Knights of the SS - Castle Court an (stable) Alpha Demo

Knights of the SS : Armour of Beowulf : 
M3 Castle Court 
Alpha Demo v 1.0

(Just to clarify this demo is STABLE and all known bugs have been worked out, it has been extensively play tested, I call it an Alpha Demo because it is short and there are no code changes, it lacks many features I plan to add)



Just a few days ago now was Wolfenstein 3D's 25th Anniversary, and I am most pleased to honor that with the release of my Alpha Demo. 


In this Demo you will sneak into the Courtyard of DOSenstein Castle, where you will encounter heavy resistance, you will find the Nazis to be conducting rites of dark magick. 

-[ Someone please tell me if another Wolfer has already used the name DOSenstein Castle. I don't recall having encountered it before but who knows, anyhow I thought it was funny ]-



It runs on the Spear Of Destiny Demo platform. It is just 1 level.. well technically two but the second level is just a filler level since the SOD Demo is 2 levels. Level two is literally just an elevator lobby, one enemy, one secret with a couple treasure items so you it wont kill your score. 

There are no code changes, I have imported some graphics made by the community and provided for download for community use in other mods. I have credited them in my credits, if my manner of credits is not sufficient I will rectify that. I did modify a few of those graphics just slightly. I also changed the music up.  I highly suggest making sure all sounds and music are playing. It really creates the atmosphere.

I also created and included two versions of the Title Screen image, one for the in game Title Screen, and one for a Game Banner in the folder directory(with 3 format files). I had extreme technical difficulties while creating the Title Screen with regards to the Pallet. That's all I will say here about it. I addressed it further in the Release Notes. Suffice to say it is suitable for an Alpha Demo at best.

The Banner looks significantly better.



I have included the original EXE and an updated Demo EXE which patches some bugs. The `Castle Court' EXE in the main directory is the Updated SOD Demo EXE, the folder `EXE' contains the original and the updated EXE's. 

Also in the package you will find a few text files.
*'Read Me' - that contain all other files. The others are the Read Me file separated by Subject Matter. (It comes in 2 formats)

* `Castle Court' - Mission Briefing' - The would be in game "Read This", which is the Story Line of the Game followed by "Previews" for upcoming ID software based TC games by Falcon 93 Studios, as well my made but not yet available FarCry Maps(for the old school X-Box Farcry Instincts( the 1st one). This file also includes a Release Notes section.
* `Credits' - Where credit is given where credit is due, i.e. ID Software, the Wolf3D & SOD Mod Community, and of course Falcon 93 Studios.
Again the Read Me contains all of these in one document; your basic NotePad will open the simple format file.

* `A Word On LIBERTY' - This is a message about the value and price of Freedom. 
I hope it does not come off as too speechy, and I avoided advocating any particular political ideology, its emphasis is on Liberty itself. - This is not contained in the Read Me file.

* O yes before I forget there is some file that came with the updated SOD Demo EXE, 
I included it in the release package as I thought it might be important.




I have been wanting to make a Wolfenstein mod since I was a teenager and I am very excited to release my first level!!! Somewhere I have a stack of papers with concepts and levels on graph paper, as well some files of the project I was working on Including a modified source code and EXE with lighting and atmosphere effects. 

I have as of recent been afforded a great deal of free time, and for the last week or two
 I have focused solely on this game demo. Now it is done and I must refocus on studying and working. Perhaps next year I will have some time to work on the TC. If I make fast enough progress on my studies and it truly clicks I may even be able to ration a few hours a week to work on making this a 2 or 3 level demo by port this into [and creating another level in] the SOD engine that partially reprogrammed years ago, it has a lighting effect a moon and rain, I think I got the tutorial from Dark One. 

I wanted to make a very simple demo, so I used the SOD Demo version. I did not have time to mess with the code, not to mention I don't even remember what all I did to the code back in the day, and the lighting effect parameters I set create some coloration issues (red turns green at some distances I think). 
So enough about all that.


Back to the Alpha Demo..



The story takes place in Nazi Germany in 1937. You are a member of a secret order called the Magi of the Radiant Star * , your order has joined the Resistance and you are called to sneak into Castle DOSenstein and investigate rumors that the Knights of the SS are conducting dark magick rituals with powerful ancient talismans.



It is a rather difficult level on the hardest setting, Enemies are maxed out. As well as static objects.





The Alpha Demo level is going to be Level 3 of the SOD TC called Armour of Beowulf from the planned series Knights of the SS.

I have allot of code, gfx, and audio, changes planned with features like new enemies, weapons, etc. 

I will post the contents of my Read Me post as a reply. It is a bit lengthy.



I hope you enjoy the Demo Game. 

I had to censor it because I'm new and can't post an email address. 

Falcon 93 Studios ; KSS : BA: Castle Court Alpha Demo :   'Read Me' File wrote:
Knights of the SS : Armour of Beowulf.
Mission 3 Castle Court
V 1.0
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
      * MISSION BRIEFING *
 
Location:     
    Secret Catacombs that house the Grand Lodge of the Order of the Magi of the Radiant Star.
Date:         
  3rd of June 1937
 
Brother Mueller I have something most serious to ask of you on behalf of our Order, as a friend I would ask you not to go..
for it is gravely dangerous, but I also know how important it is for the resistance.
And I know you are the best agent for the mission.
 
My Brother we need you to sneak into the Castle of DOSenstein.
We need you to investigate rumors that a newly formed division of the SS has refortified the Castle...
..And began working rites of dark magick, with powerful ancient relics. 
Our intelligence gathering points to the Knights of the SS a new exclusive order of elite SS officers, who are forging an Arayan warrior nobility of the Third Reich.
 SchutzStaffel der Ritter Schwarze Sonne ...  
They are said to venerate the Black Sun.
We have heard rumors..
That Knights of the SS leading Ahnenerbe recently recovered the mythical hero Beowulf's Armor and Sword Hrunting.
 
Our members in Allied Military and Intelligence report that an Allied spy BJ who escaped from Castle Wolfenstein, has been dispatched to recover the Spear of Destiny.
We have also heard from connections in the French Resistance that the SS is now searching for the Holy Grail.
They have raided a catacomb under the Notre Dame Cathedral after translating some stolen documents from another order. 
They have also been said to be excavating Old Norse Runes.
 
As a Magi and a Knight of the Silver Cross you know that we must investigate these claims and if they prove true..,
That we must stop them.
If you choose to accept this mission we will use your code name Falcon 93 in all correspondence to protect your identity.
 
Brother Mueller we have witnessed the Nazi Party take over our country, the Wermacht has already swept across Europe,
and with the power of these talismans the Knights of the SS could become an unstoppable force of Fascism.
I fear we may never again see liberty, but surely the power of the mighty Horus is with you, you are our best agent Johannes,
And yet should you fall in the sacred battle for freedom I will always remember you as a friend,
and your sacrifice will not be in vain, this Aeon shall some day shine with freedom, may our grandchildren see that day.
 
Do what thou wilt my Brother.
Agent Falcon 93 Do you accept this mission? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* Falcon 93 Studios * *
 
 
In the SOD TC Series ‘Knights of the SS’
 
The mysterious order Magi of the Radiant Star has been building secret resistance networks to fight against the Axis Regimes. Agent Falcon 93 sneaks into Castle DOSenstein to discover the truth about K-SS in the ‘Armour of Beowulf’.
In other Episodes….
Brothers and Sisters of the Magi Order use guns, magick, and guerilla tactics in the fight against Fascism, from forests and groves, to the dark Castles of Wewelsburg and DOSenstein, all the way to subterranean caverns and catacombs, as they take on Special SS Knight Squads, battle the UnDead, and powerful SS Priests.
Recovering great artifacts from the Nazi’s such as Beowulf’s Armour and Sword Hrunting. Old Norse Runes, and the Holy Grail.
 
In the yet to be named Wolf3d TC…
6 Episodes of Special Operations and Intelligence Missions with Allied and Resistance Forces…
 
Including a Joint SS and Luftwaffe Bunker with advanced technology and bio-medical research labs where mad scientists are rumored to have created mutants & cyborgs, developed laser and plasmas weapons, and reverse engineered Extra-Terersestrial technology.  
 
More planned including a multi installment series of TC’s spanning Wolfenstein 3D, Spear Of Destiny, DooM, Heretic, and Hexen. This would involve porting Wolfenstein into those games.
Where the player uncovers a Nazi Portal and fights through Mars, Hell, and other dimensions.
 
Including an Egyptian Episode using the DooM, Heretic, or Hexen engine, where the Magi fight along side Egyptian Mummies (allies) against Rommel’s Afrika Corps and the Knights of the SS.
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
* ABOUT *
 
**        Knights of the SS : Armour of Beowulf.         **
             Alpha Demo Featuring
             Mission 3 Castle Court (demo level 1)
            and Elevator Lobby ([filler] demo level 2).
================================================
 
This is a very rough Alpha Demo by Falcon 93 Studios. It is a modification of Spear Of Destiny(TM - ID Software [see credits]).
 
The First level is actually mission 3 of an upcoming TC of SOD called Armour of Beowulf, from a planned series called Knights of the SS.
The second level is just a filler, it is merely a small elevator lobby.
The Demo version of Spear of Destiny has 2 levels. In the near future I will release an updated version with a full second level.
This may be done with engine I started to edit code for, it currently supports a lighting effect and atmosphere i.e. rain.
 
Later Falcon 93 Studios will release full length Spear of Destiny and Wolfenstein 3D Total(and more) Conversions with source code changes, more audio & graphical changes, new enemies and weapons, and special features like reanimating corpses, treasure fueled manna as ammo for magickal weapons, and more.
 
This Alpha Demo runs on the Spear Of Destiny Demo version engine and game files, it does not use any source code changes, or any original graphics.
It does however feature an original level designed by J Falcon, and several sprite & texture graphics developed by members of the Wolf3d/SOD Modding community(see Credits) and the order of music has been changed, with some music imported from Wolfenstein 3D.
 
 
 
* Alpha Demo V 1.0  Release Notes * And Sound Issues Addressed *
 
This demo show cases as much as possible without reprogramming, and within the limits of the slimmed down SOD demo version,
 the general atmosphere of Armour of Beowulf from my planned series, The Knights of the SS.
 
The TC’s I have planned will feature much more extensive redesigning.
 
In v 1.0
 
The title screen is not satisfactory but it is suitable for an Alpha Demo.
The pallet used by SOD for the title screen causes great difficulty.
The issue is either that I could not get my image editors to work with the pallet,
or the Wolf3d/SOD editors do not have the title screen pallet configured correctly,
or something else is going on that I don’t understand yet.
Suffice to say I simply had to guess which colors to use and then test how it looked after uploading the graphics.
 
The enemies and static objects are maxed out, this may cause issues,
 but I have play tested it and I believe the common bugs are worked out.
 
Run Castle Court (EXE) to play the game.
It is a newer version of the Demo with some bugs patched.
I have also included a folder with the Patched Demo EXE and the Older Demo EXE.
 
I suggest downloading VDM Sound and DOS Box.
Without running through VDM Sound I have no music on my machine.
Just download it(it is free), then right click Castle Court  (EXE) and select "Run with VDMS". _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
* CREDITS *
 
This is just a Mod; I only swapped graphics & music and created a new level.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
 
Full Credit for Game Engine, Most Graphics, Sounds, and Game Design
goes to ID Software(TM)
The creators of the Original Wolfenstein 3D and Spear of Destiny games.
 
                - Absolute Credits -
 
ID Software;
Programming: John Carmack, John Romero
Creative Director: Tom Hall
Artist: Adrian Carmack
BIZ: Jay Wilbur
Computer Artist: Kevin Cloud
With
Distribution: FormGen
Composer: Robert Prince
Additional Programming: Jason Blochowiak
 
Cheers to these Awesome Kats for making such an Amazing game series
that has stood the test of time.
without them none of this would be possible.
If you enjoyed this Mod please purchase the original Wolfenstein 3D and Spear of Destiny Games.
I also recommend Return To Castle Wolfenstein.
They are all available online for purchase.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
 
I must also give a huge Thanks to the Wolfenstein Spear Of Destiny Mod Community
For creating the Mod Software used to edit the original games, for crafting the great mods that have inspired me,
And for taking the time to create the replacement graphics that I used,
And for having the grace to release them for use by the Wolf/SOD mod community.
 
Even further for creating and maintaining an online community for Wolfenstein Modding. 
 
 
             - Graphic Credits -
 
Wall Pack 1,2,3 - Giorgio
Spear Resurrection Sprites Pack - MCS Amsterdam and AReyeP
Various - Author Unknown - Source AReyeP & MCS Wolf3d Texture Library
Graphics - Ken O'Brien
 
If you enjoyed this Mod please go download some of the classic Wolf/SOD mods.
They are available online for download.
 
Editing Software Credits
 
Wolf3d Data Compiler
  - Adam Biser
Chaos Edit
-    Chaos Software
 
 
 
* Other *
 
If I have neglected to credit your work please contact me at *** and I will make update the credits and make an updated release.
 
_______________________________________________________________
 
               - Falcon 93 Studios Credits -
 
This Mod was crafted by Falcon 93 Studios
Level Design, Story, and Concepts by J Falcon.
I can be reached AT ***
 
 
Stay Tuned For New Releases.
 
Also I have now 4 Farcry(TM - From Ubisoft) Instincts(#1) X-Box (original) Multiplayer Maps crafted.
Panu Ro Island, ZEBEZ River, ZaKek Ro Pass, and TonaKu RO Temple, They are based on following from Island Coast, to a River through Mountains, to a grand water way avenue of Shrines, to a Great Temple. There are multiple pyramids throughout the levels.
I will find a way to make them available soon.
 
 
 

I fixed the reply with the Read Me file.

@Falcon93: Interesting, I didn't expect the Spear: Resurrection and Formgen Missions graphics and all the gray, The Tower music fits well in it though. I'll have to try and beat your score of 262,800 Castle DOSenstein, love the name

I'm so excited someone is playing my level!!!


I wanted to make a quick level for a demo so I utilized lots of graphics that the community made available.
Is my credits section sufficient?


I'm going to use the SS gfx from the Formgen SOD M2-3 with the boots recolored, and maybe some insignia redesign too. 

I'm also going to create some new graphics, some Runes Stones, my own version of the Columns: Full Pillar, Pedestal, Pedestal with Vase, Pedestal with Skull, Pedestal with ? maybe small Runes. 
Wall texures like the Black Sun. 
The wall patch mod, and lots of nazi regalia, nsdap flags, Swastikas, SS, Black Sun, and some other stuff. 
Plus adding lots of walls since wall patches can't be used with secret doors. 
 

I will of course also be making graphics for the new enemies, items, and the end game artifacts, is the Hrunting Sword and Armour of Beowulf. 
I think that will be a 2 part SOD game, so they may be two 13 level instalments. 
Then I will make one or two more in the Knights of the SS series. 
At least one will be a full 21 level game.
I will most likely keep some of the community made graphics in my series along with my new graphics, replacing the columns and pedestals with my own though, I figure if there's a graphic that community has already made available I may as well save some time and use them while focusing on making new graphics that don't exist yet. 
Giving credit where credit is due of course. 

Any graphics I create will be available for community use as well.

Glad you like the music pick too

I wanted to make an update here,
I am somewhat close to releasing Version 2 of the Knights of the SS : Beowulfenstein Episode 1 - Armour Of Beowulf Demo.
Which will be called North Castle Court.
 It is for SDM4SDL and I have original sprites that will replace the EOD Sprites, though I will still use lots of Walls and some other graphics that other Wolf Modders released for community use.

There are a fair amount of code changes(the Full mods will have more), and other new graphics and features. I'm keeping most of things under wraps until I release it.

I have had allot of help with Coding from the community, as always I will be listing Credit where Credit is due in the documentation. Part of which will be in the Read This! / HelpArt.

The Demo has been ported to SDL to say the least.......
And Today I release the Independence Day Edition of North Castle Court.



Happy 4th of July



  Falcon 93 Studios Presents
A Pre-Release  Prototype Demo of 
Knights of the SS
BeoWulfenstein 1
 Armour of Beowulf
 
North Castle Court
Independence Day Edition!!!!!!!!!