Hacx 2.0 Maplist & Ideas Thread

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Xaser
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Hacx 2.0 Maplist & Ideas Thread

Post by Xaser »

Welcome! This thread serves to keep track of the status of map development thus far and provide some idea guidelines for the planned maps. If you're interested in mapping, take a look at the info here and see what strikes your fancy.

If you're wondering why there's already a predefined maplist, Hacx 2.0 has a brand-new script (to be told in between maps) and the levels are arranged to suit. Yes, Hacx actually does have a storyline -- surprising, isn't it? :P


MAP LIST

--Key:

Finalized, Playable, Work In Progress, Needs Improvement, Not Started.


--==PALO ALTO==--

01 : "Genemp Corp"
         - Mike Reed / John Herndon / Grymmoire / Captain Toenail / Xaser Acheron

02 : "Tunnel Town"
         - Stephen Watson / Xaser Acheron

03 : "Lava Annex"
         - Marc "Fanatic" Pullen

04 : "Alcatraz" (the final area is disappointing as fark)
         - John Herndon


05 : "Cyber City" (yes, I retconned the name :P )
         - Xaser Acheron (reserving just this one in advance, I am)



--==HONG KONG==--

06 :"Digi-Ota"
         - Stephen Watson / Cage


07 :"Great Wall" (needs outdoor scenes)
         - Adam Williamson


08 :"Garden of Delights" (needs lots of improvement all around -- too maze-y and a bit ugly)
         - Ryan Rapsys


09 : "Hidden Palace" (minor retexturing work needed)
         - Anthony "Adelusion" Czerwonka


10 : "Anarchist Dream"
         - (unclaimed)



--==PARIS==--

11 : "Notus Us!"
         - Michael Mesko / Grymmoire (future edits perhaps)

12 : "Gothik Gauntlet" (retexturing and bugfixing needed)
         - Rich "Nostromo" Johnston


13 : "The Catacombs" (another name retcon :P )
         - Anthony "Adelusion" Czerwonka

14 : "Notre Damned"
         - (unclaimed)


15 : "Twilight of Enk's" (needs lots o' retexturing)
         - Jeremy Statz, Nostromo



--==EGYPT==--

16 : "Protean Cybex"
         - Xaser Acheron

17 : "Dune City"
         - (unknown -- Cybdmn and Chris Kaplan expressed interest in doing this one)


18 : "River of Blood"
         - Marc "Fanatic" Pullen

19 : "Valley of the Dead"
         - Chris Kaplan

20 : "Artificial Annihilation" (name subject to change)
         - (slot unavailable -- this will be a boss map, but the boss isn't yet made)



--==WASHINGTON D.C==--

21 : "CryoZine"
         - Icytux (though it's been a while since he's worked on it)


22 : "Pentagon Syndrome"
         - (unclaimed)


23 : "Capitol Punishment"
         - (unclaimed)


24 : "The War Rooms" (honestly this one could do with a full replacement)
         - Adam Williamson


25 : "Intruder Alert!"
         - (unclaimed)



--==WARPED REALITY==--

26 : "The Darkness"
         - Xaser Acheron (reserving this one too -- I have a very specific secret plan for it)


27 : "'Trode Wars"
         - Andrew Gate / Darkhaven3


28 : "Bizarro" (too short -- honestly, this could be a brand-new map :P )
         - Anthony "Adelusion" Czerwonka


29 : "Reality Bytes"
         - (unclaimed)


30 : "Twitch n' Kill"
         - (slot unavailable -- this will be a boss map, but the boss isn't yet made)



--==SECRETS==--

S1 : "Subspace Arcadum"
         - (unclaimed)


S2 : "Desiccant Room"
         - Stephen Watson


S3 : "Future Perfect"
         - (unclaimed)



Note that maps that carry the "Playable" label are essentially 'beta versions' of the maps. They're complete from start to finish but could use some misc. tweaks here and there. The "Needs Improvement" label, in contrast, represents maps that need much more extensive tweaking in order to bring them up to the standard. Most of these have some more specifics next to the name, and if not, it just boils down to "make them better" :P


MAP DESCRIPTIONS

Many of these ideas originate from the original Hacx development docs, written by Holt Satterfield (Hacx's original idea-guy and scriptwriter). His descriptions come first when applicable, prefixed with [HS], with mine ([XA]) following. A few ideas have been changed from the original a bit to fit the new map progression, but a lot of the old descriptions still apply.

Potential map designers: These are merely guidelines. While the general theme of the map is somewhat set in stone (i.e. "Dune City" obviously shouldn't reside on beachfront property), the details, progression, and gameplay are up to your creative energies to decide. Start with an idea you think you like and go nuts! Start a thread here in the forum and share some screenshots, too. We'll all be itching to see it.

Also, if you're wondering who "Danny" is in the Holt descriptions, the player character from Hacx is named Danny Evanger. Just a little detail that was never revealed in the original version. ;)


10 : "Anarchist Dream"

  [HS] This is what chaos is. You can't even tell which way is up; it's like an Escher drawing that really works! Lights and AIs everywhere.

  [XA] The original MAP10 of Hacx is a prime example of a good idea gone bad. Though there are admittedly a few neat concepts, for the most part it's an ugly and confused mess of a map. I think it would do HacX a good deal of justice to re-make this map entirely from scratch, with some better texturing and design for sure. At least the music kicks ass, though.


14 : "Notre Damned"

  [HS] ...DANNY runs into Notre Dame, and is it ever gorgeous, with statuary, stained glass windows, narrow stone stairs, corridors, tunnels, giant bells, towers, secret doors and rooms, stone gargoyles, and Monsters galore! DANNY will go to the top and take out the anti-aircraft mounts manned by Monsters, then he will travel down toward the bowels...

  [XA] What else can I say? It's a cathedral. The cathedral, in fact. Now, there's only so close to the real thing it can look in the Doom engine, and the actual details of the interior don't need to accurately reflect the real thing (unless you've been there and reeally feel like making it,k of course), but the exterior should ideally look somewhat like the Notre Dame we know and love. Tall order? Maybe.
  This map is also where I would like the first appearance of the mini-boss "Grax" monster, but seeing how it hasn't been created yet, there's no need to worry about it right now.

   This map needs a SECRET EXIT (to S2: Desiccant Room) -- perhaps some sort of underground tunnel into the darkness or somesuch. Just not a cyberspace terminal room. :P


17 : "Dune City"

  [HS] We arrive at a pleasure palace on an oasis in the middle of the sun-scorched desert. Within this Taj Mahal of the desert we find that some wealthy Caliph has built several different environmental terrariums-- like a jungle room, complete with thick foliage and undergrowth, and and an arctic room complete with ice stalactites. Monsters are behind every leaf and snow drift!. There are more secret passages than you can shake a stick at. But if you go outside, don't be out in the sun too long or you begin to lose power because of heat-stroke.

  [XA] Not sure how keen I am on the idea of the terrariums, but whatever works. A "desert palace" map is a heck of an idea, and who knows what kind of wackiness may be lying around the compound?

20 : "Artificial Annihilation"

  [XA] A map design with this name was mentioned in the original docs, but the new plan is to have it be a boss board containing the player's first confrontation with GENIE. Can't do much with this yet, though, since GENIE doesn't exist just yet...
  The name may be temporary, though. It's a bit on the cheesy side, but that may be forgivable. ;)


21 : "CryoZine"

  [HS] A devastated, seemingly war-torn city! Our Capitol city is empty, at least of human life, and it's scary. Washington memorial, Lincoln memorial, are shattered as Americans made one last stand to fight off GENIE and its hordes. You cyber-leap into yet another industrialized hi-tech complex. With one horrifying difference! There are thousands upon thousands, perhaps millions of people frozen in see-thru Cyrozine freeze chambers waiting to be desiccated of their neural fluids! It's an ugly, horrifying sight! Talk about freezer burn! You blow the control panels, thawing your dead cousins, wasting the opportunity for these fiends to feed!

  [XA] The original site of the "experiment gone wrong," I imagine this map as a war-torn underground complex sunk beneath the streets of Washington (of which you pop out and visit a time or two). Underneath, cryogenic labs and destroyed test chambers litter the place with creeping nasties scattered everywhere.


22 : "Pentagon Syndrome"

  [XA] This one wasn't in the old design docs, but we're in D.C. so why not pay a visit? Now, a map with a realistically-sized Pentagon would likely be huge, but there's nothing wrong with "artistically licensing" a smaller "Pentagon 2.0" for the setting, seeing how it is the future after all. Other than the shape, there's not anything specific in terms of design. Of course, it's filled to the rim with chaos, as always. Just another day in the office.


23 : "Capitol Punishment"

  [XA] In the plans for the original HacX, the final battle was supposed to take place in the Capitol. In 2.0, this will still take place to a degree, but seeing how we're in D.C. anyway, why not give the place a little visit? The interior doesn't have to accurately reflect the actual Capitol (again, artistic license and the "you had to be there" factor), but if it somehow does, more power to you. Just throw in tons of secret passages that criss-cross the compound. President's orders.


25 : "Intruder Alert!"

  [HS] AI walls move in and out like teeth, and if DANNY isn't careful and doesn't time his movements just right, he'll get squashed by the data crunching power of these CRAYs.

  [XA] What a disappointing way to end an adventure, the original "Intruder Alert" (old Hacx MAP20) was. It looked ugly, played ugly, and the player randomly dies at the end. Ugh. Like Anarchist Dream, this one will need a full replacement. Not much more to it than that, and the description is vague enough to just say "Make a cyberspace map" and be done with it. ;)


26 : "The Darkness"

  [XA] Oddly enough, this level was never mentioned in the Hacx documents, yet the level name was defined in HacX 1.0 despite never actually existing. Well, at least it leaves room for some creativity.
  This map is to play much, much differently than the rest. The player has minimal weapons, and instead must dodge and weave through the hordes of ICE units as he tries to escape GENIE's wrath. That and I have another strange idea that I hope should work well.


28 : "Bizarro"

  [XA] The original Bizarro seemed like a good map, but it was far too short for anything serious. If we add some teleporters, lots of new areas and extensions, and some insane architecture in the inky void, what we have so far is not a bad start for a good map. Or it could be a totally new one. Either way. ;)

   This map needs a SECRET EXIT (to S3: Future Perfect) -- since we're in cyberspace already, there's no need to make it a cyberspace terminal or anything. ;)


29 : "Reality Bytes"

  [XA] And now, a map idea I've always wanted to see. As the nefarious GENIE begins to take control of cyberspace and subvert it to its will, the two realities begin to merge into one. Here, you find the psychotic cyberscapes mishmashed with real locations -- cities, deserts, snowfields, jungles... all bound together by circuitry and chaos. To put it simply, you are everywhere. Not a bad setting for the penultimate map, eh?


30 : "Twitch n' Kill"

  [XA] The final showdown. Takes place in a warped cyberspace-replica of the Capitol building. Also, GENIE is involved. Epic. I hope. :)


S1 : "Subspace Arcadum"

  [HS] This seems like a giant arcade, with balls of light shooting out of holes across the blackness. Walls lighting up, arcade noises. And ICE is everywhere!

  [XA] Sounds like a classic secret level to me. It should be weird, blinky, and sorta remniscient in art style of old arcade games (ot 8-Bit DM maybe?) -- simple but effective. Lots of open-ended-ness possible in design here.


S3 : "Future Perfect"

  [XA] I won't claim this one, though I do have a somewhat specific plan for it and a rather interesting theme I've always wanted to try: time travel. The idea is that the map takes place in a (slightly warped, since this is accessed in the final block) house/apartment/some sort of residence where you travel back and forth from the "present" (normal-looking except for enemies of course) and the "future" (in which the residence is partially destroyed -- in-plot what happens is a bomb goes off between the two timelines), with maybe a "past" of some sort thrown in as well. The idea is that you have to travel back and forth in order to cross through certain areas. Hooray for Chrono Trigger syndrome!


As said above, these are GUIDELINES primarily. if anything here seems too vague, strict, or silly, just post n' say so. We'll figure it out. ;)
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Re: Hacx 2.0 Maplist & Ideas Thread

Post by Gez »

Xaser wrote:20 : "Artificial Annihilation"

  [XA] A map design with this name was mentioned in the original docs, but the new plan is to have it be a boss board containing the player's first confrontation with GENIE. Can't do much with this yet, though, since GENIE doesn't exist just yet...
  The name may be temporary, though. It's a bit on the cheesy side, but that may be forgivable. ;)
If the aim is to have a vague wordplay on "artificial intelligence", it's not hard to find better stuff. Sacrificial Intelligence maybe?
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Re: Hacx 2.0 Maplist & Ideas Thread

Post by Xaser »

Hmm... "Sacrificial Intelligence." I like that one. It kinda fits with the "boss map" theme in a way -- I'll keep it mind for sure. :)
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Re: Hacx 2.0 Maplist & Ideas Thread

Post by NeuralStunner »

Xaser wrote:S3 : "Future Perfect"
Visions of shoutouts dance in my head. If I sprited you a Time Crystal, would you hide it in this map, with an amusing message? :P

(On the assumption that a touch of fourth-wall breaking is acceptable in a secret map.)
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Re: Hacx 2.0 Maplist & Ideas Thread

Post by darkhaven3 »

@Xaser: I might be interested in doing the necessary edits for map15, Twilight of Enk's. I recall you saying at some point you wanted to have me take a look at I think it was that particular map anyway?

At any rate let's wait until I have map27 at 100% before talking about taking on another map, but just saying that if I finish and nobody's taken it I might pick up map15.
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