Descent: Maximum now for PC...

Jeff250 · Post by **Jeff250** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 9:34 pm

OK guys this should work, but if I somehow forgot something big (or little), I'm sure you'll let me know.

http://www.jeffsplace.net/sites/default ... aximum.zip
[link fixed]

Snippet from the included txt...

Descent: Maximum

and...

Descent: Maximum Anarchy

by Parallax Software

Descent: Maximum was a game originally released for the Playstation.

Although its similarities to Descent 2 were striking, it did feature unique

levels, although generally smaller and simpler. The 24 level (plus 6 secret

level) campaign was intended to parallel the same Descent 2 plot, although

movies and such could not be implemented in this PC version of the game due to

limitations with custom campaigns. Likewise, Descent: Maximum also included a

6 level anarchy campaign for one on one action.

After out-of-curiosity purchasing Descent: Maximum (despite the fact I didn't

own a Playstation), I wondered if it were possible to bring the same levels

to PC. I noticed that, like all other Descent's, this one also included a Hog

file, but, unfortunately, this one was not like others in format. Fortunately,

the format was easy enough to figure out, and I wrote a small program to

extract the contents. I made with them what I could, and what is included in

this zip is the product of my endeavors, the PC campaign of Descent: Maximum.

Other modifications I performed are as follows:

* Added 2 (up to 4--max) coop players in the Descent: Maximum single player

campaign

* Added 6 (up to 8--max) anarchy players in the Descent: Maximum Anarchy

campaign

* Added custom briefing interplay to simulate the original experience

This Descent: Maximum port has been tested on the DOS Descent2 exe, the

Win95 Descent2 exe, and D2x 1.3.27. Although no problems are known, they may

exist, and I am not responsible for any harm that may come to anything as a

result.

Email any bugs to [see my dbb.net profile or post here]

Enjoy! --Jeff250

Also, here's the Java class I wrote to extract the files from the Playstation Hog...

http://home.comcast.net/~jeff250/descen ... um/eph.zip

I recently ordered the original Playstation version of Descent as well, which I believe is supposed to be D1-based. I do not know if the above class will work on that hog, nor if the levels will be compatible with D1 and/or D2, but I certainly intend to look into it.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 10:02 pm

Can't you give us the .java file too?

The ability to add MVE's to a campaign at will shouldn't be that hard to implement in D2X-W32... Diedel?

Jeff250, great job.

Top Gun · Post by **Top Gun** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 11:35 pm

Very nicely done.

This deserves some PD news, as well as a playthrough. It'll be nice to play these levels with a real controller and a tolerable framerate.

I'll get the levels uploaded to the PD database, as well.

Jeff250 · Post by **Jeff250** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:17 pm

DCrazy wrote:Can't you give us the .java file too?

The ability to add MVE's to a campaign at will shouldn't be that hard to implement in D2X-W32... Diedel?

Jeff250, great job.

Thanks. The MVE thing really isn't that big of a deal. I wouldn't want Diedel to be bothered with it.

I think I'll wait to release the Java source until after I receive and check out the original Descent for Playstation and see if it works with it or not.

Top Gun wrote:Very nicely done. This deserves some PD news, as well as a playthrough. It'll be nice to play these levels with a real controller and a tolerable framerate. I'll get the levels uploaded to the PD database, as well.

Much appreciated.

pipsqueak10 · Post by **pipsqueak10** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:22 pm

Descent and Descent Maximum for the Playstation was my introduction to the Descent Series. Nice job with the conversion.

Kyouryuu · Post by **Kyouryuu** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:42 pm

Very nice work, Jeff. Very nice.

Descent Maximum's levels were fairly small to fit in the PlayStation's limited memory. By file size, the largest level looks to be the last one, which only has 375 cubes. Still, they did a lot with a little. You'd be surprised to see how even some of the more ornate levels in this campaign have just over 200 cubes in them. A textbook example of very efficient level construction, they were also pretty smart about weapon pacing. You don't get Level 6 Quad Lasers, Gauss, and Helix cannons before Level 4. Even getting the Afterburner for the first time is a big deal. The early levels are small, but they serve as a pretty good "tutorial" for Descent, including the key concept, forcefields, hostages, switches, power-ups, etc.

Something odd I noticed is that some of the Sidearm Modula seem to be pretty aggressive and fire triple Flash Missiles on Trainee difficulty (see Level 4). Not sure if that's D2XWin32 or something about the campaign itself as the ones dropped from Sidearms behave normally.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:31 pm

Sweet. Now I can play these levels with the controls I'm use to.

Keyboard!

Thanks for getting those levels out.

Diedel · Post by **Diedel** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:13 am

Very nice, Jeff!

Btw, most D2 SP levels don't have all too many cubes. The level designer did a lot with what they had. Imo he was a true master.

Kyouryuu · Post by **Kyouryuu** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:16 pm

Believe me thought when I say cube efficiency was a big deal in Descent Maximum. Most of these levels are pretty tiny, even compared to their PC counterparts.

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:29 pm

And rather easy so far. I'm half-way done with level five as it is. Good job Jeff! My hat is off to you sir!

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 1:37 am

Yeah, it was a good job. Imagination was obviously a must, since ... they are very restrictive. You can literally count the cubes in most areas, and even more complex rooms come out at not much more than 20.

I personally... don't often feel like doing that.

Diedel · Post by **Diedel** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 2:28 am

Fun has nothing to do with complexity ... try playing it on insane.

There's a room with a forced passage past two matcens in one level, and on insane matcens will never get exhausted ...

... i really liked that part.

Pumo · Post by **Pumo** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 3:30 pm

Maybe this levels are somewhat simple, but they are fun.

Good job Jeff250

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:16 pm

I know... we're just marvelling at how cool they can be even if they are simple.

Xfing · Post by **Xfing** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:22 am

Could you please refresh the link? I wanna play these.

Aus-RED-5 · Post by **Aus-RED-5** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:30 am

You can find it here.
http://www.descent2.de/3rdparty.html

Xfing · Post by **Xfing** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:20 pm

Diedel wrote:Fun has nothing to do with complexity ... try playing it on insane. There's a room with a forced passage past two matcens in one level, and on insane matcens will never get exhausted ... ... i really liked that part.

Actually, in normal Descent and Rebirth matcens do get exhausted on Insane, after spawning robots for three times, like on all other difficulty settings. Only this time seven bots each time. This is not DOOM - the game keeps score. Infinite matcens would let players strike unreal scores, which would encourage matcen camping and spoil half the fun of the game.

I've played and finished Maximum, and I've gotta say that these levels are quite nice. Many motiffs are taken straight out of Vertigo, though (or vice versa, I don't really know which one came first). I suppose these levels inspired the Vignettes. The Vignettes are much better, though. Best levels for D1 I've ever played.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:37 pm

uh xfing? he hasn't been here for about five years.

Xamindar · Post by **Xamindar** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:43 pm

By the way XFing, why are you replying to a lot of very old posts? You just wake up from a coma or something?

DarkFlameWolf · Post by **DarkFlameWolf** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:49 pm

Sure sounds like it.

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 10:19 pm

I have to disagree on the Insane matcen thing too... as far as I can recall they were infinite both on D1 and D2. The designers weren't that concerned about the maximum possible score deal.

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 12:34 am

I have been corrected by another (I would say reliable

) source; D1 did not have infinite matcens, only D2 did.

Xfing · Post by **Xfing** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:39 am

O rly? Gotta play some insane D2 then : )

About me replying to old threads - trust me: the ones I reply to aren't THAT old. There's not much debating going on here anyway.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:49 am

Xfing wrote:About me replying to old threads - trust me: the ones I reply to aren't THAT old.

So a thread with its last post in 2005 isn't old? (Take a look - your first reply in here was to a post dated 4/27/2005.)

The point is: It's better forum-courtesy to start a new thread.

Xamindar · Post by **Xamindar** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:10 am

Foil wrote: The point is: It's better forum-courtesy to start a new thread.

Specially since the people you are replying to are not around anymore and are not going to care nor follow up on your reply.

AlphaDoG · Post by **AlphaDoG** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:46 pm

Xamindar wrote:
Foil wrote: The point is: It's better forum-courtesy to start a new thread.
Specially since the people you are replying to are not around anymore and are not going to care nor follow up on your reply.

LOL! post count ++

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:05 pm

Ok, just because I can! (lol.. 5 years!)

That's awesome.

btw, thx Red-5 for actually helping out!

Xfing · Post by **Xfing** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 9:26 am

Ok I admit I should have started a new thread or two. This board needs lots of new threads, because ones with last replies in 2005 are still on top of the 1st page. Can be confusing!

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Sun May 02, 2010 1:10 am

Xfing wrote:About me replying to old threads - trust me: the ones I reply to aren't THAT old. There's not much debating going on here anyway.

no I guess five years isn't that old.

it's only about the same amount of time for someone to get married, have a family and then get divorced. or maybe a business goes from a garage to an employer of thousands.

LOL.

just out of curiosity I went back three pages in this forum and the oldest threads I found were from 06-07.

Foil wrote:The point is: It's better forum-courtesy to start a new thread.

dude.. do you realize that you're the first person to actually understand that?

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Sun May 02, 2010 9:38 am

Ferno wrote:
Foil wrote:The point is: It's better forum-courtesy to start a new thread.
dude.. do you realize that you're the first person to actually understand that?

not True Ferno. And you've chastised me in the past for saying similar telling me to relax.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Thu May 06, 2010 8:58 pm

Duper wrote:not True Ferno. And you've chastised me in the past for saying similar telling me to relax.

yes true dude.. i've always said not to bring up old threads unless original content was added. no one understood it til foil commented.

TigerRaptor · Post by **TigerRaptor** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 7:05 pm

Old forum, old thread, old member going to break an old rule.

BUMP!

Xfing · Post by **Xfing** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 5:34 pm

Check out the thread in Descent Single Player, I'm playing through Maximum at the moment actually

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