Line

On The Horizon

Written by Jeff Walters

Line
'Jungles of Cladoun'
Great Escape: Special Edition





Assassinate Darth Vader: SE

by David Erlenbusch (highly modifed veresion of Jereth Kok's original level)

Story -

Same as original. A level set inside an Victory Star Destroyer where you must find and assassinate Darth Vader before planting a sequencer charge and escaping.

Comments -

This seems set to be the biggest level ever made. Probably need a Pentium 500 to play it....just kidding...I hope. The level will feature new areas and a host of new special effects.....such as an actual dogfight between two ships.

Release -

est. October 1997

The Bounty Hunt: SE

by Peter Klassen

Story -

Same as original. Kyle Katarn has got a highly dubious task from Jabba The Hutt. Jabba has managed to trap Han Solo on "Vanguard", a smuggler transit station near Ord Mantell. So he connected all the important bounty hunters (and the mercenary Kyle Katarn). Katarn, who got no new jobs from the Rebels since the Dark Forces conflict, and who got a chance to make peace with his former rival Jabba couldn't afford to reject it. Though knowing that Solo has sympathy with the Rebels, little does Kyle know that he is not a scoundrel. So he accepts the job...

The reward has lured several dubious persons from the most different places of the galaxy. There are some major bounty hunters, as well as some freelance ones. A bulk freighter full of Jawas launched from Tatooine a hour after Jabba transmitted his message. It is also known that a ship with Jabba's personal servants, the Gamorreans, has docked on "Vanguard". And there were also witnesses who have seen a Rodian who looked very much like Greedo (but these rumors are groundless). Besides other bounty hunters as opponents, Kyle has to reckon with the base personnel who won't tolerate any disorder(the base mostly employs humans and Grans), as well as with the Imperials who launched a reconnaissance troop onto the base, searching for the Rebel Fleet. But in the middle of the hunt Kyle gets his eyes open to the real state of things...

Comments -

This new editon promises many things, most importantly - to fix the load bug that hinded the original version. It will also feature improved texturing, music, VUEs and some new dialogue.

Release -

? - Peter says that he's already implemented most of the above mentioned features, but is going to wait till he get's a new PC before finishing the project off.

The Dark Force of Zsinj

by Capt. Palleon

Story -

The Warlord Zsinj has found the old plans for the Dark Trooper. He is trying to remake an army of them. As a older Kyle you are supposed to find out where they are being produced and you need to find out where the plans for the building the Dark Trooper are so they are destroyed completely. . .

Comments -

The author has high hopes for this project and promises some interesting INF coding, so expect some innovative special effects.

Release -

? - No release date stated, but the level is well into construction.

Dark Tides

by Sage & Miller

Story -

Not Available

Comments -

This project is without a doubt the most ambitious, controversial and troubled undertaking since Dark Forces was released. There had already been one major team change and just when level one looked like it was ready to go......the lead level editor (Miller) pulls out because of burn-out. The project has now been turned over to a newcomer and appears to be completely changed. It originally seemed like a terrific idea, even though some people were less than happy with the contents of an early interview with the original DT authors that seemed to take a shot at previous add-on levels and components.

After numerous talks with former DT teamleader Miller, I was very confident about Dark Tides. Now though, the future of the project seems to be fairly shaky.....let's hope not. Judging from some recent info on Ben Aultowski's Jedi Visions homepage, it looks like the new author Sage is still going to use level that Miller had already almost completed, I could be wrong though. I can say that I have played a 90% completed beta-version of Miller's level and it was fairly good with terrific texturing (reminded me a lot of secbase).....the design was a bit disorientating though.

Release -

? - Your guess is as good as theirs.

The Empire Strikes Back

by [email protected]

Story -

The game is set during "The Empire Strikes Back". You play the role of Kyle Katarn, Luke Skywalker's bodyguard, this way the new add-on level's will fit in the Star War's story line. I have just finished "Hoth: Echo Base," the first level, as the name implies you start the game off in Echo Base which has been attacked and sieged by the Empire. The next level will be your escape and will deal with several AT-ST's and AT-AT's that will shoot at you. The main enemy for the first two level's is the Snowtrooper so you can expect to see a lot of them. The last level(s) will deal with Bespin, the Cloud City, and the author is attempting to find a way to put Dagobah in it, this is a hard task because the actual design process of a heavily populated jungle is extremely difficult. But Dagobah is such a major part of ESB so the author is trying at all ends to put at least one Dagobah level in the game. The expected levels are the following:
Comments -
An extremely ambitous project, that in itself is suspicious. The only epic near this size to actually work was Dark Forces '96. Let's hope it doesn't end up like the Prophecy which was a nice idea that fizzled as the levels were very small and badly constructed. Anyway, this project sounds promising, but I feel the author needs to assemble a *team* of level-makers for it to be feasible.

Release -

? - No time soon one would imagine.

The Great Escape: SE

by Jeff Walters

Story -

Same as original . En route to the Rebel Base on the frozen world of Hoth carrying the stolen structural plans for a new class of star destroyer, named the Imposer class, your ship is fallen upon by a fleet of rag-tag ships. Your unmarked space yacht is crippled and you and your pilot Jan Ors are captured by boarders.

You are taken to the infamous Imperial Detention Facility known as Justice Station which floats on repulsors in the atmosphere of Crallon IV, where you are traded to Imperial forces by your captors, who you discover are a group of crack bounty hunters, in exchange for the bounty on your heads and salvage rights to your vessel. When the imperials claimed custody of you and Jan they also took possession of your belongings and equipment, which included your newest addition, a jetpack. Unknown to the Imperials is that the stolen plans they seek remain hidden aboard your ship despite an extensive search by Imperial technical experts. You realise that you must somehow recover the plans before the bounty hunters led by Boba Fett and IG88 find the plans and sell them back to the Imperials.

You overhear one of the bounty hunters talking to an Imperial official and discover that the bounty hunter's base lies below the station on the planet below. Using this information you and Jan devise a plan before you are separated and taken to individual cells. Firstly you must escape your cell and rescue Jan. You must then escort Jan safely to the landing pad where an Imperial shuttle you spotted when you first arrived is located. When Jan has escaped in the shuttle you must then locate and recover your jetpack. Then use the jetpack from the most northern point of the facility. This point should hover roughly over the area where the bounty hunter base is located. Once on the planet you must infiltrate the base and recover the plans.

When this is accomplished, you will rendevous with Jan at the highest peak in the mountainous terrain behind the base. Jan will drop landing lights on the peak prior to extraction. As you are led back in to your cell after interrogation by your guard you surprise him and using your honed combat skills overpower him, grabbing his pistol you begin your mission......

Comments -

This updated version of The Great Escape will feature new areas, waxes, textures and vocs, plus improved texturing and room design. There will also be a swagger of complex VUEs and special effects.

Release -

Late 1997.

Heart of Darkness

by Patrick Mulnix

Story -

An anonymous message from "an old friend" leads Kyle Katarn to the infamous Rogue Moon, the site of a newly constructed smuggler and criminal hideout. According to Kyle's source, strange, super-natural things have been happening there, and it's only getting worse.
Before his job is through, Kyle will fight evils from his worst nightmares, learn the truth about the Rogue Moon, discover the very essence of his universe, and confront the Heart of Darkness.

Comments -

His first level in quite a while, this promises to be at the very least interesting. Set to feature a ton of new waxes (most by Al McDonald) plus a terrific idea of using sectors and INF to create enemies! If he can pull this off, it might inspire other authors in this direction.

Release -

? - pre Jedi Knight is the word.

The Jedi, Lost - Flight From The Death Star

by Paulius Stepanas

Story -

"It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Spies have reported a new, Imperial battle station is nearing completion -- a battle station so large that it will redefine the balance of power in the Galaxy."

We all know the story of Star Wars, but it all seems too convenient. What if Princess Leia had never secured the Death Star plans? What if Luke had not magically turned up at precisely the right time? What if the Death Star had not been destroyed at Yavin, nor even been there? When you've lost your Jedi, it's time to go back to old-fashioned methods: infiltration!

The Death Star is spreading terror throughout the Galaxy. As part of his campaign of subjugation, the Emperor is inviting the officials of Rim planets to conferences onboard the Death Star to intimidate his enemies and bring the unsure back into line. Even the most rebellious planetary governors are finding it hard to refuse. But this also provides the Rebellion with an opportunity: if they can find someone brave enough to take it.

A planetary governor sympathetic to the Rebellion has allowed Jan Ors to take her place at the most recent meeting aboard the Death Star. Kyle Katarn is to pose as her bodyguard. Kyle's first mission is to sneak away from the conference centre and return to The Crow to pick up supplies; including his trusty sequencer charges.

Will Kyle have to fight through hordes of Stormtroopers? Will he have to solve mind-bending puzzles? Or will he take the back ways, sneaking through the battle station's maze of ventilation shafts: hundreds of twisty passages, all alike? You'll have to wait until September to find out. ;)

Comments -

Paulius has been around the DF community for ages, making numerous contributions. This is his first step into level making, and it sounds like it'll be very impressive. There will be seven distinct regions of the Death Star to explore, each with its own distinctive appearance and behaviour. Get this.....there will be THREE different ways of completing the level! Here are some other features that you will see -
* Surprising Imperial officers in a meeting by dropping in through the ceiling.
* Play billiards on a realistic table.
* Use an anti-gravity lift tube.
* See a sewage turbine at work.
* And lots of mazes, puzzles, trenches and catwalks.

The author also says this *may* only be the start and that he has enough story for almost nine levels.......here's hoping.

Release -

Late Spetember 1997.

Jungles of Caldoun

by Mark Haidekker & Daniel Bernstein

Story -

After some excitement on Dantooine recovering forgotten items from the old Rebel base, Kyle enjoys the peace and quiet of a long hyperspace trip to Sullust, where he will drop off his cargo. Since the flight path takes Kyle past the Caldoun system, Kyle looks it up on his computer.

It seems that Caldoun is a backwater system. There is only one habitable planet, which is the fourth from its sun. Caldoun IV is mainly covered with tropical rain forest, but also shows some rough volcanic areas. Native life consists of a wide variety of jungle animals, including the feared Caldoun Wasp, which can spit a highly charged substance at any enemy, even from a distance, and a widespread bi-pedal intelligent life form who call themselves Mardans, who have a slight resemblance to the well-known Grans, a fact that still puzzles the ethnologists.

While the Mardans have a low level of technology, they do know the arts of creating explosives. They are a fierce people who have learnt the hard way how to survive in a hostile environment. During a brief period of Imperial occupation, the Mardans developed weapons, survival skills, and a hatred for anyone not of their own species.

Kyle jumps off the doomed Crow

Suddenly an alarm sounds, and red lights start flashing all over the control panel. With a gut wrenching feeling, the ship drops out of hyperspace, and before Kyle has a chance to recover, it crashes into some debris, and he loses control, as the ship falls into the atmosphere of the fourth planet.

Grateful that the planet has a breathable atmosphere, Kyle decides that he'd best abandon ship. While the Crow already touches the tops of the trees, he shoves some supplies out the door, hoping to be able to recover them, and jumps into a clearing. He watches the Crow disappear in a southward direction into the jungle, where it triggers a minor earthquake upon impact.

Kyle must get to his ship and get off Caldoun IV. But nothing is as simple as it looks. The Crow sustained some damage, and how could Kyle repair it without replacement parts? But Caldoun IV hides a terrible secret...

Comments -

I gotta tell you, I can't wait for this one. The story sounds incredibly intriguing and the screenshots show the author has some skill. According to Mark, there is also more to the story than given in the briefing, and the goals change over the course of the level. The level will feature many new rainforest textures and several new waxes and vocs. Looks set to be a hit.

Release -

End of August.

Operation Archangel - parts 1 & 2: SE

by Lionel Fouillen

Story -

Same as before.

Comments -

These 'Special Edition' versions will feature complex new cutscenes and new characters. You can also look forward to improved architecture and (hopefully) VUEs.

Release -

September.

The Rock - parts 2, 3 & 4

by Barry Brien (2&4) and Clayton Cameron (3)

Story -

Part Two: Nar Shaddaa - "After successfully taking over C'baoth's Gandolo IV base, and thus his supply of VX gas, he was forced to relocate. We didn't know where until a tip came to us just recently. It was from a man called "Seeker", and he said he saw an "old guy talking to some Imps.....all had lightsabers and were escorted by black stormtroopers". This is obviously our guy. So we're sending you and Jan Ors into Nar Shaddaa, your favorite hive of scum and villany, to find out what C'baoth's up to."
-Adm. Ackbar

Part Three -After (hopefully) completing your mission on Nar Shaddaa, C'baoth quickly moves his men and troops out of there leaving the fleet with only some strange eggs as clues.... I can't tell you the specific plot of Part 3, because it gives away Part 2's surprise ending.

Part Four - This level will be set on the pleasure world of Agron.....that's all I know.

Comments -

If they're anything like the first Rock level, they should be good. Although I couldn't tell you the story for Part three, I have had talks with Clayton Cameron about it and can assure you that it will not only be extremely suspenseful but ...well....terrifing.

Release -

? - No set dates for any of them, but level two is practically completed I hear.

The Second Clone War - episodes 2, 3 & 4

by David Arandle (2), Rhys Copeland (3) and Matt Stills (4)

Story -

Episode Two: Xizor's Palace - We have recently learned that Xizor has a backup cloning facility somewhere in the galaxy. Through a very reliable source we have found security codes allowing us to break into the Coruscant main city. After there, find a way into Xizor's huge palace and steal the datatape that we believe has the location of the cloning facility.

Episode Three: Black Sun - Story not available, but the level will be set in the canyons of Tatooine.

Episode Four: Kodrakan Compound - Story not available, but the level will most likely take place on a world called Shestiv IV.

Comments -

I can't really tell you more than what is on my homepage(Bespin - The Cloud City) or the Second Clone War homepage. I can say that the next level, Xizor's Palace has most of it's architecture done and level three, Black Sun is starting to really take shape in terms of setting and atmosphere. Level four was to be set on a Super Star Destroyer, but is now to be set on a planet.

Release -

No set dates, but level two is not that far off.

The Storming of Anterak City (Archangel 3)

by Lionel Fouillen

Story -

After re-uniting with his daughter, Trem Goltend accepted to share information with the Rebels. The Empire is just completing the building of a new space station where Imperial generals will be able to plot against the Alliance with unprecedent precision. The new base is a high-tech city, floating in the cloudy sky of planet Anterak. Emperor Palpatine himself will be coming to Anterak City to inaugurate the base and oversee the start of operations.

This is the occasion for the Alliance to target the Imperial military decision forces and strike strong. Kyle Katarn, hidden in a crate inside a freight spaceship, is secretly boarding the city-base. He will have to infiltrate the city to sabotage the base, by modifying the computer software that takes charge of special chemistry treatment that produce the fuel for the floating base' engines, in order to make it turn unstable and, because of the chain reaction, explode while all high-ranked Imperial officers are attending the Emperor's ceremony speech.

Comments -

This is the third level of the Archangel trilogy. Both of his first two levels have been critically acclaimed and have terrific atmosphere. This level promises to be even better, with the only major fault of parts 1 & 2 (no VUEs), no longer a problem for the author.

Release -

August/September

TIE Phantom Base

by Mike Rajotte

Story -

Not Available.

Comments -

I've already played a beta-version of this level....I won't say too much, but I can say that it features the best use of music I've ever seen in any Dark Forces level. Once the level is out, I'm sure using music like Mike has in this level will become a standard. The level will feature a new 3DO, namely a TIE Phantom...also, if you like jumping sequences, this level is for you.

Release -

est. September.

The Vengance Of Boba Fett

by Andrew Moeller and Rudy Purcell

Story -

Level 1: The City of Arca-Tera - Boba Fett is very angry from his previous failures in numerous attempts to capture Kyle Katarn and get his revenge. Strangely, Kyles "luck" had helped him through imposible situations when Fett had been sure of victory. First planing to kill Katarn, Boba Fett soon changes his mind when the Emporer himself hires him to capture Kyle alive. His planning complete, Fett set's his plan in motion, traveling to a remote planet in the core systems where the Rebel Covert Operations base is located. Seeking information on the location of the base, Fett asks the locals in a small resturant. Soon Kyle would wish he had never crossed paths with the most deadly and notorious Bounty Hunter in the galaxy....Boba Fett.

Meanwhile, at the underground Rebel Covert Operations Base located beneith the north side of the city, Kyle Katarn waits for his next mission assignment....there have been rumors that the Emperor has continued the Dark Jedi project, now training the jedi in the horrible powers of the dark side....and that if this project were established, It would be even more destructive than the dreaded Dark Troopers.

Level 2; The Emperor's Training Facility - Story not available
Level 3: The Future of The Empire - Story not available

Comments -

In this level you will be able to use a variety of new weapons from Boba Fett's wrist laser to his wrist mounted rocket launcher. You will be able to use a Jetpack to fly to the top of buildings, or use short bursts when you jump for an extra lift and also purchase weapons at a local store(or just steal them). As Boba you will have to face kyle in a dangerous fight at the end and get the chance to view the luxurious interior of the mysterious Slave I. The authors also promise new waxes, fmes and more.

Andrew say that a sneak preview of the levels will be availible soon - A mini-level which will show some of the many new things that will be in the trilogy. In this mini-level you will play the part of Boba Fett seeking info on what planet the base is located. A smuggler that has worked for the Rebels in the past has contacted Fett and told him to go to the now-famous Mos Eisley Cantina. Boba Fett sets off, eager to learn the location so that he can start his mission as soon as possible. This mini-level will likely be available soon.

Sound good? Well, the authors say that they are still looking for people who would like to join their now only 2-person team. Contact Andrew at [email protected] if you're interested.

Release -

Unknown at this time.

Virus

by Ben Aultowski

Story -

A routine patrol of the Mantooine System has uncovered something very unsettling. It appears that the Empire has hired an outside party to develop biochemical weapons. With this new weapon, the Empire could assassinate a New Republic diplomat or destroy an entire base simply by releasing a virus into the air. The research and development facility has been established on the planet Fest and is heavily guarded. The huge canyons which scar the surface of the planet prevent a ground assault, and because the facility is nestled deep into the rock arial bombardment is impossible.

The mission plan calls for one New Republic spy to infiltrate the facility and place a detonator on the geothermal reactor. But before the facility caves in, the death of the person in charge of the project must be confirmed. The risk of his escape and the completion of this weapon is too great. Thinking back on his service during the Dark Trooper crisis, Mon Mothma decides to hire Kyle Katarn for the job...

Comments -

Looks very good judging from the screenshots. Has an interesting plot that promises some spectacular INF sequences.

Release -

October

As Yet Untitled

by Peter Klassen and Jereth Kok

Story -

Not Available.

Comments -

Details are still sketchy at the moment, but I can tell you that this level will be fairly small and will feature a ton of special effects & VUEs. With these two authors working together, there's no chance of it being anything other than brilliant.

Release -

est. September/October.

As Yet Untitled

by Mattias Sundqvist

Story -

Will be set around the time of the prequels.....the actual story is under wraps.

Comments -

Sounds promising, might turn into a trilogy eventually. The author says he was inspired by Archangel Two and so might make a new weapon to rival the Black Whirlwind. He's already been recording some new vocs and has plans for much more additions.

Release -

? - too early too say.

CANCELLED LEVELS

This just a quick note stating any levels that have been recently scrapped for one reason or another.