Quote:
Originally Posted by L0KI
Room for a 6th mate to be play tester?
(or story editor - can send you a sample of work)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by L0KI
Room for a 6th mate to be play tester?
(or story editor - can send you a sample of work)
The Steam Group Chat could be pretty good for coordinating and such.
Is this gonna get organized at some point?
Seems like no one is taking lead and interest seems to be fading -.-
Have I missed something, I thought Biglines was leading this project?Quote:
Originally Posted by r2d22k
I have been active in a sort of leading role on account of noone else doing it, but I've always said I don't have the time nor the skillset to run this project for real. I'm really only a modeler, and I have tried to get it going with some external relations (amongst others with you ;)), but I've always said that it would be better if we got someone who actually has management/people/programming skills ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Brammers
That is quite a dilemma =/
Ok then i think we should do something about that situation! First of all: who is still interested in helping with this project and what can he/she do?
I'd like to help with the programming if it's needed. I have pretty in-depth knowledge of the original Unreal Engine and have started learning the UE3.
I'm also pretty good at helping manage things. Not like a main manager or anything, just helping.
ok, couple of questions as i've been away for a while:
what engine are we using? I only just got hammer working again and i notice they've removed all support for HL2DM mapping?
I can still map in Hammer, but I cannot play the map through (I can compile them, which is great, but not test for bugs), as such I am working on empty terrain zones, fogging the edges and ambience, as well as trying to figure out how zone changes work (but without the thing loading a game i'll never know if this works either).
I do not own TF2 so I can only create the maps in BSP or VMF (whichever is default to hammer mod creator).
If I can get my quad core computer which is broken to work again, we will have a compile server, but will require somewhere for people to upload their maps so they can be dragged out and compiled/run.
I have a space online where we could uploads items, however, I do not know what space limitations we have at the moment, I will let you know.
we tried to put in a transfer to UDK, but I have no idea if r2d2k ever got anything working in that.
The other stuff so far has been modeling in blender, and exporting those to Source engine, the maps were being made for hl2dm, but we were planning on making the mod on the tf2 engine version back then.
regretfully from the 3-4 mappers we had, only 1 map was ever released, the subway map, which ran on a public hl2:dm server for a while, which also included a whole bunch of my models.
My models should be able to migrate to pretty much any engine that supports open source model importing, or is included in a blender exporter (or if anyone has a license for a paid-commercial modelling program to pretty much everything else).
The only map ever finished isn't very large, so could have been ported over to any engine pretty easily too I guess.
All my models can be used, but until some other people get active, I'm not going to invest any more time (sorry), also because I don't play the game anymore till an anti-cheat patch comes out.
if the svn is still up (the information can be found at the beginning of this thread) you can download the models I finished for valve:source (gogo, genrep, citycom, signs, plants, chairs, vendor-desks and some weapons), I'm not going to share the original blender files unless the mod/udk game gets going again, mostly because they're a mess anyway (old blender version, and you need to know exactly how to export those old models).
I downloaded the subway map.. very nice (it didn't all load because i don't have some of the models, but no matter. I also can't get them to work).
I started making up some models of various things that we find a lot of in the world... so I started basic.. watch/hunting tower from the wastes.. and the most popular of all KK's toys.... fences!
I am having problems putting a ladder in though, I have never figured out how to make them, so if anyone can tell me in depth (preferably with pics of how to do it please) as online just says "do this, do that2 and it never works since the latest update.
So, see attached pic, the fence texture needs a little work. it was designed as a single-piece thing, but I decided to try stretching it to see if it was still viable.
I decided to create these things in Hammer as I only know how to work with Hammer. it also allows me to keep an eye on the poly count and guestimate compile times (my old TH sec 1 map was almost 50k polys and took almost 3 hours to compile, and that was just structure.. shame I lost it when old computer died).
Oh, and on a positive note, I decided to give in and reinstall HL2.. I played through it in a day (no cheats either) and since it's there I can now launch the mod I created as a working station for this project and play the maps in the game, as well as launch Hammer without it whining about no wireframe texture.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...model_test.jpg
While I thik about it.. whatever happened to the Plaza 1 map? I'm looking at starting zone-transfer markers, and since you've made Plaza 1 and plaza subway station, might be nice to try and run the 2 together.
hmm, one thing to remember is that models and brushes are two different types of things. making things in hammer is not a model, it's a map, and as such not the best idea (because of materials, physics, LOD, light optimization etc).
also, you're working in source, I'm not sure anyone else is working with that anymore, as we kind of switched to UDK a few months ago.
there should be a bsp with the models included somewhere if you want to run the subway map on hl2:dm
[quote]I downloaded the subway map.. very nice (it didn't all load because i don't have some of the models, but no matter. I also can't get them to work).[/qoute]
Some one recompiled the BSP with the models and textures inbedded in the file so you should be able to run around in the world :)
I believe the source file is on the SVN- I have a newer version with some of plaza3 added in. If any progress is getting made again I will happily upload this.
I must say this is impressive.... Good luck to you all!
I am not working with Source anymore. I am currently implementing all the basic interfaces und functionality we need in UDK. Some wanting to help implement a R.P.O.S. like HUD/Interface system? If so, please send me a pm. Progress is not very fast, but steady.
I am currently backing up my entire PC in preparation to migrate to Windows 7. Among other things, it will allow me to use a virtual machine to run Neocron in and actually boost my performance on my current hardware.
After I cry myself to sleep a few nights when I realize I lost some file that cannot be replaced, I will have a fresh slate, so to speak and can download and start hammering away at learning the UDK. It seems very similar to most other dev kits that I have worked with, with an emphasis on mesh usage over brushes. Could be a problem, unless they have some way of making meshes easy to make. That was a big complaint of mine in Source, meshes had a long and arduous development process.
Anyhow, I want to make a map for this project. At least one. If R2 is still developing the gameplay mechanics, then I will give us a world to kill each other in. Hopefully, Biglines will give us some toys to get the job done. :D
Okay, well, see you guys after the break. Wish me luck.
in principle, mesh should be much easier to work with than brushes. mesh can be any shape, concave/convex, etc.
That said, I have no idea what the map editor for udk is. I've seen people use blender for it (architectural showcase for udk was made in blender ;)), and blender rocks ;)
Well, to be honest, i spent the last two days rewriting parts of the code and watching "the big bang theory". The HUD is now making use of scaleform which really simplifies some things as soon as you get the hang out of it :) and it got some cool features which i would like to make use of in the future.
Yeah Whitestuff, that's right, UDK/U3-Engine uses a more model based approach. I like it :)
What do we currently need? Maps, weapon models (1st person meshes ~4500-5000 polys, 3rd person meshes ~2000-2500 polys), static models (e.g. furniture, gogus, advertisements, genreps, etc) and graphics for buffs, inventory and a completely new, fresh HUD design.
I will take care of coding and organising the "who does what"-thingy, so no two people are working on the same thing or at least are working together on the same thing. So if someone wants to help, just drop me a line, tell me about your skills and we will find something suitable.
As for content creation it is enough to install the March UDK. Why March? Cause i am using the March version for coding and we want to avoid fiddling around with version conflicts. There won't be anything placeable in the near future (apart from the static meshes), so the plain March UDK is really enough for mapping and content creation. For anyone interested in content creation have a look: here.
well the static models I made should be able to export to udk pretty easily once I figure it out, seeing as it should just need an exporter and an importer.
for mapping simple proportions of existing neocron areas, you could photo-project from screenshots in sketchup, it's very easy to get pretty much exact proportions, which you can then refine in a proper/different modelling program. I have a large portion of p3 or 4 (can't remember which, the one connected to PP1) blocked out in sketchup somewhere.
Seems like today is a good day for doing some community work. I have finally decided to take lead of the project, even though this decision might upset a few people. I apologize for that, but there is no point in continuing this project without lead.
The project is now codenamed: "The Ceres Project". I have set up a forum for development and especially bug tracking, but this will be kept private until i have set up a new team.
The current state of the project?
Well, the code for the first playtesting version is basicly set up, but there is no NC-specific content apart from the class definitions. The first playtesting version will focus on tank vs spy gameplay to investigate the stat calculations and to set up the stat calculation formulas (-> the impact of stats on resists, on body health, on aiming, damage, etc).
So, yes, we are not far from starting the first test, but we are still very far from completion.
What are the plans for the near future?
First of all i will invite some people to discuss the gameplay of the first playtesting version, which weapons should be included, how should things like resists, health and such be calculated, etc.
As soon as we can agree on at least some points, i will start altering the code, so it reflects our definition of gameplay. That shouldn't take too long.
After that we will start the internal pre-pre-alpha playtesting.
Why is there no point: "Looking for moddellers/mappers/content creators"
Because as long as there is nothing reliable to show, it is useless searching for team members outside of this forum. As soon as we can publish the first alpha version which really shows some gameplay stuff, i will start searching for artists outside of this forum. If someone reading this forum/following this thread wants to join the project, drop me a line, tell me what you have created so far, what you feel comfortable with, how you think you can contribute to this project and be serious, ask yourself whether you really want to spend your free time on this. We do not need people who say they want to help, but never contribute.
a lot of that discussion was already on the wiki pages that were set up for the project, might want to look at that. I'm ok with you taking lead, glad someone finally does (I'd been acting as lead at the start, but as I kept saying, I simply don't have the time nor the programming experience to do it), but at least try to incorporate all the work that we already did on the gamedesign:
http://wiki.techhaven.org/NcSource:Overview and http://wiki.techhaven.org/NcSource:Gameplay
As I said before, if you have a framework for the gui, I can make you the flash interface. If you need models, let me know, I'll get on either placeholder models or start on final models. I finished the psi gloves for you a while back, but I think that was around the switch was made to UDK, so that might be why they werent used yet.
let me know what's most important, content/art wise, I'd prefer to start on player/weapon models, and leave the world models to people that start mapping (although I'll try to export all the world models I made to udk files).
edit: and aww, I just missed u on steam
content that can be made available:
- potted plant from p1 etc (modelled and textured)
- chairs from p1 (modelled and temporary texture)
- vendor desk (modelled and temporary texture)
- Gogo (modelled and semi-temporary texture, could be used or improved)
- genrep (modelled and semi-temporary texture, could be used or improved)
- Advertisement frame (modelled and semi-temporary texture, could be used or improved)
- PE PA model (modelled, still needs texture, rigging and animation)
- vendor model (modelled, still needs texture, rigging and animation)
- Silent Hunter (Viewmodel modelled, textured and animated, can be used once exported)
- Disruptor (Viewmodeled modelled, animated, has a temporary texture that needs to be redone)
- Psi glove (temporary viewmodel, needs to be redone, but has animation)
- a large block of p3/p4, in model space, would need conversion to concave brushes in source, no idea if it can be used already in UDK.
Someone (name escapes me, either rambus or the other guy), made the subway map, dunno if it can be converted, would need custom textures I think.
Also I think p1 was started on, but probably needs to be redone in UDK.
also, I think there's a blog somewhere out that that has the real neocron damage system, maybe you can use that as a base, although I'm not sure if it's smart to already start with so much variety in a stats system.
would it be hard to set up a similar skill system as neocron?
Surely we will mostly follow the path already scetched in the wiki. First introducing a deathmatch mod with all the classes being balanced.
Even though i prefer using the new forum for discussions i would like to use the wiki to sum the results up and use it as a base of information for the community.
In case of modeling we do not need extra viewmodels anymore, the 1fst person view now makes use of the 3rd person functionality, you can now see your arms, legs, etc., but the aiming is still a little bit off, haven't adjusted that yet.
We don't need to redo the basic animations, you just need to set up the skeleton right and then we can use the animations supplied with the UDK, for free :)
The NC-like skill system is already set up, it's now only a matter of defining what depends on what and how, which is gameplay related stuff which has to be discussed first.
Most important are the weapons (plasma rifles, beam rifles, bullet using rifles).
Perhaps we can talk later on Steam ~21:00 CEST.
ok, make me a list of the weapons you need first (1 for each class/type i'd say).
im sick at home, so on steam pretty much all day, might be gaming but will answer later if I can't answer at that particular time.
also, could you give me an indication of polygon counts? in source, viewmodels were far far higher than 3rd person models, so no idea what we should be aiming for now.
for some reason the march udk doesnt download beyond the first 100mb or so, I've tried with download managers, normal download, vpn etc, just doesn't wannt download. is it bad to just use the newest sdk?
In case of content development you can also use newer versions of the UDK if it's really not possible to download the march one. Shouldn't make too much of a difference.
As for weapon models, as i said before, one of every type, plasma rifle (e.g. first love, disruptor), beam rifle (e.g. healing light), bullet-shooting rifles (e.g. one of the noob rifles, plz not the ak, that's a weapon you see in every game, it's boring).
Polycount somewhere around 2500. 3000 would also be ok. Have a look at the 3rd person meshes UDK uses.
For people interested in content development: i moved everything to the newest UDK, the june UDK, so mappers can now profit from the new foliage thingy and everything else Epic added during the last three months.
Great. Downloading June UDK now. Gonna take some time, but I think I can get the hang of it. Possibly. :D
Also, registered in the Ceres Project forums, but no posts, so I will wait.
I'm thinking of starting with Plaza 1 again, although I can take requests. I need to get my VM running and install NC and sketchup, I'm going to give that a shot. Thanks Biglines.