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Things an office would have

By on July 10, 2007 4:44:38 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
This is going to seem pretty random, but I need some things you would find in an office from the date 1990 - modern day.
Everything from ceiling types, to things the size of staplers and small will work.

I need this information on a game I'm about to mod within 1-2 weeks, called Penumbra Overture. It's probably one of the scarier horror games out there.

In penumbra And my mod, there are NO guns. There are NO zombies. There are NO people. Instead of taking a shotgun out to kill an enemy, you use the environment to hide from it, or to hurt it (occasionally kill it)

The game's setting is based in an office style.
Your answers will greatly influence and improve my mod, so Please Be Mature.
+3 Karma | 17 Replies
July 10, 2007 5:36:26 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Cubicles, computers, fax machines, writing utensils. Why don't you know the size of staplers? The ceiling might be the kind made of Styrofoam blocks (you know, they're usually mostly white and they rest on a plastic grid, you could push them up if you wanted to. Like the ceiling where in that commercial the brothers are throwing pens and pencils at the ceiling so they stick there). Why don't you go visit some kind of office building somewhere? (lol my dad used to work at Digital/ Compac so I know what offices look like).
July 10, 2007 6:08:29 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
haha, I'm only 15 so I'm not going to go to an office (the only thing that could resemble an office in my town is the bank)
I already know alot of things that would go into an office, but I'm obviously not getting most of them.
I orignally thought about the ceiling grid, but being able to push them up might push the engine's limits. The engine uses incredibly precise physics, so even 20 of those ceiling blocks sitting on the grid would stress the engine.
July 10, 2007 6:21:37 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
why don't you, since you're 15 and probably on vacation. Write a letter of intent to a company that may have an office. Ask them if they may let you in. Take a piece of paper, write down what you see, and take a camera and take pictures. Most game artists will do research like that before starting anything...

just a thought
July 10, 2007 7:05:01 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
I orignally thought about the ceiling grid, but being able to push them up might push the engine's limits. The engine uses incredibly precise physics, so even 20 of those ceiling blocks sitting on the grid would stress the engine.


Just texture the ceiling so it looks like one of those, not so you can actually move everything! I use hammer to make maps for stuff (but hammer makes maps for stuff using Valve's Source engine, so only games run by that engine can use it).
July 10, 2007 7:51:07 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
lol, I know. Once I figure out how to, I'm going to make a bump map so it makes the ceiling look really detailed.
(bump map = a texture that makes a simple surface react with light, making it look extremely detailed because it casts shadows, difficult to explain actually)

This mod is going to be kept pretty simple. I've done alittle bit of research (such as what scares people mainly, small little surveys on several forums, ect) and this is one of the last things I need to know before I actually start creating the objects.
July 11, 2007 8:55:20 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Thanks for the replies so far.
July 11, 2007 9:30:54 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
yes ur right about those wired roof tile things and im only 15 but im doing my work xp in an office(lucky for u)????u have those wheel chairs u know computer 1s also u have nice big windows and those over head lights that are like huny comb plastic covers over them. filing cabinets miniwall like things inbetween each desk that are made of like some kind of fabric and u put pins in emm to hold paper up. boxes filled with paper. fire exit signs all over the place. coat rails. few fans and stuf. Guess where i am while writing this cos theres nothing better to do.... at work lol
July 11, 2007 10:34:34 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Something that floats, just in case that end of the world flood comes while your working.
July 12, 2007 12:15:17 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Haha, it's Windexglow, I see. This is TheCollective15 from the Frictional Games forum. Interesting, being that I was 15 only about...25 hours ago, lol.

In a generic 1990s-modern day office there would be sharpies, markers/dry-erase boards (ranging from four sq.ft. to massive wall-mounted sets), sticky/post-it notes, tape, pens/pencils, highlighters, hole punchers (either bar-shaped or ergonomically-designed, with a protruding handle on the top), plenty of computers (with LCD monitors, likely 15-19 inches diagonal), small speakers, numerous wires, printers (ranging from little personal ones to the massive 500 lb sets for an entire level), fax machines (likely personal-sized), maybe a projector (either mounted on a wall/ceiling or just sitting on a table), some sort of an intercom system, fire alarms/sprinklers, a water jug (one of those with the disposable cups, and the large canister of water on top), clipboards, roller chairs (small ones for the workers, big, comfy one for the boss ), cubicle warfare toys (like little rubber guns or those fighting robots, for geeky workers in their freetime)...this depends on what type of office you are trying to make...if you're thinking of generic Penumbra-creepy-style-office, then I assume you'd tend to keep away from "happy items" (such as the aforementioned cubicle warfare toys), but if you're going to make a Google/Valve-styled office, you should probably look at some pictures under the appropriate image search...

Well, guess I'll hear what this mod will be about sometime later in the Penumbra forums...
July 12, 2007 1:05:03 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Dorky mousepads, 'yellow' computer hardware, dusty rose/ dusty turqoise colored carpets,dividers,and chairs ; 'honey' stained oak furniture. Hope this helps
July 12, 2007 1:55:08 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Here's just a general outline for the story (I accidently deleted most of the notes, so I'm doing this all by head )
-In 1960, a new radio wave was discovered. There appeared nothing special about it, so research discontinued in 1962
-In 1969, a group of scientists reviewed the original test results, and discovered that the offspring of tested animals had a higher chance for mutations than other animals. Along with that.
-Testing re continued in 1969, and several months later with testing on mice, they concluded that the radio waves were doing something to animals; not only did the animals have more aggressive behavior, there offspring would have a much higher chance of small mutations.
-Company was shut down due to needing uranium for producing radio waves in 1970
-In 1972, the company started back up secretly. They had their base of operations somewhere in northern Greenland, and started a research and design for arctic environments in order to hide what they were really doing.
-In 1974, it was concluded that this radio wave greatly sped up the animal's evolution speed. Though this appeared to be completely random, 3 test results having the exact same exposer time would grow distinct body changes compared to the others.
-In 1984, it was concluded that the radio wave effected the area of the brain where genetics were kept (I need to do research on where genetics are kept in the brain) and greatly sped up the animal's rate of evolution.
-In 1988, a process was discovered that increased the power of the wave greatly. Things an animal might show after 5 years of waving could show up in 1 year. This sparked an immense rise in testing.
-In 1995, they un-officially named a new animal (they could not officially name it due to being illegal). They had successfully evolved an animal so much, that it did not resemble it's family shape.
-In 1999, authorities knew something was going on there. They suspected illegal skinning because of the large amount of animal food that went to the base, but never left. The authorities sent several spies to work at the factory and report if they saw anything.
-In 2000 Philip's mother dies.
-In 2000 all hell breaks loose at the place.


I don't want to give too much away, but that's a VERY rough time line sketch. When I say mutatations, I'm talking about things like your hair being different from your parents in an unlikely case/impossible case. I'm not talking about growing another head.


I am trying to keep the storyline 'realistic'. The radio wave takes years to show any noticeable different.

July 12, 2007 4:49:56 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
lol brainiac
July 12, 2007 8:52:34 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
haha, this story is just one of those cheesy movie-scripts where where radiation mutates things into monsters. I'm just making it take a long time effects D:
July 12, 2007 12:43:56 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
haha, this story is just one of those cheesy movie-scripts where where radiation mutates things into monsters. I'm just making it take a long time effects


I'm not too familiar with radio waves, but I don't believe there is one part of the brain that controls "genetics"...now, maybe certain chemicals are released to impact growth of the organism, behavior, basic things like that, but from my understanding radiation can impact the growth of certain genes in life...whenever genes are kept from bonding, or something "wrong" occurs during the process, the animal mutates, in ways big or small.

Hm...this sounds like a suspicious story concerning the wolves in Penumbra, but then again, maybe it has to do with that creepy picture of the incomplete "monster" that never made it into the 2006 tech demo...gr, I still want that patch to be released!

Also, consider modems, pencil jars, telephones (cordless or with cords), plenty of folders, and a wall clock or two.
July 12, 2007 2:39:36 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Btw, for some reason I can't find the original monster. What file is it in the tech demo? I've found a corpse picture (no body though, and it doesn't fit the man from Overture) but haven't found a single body.

I want to get The Roach and that monster-man from the tech demo into Overture. I need to go and pick through those folders one by one, I think dark talked about one a few months ago.
July 12, 2007 6:23:57 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
I wouldn't know, best to ask one of the developers on the Frictional Games forum...I only play Penumbra, I don't mod it. lol.
July 12, 2007 10:48:42 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
There isnt any part of the brain further discovered that controls genetics. Each cell has the same genetics, or slightly different due to the malfunction of the meoisis process , this is what causes mutations.

Now there is a part of the brain that controls metabolisms, including the rate of reproduction and the chance of differances and mutations in pregnancy, as well as during a life time.
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