#beta-rome-project

<---> VIDEO DEMO: <---> https://youtu.be/L3ZXnC_HcU8 This video showcases a full tour of a restored (what is left in the game files, edits limited to essential fixes and no gameplay changes!) Beta Rome. No core changes were made to the level that would change the way it is played, meaning this very playthrough is how far the developers got while creating the level! As the remnants of Beta Rome in the final game are not functional, a few fixes and changes had to be made in order to make a playthrough possible. These fixes and changes include: <---> CHANGES: <---> General: - There are no transitions between the sectors, just empty space! I added collision so the player could walk to the next sector, but there is no pathfinding so Obelix won't follow. - Many detectors (triggers) are disabled by default and cannot be enabled. Enable them at an appropiate time. - Pathfinding was added to all sectors so Obelix/Idefix/enemies can walk there. - Collision of several objects were broken (Walls flipped inside-out, no walls at all...) and had to be fixed - Some objects had no sound or were misconfigured (for example, the first and last gate of rome would only open partially). - In many events (scripts) the game would request the Obelix/Asterix to walk to a specific point, but no point was specified. Set this point to where they would have walked to (inferred from the level layout). Sector 1: - A lock on the turnstile would appear, but no enemies are present. Add one normal legionnaire to demonstrate where a fight would take place. - As there are no Rocket Romans, I needed to cheat and hit the turnstile manually in order to open the gates of Rome. Normally, you would use the torch to light a Rocket Roman which would then fly towards the turnstile and activate it - for you. This is confirmed by the dialogue in the game. - The duration of the torch had to be extended so that it could be carried into sector 2.

Sector 2: - By default the relay beacon is active. Only activate it once the trio enters the sector. - The spiky ball that activates with the pressure plate on the columns would not destroy the wall and could be retriggered. Destroy the wall at the appropiate time and make the pressure plate permanently depressed if activated. - There is a lock on the pressure plate, but no enemies are there in the level. Add one normal legionnaire to demonstrate where the fight would take place. Sector 3: - The button to activate the gate has a lock, but once again no enemies are placed in the level. Place another legionnaire to demonstrate where a fight would have taken place. - Once we free the path for Obelix, remove the torch from Asterix as it is no longer needed. <---> CHANGES END <--->

As you can see from the gameplay, there are still some open questions as to what the original vision of the level was: <---> QUESTIONS: <---> General: - Where would check and save points (druids) be? - What enemies would guard the level and where? - Where should cutscenes play? It is confirmed by dialogue of the game, that Sam informs you of the Rocket Romans at the start. - Where would special cameras be to show the telepher rides or corkscrews? - Which music would play? Sector 1: - There are no locks for the fireplaces on the stairs, meaning the player can walk through the area very quickly. - On the second level of stairs there is a death pit to the right, but nothing is on the other side. What was supposed to be there? - The player can leave the sector with no fire and enter Sector 2, is this intended? Should another fireplace be between Sector 1 and 2 (transition)? Sector 2: - The sector can be entered with no fire, although it is required to blow up the powder keg. - The room right ahead of the start of the level is blocked by a destroyable wall but has no purpose. - The player can ride the telepher with and without fire. It is not required for any progression. - Blowing up the gate at the bottom of the stairs seems to have no purpose.

Sector 3: - Once the wall at the entrance is destroyed, the door we just opened in Sector 2 closes. Why is that? - Asterix walks and jumps on the telepher himself, but the character switch does not happen. Thus, the developers change the player to Asterix which then immediately activates the telepher once Obelix approaches it. - The two side areas on the stairs have no purpose - Once Obelix approaches the destroyable gate, a cutscene (!!!) should play while Asterix rides by himself to the destination, which then would play another cutscene. What would be in it? (This might also be something different, haven't figured this out yet ^^) - Asterix can carry his fire on the telepher and possibly skip the lock that guards the button to the fireplace! Should the fire be extinguished to prevent a passive lock? - The gate to the fireplace and cannon at the end is too small, or the level geometry too big? - There is no wall to shoot at with the cannon. Sector 4 & 5: - Although they are finished in the final game, the cutting of Beta Rome might have influenced the layout of the sectors. For instance, the 1000 roman fight at the start was just a 40 roman fight in the trailers of the beta game! <---> QUESTIONS END <--->

Now, the next steps would be to create new objects to finalize and flesh out the gameplay of each sector before creating the sector transitions. Then, more enemies have to be added (Including the Rocket Roman!). The 3D models also need to be finished and vertex colored (at least for Sector 2 and 3 and, of course, the transitions) and finally, bonuses (crates, helmets) have to be added and the great map has to be changed.

<---> VIDEO DEMO END <--->

<---> WELCOME <---> Hello everyone! I'm excited to announce that we are bringing back the Beta Rome Project (BRP), a community effort to restore Beta Rome and, this time, finally get it in an at least 90% finished state for an eventual public release! Right now I started with fixing everything that is left in the game files. But there are many open questions regarding the level design of Beta Rome which I cannot answer by myself, so our combined input and ideas are needed to come up with a plan that everyone is satisfied with. Please see the <---> QUESTIONS <---> section (pinned messages) to read up on the current problems! What is this? The goal is to restore Beta Rome. While in the original game Rome only has 2 sectors, there were 3 more planned but eventually cut. Sparse gameplay footage exists of it and only a few, broken, mechanics are left in the game files. Great work is required to finish it and bring it back to life! Who can help? If you want to help out, we are currently needing the assistance and guidance of: - Everyone, share your ideas and shape the development of Beta Rome! - Modders, that can modify the game in a general way, who might be able to use the XXL-Editor, - Texture artists, to create potentially new textures required for the transitions between the sectors or new geometry - 3D Modelers, to create the transitions between the sectors, finish the geometry of the existing sectors and create/finish the vertex coloring - Animators, to create animations for the Rocket Roman - Musicians, to potentially add new music for Beta Rome - Testers, who have the patience to try out every possible scenario and find nasty bugs! When will it be released? Unknown! It will be done when the consensus says so! "Beta" versions of Beta Rome won't be publicly released before we can be sure it is good. <---> WELCOME END <--->

<---> FOOTAGE <---> Here are a few videos showing Beta Rome! Showcase of Beta Rome in the Romaster by AdrienTD: https://www.youtu.be/Jtjkqfuezpw Trailer of Asterix & Obelix XXL on the PS2 showing a small glimpse of Beta Rome: https://youtu.be/jMnsZwlA2w0?t=13 <---> FOOTAGE END <--->

Please see this message! Check out the video: https://youtu.be/L3ZXnC_HcU8

Reserved

Let's goooooo!

1 million Roman fight is needed trust me

Also to avoid any confusion, Beta Rome is not done yet, I only restored and fixed the broken parts left in the game files so you can see how the developers imagined the level! 😅

Great, new progress

Now that's what we call cookin

Where would check and save points (druids) be? To quickly answer this, we only sort of know where they should be on the great map.

@pegperegogaucho i am your man for testing ^^ beside my bachlor work i suprisingly have a good amount of time on fight and puzzle scenarios

Yes, I already had that in mind while writing it! Of course since it is supposed to be what would have been in the original game, there probably won't be any super hard fights but I'll maybe make an unfair version of it once it is done 👍