Tag: Unreal Tournament

Modding

Blog 870: Experiments in Modding UT

Rao Dao Zao

Yep, I’m doing it — I’m modding Unreal Tournament. Since the beginning of my festive holiday, I’ve been having a quiet go at implementing that singleplayer roguelikelike monster-hunting adventure I described when lambasting UT2004‘s Invasion game mode.

Yep, Robbie’s idea of “taking a break” from working on his own game is to… mod somebody else’s game. Twenty years too late. Right after it’s been delisted from all online stores and become hard-to-access abandonware.

(Yep, I’m still single.)

Continue reading “Blog 870: Experiments in Modding UT” →
Gaming

Blog 866: UT Isn’t Just For Christmas

Rao Dao Zao

According to my calculations, Santa brought me a copy of Unreal Tournament (GOTYE) at the end of 2002. It was something of a surprise; up until then, there had been a touch of the “no ultra-violence” about my access to games, and yet there we were, with my parents spontaneously introducing me to one of the most violent games available at the time. (It is a strong possibility that they had no idea what they were actually buying.)

I might play UT2004 every December to mark the festive season, but the big day itself belongs to the original and best.

Continue reading “Blog 866: UT Isn’t Just For Christmas” →
Modding

Blog 864: Invasion

Rao Dao Zao

Every year, when the festive season comes upon us once more, I play UT2004. Every year, it makes me think. This year, I was padding out my campaign playthrough with a bit of Instant Action. I always like to slip in a bit of Onslaught and the bonus Assault missions, but this time I decided to have shot at the Invasion game mode, which I had only played once or twice before.

I quickly remembered why I had only played it once or twice before. However, it set off a train of thought that I want to explore: I think that with a few adjustments, Invasion mode could blossom into something special.

(I should change my middle name from “Danger” to “Distracted”.)

Continue reading “Blog 864: Invasion” →
Game Development

Blog 753: If I Wrote… UT2004

Rao Dao Zao

For some reason, it has become a festive tradition that I replay UT2004. To the festive tunes of artists I never listen to at any other time of year, I will joyously frag my way up the singleplayer tournament ladder and… dream of how it could have been?

For the UT2004 singleplayer ladder has a “team management” mechanic that ultimately offers nothing but fires my creative juices right up.

Continue reading “Blog 753: If I Wrote… UT2004” →

Modding, Project Y4, Warcraft III

Blog 416: The Question of Infinite Respawn in Y4

Rao Dao Zao

If you can respawn infinitely, and with no (or negligible) penalty, then there’s no real challenge — you cannot lose.

The way all the numbers are set up in Project Y4, your hit points are pretty low and attacks are good, making combat a lot snappier — but increasing the risk of death by a considerable amount. So I decided to implement a revival system whereby the AP-AM is reconstructed at a designated repair pad on death, giving the player a bit of a safety net.

Right now, there are no limits on reconstruction… But this cannot hold forever. So what’s the best approach?

Continue reading “Blog 416: The Question of Infinite Respawn in Y4” →

Gaming

Blog 372: Sensitivity

Rao Dao Zao

Some of you might remember me crying about my recent performance in first-person shooters; long story short, my aim wasn’t what it used to be, and not just from lack of practice.

“What has happened to me? Have my wrists grown slack from old age? Have my once razor-fine reflexes been dulled by too much programming? Did I sell my pinpoint accuracy to the devil in exchange for the ability to dance?”

— Rao Dao Zao, Blog 346: Aim

Continue reading “Blog 372: Sensitivity” →