Interview with a Vampyro

Around mid May of '97, I ran across an old friend of mine,
Rob Dunlop. Just about to graduate school, he was anxious
to work on something new, fun and creative. Together we
discussed what would end up becoming our after hour
obsession. So it was with our combined efforts that, for
the next 2 months, we built what we felt was the definitive
"custom" Descent level; breaking all boundaries of my
previous designs.

I began working on preliminary level designs, as Rob began
making textures. It was after a week of work that we came
upon the eventual theme of our new level. We both agreed
that Infograme's "Alone in the Dark" was among our all time
favorite computer games, and we wanted to create an
environment completely out of the futuristic realm of the
now famous Descent universe... a haunted house level.

The ideas flourished with the ability to modify in-game
objects using the recent addition of add-on enhancements
available for Descent2. Within the second week I had the
basic level design finished, and only then did the real
work begin.

Each area in Vampyro underwent at least 5 major revision
changes. Since our target audience was multiplayer, high
framerate was extremely important. But we also had to consider
single player, since it nested alot of interesting potential
as well. Virtual "props" were designed within the limitations
of the segment based editor. Above all, each area had to stand
on it's own, while the combination had to flow intuitively,
so that the single player experience was just as enjoyable.

Meanwhile, Rob piled up what became approximately 200 hand
drawn textures over the next several weeks. Each week we
would go over the entire layout and make notes of what
needed to be improved.

I can honestly say, that after making 60+ levels on 3
commercial releases based on the Descent engine, none has
been as enjoyable to make as this single level. I only hope
that you, the player, will also enjoy it.

                                              - Dan Wentz

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I'd just like to add:

The internet still amazes me. Dan and I have never met or
even spoken over the phone, we don't know what each other
look like (except that severed head was modeled on mine so
he probably thinks I'm green and bald), and there is 6 hours
between our time zones. Even so, we worked well together
and were totally on the same wavelength. It's been a truly
remarkable summer.

I had a lot of fun working on Vampyro. Have fun with it too.

                                              - Rob Dunlop

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Level Specifications:

Required: Descent2 ver 1.2 (Vertigo series installed to play "Hoard")

Recommended: 3D Accelerated Video Board 

Game modes: single/coop/anarchy/robo anarchy/flag/hoard

Level specs: 400 segments, 220 custom textures, 152 objects,
             92 power ups, 48 robots (including 4 custom)

Man hours: approximately 500, over 2 months.

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Credits:

Dan "Ebola" Wentz: <vertigo1@net66.com>
 Level design
 MIDI music
 Misc textures

Rob "Picasso" Dunlop <unc-bob@dircon.co.uk>
 Custom texture design
 Intro stills and plot
 Level texture/lighting consultant

Garry Knudson
 Custom bot design

Bryan Aamott
 Design consultant
 Beta tester
 Creative input

Gary "Sikahema" Herod
 Beta tester

Rob "16Volt" Wentz
 Beta tester

Don "DrDon" Tulloch
 Beta tester

Special thanks to:

Toby Gebhart for putting a quick page together for the release.

Stefan Nilsson for making "DTX2" 

Luke Schneider for helping Rob with the briefing code

John Slagel for his enlightment on the Descent ][ game code

Everyone at Volition & Outrage for their support and interest.

Visit the following sites:

Parallax: http://www.pxsoftware.com
Brainware: http://www.lnx.net/~baamot/
DTX website: http://www.cybertrash.com/shareware/dtx/

Cue the lawyers...

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SOFTWARE LIMITATIONS AND LIMITED LICENSE

This Descent II Level (the "Software") is intended solely for
your personal noncommercial home entertainment use. You may not
decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Software, except as
permitted by law. Interplay Productions and Parallax Software
Corporation retain all rights and title in the Software including all
intellectual property rights embodied therein and derivatives thereof.
The Software, including, without limitation, all code, data
structures, characters, images, sounds, text, screens, game play,
derivative works and all other elements of the Software may not be
copied (except as provided below), resold, rented, leased, distributed
(electronically or otherwise), used on pay-per-play, coin-op or other
for-charge basis, or for any commercial purpose. You may make copies
of the Software for your personal noncommercial home entertainment use
and to give to friends and aquaintances on a no cost noncommercial
basis. This limited right to copy the Software expressly excludes any
copying or distribution of the Software on a commercial basis,
including, without limitation, bundling the product with any other
product or service and any give away of the Software in connection
with another product or service. Any permissions granted herein are
provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay
Productions or Parallax Software Corporation at any time. All rights
not expressly granted are reserved.

Oh... And if we see any of the Vampyro textures show up in ANY of your
home brews you won't be fooling anyone but yourself! :)

