My expansion pack for ROTT

[diakonov]

Introduction:

Ok, I'm doing what I call a expansion for ROTT. Expansion because I'm planning for it to have all the four episodes, same as Darkwar and Extreme.

In fact, I'm doing levels that I want to be in the same quality of the originals of Darkwar and Extreme. And when I finish all, I'll release them here or in another site. The levels tend to be big and some of them have interesting features that are extensively explored.

These levels will be an expansion for the game and will follow the same rules: all the seventh level of each episode with a boss and one secret level for each episode. I'm still thinking of the name of this expansion, maybe New War or Oscuro War or something.

But I'm also thinking to add much more levels to the fourth episode. You'll play extra levels before the level where El Oscuro snake is. So, based on my plan, my expansion will have more levels than Darkwar or Extreme.


The levels I did until now:

The WAR begins: This level is so so. It has nothing special despite the fact that some large rooms have LOTS of enemies and the name of this level, that is similar to The HUNT Begins. The music is the same of the first level of Darkwar.

The Torture Chamber: This may be one of the most interesting levels so far in my expansion. The most interesting fact is the fact that the are many guards as prisoners, and if you push the lever, the trap will be activated and they will die in the trap, HAHAHA!!! In Darkwar, some levels have this feature, but in this level I explored this. The traps are moving walls, that thing that rotate with metals and fireballs caming from walls. Watch and enjoy them die!!! This level is perfect for a sadistic person that like to see people die in traps!

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE: This may be also one of the most interesting levels so far in my expansion. The basis is the fact that in some rooms you must kill guards as fast as possible for the moving wall (that seeks you) to not touch in you! And this is the coolest part of the level, because of the adrenaline, of the sensation of being pursued by something that will fatally kill you if it hits you. There are also many other traps that will surprise any adventurer. This level is very dangerous and long so be careful for you to escape alive! It's something similar to Robotricks, but there are no robots in this level.

Robotricks Cave Incorporated: It's a mixture of Robotrics of Darkwar and Dark Tunnels of Huntbgins. The level is big, the ceiling is low, like in Dark Tunnels, if you destroy all the lamps in a room it will be totally dark and have many traps. This is the first level where you'll find the robots, both the small and the big ones. Be careful when you enter in a labirynth, because they have these robots, and they can surprise you! Even more the big ones, that can't be destroyed!

The Nazi Military Base: Expect a huge level that will have many large rooms. Some rooms will have nazism related symbols (if you see the level map). This is a camp where the last nazis reside. It's like their sanctuary. The entire level is a sanctuary that is an alliance of Oscuro legions with the last nazis that survived the war, and even there are neonazis. But all of them wear the uniform of Triad guards, because they are in the Oscuro empire, so all guards wear Triad uniforms, without exception. This is the first level where you'll find the flying GADS. In fact, the entire level is a well protected military building, which protect the subterranean "X-palace" (the next level). It has LOTS of guards, but no robots are present.


The level I'm doing now:

The X-Palace: This level will have rooms in form of X and maybe Y. And maybe it will have a huge X-shaped room. The form of rooms in the map is the only interesting thing in this level, that will be unique due to its format. This level will be the first to have other furnitures, like barrels, and triad flags. Is the first to have Strike Teams and Overpatrols. And will have both types of robots. It's a subterranean level. I'll try to make gameplay interesting in this map.

General Darian Empire: This level is where you find General Darian. Prepare to fight against LOTS of enforcers and robots that are protecting their boss in his huge room. This level will have intense combat and is a continuation of the X-palace, with some X-shaped rooms and walls. It's the inner part of the X-palace. Is the first level to have turrets and enforcers. And to pass through some rooms, you must use the armor against these turrets, or you can't get to Darian. It's also a subterranean level.

Any new levels I'll do, I'll talk about them here.

[IceColdDuke]

Screenshots...

[Rapture_Rising]

this sounds cool. i havent played a good ROTT mod/expansion in years.

[diakonov]

I'll post screenshots soon, specially the map of the nazi level, which has many large rooms, each one with a nazi symbol.

[PimPamPet]

Originally Posted by Rapture_Rising

this sounds cool. i havent played a good ROTT mod/expansion in years.

I wasn't aware there were any (aside from Extreme ROTT). ROTT was never very popular among mappers, was it?

Good luck with your project, diakonov!

[diakonov]

I will always make changes in the first post. So if I put something there, I'll ask about it. And maybe I'll put screenshots in that post. So any news about my project will always be in that post.

[joey007]

Nah, i'm looking at that, I'm looking at ROTT- IPHONE!

[Rapture_Rising]

Originally Posted by PimPamPet

I wasn't aware there were any (aside from Extreme ROTT). ROTT was never very popular among mappers, was it?

There are heaps of user created maps on the internet and a few official maps created by the original programmers. I think that rott was popular for mapping because the programs that created them were easy to use (at least the one i used was (i cant remember what it was called)).

[Exitus]

I've been working on a level pack (on and off) for the past ten years. I prefer to call it Final ROTT.

I gave up on the ambitious goal of a 99 level .rtl file, and will simply be following the template of the original darkwar.rtl. There will, however, be a LOT of Comm-Bat levels.

I'm working on a trailer I intend on uploading to YouTube.

Here's a thread I posted a while ago that's just the tip of the iceberg:

http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?t=34240

[diakonov]

I added description of the 7th level, where general Darian is.

[PimPamPet]

Originally Posted by Rapture_Rising

There are heaps of user created maps on the internet and a few official maps created by the original programmers. I think that rott was popular for mapping because the programs that created them were easy to use (at least the one i used was (i cant remember what it was called)).

In any case, I welcome new user-created maps for ROTT.

[diakonov]

I can't modify the first post. So from now I'll always post news in the tradicional way we do in forums.

I finished the 7th level, called General Darian Empire. Now I'll do the secret level, in which the central part of the map will be a huge chromossome-shaped room.

For the seventh level, prepare yourself. There will be rooms with LOTS of enforcers and many Ballistikraft Indestructible robot pillars of death. There are many firebombs through the level, due to the huge amount of enemies in some rooms.

There's a room where in order to pass you you must use the bullet armor, or the turrets will kill you. Not only this, but there's a part where you have to decide where to go: left or right? If you go to the wrong side, there's a wall blocking the passage to a room, your armor will disappear and then death. But if you go to the right side, you have the key to open the OSCURO door and enter "safely" to another room with lots of guards. But later you will return to that room by elevator. Get the armor and now go to the other side FAST!

The final room, where Darian is, is located between two X-shaped giant rooms. This room is the most dificult of the entire 1st episode, because there are 8 Ballistikrafts around Darian plus 52 enforcers, all protecting Darian. And worse: there are no arbestos armors! In order to defeat Darian, you must first kill at least some enforcers, then fire at Darian running from the missiles of those scary robots. Don't worry, because there's enough space to run from the missiles plus many bazzokas. So at least you won't lack ammo. Ah, and there's also some healing basins to make things easier there.

I did this way because Darian is too easy to be defeated. But if you add many Ballistikrafts and enforcers next to him plus no armors, the situation will change dramatically. Ah... and it WILL. It will be almost like trying to defeat the NME boss.

But the level is still fun despite the difficulties.

Next I'll post screenshots. Finally!!!

I take about a day to make each level.

[diakonov]

Now... screenshots. Finally! I won't make thumbnails because I want coment for each image.

1st level, The WAR Begins:


The first trap of the first episode.



One of the most fun rooms in this level and you'll see why...



Burn to DEATH!!! HAHAHA!!!



A strange entrace to the elevator.



A large room with LOTS of enemies.



Take care here to don't get toast!



UMOOOO, HUUUmmmm fun moment!



That may be a bug of WinRott.

[diakonov]

2nd level, The Torture Chamber:


Die!!!


Many caged prisoners.


HAHAHA!!!


Hey, there's an eye there!


Another UMOOOO moment!


This time is a wall smashing them!


So many enemies!


Burn in HELL!!!

[diakonov]

3rd level, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!:


If you don't kill the enemies quickly...


That moving wall will smash you, including the remaining enemies. Some rooms have this feature, and is the most fun part of the level.


You may want to wear abestos armor to pass through that room.


LOTS of enemies!!!


One more kind of trap in the level. Many more awaits you, hehehe!!!


You must find an armor to get that key!


There are 2 elevators in a room. One get you towards the true exit. The other gets you to the...


WRONG EXIT, including a deadly trap!!!

[diakonov]

4th level, Robotricks Cave Incorporated:


If you don't go first to that room but enter behind, you can get many of them by surprise!



Whatch out for the robots!



There are many Ballistikrafts in those labyrinths! Have caution in those places, or they can get you by surprise.



One of those Indiana Jones moment!



One large room with 4 Ballistikrafts. For you to get to the elevator, wait a moment for it to go to this room, run from the missiles of those robots and when the door open, get to it FAST! I like to put them in some places because they difficult your life and make the game more challenging.



Watch out for those fires and grunfhahas!



2 kinds of traps in the same room! For you to pass through this room, RUN!



Even the exit is guarded by those nasty robots! This exit is somewhat similar to that of Dark Tunnels, of Huntbgins, but more challenging!

[diakonov]

5th level, The Nazi Military Base:


I want that hand!!!


UMOOO moment.


So many enemies in a such large room!!!


Much more enemies!


Burn in hell you nazis, hahaha!!!


Even more enemies!


Fire! Fire! Fire! HAHAHA!!!

[diakonov]

6th level, The X-Palace:


Many rooms have this aspect.


Enemies get hurt by their own trap!


Whatch out for those lava walls!!!


Watch out for the robots!


A dangerous room (you see why).


You must have caution with this robot. It's guarding a lever for you to get the IRON key.


This room is dangerous because it has about 9 Ballistikrafts.


The exit to secret level and the normal exit.

[diakonov]

General Darian Empire:


For you to to get the armor, you must pass into some rooms. You need this armor to...



...pass through this room, with lots of turrets!



Into one of the X-shaped rooms with LOTS of enemies.



LOTS of enemies!



In this room, you have to choose 2 ways:left or right? If you go to the wrong way, you have to return to the right side, but until there your armor will disappear, and you'll die.



LOTS of enforcers in only one room. You may want to find for some armor here.



This room is the second most dificult of the level. You have to defeat many groups of enforcers and still avoid the missiles of the many Ballistikrafts. You may want to find for an armor in order to pass, but it's hidden.



THIS is the most difficult room of the entire episode. You have to kill at least some of the 52 enforcers, avoid the missiles of 18 Ballistikrafts and still defeat Darian, which is marked in red in the center of the image. And there's no armor to get here, only bazookas and healing basins. The difficulty is like trying to kill the NME boss. So for you defeat him, you have to have experience in this game or CHEAT instead! Note:in the image there are only 8 robots, but I added 10 more.

[Rapture_Rising]

From the looks of the screenshots this expansion looks awesome.

When are you looking to release this expansion or is it a DNF (When its done)?

[diakonov]

When it's done. It will take some time to finish because for each level I spend about a day to make. Also, I have to have in my mind some inspiration to make the levels to look good.

Anyone can do levels, but it's difficult to make good levels with creativity. It's like doing Darkwar or Extreme. I won't put screenshots to all levels, only to the most interesting ones.

Also, this monday I will return to the university, so I will have to study and so have less time to make the levels.

But slowly I will continue this ambitious project. So to me it won't take forever, like DNF. Maybe some months. So maybe it will be done in Chrismas or next year.

All good projects will take much time. Odd projects take few time.

But despite the time, at least to me the levels are as challenging as the original levels of ROTT and EVEN MORE! Mainly because of the high amount of enemies in many levels, including some well made traps.

So maybe you will take more time to beat the game than the original levels of ROTT.

If you want to revive an old game, you MUST make good challenging levels, otherwise it's just another level of an old game. And I want to revive this classic game.

[diakonov]

The Chromossomical Base:

I did the secret level of first episode, called The Chromossomical Base. It has this name because the central part of map have chromossome shape. It's part of the X-Palace, but is in open air, not subterrain. It has 2 big labyrinths and both have Ballistkrafts. So watch out!!! It has a trap room that in order to pass you have to run. There's a room that only have those indestructible robots, so you also have to run away from them. There are many enemies in this level.

In some rooms you have to find the powerup to fly in order to get the anch life icons.

This level also has more furnitures, like tables and chairs in some rooms.

To me the most interesting things in this map are the chromossome-shaped part in the map and the 2 big labyrinths. There's also a room that you have to kill the enemies fast to avoid be hitting by the moving wall behind you. There's also a room that you can see the enemies dying by a trap, but you have to enter this room to continue the level.

I won't put screenshots because there's no need for it. I just described most of the level. I only will put screenshots in the most interesting features. But this level has no particular feature show.

I only put screenshots for you to see the kind of levels and the quality of them that I'm doing.

[diakonov]

Battlefield Castle:

This is the 1st level of 2nd episode. This level is HARD, especially in some rooms, like one with 30 Ballistkrafts, LOTS of highguards, LOTS of enforcers and one that with more enemies. And all of these are LARGE. This level is in a castle guarded by an entire army.

You start inside the castle and must escape to the outside, where the exit is. But the outside area is still big and full of enemies, so watch out!

This entire episode is in a high mountain, so expect to see fog in its levels.

[diakonov]

The Invisible Hill:

This is the 2nd level of 2nd episode.

This level has this name due to the extreme fog. The explored feature in this level is the poor visibility. The bad visibility makes your life difficult in combat.

The bad visibility is the only relevant thing in this level.

The fog makes you think you're in a ghost castle.

Note: In WinRottGL, it won't take much effect, but if you play through dosbox, it will be difficult to play this level.

[diakonov]

The Floating Palace:

This is the 3rd level of 2nd episode. This may be one of the most interesting levels. It's an entire floating castle. Magic walls make this castle float freely in air. You will also see many floating GADS and even floating furnitures, weapons and life items.

To pass through some rooms, you'll need to use armor.

This level was inspired in Impossible Lands, one of the combat maps and Sky Tunnels, of Extreme.

[diakonov]

Raining Guards Empire:

This level is the 4th level of 2nd episode. When you hit a touchplate, many enemies appear from nothing going down from the sky. This feature is much explored here. There are also Ballistkrafts that appear from nothing.

The final parts of this level has LOTS of enemies, so watch out!

[diakonov]

Dangerous Danger:

This is the 5th level of 2nd episode. The name may sounds fun, but this level is HARD! Only the name says it. It may be one of the most difficult levels. But this difficult factor is more based on traps than enemies. But in some rooms there are so many enforcers that you can't kill all of them, instead you MUST RUN, or you'll die. It will also have seeking walls, like in the 3rd level of 1st episode.

In fact, this may be the hardest ever level in this expansion. Sometimes enemies will surprise you, mainly in labyrinths.

To finish this level, expect at least 20 or 30 minutes of danger!

[diakonov]

The total time I played in Dangerous Danger was about 45 minutes. But if you are not so experienced, you will spend at least 1 hour of pure danger!

Note: If you are too weak to finish this level, then there's no other way than cheating. The best way to play this level is saving room per room, due to the high level of danger.

Also, I put the darkening factor, so this level does not have fog as the previous ones. The dark environment only make things more difficult, to put more value to this level.


The Shield Arena:

This is the 6th level of 2nd episode. This level is inside a palace in which the central room as the form of a shield. There's not anything special in this level, but it's still worth play. The only really interesting thing is the room with a form of a big shield. Maybe I'll make other shield-shaped rooms.

This palace is an internal corporation inside Oscuro empire. It is one of the many Oscuro's organizations to dominate the world.

As the previous level, it is also dark.

[diakonov]

No, the Shield Arena is no more dark, but now is hard. Hard because of the high number of enemies and in some rooms you'll find the ballistkraft robots, and you have to run. Some parts also have lots of enforcers.

I also took about 45 minutes to finish the level, so it's worth playing!


The Central Shield:

This is the 7th level of the 2nd episode. This level is part of the Shield Arena, so the room is a huge shield! The most interesting feature in this map is the shield-shaped room and the presence of a boss, Krist, that is the leader of The Shield Corporation, one of the many organizations aproved by Oscuro. The room where Krist is is the central room, a huge shield, the only one room in this level!

Krist knowing you are coming into him, escaped to this room with all his robots and enforcers. He thinks you are not capable to kill him due to the extreme protection. BUT YOU CAN DEFEAT HIM INDEED, it's only a matter of attention and reflex.

In this room there will be more ballistkrafts and enforces than that room where Darian is. So it will be more difficult to beat Krist. It will be almost as difficult has trying to beat the NME... or more!

It has 30 ballistkrafts around Darian and 100 Enforcers. This time you will have much more trouble, also due to the fog that make difficult to find Krist in the middle of those robots! For you to locate Krist, you have to defeat at least most enforcers to at least enter a bit in the circle of ballistkrafts.

The advantage is the increased amount of bazooka and healing basins. Also, the boss room is bigger than that of Darian, so you can escape better from missiles, but the fog make it hard to point the bazooka at him.

[diakonov]

Schizofrenic World!:

This is the 8th level of 2nd episode, and the secret one too. This level is intended to be really crazy. It's a part of the Floating Palace, but this part is more artistic, unreal. You will see floating lights, tables, chairs, flags, everything from the ground to the air.

Maybe I'll put invisible GADS, being invisible ladder. Enemies falling from the sky from nothing... crazy traps... Indeed, this level is really crazy!

Ah, it will also be the first to have mushrooms and elasto powerups. And these 2 are very related to the name of this level.

This level will be very similar to the Floating Castle, with false walls and will have fog.

[MagusElOscuro]

Amazing one, please notify me when you release this.

[jbailey]

What's the status on this expansion?

[diakonov]

I've redone and changed the name of some levels, because some were not cool enough to me. I'm changing the 8th level of 1st episode to a level with full of furnitures and trees. It's called now The Wood Park, that is part of X palace. And Ive modified some levels of second episode. Now the levels are being good enough to me.

I want to create a true ROTT experience, that would compete with Darkwar or Extreme.

[jbailey]

Let me know when this is done!

[Per_Scan]

Just wondering if this project is still alive. I really hope so as it looks great!

[jbailey]

Even if the project is dead, release what you've done, it'll still be fun to
play!

[diakonov]

Hi people, the project is still alive, for your surprise! Sorry for the time I haven't been posting here, but I have other things to do, including the development of my own filosophy that correlates the spirit and material world in only one concept (but it's not religion!).

The development of my expansion pack is still going on...

To prove that is still alive, I'm finishing the third episode and I'm doing now the first level of 4th episode. I'll give a list of all levels I've done so far...


1st episode:

The WAR Begins
The Torture Chamber
The Great Trap Chamber
Robotricks Cave Inc.
Triad-Nazi Battlefield
X-Palace Entrance
X-Palace Main Hall
The Wood park


2nd episode:

The Invisible Hill
Army Base
Turrets, Robots & Traps
Raining Guards Empire
The Shield Arena
Dangerous Danger
The Central Hall
Secret Floating Base


3rd episode:

Robotraps
Mechanical Halls
Underground Building
Flying Machines
The Deadly Quilt
Magical Triad World
The War Machine
Foggy Battle


4th episode:

Monastery


Now, about the levels...

Now the 8th level of 2nd episode is a level in which most rooms don't have walls (you may know, when you hit that wall, you die, buts it's not lava, instead you fall...).

Robotraps is... well... similar to Robotricks in essence. Metallic environment with some long walls, many enforcers and robots.

Mechanical Halls is very similar to Robotraps, with some little differences.

Underground Building is like a skycraper, but under the surface and it has 8 elevators. One of the leads you to a secret area, but you must find the oscuro key to go there. It also has one developer ball.

In Flying Machines you will find floating ballistkrafts and it has a room that turns to be toxic... you must find a mask in a secret room.

The Deadly Quilt it has the same meaning of The Angry Quilt of Darkwar. The quilt is in the center of the level.

Magical Triad World follows the same essence of The Deadly Quilty, but this time the rooms are triangle. It also has many phrases, but to see them you must cheat. I won't say them because it would kill the secret.

The War Machine is a level that has... you know, that boss that so many people hate, that so "impossible to defeat" robot, but this time in a smaller area. At least you have jumpads and walls to protect you.

Foggy Battle is a level that escape a bit the theme of the episode, in which most levels have ceilings instead of sky and no mettalic walls and also the level has a strong fog (this explains the name). But at least, in the final part, you have to pass above many ballistkrafts, like a bridge to the exit.

Ah, in the third episode, all levels, except the boss level, have an elevator has exit, instead of ladders (you know, like wolf3d).

The Monastery, well, as the name says, a monastery, a big one... It only has monks as enemies, like "Monky" Business in Darkwar. Im planning that in the fourth episode the main levels won't have elevators or stairs in the exit, but instead will show a room of the next level, which is also cool! You will only see the monks in the fourth episode.

Some levels may have elevators or ladders in the exit (but they will be secret or secondary). These extra levels will be like a fifth episode. Or I could even put en equivalent of sixth or seventh episode, or more, who knows?

I'm planning that in the fourth episode you will fight oscuro in human form. In the fifth episode, the equivalent of boss area you will have to seek oscuro snake (you will caught him in surprise). And in the boss area of "sixth" episode you will fight the oscuro snake.

The seventh episode may be secret or warp only levels.

---------- Post added at 06:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 AM ----------

I forgot to say that the levels of fifth, sixth episodes and warp levels may be smaller than the levels of 1 to 4th episode. I'm planning to create them only to add fun to the game.


If you play all the levels, you may end the game in at least a day if you play fast and directly, because to exit all levels without cheating, you will take at least 10 minutes to pass each level (because there are so many enemies and places to go). Some levels I take more than 25 minutes to finish them. Some I even take more than 30 minutes!

So it will be worth playing, I promisse!

[Per_Scan]

That's great to hear! I'm really glad this is still kicking and that you still have the inspiration to finish it.

Would you consider releasing the 1st episode early like a 'shareware' episode so that we can at least have a tease of things to come?

[diakonov]

Hmmmm... maybe. Maybe I'll do that, just for people to have a bit of taste of my expansion. The progress is faster now (I did almost an episode in some weeks), but if delay too much, i'll have to make a shareware version of it.

But otherwise it won't be fun to play an incomplete expansion... for now I'm still planning only to release when it's done, but maybe I'll do a shareware version. At least I'm starting to make the 4th episode.

I don't know if the "fifth" or "sixth" episodes will have 8 levels, because both episodes will still be the 4th episode, due to the code of the game.

I found a problem... I tried to make a map where oscuro snakes would be dancing around (just for fun), in circles. It could be done in the map number equivalent of Canyon Chase, but I tried to do this in another map number, and the game crashed.

This means that I couldn't put the snake boss in any map? Even if it's only to seek it (like Canyon Chase)? I tried the same with Oscuro, but when it turns to be snake, the game crash (when it placed in a wrong map number).

Can it be solved in the game source?

[Per_Scan]

I, personally, have no idea but if nobody helps you here maybe you could try posting at the ROTT Forum (see my new sig!). It's pretty quiet just now but there are lots of knowledgable people lurking...