Page Location: Home > 4x4 Evolution > Topic
1, 2, 3  Next
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 2:34 pm
quote : #1
profile : pm
Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
I'm going to put my artistic skills to use and make a professional grade track expansion pack for 4x4 EVO. I need to get the PC version first so I can create maps on the PC. I plan on making functional tracks that are worthy of the same quality and gameplay as the maps on the game itself.

A lot of the custom maps available on the internet are just too extreme. Lots are made for PC users with hacked cars that use them as godly obsticle courses. They are jsut, unplayable really. Many are poorly designed and force you to grind your truck through impossible terrain only to finally reach the finish line an hour later.

Also many tracks seem to have bugs in the geometry. Causing you to get stuck.

I plan to put my artistic skills to the test in game design, and create some solid working maps for 4x4 EVO. I will treat it as a professional expansion pack.

It will be a complete 200 block VMU release. Users will be able to take an existing VMU, or purchase a new VMU, and fill it to the brim with this complete expansion pack. Then when playing games online, users will be able to already have all the maps, and not get URL download errors. Once you get them one time and fill a VMU then your all set for good.

How many maps is undecided at the moment. I feel the 1 200 block vmu size limit is the perfect medium to release it as. So I will be working to create as many full feature maps as this storage limit will allow for.

Last edited by lordnikon on Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
Chile
rank 30
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:06 pm
quote : #2
profile : pm
Posts: 643
wow cool man. can't wait Smile now i need another memory card...
  _________________
Down with the Neocons!
Collection
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:07 pm
quote : #3
profile : pm
Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
Chile wrote:
wow cool man. can't wait Smile

Yea I'll prolly even have to take on beta testers since I will have to work out interface bugs and take polls on improving their gameplay if possible. It will be as professional a release as I can make it.
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
Chile
rank 30
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:21 pm
quote : #4
profile : pm
Posts: 643
wow that's pretty cool you will be devoting that much time to it. I have an idea Idea Put some OC billboards in there!
  _________________
Down with the Neocons!
Collection
Nico0020
rank 11
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:28 pm
quote : #5
profile : pm
Posts: 169
Type: NTSC-U
nice. that would honestly get me back into 4x4 EVO
 
ultrapro
unknown
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 4:04 pm
quote : #6
profile : pm
Posts: 1674
superb idea man, i think i might start arranging some games for this again online as i havent done it in ages, and this would solve many problems with that game. what i mean is that we would all be able to play a far larger range of tracks without having download problems and stuff as you said, i just havent touched any dreamcast games in ages now, last time i went on pso was like 2-3 weeks! i am simply hooked on halflife and have been out drinking so much that i hardly remember what my dreamcast looked like. thankfully i am gonna cut that down for a bit now. anyway i look forward to this release and hope it all goes well.

one idea or crazy hair brained thought i had would be that seeing as 200 blocks is a tad small would it be possible to release like more than one set? say for instance 4x4 expansion vol 1, vol 2, vol 3 etc etc....(200 blocks per expansion) it could grow into something huge you know loads of different tracks, maybe one expansion pack every few months! or is that taking it a bit far?!!? Mr. Green
  _________________
Catch me on XBOX LIVE as Ultrapro
kingofgrills
rank 33
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 4:20 pm
quote : #7
profile : pm
Posts: 707
Sweet! Lordnikon, that would provide a HUGE shot in the arm for Dreamcast 4x4 Evo players.

I love playing that game online, but it becomes really frustrating when PC players keep jumping to custom Looney Tunes style tracks. This expansion pack will be just like the release of a new version.

Cool!
  _________________
Gamespy ID: Kingofgrills
Online with: 4X4 Evo, Starlancer, Quake III: Arena, and PAL PSO V. 1

How are my little crackers doing today?
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:16 pm
quote : #8
profile : pm
Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
Thanks for the positive feedback guys. Yea I do plan on making this so it would seem like a full professional expansion for the game. Also it will be made available on the website as VMI files and DCI nexus files. So people will actually be able get them through the site, rather than having to mess with getting them through 4x4 Evo.

ultrapro wrote:
one idea or crazy hair brained thought i had would be that seeing as 200 blocks is a tad small would it be possible to release like more than one set? say for instance 4x4 expansion vol 1, vol 2, vol 3 etc etc....(200 blocks per expansion) it could grow into something huge you know loads of different tracks, maybe one expansion pack every few months! or is that taking it a bit far?!!? Mr. Green

200 blocks is a limited space to work in, however this is the most practical medium to release this as. If I did a 400 block release, then it would require 2 whole VMU's. What if someone only has 1 dreamcast controller? Or doesn't want to plug the other one in. Or even having to constantly plug and unplug the 2 vmu's to swap between them. Releasing it as a 400 block expansion pack at once would be too much.

I will plan on doing multiple expansion packs. However for each release I feel 200 blocks is the best size. It allows people to just need 1 free empty VMU available in order to take advantage of the new tracks. If I did any larger of a release it would start to cut out people 1 by 1.

Yea, if a vol 2 were released then people would have to tackle such problems as having another spare vmu and a free controller, but......with it being a 200 block release each time....for vol2 they would have enough time to save up spare cash if they needed, to get the convenient setup.

So yea I plan on doing one expansion to start with, and probobly more expansions to follow. However, I will be releasing them when they are finished and ready for release and won't impose any time restrictions in getting them released. Simply because I want these to be worthy of a full expansion. Tracks that make people excited about going online and playing through them. Hopefully some are designed in such a unique way that they become famous favorites. Actually making this, will take some crafty thinking and crucial decisions in track creation. I don't want it to be where I just keep spewing out maps over and over. I want them to be quality.
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
Chile
rank 30
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:23 pm
quote : #9
profile : pm
Posts: 643
well they can go get a used vmu for $3. not too exspensive

Posted Tue Sep 07, 2004 7:23 pm:

if they go to gamestop
  _________________
Down with the Neocons!
Collection
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:31 pm
quote : #10
profile : pm
Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
Chile wrote:
well they can go get a used vmu for $3. not too exspensive

Posted Tue Sep 07, 2004 7:23 pm:

if they go to gamestop

Yea I know. But I'm just trying to make the release as 'attainable' as possible. Plus it pushes me to work within tighter confinds. Which will make the quality and size of the maps better. It will make me go "Ok what can I cram into a 200 block space". If I had 400 blocks to work with, I might get lazy in some spots. Maps might end up being a bit too big or unoptimized. The 200 block limit will help keep the maps slim and optimized.
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
Chile
rank 30
Posted:
Tue Sep 07, 2004 7:02 pm
quote : #11
profile : pm
Posts: 643
oh i know. im just saying they aren't exspensive
  _________________
Down with the Neocons!
Collection
ultrapro
unknown
Posted:
Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:06 am
quote : #12
profile : pm
Posts: 1674
yeah thats what i meant, it would be more interesting to release other expansion packs at 200 blocks each so as they fit on the vmu, i just thought that 200 sounded a little small, as in how many tracks can you fit in that? i downloaded 1 and it took up 140 blocks. anywho im sure as you said it'll make you strive to not compromise quality.
  _________________
Catch me on XBOX LIVE as Ultrapro
MasterChief
rank 25
Posted:
Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:27 am
quote : #13
profile : pm
Posts: 516
how bout a map pack that contians some of the more popular existing maps? some time down the road taht is.
  _________________
"All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it." -- H.L. Mencken

Now Playing: PS3 - Brutal Legend, 360 - Red Dead Redemption, Wii - MadWorld, DC - Dux
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Wed Sep 08, 2004 3:09 am
quote : #14
profile : pm
Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
ultrapro wrote:
yeah thats what i meant, it would be more interesting to release other expansion packs at 200 blocks each so as they fit on the vmu, i just thought that 200 sounded a little small, as in how many tracks can you fit in that? i downloaded 1 and it took up 140 blocks. anywho im sure as you said it'll make you strive to not compromise quality.

Well I have to wait and see. I have to first make a sample map, then test it out to see how much space it consumes, and then see what I can trim off. Honestly I could have only 2 maps for the first release....or 7 maps....I don't know yet since I havn't had a chance to really check it all out yet. I have to aquire the PC version before I can find out.

MasterChief wrote:
how bout a map pack that contians some of the more popular existing maps? some time down the road taht is.

Yea I will go through and pick out some of the best maps already available from other map makers as well, and compile them into packs and put them up on the site for VMI download in the downloads section.
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
Blast
rank 43
Posted:
Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:50 am
quote : #15
profile : pm
Posts: 1285
Type: Pal
Yeh sounds cool. Me and Segadreamcaster have actualy just started playing 4x4 online over the last few days. Havent beed schedualing any games yet as We've just been getting a feel for it but Im sure we will be in the future. Were getting a bit bored with continual PBA so a nice mix now could help with 4x4 numbers Smile .

So the expansion pack is just gonna be downloadable on to the VMU directly via this site?. Can you make edit tracks then send them via email?. Reason I ask is in case anyone else wanted to send you any sample tracks that may be good enuf for the expansion pack.

Good luck with it all.

Laters
  _________________
Now have a working PC DC server courtesy of Segadreamcaster. Bring on the DC on line games yeeee haaa.
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Display:   
 
View previous topic - View next topic
Page Location: Home > 4x4 Evolution > Topic
1, 2, 3  Next