Well, I had some news and... my contact is trying to contact somebody who knows how to access the level editor, but the guy is a pain in the ass to contact... Will it ever end ? ^^ Anyway, there is still hope but I'll have to wait... again... sigh... :(

Hmmm, it takes a little while, but why not...

I found this document : http://www.childrenyouthandmediacentre.co.uk/Pics/CarrFilmTheThing.pdf An interesting read on the way the game was designed.

I'm still very much interested in getting my hands on the editor. My own engine programming is entering the stage of designing indoor-level mechanics (like BSP trees, portal decomposition, etc.). It would be much easier to get my hands on complete 3D editing software specifically designed for game levels.

Diarmid works for the Eye Toy Tech group of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe - London Studio. I'd bet it would be his name then whatever that company uses like @sonyuk.com or @sony.com for emails or Diarmid.Campbell@sony.com something like that if he is still there. As for the original source code and data files VUG games owns that stuff if they even still have it. I really doubt it. And there was an editor but it was so long ago I doubt anybody would have it. Unless Diarmid is cool like that and saves his goods. I don't know I only knew the guy for a short time when we were making the game.

Seems like the mail for sony employees in europe is @scee.net... I'll try it.

No news for the moment.

That document is a nice find, Gary. Good job. Good luck on figuring this all out guys. You might also try getting in touch with Ian Stevens who was my contact at VUG. Ian now, or at least did, work at Activision. IStevens@activision.com

Thanks Cam, I'll try to contact this person too. :)

One of the developers just answered me in a very kind mail. He also remembers Outpost 31 ! :D About the engine, he has to check on a hard drive with a connection pin broken... Well, who knows ? I guess I won't be posting anymore except if I finally get the game engine. But I'm impressed by the way the people from CA answered me and are willing to help. :)

Well, that's encouraging. I still have my fingers crossed. It'd be a nice Christmas present to have full access to the game's editor and/or engine. :D

Well, the whole issue of getting The Thing 3-D editor may be moot for me. Over Thanksgiving I was able to get my engine to read in mesh files created using my licensed copy of Maya. Now I have all the 3-D editing tools that I could ever want. Furthermore, my home-made BSP tree routine is working perfectly for every 3-D geometry I've fed into the engine. The engine knows when anything is hitting walls, ceilings, floors, etc., and it does so at lightning speed. Now I'm working on a home-made version of sector-and-portal rendering. Hope to finish it before Christmas time comes. After that will come work on a physics engine. Then finally I can begin work on the actual graphics (textures, vertex & pixel shaders, etc.).

Ok, best of luck to your project AnRkyst. I'm still waiting for the developer's answer and I hope it'll be ok. You'll probably better work on your own as theses things take time and could very well never get us the Thing engine. I'll still wait for it though as I'd love to build simple levels for this game with some of the ideas I've already discussed here.

Maybe we'll have some new stuff this week. :D

Hey guys, I'm fairly new here, so here me out. Although I know nothing about programming, once you guys start getting things in place, I would be more than happy to work with you guys or others from our site to develop a storyline. I haven't submitted any fanfiction or anything really, writing is my passion and definately my most skilled of areas, and I would love to put it to use working for you guys. So let me know! Keep it up!