Forking the client for a single player game platform.
Yesterday I've got sick, I think I have some form of flu, and after sleeping for almost 18 hours, I feel slightly better, but still not good enough to code.
However, I am taking the opportunity to work on something else, that, for the time being, does not involve coding.
I wanted to do this for at least 1 year, but I've waited for the right time. And I think now is a good time as any.
What I want to do is split the EL client, and remove all the EL stuff from it (GUI, client/server communication) and embed the Pawn (former Small) scripting language, in order to allow people to make their own games.
While our engine is not as good as the commercial engines out there, I believe that the quality of a game is not given only by its visuals, but by it's story and playability.
For example, Ultima 7 is still a great game, even though it was written almost 14 years ago.
Fallout 1&2 are also great games, and some people still play them.
This is exactly why I am starting this project. Hopefully, if I manage to finish it, the result would be an engine where people with not so much programming experience can make their own games, with as much effort as making a mod of a commercial game.
I have not yet decided on a license for this engine, but it will be some pretty liberal license. Maybe BSD, but I am not sure yet.
Our artwork will not be available, as we want to keep some unique feel to EL, but the tools to make your own artwork will be provided.
If you are interested in this project, please let me know.
However, I am taking the opportunity to work on something else, that, for the time being, does not involve coding.
I wanted to do this for at least 1 year, but I've waited for the right time. And I think now is a good time as any.
What I want to do is split the EL client, and remove all the EL stuff from it (GUI, client/server communication) and embed the Pawn (former Small) scripting language, in order to allow people to make their own games.
While our engine is not as good as the commercial engines out there, I believe that the quality of a game is not given only by its visuals, but by it's story and playability.
For example, Ultima 7 is still a great game, even though it was written almost 14 years ago.
Fallout 1&2 are also great games, and some people still play them.
This is exactly why I am starting this project. Hopefully, if I manage to finish it, the result would be an engine where people with not so much programming experience can make their own games, with as much effort as making a mod of a commercial game.
I have not yet decided on a license for this engine, but it will be some pretty liberal license. Maybe BSD, but I am not sure yet.
Our artwork will not be available, as we want to keep some unique feel to EL, but the tools to make your own artwork will be provided.
If you are interested in this project, please let me know.
posted by Radu at 4:06 PM
6 Comments:
I dont want to sound rude with this comment. But as such its just a comment.
Ive always wanted to make my own little rpg game with a fallout theme to it. It sounds like a great idea i admit. But i think you should firstly consider if it will ever be used and successfully used and or completed.
One of the very common scenarios that this sort of project will run into is firstly only people from EternalLands would know about it. Or that been your first place where alot of people would find out. How much % of people would grab it and attempt at making a game but fail. Then there will be the % that know better to not work on it. Then another % (no offence) that will know its not the greatest engine and theres way more work needed on getting the basics done.
Theres also the matter of not packaging any artwork. I think if you dont produce a complete game for people to MOD, alot of users would giveup at the start. Perhaps you would get more uses from it if you package a small map and monsters and call it a mini rpg and then people can have fun modding the little things.
Saying all that, I beleive your EL project has great potential if perhaps you let the community help a bit more. Perhaps it would be a good idea to produce a sort of offline version of the game that people could modify and add quests and such that could then be added to the real server.
I just feel i wont be one of the downloaders.
Also id like to help with EL but lack the knowledge of C, i wish it was written in something like blitz.
But, great game!
I think it's a great idea. There are many free-to-use 3D engines or "3D-game-creator" tools out there, but hardly any of them have actually been used in a real game project like Eternal Lands.
And I think this might also get more people interested in EL and the developement of EL.
I plan to use it for us, I want to eventually make single players as well. So being available for others as a game creation kit will be just a bonus, sort of.
I would love to see this become reality!
I've been looking for something like what you describe. Especially if it could be run from my website BBS server for my users..
Well to my amazement free mmo's can actually pay off. I learn something new every day.
Congradulations 250,000usd seems like alot to me. was it what you were expecting to get when you first started this project?
Look at what day it is ;)
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