This was an idea I had after checking out the old beta trailers for Unreal, and then finally playing the Unreal alpha demo. From the playing the alpha, I was struck by how the demo was created in 1995, and I was struck to by the atmosphere and look of the demo. The environments were shiny 3D, but it had 2D sprites of eyes and torches hanging around, and the awesome blue cloudy moon skybox felt Doom-like. The castle interiors felt like something out of those first person RPGs, like the first two Elderscrolls and Ultima Underworld. And there were those neat pre-release tracks, which I love to death. Hints for the Nali characters are in the alpha, if you look at a particular engraving on the pillars, you could see four armed monks. (I guess Epic originally planned for the Nali to be more Benedictine in appearance). Like Leo, I was fascinated by how the alpha and beta had a vastly different look in comparison to the retail game, and I wanted to draw out my dream TCs based upon the early versions.
Not that I can actually mod these ideas, unless I can become really technical sometime soon. However, these are images representing how I would imagine the Unreal alpha and beta if they were recreated and enhanced in a mod for either UG or UT98. The lower picture was the first, and more beta inspired. The second, which I'm really proud of, is an adaptation of the famous first alpha shot of the heroine facing the red dragon in the dungeon, except this time, I made him a very tall red Scaarj.
The first picture is mainly inspired by the alpha demo (including the robed Nali), with some of my own additions. It kind of looks like Unreal meets Cave Story.
I can just briefly describe what I would do for alpha demo-based TC. The main character would remain female, but instead of starting out in a crashed prison vessel, she starts out in an underground dungeon (a la Arena and Daggerfall). While escaping, she fights Nali versions of rats and bats, as well as imprisoned human and Nali, tentacles, grey Brutes and the red Scaarj. Her early weapons include the Scaarj gauntlet, spiked club, and an alternate Dispersion pistol. When she gets out, Na Pali would remain the same, except now you can go to any part of the world at any time (like Castlevania). There'll be more castles, more Nali villages, and it would include those fantasy creatures. Dragons will appear of various sizes, colors, and difficulty. The original story for Unreal claimed that there is a lingering terror lurking underneath the surface of the Na Pali, so that could be the final boss (larger and different looking than the main ones). I'd want different and new weapons, and I'd want to keep that cool skybox in the alpha. I don't if there's a way to mod Unreal to look more retro, like it looked in the alpha, but it may be better just to enhance the alpha's perks in the retail.
What I have in mind therefore is a TC based upon the tech demo with elements from the early Elder Scrolls, Ultima Underworld, Doom II, Quake, and Castlevania. It's just an idea, but I though Leo and other alpha enthusiasts would like my artistic rendition of the alpha/beta. Enjoy.
Not that I can actually mod these ideas, unless I can become really technical sometime soon. However, these are images representing how I would imagine the Unreal alpha and beta if they were recreated and enhanced in a mod for either UG or UT98. The lower picture was the first, and more beta inspired. The second, which I'm really proud of, is an adaptation of the famous first alpha shot of the heroine facing the red dragon in the dungeon, except this time, I made him a very tall red Scaarj.
The first picture is mainly inspired by the alpha demo (including the robed Nali), with some of my own additions. It kind of looks like Unreal meets Cave Story.
I can just briefly describe what I would do for alpha demo-based TC. The main character would remain female, but instead of starting out in a crashed prison vessel, she starts out in an underground dungeon (a la Arena and Daggerfall). While escaping, she fights Nali versions of rats and bats, as well as imprisoned human and Nali, tentacles, grey Brutes and the red Scaarj. Her early weapons include the Scaarj gauntlet, spiked club, and an alternate Dispersion pistol. When she gets out, Na Pali would remain the same, except now you can go to any part of the world at any time (like Castlevania). There'll be more castles, more Nali villages, and it would include those fantasy creatures. Dragons will appear of various sizes, colors, and difficulty. The original story for Unreal claimed that there is a lingering terror lurking underneath the surface of the Na Pali, so that could be the final boss (larger and different looking than the main ones). I'd want different and new weapons, and I'd want to keep that cool skybox in the alpha. I don't if there's a way to mod Unreal to look more retro, like it looked in the alpha, but it may be better just to enhance the alpha's perks in the retail.
What I have in mind therefore is a TC based upon the tech demo with elements from the early Elder Scrolls, Ultima Underworld, Doom II, Quake, and Castlevania. It's just an idea, but I though Leo and other alpha enthusiasts would like my artistic rendition of the alpha/beta. Enjoy.
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