Tuesday, 9 September 2014

Soul Revenant - New team and switching to Unity


Greetings to all the fans supporting this project!

I got some news to share with you regarding what is new with Soul Revenant. After my old programmer left the project, I was alone and had to rethink how to complete the project. After posting the ad about looking for a programmer, I got a few replies and I can announce that the search was successful indeed. Now we have a team of five people (a programmer, two 3D animators/modelers, 3D environmental artist and me as the director/designer). We talked over what would be the best course of action for the project and after days of considering how to proceed, we decided we have to switch engines in order to fully unleash the game´s and team´s potential, as 3DGS was holding us back in many regards – be it the archaic programming language, lack of screen post-processing effects, high-end graphics, particle effects, etc. I believe that switching to Unity has many advantages and in the long run is a better choice for making this game.

Initially there were many problems to solve and one of them was the environmental shifting which was very problematic and in the old build it only swapped two models around. The combo of Unity and Blender with new talented artists will enable us to make a true HD remake in every sense – all of the environments will be fully remodeled in higher polygon count and more detailed architecture. Also, the Hylden gave us permission to use his amazingly detailed models of Kain and Raziel for the game. Unfortunately, all the code has to be written from scratch as well, as the language of the current scripts is nothing like what Unity uses. However, the new programmer is very skilled should be able to fully replicate all the needed systems for the game and I will try to help out with the basic functions as well. More so, we are all dedicated LOK fans on the team now, so remaking the game should be easier in this regard as well.

We will work in the scope of monthly goals to achieve, so there is always some progress done but it gives the team enough time to work but not become overwhelming. Please always bear in mind that we are all volunteers and have other responsiblities like work, studies, etc., so meeting a deadline might not be always possible. Developing a free game is very flexible process and depends mostly on the availability of the team. Currently, we started working on remaking the Drowned Abbey, so even though the updates will be less frequent, they will be worth the wait I hope. I might update this post with a little sneak peek of what we made so far. Thank you all again for your support and remember – as long as one of us stands, we are legion!

26 comments:

  1. If you're on unity now, does that mean you're using C# or C++? I might be able to help more if it's one of those two.

    ~Vampmaster

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  2. Good luck. :} Can't wait to play it.

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  3. Hd remake.... If you achieve SR2 + a bit more kind of level of graphics I will be more than satisfied... in fact If you make it I will be forever in gratitude to you! Keep it on Raina and company, you rock! And hello to the new team :D

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  4. Good luck guys! ;)

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  5. OMG, this is such good news :))
    I was so scared when I first read that the project was in halt...but now it has returned from the spectral realm with full strength ^^

    I'm rooting for you guys

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  6. I like to read good news!! Congratulations!! And good luck!!

    Greetings!!

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    1. Thanks a lot for your support, guys! I´ll post some new updates when we get more stuff done :)

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  7. Great news! Thanks
    How can we donate?

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  8. Hi Raina,

    I do not know if you remember me, my name is Thiago, I am Brazilian, I was the one who gave you the tip on the rare video that contained images of Turel's territory. I could see the impact that the recent video called Soul Reaver Alpha. Unfortunately the author of the video made ​​it private and just like you I would like to know the opinion of Daniel Cabuco about the video. Well, it happens that I recorded the video when it was still available, and have it in my OneDrive. I wonder if you could share my folder so you can send it to Daniel. I would do the same, but the language barrier prevents me because not dominate the English language. I'm using google translator, I hope you understand me.
    I await return.

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    1. Here's what he posted on facebook:

      Daniel Cabuco: Looks like one of those tester recordings. Camera on the opening is on the wrong set of eyes (bad/wrong camera settings in general), bad clipping, wrong alpha setting on the spiral of souls, placeholder animation on Raziel, Trigger meshes for cinematics misplaced, old sound effects, haha wow.. brings back memories.. long 12 hour memories. I remember hunting that runaway sluagh for way too long. Haha
      8 August at 18:20 · Unlike · 5

      Daniel Cabuco: Shows you how much is dealt with in Beta. Right down to writing special code or tweaking things so polygons didn't clip. Back then there was a very primitive zbuffer that only sampled the center of a polygon. I remember a lot of custom stuff being done for the opening. Even tuning the Sluagh run speed and flee AI so Raz could catch them and not frustrate the player right off the bat.

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    2. You saved it? Nice job!

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    3. Thank you, something told me to save it. I wonder where these responses browse by Daniel on facebook because I sought and found. If he could review the video, then the other person also recorded, am I correct?

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    4. Hey Thiago! You saved the video? Awesome!!! :) Can you email me?

      I think Dan saw it on the facebook before it was taken down and he thought there was another one on his forums. Still, it would be nice to have it preserved.

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  9. hi,first i want to thanks for your working its a really awesome idea,second i want to asking you if there any way i can help you,im study game design so it's must be something i can do to help,here its my mail danitorres473@gmail.com so please send me a message whenever you want because i really want to help,sorry for my english

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  10. Hello I wonder if you know which are the complements that need when you finish your project (I hope you have the same Requirements Soul Reaver 2)

    Greetings :)

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    1. Hello, I am afraid you would need a recent computer to run the game fluidly (I'd assume not any older than 2006).

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  11. Good luck i'm a fan soul reaver is my favorite game i love you guy

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  12. I am a big fan of this games..... i,ve been wating so much time for a new LOK game.....

    So im so happy to see your project .... i hope you release a demo soon.....

    Thanks for all!!

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  13. It will be a grand day indeed when this project is complete. Thanks a million for all your hard work and dedication.

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  14. Been awhile since we've seen a project update.. I was wondering how things were going?

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  15. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  16. I had no idea someone was working on a project on Soul Reaver. Will even a little slice of your work hit the public? I am very curious to see it. I have a friend from Germany that's a extreme fan. He mentioned this to me this morning. Here's a part of his pm to me.


    ((((That's no announcer... That's the wheel of fate!
    The last boss, Raziel is supposed to fight. It's reaver of souls to be manifested, it's death in forged steel. Feeding it the last soul it ever, breaking the circle of creation itself, by sacrificing himself to his creator & therefore fullfilling his destiny, to grant Kain the power to manifest in the netherrealms!
    Finally accepting, to be plunged into the world without any chance to create his own fate. He who traveled the realms, all times, hunting his father, brought hope to Kain's mind.
    Whoms mind was filled with fright of death & the fate he made the world suffer upon his own choices...

    If there was to be an anti-hero at all, he was called Raziel!

    I played the Soul Reaver - all!
    While the 1 was the best by far, even not complete.
    Sadly the modding scene wasn't able to tie all the loose ends in the world, which would have been a killer!

    Not only the design, but the world's concept, to be able to reach every point from everywhere was simply uncompeted.

    To be able to turn, twist & even stack cubes was never again utilized like in Soul Reaver. Compared to Lara Croft, who just could push & pull, the possibilities for Raziel were countless.
    A fighting system way ahead of it's time...
    The no-loading-time policy...
    First game to use pipeline sound everywhere, btw!
    A masterpiece, sadly nearly unknown to public.

    In fact SR is a sticky to my pc...
    They briefly planned on a remake, but never heard of it again. Won't be the same anyway.
    That game was inventive. It was awesome. The voice acting won prizes like crazy. The soundtrack is awesome.
    Sticky to my playlists, too.
    Sadly the actor of Kain passed...
    So there will definately be no 6th installment.

    Yes. Soul Reaver was some sort of Darksiders prologue.
    The same architecture, atmosphere, ambient.
    The playstyle is comparable, too.))))

    I think he might be a fan. His love for this game is not alone. Please try and release your work. Even if it's partial. Thank you.

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    1. Hey Randyslim76!
      Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, we hope to release a demo of it at one stage once more things are done. Regarding to the actor of Kain passing, that was the voice actor of Elder God, not Kain, and it definitely would not be an obstacle over the next game. There are other factors prohibiting it currently. I heard the comparison to Darksiders before, but I haven´t played it myself yet. We´ll do our best to get this game finished, even if it takes long time. Thanks again!

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