16 Varying Subject Questions on BP

[Windexglow]

Any forum members probably know that I�m creating a mod for Penumbra Black Plague, titled The Shaft. Since I�ve put a lot of work into it so far, I have some questions on the new modding features you noted on in one of your interviews.

Question 1: �We�ve also made a ton of changes that have sped up the development of the game, such as new ways to create complicated in-game entities without having to script every detail.� Does this mean that the engine can create objects that don�t have entity files?

Question 2: �The most noticeable feature for the user will be the refractions, which add nice water, air and glass effects to the game.� How are you planning on creating �reflective� surfaces in gases? Or is this effect a �heat blurring� effect?

Question 3: What major HPL script features will be added?

Question 4: Are there any new features that mod the main player�s abilities? (night vision, injured limp)

Question 5: Will there be any improvements to the HPL Helper?


Now, onto the storyline. As you guys have said before, there will be a much more dense storyline, filled with more voice actors than overture.

Question 1: [Obviously don�t spoil major things, just vague stuff here] Will the player have a companion similar to Overture�s Tom �Red� Redwood throughout this game? Will there be a major antagonist?

Question 2: The writing in Penumbra Overture from level to level seems to indicate that you are playing a memory in Philip�s mind; does this continue in Black Plague, or is everything you experience in the game the �real� thing for Philip?

Question 4: Will we learn more about Tom �Red� Redwood�s past?

Question 5: Players really enjoyed reading old notes from various people in Penumbra Overture; can we expect the same amount of notes, or an even more detailed past of the complex?

Question 6: Will the game lean towards more unpredictable level layouts, or will it use the same style of levels as Overture?

Question 7: Will we see �unnatural� things, such as animals that don�t exist (The Roach from tech demo, as an example)

Question 8: When your lead artist had to leave, did this effect Penumbra�s quality, or set it back?

Lastly, here are the questions about your plans after Penumbra Black Plague is finished.

Question 1: What do you devs wish to do after Black Plague is finished, besides spending time with us on the forum?

Question 2: Will Frictional Games stay as a team, or will it�s members break apart and join different companies?

Question 3: If you do stay as a team, what game styles (action, adventure, horror) do you guys want to dive into?

[shae]

How can you create a mod for a yet unreleased game?

[Penumbra]

Verrrry carfully!!

[Windexglow]

Small history of the HPL engine:

Energetic was the first to use the HPL engine; a 2-d game though.

Frictional Games modified the engine so it was in full 3-d, and created a small techonligy demo showing the engine off.
Say hello to the Penumbra Tech Demo (2006)

Frictional never thought it would get roughly 1 million downloads, and they decided to create a commercial version of Penumbra;
Introducing Penumbra Overture, using a much more optimized and improved HPL engine.

And now, Black Plague.



The the mod is being created on Penumbra Overture's engine, and I should easily with no challenge move my work over onto the Black Plague engine once it's released.

[frictional_Thomas]

Some quick answers:

1) Nope. But som entities are simpler to make.
2) No reflections yet. Will see what I can crunch in :P
3) All are up on the mod wiki already
4) You can do now to a some extent using global script.
5) Nope.

1) Philip will meet a couple characters, some stranger than others.
2) Do not want to comment on this now.
4) Perhaps.
5) Offcourse
6) It will be a little bit different, but the basic layout design about the same.
7) How can you see things that do not exist? (And that was a rethorical questions )
8 ) Allthough it was a tough blow I believe we still have managed to keep a high standard by using other very talented artists.

1) Gonna start on a new game that is all info I can give.
2) We will try and come along for yet another year
3) I am afraid I cannot disclose anything at this point