16 Varying Subject Questions on BP

Any forum members probably know that I’m creating a mod for Penumbra Black Plague, titled The Shaft. Since I’ve put a lot of work into it so far, I have some questions on the new modding features you noted on in one of your interviews.

Question 1: “We’ve also made a ton of changes that have sped up the development of the game, such as new ways to create complicated in-game entities without having to script every detail.“ Does this mean that the engine can create objects that don’t have entity files?

Question 2: “The most noticeable feature for the user will be the refractions, which add nice water, air and glass effects to the game.” How are you planning on creating ‘reflective’ surfaces in gases? Or is this effect a ‘heat blurring’ effect?

Question 3: What major HPL script features will be added?

Question 4: Are there any new features that mod the main player’s abilities? (night vision, injured limp)

Question 5: Will there be any improvements to the HPL Helper?


Now, onto the storyline. As you guys have said before, there will be a much more dense storyline, filled with more voice actors than overture.

Question 1: [Obviously don’t spoil major things, just vague stuff here] Will the player have a companion similar to Overture’s Tom ‘Red’ Redwood throughout this game? Will there be a major antagonist?

Question 2: The writing in Penumbra Overture from level to level seems to indicate that you are playing a memory in Philip’s mind; does this continue in Black Plague, or is everything you experience in the game the ‘real’ thing for Philip?

Question 4: Will we learn more about Tom ‘Red’ Redwood‘s past?

Question 5: Players really enjoyed reading old notes from various people in Penumbra Overture; can we expect the same amount of notes, or an even more detailed past of the complex?

Question 6: Will the game lean towards more unpredictable level layouts, or will it use the same style of levels as Overture?

Question 7: Will we see ‘unnatural’ things, such as animals that don’t exist (The Roach from tech demo, as an example)

Question 8: When your lead artist had to leave, did this effect Penumbra’s quality, or set it back?

Lastly, here are the questions about your plans after Penumbra Black Plague is finished.

Question 1: What do you devs wish to do after Black Plague is finished, besides spending time with us on the forum?

Question 2: Will Frictional Games stay as a team, or will it’s members break apart and join different companies?

Question 3: If you do stay as a team, what game styles (action, adventure, horror) do you guys want to dive into?

How can you create a mod for a yet unreleased game?

Verrrry carfully!!

Small history of the HPL engine:

Energetic was the first to use the HPL engine; a 2-d game though.

Frictional Games modified the engine so it was in full 3-d, and created a small techonligy demo showing the engine off.
Say hello to the Penumbra Tech Demo (2006)

Frictional never thought it would get roughly 1 million downloads, and they decided to create a commercial version of Penumbra;
Introducing Penumbra Overture, using a much more optimized and improved HPL engine.

And now, Black Plague.



The the mod is being created on Penumbra Overture's engine, and I should easily with no challenge move my work over onto the Black Plague engine once it's released.

Some quick answers:

1) Nope. But som entities are simpler to make.
2) No reflections yet. Will see what I can crunch in :P
3) All are up on the mod wiki already ;)
4) You can do now to a some extent using global script.
5) Nope.

1) Philip will meet a couple characters, some stranger than others.
2) Do not want to comment on this now.
4) Perhaps.
5) Offcourse :)
6) It will be a little bit different, but the basic layout design about the same.
7) How can you see things that do not exist? (And that was a rethorical questions ;))
8 ) Allthough it was a tough blow I believe we still have managed to keep a high standard by using other very talented artists.

1) Gonna start on a new game that is all info I can give.
2) We will try and come along for yet another year :)
3) I am afraid I cannot disclose anything at this point