Post by Loker on Feb 28, 2006 20:55:34 GMT -5
Nightwatch is a Half-Life single player episode in development independently by a team of amateur and professional developers. Set parallel to the events of Half-Life, Nightwatch places the player in the shoes of Sergeant William Archer, a Black Mesa Military Security officer just finishing his overnight shift at the time of the disaster.
Hasn't this story been told enough times already? Including as a security guard?
Nightwatch is in a lot of ways more a re-interpretation of the Half-Life story than just a straight add-on. The base premise of the story is the same; you play a character stuck in the middle of the Black Mesa disaster - but the implementation is completely different. Certain points will carry over from Half-Life, Opposing Force, Blue Shift and Decay, but for the most part Nightwatch is a completely new story in a familiar setting.
Half-Life is really old. What are you doing to compensate for this?
Nightwatch is being designed to greatly improve the graphical experience from Half-Life. Maps are being designed with slightly higher poly limits (up to 1200 w_ polys as opposed to 600-800 max in Half-Life) and higher-res and improved textures. Models are built with a poly ceiling of 1500-2000 (varying on a per-model basis). Model skins will also be at higher resolution than in Half-Life. We are also producing a version of Nightwatch for the Source engine so those with access to good hardware can experience the best visual quality possible.
What does Half-Life 2 mean for Nightwatch? Will you switch over?
There are currently plans for concurrent development of a Source version of Nightwatch in addition to the original Half-Life version, so that players with access to the new engine will be able to experience the highest possible level of visual quality. This will not have an impact on the development of the original Half-Life version unless the composition of the potential player base changes significantly before release time.
So what's the deal with all this stuff that wasn't in the previous Half-Life games?
Along the same lines as the previous point, in making our interpretation of the events of Half-Life and fulfilling our vision of the final product, some things have changed. In some cases we have decided to elaborate further on existing concepts, in others we have chosen to create something new.
How much play time can I expect out of Nightwatch?
Gameplay estimates are very rough at this point in time, but Nightwatch will probably contain enough material for several hours' enjoyment. As there are versions for two different engines under development and design requirements may change, the previous estimates based on BSP count comparisons are no longer applicable.
When are you going to release?
The simple answer is, "when it's done." We know people grow tired of hearing this all the time, but our end product will be better as a result.
Why haven't you made a media release recently? and/or Why aren't there more frequent updates?
It's quite simple: media updates take away from other development priorities. We prefer to have fewer media updates with better content, and get more actual development work done than to have a constant stream of lower-quality updates that delay the production of the mod.
Why don't you specify an official release date instead of saying "When it's done."?
Our goal is making the best final product we are capable of making. While we understand the importance of timely completion, announcing a release date may force us to release a rushed product or continually push back deadlines, neither of which is very appealing. When we establish a date we know we can meet, we will announce it.
Do you have any plans for mod work after Nightwatch is done?
There are tentative plans for a follow-up to Nightwatch developed upon Half-Life 2 technology, but no plans will be finalized before Nightwatch is released.
Will there be higher system requirements than for Half-Life?
Yes. We're still in the process of establishing recommended specs, but a system that barely meets Half-Life's minimum requirements will not be able to run Nightwatch. We'll be testing on a number of systems and announce our recommendations at a time when we feel comfortable doing so. You will need a 3D accelerator card to run Nightwatch.
Is there anything I can do to help Nightwatch development?
That depends on what you have to offer. Most of our positions are currently filled, but from time to time as conflicts arise or we decide we need to expand the personnel in a certain area of development, we will open additional openings. Keep an eye on the jobs section to see if anything opens in your area of expertise.
Please remember that Nightwatch is a free mod and all work is unpaid. There has been some confusion about this in the past.
What's the best way to contact the Nightwatch team?
The forums and our IRC channel are the best means to contact staff members. If you can't get in touch with us there or need to talk to a specific team member, the team listing offers contact information for most team members.
Can I help test Nightwatch?
This is a common request for mods, but at this time, we have no need for tester applications. Eventually we will expand to a larger group, but even then it will likely be by invitation extended mostly to people we know and trust.
I have a great idea that I think you should include in Nightwatch! What should I do?
We have a suggestions section included in our forums for this purpose. However, do keep in mind that much of Nightwatch has already been made, so in many areas it's not really possible to implement last-minute suggestions as the content is already there.
Despite this, we keep the forum open knowing that there are great ideas out there we may not have thought of yet. Don't be afraid to suggest something if you don't see it covered anywhere.
Do you have any plans for multiplayer?
Not at this time, although if time allows it's still a possibility.
Is Nightwatch an official mod? You were bought out by Valve, right?
No, Nightwatch is entirely user-created and supported. We have not been approached by Valve or any other game developer or distributor for the purposes of transfering ownership of Nightwatch.
Will there be new weapons? New characters? New features? A modified HUD? etc.
All of these are currently planned for inclusion in the final version of Nightwatch. You can see concept art and in-game screenshots for some items in the Media section, and can find more detailed information about characters and weapons in their respective areas of the Information section.
Will you be releasing the mod through Steam? Will there be a WON version? Will one version be usable with both?
Current plans call for a single downloadable distribution for Goldsrc (HL1) that works on both Steam and sufficiently patched "WON" versions of Half-Life, although if constraints are encountered the Steam version will take priority. The Source version of the mod would be a separate download as many of the file formats are incompatible between the two engines and a pack including both would be impractically large for most users. The mod may also be offered via the Steam "Browse Games" menu if possible at release time.
Are you related to the Russian movie "Night Watch", or the game being made based on it?
No. Our mod is unrelated to the Russian movie, and the game based on it was started well after Nightwatch started production. We're surprised that they didn't bother to check for the existence of a similarly-named product before starting, but there it is.
Is Sergeant Archer related to Archer from Gunman, Kate Archer from No One Lives Forever, Captain Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise, the Archer fish model in the PAK file, Headmaster Archer from Deus Ex: Invisible War, etc.?
No. For the purposes of Nightwatch's storyline, he is simply one of the tens of thousands of Americans who happen to have the relatively common surname Archer. The name, like most others in Nightwatch, was generated randomly using aggregate name data from the census bureau.
www.hl-nightwatch.net
Hasn't this story been told enough times already? Including as a security guard?
Nightwatch is in a lot of ways more a re-interpretation of the Half-Life story than just a straight add-on. The base premise of the story is the same; you play a character stuck in the middle of the Black Mesa disaster - but the implementation is completely different. Certain points will carry over from Half-Life, Opposing Force, Blue Shift and Decay, but for the most part Nightwatch is a completely new story in a familiar setting.
Half-Life is really old. What are you doing to compensate for this?
Nightwatch is being designed to greatly improve the graphical experience from Half-Life. Maps are being designed with slightly higher poly limits (up to 1200 w_ polys as opposed to 600-800 max in Half-Life) and higher-res and improved textures. Models are built with a poly ceiling of 1500-2000 (varying on a per-model basis). Model skins will also be at higher resolution than in Half-Life. We are also producing a version of Nightwatch for the Source engine so those with access to good hardware can experience the best visual quality possible.
What does Half-Life 2 mean for Nightwatch? Will you switch over?
There are currently plans for concurrent development of a Source version of Nightwatch in addition to the original Half-Life version, so that players with access to the new engine will be able to experience the highest possible level of visual quality. This will not have an impact on the development of the original Half-Life version unless the composition of the potential player base changes significantly before release time.
So what's the deal with all this stuff that wasn't in the previous Half-Life games?
Along the same lines as the previous point, in making our interpretation of the events of Half-Life and fulfilling our vision of the final product, some things have changed. In some cases we have decided to elaborate further on existing concepts, in others we have chosen to create something new.
How much play time can I expect out of Nightwatch?
Gameplay estimates are very rough at this point in time, but Nightwatch will probably contain enough material for several hours' enjoyment. As there are versions for two different engines under development and design requirements may change, the previous estimates based on BSP count comparisons are no longer applicable.
When are you going to release?
The simple answer is, "when it's done." We know people grow tired of hearing this all the time, but our end product will be better as a result.
Why haven't you made a media release recently? and/or Why aren't there more frequent updates?
It's quite simple: media updates take away from other development priorities. We prefer to have fewer media updates with better content, and get more actual development work done than to have a constant stream of lower-quality updates that delay the production of the mod.
Why don't you specify an official release date instead of saying "When it's done."?
Our goal is making the best final product we are capable of making. While we understand the importance of timely completion, announcing a release date may force us to release a rushed product or continually push back deadlines, neither of which is very appealing. When we establish a date we know we can meet, we will announce it.
Do you have any plans for mod work after Nightwatch is done?
There are tentative plans for a follow-up to Nightwatch developed upon Half-Life 2 technology, but no plans will be finalized before Nightwatch is released.
Will there be higher system requirements than for Half-Life?
Yes. We're still in the process of establishing recommended specs, but a system that barely meets Half-Life's minimum requirements will not be able to run Nightwatch. We'll be testing on a number of systems and announce our recommendations at a time when we feel comfortable doing so. You will need a 3D accelerator card to run Nightwatch.
Is there anything I can do to help Nightwatch development?
That depends on what you have to offer. Most of our positions are currently filled, but from time to time as conflicts arise or we decide we need to expand the personnel in a certain area of development, we will open additional openings. Keep an eye on the jobs section to see if anything opens in your area of expertise.
Please remember that Nightwatch is a free mod and all work is unpaid. There has been some confusion about this in the past.
What's the best way to contact the Nightwatch team?
The forums and our IRC channel are the best means to contact staff members. If you can't get in touch with us there or need to talk to a specific team member, the team listing offers contact information for most team members.
Can I help test Nightwatch?
This is a common request for mods, but at this time, we have no need for tester applications. Eventually we will expand to a larger group, but even then it will likely be by invitation extended mostly to people we know and trust.
I have a great idea that I think you should include in Nightwatch! What should I do?
We have a suggestions section included in our forums for this purpose. However, do keep in mind that much of Nightwatch has already been made, so in many areas it's not really possible to implement last-minute suggestions as the content is already there.
Despite this, we keep the forum open knowing that there are great ideas out there we may not have thought of yet. Don't be afraid to suggest something if you don't see it covered anywhere.
Do you have any plans for multiplayer?
Not at this time, although if time allows it's still a possibility.
Is Nightwatch an official mod? You were bought out by Valve, right?
No, Nightwatch is entirely user-created and supported. We have not been approached by Valve or any other game developer or distributor for the purposes of transfering ownership of Nightwatch.
Will there be new weapons? New characters? New features? A modified HUD? etc.
All of these are currently planned for inclusion in the final version of Nightwatch. You can see concept art and in-game screenshots for some items in the Media section, and can find more detailed information about characters and weapons in their respective areas of the Information section.
Will you be releasing the mod through Steam? Will there be a WON version? Will one version be usable with both?
Current plans call for a single downloadable distribution for Goldsrc (HL1) that works on both Steam and sufficiently patched "WON" versions of Half-Life, although if constraints are encountered the Steam version will take priority. The Source version of the mod would be a separate download as many of the file formats are incompatible between the two engines and a pack including both would be impractically large for most users. The mod may also be offered via the Steam "Browse Games" menu if possible at release time.
Are you related to the Russian movie "Night Watch", or the game being made based on it?
No. Our mod is unrelated to the Russian movie, and the game based on it was started well after Nightwatch started production. We're surprised that they didn't bother to check for the existence of a similarly-named product before starting, but there it is.
Is Sergeant Archer related to Archer from Gunman, Kate Archer from No One Lives Forever, Captain Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise, the Archer fish model in the PAK file, Headmaster Archer from Deus Ex: Invisible War, etc.?
No. For the purposes of Nightwatch's storyline, he is simply one of the tens of thousands of Americans who happen to have the relatively common surname Archer. The name, like most others in Nightwatch, was generated randomly using aggregate name data from the census bureau.
www.hl-nightwatch.net
