Doom 3 SDK + Patch+ Vehicle Code to be released soon

[Zeus]

http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=25316

A mod making seminar for Doom 3 was held earlier today at QuakeCon with id Software programmers Robert Duffy and Jim Dose, animator Fred Nilsson and intern Robert Harris in attendance. Here are some highlights:


The big question: When will the Doom 3 SDK be released? Duffy said they were aiming for sometime next week but added, "Don't quote me on that," as they are also working on other projects that may push the release back. The SDK will include the game code, phyiscs code and more.

Along with the SDK, id plans to release a web site link with some tutorials on the tools that was written mainly by Harris.

Also, a patch for the game itself will be released "relatively soon" according to Duffy, mainly to deal with a couple of multiplayer exploits that cropped up.

In addition to the level editor, othe mod tools for Doom 3 include the sound editor, the script editor (all the AI in the game is handled by Doom 3's script code), the particle editor, the articulated figure editor (used to create ragdoll skeletons for the game's character models) and the GUI editor. Duffy said the editor was actually created by Raven Software for their work on Quake 4 but that the editor is a bit crashy due to id Software's own work on the GUI code (most of the GUI code is done by hand in Notepad, according to Duffy).

Even though the gameplay doesn't lend itself to vehicles, Doom 3 does support vehicles and when the SDK is released a sample map will be included that will have a six wheeled buggy in it, which will help with mod makers who want vehicles in their mods.

The movie making and demo capabilities of Doom 3 are rather limited at the moment (demos at the moment don't support sound, particles or the GUI code, according to Duffy) which means folks wishing to make "machinima" movies with Doom 3 may have some problems at first. Nilsson does plan to release some tutorials on how they made the non-interactive movie portions of the game. However.

The biggest hurdle for mod makers interested in full total conversion like games for Doom 3 is the artwork, admitted Duffy. He said most of the artwork in the game started as a 3D model and things like character models had over 1 million polygons before they reduced them down to be used in the game. id plans to release exporters for programs like Maya and some sample character models for the game in order to help mod artists with their work.

Woot good news

 

[Sparta]

Awesomeness

 

[Roland Deschain]

I hope some modder may spruce up the Rad Doll and physics engine, I hate yoga marines, nobody dies like that.

 

[Estevan]

i die like that...... seriously

 

[Tork]

Its a great time to be a gamer, with all this stuff coming out, i couldnt ask for more, but really im starting to hate doom 3 for what it is, so unless they make some major changes im not going to care about it, im more into hl2 and stalker where there is light, i cant stand darkness that long its just, i dont know weird.

 

[Letters]

I'd like them to address their effed up map editor in the patch... I just can't bring myself to use that POS... and that's when I can even get it to load correctly.

 

[Dux]

I'd like them to address their effed up map editor in the patch... I just can't bring myself to use that POS... and that's when I can even get it to load correctly.

What's wrong with it exactly? Heh, sounds like Unreal Ed

 

[Javert]

And it took Far Cry four months+. ^_^ gg.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

good news indeed
i'd like to see some good mods soon

 

[MultiVaC]

I hope the patch turns 25% of the imps into pinky demons and another 25% into a creature THEY HAVEN'T ****IN REVEALED before the game was realeased. Oh well, hopefully they'll tweak the dorky gib and ragdoll systems, and maybe allow you to have a light with your pistol so it doesn't become useless the second you get a shotgun. I've also got a really bad bug where enemies aren't spawning in the Cyberdemon battle.

 

[h4vvok]

Its a great time to be a gamer, with all this stuff coming out, i couldnt ask for more, but really im starting to hate doom 3 for what it is, so unless they make some major changes im not going to care about it, im more into hl2 and stalker where there is light, i cant stand darkness that long its just, i dont know weird.

That's like wanting the girl in The Exorcist not to be possessed.....the darkness is what makes the game...it's supposed to be dark, dark= evil...without the possessed girl in the exorcist there would be no reason for the movie

 

[Interitus]

Sweet... cant wait for the sdk.

I'd actually like to see someone remake the Doom1 and Doom2 levels. Update 'em a little, but for the most part keep 'em the same.

 

[blahblahblah]

What's wrong with it exactly? Heh, sounds like Unreal Ed

I'm learning to map with the Doom 3 editor (never mapped before :O). It has real potential but so many bugs.

Example of bugs

- Over half of the textures are not available in the map editor
- Various crashing errors
- Light brightness has a habit of changing on you
- In editor realtime level viewer has some bugs
- General wackiness

Even with all those bugs, I love mapping. Now, I am back to the Doom 3 editor to learn how to make doors in my level right now.

 

[SidewinderX]

this is good news I hope to see a martian racing mod soon