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Returning to Unreal..

For gameplay advice and broader discussion of single-player Unreal including custom maps, mods and mutations that alter the game.

Moderators: Semfry, ividyon

7percent
Skaarj Scout Skaarj Scout
Posts: 10
Joined: 26 Oct 2011, 16:55

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 28 Mar 2021, 22:54

ividyon wrote:
If you can separate the art from the artist (who has quite the fragile ego and thus defends it with insults), you can try Unreal Evolution by using a separate install specifically for it. Just install Unreal, then copy the whole Unreal folder, and use that copy for the mod.

Since the author is not very good at Unreal modding, coming from a Deus Ex background, he resorted to hacking the internal files of the game itself, as well as the original maps, to change them to his liking. This destroys a normal Unreal install, and affects any other mods you install on it, hence a separate one is required.

So long as you quarantine it away from your "legitimate" Unreal install, you'll be fine.

--

By the way, if you have UT99, you may also enjoy the freshly updated The Vale: Evelyn, which might well be the best single map created for Unreal to date.

And if you want to get the most out of your Unreal and UT installs, don't forget to install and use the HD Skins Mutator and HD Texture pack!


I think I will try as you advised and do a quarantine install.. The worst that can happen is i'll realise by ~Depths of Rrajigar that it's not for me and I can start again with the vanilla install. Will definitely try HD textures.

Oooh, the Vale looks pretty! I can install UT99 and Oldskool- I will aim to play things like Operation Na Pali and stuff eventually as well.

UB_
Nali Priest Nali Priest
Posts: 7960
Joined: 11 Nov 2007, 21:00

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 28 Mar 2021, 23:07

7percent wrote:
UB_ wrote:
7percent wrote:I want to try Unreal Evolution as well- any thoughts?

Considering the very fast ban the author got in the discord, I'd recommend staying away from it. The installation method is godawful and it resets settings among other things, plus it is terrible to get rid off just in case; might had some decent idea but you're infinitely way better off trying custom maps/mods.


Is it that bad? I will be starting with a brand new install of Unreal and once it's finished I was just going to unintsall the whole lot and start with a clean install. I like the idea of tweaking Unreal so it would be a slightly different experience.


It's more like it isn't good enough to justify the author's repulsive attitude toward the Unreal community. The mod gained too much attention than it deserved sadly, solely because the author in question did a very well known mod for Deus Ex (and outside of UE, did nothing else for Unreal).
If you want to play it, use a completely different install; the mod's features also work only with the Unreal campaign (since it breaks everything else).

Good custom releases in the past few years or so deserving attention:
  • Project Xenome First Day & Interloper: utilizing ONP tech, part 1 and 2 comprise a journey that is 24 maps longs. A part 3 is supposedly still in the works. Very industrial, very Half Life inspired, very frantic and very HUGE. Comparable (if not even better) to the golden large custom campaigns of the past like ONP, except this one is made by a single person. Unreal Tournament only.
  • Hard Crash: a mappack that has been for so many years in development saw the light of the day in early 2018. It's a mix of classic Unreal, 99's Unreal custom release atmosphere and a bit of weird surrealism (bit of Quake atmosphere as well). It's rather hard. Works on both Unreal and Unreal Tournament.
  • Unreal Resurgence Part 1: a short mappack where you play as a Skaarj Trooper, and fight other Skaarj, Predators and lots of other enemies, with callbacks to the Unreal Beta and Unreal 2. Has a different arsenal too, also rather hard to play. This works only on Unreal under patch 227i. A very improved version is in the works these months, with additional enemies, weapons and maps.
  • Savage Lands: has its own forum section in this board. With Residual Decay not coming, this will do instead. Proph has released a month ago a demo with the first two maps (out of 15); comes with two new weapons as well as some boosted creatures. Stays very true to the Unreal's core feel. Works on Unreal and Unreal Tournament.
  • Xeops: a long mission-based single map, the first one to utilize EXU2's tech outside the mod itself for improved Unreal gameplay as well as extreme high-res textures. More MB than usual to download but comes with a level that gets together visuals, gameplay and plot very strongly. Mind the difficulty. Works on Unreal Tournament only, all what you need is in the first two download links.
  • The Vale: came out last year, a high quality map that is very pure - no gimmicks, no extra content, just the good old Unreal feel brought to the extreme end of greatness. Originally a BFNP map. Works on Unreal Tournament and 1.1 came out some days ago.

User avatar Diego96
Skaarj Lord Skaarj Lord
Posts: 163
Joined: 13 Apr 2014, 19:36
Location: South 'Merica

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 30 Mar 2021, 01:44

Don't forget G59, I'm doing a start-over with the sh*ttiest shaders I could find. (Might update later)
Image

Also, It's a little crappy that Unreal Evolution didn't inform that it would overwrite your Unreal settings. Thankfully, I always have a backup.
The mod itself is pretty good aside.
Last edited by Diego96 on 31 Mar 2021, 01:35, edited 1 time in total.
M'nali

User avatar Sat42
Skaarj Warlord Skaarj Warlord
Posts: 859
Joined: 14 Jul 2013, 16:42
Contact:

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 30 Mar 2021, 13:54

Once you're done with some of the famous packs already mentioned you would do yourself a favour by installing EXU2 and playing Batshit Insane and G59. :tup:
Nali: Magic or Telekinesis
Waffnuffly wrote:It's tarydium-doped smoothies. Drunk by the player, I mean. The player is tripping balls. The whole game actually takes place in a large city and the player thinks he's on an alien world.

7percent
Skaarj Scout Skaarj Scout
Posts: 10
Joined: 26 Oct 2011, 16:55

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 31 Mar 2021, 18:24

UB_ wrote:
It's more like it isn't good enough to justify the author's repulsive attitude toward the Unreal community. The mod gained too much attention than it deserved sadly, solely because the author in question did a very well known mod for Deus Ex (and outside of UE, did nothing else for Unreal).
If you want to play it, use a completely different install; the mod's features also work only with the Unreal campaign (since it breaks everything else).

Good custom releases in the past few years or so deserving attention:
  • Project Xenome First Day & Interloper: utilizing ONP tech, part 1 and 2 comprise a journey that is 24 maps longs. A part 3 is supposedly still in the works. Very industrial, very Half Life inspired, very frantic and very HUGE. Comparable (if not even better) to the golden large custom campaigns of the past like ONP, except this one is made by a single person. Unreal Tournament only.
  • Hard Crash: a mappack that has been for so many years in development saw the light of the day in early 2018. It's a mix of classic Unreal, 99's Unreal custom release atmosphere and a bit of weird surrealism (bit of Quake atmosphere as well). It's rather hard. Works on both Unreal and Unreal Tournament.
  • Unreal Resurgence Part 1: a short mappack where you play as a Skaarj Trooper, and fight other Skaarj, Predators and lots of other enemies, with callbacks to the Unreal Beta and Unreal 2. Has a different arsenal too, also rather hard to play. This works only on Unreal under patch 227i. A very improved version is in the works these months, with additional enemies, weapons and maps.
  • Savage Lands: has its own forum section in this board. With Residual Decay not coming, this will do instead. Proph has released a month ago a demo with the first two maps (out of 15); comes with two new weapons as well as some boosted creatures. Stays very true to the Unreal's core feel. Works on Unreal and Unreal Tournament.
  • Xeops: a long mission-based single map, the first one to utilize EXU2's tech outside the mod itself for improved Unreal gameplay as well as extreme high-res textures. More MB than usual to download but comes with a level that gets together visuals, gameplay and plot very strongly. Mind the difficulty. Works on Unreal Tournament only, all what you need is in the first two download links.
  • The Vale: came out last year, a high quality map that is very pure - no gimmicks, no extra content, just the good old Unreal feel brought to the extreme end of greatness. Originally a BFNP map. Works on Unreal Tournament and 1.1 came out some days ago.


That looks like a really strong list, thanks for taking the time to type it out. Will definitely work through some of those.

I think I'll stick to vanilla Unreal first- try and reignate the old magic!

7percent
Skaarj Scout Skaarj Scout
Posts: 10
Joined: 26 Oct 2011, 16:55

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 31 Mar 2021, 18:26

Diego96 wrote:Don't forget G59, I'm doing a start-over with the sh*ttiest shaders I could find. (Might update later)
Image

Also, It's a little crappy that Unreal Evolution didn't inform that it would overwrite your Unreal settings. Thankfully, I always have a backup.
The mod itself is pretty good aside.


I'm up for giving G59 a go. It sounds like a pack made from a mod? I'm loving how much Unreal goodness there is around for me to discover!

7percent
Skaarj Scout Skaarj Scout
Posts: 10
Joined: 26 Oct 2011, 16:55

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 31 Mar 2021, 18:31

Sat42 wrote:Once you're done with some of the famous packs already mentioned you would do yourself a favour by installing EXU2 and playing Batshit Insane and G59. :tup:


That looks simutaniously familiar and absolutely f&^&ng nuts! :D

User avatar Xanious
Skaarj Assassin Skaarj Assassin
Posts: 105
Joined: 23 Jan 2014, 04:45
Contact:

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 31 Mar 2021, 19:18

7percent wrote:
Sat42 wrote:Once you're done with some of the famous packs already mentioned you would do yourself a favour by installing EXU2 and playing Batshit Insane and G59. :tup:


That looks simutaniously familiar and absolutely f&^&ng nuts! :D


If you do check out the EXU2 campaigns, don't forget to try out G59 even if the base campaign
(Batshit Insane/BI) isn't your cup of tea. BI and G59 both use EXU2 mechanics and theming and such, but they're entirely different experiences.

They're both good, don't get me wrong, but I understand why some of my friends can't get into BI. G59 meanwhile is my favorite custom unreal campaign at the moment.

Oh, also if you're interested in some co-op/multiplayer stupidity, come check out RLcoopE/Project Gryphon (name subject to change.) Don't let the RLcoop part of the name discourage you, its not what you think it is, lol.

xRedStar
Skaarj Assassin Skaarj Assassin
Posts: 122
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 18:56

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 12 Oct 2021, 03:38

ividyon wrote:
If you can separate the art from the artist (who has quite the fragile ego and thus defends it with insults), you can try Unreal Evolution by using a separate install specifically for it. Just install Unreal, then copy the whole Unreal folder, and use that copy for the mod.

Since the author is not very good at Unreal modding, coming from a Deus Ex background, he resorted to hacking the internal files of the game itself, as well as the original maps, to change them to his liking. This destroys a normal Unreal install, and affects any other mods you install on it, hence a separate one is required.

So long as you quarantine it away from your "legitimate" Unreal install, you'll be fine.

--

By the way, if you have UT99, you may also enjoy the freshly updated The Vale: Evelyn, which might well be the best single map created for Unreal to date.

And if you want to get the most out of your Unreal and UT installs, don't forget to install and use the HD Skins Mutator and HD Texture pack!


That is one way of installing such a mod, the other way is to just make an extra exe for Unreal I guess, call it UnrealEvolution, and when installing the mod just put all of the mod files in a folder in Unreal's main directory called UnrealEvolution... and then in the UnrealEvolution.ini under paths just add a path to the hacked system files etc... and remove and replace the normal system\textures folder path with UnrealEvolution\System, or UnrealEvolution\Textures etc etc. Doing the same with all of the other assets the mod replaces is one way of protecting your valuable game integrity without having to make an extra copy of Unreal I guess. You may have to still move over some device drivers and other important system files, but I still think this is a very neat way of managing this kind of overhaul mod. When I used to install Infiltration for UT99 I liked doing this so that I wouldn't corrupt my main install of UT.

So it would look something like this in your game ini file...
Paths=..\UnrealEvolution\System\*.u
Paths=..\UnrealEvolution\Textures\*.utx
Paths=..\UnrealEvolution\Music\*.umx
Paths=..\UnrealEvolution\Sounds\*.uax
Paths=..\UnrealEvolution\Maps\*.unr

User avatar Diego96
Skaarj Lord Skaarj Lord
Posts: 163
Joined: 13 Apr 2014, 19:36
Location: South 'Merica

Subject: Re: Returning to Unreal..

Post Posted: 20 Jun 2022, 00:40

Welp, turns out my Unreal Gold .ini file was broken and was causing huge framedrops whenever a few or more gibs piled up next to each other. Had to make a clean install somewhere else, install 227i and copy the .ini over.

Been like that for the last 4 years or so.
M'nali

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