Modacity Community Project

[neuro]

edit: fuck the poll limited itself to 5 instead of 9, could a mod change this?

READ FIRST, THEN VOTE.

this could be one of the dumbest ideas in the history of the internet, as the words 'modacity' and 'get things done' are two mutually exclusive phrases, so i'm posting this mostly to probe level of interest in something like this.

I've been brooding over an idea for a while now, and with the crowdfunding/opensource becoming more and more 'the thing', i was wondering whether or not we as a community would be able to pull something like this off.

basically my proposition to you, as a community, is to pool our collective skills (or lack thereof) and see if we can put together a game.
this community has plenty talent, coders, graphics artists, designers, concept artists, and i'm sure we all know a whole bunch of people who also have similar skills.

right now, there isn't anything concrete, like i said, this is just to probe the level of interest in the community to take up a large-ish project (but definately within the scope of what we can do) and see how far we can get in the time of one year. (or something)

ideally we'd end up with a product that isn't complete balls, and actually plays and is a decent amount of fun.

IF there is a reasonable amount of interest in undertaking something like this, i intend to start a series of votes as on what and how, and we should see about getting something basic going on, and move from there.

what i'd like you people to do is read the voting options, and consider if you'd be able to contribute something meaningful.
meaningful being art/code/concept 'ideas' aren't really meaningful at this point, since this isn't a 'MAKE MY GAME' type thing.

meaningful doesn't imply it has to be fucking awesome either, it wouldnt be much of a community project if it was restricted to the 1337s and we'd end up with maybe 5-7 people.
it's not aiming for something AAA-quality, but more something that doesn't look like ass, and at the same time plays relatively well.
at the same time, there would be a minimum bar for most things, so if you make a lovely white box resembling a gun, don't be upset if it gets replaced with something that resembles a gun more apropriately.

also consider wether or not you'd be able to actually dedicate some time to this, considering we're going to want to use a good deadline and not end up with things going on into infinity like most things that are modacity.

so yeah, vote/discuss, but try to avoid posting/discussing 'we should make this game'-type things and ideas.
that's all of later concern.

IF there's a significant amount of interest in this, i would go about finding the people who'd be most likely to contribute the most, and have the most experience in the field, and put together a design document, based on a # of public polls posted here.
when we'd have a preliminary version here, we'd have more polls and discussion and reitterate it a few times until we get something that's REASONABLE and doable, and something we think most of us would actually enjoy playing.

timing for this i'm unsure of at the moment, but i'm guessing something to happen within a month or 3. i suppose it really depends on people's schedules.

keep in mind, the #1 focus of this project would be is 'make a game' and you don't have a game, until you actually have a finished 'sellable' product.
by using that word, i should also immediately add a disclaimer, that IF we end up with a sellable product, we'll work out how and what from that point.
there's absolutely NO point in arguing about money or shares in any way until there's actually something that you CAN sell, so don't even go there.

edit:
it would be a multiplayer game, in order to be as content-efficient as possible.

[=sw=warlord]

Depending on the genre I would be interested.
As long as the project is within scope and we're not aiming for some sort of AAA thing, just something to test the waters with I'd be interested.

[PopeAK49]

I'd be interested.

But like warlord said; it depends on the genre.

[Warsaw]

I'm interested and willing to contribute concept art. Characters, weapons, vehicles...I might even be able to do environments. I'm pretty experienced in crafting fictional worlds, including the stories. I've also got some game ideas that can be thrown out onto the table if/when this gets off the ground for the potential team to vote on. I don't presently have a job :cheeseargh:, so I have plenty of time. I don't have much preference for genres, as long as it isn't something TF2/BF:H style because my brain doesn't do well at imagineering silly. That's one of the things I need to work on. @_@

However, I would only want to do it if we have a clearly outlined plan (with targets) and team structure; not interested in working on another meandering project where everybody including the team n00b gets to claim lordship over said project. I shouldn't be able to come in as a beta tester, then get magically promoted to content dude without being asked to first do something. That just earns the ire of the people who were already there, especially when the Producer and Director are indecisive about what to do (even fighting amongst themselves, no less, and trying to gain support of the underlings, splitting the team into two effective camps). The result is the new guy gets an assigned task, and the more senior people don't take it seriously and do their own thing anyways. Frustration ensues, project stalls, possibly dies, and nobody is happy.

[thehoodedsmack]

Can offer administrative, managerial services. All other fields, I've been gone too long from to offer any worthwhile support.

[rossmum]

in light of having zero artistic talent i am little more than an ideas guy, but if you're actually planning on a full-blown game you will need someone who has ideas for gameplay. any big plans for game genre yet, sp/mp, setting, etc? the success of dayz makes me think that if done properly, a stealth game where you're trying to evade other players rather than bots could be a hell of an experience...

[neuro]

i should have added that it would most likely have to be a multiplayer game, since that's simply the most content-efficient way of getting a mroe or less finished product.

[Warsaw]

The only problem I would have with multiplayer is it being another ho-hum, been-there-done-that game with a different skin. Like any good game, it needs a core feature or mechanic to give it an identity.

[thehoodedsmack]

This seems more like proof-of-ability work than an attempt to revolutionize the industry. I don't think it's a terrible tragedy if originality is sacrificed for the end result of an actual game being produced.

[neuro]

i'm sure we can come up with some creative gameplay that isn't straight up cloning an existing game.

[Donut]

this wouldnt by any chance be able to count as a game design internship, would it?

[Warsaw]

This seems more like proof-of-ability work than an attempt to revolutionize the industry. I don't think it's a terrible tragedy if originality is sacrificed for the end result of an actual game being produced.

Doesn't have to be something totally new and revolutionary to be out of the ordinary. Example, I wouldn't want to make a multiplayer game in the same vein as Unreal Tournament or Counter-Strike, but I think it would be awesome to do one where it's players on the ground FPS style vs. a commander RTS style.

[Rentafence]

I could contribute a model or two as long as I know exactly what to make.

[Nero]

I could contribute a model or two as long as I know exactly what to make.

.

[BobtheGreatII]

I'm game.

[ThePlague]

I'm interested

[neuro]

Doesn't have to be something totally new and revolutionary to be out of the ordinary. Example, I wouldn't want to make a multiplayer game in the same vein as Unreal Tournament or Counter-Strike, but I think it would be awesome to do one where it's players on the ground FPS style vs. a commander RTS style.

something similar crossed my mind, with an added touch of Dota, i guess that's for later discussion though.


this wouldnt by any chance be able to count as a game design internship, would it?

i doubt any 'official institutions' as schools would accept it as being an internship, but i suppose it also depends on their stance towards mods in general.


I could contribute a model or two as long as I know exactly what to make.

i see where you're coming from, and personally i hate it when i'm asked to 'just wing it' but at the same time, we have to stay realistic, and realise we can't get concept art made for every single piece.

i know there's a few people here who're quite capable of delivering decent concept, and as long as we're not aiming for AAA quality, i think we can get to a fair balance on provided concept, and the opposite.
on top of that, if we can get something decent off the ground, it becomes easier for other people to motivate themselves to join in, so if we get to that point, i'm sure i can convince a few other people to contribute.

everyone else would also be welcome to invite friends and so to contribute.

[BobtheGreatII]

Would a mobile game be out of the question? I mean, it would be sort of tough, I don't have an iPhone... but if we could some how make it on Android, that would be kinda cool.

[Bodzilla]

Doesn't have to be something totally new and revolutionary to be out of the ordinary. Example, I wouldn't want to make a multiplayer game in the same vein as Unreal Tournament or Counter-Strike, but I think it would be awesome to do one where it's players on the ground FPS style vs. a commander RTS style.
We need to talk.

i've already drawn up a design doc for something similar.

[Warsaw]

Funny enough, so have I, though it's just one multi-player mode in a much larger game.

I'm a huge fan of 4X games like Sins of a Solar Empire, though I feel most of them are rather...narrow.

[Roostervier]

in light of having zero artistic talent i am little more than an ideas guy, but if you're actually planning on a full-blown game you will need someone who has ideas for gameplay. any big plans for game genre yet, sp/mp, setting, etc? the success of dayz makes me think that if done properly, a stealth game where you're trying to evade other players rather than bots could be a hell of an experience...so you're masterz?

[Rentafence]

No don't listen to rossmum or it will turn into IL-2 Sturmovik 2012

[Patrickssj6]

how about this ghoulish game:

First person shooter, not very real, you can shoot limbs off, therefor the way you play changes. e.g. shooting someone in the foot means he cannot walk properly anymore

Rated OTS for Off The Scale

[Warsaw]

how about this ghoulish game:

First person shooter, not very real, you can shoot limbs off, therefor the way you play changes. e.g. shooting someone in the foot means he cannot walk properly anymore

Rated OTS for Off The Scale

So...ArmA II/III? Except for the "not very real" part.

Something I would adore being done (or doing) is a recreation of this game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlezone_(1998_video_game)) with modern technologies and play mechanics. It has a mulitplayer mode we could start off with, and being a strategy game we could actually use experience gained in doing multiplayer to aid in re-imagining a campaign for it.

Oh, it's also a first-person shooter...with tanks. None of this Nuclear Dawn bollocks. For anybody who wants to try it, free download (http://www.battlezone1.com/downloads/index.htm) (it's abandonware). You can play it sneaky style, you can go all out war, you can play it defensively, rush, etc. Just keep in mind that it's old and you'll find quite a few AI and scripting errors that you can exploit to disproportionate levels.

[neuro]

this is exactly why i said keeping 'ideas' out of the tread for now.

[Patrickssj6]

tl;dr?

.

Depending on the type of game, one could write an own engine. It doesn't have to be 3D with HDR and shit.

[DEElekgolo]

An SCP foundation game in UDK or something.

I can:
-3d
-Program
-what ever

[neuro]

as a small update, i'm putting together some examples of an art-style which i think everyone wanting to contribute (At least in the 3d department) can fnid themselves in, and can actually contribute meaningfully in.

[Rentafence]

Halostyle?

[Warsaw]

as a small update, i'm putting together some examples of an art-style which i think everyone wanting to contribute (At least in the 3d department) can fnid themselves in, and can actually contribute meaningfully in.

Sounds a bit premature when absolutely nothing has been decided. We can't decide an art style before we even know what game we would be making, if we're making one at all.

[Siliconmaster]

This is interesting, but for now I'll have to keep an eye on this idea without joining for sure. I need to start looking for jobs hardcore soon, and my free time is currently wrapped up in CMT work. This is certainly intriguing though.

[neuro]

Sounds a bit premature when absolutely nothing has been decided. We can't decide an art style before we even know what game we would be making, if we're making one at all.

unless you intend to make a visual puzzle game where the visual style heavily affects gameplay, i don't see why not.
as for premature, if this shit doesn't pan out, i can always still keep the pre-production i put in for a personal project, so it's no loss to me either way.

IF this gets off the ground, i'd probably work with a few people strong in their fields to get a barebones prototype working, to give all the less experienced people something to grab on to, and add on to.

[Tnnaas]

I think I'll keep tabs on this and see if I can work on things related to it. I doubt I'll actually contribute, but the motivation alone should get me off my ass to do some real modelling work that could help me down the line. Who knows, I might make something worth a damn, and if I do, then :awesome:. If I don't, well at least I learned something from the experience.

[Higuy]

unless you intend to make a visual puzzle game where the visual style heavily affects gameplay, i don't see why not.
as for premature, if this shit doesn't pan out, i can always still keep the pre-production i put in for a personal project, so it's no loss to me either way.

IF this gets off the ground, i'd probably work with a few people strong in their fields to get a barebones prototype working, to give all the less experienced people something to grab on to, and add on to.

The visual style of a game depends on other factors like the emotion trying to be shown through the story - for example, GoW 1 is a dark, gritty game (Depressing/horror), while Halo has a nice visual style that constantly changes colors and enviroments (Adventure). They also need to be consistent.

Anyway, I'm intrested. I can do level design / gameplay mechanics.

Btw, if this seriously does start off, we need a good SVN so we dont have to worry about transferring files between members and so we can have a good organized work enviroment.

[legionaire45]

Btw, if this seriously does start off, we need a good SVN so we dont have to worry about transferring files between members and so we can have a good organized work enviroment.

There are better (https://github.com/) tools (http://mercurial.selenic.com/) available (https://bitbucket.org/) for the job than SVN.

Personally, I would recomend grabbing a few active people and doing a "Game Jam" of sorts. Basically, spend two weeks getting to know people/their work habits while making some throwaway game/project. Keep track of what worked and what didn't, and move on from there.

[Rentafence]

There are better (https://github.com/) tools (http://mercurial.selenic.com/) available (https://bitbucket.org/) for the job than SVN.

Personally, I would recomend grabbing a few active people and doing a "Game Jam" of sorts. Basically, spend two weeks getting to know people/their work habits while making some throwaway game/project. Keep track of what worked and what didn't, and move on from there.

game jam == halo map

[Corndogman]

I could contribute a model or two as long as I know exactly what to make.

This. I'm out of practice but I'd like brush up on my skills. Doesn't have to be a concept, just general stuff. Props and environment, etc.

[Warsaw]

unless you intend to make a visual puzzle game where the visual style heavily affects gameplay, i don't see why not.
as for premature, if this shit doesn't pan out, i can always still keep the pre-production i put in for a personal project, so it's no loss to me either way.

IF this gets off the ground, i'd probably work with a few people strong in their fields to get a barebones prototype working, to give all the less experienced people something to grab on to, and add on to.

So what I'm getting from this is that this isn't a "MAKE MY GAME" type thing, it's a "MAKE NEURO [and friends'] GAME" type thing. Which is fine, it just would have been better to be up front about it.

[Bodzilla]

thats not what it is at all.

we've tossed around a few ideas for a game, and he'll probably spend some time playing around with it, this is just a if you want in, and you've got some ideas, cool beans.

[neuro]

jump to concluions more k

with some people i mean you folks, specifically those most interested and able to contribute.

ive just been tossing ideas around to see whet might work best with an open development structure in mind, since ye know, it would be nice if something actually got finished.

i mentioned before id make a bunch of polls and such to decide where we want to go.

its stupid if you think itd be a good idea to just say GO and then just expect people to do stuff and something useful to happen.

PROTOTYPE, have you ever seen a game prototype
heres an example

http://eu.spore.com/extra/?id=10511&lang=en


late edit:
i'd also like to add, that if people are going to be working on it from start to finish, they SHOULD get more say in what goes and doesn't go.
someone doing one or two models without UVs and texture shouldn't expect to get full weight in whatever happens.
they get their fair share and more, but it has to stay fair to everyone.

[Warsaw]

Yes, I have seen a game prototype before, even made a few of my own.

I'm also not jumping to conclusions without reason. You've clearly started the brainstorming phase BEFORE seeing who is interested. The combination of your previous wording and the fact that I've seen your brainstorming doc says to me that you are planning on going ahead with that as the springboard. Maybe you are, maybe you aren't, but that's how it comes across.

The thread should have been oriented to see who is interested in making the game, and have everybody post up what they would be interested in doing with regards to the game itself, not just the asset creation. Then you can pick who you think is qualified to contribute. You said this isn't an ideas thread, but you can't separate the two, because somebody interested in making a game may not be interested if that game is nothing like the kind of game they would want to make.

For instance, I am not a fan of MOBAs. I feel like they are basically an extremely simplified form of RTS where you don't have to worry about base-building and assaulting the enemy because all of that is on autopilot. If I want to play an RPG-like character, I will go and play an RPG that has a legitimate story and character development. If I want to control a character in an RTS environment to directly contribute, I will go and play Battlezone or Nuclear Dawn. To that end, I wouldn't really be all that interested if a MOBA is what comes to pass. This is also why I'm leaving Game Design as a career choice, because I don't want to make something I have no stake in.

[neuro]

that's bodzilla's doc.
to me, that thing's purpose was just to get some ideas going, and think about what kind of restrictions a project like this would have to adhere to
you might have noticed how it's only like 2 or 3 pages of ranting and nothing close to a design doc.
the fact you're making assumptions on a 3-page rant-document feels silly.
i don't see why you're making such a fuss about this.
i've clearly stated what my intentions are, and that's as simple as it is.
i'm not planning some super secret behing-the-scenes-takeover where i get to steal people's time and get them to make stuff for free for my personal gain.


you're looking too deeply into what this thread is (for) it was just a probe to see how many people might be interested.

if only 4 people were to say 'i MIGHT be interested' it ends there, as it is now, there's about 10 peple that 'might' be interested, which is a different story all together.
there's no point in going head first into HURR LETS MAKE A GAME Y'ALL

i'll say it again, the reason behind this, is just a fun experiment, to see if we can come together, and make something worth playing, in an open-source-type environment, have fun making some stuff, and maybe come out with a game worth playing in the end.
i know a whole bunch of people here would love the opportunity to make an actual game, and another bunch of people can definately use whatever comes out of it as something on their resume/portfolio.

is that enough to appease your inner whiner?

[kid908]

Depending on the time where development occurs, I could model some hard surface objects and/or concept design (depending on the style; some styles I have trouble working with).

I think I can contribute atleast a gun model or some static environment prop.

[t3h m00kz]

Too bad I've got the skills of a deflated beach ball

[Higuy]

Anything ever happen with this?

[neuro]

not yet

[Higuy]

Any plans to actually attmept to do something then?

[neuro]

not right now.

i'd like to wait for the cmt-crew to finish the current work in progress, the silent cartographer, and hopefully not interfere with people's schedules.
until then, i'm still organising some thoughts and ideas about what should be kept in mind with this stuff, do's and don't-s and the like.

i suppose i can start making a few voting-threads for what/how people want to make something.

[BobtheGreatII]

Sounds like a plan to me.