Freescent - free Descent datafiles (*updated* D1 files too!)
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:18 pm
First of all, I have no idea where this belongs to, and since the subject of this thread concerns itself with different subfora, I decided to place this into the PTMC Café. Moderators: if you know where to place this, feel free to move it...
Anyways, we all know how great Descent II is, and that many great engines exist for it, and that a lot more people should be playing it. One of the reasons why I decided to start up a project similar to OpenArena and Freedoom, dubbed Freescent. A link to more information/discussion and some released files can be found over here: http://home.deds.nl/~megagun/freescent/
One of the goals of Freescent is to create a dataset oriented towards multiplayer gameplay, whilst still retaining Descent II compatibility (or trying to where such a thing is not feasible).
The project is currently in its very first stages, which aim to create a free 'basic' dataset: just enough to be able to play the game in multiplayer mode, and 'perhaps' enough to play the game in a dumbed down singleplayer mode (think of blocks and triangles in place of the nicely modelled Descent II enemy bots) with textures being rather absent and sounds being rather bleep-y, though able to be replaced by high-quality freeware textures and nice custom sounds if the engine used by the user supports custom high-res textures and sounds...
I've already got the textures and sounds 'done' for stage one of the project (released files: http://home.deds.nl/~megagun/freescent/datafiles/) and am pretty far done with the HOG file (only missing .256 palette files as those aren't free), so this thread is not about just some wild idea of someone... (and yes, I've made my own custom font. Go, XVI32!)
Basically, my idea was to get a fully-functional free dataset done, and only then post about it on various Descent-related forums and communities. However, I've ran into a few troubles over the course of the project:
1) the .256 files are palette files, and if I want to regain some form of compatibility with Descent II and its maps, I'd have to create my own version of it, which would then look exactly the same as the original Descent II .256 file.
2) the .HAM file contains aplenty of game data such as what texture-sequence a certain door makes, some robot and weapon constants and behaviour, and more of this kind of stuff. If I want to regain compatibility with Descent II maps, it is pretty vital that the Freescent 2's .HAM file matches the original Descent 2 .HAM file.... Additionally, the .HAM file contains Bot and player models, which have to be replaced too (probably with 'dummy models' in the first stages of Project Freescent). I know that the models might be replaceable fairly easilly, though. But the gamedata might be a severe pain in the behind.
I thought about asking the guys who decide these kinds of things for permission to use some specific gamedata (read: everything BUT the bot/player models, plus the .256 files inside the HOG files), but as I wrote them (them being the Volition guys in this case: note that I basically had no idea who to ask, so I figured I might ask them first) an e-mail, I figured I might as well just scrap my \"make first then make public to community\" idea and tell you guys about my troubles, to see if you had any idea on how to solve these problems, especially since I've only been part of a rather small fraction of the Descent community.
Also, noet that I'm open to contributions from the 'outside'. Got multiplayer maps you're willing to license under a 'free' license (general idea: non-commercial, share-alike, allow remixes/alterations), or perhaps have any other content Project Freescent could use? Feel free to contribute!
Thanks for reading, and I hope that relatively soon, we all can start inviting our friends into completely free Descent 2-like matches on all of the favourite Descent community multiplayer maps!
Anyways, we all know how great Descent II is, and that many great engines exist for it, and that a lot more people should be playing it. One of the reasons why I decided to start up a project similar to OpenArena and Freedoom, dubbed Freescent. A link to more information/discussion and some released files can be found over here: http://home.deds.nl/~megagun/freescent/
One of the goals of Freescent is to create a dataset oriented towards multiplayer gameplay, whilst still retaining Descent II compatibility (or trying to where such a thing is not feasible).
The project is currently in its very first stages, which aim to create a free 'basic' dataset: just enough to be able to play the game in multiplayer mode, and 'perhaps' enough to play the game in a dumbed down singleplayer mode (think of blocks and triangles in place of the nicely modelled Descent II enemy bots) with textures being rather absent and sounds being rather bleep-y, though able to be replaced by high-quality freeware textures and nice custom sounds if the engine used by the user supports custom high-res textures and sounds...
I've already got the textures and sounds 'done' for stage one of the project (released files: http://home.deds.nl/~megagun/freescent/datafiles/) and am pretty far done with the HOG file (only missing .256 palette files as those aren't free), so this thread is not about just some wild idea of someone... (and yes, I've made my own custom font. Go, XVI32!)
Basically, my idea was to get a fully-functional free dataset done, and only then post about it on various Descent-related forums and communities. However, I've ran into a few troubles over the course of the project:
1) the .256 files are palette files, and if I want to regain some form of compatibility with Descent II and its maps, I'd have to create my own version of it, which would then look exactly the same as the original Descent II .256 file.
2) the .HAM file contains aplenty of game data such as what texture-sequence a certain door makes, some robot and weapon constants and behaviour, and more of this kind of stuff. If I want to regain compatibility with Descent II maps, it is pretty vital that the Freescent 2's .HAM file matches the original Descent 2 .HAM file.... Additionally, the .HAM file contains Bot and player models, which have to be replaced too (probably with 'dummy models' in the first stages of Project Freescent). I know that the models might be replaceable fairly easilly, though. But the gamedata might be a severe pain in the behind.
I thought about asking the guys who decide these kinds of things for permission to use some specific gamedata (read: everything BUT the bot/player models, plus the .256 files inside the HOG files), but as I wrote them (them being the Volition guys in this case: note that I basically had no idea who to ask, so I figured I might ask them first) an e-mail, I figured I might as well just scrap my \"make first then make public to community\" idea and tell you guys about my troubles, to see if you had any idea on how to solve these problems, especially since I've only been part of a rather small fraction of the Descent community.
Also, noet that I'm open to contributions from the 'outside'. Got multiplayer maps you're willing to license under a 'free' license (general idea: non-commercial, share-alike, allow remixes/alterations), or perhaps have any other content Project Freescent could use? Feel free to contribute!
Thanks for reading, and I hope that relatively soon, we all can start inviting our friends into completely free Descent 2-like matches on all of the favourite Descent community multiplayer maps!
