InkyBlackness

InkyBlackness is an open-source project for creating modding tools for System Shock (1994 and compatible)^[1].

The main products of this project are:

HackEd, a graphical editor for level editing and modding
ss-specs, the unofficial System Shock specifications^[2]

InkyBlackness was created by an ex-member, named "firefreak", of the The System Shock Hack Project^[3], under the new handle of "dertseha"^[4].

InkyBlackness started as a hobby project to tinker with the resource files. The first publicly available homepage of the project in 2015 stated:

The current focus is on the data files and the capability to properly load and save them^[5]

later this became refined to the current statement:

InkyBlackness is an open-source project for creating modding tools for System Shock (1994 and compatible). Any useful by-products are happily created, and not the main goal otherwise.^[1]

Products of InkyBlackness[]

ss-specs[]

ss-specs was one of the first repositories to be publicly maintained by InkyBlackness, which was intended as a replacement and updated version of the original ss-specs document from TSSHP^[6].

The repository achieved obsolescence of the original specifications on 19th of March, 2016^[7].

Since the release of the source code of the original game in 2018^[8], the specifications are continuously refined, corrected, and extended to match the actual names as they were represented in the code.

Deck package[]

deck package is the first set of editing tools from InkyBlackness that allowed to modify the resources, and included a first graphical editor. First preview release was on March 26, 2016^[9], and release of version 1.0.0 was on August 19, 2017^[10]. This set of tools became obsolete with the release of HackEd, as it incorporated all the necessary details into one graphical editor^[11].

The tools of deck package were used in tandem to verify and/or update the specifications (ss-specs) through reverse engineering of the resource files before the source release.

The fan mission System Shock: ReWired, reported as first fan mission for the game, was created with this toolset^[12]^[13].

HackEd[]

HackEd was created shortly after the source code release of the original game. Reasons for starting with a fresh editor were a bad codebase within deck package, a limiting UI library, as well as the new realizations as per the source code release^[14].

Release of version 1.0.0 was on July 28, 2018^[15] and has since received irregular updates^[16].

Notable fan missions and add-ons created with InkyBlackness[]

Cortex Reaver Challenge, released May 8, 2017^[17]
System Shock: ReWired, released 2018^[18]
System Shock: Ruby Station, released December 23, 2018^[19]
Lazarus Decλy
System Shock: Female Hacker, released April 21, 2020^[20]
3rd's SS1 Mods
System Shock: ReWired 2, (coming soon)
Citadel Variety Pack
Gamma Grove (Mod)
Cut Content Restored and Female Pronouns for SHODAN in logs and Emails
New Atlanta (Mod), (coming soon)

Gallery[]

External Links[]

Homepage: https://inkyblackness.github.io/
Release thread, primarily used for HackEd: https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=9515

References[]

Media
Games	System Shock ( Classic • Enhanced Edition • Remake ) • System Shock 2 ( 25th Anniversary Remaster • Remake ) • System Shock 3 • System Shock Pinball (Pinball M/FX) Cancelled Games: System Shock (Telltale Game)
Downloadable Content	System Shock Goodie Pack
Shows and Movies	System Shock (Show)
Books and Comics	Manuals: System Shock: Terminal Access • System Shock 2 Manual • System Shock: TriOptimum New Employee Technical Manual Strategy Guides: System Shock: Strategies & Secrets • System Shock I.C.E. Breaker • System Shock 2: Prima's Official Strategy Guide Art Books: The Art of System Shock Other: System Shock 2 Short Story
Music	Official: System Shock Soundtrack • System Shock 2 Soundtrack • System Shock (Remake) Soundtrack Fan Made: Citadel • System Shock Arranged
Merchandise	T-Shirts
Mods	System Shock (Original): System Shock Portable • Citadel (Fan Remake) • Shockolate • Cortex Reaver Challenge • System Shock: ReWired • System Shock: Rewired 2 • System Shock: Ruby Station • Lazarus Decλy • Derelict System Shock (Remake): Music Fix and Revamp System Shock 2: Shocking Ruins • Ponterbee Station • UNN Nightwalker • UNN Polaris • Urlaub (Have a Nice Holiday!) • System Shock Infinite • Blind Disposition • SHTUP SHock Texture Upgrade Project • System Shock 2 Community Patch (SCP) Other Games: System Shock: Into The Flood Again (Half-Life Mod)
Other Media	HackEd • InkyBlackness • ShockEd • Music Mod Tool

[:0-1] 1.0 ^1.1 https://inkyblackness.github.io/

[2] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/ss-specs

[3] ttp://tsshp.sourceforge.net/devteam.html

[4] ttps://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=10092.msg120907#msg120907

[5] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/inkyblackness.github.io/commit/151ffb62c83604d014f8e591e7380142979ad4a7

[6] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/ss-specs

[7] ttp://tsshp.sourceforge.net/oldnews.html

[8] ttps://github.com/NightDive-Studio/shockmac/commit/2f8062833f12de86ecbfa3f560cb9467b9725e48

[9] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/deck/releases/tag/v0.1.0

[10] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/deck/releases/tag/v1.0.0

[11] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/deck/releases/tag/v1.3.2

[12] ttps://www.twitch.tv/videos/263245262?filter=all&sort=time

[13] ttps://www.twitch.tv/videos/263244929?filter=all&sort=time

[14] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/hacked/releases/tag/v0.1.0

[15] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/hacked/releases/tag/v1.0.0

[16] ttps://github.com/inkyblackness/hacked/releases

[17] ttps://www.moddb.com/games/system-shock/addons/cortex-reaver-challenge

[18] ttps://www.moddb.com/mods/sshockrewired

[19] ttps://www.moddb.com/mods/system-shock-ruby-station/downloads/rubystation1

[20] ttps://www.moddb.com/mods/system-shock-female-hacker

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