Someone had to finish it. Global mod update!
The Xbox version, considered by many fans to be a cult classic, is now available on PC with fully recreated cutscenes, Netricsa, skeletal animation, improved textures, interface, and graphic effects. Everything you loved has been preserved and supplemented with support for current aspect ratios and resolutions. Add to that bug fixes and advanced settings, and you get to enjoy the mod you've always dreamed of.
Changes and innovations:
Cutscenes:
Complete remaster of all Serious Sam XBOX cutscenes using the game engine: dozens of new models have been recreated, along with the necessary animations and music tracks.
Each scene has been recreated with maximum accuracy, including small details and effects.
Animations:
Transition from morph (vertex) animation to skeletal animation for the player, weapons, and some enemies.
Added the missing “DeathRun” animation for Cucurbito.
Improved the burning fuse effect for the Serious Bomb.
Added a hand-withdrawal animation when using the Serious Bomb.
NETRICSA:
The in-game entries from the XBOX version has been completely recreated, including information about enemies, weapons, and levels.
A system for calculating points and bonuses at the end of the level has been implemented, identical to the original version.
A loading screen in the style of the XBOX version has been added, where you can read information about the current level. Starting the level requires pressing a key (can be disabled in the settings).
Bonus messages have been added, which appear after cutscenes and reveal additional lore.
Added the ability to rotate models in Netricsa with the mouse to get a better look at them.
Interface:
HUD textures, fonts, and icons have been redrawn in high resolution.
Added support for modern screen aspect ratios (16:9, 21:9).
Pause and save indicators have been updated to look identical to the original XBOX version.
Main menu fonts have been redesigned for increased clarity.
A magazine indicator has been added to the weapon list, similar to the one in Serious Sam 2.
The animation for the respawn timer has been made smoother.
Levels:
SE levels have been completely polished: graphical bugs have been fixed, shadow clarity has been improved, and model lighting issues have been fixed.
Issues that broke gameplay or could cause crashes have been fixed.
The missing level “Gilgamesh's Courtyards” has been recreated.
In the Hatshepsut level, the treasure bag no longer falls into the ground, which made it impossible to collect all the treasures.
In Sacred Yards, the incorrect statue (Sphinx instead of Golden Amun) has been replaced.
Effects:
Added weapon inertia effect, which can be disabled in settings.
Improved PowerUp visual effects: added new particles.
Customization:
Added options for configuring arcade elements: enable or disable save booths, number of points for extra lives, and bonus system.
Violence settings: amount of blood, time for bodies to disappear, and other settings when enemies die.
Added enemy multiplier to increase difficulty or create chaos.
Stability:
Crashes when loading saves have been fixed.
Compatibility:
Added support for the fan patch Classics Patch by Dreamy Cecil.
Cyrillic support:
Fonts now fully support Cyrillic characters, allowing you to play maps in Russian.
Frequently asked questions:
Is Russian supported?
Yes - the Russian localization can be downloaded from the link. This is a basic translation based on the canonical localizations of TSE and TFE. Text only. If you want to improve or refine this translation, we would be delighted. How to install? Unzip the contents of the archive into the mod folder.
How do I assign Favorite Weapon (the ability to bind up to 2 weapons to hotkeys) when playing on a gamepad with Classics Patch?
Download a small fix from Kw35y. Unzip the archive into the Mods folder, then in the control preset settings, select the preset for the controller with the XBOX suffix.
Where are the mod settings?
In the Single Player → Game Options section (arcade gameplay, violence settings) and Options → Advanced Options → Serious Sam: XBOX Mod Settings (auto-aim, HUD, NETRICSA, and effects).
Which Graphics API should I use: Direct3D or OpenGL?
The mod only works correctly with OpenGL, so this Graphics API is used by default.
Is multiplayer supported?
This update is intended for single-player only. Minimal work has been done on multiplayer, and its functionality has hardly been tested. A multiplayer update may be considered if there is demand from the community. You can try playing in multiplayer, but stability is not guaranteed.
Can I play custom maps, for example, from contests?
Yes, you can. To do this, you need to open the map in the mod editor and resave it. After that, it will be compatible. If you are playing with the Classics Patch, it's even easier - just type the command sam_iWorldConverter = 0 into the console, and then the custom maps will run correctly.
Is the mod compatible with the Classics Patch?
Yes, the mod is optimized to work with the Classics Patch. I (ZIM) contacted the patch author (Dreamy Cecil) to consult on integration. The following features work correctly with this patch:
- joystick control, including Netrix;
- support for ultra-wide monitors (21:9);
- adapted HUD that displays correctly at any resolution.
Is this the final version of the mod? Has everything that was planned been added to the mod?
No, this is not the final version. The mod implements many features, but due to time constraints, we were unable to finish some elements and postponed the implementation of others. For example, creating one complex cutscene could take a month of work in our spare time. In order to release the mod within a reasonable time frame, we had to leave some aspects less polished and abandon some ideas.
What about the intro cutscene at the beginning of the game?
At the time of writing, the cutscene was 60% complete, so a shortened version has been added to the final version. The full version will be added in a future update. All other cutscenes in the game are included in their entirety.
If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask me (ZIM) in PM, in the comments, or in the community. Thank you for your interest in the mod!
Installation:
To install the mod, extract the contents of the archive (the SeriousSamXbox folder, SeriousSamXbox.des, and SeriousSamXboxTbn.tex) into the “Mods” folder of your Serious Sam: The Second Encounter installation. The mod is for game version 1.07; however, Classics Patch is also supported, the mod will run on this patch and is optimized to work with it. If you have a previous version of the XBOX mod (v0.765 unfinished) installed, it is recommended that you uninstall the old version before installing the new one. When you first launch the mod, run the add-on Options → Execute Addon → GFX: Extreme Quality for all effects to work correctly.
Mod creators:
Chief ideologist of this miracle: ZIM
Programming: ZIM
Cutscenes on the engine: CR!STALLL, Mindbreak, ZIM, Mr.OgurchickT_T
Model creation: CR!STALLL, Mindbreak, Alfeos
Music remastering: MadCat, ZIM
Animations: Croteam, Alfeos, CR!STALLL, Mindbreak
Textures: ZIM, Omletus
Mod testing: Caligula, MuxaDX
Special thanks: SeriousAlexej, Ar2R-devil-PiNKy, Hitrowski, Nikc75, Dreamy Cecil, Art-Serious
Polishing and release: ZIM