Both Lightning and Teh Lag are in classes now, both going for some design degrees (programming and games and such). Mithos (helped with some maps and playtesting) and Phil (the guy that helped set up and host this site) have both moved to Florida. Phil is going to college down here and Mithos is looking to start up his own indie game studio and create some game(s).

I have had an addition to my family, and it’s scary how much he looks like me. Life’s rough with a kid, but my wife is awesome with him, and I feel like I am doing okay as a dad too.

As for projects, I am currently working on my first commercial title. It’s called “Radiant Escape” and it’s a puzzle game starring a robot named Flux. It just so happens that “Stemage” from Metroid Metal is doing two tracks for the soundtrack, so that’s exciting stuff. We don’t have much to show for it right now, but we’re planning on releasing a “Proof of Concept” Demo soon that shows off the puzzle gameplay, in order to entice some financial backing and basically show off how the game works.

We solely post on our indiedb/moddb page about the game, so if you wish to follow us, feel free to do it there: http://www.indiedb.com/games/radiant-escape

Last but not least, I wanted to offer an apology to you guys. I know there are a bunch of you still out there that wanted this (Metroid Online) to come to fruition, but we just couldn’t finish it without a large user base to play it, and sadly, it just wasn’t there. Who knows what the future holds for this project? I’ve been working with a new game engine called Unity, and there’s a possibility that I might try porting some models and animations over to it. Only time will tell if that comes to be something I wish to pursue. I’m quite busy with the current stuff I have going on right now.

So that’s it from me.

Richter, if you want to work on the Metroid Online stuff in Halo, I will try my best to locate all the source files for you. Send me an email via the contact page’s address.

-Seraphim

Due to the underwhelming response from the mod (as I am sure has to do with Halo Custom Edition “dying” about 2 years ago), I am resigning. What this means for the mod is uncertain. Teh Lag is back in school, which doesn’t give him much time to work on stuff, Lightning is at college and nearly unreachable.

Whatever happens from this point is entirely up to the rest of the team. If there’s motivation behind them, then you’ll see a future release. If they are as tired as I am, you probably won’t. I can’t say either way, but life finally won me over and I’m on to future projects, working on independent and commercial games, and I am satisfied that we got this far.

See you next mission!
-Seraphim

Here’s is SonicXtreme’s Maridia video:

View the official release thread at Modacity’s forums

Or, if you are too impatient, Click here to download

Don’t know how to play this mod? Check out what you need in our INFO Section

See you in-game!
-Seraphim

Here’s what has changed since you last played the mod (or didn’t, which is okay too):

• Melee: Samus uses a beam sword .. thingy. It’s a concentrated beam of light from her beam cannon. Works on every weapon.
• Fixed HUD: No gametype icons, improved/embedded radar
• Weapon Swap System: You start with the Power Beam, you can pick up and swap out from there. Don’t want the Power Beam? No problemo! Swap it out with one of the five other Beams available. Beams do not show up when swapped, or when you are killed.
• Havoc Beam: Same ol’ insane beam we had before, but now with a shinier cannon permutation
• Spazer Beam: A close to mid-range shotgun-type beam, very versatile.
• Force Beam: Not our original concepted idea for it, but it works regardless. It’s a sniper rifle, ’nuff said.
• Super Missile Power-up: You automatically pick it up when you run over it, and it will allow you to shoot three higher-power shots. Expires and is no longer usable after it’s empty. This weapon counts as a third weapon, so you don’t have to worry about it swapping out for one of your other two.
• Beams Tracking: Tracking has been toned down a LOT for the charged up beams, so you may actually have a chance of hitting another player with one of them.
• Improved missile drop “icons”
• Beams have icons that represent themselves when you stand over them and colors that are pretty much a dead give-away to what they are.

Also, Maridia’s boost is now gone. It wouldn’t sync well, just like the problems we had with the morphball

Here is a picture of the HUD’s now fully 3d Radar, which moves with the rest of the HUD as you move in the game:

As for Maridia in general, the mod is ready, we need to run final lightmaps and we are going to do an internal test before we release a PUBLIC BETA.

Finally, I am going to be at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington on September 4-6th. I’m going to be wearing a Metroid Online shirt on Friday the 4th, so if you want to say “hi”, feel free!

Until Next Time!
-Seraphim

Sorry there’s no gameplay, but that will be shown for the release video, hopefully alongside some Phendrana footage. I’m probably going to compile a beam showcase video before then.

Until next time,
-Seraphim

PS: I finally went a whole video without using a Metroid Metal song!

Right now, we are wrapping up Maridia (I know, right? It’s crazy that it’s almost done). We decided to (unlike our RC1 betas that you may/may not have played) add in the additional beams, but with some tweaks. The Force beam is now a fully-operational sniper rifle, the Spazer beam is an insane shotgun (more mid-range, however) alternative, the Super Missile (which now randomly appears in specific spots) is a 3-shot powerup that deals major damage, and finally the Havoc beam is now decked out in the pretty model we had for the Solar Beam. We decided to go this route mainly because the other beams were too.. well, defensive. I don’t think they would have fit in well with the current beams. You’ll always start off with the Power Beam, but in total, you will be able to hold two entirely swappable (therefore customizing your strategy) beams, and up to three missiles at a time. We also have the “sword” melee implemented for each beam and it works nicely.

Lightning has been working with Phendrana, and I think we’ll finally have a build in-game soon. Magmoor is still needing some TLC before we’re ready to show it off, but I think it’ll be nice when finished. Sonic and I are working on a new video for Maridia that really shows off the map, but it’s in process. I don’t really have any new media right now, but we will QUITE soon.

-Seraphim

*or somewhat dislike it**
**or never want to talk to me again!

Leave comments!
-Seraphim

Take a look at some pictures of the map in it’s current state:

Blue side, looking towards middle.

Red side, looking towards base entrances.

Red Base, looking towards exits.

Blue base, looking towards exits.

Top floor, skylight.

Top floor, skylight again.

Bottom floor.

Bottom floor again.

Bottom of red side, looking up.

Hope you enjoyed! More from us soon!
-Seraphim

Here’s some renders he sent me:

We are currently working (Kirby mostly) on the “Gravity Boost” for Maridia. It’s so far working, but we’ll see how it does with syncing online and whatnot before we say “it’s a go”.

That’s today’s update, hope you enjoyed!
-Seraphim

I made a post on our forums yesterday, of which I didn’t really get much feedback from. I’m basically trying to find out what you the fans/players want to see. More pictures? More videos? Granted, we are still working on all the stuff we have, but I have a bunch of different means of getting content to you guys and gals, so I would like to know what specifically you’d like us to focus on. Now, that doesn’t mean your wish is of our granting, but you get the idea, I hope.

Check out that forum post here

Also, if you haven’t seen the renders of the Maridia map we are working on, here they are:

Until next time!
-Seraphim