DescentBB

heatbag wrote:How embarrassing for me... Sorry about that DFW!

lol. don't feel bad. i think we've all done that at one time or another.

Must... Download...

you haven't gotten this yet Xfing?

Ok, I've played through this. Difficult as hell, but also beautiful as hell. These levels are some of the most stunning D1 levels I've ever played, they eclipse even Descent 2 levels with their design to be honest. The textures offered by Descent 1 are more matter-of-fact and give a great industrial feel - also congratulations for using the fuel center doors, as they were not included in the original 30 levels. Perfect job in general, I applaud you, DFW.

Except level 25 of course, because it tends to crash in quite a few points. I'll probably wait 'til Rebirth fixes this problem, as I don't play on XL.

that can't be helped, its actually a bug in the Descent 1 robot pathfinding code that causes level 25 to crash. That's a mistake on Parallax's part, not ours. However, that bug was fixed in Descent 2 and in the latest versions of D2X-XL. Rebirth is taking forever to get a new version out which fixes this bug, so right now, D2X-XL is the only program out there that can run this entire set smoothly.

I've got the newest version of XL. The graphics are indeed stunning, but the sound is a mess. Just my machine's problem, most likely. I recommend XL only to those with substantial experience playing vanilla.

Your sound problems might have to do with the -hires_sound 2 switch located in the d2x.ini file.

If you don't have hires sounds installed?
Then you need to either download them or change the switch from:

-hires_sound 2 (44 khz sounds ('sounds2' subfolder) to

-hires_sound 1 (22 khz sounds ('sounds1' subfolder).

Further help regarding XL would be better suited at the XL forum.

No need to continue to derail this thread anymore.

Agreed.

So I'd like to say I loved the ice themed Vignettes. Question for DFW, how did you make that Observatory Tubes gimmick with non-retaliating robots? Didn't know that could be scripted...

It can't - they just can't see you, so don't try to shoot you.

So I take it this depends on the texture used? These two bars are not treated like a normal grating?

It's the wall on the other side. It isn't see-through in the other direction, at all. You'd be able to pull off the same effect with any partially transparent texture, as long as the other side was completely opaque.

Thanks, Sirius. Sounds simple enough. After I'm done with my baccalaureate I may give level designing a shot too.

Sorry for double posting, but I've found that Claustrophobia is actually possible to complete, even using Rebirth. All players need to do is avoid some cubes. Here's some hints:

- If you don't want the game to crash, always enter the yellow key and red key rooms through the upper doors and exit them through the lower right. Any other approach will crash the game.
- Also the middle area of the red key room (just stay near the edges at all times and you'll be ok)
- The energy center near the red key room is bugged. The one near the yellow key room is alright, though, so if you need recharge, use that one.

If you follow these pointers you can play Claustrophobia on Rebirth with minimal damage to the overall fun factor, and it's otherwise bugless and perfectly completable.

its so odd, that the bugs would work in that fashion. It'd be interesting to find out what is truly going on there with the level design and the coding of the Descent engine with regards to the crashing.

Yeah, evidently. But I posted only my observations (which are double-checked and accurate). I have no idea what these could implicate, but at least I confirmed it actually is possible to complete Claustrophobia. The boss fight is epic

Xfing wrote:Yeah, evidently. But I posted only my observations (which are double-checked and accurate). I have no idea what these could implicate, but at least I confirmed it actually is possible to complete Claustrophobia. The boss fight is epic

I appreciate this. The Yellow Key room has been my vile archenemy for a very long time.

Xfing wrote:Yeah, evidently. But I posted only my observations (which are double-checked and accurate). I have no idea what these could implicate, but at least I confirmed it actually is possible to complete Claustrophobia. The boss fight is epic

So I made an attempted recording run for level 25, and I followed what you said, but after I obtained the red key, as I exited the room to the lower right, the game crashed. I even tried exiting to the same door I entered and the game still crashed...and yes, I stayed close to the edges.

I guess to me, it's just not possible.

try using d2x-xl, the engine simply ignores the inherent bug within Descent 1 coding that apparently level 25 trips.

Just a minor bump:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Darkflamewo ... F820E12C49
A complete youtube walkthrough with every secret and secret level revealed, for those curious about it all. I'm also thinking of starting up a no death, hotshot, speed run series of Vignettes...if enough interest was involved.

DarkFlameWolf wrote:I'm also thinking of starting up a no death, hotshot, speed run series of Vignettes...if enough interest was involved.

Sounds cool.

Alter-Fox wrote:

DarkFlameWolf wrote:I'm also thinking of starting up a no death, hotshot, speed run series of Vignettes...if enough interest was involved.

Sounds cool.

You know I love your walkthroughs, DFW. I enjoyed the "The Enemy Within" run as hell. The only thing that made me wonder is that you didn't show how to access the second secret level from level 8 in that one.

I thought I did....or at least I mentioned where it was in the annotations.

DarkFlameWolf wrote:I thought I did....or at least I mentioned where it was in the annotations.

I'll have to re-watch it I guess.

I just finished this mission set in the original Descent (in DOSBox) and I did not encounter any crashes on level 25, though I did get about 4 FPS on level 24.

That aside, I loved the set. The first few levels were rather uninteresting, but it rapidly improved from level 6 onwards. I suppose I'm a little late with this, aren't I?

not at all, its always good to see new players to the level set!