is your chance to ask.

[bigbadbogie]

Also, to make this perfectly clear, I am making this mod for myself. I want to make it because I want to play it. I want BZ2 to be renewed in this way.

It will have my personal tinge on it. I am not simply remaking the original game. I'm turning it into what I want it to be.

[General BlackDragon]

I still vote you just make better textures that everyone can play with, with or without them installed.