Rebel Spy - A Prelude to Hope

[Darth Mandarb]

I remember playing Sierra games back in the early 90's and always wanted to see a Star Wars game in that style.  So that's what I've decided to do.  So, I'm announcing:

Star Wars: Rebel Spy - A Prelude to Hope
Basic Plot:
You're a Rebel Spy (hence the title) and you've got a mission.  The Empire is supposedly creating a super weapon and you're assigned the task of finding out what and where it is.  Your journey will take you from Dantooine to the Bespin system, from the planet Despayre to Yavin 4, all in search of the Empire's ultimate weapon.  You must find the plans and deliver them to the Rebellion.

This story takes place before Ep. IV A New Hope and will end, pretty much where aNH ends.  I'm planning on tying the plot points of aNH into the game (just from a completely different perspective) so that it will all tie together perfectly.  I'm pretty much throwing out anything but what's in the movie (no Expanded Universe stuff).  I'm sure this subject has been touched before, but I'm making it my own.  I've got 90% of the plot complete already.  I'm basically just focusing on graphics right now.  Then I'm going to focus on the scripting part (which will be my biggest challenge)


Here is a sample to whet your appetite and entice you to click the links below:

Some characters Let me know if you like how they look, your favorites, what could be improved, etc.
A few of the ships There are only two here, 'cause these take some time, but let me know what y'all think.
Backgrounds (environments) These are some backgrounds I'm planning on using.

I plan on using existing Star Wars music.  I haven't decided if I'll go with mp3 or Midi yet.  I'm leaning towards mp3 just 'cause I think it'll sound better, but we'll see.  I'm studying the scripting part of AGS (as the only real programming I do is Cold Fusion) because I really want to make this something cool.

I just posted in another area that I wouldn't post too soon about a project I'm working on, but I thought I'd do it anyway.  I really want to see what y'all think of this beginning.

I appreciate all your input!

[Miez]

Wow - that is some nice artwork! It is great to have such a well developed setting to base your game upon.

[Barcik]

Very interesting. I always was surprised that Lucasarts never decided to do a Star Wars adventure game. Anyway, I will sure be waiting for that!

Oh and by the way, George Lucas is behind your back!

[Eero]

They decided, but they abandoned the project in about a month...

[Czar]

Looks great, cant wait for teh game...
too bad it hasnt teh LEC original sign :'(

[Darth Mandarb]

Star Wars: Rebel Spy - A Prelude to Hope

Update: 03/20/03

I've created a walking Stormtrooper for use in the game.  I just wanted to see what you guys thought of it.  I'm pretty pleased with it.  There is one frame (the one where the leg in front is all the way back) where there is a little glitch in the hip area that I'm going to work on.

EDIT I corrected the leg problem (along w/ a glitch I found in the knee./EDIT

[color=000055]treadmill ...[/color]


[color=000055]In motion ...[/color]

I'll keep posting stuff in here as I develop it.

dm

[Dorcan]

Wow ! Great !!!
The walk-cycle animation's very good! You did manage to make a realstic one.

I think the main character is, well, somewhat banal. It's not that he's badly drawn, not at all, I really like the sprites, but I think his head is a bit small, and not very expressive. He needs something... original.
Otherwise, about his colors, I prefere the sprite #1.
Oh and his clothes are cool!

Hey, can't wait to play a starwars adventure !

[Darth Mandarb]

Star Wars: Rebel Spy - A Prelude to Hope

Update (again)

Dorcan - Thanks for the advice!  I was thinking the same thing about his expression.  I'll get to work on that!

I've added two more ships (I tend to work fast when I can't sleep!)

A snowspeeder:


A TIE Interceptor


And one more character ...

The Emporer:

[|Alky|]

Yay!
A Star Wars game...
I always wanted one of those!  :
The backgrounds are pretty cool, maybe a little cartoonish.
But this idea can work well, s'pecially if the storytelling cutscenes are as good as the ones in 'Tie Fighter'

[Jimi]

I'm SOOOO going to download this one! You could use that notebook thing in the begginers forum! Will it be keyboard controlled? I like your artwork!

--Jimi--

[Joseph DiPerla]

OH MY GOD. Please finish this game (eventually). I love Star Wars, and I am so upset that LEC never made an adventure game on it. I even read many expanded universe novels and stuff.

No chance that we'll see vader using his saber huh?

Joey

[Darth Mandarb]

Star Wars: Rebel Spy - A Prelude to Hope

My favorite Star Wars character(s) were those that didn't have the force.  I always thought they were the underdogs, and thus more interesting to me.  It seems to me (since the prequels came out) that EVERY new thing to do with Star Wars makes the character a Jedi with a lightsabre.  So I decided that this game would feature no main characters as Jedi, but you never know ... perhaps Vader will show up.

All the 'big' characters you've seen so far are more than likely going to be only used in cutscenes.  The playable characters will more than likely be like the walking stormtrooper (pic above)  I haven't decided yet if I want the playable character to be that big.

We'll see ... it's still early in the dev. process.

I'll have more to show (hopefully) later today.

dm

[JD]

Looking mighty cool man! Keep up the good work.

[Jimi]

Lucas Arts made a game called "Yoda Stories", I'm sure that is an adventure game (  ;Dplayed it)

[MrColossal]

yoda stories isn't an adventure game it's more like... idle-should-be-playing-solitaire game

anyways, nice art, i suggest more movement in the stormtrooper's walk as in, make his arms bob

eric

[Gonzo]

Holy mackeral, this looks great! I really like the art style, the clean and crisp look comes off really well. The premise sounds very good...I'm sure the idea has been touched on before (there have been so many books and comics) but it would just complicate it, so you're right - best to only take the movies as your cue.

Looking forward to it.

[LordHart]

This looks freakin' awesome. Your characters are brilliant, and I really like the backgrounds that you've done. They really capture the feel of Star Wars. I'd hate to spoil this, but there is one story inconsistency already from what I've read.

The spies that gave the plans to Princess Leia were discovered by Vader and killed...

[Darth Mandarb]

Star Wars: Rebel Spy - A Prelude to Hope

Ultimo - Thanks for the praise!

I thought (EU wise) that it was Kyle Katarn (the guy from the Jedi Knight game) who stole the plans.  That's what the Star Wars Encyclopedia says anyway.

But as far as the game goes, I'm just using what's in the movie, so worry not!  I've got it all figured out!!  I've thrown in some suprises, which I just can't give away here

dm

[Joseph DiPerla]

Hey, in the beginning of the game, will you have the Star Wars scrolling text? That would be awesome. Someone posted some code for that in the Technical forum, you might want to check it out. Just a suggestion.

Joey

[LordHart]

Yeah you have to do the text. I have done it for a game I'm making which isn't even related to Star Wars. It works quite well.

But, instead of the actual text written in AGS, create a single graphic for the title name and then a separate one for the entire text. It works incredibly well, and you have to have the Star Wars music on it as well and it really ****ing rocks.

[Varsity]

I like!  It looks good, I couldnt really notice the hip glitch until you mentioned it.  The characters look good.  I think the Main character looks great, but it might look better with something more original to set him apart(IMO), I think # 3 looks good.  I am really looking forward to this game now, looks good, you are a great artist. ( i draw like a 5 yr old)    Overall I like it alot!

[LordHart]

( i draw like a 5 yr old)

You use crayons?

[Varsity]

Maybe ...  :o   hehe, really i suck at drawing, free hand that is... going to post some drawings of my game in production so you can see my so called "Skills".

[Joseph DiPerla]

SO hows the progress on this game, I really am looking forward to it?

Joey

[Nacho]

WOW! Nice preview! I was thinking in making a Staw Wars game, but I decided not to do because of Fear on LEC lawyers. Now I am happy not doing that because YOUR ARE TEH MAN! I love the art.

P.S. I think that the TIE interceptor was produced after the Battle of Yavin, in fact it is an advance of Vader's  TIE Advanced prototype. I'm not sure, but you may leave the TIE-I for the seconf part of the game...

Anyway--- Darth Mandarb's SW will rock!!!

[Mats Berglinn]

Darth-Mandarb, the force is with you.   But there is some things that I wonder. Will Boba Fett appear in the game? How are you going to make the music simliar to John Williams? I mean, it's quite tough to do it without a whole classical-music orcestra and if you are going to get one, you may pay through the nose to make them do it. Also it wouldn't be possible to convince John Williams without him expected to be payed, I mean, he is very good at conducting (he made music to a lot for movies, not only to Star Wars 1, 2, soon 3, 4, 5 and 6 but also Jaws and the Indiana Jones movies (some other movies maybe, I don't know) so he is very good at conducting. I wonder also, what kind of aliens will appear? I would like to see dugs (Sebulba from Phantom Menance is a dug), gungans (not a clumsy one like Jar-Jar even if I liked him), Wookies, Hutts, Twi-leeks (Those who have head-tails), kaminoians and those aliens that is Greedo's kind (you know, the guy who got shot by Han Solo in the Cantina in Mos Eisley). I'm seeing foward to this. May the force be with you.

[Darth Mandarb]

I was kind of hoping, for the next couple of weeks, that my post of 'in progress' for Rebel Spy would have stayed buried before I chose to dig it up.

I am still working on this, and will finish it, but unfortunately the real world stepped in and I got four new clients at once and am absolutely swamped with work.  But worry not my Star Wars fans!  I will finish this game!

Mats Berglinn - Thanks for the very descriptive Star Wars information  I wasn't planning on using Boba Fett, but you just never know who will show up!  Also, as far as aliens go I'll probably stick with what's in the original Trilogy for now.  Hutts, Twi'leks, Rodians (greedo), Hammerhead (can't think of species), etc.  But again, you never know ... I'm going to use pre-existing Star Wars music.  If LEC lawyers want to come after me they're welcome to

Farlander - Thanks for the encouragement and thanks for the bit about the TIE interceptor.  I didn't even think about that!  It's my favorite imperial ship, so perhaps it will show up in the sequel to Rebel Spy

Thanks to all!  And of course, May the Force be with you!!

[Jimi]

So how far have you got?

[Nacho]

Thanks Darth for paying attention to mi bit. The only think I wanted not to seem was one of these guys whose critisice a project without giving new ideas. I see you got my point, thanks.

I have also a big enciclopedia with many Star Wars files, so don't doubt in asking me if you have a little doubt, I'll take a look to my "files" to see what can I find. I am not one of that crazy guys whose know each little fact published in every little SW magazine, but I'd be happy to help.

[Nacho]

Pheeew... I forgot some things... My favourite imperial Star Wars Imperial fighter is also the TIE/I. As you can see in my avatar, I am an X-wing and tie-fighter "ace"  

The problesm is that TIE fighters are not shielded... They rely in their number to beat the odds. The attempt to change this was a failure because Rebels stole the plans for the new imperial fighter (which will be the rebel X-wing). It could be an idea for the storyline also, because the stealing of the Death Star's plans is a very know issue at the SW enciclopedia. I'd like whatever stuff you will do, but the "purists" could find "inconsistency", as Ultimo said.

[Darth Mandarb]

Farlander - I have that encyclopedia too.  It's a great reference source.  I have decided that I'm basically going to discount the EU (Expanded Universe) and just stick with what's in the movies themselves.  I am a fan of the EU, but I'm a bigger fan of the movies themselves.  I feel pretty confident in my story, but if I come across some point I don't know for sure I'll call on you for help  Thanks!

Jimi - The story is 100% complete.  I have every room/scene/act all planned out.  What points are available, what actions you can do, what items/objects you can pick up, etc.  I have very little of the game art completed.  I'm still trying to decide on the actual style I want to use for the gameplay.  Most of the art you see in this post will be for cuts scenes (they're just too big for in game stuff).

I've got the rest of this week to finish up my work (for my company ... not for Rebel Spy ), and then I'm headed to Florida to visit with my folks (and go on a cruise with some friends) but after the cruise I'm hanging out in FL for a few weeks where I'll have all the time in the world to work on Rebel Spy.  So in two weeks I'll be posting more stuff up here.  I've been aching to get back to working on this.

One style I was thinking of making this game is like this: Possible Style.  This would be for the big, outter areas.  (the top picture, and my characters won't look like those characters).  The individual rooms would be more side scrolling type of rooms like this: MrMasse's Reactor Room.  I think combining these two styles into one game could be very effective.

dm

[Jimi]

Have you decided what style interface you are using? I recommend Lucas Arts MI style.

[Nacho]

Aaaaahhh! I'm happy... I agree with your policy of relying just in the movies if it's possible, because there is a lot of stuff that spares in the SW universe if you look to all the publications. I am happy because I see you've planned this well and this is not going to dissapoind nobody.If I knew that your storyline was so advanced I wouldn't told nothing... I trust you. I want to encourage you! good luck!

[James]

This game looks very good, but the main character's head looks kinda small for the body. I cant wait for more previews and posts, and the full game.

[Hobbes]

Indeed, it looks very good! It's very cartoony, but in a mature way, if you know what I mean. Kinda reminds me of how they transferred the Indiana Jones movies to a game.

There's one little niggle, and it has to do with the animation on the webpage you linked to about "characters" in your first post.

The animated walking guy besides the stormtrooper... his hands. I don't know anyone who waves his hands about so much when they walk...

...well, ok, maybe I do, but that's not the point.  

But other than that, looking good!

[Nacho]

Just two things! I remember that there are two imperial marchs performed by two Heavy metal bands, Rage against the machine and Metallica. I am not very into Heavy music, but that two songs sound really good if you want to use them for dramatic purposes... No doubt has another version, but it is a live song that surtely won't work. If you nned one or two of the tumes demand to me or look the in to Kazaa.

[Mats Berglinn]

If you need more info on characters, aliens, droids, spaceship and stuff you can go to www.starwars.com, they have lot of info on characters, aliens droids and so on, from the old movies as well as the new ones.

[DinghyDog]

It was Kyle Katarn who stole the plans, if it's still disputed.

(Didn't any of you play Dark Forces? Heh. The first level is all about that, as I remember.)

(And he didn't die.)

-DD

PS: Looks great, mandarb.

[Mats Berglinn]

If you need sounds for the R2-units, I have some R2D2 sounds in my PC.

[Darth Mandarb]

DinghyDog - I know about Kyle Katarn and all that, but I'm not incorporating the EU (as such) into this.  I'm just going to use what's in the Original Movies and make up my own EU as I go.  There's just too much in the EU to tie it all together.

dm

PS
EU = Expanded Universe

[Autofire]

The artwork for this game looks very neat. Did you make everyghing yourself?

[ElectricMonk]

Holy. Crap.

This looks very very awesome - it's about time someone made a decent SW adventure game (apologies if there are already any AGS SW games out there that I missed).

One teensy weensy minor niggle though: You may want to run the whole thing through a spell checker. It's "emperor", not "emporer", and "protocol droid" not "protical droid".
(Of course a spellchecker will be pretty useless when it comes to most other SW names, such as "Gamorrean" instead of "Gammorian"...)

Oh, and the "Hammerhead" species are Ithorians.

[foz]

top artwork.........another game to add to my list...

[Kweepa]

I wish people would stop digging up ancient threads.
I get all excited for no reason.
I think DM's abandoned this game...

[Darth Mandarb]

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Well, first, the good news:
I haven't exactly abandoned this.

It's just been put on hold.  I am still planning on doing this game, though I've got a few projects in the works right now.

This is the game I want to make most with AGS, but I wanted to take some time (do other smaller projects) to learn the scripting and perfect the style.

I was guilty of doing what a LOT of n00bs do ... I found AGS and then decided to make a HUGE mind blowing 1000 hour game with never before seen graphics and playability.  Then I ate a reality sandwhich.

So while you can expect to see this game made ... don't expect it any time soon

[Kweepa]

Heh heh.
Always a great way to elicit a response.

[Joseph DiPerla]

I dont know... A friend indeed showed that you are capable of making a really great game, Graphics wise, puzzle wise, story wise and scripting wise.

I dont know how much you need to learn. I consider you a top AGS'er in my book.

But take as much time as you need with the game. Star Wars is my favorite movies/book so I look forward to seeing this game.

JD

[LordHart]

I'm glad this hasn't been abandoned...

But Darth, hurry up and finish it and I'll give you a special treat.. if you know what I mean?




























...Candy!

[Gonchi]

This game's art looks great. I hope you manage to get the game back on track ASAP, it would be a shame if it were canceled.

Also, I think the player char looks a tad too young. I know you're just "thinking out loud" with your sprite, and that any suggestion I make will probably be irrelevant due to the current status of the game, but I had a few mins and nothing better to do so here's my interpretation of what the player char should look like (it actually took me longer to figure out how to attach an image. Really wish we could upload from HD's instead of linking from websites)...

<link removed>

I hope you don't mind that I've bastardized your art.

[ElectricMonk]

Gonchi: Nice, but a little too "Kyle Katarn" for my taste...

[Darth Mandarb]

Gonchi: Nice, but a little too "Kyle Katarn" for my taste...

Exactly what I was thinking.  Or the guy from 'My Two Dads'

Truthfully, when I get around to this game again it'll probably resemble what you've seen so far VERY little.  So that character will probably change drastically!

But thanks for taking the time!

[MrColossal]

Hehe and next time Darth... don't use my walkcycle as a template, but I think i've harped on that enough now...

hooray for not finishing games!

[Mats Berglinn]

hooray for not finishing games!

Knock it off, will ya MrColossal!!!

Darth: Just ignore him! I want you to finish the games. I see forward to both.

[Gonchi]

Who's Kyle Katarn?

[AGA]

He was in er... Jedi Knight, I think. One of the Star Wars third-person fighter/shooter games.

[ElectricMonk]

He was in er... Jedi Knight, I think. One of the Star Wars third-person fighter/shooter games.

His debut was in Dark Forces, then he appeared in Jedi Knight (aka Dark Forces 2) and its sequels (up to the recent Jedi Academy, in which he appears as an NPC).

[Gonchi]

Ah, I see now.

[Phemar]

Please, get rid of the floppy hands....And this game look terrific! I think it will definately be better than JP and Cosmo: A friend Indeed.


Woohoo!

[Nacho]

As a chairman of T-d entertainment I must say... Jeremy Page is in Michigan, in a wedding, and he'll  be there for two weeks... Save your energies for his come back. 

[Bartimaeus]

That art is amazing.
Its not fair.


EDIT: Okay hang on I should seriously not have replied to this. Didn't realise it's about a year old.