Dead Before Dawn by Darth_Brush

[StephanBotha]

Hi Guys,

I just completed the new intro video for Dead Before Dawn (Previously Known as Crossroads Mall). It shows what we have planned with chapter 2 of the campaign. Just like the movie, the survivors will enter via the tunnel (where the the pregnant woman and her husband are introduced). From there they move to the delivery area of the mall, enter the mall and do their best to reach the saferoom in safety. Many areas of the movie is included and we plan to put some easter eggs in the different campaigns.

The video is currently compiling, then I will upload it, post a frontpage story and update this thread. Tell your friends, they will not want to miss this!

As always, I graciously accept constructive criticism and ideas.

Dead Before Dawn is the work in progress campaign also known as Crossroads Mall.

If this is the first time you have heard of it then you have missed out on a lot. It was originally created for the HL2 Mod: No More Room in Hell. A few weeks ago, I contacted the creator, Darth_Brush, to find out if he was planning on porting it to Left 4 Dead. Since that day, Darth_Brush and a hand selected few community members have been working on it non-stop. With no SDK for Left 4 Dead yet, we are forced to work on the campaign using the HL2 Source engine. At first we wanted to use the Crossroads Mall for a large map but we have decided to create a full campaign from it. The idea behind the campaign is to recreate as many scenes from the movie it was inspired from, Dawn of the Dead (2004).

As players explore the campaign, in each chapter they will notice distinct locations from the movie. These locations and many more easter eggs are being implemented as we speak. So many things have changed or have been added to the campaign that I thought it neccessary to record a new video to show chapter 2 and what we plan on doing with it.

Simply playing in the mall just won't cut it. So, we decided to add some puzzles and obstacles to it. Around every corner, you will have to fight hordes, avoid traps, disable security and a few other things. This video is merely a teaser and is in no way near the final product. There are a lot of things that still needs to be added to the campaign and we will make sure that this campaign is near perfect before we release it.

Please note that this campaign is a Work In Progress and still needs a lot of attention. For instance, the lighting. Compiling a map with proper lighting takes forever and this will be done at the very last. Other things you will notice are HL2 props and textures. Once we have our hands on the Left 4 Dead SDK, these things will be fixed.

[dirtyrat]

I registered just to wish you all the best with this project, it's looking stunning.

[StephanBotha]

^^ Wow! Thanks a lot man!

[Titusz]

Can't wait

[Wrangl3r]

im excited

[Mikkoz]

Whoa, good job. I'll be waiting for it.

[ChimmyChanga]

Encode faster!

[Loiterer]

You are a Champion!

Can't wait to see it!

[Creation]

Decompile damns you!

[Method]

If you guys could resist posting this on the steam forums when its up I would appreciate it. As I already have an announcement for it ready and waiting.

Cheers

- Will

[Hunterbrute]

AWESOME cant wait to see it and thanks for letting me know cause I only go straight to the forums.

EDIT: Nice video, sounds awesome.

[StephanBotha]

Aaah Will! I didnt see your post!

I already created one!

[Titusz]

I like it ^^.
However, the glass reminds me of half-life a little bit to much, might be just me though.

[StephanBotha]

Titusz, did you even read the actual article or did you just watch the movie?

[OiScout]

Before I get into it, I don't know what you guys already have/don't have aside from what I've seen in the video and a few assumptions. I also don't know what's possible with or without L4D's SDK. Here's a few questions/suggestions. These questions are kind of linked together, but feel free to answer them as one, or a buttload of separate points.

Does it have destructible walls/ceilings where the horde comes in from?
I understand that the AI can and will spawn hordes from around corners and within shops of the mall itself(basically where you can't see). But assuming you're in one of the stores already(or anywhere else for that matter), are you going to introduce destructible walls and ceilings? How are broken walls that the horde pour out of going to be dealt with? Will it cave in after, or will it just be a small empty room. Possibly link them to janitorial/operations hallways, which someone can get into another store IF the walls are already broken.

Can you go into different shops in the mall?
In relation to the destructible walls/ceilings a lot of mall stores(in general) are pretty open, either with no door, or glass panes, since they have no issue with theft as the entire mall is shut down. Are you guys going to have it as that? As in it's easy for zombies to get in and out of stores?

Are most of them simply going to be aesthetic/hide locations or are some shops necessary to enter?
Like what reason exactly is there to go inside a store aside from searching for ammo/weapons and/or using a choke point.

Is it possible/are you guys going to make dynamic objectives?
Such as leave saferoom, go search stores for food(which randomly appears in preset locations), return to same safe room? Also in relation to objectives, similar to the 2004 remake, I'm assuming having objectives such as "locking doors" is possible(and thus forcing people to check certain stores necessary, as larger stores in the mall have direct entry from the outside).

I don't know how to explain this, but a "check box" sort of objectives. Such as locking doors 1-5. You can secure 5 doors, but it isn't required. You can "forget" one and still continue onto the next objective. But possibly have some sort of consequence? I kind of like this idea, but I also don't like it since it forces people to either be really tedious or rush.

[Loiterer]

Video removed before i got a chance to droll over it.

LOVE the custom campaign poster by the way!

[ChimmyChanga]

STREAMING LINKS HERE (contains WMV stream, Flash Stream 720p HD and YouTube links):
http://mirror.bitshit.org/stream/

[LonewolfSTK]

cool

[Titusz]

Titusz, did you even read the actual article or did you just watch the movie?

I actually did, but seeing as how you react, I must've missed something >.>

EDIT:
Never fully read the last paragraph, i sincerly apoligise

[ChimmyChanga]

YouTube now has hi-res as well.
STREAMING LINKS HERE (contains WMV stream, Flash Stream 720p HD and YouTube links):
http://mirror.bitshit.org/stream/

[ShadowOfLegends]

Hi!
Here are my compliments and suggestions for your level:

You have a fantastic amount of detail and beauty in the design! The outside looks amazing and the darker inside is great!
The general flow of the level seems to work really well; I have a couple suggestions: It seems that the map functions as a path on a flat 2 dimensional surface with a bunch of walls (like viewing a maze from above). I know that you probably don't want to change your map very much at this point, but adding a vertical dimension to the paths you have to take could add a lot to the tension as well as create some disorientation. Perhaps some stairs, ladders, or even simply, obstacles which must be climbed over (a collapsed roof to make a mound on the ground as a simple example). The obstruction of view caused by something like this would also add to the great atmosphere you've created with the lighting. Also, something as simple as a few small windows or holes that need to be crawled/jumped through (perhaps creating a choke point) can change the flow/direction up a bit (lol vocabulary).

I noticed in the video, a place where the mound example i used may be applicable. The area shown walking through right around 1:42-44 could benefit from some vertical motion.

Everything else seems fantastic in terms of planning and design, can't wait!

[Flowers_Of_Naivety]

I have a small bit of advice after watching the video.

When switching off the second security station there should be some kind notification to back track to get to the saferoom, either a voice over from a character like Francis whining "oh man, we have to go back through all ***!?" or a monitor showing a door open. I hate when a game has you backtrack but doesn't notify you that you have to.

[Wrangl3r]

^^
I think that would be a good idea, I think that some people would get confused without any notification to backtrack apart from that the map is looking fantastic! I am very excited about it :D

[StephanBotha]

We have something that will "guide" players through the campaign. Much like FarCry.

[Loiterer]

I have an idea/suggestion...
(this may sound dumb to some of you, and honestly i am not totally sure how i feel about this idea myself, lol, but it just popped in my head so i thought i would spit it out)

My thought is that the name could be changed from "Dead Before Dawn" ...to... "Dead B4 Dawn"
in keeping with the whole "L 4 D" namesake.
.
.
Just a thought , feel free to flame me, lol.

[StephanBotha]

Hey guys,

Help me keep this thread alive:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/s ... ost8644145

[Loiterer]

Consider it done.

[darth_brush]

dead b4 dawn sounds cool, Loiterer!

Well, in the updated version u havent saw new things. its more a teaser. We will show u soon more...
we've changed the mall hallways a lot. i think its 80 or 90% custom inside. but we waiting with a media release... we want zombies ingame, WOOT!
actually we've started to port the first 3 maps for l4d. we use a faked l4d sdk version from l4dmaps.
im doing right now the motorway and park before the mall.

few devs from NMRIH help me out with stuff.

general vivi http://www.generalvivi.com/blog/ made a lot of props for the mall. he did the mall staff complex map, sewers and a gunshop for the campaign.

luke from Sonic Valley Productions created custom sounds for us. he will also do spoken ads inside the mall.

reko http://bestofthebeast.com did the mall front props and textures for me

[Titusz]

Awesome, keep it up ^^

[KayinAngel]

Looks fantastic. Can't wait to see it crawling with infected. Hopefully crescendo moments turn out fun.

Also, what was Chapter One supposed to be ? I know I read it somewhere.
I would love to see it be the first part of the movie, escaping the suburbs. No one has done a great looking suburb map that i know of. Can start in a house, move onto the streets, avoid a few wrecked cars blocking the way by going breaking into another house and their back yard, hopping a fence to the other street then across a field into the park / tunnel area that starts this second chapter.
Can pass the car that Sarah Polley crashed into the tree for an easter egg.