Minions of Mirth MMO kit now available. Questions.
by Wolf Dreamer · in General Discussion · 08/15/2007 (2:24 pm) · 6 replies
Searching this forum, I see a lot of threads from back in 2005, but nothing recent.
I posted on his official form http://www.mmoworkshop.com/trac/mom/phpbb?page=viewtopic.php&p=4952#4952 but got no answers.
Anyway, since its now open source freeware to anyone that owns Torque 1.5 and either Faust Logic: AFX Core Tech or combo pack, I'm curious how many people plan on using it, and mostly the opinions of those who have tried it thus far. The announcement he made is found in his blog here: http://www.garagegames.com/blogs/4280/13391
How easy is the current version to use? How much coding is required?
Do you have something running automatically, and you just drop in your own artwork, and change some variables around? Or do you have to write a lot of code to get things going properly?
The FPS kit that comes with TGE has it where you can run around shooting stuff right away. Is it something simple like that? Is combat already added in, you just having to drop your own monsters about, and edit their stats? What about items, etc. etc.?
I can't try it out since I don't own Faust Logic AFX yet. Not going to buy it until I get some feed back on this product. Those who have it already though, will hopefully be curious enough to check it out, and post some feedback.
I posted on his official form http://www.mmoworkshop.com/trac/mom/phpbb?page=viewtopic.php&p=4952#4952 but got no answers.
Anyway, since its now open source freeware to anyone that owns Torque 1.5 and either Faust Logic: AFX Core Tech or combo pack, I'm curious how many people plan on using it, and mostly the opinions of those who have tried it thus far. The announcement he made is found in his blog here: http://www.garagegames.com/blogs/4280/13391
How easy is the current version to use? How much coding is required?
Do you have something running automatically, and you just drop in your own artwork, and change some variables around? Or do you have to write a lot of code to get things going properly?
The FPS kit that comes with TGE has it where you can run around shooting stuff right away. Is it something simple like that? Is combat already added in, you just having to drop your own monsters about, and edit their stats? What about items, etc. etc.?
I can't try it out since I don't own Faust Logic AFX yet. Not going to buy it until I get some feed back on this product. Those who have it already though, will hopefully be curious enough to check it out, and post some feedback.
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#2
I bought the MMO kit from http://www.mydreamrpg.com/ about a year ago, as did many others, they alas, never finishing it after they stopped being able to sell it do to some secret deal with Garage Games. They were making a lot of progress until then, then suddenly, updates became very few and far between. They spend all their time focusing on their new FPS-kit, which is in open beta now at that site.
But Minions of Mirth's code is is proven complete and fully functional, and I look forward to trying it out.
08/15/2007 (3:15 pm)
Quote:Its the same as every other game out there, or most of them I've seen anyway. Kill monsters, get loot, buy stuff, speak to NPCs, quest, open doors, placement of items, etc. The only thing differant between it, World of Warcraft, or anything else out there, is the graphics, how the engine loads up graphics, and of course the stats(hit points, attack power, rate of fire, range, etc) are changed. All the code for those things seems to already be in place, and working well.
It is most likely more complex than you are thinking, for full expandability for a number of gametypes.
Quote:Like many people, I dream of making my own Massive Multiplayer online game, not just play someone elses.
Instead of MoM with new skins. Why not just play MoM then?
I bought the MMO kit from http://www.mydreamrpg.com/ about a year ago, as did many others, they alas, never finishing it after they stopped being able to sell it do to some secret deal with Garage Games. They were making a lot of progress until then, then suddenly, updates became very few and far between. They spend all their time focusing on their new FPS-kit, which is in open beta now at that site.
But Minions of Mirth's code is is proven complete and fully functional, and I look forward to trying it out.
#3
Just curious, but am I the only one who has a problem with this opinion? Am I a minority, or do a lot of people agree?
Let me explain what I mean. I agree that the vast majority of commercial (and yes, Indie ventures) MMOs out there and coming up follow the formula Wolf here just described. The major differences between MMOs these days seems to be the creative assets (art, models, sound, specific levels, story, etc), while the gameplay is horrifically methodic.
Add to the fact that almost 90% of indie venture MMOs seem to be of the fantasy/hack-n-slash formula.
Am I the only one wanting and looking for something different? Something that *hasn't* been done literally dozens of times before, and each time leaves dozens to hundreds of players dissappointed to the point that they move on to the next MMO in a month or two?
Anyways, sorry for the rant, but it saddens me that when indies on these forums decide they're gonna make a "blockbuster MMO", they automaticly assume that it's gotta be a fantasy game like any other current MMO.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled forums.
08/15/2007 (10:55 pm)
Quote:Its the same as every other game out there, or most of them I've seen anyway. Kill monsters, get loot, buy stuff, speak to NPCs, quest, open doors, placement of items, etc. The only thing differant between it, World of Warcraft, or anything else out there, is the graphics, how the engine loads up graphics, and of course the stats(hit points, attack power, rate of fire, range, etc) are changed. All the code for those things seems to already be in place, and working well.
Just curious, but am I the only one who has a problem with this opinion? Am I a minority, or do a lot of people agree?
Let me explain what I mean. I agree that the vast majority of commercial (and yes, Indie ventures) MMOs out there and coming up follow the formula Wolf here just described. The major differences between MMOs these days seems to be the creative assets (art, models, sound, specific levels, story, etc), while the gameplay is horrifically methodic.
Add to the fact that almost 90% of indie venture MMOs seem to be of the fantasy/hack-n-slash formula.
Am I the only one wanting and looking for something different? Something that *hasn't* been done literally dozens of times before, and each time leaves dozens to hundreds of players dissappointed to the point that they move on to the next MMO in a month or two?
Anyways, sorry for the rant, but it saddens me that when indies on these forums decide they're gonna make a "blockbuster MMO", they automaticly assume that it's gotta be a fantasy game like any other current MMO.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled forums.
#4
I do plan on having 10 thousand pages of dialogue and complex character interaction as well, and various other things for those interested in a story. I've written an aweful lot over the years, always dreaming of having my own MMO one day.
There are only so many things to do things.
First person shooters, for instance, always have you shooting at the enemy, the ability to change between weapons, pick up ammunition from there dead, and unfortunately many of them come with the jump and crotch thing, even when it has no possible reason to be in there, other than the fact that everyone else is doing it.
Final Fantasy style games have combat where you choose from a list of things in a menu. But because of their skills at story telling, you don't mind the fact you are going from one point to another, killing monsters, gathering treasure, and whatnot. Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross were wonderful games, which I enjoyed playing, because of the character development.
I do have a lot of plans to make mine differant, however you still need code to kill monsters, open doors, manage an inventory, and whatnot. And if I revealed explicit plans too early, whats to keep others from copying some of them, and my MMO not unique anymore once it comes out?
The easier it gets to make games, the more variety you will see, as all the enthusiastic dreamers out there rise forth to reveal their dreams to the rest of the world.
08/16/2007 (1:23 am)
All games have a lot in common with other games of that type.I do plan on having 10 thousand pages of dialogue and complex character interaction as well, and various other things for those interested in a story. I've written an aweful lot over the years, always dreaming of having my own MMO one day.
There are only so many things to do things.
First person shooters, for instance, always have you shooting at the enemy, the ability to change between weapons, pick up ammunition from there dead, and unfortunately many of them come with the jump and crotch thing, even when it has no possible reason to be in there, other than the fact that everyone else is doing it.
Final Fantasy style games have combat where you choose from a list of things in a menu. But because of their skills at story telling, you don't mind the fact you are going from one point to another, killing monsters, gathering treasure, and whatnot. Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross were wonderful games, which I enjoyed playing, because of the character development.
I do have a lot of plans to make mine differant, however you still need code to kill monsters, open doors, manage an inventory, and whatnot. And if I revealed explicit plans too early, whats to keep others from copying some of them, and my MMO not unique anymore once it comes out?
The easier it gets to make games, the more variety you will see, as all the enthusiastic dreamers out there rise forth to reveal their dreams to the rest of the world.
#5
08/16/2007 (2:02 am)
I have to agree with you Trace; not only has the major games industry got a fear or inability to innovate (most of the time) but most indies follow suit. 
#6
The formula WolfDreamer described is independent of genre.
@WolfDreamer - I doubt anyone wants to copy your plans. They are all too busy worrying about other people stealing their plans to bother. People who get into worldbuilding tend to already have strong ideas about what it is they want to do and probably more ideas than resources. http://www.obscure.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/selling-game-design-ideas/
Edit: If you stick close to the MoM way of doing things (at a framework level), there is probably not much c++ you need to do beyond the initial merge into AFX.
08/16/2007 (5:08 am)
I happen to like elves :PThe formula WolfDreamer described is independent of genre.
@WolfDreamer - I doubt anyone wants to copy your plans. They are all too busy worrying about other people stealing their plans to bother. People who get into worldbuilding tend to already have strong ideas about what it is they want to do and probably more ideas than resources. http://www.obscure.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/selling-game-design-ideas/
Edit: If you stick close to the MoM way of doing things (at a framework level), there is probably not much c++ you need to do beyond the initial merge into AFX.
Employee David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
But, AFAIK, it has not been released yet for public consumption. Once it is, there will be more information out there.
It is most likely more complex than you are thinking, for full expandability for a number of gametypes. Instead of MoM with new skins. Why not just play MoM then?