Finally throwing out Halathon

[Fishman92]

Well, after a year of it sitting on my hard drive, doing absolutely nothing, I think it's time I got rid of Halathon. Everything I worked on is in there, physics models, shape files, hi res textures, the lot! And the maps, of course.

So everybody- take it! Use it, whatever. Make your own stuff. Maybe one day this could be released, but I neither have the time or the will to do so myself, so it's up to you guys.

And without further ado, here's what's left of Halathon.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12134902/Halathon.zip

[Dis]

We all understand. The development of Super Blob Island must always come first.

[Fishman92]

We all understand. The development of Super Blob Island must always come first.

Hehe, yeah, that and whatever else people want me to make.

[thedoctor45]

I think this scenario still has a lot of potential - all textures are basically there although the maps need some work and so does the gameplay/storyline. I'll see if I can polish the existing stuff a bit so that this thing gets playable, but don't get your hopes up just yet - I've started work on an updated menu screen today - this is what I have so far:

[attachment=5308:halathon_main.jpg]

is anyone else here interested in picking up this project?

[Nordevai]

hmm, not exactly interest it picking up the reins as lead or anything, but would be interested in assisting anyone else that was.

[Ares Ex Machina]

Your avatar next to your title screen gave me a sudden and profound image: Halathoom.

[attachment=5311:halathon...e_screen.jpg]

[thedoctor45]

Your avatar next to your title screen gave me a sudden and profound image: Halathoom.

[attachment=5311:halathon...e_screen.jpg]

Amazing, you're hired!

PS: I'm looking at the weapons in hand graphics atm - for some reason their masks are really blocky so I'm going to re-do them.

[treellama]

PS: I'm looking at the weapons in hand graphics atm - for some reason their masks are really blocky so I'm going to re-do them.

I have the hi-res ones if you want them.

[thedoctor45]

I've hit my first obstacle - I've tried to create a holoswitch like thingy (a texture applied to a transparent poly edge with a glow and alpha mask - but both the active and inactive switch graphics are overlaped when I activate the switch - anything I can do about that?

[attachment=5316:holoswitch.jpg]

[Not Invented Here]

I've hit my first obstacle - I've tried to create a holoswitch like thingy (a texture applied to a transparent poly edge with a glow and alpha mask - but both the active and inactive switch graphics are overlaped when I activate the switch - anything I can do about that?

[attachment=5316:holoswitch.jpg]

Use Lua? Check the texture of each side, and have it keep both sides the same?

[thedoctor45]

I've worked around the holoswitch problem and I'm making progress now.

I'm planning to release a completely polished 2 or 3 level demo sometime next month, if everything goes as planned. Still I could use a bit of help from a skilled mapper since designing levels is not what I'm particularly good at.
Also there are a few minor script bugs to eradicate. (Mostly related to the Halathon HUD.)

So if anybody wants to join in on this project as a mapper, coder or Beta tester, please feel free to drop me a PM.

Things I've done so far:
- Re-created all the menu graphics (Main Menu, Splash Screen & Credits Screen
- Fixed the first map
- optimized the alpha masks /size and format for all included item sprites
- optimized the alpha masks /size and format for all included weapon sprites
- added new foilage sprites
- adjusted the terminal scripts
- added new Halo-like switch and circuit textures

Things to do:
- Fix the remaining maps + maybe create additional ones
- improve/expand the storyline
- fix the HUD bugs
- add new chapter screen artwork
- implement Hoppers Halatheme graphics - if he agrees..
- add additional sprites for scenery/mosters etc - (probably from the XBLA version if possible.)
- add additional Halo sounds into the Halathon Sounds file

Here're some screenshots:

[attachment=5321:foilage.jpg]

[attachment=5326:foilage3.jpg]

[attachment=5320:circuits.jpg]

[attachment=5323:holoswitch.jpg]

[goran]

Good work doctor! Is halathon a unique story, or does it faithfully follow Halo1's story?

[thedoctor45]

The story of Halathon is not yet set in stone. Since the original Halo plot can't be recreated 1:1 with the limitations of the AlephOne engine, only minor resemblances to Halos original storyline will be possible at best.

[goran]

Hmm. Really? And here I thought it could be copied more or less faithfully....but wasn't sure it was the intention.

[thedoctor45]

depends on what you consider as "faithful" - levels would have to be much smaller (poly + object limits etc..), level transitions would have to be impemented differently and most scripted events would be hard to incorporate - at least for me since I don't have experience with lua programming....

[goran]

Faithful = same missions, all important story driven dialouge is included. Fluff dialouge is cut. Levels are redesigned to fit Alephone.

[brilliant]

- implement Hoppers Halatheme graphics - if he agrees..

Nice job thedoctor45! If you don't use Halatheme, please replace that awful font in the menu screens with something better!

[thedoctor45]

Nice job thedoctor45! If you don't use Halatheme, please replace that awful font in the menu screens with something better!

You mean the Trek DS9 font? What's so bad about it - that's the standard Halo menu font. Or are you talking about Bank Gothic - or Courier?

[brilliant]

You mean the Trek DS9 font? What's so bad about it - that's the standard Halo menu font. Or are you talking about Bank Gothic - or Courier?

I do not know what it is called, but it's the font that is currently used throughout all of the menu screens of Halathon. It's in all capital letters, appearing in all the Preferences menu screens, metaserver screen, etc. It's really narrow and hard to read.

[thedoctor45]

I do not know what it is called, but it's the font that is currently used throughout all of the menu screens of Halathon. It's in all capital letters, appearing in all the Preferences menu screens, metaserver screen, etc. It's really narrow and hard to read.

That's Courier - no worries I already replaces that one.

[treellama]

I do not know what it is called, but it's the font that is currently used throughout all of the menu screens of Halathon. It's in all capital letters, appearing in all the Preferences menu screens, metaserver screen, etc. It's really narrow and hard to read.

Are you talking about the fallback font Aleph One uses when no theme is installed?

You could just install a theme...

http://www.simplici7y.com/items/halatheme

[brilliant]

Are you talking about the fallback font Aleph One uses when no theme is installed?

You could just install a theme...

http://www.simplici7y.com/items/halatheme

No, I am talking about the font that is default in Fishman92's Halathon. It's used in Environment, Controls, for buttons (for example Accept and Cancel), etc. According to thedoctor45 it's Courier. I did not know Aleph One had a fallback font. I just checked it out now and it looks pretty decent!

[treellama]

No, I am talking about the font that is default in Fishman92's Halathon. It's used in Environment, Controls, for buttons (for example Accept and Cancel), etc.

Yeah, the theme engine does all that.

[Fishman92]

Wow, nice to see this is being worked on. Good job.

And yes, I did the theme. It's a nice little theme engine.

[thedoctor45]

Thank's fishman92, I just couldn't let that Halathon die hehe...

Anyways, here're a few more screenshots of the Covenant texture set I started working on 3 days ago:

[attachment=5338:cov2.jpg]

[attachment=5339:cov3.jpg]

[attachment=5342:cov6.jpg]

[attachment=5343:cov7.jpg]

[attachment=5344:cov8.jpg]