Sorren/Santharia - how might this work.

Koldar Mondrakken

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Re: Sorren/Santharia - how might this work.

« Reply #60 on: 25 July 2001, 15:01:00 »

I tried out Avalon quite some time ago. The biggest drawback IMO was that it is/was not for free and concerning the fact that it is completely text-based and looked like any other free MUD was very disappointing. So I only played my free hours and then left.
It looked relatively good but not that good!

Koldar Mondrakken, Knight of the Moonlight


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Artimidor Federkiel

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Re: Sorren/Santharia - how might this work.

« Reply #61 on: 27 July 2001, 11:33:00 »

We'll see. We're still at a very early stage of game development, so there's still a long road to go and many ideas to gather...


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"Between the mind that plans and the hands that build there must be a mediator, and this must be the heart." -- Maria (Metropolis)

SmurfStormcrow

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Re: Sorren/Santharia - how might this work.

« Reply #62 on: 27 July 2001, 13:38:00 »

Is there an actual timeline that anyone knows about?

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Artimidor Federkiel

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Re: Sorren/Santharia - how might this work.

« Reply #63 on: 27 July 2001, 13:42:00 »

2 years in order to set up the first working testing server according to information from Nate, which sounds realistic.


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"Between the mind that plans and the hands that build there must be a mediator, and this must be the heart." -- Maria (Metropolis)

Nate of Sorren

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about a timeline

« Reply #64 on: 30 July 2001, 06:36:00 »

A couple thoughts of where we start.

Have you guys ever played populous? I'm meaning like the older snes version even.

In case you havn't i'll explain it briefly. You are a god (the original). In the newer one you are a shaman who becomes a god when you win.

Anyway the original more then the later version gives you the ability to raise and lower land as you desire. (amongst other things we won't need).

Textures are automatically generated to fit in with the elevations in the new versions.

I guess this would be the sort of a think i'm looking to make for a developer tool near the start.

Briefly how it is likely to work behind the scenes...
I have a database table with x,y,z coordinates which specify the height of the land at that location. The tool will look at a piece of modifications needed to it. And adjust all points surrounding it accordingly so it won't look jagged.

Now here comes the fun part... I'm going to make a seperate tool that will take these database values and convert them into a greyscale bitmap(not really a bitmap) since storing red, green, and blue values would be needless with greyscale.

Anyway the resulting image would use the greyscale value to indicate the height of that point. And each pixel X and Y would indicate the height of it. The terrain builder will be our first step. And naturally it will be from a 3rd person perspective over the 3d landscape.

I will also have a walkthrough application made that will allow you to walk around as a player. (no game functions just walk around) single player in this little land.


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Nate of Sorren

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Another note...

« Reply #65 on: 30 July 2001, 06:51:00 »

We will also be able to place two zone mapes side by side using photoshop if needed. So multiple people can make pieces of a zone.

Another note... Zone maps will overlap Because vision doesn't end at the end of a particular zone. Before the new zone is loaded (I plan on a limited bandwidth background download) The player will still need to be able to see what's ahead, over the next hill etc.


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SmurfStormcrow

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Re: Another note...

« Reply #66 on: 31 July 2001, 09:22:00 »

So we're going to be doing land based on Santharian geography. Will the characters be actual human size? Or will they be enlarged to make the maps easier. And if we're going to be making all of these maps, could we make a larger map for Santharia from them?

Also, on character size, there needs to be relative sizes for the races, but that's probably obvious.

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Nate of Sorren

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character size

« Reply #67 on: 09 August 2001, 13:45:00 »

This part is a piece of cake. 3d models can be scaled using a function called setscale(x,y,z)
They can be made thinner, fatter, or taller.

After we get a nice chunk of land made for a zone in the wilderness (what i'm calling everything not in a town or dungeon).

I will test it at different character sizes and see what works well.

we can use a greyscale image that is 2000x2000 or 100x100 one will load faster the other have more detail.

How big we make the character will be how detailed the landscap will be able to be.

So a 2000x2000 might be a 30 second walk or a 2 hour one. I'm just going to have to test those things out and see what works best.

I've been testing on a voodoo 3 16mb, nvidia 16mb (something), and an ati all in wonder 32 mb.

I know all these cards will be out of date in a couple years, but what runs descent on them now should run excellent in 2 years.


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Koldar Mondrakken

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Re: character size

« Reply #68 on: 09 August 2001, 15:15:00 »

BTW: If you can need someone with experience in 3d-Studio Max, I might help out. While I can't guarantee that I've enough free time to do major work I might be able to contribute things.

I'm really wondering how the outcome will look like!

(Displacement Maps, charactermodelling and esspecially characteranimation: ARGH! Heartattack.)

Koldar Mondrakken, Knight of the Moonlight


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Artimidor Federkiel

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Re: character size

« Reply #69 on: 10 August 2001, 13:22:00 »

*hehe* Koldar digging on his own grave... *grin*


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SmurfStormcrow

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Re: character size

« Reply #70 on: 14 August 2001, 09:24:00 »

There also should be a way to not just create basic forests that are just a texture, but unique trees. Also, will there be the possiblility for caves?

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Kanga

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concerning the game engine.

« Reply #71 on: 25 August 2001, 16:19:00 »

from what ive seen and understand about 3d programming, the only limits is the creativity at the world designers (AND the tools they have at hand).

buttom up, that means that if the people are smart enouf there will be caves, 7 suns & cities in the trees.

im guessing on this but theorectical, whats the difference between a cave and and then a tighly grown path in the woods? the problem we have is a matter of textures, with the right textures (hint hint to all the artists) it would be a piece of a cake to make all of these ideas, perhaps nate could define this issue a little bit deeper, into detail whats required of the textures so we could get a simpel test of it.. now that would a nice progress in my eyes.


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nate

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Caves & stuff.

« Reply #72 on: 26 August 2001, 13:53:00 »

Well the way this is looking it will not be UO style. More like the old final fantasy style.

I hope this doesn't disappoint some people. But my reason for doing this is so that we can handle development easier and better.

We will be able to allow players to build a level (zone) if that is a cave, or a town that is all up to them. The most likely tool for zone development will be worldcraft.

The outside wilderness will be a totally different piece simply because of the scale required.


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Sul of Dinen

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« Reply #73 on: 28 August 2001, 13:45:00 »

This is an amazing undertaking and I'm looking forward to playing and engaging with my other peers from Sorren.


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Koldar Mondrakken

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Re: Caves & stuff.

« Reply #74 on: 28 August 2001, 15:03:00 »

And thousands of squaremiles of green plains are not taking as many polygons as a decent city!

Koldar Mondrakken, Knight of the Moonlight


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Sorren/Santharia - how might this work.