MMORPG Contest - Week 1
by Tony Richards · 11/06/2006 (9:39 pm) · 22 comments
Ok, so week one of the MMORPG Contest is coming to a close... we're behind in the race, but mainly because we got a late start.
Most other teams already had an idea, a team, etc already completed... we started with nothing.
In one week here's what we've accomplished so far:
Team of 9
2 3d artists
1 2d artist
1 music / audio
2 programmers
2 game designers / writers
1 marketing / PR
We're currently hashing out game design, logo, art look and feel, and limiting basic gameplay to something that can be obtained within 90 days... 83 days now.
The logo rough draft is finished, the basics of gameplay... well, not quite done, but we have a lot of great ideas. We have a pretty good idea what the look / feel will be.
Technically speaking... well, tons of great progress but I'll not bore you with most of the details.
I've been working on a way for our game designers to start coming up with storylines and balancing gameplay, including game items, economy, skills / levels, etc. I should be mostly finished with this data-model in a couple of weeks (would be sooner, but I'm heading to upper New York next weekend with my girlfriend and I get most of my work done on weekends).
Again, I'll say I'm impressed with the GG community... the quality of applicants for this project was so high, it was tough saying "no" to the one's that didn't make the cut.
What's more, it's impressive reading our forums, seeing the team-members starting to come together with an all-for-one; one-for-all attitude. Everyone is getting along great... even those that have been slated to compete against each other for lead roles are working together extremely well.
We'll see how well this continues over the coming months.
Wish us luck... :P
Most other teams already had an idea, a team, etc already completed... we started with nothing.
In one week here's what we've accomplished so far:
Team of 9
2 3d artists
1 2d artist
1 music / audio
2 programmers
2 game designers / writers
1 marketing / PR
We're currently hashing out game design, logo, art look and feel, and limiting basic gameplay to something that can be obtained within 90 days... 83 days now.
The logo rough draft is finished, the basics of gameplay... well, not quite done, but we have a lot of great ideas. We have a pretty good idea what the look / feel will be.
Technically speaking... well, tons of great progress but I'll not bore you with most of the details.
I've been working on a way for our game designers to start coming up with storylines and balancing gameplay, including game items, economy, skills / levels, etc. I should be mostly finished with this data-model in a couple of weeks (would be sooner, but I'm heading to upper New York next weekend with my girlfriend and I get most of my work done on weekends).
Again, I'll say I'm impressed with the GG community... the quality of applicants for this project was so high, it was tough saying "no" to the one's that didn't make the cut.
What's more, it's impressive reading our forums, seeing the team-members starting to come together with an all-for-one; one-for-all attitude. Everyone is getting along great... even those that have been slated to compete against each other for lead roles are working together extremely well.
We'll see how well this continues over the coming months.
Wish us luck... :P
About the author
I am the founder of IndieZen.org, a website dedicated to the Indie 2.0 Revolution where a number of Indie game development studios and individuals collaborate and share a suite of custom built open source game development tools and middleware.
#2
As it stands, we need 150+ people to sign up for beta testing within the next 90 days... Since I live in New York and I can call on the NYU students, I think I can pull this off, but if you're interested in alpha / beta testing a fun MMORPG indie game, please send an e-mail to my gmail.com account (Linterra) and indicate that you're interested in alpha / beta testing.
Good bandwidth / video card is a must... beta testing means a 150 MB download nearly every day as we approach our deadline... and our graphics won't be optimized yet, so a great video card will be necessary to keep the frame rates above 30fps.
I wish I could say "no griefers allowed" but obviously this won't do any good... but if you know you're the typical griefer, do us a favor and wait until after the beta, k? :P
[edit]removed crappy comments about being second MMORPG :P[/edit]
11/06/2006 (10:25 pm)
Thanks!As it stands, we need 150+ people to sign up for beta testing within the next 90 days... Since I live in New York and I can call on the NYU students, I think I can pull this off, but if you're interested in alpha / beta testing a fun MMORPG indie game, please send an e-mail to my gmail.com account (Linterra) and indicate that you're interested in alpha / beta testing.
Good bandwidth / video card is a must... beta testing means a 150 MB download nearly every day as we approach our deadline... and our graphics won't be optimized yet, so a great video card will be necessary to keep the frame rates above 30fps.
I wish I could say "no griefers allowed" but obviously this won't do any good... but if you know you're the typical griefer, do us a favor and wait until after the beta, k? :P
[edit]removed crappy comments about being second MMORPG :P[/edit]
#3
11/06/2006 (10:43 pm)
It's been awesome seeing how quickly you got this project to take off. The best of luck! 
#4
11/07/2006 (2:21 am)
Well done with the progress! However, it's not quite true to say your game is the second MMORPG indie game, or indeed that MoM is the first.. indie MMOs go back quite a few years. 
#5
11/07/2006 (3:23 am)
The second MMORPG indie game, which has not even started production yet? Sorry to burst your bubble, but many are already far into production or already completed.
#6
Hopefully we'll see several decent games come out of this contest, and I'm sure we won't be the only one's to finish something.
11/07/2006 (6:54 am)
Actually, true... I completely forgot about Brokeass Games and a couple of others... Hopefully we'll see several decent games come out of this contest, and I'm sure we won't be the only one's to finish something.
#7
Maybe because I don't like people rating their own blog (especially with a max note) except if it has a meaning, like the birth of a baby (it deserves some self-congratulation!!).
I guess my point is "Make a baby or do not rate yourself.." :-)
Back to topic, what's your MMORPG about? :)
11/07/2006 (7:28 am)
Dude, you've got a strange oversized ego aura ^^ I can't explain it, it's just a feeling.Maybe because I don't like people rating their own blog (especially with a max note) except if it has a meaning, like the birth of a baby (it deserves some self-congratulation!!).
I guess my point is "Make a baby or do not rate yourself.." :-)
Back to topic, what's your MMORPG about? :)
#8
11/07/2006 (7:42 am)
Wow, I'm seriously impressed with your progress awesome job!
#9
I do think this is an important series of blogs, and not because I'm writing it... I wish some of the other groups in the competition would blog as well. I want to prove that an MMO RPG game can be completed by a very small team in an extremely short time.
At first, we're sticking with the typical D20 style game RPG game, multiple character classes, level / skill based system. Once that's finished, if we have time before the end of the competition, we'll add a few more original features.
We have in the works a new magic system, a faction system with factions able to own keeps and castles and possibly even make seige engines and make war on each other.... individual players may also be able to own their own homes, either inside a castle, in a city, etc... nothing as crazy as UO, but something a little more externally visible than CoH / CoV.... again, nothing is final.. we'll see how far we get.
But, like I said, first things first... keep it simple, get something that works, then add to it from there.
11/07/2006 (8:34 am)
You're right, a 5 was overly high, but I was trying to adjust for Stefan's rating of 1, which was only because I left out a few other MMO games in the works and nearing completion... I switched mine back to a 3, but I thank Dreamer for the 5. I do think this is an important series of blogs, and not because I'm writing it... I wish some of the other groups in the competition would blog as well. I want to prove that an MMO RPG game can be completed by a very small team in an extremely short time.
At first, we're sticking with the typical D20 style game RPG game, multiple character classes, level / skill based system. Once that's finished, if we have time before the end of the competition, we'll add a few more original features.
We have in the works a new magic system, a faction system with factions able to own keeps and castles and possibly even make seige engines and make war on each other.... individual players may also be able to own their own homes, either inside a castle, in a city, etc... nothing as crazy as UO, but something a little more externally visible than CoH / CoV.... again, nothing is final.. we'll see how far we get.
But, like I said, first things first... keep it simple, get something that works, then add to it from there.
#10
I remember your plan comment a while ago where you claimed to have a solution to one of the problems people mentioned, but when you were asked to share it, you said you wouldn't because it was a industry secret. That's funny shit man, and I wish you all the best of bad luck. (:
11/07/2006 (8:48 am)
I rated 1 because you rated it 5, egobrain. Go figure and stop lying.I remember your plan comment a while ago where you claimed to have a solution to one of the problems people mentioned, but when you were asked to share it, you said you wouldn't because it was a industry secret. That's funny shit man, and I wish you all the best of bad luck. (:
#11
11/07/2006 (8:51 am)
@Stefan, Wow thats a little harsh don't you think?
#12
11/07/2006 (8:52 am)
Which, Dreamer? He's lying, and I don't see why. He already rated it when I saw the plan and there's no need to lie about it.
#13
11/07/2006 (8:57 am)
Stefan is right about the order-of-voting, of course. I don't see the point in rating blogs, unless they actually are a "real" resource, though. Surely the whole point about rating resources is to make it easier for people to find useful ones?
#14
I do admit I am a little egotistical at times... and I definately come across that way.
But, you have me wrong about witholding information because it's a "trade secret." I never do that... in fact, quite the opposite. If that was my style, do you think I'd post our plans like this?
Only once have I even mentioned something being a "trade secret" and it was about www.3drt.com artwork... but I said something more along the lines of: "As much as I hate to give out secrets like this, I use pre-fab artwork like 3drt.com." But it wasn't anything that was really a secret and I was joking when I said it....
If anyone ever has a problem that I can help with, I'm more than happy to jump in and help them.... I've been that way from day one.
My intent is to have a weekly blog that ends up being a success story to inspire others to do the same... ignore the nay-sayers that say you can't do it. If you can, ignore my grating personality... sit back, enjoy the ride, wish us well or wish us ill, either way...
Maybe from now on I'll have our PR person edit these things, that way he can remove the ego... fair enough? :P
11/07/2006 (9:27 am)
You're right about the rating ordering... I mis-remembered. The website had me marked as a rating of 1 or 1.5 or something, so I bumped it up.... sorry, I was tired last night when I made the post. Less of a lie and more of a "what the heck, why did I do that?!?" then a poor attempt at covering up my mistake... sorry, chalk it up to a late night and an early morning, a lack of sleep, etc...I do admit I am a little egotistical at times... and I definately come across that way.
But, you have me wrong about witholding information because it's a "trade secret." I never do that... in fact, quite the opposite. If that was my style, do you think I'd post our plans like this?
Quote:
We have in the works a new magic system, a faction system with factions able to own keeps and castles and possibly even make seige engines and make war on each other.... individual players may also be able to own their own homes, either inside a castle, in a city, etc... nothing as crazy as UO, but something a little more externally visible than CoH / CoV.... again, nothing is final.. we'll see how far we get.
Only once have I even mentioned something being a "trade secret" and it was about www.3drt.com artwork... but I said something more along the lines of: "As much as I hate to give out secrets like this, I use pre-fab artwork like 3drt.com." But it wasn't anything that was really a secret and I was joking when I said it....
If anyone ever has a problem that I can help with, I'm more than happy to jump in and help them.... I've been that way from day one.
My intent is to have a weekly blog that ends up being a success story to inspire others to do the same... ignore the nay-sayers that say you can't do it. If you can, ignore my grating personality... sit back, enjoy the ride, wish us well or wish us ill, either way...
Maybe from now on I'll have our PR person edit these things, that way he can remove the ego... fair enough? :P
#15
I'm getting ready to do the same sometime this week .
11/07/2006 (9:55 am)
I think it's a good idea to place a blog for your progress in the contest.I'm getting ready to do the same sometime this week .
#16
Fair enough.
Good luck with your stuff. If you're interested in some "food for thought" then definatly check out PlaneScape (edit: Can't remember the URL) and their site. It has a tons of articles and discussions pertaining to MMO's in particular. Nothing spectacular in ways of tech-talk, but definatly gets your mind going!
11/07/2006 (10:02 am)
Quote:
Only once have I even mentioned something being a "trade secret" and it was about www.3drt.com artwork... but I said something more along the lines of: "As much as I hate to give out secrets like this, I use pre-fab artwork like 3drt.com." But it wasn't anything that was really a secret and I was joking when I said it....
Fair enough.
Quote:
My intent is to have a weekly blog that ends up being a success story to inspire others to do the same... ignore the nay-sayers that say you can't do it. If you can, ignore my grating personality... sit back, enjoy the ride, wish us well or wish us ill, either way...
Good luck with your stuff. If you're interested in some "food for thought" then definatly check out PlaneScape (edit: Can't remember the URL) and their site. It has a tons of articles and discussions pertaining to MMO's in particular. Nothing spectacular in ways of tech-talk, but definatly gets your mind going!
#17
Best of luck man!!
Good job! :)
11/07/2006 (10:20 am)
Whoa I don't see what all the fuss is about.. the guy is doing a great job, and there are trade secrets.. it does happen.. anywayBest of luck man!!
Good job! :)
#18
About the Ego? If you didn't have one, you wouldn't be doing this. So, keep the ego going, stand tall, proud and kick butt. Do not edit your ego out. Your audience isn't on this site anyway, only your peers and maybe they should get a little ego of their own. =^)
11/07/2006 (10:20 am)
Tony, Great Work! It isn't an easy undertaking to compete in this contest and it looks like you have your head, team and goals in the right place. About the Ego? If you didn't have one, you wouldn't be doing this. So, keep the ego going, stand tall, proud and kick butt. Do not edit your ego out. Your audience isn't on this site anyway, only your peers and maybe they should get a little ego of their own. =^)
#19
11/07/2006 (10:21 am)
My point though was the ego comment was out of line, because humility has no place in something as big as an MMO Design contest. :) 
#20
Keep it up folks!
11/07/2006 (11:27 am)
Tony I am honestly impressed with the speed you managed to get teambuilding, project definition and workload fired off!Keep it up folks!
Torque 3D Owner Jesse Liles