Kinda disappointed with KITT's look in KR game.

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Kinda disappointed with KITT's look in KR game.

Post by aussieknight » Tue Apr 29, 2003 6:46 pm

I guess the guys who developed the models weren't fans of either the series, or the source vehicle. KITT appears in different forms throughout the whole thing. In the opening sequence, when Devon is standing nearby, he's got the right nose shape. But the game model has ground effects. What the....? And the scanner opening, height of the scanner, etc...sad to see. I won't mention the lack of dash, either. Oh all right, a bit.
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Post by Skav » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:03 pm

FMV sequences are usually different to the objects that are in the gameplay...of any game.

We have to at least allow that excuse.

I suppose you didn't spot the scanner being in the wrong place in the startup credit sequence when KITT goes into SPM too, huh?

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Post by aussieknight » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:19 pm

I surely did. It was a bit of a let down in all. You'd think they'd have tried to appease the true fans with decent accuracy. Mind you, I was looking at a picture of KITT in SPM from the show yesterday, and noticed how much they changed the bumper to allow the SPM mods. The cut-out for the scanner on the bumper was either moved down, or they added material to the back of it, where the bonnet originally slightly overlapped. But I suppose at 300mph, you wouldn't really see it, right? Oh well, it's just a game....but ground effects!!! AAARRRGGHH!!
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Post by knightimmortal » Tue Apr 29, 2003 8:21 pm

I am guessing that they did the best they could do, it wasn't dead on accurate, but they did try to appease the fans, by getting it done fast. Run a search on the game, and you will find conversations with the game makers, explaining their actions.

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Post by msKEN » Tue Apr 29, 2003 11:29 pm

No excuse for using a 1991 Trans Am and Marks Custom Kit as a source for the model. :roll: Davilex just sucks. With all there other so called games getting such bad reviews as little as one star to no star I was surprised to see this one got 3 stars. They didn't even really make new levels for this game, alot of the buildings/textures and stuff are just recycled from there previous game. While I hate the idea of the game being pirtaed, I don't understand why anyone would... lol

I'm not at all trying to say what I'm doing will be better, most likely it wont, and I'll catch an even worse review, seeing as I have no budget myself, I would have a least done the game completely diffreantly from the get go had I had the liceanse, and still a very limited budget.

Thats just me though. :?
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Post by Naitch » Wed Apr 30, 2003 2:00 am

Hey, I turned in a couple of games, including X2-Wolverine's Revenge, jsut to get that game. The graphics are fine, but KITT handles like s***.

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Post by Sith » Wed Apr 30, 2003 8:08 am

Yup, as Ken said, they used the same engine from their game London Racer 2.

And stuck a poor looking Trans Am in it, and hoped it would sell the Knight Rider game.

The fact Davilex is no longer producing games underlines what a mistake that was.

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KITT From Knight Rider the game

Post by KI Three Thousand » Thu May 01, 2003 8:55 pm

Ok I'm going to take KITT from this game pice by pice
-Ok I'm a strictler for detail. Why you ask I'm planing on building my own KITT but it will be the first one to meet and exceed all road regulations. So I even look at the fog lights air wing steering wheel it all!-

T.V. Show KITT
Fog Light KITT average fog light count is 2 on each side to 3 on each side in some cases they are blacked out

Body shape
KITT main tains a prity standerd shape

Airo wing
KITT is mostly expted with this pice even tho apon closer inspection in some seens KITT is minus this pice hard to spot but it is true

Rear view mirrior
Night of the phinox only "Suspect removel practice parking into semi caused them to be accedently riped off but was never replaced"

Davlix game KITT
KITT has several various KITTs. In game When I installed it into my PC. I started the game the KITT on the main options screen had 2 fog lights on each side a mid paint reflection. But after turning up the game play detail and graphics the main menu KITT and in game KITT had a better paint reflection and 3 Fog lights on each side plus a better model was used so I thank the movie KTT is a near to max options KITT model.

Handling
Acording to Davilex the TV show KITT handling was just to hard to beleave so they chose to mis KITT's show handling with that of a real trans-AM and try to accurtly make a realestic KITT car.

Rear tail-light
What the back of KITT isn't blacked out well according to Davilex they did mack it orginily blacked out but they wanted to give us some thing more intresting to look at.

Ground Effects
Ok to explain it I play my game with almost every thing turned up I got em on lower settings the game takes em away.

Confirmed devices
Oil slick "Not in KR the game"
smoke screen "Not in KR the Game"
Ski mode "In KR the game"
Normal Pursuit "Not in KR the game"
Micro wave jammer "In KR the game"
Scanner "In KR the game"
SPM "In KR the game"
EBS "Not in KR the Game"
Laser "Not in KR the Game"

I hope this rather long and draged out post helps.

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Re: KITT From Knight Rider the game

Post by msKEN » Thu May 01, 2003 10:32 pm

KI Three Thousand wrote:Ok I'm going to take KITT from this game pice by pice

Davlix game KITT
KITT has several various KITTs. In game When I installed it into my PC. I started the game the KITT on the main options screen had 2 fog lights on each side a mid paint reflection. But after turning up the game play detail and graphics the main menu KITT and in game KITT had a better paint reflection and 3 Fog lights on each side plus a better model was used so I thank the movie KTT is a near to max options KITT model.

Handling
Acording to Davilex the TV show KITT handling was just to hard to beleave so they chose to mis KITT's show handling with that of a real trans-AM and try to accurtly make a realestic KITT car.
You must understand how video games work in order to understand why the above things you listed are happening. First of all there is only one model of KITT being used in the game. The one in game, and the one on the menu are in fact the same model, you can find the model files in your data directory on your hard drive from when you installed the game.

Second. 3 to 2 fog lights from changing settings. This is called a crappy video card. Your video card is using a 256X256 Image to "skin" kitt. In low res mode because that's its limits in low settings, a "skin" is the image that's placed over a 3d model to give it a "texture" or a special look. So when you are in high res mode it uses a 512X512 image or even higher which allows the artist more room for more detail hence the better reflections, and extra fog light. Lets look at my KARR model for an example of what a skin is quick:

Not Skinned:
Image

Skinned:
Image

Third, your reflections are a feature called Environment Mapping. It gives the appearance that your surroundings are in fact reflecting in KITT's paint, what that is, is simply a screen shot of the level being wrapped around kitt and moving on its x,y, and, z axis to simulate movement. If you look closely you can even see Davilex never even took the time to make a proper environment map, in fact at times you can even see "KITT" himself in the reflections, now explain to be me how that's physically possible... lol Again the reason this improves is your jumping from a media file that's 256, to 512, which allows more detail.

Fourth. My ground effects don't disappear in any setting changes. Most likely they are changing in yours because a flag on your video card is telling the game to render kitt with less polygons. This called a smoothing group. Davilex most likely had model "parts" as I do, the windows, the wheels, the body, the seats, the mirrors, and headlights are all parts. If a user selects lower settings I can so choose as to what polygons should just be ignored like headlights, or even windows. It allows your computer to run faster. So in your case the engine just may not be rendering the ground effects because you picked a lower setting. But again, my copy of the game does not do this....

Fifth, in my opinion if my Trans Am handled "ANYTHING" remotely like the car in the game did, I would have traded/soled it for something else by now. lol. Trans Am's are mostly known for their great handling. Road and Track even emphasizes on it alot. (except in cold weather or rain we all know they suck, lol but then again this is a summer car to begin with.) Again in my opinion I don't think Davilex even really knew how a trans am handled to begin with, they most likely took the standard corvette handling physics from the Havoc Physics SDK (which handles nothing like a corvette by the way) and applied them to their KITT model, made a few changes, and recycled everything else from there previous titles.

Just my two cents on that bit. This game came as a huge disapointment. KnightDriver and I are on a lan here and we both managed to beat it in the same day on the hardest setting. And he doesn't even play video games. lol that's saying a lot for it.
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I do understand I was saying it in lamens term

Post by KI Three Thousand » Thu May 01, 2003 10:54 pm

I do understand models texturs I made ships for Bridge Commander I was saying it in lames so some one who don't under stand wont go what are you talking about KI 3000 so it was a littile bit under dermatic but that is called detail on a post WOW bravo ok one more point the model doe's change slightly with each diffrent setting if you want an exact representation from the movie clips in KR the game play with your option settings but it'll lag low end computers it it's too high.

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Post by knightimmortal » Thu May 01, 2003 10:56 pm

um, no offense, but even your laymen's terms are pretty hard to understand because of your sentence structure.

KI

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Post by aussieknight » Thu May 01, 2003 11:31 pm

You're not wrong, KI. Perhaps our friend's full stop and comma buttons are faulty? msKEN, nice pics. I have checked out youre site before, and was wanting to ask why you have seemingly highlighted the under-headlamp cut-outs/indicator panels (or whatever they are called) KITT's (and KARR's) were both body coloured, ie black. I also would like to see the nose slightly more pointed. Not that I'm complaining, mind. Your models are great. But don't go too far in the Marks Custom Kits direction. His KITT noses are waaaayy too pointy. Just a suggestion.
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K-Board aint bad

Post by KI Three Thousand » Thu May 01, 2003 11:43 pm

Late at night, posting on three boards at once and trying to due two to three things at once and geting buged and botherd by some one who sneacks up to me and whispers in my ear. All equills bad posting. Oh plus I was working on a FAQ for another board at the same time.

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Post by Army_F_Body » Thu May 01, 2003 11:47 pm

Nice Karr model MSKen :D . That is totally more accurate than the Davilex game model. Thanks for putting in the air extractors, the vent thingies on the side of the car, that's a big gripe of mine. My big complaint is if you play Gran Turismo 3 and look at the Z-28 or SS Camaro, it is IDENTICAL to the real production one. So I'm saying total realism could have been achieved on the Davilex game. I've been wanting to race a 3rd gen T/A forever in a video game and thought this game could deliver. Even the Camaro on GT3 handles better than the Davilex Kitt. The bottom line I think is that this game could have been achieved on the PS1 or N64, so the people who ran out and purchased a PS2 to play an awesome "next gen" KR game, like I did, have a little right to be peeved, especially since it might not see the light of day in the US. Thank god Konami is releasing a new Castlevania for PS2 later this year or else I'd have a nice new paper weight! As for delivering a product fast to us, we've be waiting over 10 years for another KR game, and personally I would want to wait longer if it meant getting a supperior product. Just because KR games are rare doesn't mean we deserve total crap and should just accept it :evil:
KITT project is on again!

Currently working on: brand new stock tan interior, almost done!

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I don't mean to make any one mad or any thing

Post by KI Three Thousand » Thu May 01, 2003 11:59 pm

I'm not to nuts about the night Rider game by DAVILEX. But if you have a good high end machine and turn up the options related to the look of the game and look realy hard, where the ground effects are they are there. It's just really dark in that spot and hard to see. :evil: And I hope some moder. Will find away to replace the KITT in this game with a more true to KITT car and may be make some new missions. Hint, Hint

Knight Rider game scoring by me
Time bases: I assume this game is in the midle of the last KR EP and pre KR 2000
Score there: 5 out of 10

KITT Car : Nice and orignal
Score there: 7 out of 10 (Wild about it at start but not as cool as the real KITT)

Missions: Gets repet a lot reace or chase
(Could of made some missions where MR. Knight Leaves KITT and gets into fist fights like off of TV)
Score: 3 out of 10

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Re: K-Board aint bad

Post by knightimmortal » Fri May 02, 2003 12:00 am

KI Three Thousand wrote:Late at night, posting on three boards at once and trying to due two to three things at once and geting buged and botherd by some one who sneacks up to me and whispers in my ear. All equills bad posting. Oh plus I was working on a FAQ for another board at the same time.
Nobody said you HAVE to do all that at once, and not to mention, there are people on this board who are doing three times more than that and still posting so that others can understand them.

We can accept it until the excuses and attitudes enter the equation, then that type of posting will get received a little differently.

And one other thing, we still frown upon adjustments and such that are in violation of certain copyrights, this includes 'creating another car and new missions' independently for the game.

Besides, why would you want to, while others are willing to start again?

KI

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Uh not to be a bother or any thing?

Post by KI Three Thousand » Fri May 02, 2003 12:17 am

What does this line mean
Besides, why would you want to, while others are willing to start again?

I didn't mean it in a bad way. I was just trying to explain my bad posting. At the time notice my posts are a lot clearer now that. I have time to proff read.
Last edited by KI Three Thousand on Fri May 02, 2003 12:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by knightimmortal » Fri May 02, 2003 12:19 am

MSKen is willing to start again on a new KR game as we have seen in other threads, including this one. He is a game designer, and there are others who are willing to try it at least as a hobby.

KI

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Oh Thank you for clearing that up.

Post by KI Three Thousand » Fri May 02, 2003 12:21 am

Oh Thank you for clearing that up.
I would help but sadly can't afford to fork out the money for the program can't even afford a new netearth card.
I still like your posting name better then mine.

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Re: I do understand I was saying it in lamens term

Post by msKEN » Fri May 02, 2003 12:31 am

KI Three Thousand wrote:I do understand models texturs I made ships for Bridge Commander I was saying it in lames so some one who don't under stand wont go what are you talking about KI 3000 so it was a littile bit under dermatic but that is called detail on a post WOW bravo ok one more point the model doe's change slightly with each diffrent setting if you want an exact representation from the movie clips in KR the game play with your option settings but it'll lag low end computers it it's too high.
Isn't that what I said above? Depending on your video card, the polygon parts of the "car model" DO NOT SHOW so your graphics card can render the car faster? Ok so maybe I didn't spell it out as well as you did, I'm sorry. Wow that $40,000 major in multimedia design bites me in the ass yet again! Thanks!

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Re: Uh not to be a bother or any thing?

Post by aussieknight » Fri May 02, 2003 12:41 am

KI Three Thousand wrote: I didn't mean it in a bad way. I was just trying to explain my bad posting. At the time notice my posts are a lot clearer now that. I have time to proff read.
Well that clears it all up for me. Anyone else? :D
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Post by whet » Mon May 05, 2003 8:16 pm

Re; back to the Davilex.
I think they did a good job, ok it's to short, but we all know that by now it's been done to death.
I am just glad someone has done a game.
P.S. anyone have any info on how the game has sold, has it been successful where it has been so far released?

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