Not Enough Hours in the Day...
by Alan James · 09/21/2007 (3:25 am) · 13 comments
Hi Everyone!
Since they are cutting back hours at my 9-5 (actually my 7-3) I get an extra day off this weekend so over the next four days I'll have three of them off. Yeah!
To everyone who has picked up either the Downtown District Pack or the Warehouse Pack I'd like to again express my appreciation. It's gratifying to have such positive support from the community and to be able to give something back at a price that I think is as indie friendly as it can get. Thanks.
So what's in store for Really Really Good Things Studio? Kyle and I have a gazillion ideas written down in our notebooks (and the note book part I mean literally, I've filled four pocket notebooks over the last 33 months...write an idea, scratch it if not workable, solve it, check it off). But what is on the front burners?
First I've committed to two more content packs complete over the next two weeks. Steep challenge, but if I don't set a goal, then I'll just hang out reading the forums and not be very productive...like writing .plans...but I digress. These are the Alley Ambiance Pack, which is basically a detailed companion to Monster Packs #1 & 2. If you want to see the idea of that content, check out my previous .Plan. The other is affectionately know as the "Sticks and Twigs" Pack, aka a Forest Starter Pack which will include everything to fill out a nice forest from grass and rocks to trees, skyboxes, ground textures and ambient audio. Hopefully it will be a cool thing.
The other things on the front burner (I've got a big stove) is some work for a team or two out there for reference credit...Hopefully it will be some stuff that will have some a bit of a "Wow" factor. Ian, you know what I'm talking about...=)
I've also have the starting notes on probably at least five more content packs, everything from a fully detailed museum with exhibits, paintings, dinosaur bones and the like to civilization/historic packs like Aztec, Myan, Egyptian and Druids to a companion to Pack 1 & 2 called the Big City Pack with Skyscrapers, wide multi lane roadways, underground and raised parking etc.
The other pack I have in mind would be for Halloween, a Haunted House theme with dead trees, gravestones, wrought iron fences, dead grass, a hooting owl, some perched ravens, ambient audio of creepy night, stormy night and a couple dark storm and cloudy moon skyboxes.
I still continue to work here and there on Code Name:Monster Island but I think that taking a break from it has helped me grasp a little better on how I want to approach a lot of what I want to do with it. I keep having varying ideas and that's good. I can't be stuck in one particular path and that's the advantage of being totally in charge of the project...I can do whatever I want at whatever pace I feel comfortable with. I think if I pushed it too hard, I'd be disappointed with what I'd learned from the whole experience, but as it sits I've learned so much that I'm very happy with what I've managed so far. Someday it will be finished, and it will be exactly how I want it...probably...
Regarding all of this we will have to see...it never seems there is enough hours in the day and I roll with only about 5 hours sleep a night already...wish there was some way around that, but I guess I have to sleep sometime...
Anyway I know I blog a lot ( I just noticed it just under three years I've posted 28 .Plans...I'm compulsive) but like I mentioned, it drives me to keep a goal, it encourages me and I hope others to keep plugging away at whatever particular thing they want to do...just keep trying things, I know as well as anyone things can get a little frustrating, but if you keep at it until you solve it, that's one of the greatest things you can experience.
Of course you know that I can't post a .Plan without a screenshot (or twelve) so here are a few from the interior of the Haunted House (I did this on Monday because I just had to have a break from everything else).
I'll be posting again soon (but you knew that),
Alan
Since they are cutting back hours at my 9-5 (actually my 7-3) I get an extra day off this weekend so over the next four days I'll have three of them off. Yeah!
To everyone who has picked up either the Downtown District Pack or the Warehouse Pack I'd like to again express my appreciation. It's gratifying to have such positive support from the community and to be able to give something back at a price that I think is as indie friendly as it can get. Thanks.
So what's in store for Really Really Good Things Studio? Kyle and I have a gazillion ideas written down in our notebooks (and the note book part I mean literally, I've filled four pocket notebooks over the last 33 months...write an idea, scratch it if not workable, solve it, check it off). But what is on the front burners?
First I've committed to two more content packs complete over the next two weeks. Steep challenge, but if I don't set a goal, then I'll just hang out reading the forums and not be very productive...like writing .plans...but I digress. These are the Alley Ambiance Pack, which is basically a detailed companion to Monster Packs #1 & 2. If you want to see the idea of that content, check out my previous .Plan. The other is affectionately know as the "Sticks and Twigs" Pack, aka a Forest Starter Pack which will include everything to fill out a nice forest from grass and rocks to trees, skyboxes, ground textures and ambient audio. Hopefully it will be a cool thing.
The other things on the front burner (I've got a big stove) is some work for a team or two out there for reference credit...Hopefully it will be some stuff that will have some a bit of a "Wow" factor. Ian, you know what I'm talking about...=)
I've also have the starting notes on probably at least five more content packs, everything from a fully detailed museum with exhibits, paintings, dinosaur bones and the like to civilization/historic packs like Aztec, Myan, Egyptian and Druids to a companion to Pack 1 & 2 called the Big City Pack with Skyscrapers, wide multi lane roadways, underground and raised parking etc.
The other pack I have in mind would be for Halloween, a Haunted House theme with dead trees, gravestones, wrought iron fences, dead grass, a hooting owl, some perched ravens, ambient audio of creepy night, stormy night and a couple dark storm and cloudy moon skyboxes.
I still continue to work here and there on Code Name:Monster Island but I think that taking a break from it has helped me grasp a little better on how I want to approach a lot of what I want to do with it. I keep having varying ideas and that's good. I can't be stuck in one particular path and that's the advantage of being totally in charge of the project...I can do whatever I want at whatever pace I feel comfortable with. I think if I pushed it too hard, I'd be disappointed with what I'd learned from the whole experience, but as it sits I've learned so much that I'm very happy with what I've managed so far. Someday it will be finished, and it will be exactly how I want it...probably...
Regarding all of this we will have to see...it never seems there is enough hours in the day and I roll with only about 5 hours sleep a night already...wish there was some way around that, but I guess I have to sleep sometime...
Anyway I know I blog a lot ( I just noticed it just under three years I've posted 28 .Plans...I'm compulsive) but like I mentioned, it drives me to keep a goal, it encourages me and I hope others to keep plugging away at whatever particular thing they want to do...just keep trying things, I know as well as anyone things can get a little frustrating, but if you keep at it until you solve it, that's one of the greatest things you can experience.
Of course you know that I can't post a .Plan without a screenshot (or twelve) so here are a few from the interior of the Haunted House (I did this on Monday because I just had to have a break from everything else).
I'll be posting again soon (but you knew that),
Alan
About the author
#2
09/21/2007 (4:11 am)
Very very nice Alan. Great Job!
#3
09/21/2007 (4:37 am)
Awesome work as usual alan, love everything you do, look forward to seeing your future content packs. 
#5
Now that you have present your book of ideas, take note: military ambiance pal! we need trenches, demolished buildings/bridges, ruined artillery positions, bunkers...
09/21/2007 (5:55 am)
Alan, great job, funny bloging.Now that you have present your book of ideas, take note: military ambiance pal! we need trenches, demolished buildings/bridges, ruined artillery positions, bunkers...
#6
Good job, what else could we say?
5 hours of sleeping? 2.5 hours too much ;)
Heheh, don't forget to rest from time to time.
09/21/2007 (7:08 am)
8-PGood job, what else could we say?
5 hours of sleeping? 2.5 hours too much ;)
Heheh, don't forget to rest from time to time.
#7
I just got paid today, so I will be buying your packs here in the next day or two. Sadly got some bills to pay first.
If you are up to doing a project some time I would love to do a project with you. I more of a programmer then a artist, so that works out :)
Shoot me an email jn.riddlemaster [at] gmail.com and we can talk about it.
Keep up the awesome work, I am looking forward to any packs you release in the future.
EDIT: Yes, I gave you a 5 rating on this plan. But I only did it because of the screenshots.
09/21/2007 (9:57 am)
Awesome work as always :)I just got paid today, so I will be buying your packs here in the next day or two. Sadly got some bills to pay first.
If you are up to doing a project some time I would love to do a project with you. I more of a programmer then a artist, so that works out :)
Shoot me an email jn.riddlemaster [at] gmail.com and we can talk about it.
Keep up the awesome work, I am looking forward to any packs you release in the future.
EDIT: Yes, I gave you a 5 rating on this plan. But I only did it because of the screenshots.
#8
09/21/2007 (12:41 pm)
Everyone already taken all the best words, remarkable stuff! :D 
#9
09/21/2007 (2:49 pm)
Those screenshots are stunning.
#10
We actually have been working on a couple projects, but right now I'm taking a "breather" from them. You can check out a little more about them here:
www.garagegames.com/blogs/45734/12816
and here:
www.garagegames.com/blogs/45734/11026
and here:
www.garagegames.com/blogs/45734/12366
What's interesting is that I've completed probably about 90% of the code changes I have wanted to make (with the exception of save and load...that's one that still is stumping me) and the main menu gui work. Beyond that I've go the thirteen levels for the single player completely laid out on paper and about 60% of of the actual content complete but I'm just a little burnt out on it so that's how I got involved in the Content Pack work...I'm still working on stuff that will in the end be applicable to the game(s) but I can take a step back and decide looking over the thirty or so builds of Code Name: Monster Island that I have and decide what stays in in the end, what I don't need and what I really want added.
The one thing I can say is even though I'd like to stick it out as a lone wolf (or at least a wolf and his son), if anyone could get me a working persistent inventory system between levels and a save/load system then that's were I'd take on a little help. In fact if that happened along with some creature work/animation from someone I'd be probably less than six months from calling it gold.
- Alan
09/23/2007 (2:54 am)
@AnthonyWe actually have been working on a couple projects, but right now I'm taking a "breather" from them. You can check out a little more about them here:
www.garagegames.com/blogs/45734/12816
and here:
www.garagegames.com/blogs/45734/11026
and here:
www.garagegames.com/blogs/45734/12366
What's interesting is that I've completed probably about 90% of the code changes I have wanted to make (with the exception of save and load...that's one that still is stumping me) and the main menu gui work. Beyond that I've go the thirteen levels for the single player completely laid out on paper and about 60% of of the actual content complete but I'm just a little burnt out on it so that's how I got involved in the Content Pack work...I'm still working on stuff that will in the end be applicable to the game(s) but I can take a step back and decide looking over the thirty or so builds of Code Name: Monster Island that I have and decide what stays in in the end, what I don't need and what I really want added.
The one thing I can say is even though I'd like to stick it out as a lone wolf (or at least a wolf and his son), if anyone could get me a working persistent inventory system between levels and a save/load system then that's were I'd take on a little help. In fact if that happened along with some creature work/animation from someone I'd be probably less than six months from calling it gold.
- Alan
#11
I would be willing to help you on both fronts with the save/load and the persistent inventory system. No pay required. I'll do it just to be doing something.
I've done saving and loading already and a persistent inventory system would fall right along the same lines as a saving and loading.
Just drop me a line when you need/feel like it and I will help however I can.
- Anthony
09/23/2007 (11:59 am)
@ AlanI would be willing to help you on both fronts with the save/load and the persistent inventory system. No pay required. I'll do it just to be doing something.
I've done saving and loading already and a persistent inventory system would fall right along the same lines as a saving and loading.
Just drop me a line when you need/feel like it and I will help however I can.
- Anthony
#12
09/26/2007 (3:34 pm)
are those screenshots of torque? if so, how did you get such sharp, nice looking shadows?
#13
No, lightmapped in 3D World Studio. I don't have a current .DIF with this light map detail level rendered at the moment to show you what it looks like in game, later this evening I'll post an ingame, but you can't get that crisp of shadow details generally in TGE. (At least I've never been able to do so with .DIFs).
Lightmapping from 3DWS (and Constructor for that matter) can sometimes leave some interesting results...and I mean that in a "what happened there?" sort of way. You can do some pretty cool stuff with in game lighting, though and it's usually nicer since it's much more interactive than lightmaps. I'll try to show some creative in game lighting of this level also when I get a chance.
- Alan
09/26/2007 (9:58 pm)
@Sean HNo, lightmapped in 3D World Studio. I don't have a current .DIF with this light map detail level rendered at the moment to show you what it looks like in game, later this evening I'll post an ingame, but you can't get that crisp of shadow details generally in TGE. (At least I've never been able to do so with .DIFs).
Lightmapping from 3DWS (and Constructor for that matter) can sometimes leave some interesting results...and I mean that in a "what happened there?" sort of way. You can do some pretty cool stuff with in game lighting, though and it's usually nicer since it's much more interactive than lightmaps. I'll try to show some creative in game lighting of this level also when I get a chance.
- Alan
Torque Owner Geom