The Olympia Chronicles

The Olympia Chronicles (Intro)

BETA - Released: December 10, 2011

NOTE: Most of the images shown here have been published already at UnrealSP.org, so I'm not really showing anything that hasn't been seen before, except the last three shots which show parts of the galley area.

This is the little intro map (plus a small stub level) I made for the "Speed mapping" contest held at UnealSP.org during May/June 2011. The single player campaign I am working on started there.

The campaign is entitled "The Olympia Chronicles", and it's a short story in three chapters (episodes). While I did not complete a map for that contest I did get a good start on the campaign, and now with no contest constraints I can proceed at my own pace and do what I want (like use custom content, heh).

I did test and convert the intro to run in Unreal Gold (which it did successfully) but that was during the contest, when there was no custom content allowed.

Well there will be lots of custom content in the finished episodes, presumably this will all work in Unreal as well as UT, once converted. Right now this Intro BETA runs ONLY in UT.

Although at the time I really had no idea what I was doing, I have a much better picture now, and have better plans.

As of now, I'm aiming for around March/April 2012 timeframe as my self-imposed target for a BETA release. This could of course change depending on a lot of things. However, I plan to start in earnest during January (after I get a bunch of other mapping stuff out of the way). If you have any comments or suggestions regarding the Intro, or the campaign idea for that matter, you can let me know via email: "fragnbrag@gmail.com".

Build: This intro took a few days to make, after "playing" for a while with all the various Unreal product intro levels to try and remember how to set up the camera paths. Most of the time was spent tweaking the Interpolating Point actors. The small stub level is there just to have a place to go after the intro and give a tiny visual taste of what's to come as far as the theme and environment go. At this time I had roughed out a number of sections (actually game levels) in Episode #1. However, these areas were no where near presentable enough to show anyone.

Anyways, at some point I may get back to this project - Not exactly sure when that would be. Might even take the campaign idea into another engine/game (or not :)

Episode-1: Synopsis.

You are a lowly maintenance tech on an old earth freighter (The Olympia) on a run to the fringes of known space. Your only real friend on the ship is Olympia's AI, with whom you chat and consult when solving problems (the AI is a "mothering" female personality that seems to be "attached" to you, looking out for you, so to speak).

The story begins with the player character waking up in his quarters, and then gets ready to go to work. Panels along the way out of your room provide background info for the setting. Upon opening your door, the AI instructs to go check your comms and get your first work assignment of the day. You go to the comm station and find out you're to report to the duty officer on the bridge to investigate a sensor problem.

Well, due to this sensor glitch, Olympia has strayed off course into an uncharted region of space. You travel to the bridge, passing through a lot of areas on your way, and finally report to the guy in charge. He explains the problem and then you're sent off to check the sensor pod equipment down in the front of the ship. You climb down the hatch into the sensor control pod and get to work, chatting with the AI as you go.

Suddenly, the place starts to rumble and shake! You hear explosions, screaming and alarms going off. Glancing out the viewport (window) you see a giant alien warship pulling up, with small fighters zooming by firing at Olympia.

These aliens immediately disable Olympia and then boarding parties kill or capture your crew.

Meanwhile, it appears you have avoided capture by staying put in the sensor pod. You can hear the captain and bridge crew on the deck above you, weapons fire, and screaming and yelling - they are being brutally beaten, and killed by these alien beasts! Soon you only hear the grunts of the aliens - they are not aware of you!

Since you are unarmed, your goal is to sneak to the escape shuttle bay at the rear of the ship. With the Olympia AI helping you along, you move through maintenance shafts and hidden areas, avoiding these enemies, who are now searching for you. After acquiring some weapons as you pass through the armory, you fight your way through a cargo bay, the engine room to enter the shuttle bay.

The place is dark and empty. You move to a nearby control panel and lower the boarding ramp on the waiting shuttle. You start your run towards freedom. Just as reach the ramp you are suddenly feel a stabbing pain in your back! In a few seconds, you are paralyzed - falling to the deck! You can't move. As you begin to pass out, you see this large reptilian figure looming over you... Strange angry grunts - sounding like commands to subordinates - are the last sounds you hear as your world becomes black....