Restricted Area Developer Diary part 5
Sia' Garrett' Manzari, 2003-09-11

Restricted Area is an isometric action RPG set in a 2083 on earth in a somewhat post-apocalyptic world. Jan Beuck from developer master creating is writing a deveoper diary for German site MGW and RPGDot brings you the english version of. This fifth entry was originally posted on september 5th 2003 at MGW. Thanks to Daniel for the cooperation!

This is my fifth entry already. The network mode (aka The Menace) works surprisingly without any flaws...after one day only (!) we could fight a mutant in co-op mode. As you can see in our finally released first in-game trailer, that this is a lot of fun.

In the meantime our concept designer Leonid re-focused on his prime task and creates concept arts...such as this:

Among others, his to-do list includes the package design and the new loading screens. We are also considering to tell the story by his hand-drawn comics instead of in-game sequences. On the other hand, we have given the city to the responsibility of an architect, who along with us has furthermore extended the vision of the mega-city and will create authentic infrastructure. Generally, the environment gets a new look - as well as the in-door sceneries, thanks to maya expert Peter. Walls and floors are much more detailed than before...and things keep getting nicer overall.

Next step is to replace all the screenshots on the homepage with new ones, then there'll finally also be screens of the other levels - stay tuned. At the moment, we are about to implement the last missing features. For example you can turn items in the inventory with the right mouse button and thus save valuable space or borrow money from one of your NPCs. Next to this, preparations for the speach recordings are fully enganged - two very famous actors already signed...but won't not tell their names yet (note from the translator: probably German actors, as this diary was written for the German market originally). We also decided to release a soundtrack CD and started works on te video sequences, which shall rather support the sinister Dark Future atmosphere than show action.

Until next time (where I will tell you that we have a database with the most stupid comments of all employes...of course with examples). Okay, I know you want to hear them today (or not at all...then do not read on):

(Jan): "This doesn't sound as stupid as it is."

(Martin): "We even accounted for not being able to set two eyes in the head."

(Jan): "Even women younger than you get older each day."

(Martin): "But it is about a werewolf!"
(Jan): "He also has soft paws."

(Martin): "Why is this pizza smelling like shit. Oh, because of the tuna on it."

(Jan): "Martin, you wanted to implement the firing line."
(Martin): "Yes, but I want to perfume the alarm clock before."

(Martin): A bullet is not what I would call a perfect ball. (note from the translator: a play with words in German, where bullet and ball both are called 'Kugel')

(Martin): What do you think of the trilogy 'Beginning, Middle, End'?
(Jan): Why don't we make arts after all?

(Martin): I think the algebraic sign is one of the nicest binary info there is.

(Jan): I would like to know what cocaine smells like.

(Martin): This makes it into the quotes!
(Jan): This will not make it into the quotes! Not everything we say here is meant for the public.

And that's only a small excerpt (note from the translator: I already shudder to translate more of these =)

till next time,

Jan

Former diary entries: