Mans from below: A Gmod Co-Op Sandbox Map Pack - July 23 update

[Deathkiller]

I had this entire thread written up but then my forum time was used up so it all got deleted and now I'm very sad.
I will continue to update this thread as news about the maps' development is completed. Please feel free to include as much of your own personal input into this project as possible. Actual contributions to the project will be accepted as this is going to be an ever growing/expanding series and I would love to get as much people involved in the project as possible.

THE GAME:
This is a Garry's Mod 10+ map pack which will include TF2, HL2: EP2, and Portal content in the maps (primarily textures/models). The game will emphasize cooperative gameplay as well as sandbox construction and be like a bizarre hybrid of Synergy Co-op, Garry's Mod, and the Assault game mode from Unreal Tournament. Players will assume the role of survivors of a global catastrophe and try to fight to win back the surface from their enemies.

THE STORY:
I had written an awesome 8 page backstory to the game but it got deleted. Only 4 people on steam heard it and they weren't paying attention. So I'll try my best to summarize what I had said: This story is modeled after a short story by Zack "Geist Editor" Parsons called "The View From Below" which is about a fungus infecting all life on Earth. Animal and plant alike all succumb to the fungus and they begin to operate following orders from "red worms" which are kind of like Starship Troopers-style brain bugs. Once the big guys are dead their followers will resort back to their mindless routines, following the orders of the voices inside their heads. These infected beings are not actually mindless, though. They have basic objectives. Regardless of their species they always work together (infected human and animal alike). The human ones seek to remodel civilization in our image. They have towns, houses, families, they drive cars, they emphasize physical fitness, and their whole society revolves around "THE CENTER" a building that contains some type of medical technology they may used to diagnose and treat their illnesses among other things. Every town has a "CENTER" and it may be considered a primary objective for destruction/capture in some maps. Humans have developed a cure to this probelms, however: Agent Red, a toxin made from the worms' DNA that turns the skies red as we drop it down on our enemies. We still must leave our underground shelters with self-sustaining food sources, and take back what is rightfully ours. Toxins and airstrikes can't solve this problem, it takes a ground war, and that's where the players come in. The players will receive orders from their new supreme commander (following the assassination of the president) the underground human civilization stays in touch via the Internet and has been working for several decades now to retake the surface. We have just started to take back the United States of America through epic ground wars, chemical sprays, and numerous nuclear bombings. The infected ones have caught on and they are starting to fight back. The birds, for instance, will fly into jet engines to try and choke our bombers out of the sky while humans on the ground rush us and try to tear off our gas masks and infect us. Some maps will focus on capturing nuclear silos, while others will focus on base defense and other objectives (see below). Ultimately this game mode will all be about conquering and taking back what's rightfully ours. The pace will be driven by hardcore awesome music and narration/voice acting/orders by yours truly (the supreme commander).

THE OBJECTIVE:
Every map will have a single objective: THE NEXT CHECKPOINT (see below for more info about checkpoints). Each checkpoint will be within wakling distance of the players once they get to it or they have to be teleported to it. Every checkpoint will have a teleporter linked to the spawn room/sandbox and some checkpoints will have Hangars *** (see below for more info about hangars). Checkpoints will be reached by either getting to a point (touching a trigger/pushing a button/plugging something in), destroying an objective target (boom), or taking out a wave of enemies (we killed the first wave everybody respawn).

================ How this will all work ==============

THE START ROOM:
- At the start of each map the players will be underground in their bunker.
- The bunker will have a button. This button will have text above it.
- The text will read "PRESS THIS BUTTON WHEN ALL PLAYERS HAVE ENTERED THE GAME"
- Pressing the button will teleport all players to the start of the co-op or begin the co-op from there.
- The players will be provided with a shooting gallery to pass the time.
- The shooting gallery will spawn zombies every 5 seconds and constantly supply them with handgun ammo/a handgun.

THE SANDBOX/RESPAWN ROOM
- If the player dies he ends up in the sandbox/respawn room
- All new players entering the server if a checkpoint has not been captured will spawn in the sandbox/respawn room.
- The sandbox/respawn room has a teleporter that only activates for 2 minutes after a checkpoint is captured
- The sandbox/respawn room has a television allowing the players to watch the co-op players on the field
- If four players end up in the sandbox/respawn the teleporter will activate for 1 minute that goes to the previous checkpoint.
- Outside there is a Sandbox Area with a large Flat-grass style environment and an Airstrip.
- At one end of the airstrip there is a large ***Hangar
- The ***Hangar will sometimes activate when a Checkpoint has been captured that also has a ***Hangar at it.
- Lights, text, and a voice will come on alerting the players in the sandbox/respawn room that they can return to combat

THE CO-OP BATTLEFIELD (game types)
- Infiltration (offense)
- Base Defense (hold the fort)
- Extraction (gather intelligence/survivors)
- Suicide Mission (Sometimes you just have to win by nuking yourselves)

THE CHECK POINTS
- Check points will always have a player spawn that enables for the first 2 minutes when captured.
- Check points also have a teleport destination that can be reached by players from the Sandbox/Respawn room
- Some check points in large scale maps (as to have multiple infiltration/base defense scenarios) will have ***Hangars
- For two minutes, following a capture, a contraption can be rolled/flown into the hangar, teleporting it to the Check point's Hangar !!
- Players may also use the hangar to reach the check point if they wish.
- The hangars work one-way only as do the teleporters to get to the check point.
- After 2 minutes all deaths/respawns/entering players will be sent to the sandbox/respawn room.
- As stated before, all check points must be in physical reach of players still alive and participating in the Co-Op battle.
- All spawning/teleporting players will be stripped of their physgun and basic Gmod weapons
- All spawning/teleporting players will be provided basic weapons and surviving players will also receive these ammo/weapons

=============== And now you know ================

Can you defeat the red worm times?
Do you have what it takes to be the mans of above?
Can you make the big metal machines with the
CLANG CLANG CLANG to put hot metal into the meats of the bad ones?

                      C O M I N G    S O O N .  .  .

============== Concept Art ============




============== Production Screens ============




The Sandbox:

A Checkpoint:


======== Updates will be listed below this line ==========

JULY 13: Production has started on the respawn room and though it's a short job it's taken almost 5 hours to perfect and work-out all the little features so they jell together properly. The best way to provide the players with weapons will most likely be to give them "tubes" which supply each player with guns and ammunition at the checkpoints. Here's how it works:

an env_entity_maker is linked to a point_template which is connected to a pistol and ammo.
The env_entity_maker is forced to spawn when a player "start touch"es a trigger next to the tube. And violla!

JULY 15: The first actual aspects of action/creepyness have begun as level 1 transports the players into the sewers of a now fallen city. Large and complicated as they may be, they also are teeming with enemy influence. A "Skip button" has been added so the intro which is 54 whole seconds long, doesn't drain on for those playing the map for their second+ time. I still need to start on the sandbox area, but for now it's looking very nice, the sandbox area is next.

I've stopped compiling this in portal and have moved it all over to Episode 2 now. the portal models will stay but only be available to gmod users with portal content. I also had to use GCFscape to put some portal textures into HL2: Episode 2 so they'd compile properly. The majority of textures used appear to be universal HL2 textures, but there may be some which use orange box content. Just warning you all. Also: these maps are going to feature Episode 2 baddies (hunters and such) so just a heads up on that too.

Also: I have some good ideas for a level focused on the use of a single elevator over and over again. every once in a while it will hit a stop or lock and the players have to get off at that floor, clear out the enemies, and fight their way to a switch that unlocks the elevator, allowing them to then ride it to the next floor. If you have any good ideas for sequential combat like that please let me know.

JULY 18: News! News! The sewers of the first level have started to take shape and they are large and sewery. More importantly though the use of EPISODE ONE content has begun with the inclusion of zombines and mainly Episode 1 music. I've also put up some new screenshots of work on the spawn area. Also the following areas have been completed: The checkpoint, the ammo ressuply, the health chargers, and the sandbox, including teleporation system. So basically everything that gets the player from point A to points B, C, D, and E depending on the situation is complete! AI programming in Garry's mod is a bit of a pain because GMOD, itself, isn't loaded with a lot of AI scripted sequences, and some little guys just dont seem to want to move to their designated point. My solution: Putting them on tiny treadmills that wheel them to their designated location.  Crazy, yes, I know, but also a great way for delivering a huge supply of zombies out a single door without them getting crowded around each other.

JULY 23: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yely5Cf5akk

[Chaosye]

This sounds amazing.
My only complaint is that I can't build stuff, which is one of my favorite things to do.

I can't really help on anything though.

[Deathkiller]

This sounds amazing.
My only complaint is that I can't build stuff, which is one of my favorite things to do.

I can't really help on anything though.

Well if you have a microphone and a voice I could use some recorded voices to add some nice thematic elements to the map and that sort-of thing.

[cbre88x]

Looks great.

So I'm guessing you have to own Gary's Mod 10 to play something like this?

[Deathkiller]

Looks great.

So I'm guessing you have to own Gary's Mod 10 to play something like this?

Technically you could play it in anything form HL2 DM to Episode 2 or portal, but you wouldn't be able to play with other people AND build contraptions (HL2 DM would work I assume but this mod will also employ Gmod 10s ability to make things, thereby being more fun + it will pull content from portal, episode 2, and TF2, requiring not only Gmod 10 but the whole orange box. You could use GCF scape to put the necesary textures and sound files into any game of your choice, of course, and play this without contraptions.

[Budr]

Well if you have a microphone and a voice I could use some recorded voices to add some nice thematic elements to the map and that sort-of thing.

If you are ever in need of an Englishman with a slight lisp, I'm your guy. I also do a horrendous South African or Scottish.

[Dave]

Dave does any kind of bad ass rebel who doesnt play by the rules voice acting,

also shouting.

[Budr]

Dave does a slightly retarded sounding Northern monkey,

only knows how to shout.

:-*

[Eschatos]

I want Gmod...

[Ceceil Felias]

This is the most awesome concept ever and I've wanted to see something like this so badly.

I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY ON IT SO MUCH but I can't really help with the making aspect of it. :<

[Mission Difficult]

If you need any custom sounds or anything like that, let me know.

[rumsfald]

If you need any custom sounds or anything like that, let me know.

You can't have red-wormed controlled zombies without a MOOG LIL PHATTY.

[Deathkiller]

Update: Posted a youtube video about the project so far here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yely5Cf5akk

[CaffeinePowered]

Update: Posted a youtube video about the project so far here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yely5Cf5akk

You could have made that look at lot cooler...like the portal trailer

[Dave]

this is the shit
good job sir

good job.

[Greatbacon]

I look forward to building shit, then killing people with it.