Laura Bow in Colonel's Bequest: Resurrection

[Jodo Kast]

More information is at:  www.geocities.com/lbcbr2004    

This thread is to announce that development is proceeding on our remake, Colonel's Bequest.  The website will be updated with screenshots, the alpha demo this summer, and the full game with source code Christmas 2004.

Partly due to the open nature of this community we don't have any problem releasing the source code with the game, and plan to do so to help future game developers.  

More screenshots will be posted soon; send all feedback to my e-mail or post here.

E-mail is: lbcbr2004@yahoo.com  (Thanks Bryce!)

Thank you!

Jodo Kast

[Bryce]

Hello Jodo,

My email is still empty.  Are you still working on the character's page? Maybe I can't see the link because of the black background.

I'd really like to see the Xmas demo for further feedback.

MuzlakOofmay

[Erpy]

Direct link is: http://www.geocities.com/lbcbr2004/characters/index.htm

Although it's still not clear to me if he's still interested in giving people a demo. Last time I checked he still insisted on the use of Kazaa.

[Jodo Kast]

The demos are still on Kazaa.  They are old demos.

For the latest updates, check the website.  Also, Erpy, that is just the characters section with more sections to come.

Thank you!

Jodo Kast

[Erpy]

I don't think that was what Bryce/Muzlak was aiming for.

I'm not going to restart the discussion again, but from what I've learned from the previous thread, the files on Kazaa are inaccessable to just about everyone here. So here's a choice to make:

- If you're no longer interested in spreading your older stuff, that's your choice, but you can take them out of your shared folder, since it's obvious nobody can get them.

- If you ARE interested in spreading your stuff, you should send your files to Bryce/Muzlak through email. He'll host them and post links here and people who read this can download it. Kazaa is not an alternative.

Whatever choice you make, the Kazaa answer will no longer do. Of all posts in the former thread, not a single one contained feedback based on something that was downloaded yesterday/today. (whether the poster supported you or not) That tells me the files really ARE inaccessable, no matter how often you insist they are not. Nobody on either the AGDI-forum or this forum has been able to track them.

That's all I'm gonna say about the subject, it's yours to either utilize or ignore.

[Jodo Kast]

Erpy,

Quit causing problems.

I have had offers to host the file, and FilePlanet is willing to host Laura Bow when it's done - and tested.  If you want the latest check the website.  

The Beta and Alpha versions of the game will only be made available from Kazaa if this keeps up.

Jodo Kast

[Erpy]

Erpy,

Quit causing problems.

I don't get it. I'm trying to hold a discussion with you about something, without the use of flames or offensive language, so I don't get why you're telling me to shut up. Would you mind telling me what problems I would be causing? Because I pledge innocence at present.

I have had offers to host the file, and FilePlanet is willing to host Laura Bow when it's done - and tested.

I know about the offers. Both Muzlak/Bryce and Angelus offered to host stuff for you. I didn't know about Fileplanet. But since you were asking for feedback, I still don't understand why you keep turning down hosting offers.

If you want the latest check the website.

Do you mean files? At the time of writing, I don't see any downloads on your site.

The Beta and Alpha versions of the game will only be made available from Kazaa if this keeps up.

I think you'd really be punishing yourself that way and not me or anyone else. Developers generally want to spread their work as much as possible. You're the first one I've heard of who threatens to do the opposite. I'm a bit confused.

[deltamatrix]

I've just read the other thread about this game and I'd just like to say that Jodo, you are an oddball

After seeing the website, I must say that I don't like your style of graphics. I find them quite off-putting. Obviously this may explain the huge size of the demo (if it exists) but haven't you considered people who haven't even got broadband?
SIZE doesn't matter!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think 3D modelling suits the game. At least not this kind of game. I'm used to Tierra styled VGA.

[Jodo Kast]

OK Erpy to answer your questions again:

1. I don't need file hosting.  Geocities.com is hosting my stuff for now.

2. What I post here matters.  If I say it's on Kazaa that's where you can get it.  Whining about it isn't going to help you.

3. If you want to catch up to current development, comment on the characters on my website.  Then on Saturday when I post some backgrounds, comment on the background.

4. You can talk about anything you want.  Sometimes you won't like my answers, and that's OK too.

Jodo Kast

[Jodo Kast]

Deltamatrix,

Thanks for your feedback!  To speed up development we are using Poser characters.  We can render without anti-aliasing to get crisp edges (without alpha channels).  We can render walking views left, right, front and back.  It takes time we don't have to hand draw graphics.  It takes time we don't have to model our own characters in Lightwave.

The characters are pretty bare right now.  We are working on adding doo-dads and accessories like reading glasses, cigarette, wheelchair, etc.  We are also saving poses for the characters so we can render blinks, talking, etc like an assembly line.

Plus I personally wanted realistic looking characters over cartoons like QFG2 and KQ2+.  The death animations and carnage scenes will be alot better.

Jodo Kast

[The Subliminal Messenger]

So, we get some backgrounds on Saturday.

What sort of style are they being made in?

[Nixxon]

So, we get some backgrounds on Saturday.

What sort of style are they being made in?

I beleive they're pre-renderd 3D, which could make for some nifty eye candy, i'd imagine creating walk behinds would be somewhat of a nightmare however  

It's amusing that production threads with little or no content seem to obtain zillions of replies, where as the opposite receives run of the mill attention. *Watches own thread plunge down the apex* The almighty paradox!

[Jodo Kast]

So, we get some backgrounds on Saturday.

What sort of style are they being made in?

Well we are using photo realistic brushes so hopefully it will look semi-realistic.  It takes awhile to get the grass to look right but once it's done it looks better than 3D rendering, IMHO.

Jodo Kast

[Jodo Kast]

So, we get some backgrounds on Saturday.

What sort of style are they being made in?

I beleive they're pre-renderd 3D, which could make for some nifty eye candy, i'd imagine creating walk behinds would be somewhat of a nightmare however  

Yep, we are using layers of course for the grass, so there are planes of grass that we will add.  We use the image of the grass against a transparent background, then make it one-color to mask it (and create the walk-behind).  5 or six levels of grass or so...

[Blackthorne]

Heheh.  He's in command of a Pi team! (It appears the "Pi" post was deleted after I wrote this.  Jodo said that the team consists of 3.14 people.)


Well, at least you have SOMETHING to show now, Jodo..... I'm glad you put up something, even if it is stock poser characters.  I still think you have no game demo, which is OKAY, I mean, you're working on something.... but you didn't have to lie about a demo.  You could have just said "We're working on the game.... here are some pictures of what we're doing....."... instead of sending people on a wild goose chase for a non-existant demo.

I look forward to seeing some backgrounds, just a suggestion.... Lillian's Hair is very off for the style; she should have a short bob haircut, as she was a traditional 20's flapper.  Check out pictures of Clara Bow (the actress) for reference. (In fact, the name Laura Bow is a play/homage on Clara Bow)

Blackthorne

[Jodo Kast]

Nixxon (Ibex),

It took me awhile to put 2 and 2 together.  You are the perfect example of how it's been going so far.  You artwork is amazing and I can tell you spent a lot of time in Illustrator to get it to look like that.

Our backgrounds are the same way.  They take forever.  However if you make the characters as wonderful as your backgrounds, it's gonna take you awhile!  

Poser allows me to create the characters we need quickly.  Our backgrounds will use photo-realistic paint brushes and 3D rendering so we'll see if it cuts on the time it takes per background.

If anyone wants to join the team, e-mail me and I can tell you what we need currently.  "Currently" changes so right now if you can do Poser characters let me know while the rest of the team is concentrating on the backgrounds!

Thanks Nixxon!

Jodo Kast

[Jodo Kast]

Blackthorne,

You asked about the hairstyles.  The new game takes place in present time, so that might answer your question.

The house will look old and with 'retro' 1930s interior design so you will feel like you are in the past when you are in the mansion.  Some of the dates are changed but the story is the same.  The family tree will need some updating to fit...

Jodo Kast

[Blackthorne]

Oh, it takes place in the present time?

That sucks.

The tone of that game was set by it's use of the 20's.  The story will have to change much.  Why there is no causeway to the island will have to be explained (The state would have built one, or if the Colonel is so rich, why didn't he build one..... I mean there was a road leading to his house in the original game, the swamp just overtook it) People have cell-phones, motives are different..... this is going to be a completely different game.  I'm not sure you should call it the Colonel's Bequest.... I think this is heading towards a more original creation that a remake..... which of itself isn't a bad idea, but now it just seems like a bite off the original now, doesn't it?  What war was the Colonel a Hero is?  World War II?  Korea?  Why would he have a war horse?  The last war they were used in as cavalry was The Spanish American war, which the original Colonel fought in.  Blaze was his prize horse from that.  Will the colonel still have such a stereotypical cook as Celie, the black-voodoo woman?  Much story rewriting will have to take place....  Perhaps you should rename the heroine as well, as the name Laura Bow is an homage to a 20's movie star, Clara Bow.  Why don't you call her something like Angela Jolene or Julie Stile.  What about Kathy Dunst?  Or Laura Prepon?  Hmm.. also, the other names in the game are homages to 20's people.  Clarence Sparrow is an obvious refrence to Clarence Darrow, the atheist trial lawyer whose sweeping speechs moved jurys to tears.  He defended the Scopes Monkey Trial.  Maybe you should rename him Johnny Sochran.  Or R. C. Bailey.  Or maybe Jim "The Hammer" Shapiro...... I dunno.  Gloria Swansong?  Refrence to Gloria Swanson, who was famous in the early days, but later became famous for her role in Sunset Boulevard in the 50's.  So, a washed up or older actress today..... Maybe you could rename her Bette Meddler, or Goldie Prawn, or Diane Beaton?  These things should be considered, if the game is moved to present day.

Bt

[LucasFan]

Ok, Erpy & Co. I've downloaded that damn demo from Kazaa and put it on a website. Now we can all be friends again, forgive each other, love each other, help each other to change and make some good resolutions for the new year.  

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[Blackthorne]

Brilliant, LF.

Bt