Interviews
[+] 09/04/07 - TESSource Interview with Povuholo
Pov: Could you give us a general outline of this project?
SoS: Project Serpent is a total conversion for Oblivion that takes its basis from the Heretic/Hexen game series by Ravensoft. We have created our own world that takes key aspects from the Heretic/Hexengames, allowing us to both satisfying fans of the series as well as create something new. We also offer many new systems of gameplay different from the standard Oblivion ones. It is not a story of good and evil, but of light and dark, and the player can join with either side. If they (the player) play their hand right they can even be in both.
Pov: What is your role in this project?
SoS: I am the Team Leader. I organize everything, give out tasks, and make sure that everything created fits with our idea of the setting. When something is completed, it is my job to make sure it gets in and works in the game. Additionally I am the head Writer, head Scripter, and head Quest Programmer. I do some small amounts of exterior and interior work here and there. I also work with the numbers (how much an armor protects for). Anything that someone else can't do, I have to do. So basically I do a lot.
Pov: Why the Heretic/Hexen games?
SoS: "Hexen: Beyond Heretic" was an amazing game for me. It had a world that felt as dark and corrupted as myself. Playing that game inspired my creativity for the rest of my life. I have always felt that I need to give back to it for that. When I was so terribly disappointed with how Heretic 2's story had turned out, I realized that I should do something. When I played Morrowind I realized that the Elder Scrolls games would be perfect to bring back Hexen and Heretic with.
Pov: Could you mention a few of these new gameplay systems?
SoS: Leveling System - We are changing how you level into an experience gain. Kill monsters, complete quests, and certain achievements will award experience which in turn awards a level up.
"Hub" Travel - Each region is it's own worldspace, so it is almost like there are 12 worlds to explore. If you've ever played Hexen or Hexen 2, you will remember that their levels were set up as a "Hub". That is, one level acted as a base, containing portals to multiple levels. Once all of the levels connected to it were completed, you moved on to the next hub. So each of the regions are considered to be Hubs kind of like that, although you are not restricted to solving all the quests before you can leave.
We are also doing some major changes to how you interact with NPCs, more on that to come.Pov: I'm sure not everyone is familiar with the Heretic/Hexen games, so could you tell us what races there will be? Are they all playable?
SoS: The Light Follower races are: Caurthorian (from heretic 2), Human (hexen 1 and 2), Mageborn, Seraph (from heretic 2), Sidhe (heretic 1 and 2), and Warriorborn.
The Order of the Triad races are: Corrupted, Cursed (were-jag in hexen 2), Daemon (hexen 2 exp), Faded, and Forsaken.
The Light Follower races are playable, but not the Order of the Triad races.Pov: What is the size of the landmass the mod takes place on?
SoS: We're estimating about 4x as big as Oblivion's Cyrodiil. However, each region is broken apart and can be worked on one at a time. So while each region will be smaller than Cyrodiil (usually), the combined total will be much larger.
Pov: Will this mod require Shivering Isles? What about OBSE?
SoS: Shivering Isles will NOT be needed. Just make sure you have the v1.2 patch for Oblivion. We have avoided requiring OBSE so far and plan to do so if possible. No offense to the amazing work at OBSE, but we want to keep our requirements down to the smallest amount possible.
Pov: Will there be a public beta somewhere in the future?
SoS: Each region will be released as a sort of "Beta". That way when we are finished with everything, we won't need a beta, as it would already have been tested. Also that allows people to play new stuff every now and then without having to wait the insane amount of time it will take to complete this.
Pov: Are you still recruiting modders for the project? If so, what positions are avaiable and which ones do you need the most right now?
SoS: We are always recruiting! Right now we have three priority positions: Landscaper (someone good at moving around the ground), Texture Artist (able to create textures from scratch), Retexture artist (creates new textures from old ones), and HUD Artist (creates a custom HUD). The other still open positions are: 3D Modeller, Quest Programmer, Interior Designer, Weather Maker, Concept Artist, Dungeon Designer, Scripter, Writer/Ideas, Voice Actor, and Translator.
Pov: Where can people who are interested apply?
SoS: Our Recruitment forums: http://forum.gamingsource.net/index.php?showforum=182
Pov: Anything else you'd like to share with us?
SoS: There is a lot of talent and skill on this team. Great things are in the works. Come talk with us in our general forum. We give out a custom signature pic for all the loyal fans who show great interest in what we are going. We do listen as well, so please, come and share your thoughts and ideas. We'll give you credit for any contributions and won't just steal them. General forum: http://forum.gamingsource.net/index.php?showforum=186
Thanks for your time Serpent of Shadow, and I wish you and your team good luck with Project Serpent!
[+] 28/07/07 - Interview with Noobkiller @ Pariah's Guild
Noobkiller: Thank you for letting me interview you guys about this modding project of yours.
SoS: Of course! We're always happy to see interest in our mod. Ask away! :)
Noobkiller: Okay, so can you tell the story for this mod?
SoS: Ok, but this will be the summed up version (see our site for the full one). The world was in complete chaos and in order to save it, a large group of mages performed a ritual to remove darkness from the heart of man. The spell did not go as expected and a gateway to the Realm of the Dead was created, its physical manifestation: the Dark Citadel (from Hexen expansion). Inside the Dark Citadel are the three Serpent Riders, who want to live again. The effects of the spell have brought pieces of the worlds from the Heretic/Hexen series to this one, even things such as the races of people. The influence of the Serpent Riders gives rise to a faction known as the Order of the Triad, a group of fanatics devoted in body and soul to these demons. The Order now wages war against those that resist, who call themselves the Light Followers. The player has arrived when things are looking hopeless for the Light. The darkness has come to the player’s home town of Winnowing Hall and he/she must choose whether to fight the evil, or become one with it.
Noobkiller: Now you mentioned that this mod will featured elements from the Hexen/Heretic series. To be honest, I never heard about this series. Can you tell us about this series?
SoS: “Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders” was a medieval FPS made using the original Doom engine. They took that engine and greatly expanded it to then make Hexen. Hexen 2 used the Quake 2 engine, then Heretic II used an expanded Quake 2 engine. These games were about three demon brothers known as the Serpent Riders trying to take over different worlds. They almost completely conquer everything when a hero rises up (the player) and battles through their hordes of minions to fight them. The biggest thing about these games was the dark mood and atmosphere they created.
Noobkiller: How did you guys get permission to feature something that people are considering intellectual property?
SoS: Well I spoke with someone over at Ravensoft and he kindly stated that what we could NOT use are actual files from the Heretic/Hexen games. We couldn’t use their music, textures, models, etc. Our storyline and the world is by far different enough where we don’t run into any problems. We do make references to the original games, but never claim them as our own work.
Noobkiller: Cool. Now, I looked at your mod profile at Moddb.com, and you mentioned about a total conversion on the Oblivion engine. What parts of the engine did you guys revamp?
SoS: It’s not necessarily a TC of the ENGINE, but of the game. I chose Oblivion because I felt the engine would allow us to do what we needed to bring Project Serpent to life. So by Total Conversion we are meaning the world and setting. Nothing of the Elder Scrolls lore is ever brought up, the entire world is different, and we are using a large number of retextures and new models.
Noobkiller: Good to know. Now, can you tell what changes did your team make on the map, since Oblivion has one big map to explore.
SoS: We took it out of the picture entirely. We are instead using what we call the “Hub System”. This is that each region is its own world space. So don’t expect to see any familiar locations from Tamriel.
Noobkiller: Well, the map sounds like it‘s going to be rad anyway. Before we go, I like to talk about the leveling system. I’ve heard that your team is changing the leveling system found in Oblivion. What parts of the leveling system did you change?
SoS: We decided to go with an experience system, especially since Hexen 2 featured one. You don’t gain a level through increasing skill points (though you still gain the stat bonuses). Instead you advance by earning experience from slaying monsters, completing quests, and achieving certain objectives. We have a rather well built formula in place that makes it so when you slay a monster, your level and their level affects how much you gain. So you won’t be seeing a level 30 character slaying rats to level up.
Noobkiller: Once again, thank you for the interview.
SoS: Thank you for interviewing us!
[+] 28/07/07 - Testimony of a Build Tester I
Are you enjoying being a Build Tester?
I’m definitely enjoying my time as a Build Tester! Being a Build Tester you get to experience a mod in its raw form with the bugs still inside. Being the one who roots the bugs out is neat. Through the Build Testers work the Project Serpent team is able to stomp out the bugs in the mod.
How do you feel Project Serpent is progressing?
I joined the Project Serpent team only a short time after the mod started. I must say it’s a great experience seeing the beginning of a mod and watching it as it develops. Project Serpent has definitely grown a lot. Though I’m not much of an elder in the mod team I will say that the mod is progressing at a fairly good pace.
What is your favorite feature so far?
Well this is a hard question to answer. There are quite a few features that I enjoy in the mod. But the one that I love most is the ability to light wall-mounted lights with your torch!
Which is your favorite race/class choice and why?
The mageborn class is my favorite as I tend to like playing as magic characters. But the mod has a host of races suitable for every type of player in the community. Recently I’ve been trying out the assassin class and I find it very interesting. In Project Serpent picking a class does not only determine what skills you get but it also gives you a series of class quests to play. The assassin class quests are really fun to play out.
What do you think of the redone equipment stats?
I think they’re a bit better. The equipment stats are no lower, weapons have lower damage ratings. But that’s good to me because now everything is brought into a smaller range and are much easier to handle and to play with.
What do you think of the music?
Simply saying the music in Project Serpent is better then the music in vanilla Oblivion. Project Serpent’s music features an awesome choir and a compliment of bells making the music that much grander.
What do you think of Project Serpent as a whole?
Project Serpent has definitely grown a lot since it first started and has demonstrated many intriguing ideas that make it different from. It’s a whole new world in Project Serpent; a world of exploration that’s bound to dazzle the many people who will play it.