Welcome to DungeonBreak! This release is for Sunday, May 30, 1999, the [final?] non-beta release. Please e-mail all comments, bug reports, etc. to either Desperado (s.n.a@btinternet.com) or Phoenikz (phoenikz@hexenworld.com). We also appreciate evaluations of maps; the only way we can make better maps is with your input. Also be sure to check out the DungeonBreak mapmaker's guide located on The Phoenikz Project [http://www.hexenworld.com/nikz/] if you are interested in creating a DB map. =================================== OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME There are two teams, the Gold (Sun) team and the Silver (Moon) team. This is a completely teamplay-oriented MOD; to hurt other players on your team is to hurt yourself. :) Teamplay is controlled by the server's "teamplay" variable - 0 means off [normal DM] and 1 means on [cannot hurt self or teammates]. A player becomes imprisoned in the Dungeon when he dies. There is a dungeon for each team, and only a player on your same team can help you out of the dungeon. Most maps currently require team- interaction to free a teammate from the dungeon, but one map [DBCanyon] allows the player to escape if he has enough wits! A team wins a round when all of the players on the other team are in the dungeon. A team wins the game when a fraglimit or timelimit is broken. ======= SCORING You receive one frag for killing an opponent and a negative frag for killing a teammate. GL SKINS WORK! There were reports of sheep having the wrong skin, and I think this has been fixed, but it might not. It's an insignificant bug. Scores are totalled per player rather than per team. In other words, the first player to break the fraglimit wins the game for their team. This way, big games and small games are scored evenly. Big games can run on the same fraglimit as small games and not go by too quickly. Small games won't go by too slowly. Another reason: frags can only total to 255 due to a limitation in HexenC and Hexenworld's scoreboard. A five-on-five game would easily break this fraglimit in a big game. You also get MONDO FRAGS when you win a round by trapping the other team in the dungeon! You receive a total of (5 * number_of_players_on_other_team) frags for each round. Losers receive no frags. So, which is it gonna be, red-hot frags or wussy-white flags? You decide! ======== HOOKSHOT Right now there are two types of hookshots. The first is the standard GAF hookshot, also known as the swing, or gravity, hook. It uses the well-known laws of gravity to allow you to swing to wherever you wish to go. It's very similar to its real-life equivalent, the rope and grapple. Here are the default keys: SHIFT This shoots out the hook - holding it drags you in (retracts). You can use this for all your hook needs. Press again to drop the chain. JUMP If you let go of SHIFT, you'll just stand there in midair. If you want to retract further, use the JUMP key (+jump). CROUCH When swinging, it's a good idea to shimmy down the rope to gently land where you wish. +crouch allows you to let loose slack, thereby sliding down the chain. There is also another type of hook, the Threewave CTF hookshot. This is the unrealistic type, reminiscent of games like Legend of Zelda, etc. It shoots out and drags you to your destination, regardless of the norms of gravity. Naturally, this hookshot takes more strength to use and has a slower firing rate. It, however, has only one key to control it. SHIFT Shoot out the hook - hold it down to keep moving towards the target. To switch between hooks, press U, which is defaultly bound to "impulse 243". This impulse has been standardized through DB, DM, HA (when it was in there), and CTF (unless Kor changes things). The currently-selected hook will be displayed to the screen. ====== LEVELS There are four levels included in the open beta. Please send any comments, suggestions, faults, criticisms, errors, etc. to Desperado (s.n.a@btinternet.com) and Phoenikz (phoenikz@hexenworld.com). Desperado created the first three maps, and I got my map in at the last minute. In case you're wondering while playing, his levels are the pretty ones. :) Egypt As the name states, it's an Egypt-themed level. Some tight corridors, but pretty large. Symmetrical. This is the only level without use of the new hookshot, since the small corridors are unsuitable. Tunnel This level was made with the hook in mind. It's a long, large level suitable for anywhere from 2 to 16 players. You will not get lost in here, it's very well designed. There are many places to hook onto and you will spend hours trying to find the biggest secrets in this level. :) Well, maybe not hours, but you'll still love it! Find the hook floating underwater somewhere! Castle One of my personal favorites. Another great hook level, this place gives you one to start out with! Use this level to get used to the hookshot. It's a large level with lots of secrets, and a great midievel theme! Canyon The only map made by Phoenikz, the first publically released map made by Phoenikz. Also the only map not made by Desperado. :) This is the only (to-date) non-symmetrical DungeonBreak map. It has a beautiful outdoor area that sometimes strains the GL engine, but works great in software mode. The scenery changes from a nice, sunny lakeside killing ground to a canyon complete with waterfall and suspension bridges, as well as an underground cavern. Popping up in this is the return of Tic-Tac-Toe from hell! You'll remember this trap from Single Player... Base Another map from Desperado that was inspired by a map from Quake's CTF MOD. Winter This first map from Tru ICEDUDE is lots of fun, with a few surprises around every corner. It's a nice change-of-pace from the other huge, monstrous levels. Battle The second map by Tru ICEDUDE - very fun, small, good for a small game. It features great textures and a very nifty jail. ===================== THE FUTURE/KNOWN BUGS If you have any problems or questions just e-mail Desperado (s.n.a@btinternet.com) or Phoenikz (phoenikz@hexenworld.com). I admit that the code is not bug-free. There is one major bug that results in multiple-frags ... iw on't tell you what it is so you don't abuse it. :) It does gives frags to both teams, however, so it's a fair bug. :) I want to implement a better +showdm to indicate who is in jail and who is not. However, at this point in time with HW's current state, this is impossible. Hopefully Rick Johnson will make it possible in his upcoming release! :) Sheep skins for the sun Paladin might still be messed up. If anyone sees a miscolored sheep, please email me at phoenikz@hexenworld.com with the class of the sheep and the team the sheep is on. Err, the hook attaches to the sky...the code to stop that doesn't work...erm. No future fix known. ============ SERVER STUFF Basically everything you need to run a server is included. The server.cfg contains many default options. Feel free to change anything, but please keep dmMode 3 constant. gamedir must be "db" or clients will crash. Add an rcon_password if you like, always useful. Also, make sure that the final line is "map ***" where *** is a map in the current rotation. Rotation is defined in the strings.txt, using Kor Skarn's rotation functions. It operates the same way. Stick maps inbetween map_sequence_begin and map_sequence_end and they'll rotate. I've included a default rotation of all seven levels. ======= CREDITS If you'd like to make a DB level just e-mail Desperado or Phoenikz, or check out http://www.hexenworld.com/nikz - The Phoenikz Project; there is a link to the DungeonBreak MapMaker's Guide there. I would like to take time out to personally thank everyone who I can think of that has helped with the development of this MOD. Desperado Without him, this would have never gotten off the ground. He started everything long long ago in a time far far away. Without him, the mapping for DB would have been a blatent failure. He's helped just about every step of the way and has been the main organizer of everything. :) His contributions are too innumerable to count. Phoenikz Ah, the great one [hehe]. Creation of DBCanyon, the actual CODE [which DB had been lacking for a long time], character sets, most graphical integration, some promotion, and, um, yea. Plus the nifty readme! I hope you really enjoy this MOD, we've worked hard to make it the best we can. Kor Skarn Helped me get into programming HexenC, supplied hook code, rotation code, and many other helpful things. Thanks! Fraust Thanks for the usage of the HexArena sounds and all the support! Neo-Reaper Thank you so much for your initial interest in DungeonBreak. You were another of those "Let's get this ball rolling!"ers. :) Thanks for tips about sounds and other things...hehe, clanjbk authority. You were a HUGE help with all the servering that you did...aided so much in beta testing. Was always great to be able to compile and send you the progs right away to test. :) Aridale Credits to the hookshot item model, as well as late-night testing on the fly and putting up with my HexenC frustrations. Thanks also for all the great image work...can barely tell that you copied and pasted the sky! ;-) LordofSheep Thanks for putting up with more of my frustrations and helping out with more of those tests. Thanks for the graphical help and character set suggestions. "Er, I can't think of anything to say now, except that DB is great fun, enjoy it ~LoS" Haha, "it's safe!" My Squid Much beta testing! Thank you! "When you start getting sick of the jailhouse music, you can blame me. I sent them the midi. Squid" Seti Thanks so much for your help with all the "I've got a level I've got to test now, do you have time?" situations. :) From Seti (speaking for all of us!) "Special thanks go out to the original Hexenworld development team at Raven... without you, this mod would not have been possible. - Seti" FordPerfect/CIP Thank you for the server use, guys! Big big help! Phoebus Thanks for those last minute suggestions...we will try to implement them in the final release of DB. :) DarkRavager You had some great suggestions back in the day. Thanks for the stuff about the intermissions, scores, etc. Made things come out a lot smoother! Destroyer Many good suggestions...sorry we couldn't implement another class. Red Deth Sorry about the crash - you were still an official DB tester though. :) TruIceDude Hope you get the level worked out, it looks good so far! Thanks for the interest. Landar We were hoping to get that map from you...Sorry that things didn't work out right. Hopefully we can get in contact sometime soon? Desperado and I would love to talk. :) Deathmaster You helped out beta testing, thanks a lot. :) Hope you get that HexenC stuff worked out. Rick Johnson For his part in completing HW. Thanks! H2CTF/Phoebus Thanks for allowing us to use the CTF/Siege skins as well as Escape.WAV - sorry for not giving due credit before. :) Everyone else who we've...borrowed...ideas, music, etc. from. Thank you! I've tried to be as complete as possible. I wasn't here before when DungeonBreak was in its roots, and I know there are a few people around back from that day that I have missed. Please let me know and I'll add your names. I apologize if I've left anyone else off...Please let me know if I did and don't get offended, this list of off the top of my head. :) ========== CONCLUSION Thank you very much for your interest in DungeonBreak. We have all endeavoured to make this as bugfree and fun as possible. Remember, if you spot a bug, please e-mail me at Phoenikz@hexenworld.com and I'll get to fixing it asap. This is still an open-beta. The only terms are that you do email me if you encounter a bug, and that you have fun! That's the whole point of this, isn't it? :) ============ Legal stuff: Neither I nor any member of the team will be held responsible for any damages to your computer, your welfare, or anything else. Please use this at your own discretion and realize that we bear no responsibility on your proper use of the program included. A bunch of things mentioned (Hexen, Hexenworld, etc.) are copyright Raven Software and/or Activision. Installer notice: The installer for this product was created using Installer VISE from MindVision Software. For more information on Installer VISE, contact: MindVision Software 7201 North 7th Street Lincoln, NE 68521-8913 Voice: (402) 477-3269 Fax: (402) 477-1395 E-mail: mindvision@mindvision.com http://www.mindvision.com