64 replies to this topic

[Sollthar]

Hi everyone

I'm new to the GameDev scene. I started with programming when I've bought Unity Pro last december and have since used as much of my spare time to learn and work on my game idea - since it's something I've always wanted to do. My project is an action RPG in an open world science fiction universe where the player will do missions, interact with people, trade, hire crew, buy and build modular ships, walk around those ships and fly them through space to get to other planets belonging to one of 4 different factions, eventually build up an entire fleet and ultimately become rules of the universe either through military force, diplomacy and relations or simple commerce - all played through a 3rd perspective.

I'm aware it's a big project and so far, I've been working on it all alone - from modelling to texturing to animating to programming. I'm at a really early stage but I'm determined to keep pushing the idea forward as it's a game I'd like to play and so far, the process has been (mostly) big fun!
What I have is parts of my "Testing" Planet environment and adaptable basic code snippets in place as well as some basic shooter and dialogue tree gameplay. Not much, but it's a start.

Here's a first gameplay video and some screenshots:













Any feedback is much appreciated.

[tyree]

it looks good I like the fact that its 3rd person and you use low polygon characters. Im not a big on gun games but as you know. there is a big market for them. will it be online and downloadable. it looks like a good simple online game.

[Sollthar]

Thanks!

It'll be action oriented, but a good deal of gameplay is social - talk to people, trade goods, do quests etc.

I don't quite know what exactly I'll do with it once it's done. It won't be multiplayer and I expect it'll be available for dowbload once it's done.

[JXMcKie27]

Awesome :yes: There ain´t too many Sci-Fi RPG´s out there and I think the progress you have allready made is impressive...and it is done in Unity Pro ? The screenshots look quite good and while your ambition level might seem a little high for a lone developer, I think from what I have seen so far, that you can do it if you hold on to it...it will just take quite a lot of time, but so what ? Some people might tell you that it can´t be done as a single developer, and yes, it would certainly help if there was a team doing it, but there are precedents... see for example http://www.tecno-base.com/...a guy called Paolo Consentino from Uruguay developed this game all by himself, coding, music, models, textures etc. in the old blizt 3d engine...and while the game of course can´t bear comparison, to the big commercial DirectX gen 9, 10 or 11 games, it can certainly be favorubly compared to commercial games back from the DirectX 7 or 8 (2000-2004) era...and your game looks even better, so take heart from Paolo´s examples and good luck with your game. Looking forward to it...

Best regards

[Sollthar]

Thank you. Yeah, I'm aware that it's a long and complex process and I won't be able to finish my game any time soon. That's fine though, I don't expect to be done tomorrow and I got time. :)

I do hope though that I might find someone willing to help out, but if not, I'll continue by myself. I'm convinced that it's a good concept with some unique takes.

We'll see. :)

[fireside]

Looks interesting. I think, without help, you will need to cut down the concept a bit. The characters are kind of in that in-between zone, where they don't look professional, but they look acceptable for a fun game to play. I would say, if you don't find help, make it a little more linear with scenes and a story, and put a time frame for completion on it otherwise it may drift into an unfinished game. Terrain and environment look nice. The question you have to ask yourself is how long are you willing to get tied up on this one game?

[Sollthar]

I agree, not completely happy with the characers. Already working on updated versions.

I think I wont finish it before late 2012 if I don't get help. That's at least the rough estimate - it could easily be well longer then that.
Maybe I do find people willing to help out - then it'll be faster.

I'll dfinately make a smaller, more confined version of the game first to see how it all works. Then I'll see.

[touch_the_sky]

Excellent!;)

Quote

It won't be multiplayer

Seeing the trailer, it seemed quite the opposite, especially that you mentioned 'a good deal of gameplay will be social'.

[Sollthar]

The thing is, I just can't code multiplayer. I don't understand network code one bit so far.

And I'm not much of a multiplayer gamer myself - but the project could easily be made with multiplayer features since it's all instanced. Could be fun. But for that, I would definately need help.

The "social" gameplay is more comparable with Mass Effect or Oblivion rather then with a MMORPG (and to be honest, I don't like MMORPG's in general. Not the concept, I love that, but the executions. MMORPG's pretty much have everything I dislike in games. At least so far.)

[JXMcKie27]

"I think I wont finish it before late 2012 if I don't get help. That's at least the rough estimate - it could easily be well longer then that"

So what ? You are developing as an indie and either releasing the game for free or low cost. You are not doing this for a living, which also means you are free to experiment and try things that big game developers doesn´t dare because of cost considerations. But...

"I'll dfinately make a smaller, more confined version of the game first to see how it all works. Then I'll see."

...sounds like a good idea. You can always expand the scope of the game later...

"The "social" gameplay is more comparable with Mass Effect or Oblivion"...

Sounds really neat !

"(and to be honest, I don't like MMORPG's in general. Not the concept, I love that, but the executions. MMORPG's pretty much have everything I dislike in games. At least so far.)"

...Absolutely agree ! I prefer offline, single RPG´s anytime to the socalled MMORPG´s...Í tried several of them during the years and NONE of them were really what i would call RPG`s. More a sort of gloryfied 3d chatroom with shoot-em-up features than Roleplaying...and most players are socalled powerplayers rather than roleplayers...But keep up the good work.

[Sollthar]

Yeah, it's also an advantage to not have to worry about conventions in order to be sellable to a large market.
Especially since I'm really trying to do things a bit differently or at least not include all the things I dislike in rpg's like bouncing numbers, levels, classes and general stat screens with lots of numbers about my character that feel like playing a dice game rather then playing a role.

I'll see how all of it will work out, IF it works out.

[Sollthar]

There is an update:

Due to the fact the characters were not quite where I wanted them to be, I've started on improving them both in terms of geometry, proper IK animation and finally started replacing the placeholder textures with proper designs. It's coming,

[Sollthar]

I've started working on the procedural dialogue system for my NPC's. They're divided into two classes, Character NPC's and Extras NPC. Where Characters will fill in recurring and major roles the players can interact with on several occasions, the Extras will mainly populate planets and be a dime a dozen.

However! I'm working hard on enabling complex dialogues with the Extras through a procedural dialogue tree. Each extra is still a complexly designed character with a job, an opinion on current politics, on you and - maybe - even a desire or task the player can fulfill or do. My goal is to get as far away from the "characters with expression marks on their heads that say the same thing over and over you can only click OK to" as possible and go into proper dialogue.
So while some of the extras might chose to directly approach you with something they want from you or want you to do or just wish to inform you of, most of them will be everyday people who *might* have something of value to offer if you talk to them for a bit. Some dialogue might even give you a push into a completely different direction then you have intended.

For that work out, I'm creating loads of randomized variations of different debates so you will feel less like encountering clones. So far, I've only scratched the surface of what I want to do and I've already got over 400 different pieces of dialogue in different emotional states, as indicated by colors on my sheet.



Way more to come. And that's just for the Extras in the game.

[Nerd_Skywalker]

Wow!

[Sollthar]

Coding and designing my inventory slots as well as they buying and selling system, which works nicely already!



The player has 3 weapon and item slots. Those are reserved for items you can directly interact with like weapons, scanners, tools etc.
So if you go out on a mission you'll have to think about what to bring. There's no room for everything.

Then there's the 8 objects slots which are reserved for small things the player can carry around but not directly interact with - food, letters, pads, resources, metals, that kind of thing.

All of them have an inherent financial worth, but how much you actually get for them depends on a lot of factors.

[touch_the_sky]

Looks like you've got some motivation, keep it up!

[Sollthar]

Got into the mood of doing some asset modelling again. Fun!

[rouncer]

nice models man!

[Sollthar]

Thank you very much!

[touch_the_sky]

I like the new models, the design feel is consistent