Plan for Melv May
by Melv May · 02/16/2003 (2:25 am) · 10 comments
Folks,
We've been continously hard at work on Strategem, our turn-based action/strategy game. We're working to an end of March deadline for an alpha-release of the game with a beta a couple of weeks later. It's around that time that we'll finally be releasing some cool screenshots of our very hard work.
Hopefully, you guys are going to love the gameplay, gasp at the graphics and gulp at the special-fx/sound. All of our team has been working extremely hard on this project and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we'll be proud to release this game with our names on it.
Sorry, for the lack of information so far and the poor quantity of .plan updates but we have been seriously busy and we don't believe in working solely to produce fancy mock screenshots. We want to show you the real-deal with all the bells and whistles.
Although we intend to sell the game at a minimal price, we do intend to give out specific bits of code that I've developed to the community. So even if you don't buy our game (shame on you) you could still benefit from our hard work. As an example; I wanted the ability to attach generic stuff like my fxLights or ParticleEmitters to any node of my choosing, but as you know this just isn't possible with the engine as it stands. I modified the ShapeBase/GameBase code so that this is possible. My method works exactly the same as standard mounting but allows you to attach *any* GameBase to *any* node. You can even mount multiple GameBase objects to the same node. The node is always referenced by name rather than a specific "MountXX".
We've got a good crop of fully animated LODed characters coming out from our modeller which we're extremely pleased with. I'm furiously working through the game-logic and other coding, my mate Craig is filling in any cracks we have in the design and he's registered our web-page and working on that. Our designer, Sefton, has just finished the storyline and senario (for completeness).
Again, sorry for the lack of meat in this description but as I said before, when we do release something, it'll be something that you can look, touch and play. :)
- Melv May
Indie Skunkworks Team.
We've been continously hard at work on Strategem, our turn-based action/strategy game. We're working to an end of March deadline for an alpha-release of the game with a beta a couple of weeks later. It's around that time that we'll finally be releasing some cool screenshots of our very hard work.
Hopefully, you guys are going to love the gameplay, gasp at the graphics and gulp at the special-fx/sound. All of our team has been working extremely hard on this project and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we'll be proud to release this game with our names on it.
Sorry, for the lack of information so far and the poor quantity of .plan updates but we have been seriously busy and we don't believe in working solely to produce fancy mock screenshots. We want to show you the real-deal with all the bells and whistles.
Although we intend to sell the game at a minimal price, we do intend to give out specific bits of code that I've developed to the community. So even if you don't buy our game (shame on you) you could still benefit from our hard work. As an example; I wanted the ability to attach generic stuff like my fxLights or ParticleEmitters to any node of my choosing, but as you know this just isn't possible with the engine as it stands. I modified the ShapeBase/GameBase code so that this is possible. My method works exactly the same as standard mounting but allows you to attach *any* GameBase to *any* node. You can even mount multiple GameBase objects to the same node. The node is always referenced by name rather than a specific "MountXX".
We've got a good crop of fully animated LODed characters coming out from our modeller which we're extremely pleased with. I'm furiously working through the game-logic and other coding, my mate Craig is filling in any cracks we have in the design and he's registered our web-page and working on that. Our designer, Sefton, has just finished the storyline and senario (for completeness).
Again, sorry for the lack of meat in this description but as I said before, when we do release something, it'll be something that you can look, touch and play. :)
- Melv May
Indie Skunkworks Team.
About the author
#2
02/16/2003 (8:16 am)
Alright, Melv! Can't wait to see a game from one of the most helpful and most knowledgeable guys in the community. Good luck!!
#3
Believe it or not, I actually got around to starting on the particle system discussed in September of last year. I could only squeeze a 40fps gain out of the current one, so I'm writing it from scratch now. If you are interested in fine tuning my code before it goes public, I'll give you a ring when I'm done.
02/16/2003 (10:08 am)
Sounds like fun to me, Melv. Believe it or not, I actually got around to starting on the particle system discussed in September of last year. I could only squeeze a 40fps gain out of the current one, so I'm writing it from scratch now. If you are interested in fine tuning my code before it goes public, I'll give you a ring when I'm done.
#4
@Ken: Yes, we've had a little fun with feature creep but not too much. The actual coding didn't start until Christmas but I must admit to a few more features than we originally planned. ;)
It was simply that we were so happy with the feeling we were getting from the design that we wanted to do it justice and make certain areas more fun which meant another month coding. I wouldn't consider it a detour from the original design, simply an enhancement. We think we've got a really great idea here and the TGE is making it so easy to take it that little bit further than our original concept.
There has also been a coding delay but that's been partly on my side due to serious work committments taking all my energy (the indie thorn-in-side). I'm doing well catching up with our original time-scales (yes, we had a weekly plan for development) and the coding is back on track and going strong. This game is going to rock!
We've got a bunch of guys who are going to do some preliminary trials of the gameplay etc (alpha) and then we intend to start building some serious community interest with the beta.
I know the community is driven by development snapshots and we're not posting them simply because we're not interested in showing the progress, simply the results. None of us are interested in showing screenshots, expect a fun playable demo asap.
- Melv.
02/16/2003 (11:43 am)
Cheers Guys,@Ken: Yes, we've had a little fun with feature creep but not too much. The actual coding didn't start until Christmas but I must admit to a few more features than we originally planned. ;)
It was simply that we were so happy with the feeling we were getting from the design that we wanted to do it justice and make certain areas more fun which meant another month coding. I wouldn't consider it a detour from the original design, simply an enhancement. We think we've got a really great idea here and the TGE is making it so easy to take it that little bit further than our original concept.
There has also been a coding delay but that's been partly on my side due to serious work committments taking all my energy (the indie thorn-in-side). I'm doing well catching up with our original time-scales (yes, we had a weekly plan for development) and the coding is back on track and going strong. This game is going to rock!
We've got a bunch of guys who are going to do some preliminary trials of the gameplay etc (alpha) and then we intend to start building some serious community interest with the beta.
I know the community is driven by development snapshots and we're not posting them simply because we're not interested in showing the progress, simply the results. None of us are interested in showing screenshots, expect a fun playable demo asap.
- Melv.
#5
Seriously tho bud, I'm getting on here something mad. Been busy as hell at work, and yet I'm unbelievably motivated at home right now too.. dunno how long it will last, but I figure I'll ride the wave as long as it does.
Hell, I'm even gonna try and playtest it (what little there is) later this week.
My todo list does seem to want to stretch a bit tho.. :))
Phil.
02/16/2003 (3:06 pm)
Whaaat! you dont like screenshots? but how do you get all your adoration quoata if not for nice looking screenies? :))Seriously tho bud, I'm getting on here something mad. Been busy as hell at work, and yet I'm unbelievably motivated at home right now too.. dunno how long it will last, but I figure I'll ride the wave as long as it does.
Hell, I'm even gonna try and playtest it (what little there is) later this week.
My todo list does seem to want to stretch a bit tho.. :))
Phil.
#6
I went through one of those endless energe phases a couple of weeks ago; ride that energy-wave while you can 'cause there's a lull following it unfortunately. I Can't wait to see all the new code (read that work) activated in RW.
p.s. Getting my Motif today!!!
- Melv.
02/16/2003 (11:24 pm)
Wow, just typed quite a big reply and submitted it only to have it disappear ... groan.I went through one of those endless energe phases a couple of weeks ago; ride that energy-wave while you can 'cause there's a lull following it unfortunately. I Can't wait to see all the new code (read that work) activated in RW.
p.s. Getting my Motif today!!!
- Melv.
#7
Once you have competed a working Alpha of Strategem, I might let you play a single chord.
People, watch this space. Strategem is coming (and I might even persuade Melv to post an Alpha screen shot for you all).
02/17/2003 (4:18 am)
I've spoken to the shop and asked them to deliver your Motif to my house.Once you have competed a working Alpha of Strategem, I might let you play a single chord.
People, watch this space. Strategem is coming (and I might even persuade Melv to post an Alpha screen shot for you all).
#9
Sounds like a cool keyboard though, but I prefer my VSTi's
Phil.
02/17/2003 (5:58 pm)
Flash git! motif huh? well, I got my software sampler and it'll knock the hell out of your sampling hardware! ner ner na ner ner!Sounds like a cool keyboard though, but I prefer my VSTi's
Phil.
#10
My I prefer my Motif plus a software sampler, my brother is bigger than yours and I've got a bigger dog than you ... etc etc etc ... :)
Seriously though, I believe that all good setups center around a great keyboard and what better than the Motif?
I'm going to run it with an external sequencer, probably Cubase VST and then of course I'll be trading you for sample CD's etc.
BTW, do you have any MP3 examples you could send me of your music? I like hearing peoples creations; I only wish there were more submitted on the GG site.
- Melv.
- Melv.
02/18/2003 (8:33 am)
Phil,My I prefer my Motif plus a software sampler, my brother is bigger than yours and I've got a bigger dog than you ... etc etc etc ... :)
Seriously though, I believe that all good setups center around a great keyboard and what better than the Motif?
I'm going to run it with an external sequencer, probably Cubase VST and then of course I'll be trading you for sample CD's etc.
BTW, do you have any MP3 examples you could send me of your music? I like hearing peoples creations; I only wish there were more submitted on the GG site.
- Melv.
- Melv.
Associate Ken Finney
Tubetti World
Back in Nov. you were estimating 2 to 3 months and said:
>>>This is definately a game that can be completed by one man in the time period so watch this space!
Was it an expansion of scope, scale, both, or what - do you know ?
(not tryin' to bust your chops here; after 18 months I'm still trying to get a handle on these issues wrt Torque & Indie Game Dev)