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This happened. I could've made him go bigger, but that would've taken a while.

It seemed fun to make some RRU member faces in LEGO Racers. That's all. Oh look underlined text.

The problem is that this is exactly what the Rock Raiders United community doesn't want, or at the very least that is the general attitude that many people have around here. Rock Raiders is a very casual game already up until a few levels near the end and many of the mods that RRU has made try to make the game more challenging. The core demographic for the original game was children, so that is understandable. Now, we have grown up and the majority of us are 15 to 25 years old. We can take a challenge. This makes me feel a little bit better about the situation. In my eyes, Rock Raiders was one of your best games and I have hope that you are willing to show us a game that's even better than the original Rock Raiders. Of course, when I say "you" I'm addressing all of DDI -- the programmers, the artists, the musicians, the engineers, and the leaders. I was talking to a few people about this and we're actually concerned about you developing this game on multiple formats at once. Having multiple formats means that you need multiple teams to work on each version, which splits your time and energy. If you're planning on PC, Wii, WiiU, Android, iOS, and Facebook... you're spreading your effort way too thin and the main product (PC) will suffer. And honestly, the game will end up being completely different for each format. The PC has mouse and keyboard controls which are superior to a controller (WiiU) or pointer (Wii), and far superior to a touchscreen (Android, iOS). The general attitude towards Facebook games for many people around here is negative, and I feel that you will receive either backlash or apathy towards a Facebook version of the game. We do not want Farmville Raiders. We do not want to waggle a Wiimote at a screen in order to drill a wall. Please understand this. Your trending analysts may say that Facebook games are hot right now and the casual market is something you need to capture, but RRU in general is not in that market. I don't want to speak for everyone, but I think we are looking for a game that makes us think and plan ahead.

Holy crud. Well, maybe this guy will eat it...

Ok, so this isn't exactly in the blog system, but I wanted to keep this separate with my other blog entries, and I lost my second blog a little while after Cyrem disabled secondary blog creation. Basically, I'll be using this topic to cover modding two specific games by TT Games, that is, "LEGO® Indiana Jones™ 2" and "LEGO® Star Wars™ The Complete Saga". I'll be comparing them directly and describing steps for completing various mods. For the record, more of my attention will be focused on Indiana for the simple reason of flexibility. For example, even through LEGO Star Wars 1 and 2 both had a lot of deleted content to be restored, the Complete Saga was pretty much empty. Indiana Jones 2 has a lot of content left in the deepest bowls to conquer, as if it is some sick metaphor planted by the developers and we are the computer-based versions of the adventurous hero... NOTE: Using the steps to mod your game below will cause a slower load time in multiple parts of the game, which may induce the feeling the game has crashed. If the game crashes, it will shut-down, but if it pauses, it is just taking it's time to load. Please be patient. First thing, to start off easy, I'm going to go over file types, and then I'll quickly explain how to mod both games. LEGO® Star Wars™ The Complete Saga File Types: *.cfg - Configuration File (The two main ones deal with audio files, with a couple smaller ones scattered around) *.ogg - OGG Vorbis Sound File, essentially like an .mp3 file, but the codec is under Open Licence *.wav - Waveform Audio File Format, a high quality but high filesize sound file *.txt - Generally a Text file used for writing, but in these games they are used as configuration files *.fpk - See *.PAK (There is only one of these, and it seems to contain all the configs for the characters; maybe for backup?) *.ghg - Model Data, Node/Bone Information and DDS Texture Container (Specifically, *_LR_PC.ghg contain the node/bone information) *.an3 - Animation *.bsa - Unknown (There's one for all .an3 files though...) *.cu2 - (Probably contains all the custom animations and camera data for specific cutscenes in the game) *.git - Level information, camera positioning and level properties configuration *.giz - Unknown (Possibly an asset list for a level) *.ptl - Unknown (Relates to explosions and other effects) *.rtl - Unknown *.ter - Unknown (Most likely the terrain data; i.e. the level's model and collision) *.gsc - Data Container, Unknown Format or Files (I cbf right now to do the Hex Research on this one) *.pak - A file containing data from numerous other files; the header contains the list of files it contains data from, then all subsequent information is dumped below *.ai2 - Unknown ('LevelPath' for AI to follow?) *.scp - Script files (The game engine does not require compiled scripts; it reads in plain english) *.bur - Unknown *.par - Unknown (Possibly depreciated and removed) *.gra - Unknown (Possibly depreciated and removed) *.bik - Bink Video File, a common game video format offering high quality with lower file sizes; RAD Video Tools are free to use to open these *.dds - Direct Draw Surface, a common image format in video games, especially as alpha images *.raw - Raw Image Data File, a non-common image with no compression *.ico - Windows Icon File *.ats - Script Files, almost identical to *.scp files *.fnt - Compiled Font Files *.csv - Comma Separated Values File (only one present, contains localisation strings) LEGO® Indiana Jones™ 2 File Types: *.cfg - Configuration File *.txt - Configuration files *.pak - A file containing data from numerous other files; the header contains the list of files it contains data from, then all subsequent information is dumped below *.ogg - OGG Vorbis Sound File *.wav - Waveform Audio File Format *.apj - (Possibly a list of characters in the games and where to get their files, and also lists a "MOBJ") *.cd - (Contains data from the *.apj file) *.as - (Looks like the last two, but this one seems to be specifcally for animation and movement) *.ghg - Model Data and Node/Bone Information *.gsc - Data Container, Unknown Format or Files (I cbf right now to do the Hex Research on this one) *.cu2 - (Probably contains all the custom animations and camera data for specific cutscenes in the game) *.tex - Compressed texture files *.gix - GUI Scripts *.gil - (Some weird combo of BASIC and C programming code; probably depreciated and removed) *.fnt - Compressed Font File *.gip - GUI Scripts, the same as *.gix *.csv - Comma Seperated Values list *.ft2 - Unknown (Possibly a container for multiple *.fnt files?) *.led - (Just like *.cd, but controls lighting data) *.rtl - Unknown *.bur - Unknown *.dno - Unknown *.scp - Script Files *.gin - (Some crazy cross between a list of scripting functions and a configuration file) *.spl - Spline Files? *.ai2 - Unknown ('LevelPath' for AI to follow?) *.anm - Level Specific Animations? *.sfx - Level Specific Sounds? *.sav - Save file for tutorials? *.bik - Bink Video File *.par - Sound effect configuration? *.ptl - Unknown *.dds - Direct Draw Surface *.raw - Raw Image Data File *.ico - Windowns Icon FIle *.ats - Script Files As you can see, a lot more file types, and a lot more which need to be figured out. Alright, I owe it to you guys to teach you how to mod these games. Here's how you do it. Download and install QuickBMS, and get the "Traveller's Tales games DAT files extractor (script 0.3) (*.dat) (experimental)" BMS script all from here: http://aluigi.alterv...rg/quickbms.htm. Save the BMS script to where you installed QuickBMS. Drag the script onto QuickBMS.exe. Select one of the .dat files from either game. Create a new directory elsewhere on your computer. Save the files here. Wait for everything to extract, then rinse and repeat, each to sepeate folders. Make a copy of your game folder. In the copy, delete all the *.dat files. Open the folders you extract the files to, and copy everything inside. For LEGO Star Wars Complete Saga, you should be copying folders and files such as "Audio", "CHARS", "PC" and more, but not the folder everything is contained in. Paste all files in the copied game folder. Play to test if everything is correct.

Though I would post this here for preservation. McJobless, jamesster, Joe, Alcom and I (well, near the end) were talking about the TT Games and they have never reused stuff they had in earlier games, when McJobless said he wished they made the Indiana Jones 2 level builder have more space by default when I chimed in about sharing builder levels. The following is a transcript of the conversation between McJobless and I. [8/25/2013 7:38:59 PM] McJobless: They needed to expand the level editor. [8/25/2013 7:39:09 PM] McJobless: I don't understand the arbitrary limits they placed. [8/25/2013 7:39:18 PM] McJobless: I set myself up to go unlimited, and the game worked fine. [8/25/2013 7:40:05 PM] Triangle717: [sunday, August 25, 2013 7:39 PM] McJobless: <<< I set myself up to go unlimited, and the game worked fine. Did you ever write your tut on how to do that? (Side note: you did.) [8/25/2013 7:40:15 PM] Triangle717: They needed that, and level sharing. [8/25/2013 7:40:39 PM] McJobless: Uhhhh...I cannot remember. If I get time I'll come back to it. Level sharing I'm not sure if we got working yet. [8/25/2013 7:41:25 PM | Edited 7:41:31 PM] Triangle717: [sunday, August 25, 2013 7:40 PM] McJobless: <<< Level sharing I'm not sure if we got working yet. Actually.... (begin possible eye roll), [8/25/2013 7:42:38 PM | Edited 7:42:43 PM] Triangle717: I found out there is a way to share the levels. Was planning on writing a program semi-like PatchIt to automate the sharing, and make some (privacy) changes, but never did. [8/25/2013 7:43:01 PM] McJobless: Ah. [8/25/2013 7:43:11 PM] McJobless: Well, there's not so much of an audience which is the problem. [8/25/2013 7:43:27 PM] McJobless: It'd be a bigger deal if we could get a program to switch model formats between each game. [8/25/2013 7:43:44 PM] McJobless: So I got throw all the Star Wars characters into Indiana Jones. [8/25/2013 7:43:49 PM] Triangle717: I'll tell the method and changes, maybe someone will write a program to do it if I don't do it first, [8/25/2013 7:43:55 PM] Triangle717: That is, if you want to hear it. [8/25/2013 7:44:20 PM] McJobless: I don't know much about programming, so I wont be able to do anything with it. [8/25/2013 7:44:30 PM] Triangle717: Promise I'll try to keep it brief. [8/25/2013 7:45:53 PM] Triangle717: Near the top of each save, there are two lines. They are the path to the AppData folder for the game, the first to the folder only, second to CachedShaders.dat. [8/25/2013 7:46:47 PM] Triangle717: It is written when you make the save, and varies depending on your username/XP or Vista+ (this is obvious). [8/25/2013 7:47:22 PM] Triangle717: The app would blank these lines, converting them to nulls (I think that is it) so no personal info would be shared. [8/25/2013 7:47:35 PM] McJobless: Oh cool, alright. [8/25/2013 7:48:24 PM] Triangle717: Long renaming process here, so it can be planted into the proper slot, and would include a 100% save so everything could be used. [8/25/2013 7:49:09 PM] Triangle717: Then, it would locate your AppData folder, ask for save slot (actually, this is the renaming process), install the files. [8/25/2013 7:49:12 PM] Triangle717: Tada. [8/25/2013 7:50:13 PM] Triangle717: And actually, the paths in the file aren't even used, so it you can either blank them or do a straight copy, and it loads. [8/25/2013 7:50:37 PM] McJobless: Oh wow, alright. [8/25/2013 7:50:44 PM] Triangle717: I've done this plenty of times, even from an XP to 7 transition. [8/25/2013 7:51:15 PM] Triangle717: That's it. It's downright so simple, yet TT cared not to add such a feature.

What, just when he's there? Not during an animation or anything? He has to animate while he's there, otherwise you can't pull the glitch off successfully. If after he animates, you hear two sounds at once from clicking on him, you'll know its working. And you have to click on him constantly while he's animating, as well.

They said Pizza was the only food on the island, I guess there is a good reason, this pizza must have pushed everything else off...

Bumping to show this. So, who wants to talk to this guy?

Ohhhhh, so THAT'S what you meant last night... That is truly terrifying. How did you even do this?

Looks like an out of hand experiment of Brickolini.

Damn. You have beaten this game senseless.

And that's how pizza was discovered. But we know the human race - they like to take credit for everything (Or maybe they just forgot). Only a handful know who really invented pizza.

I guess Red ate so much pizza that he became a giant minfig. For whatever reason, the Brickolnis made a huge pizza and put it in the pizza chucker. Somehow, that pizza was heavy enough to flatten Red back to his original height. Now all they have to do is narrow his sides down...

Ah man I loved that pizzeria set as a little kid... Nostalgiaaaaaaaa... Anyway I'm having a bit of a bug with the minifig player type, when I make a mini game and switch the player type to minifig, the head floats above the torso like there's a neck piece attached, even though there's not, and my normal avatar has no neck piece enabled. Help? Edit - IcePlanetAstro gave me a solution via Steam chat; switch the player type by activating a brick instead of using it as the player type of a minigame. Works now, yay!

This. So much this. Another reason I'm also concerned about the idea of Facebook, iOS, Android, etc versions is that they wouldn't end up supporting modding, at least to the same degree. The folks here on RRU would likely stick with the PC version and ignore the other ones, and the split in development would likely cause the PC version to not be as good as it could. Oh, and that image Fushigisaur posted is actually a Mega Man robot: http://megaman.wikia.com/wiki/Servbot

Hi Peabody, I don't mind addressing this. We sold over 5 million Popcorn Arcade titles, It was a huge worldwide success, and the truth is that the public loved the titles and we are still selling them now. Our only problem was that the press (actually 2 companies) hated our titles. to be fair they didnt understand them, they saw the huge success we were having and didn't get it. At the time the press was talking about 100 man teams taking 5 years to develop hardcore games, and we came along with family friendly casual games at the lowest price on Wii, the opposite of what they thought gamers wanted. At the time, the Press didn't think family friendly, simple to pick up and use games would be popular, and they slated our games for being too easy, and simple. The whole games market has since learnt that simple online games and phone games have captured the majority of the market, this type of game is exactly what the public wanted! To be a commercial writer you quickly learn that extremes sell, writing a review of an average game, at at affordable price appealing to young kids isn't 'interesting copy' you get a better story saying, this is the best game, or worst game in the world. Anyone who has been in the business will also stell you the correlation between advertising budgets and review scores! and we didn't advertise. It was sort of amusing as despite their hate campaign, they still kept printing 'why are people buying these games' and thats who we make games for the 5 million players, who bought and kept buying our games, not the 3 magazine writers. Our titles helped the Wii market, at the time NO-ONE was writing games for Wii, and a console flops without enough software, we captured 40% of the market, nothing was a shoddy product, they all fully used the Wii remote, they were all multiplayer games, we were innovators, first to launch titles with Wii motion Plus support, first titles with 3D glasses, our Golf Trainer title won many awards, Budget games can't compare with full price titles, but our games were excellent for the money, and at less than $20 when games were $40-$60 we were games that kids could afford, I am proud of what we did. After saying all that, the New Rock Raiders is not a budget game, it is a BIG project, we can do many styles, and this is a Major quality title for us.

OK a bit more on the design ideas: It is still being fleshed out, but it answers some questions that have been raised. STORYLINE: The year is 3099 and the far reaches of the universe are being colonized with the search for valuable resources. Sending men to these remote and far away lands is dangerous, so instead we teleport a remote controlled android. For some strange reason these look like a Lego MiniFigure, but it’s not exactly the same, as there are still copyright laws even in the 31st century! Your Minifig wants to explore and discover resources, such as minerals, gems and power crystals. These are usually hidden beneath the surface, and unless you can discover caverns and tunnels, your minifig will need to dig deep underground to get these. When you find a good seam, you can choose to chip away at it with your pick axe, or you could teleport back some of your wealth and rent some serious, upgraded excavation equipment. Crushers, or laser drills can get the work done in short time, but for big equipment you need big power supplies and support buildings. Its up to you, choose to build a large mining complex or keep it simple. Then there are the ‘local’ inhabitants to deal with. The more disturbance you make, the more local wildlife you will disturb. Some of the locals are easy to catch, and we call these ‘food’ but many can bite back, and they will call YOU food. You will need to build defenses to protect you and your base. In some cases, if they dislike water, this might be a simple ditch, but in the case of a Rock Monster, I would recommend a river of flowing lava, and make it wide as these monsters can jump! The universe is a pretty big place, so big in-fact that there is a type of world to suit everyone. Planetoids are in zones, which are rated 1 (peaceful) to 5 (wild), so you can choose your neighbors and style of world for the style of game that you want to play. Some people may want to build a magnificent city, design buildings, and create landscaped gardens, and these can be on worlds where you can build, without interruption from other minifigs. Or you can goto a high risk and reward, ‘5 zone’, where you will have to spend as much on defense equipment as you do on mining. You will want to craft or buy, defense towers, weapons and armor. If you want combat and action in these zones you can also choose to be a mercenary, flying from planetoid to planetoid taking what you can steal from the inhabitants.

Though LRR is classed as an RTS, you do realize that it's not a military/war RTS, right? Lego are adamant that things are family friendly, hense no guns, death etc, however in focus groups, kids immediately wanted to 'kill' the monsters, it is a balancing act between the brand image and what the customer wants. We are hoping to have more of an open sandbox where the player decides what style of game they want - i will post the zone rating details, players choose the peaceful or wild (agressive) planetoids they want to play in and this reflects the combat and neighbours - basically you can play without combat or more aggresively like a traditional RTS.

Though LRR is classed as an RTS, you do realize that it's not a military/war RTS, right?

My faith in this game has been restored. Sounds awesome, seriously.

Thanks. I thinned the blades a bit, and it looks nicer now. : The way I built it, I ended up increasing its length by 1 row of studs, but that doesn't matter much.

I don't know whether to post here or make it a new topic, but we are thinking of being more creative and allowing you to build your own types of vehicles from a collection of ready made parts. So the basic list goes something like this.. Vehicles: You create the parts to make the vehicles that you can afford, or that you need, to suit your world. CHASSIS Small - Stand on Small 4 wheel , light, medium or heavy weight. Medium 6 wheel, light, medium or heavy weight. Static base . 1 to 8 blocks. Power unit: Push Steam Oil Electric Fusion Power Crystals Traction: light wheels, Strong wheels All terrain wheels Ski Tracks Flying Hover Helicopter blades Jet Anti gravity Space Propulsion Armour: Wood Hard wood Copper Bronze Iron Steel Carbon Steel Alloys Work bits: Drill Medium Drill Large Drill WTF Drill Lasers 1-5 Wrecking ball Lump hammer 1-5 You create the Vehicle combination, add the power supply, add in the work bits, and get constructing. Modding options will allow for player designed, vehicles, in various models and graphical styles to be created and available as downloads. Buildings. Buildings and vehicles can be created from any block of any material, and saved as a ‘plan’. If you want to recreate a building you choose a spot and place the ‘plan’ in the build list. Your engineer minifigs will then try and build it from materials that you have in storage. You can purchase and sell designs, to other players. There will be an online site for choosing, rating and voting on the best plans, functionality, good design, and cool new looks. What do you think? The code will allow for MODS, so original Lego rock raiders models can go in from fans designs (we will not be able to do this as a pre-defined set) but create your vehicles and design a mesh 'look' for it I think would be cool - your input please!

Right kiddies, I want you to listen to this awesome experience I'm archiving here. Last night, I had a recurring dream. And in this dream, were a bunch of rockraiders. It was that one weird level I often end up playing in RR dreams. However, this time, I found several interesting and different things: A) There were two new floor types. The first was a modification of Ice, and the second was some sort of purpley weird rocky? ground. B) There was a big blue crystal/stalagmite growing out of the floor. If I clicked on it, I could tell my raiders to harvest red energy crystals and some weird grey stuff C) There was a big purple crystal/stalagmite growing out of the floor nearby. Clicking on it showed it was some sort of machine/device that was asking for 4 red energy crystals. D) My raiders brought them over and suddenly I was brought to a cutscene of this giant chained thing breaking free. It was some kind of cool rockmonster with armor. Its helmet was red and white. Then it broke out of the armor and transformed into a mostly noncorpeal being that was surrounded in black mist/darkness/poor special fx. Then the cutscene ended and the "boss battle" began in this odd cave with the guy from the cutscene and the raiders who had brought the crystals. D1) I had the premonition that defeating him was the alternate way to win the game since he was supposed to be some kind of secret final boss, as opposed to merely beating all the levels. So, yay. Cool dream worthy of archiving. May this serve as inspiration for me and other people someday.

Pfft, the teletubbies were better than the show.