Possible Mass Co-Op Game Idea
by Andrew G · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 11/03/2002 (2:46 am) · 14 replies
Hey All,
Well, over the past few weeks I've been tossing around the idea of designing a massed Co-op multiplayer game. Although the ideas are still REALLY basic at the moment, I was thinking about making a game based around the 20 - 30s, in some town which is rumoured to have some ancient evil brewing deep within the earth below it (And now you all say, Ive heard that one before! :P )
Anywho, the game will be based around several large maps, probably based around a large building, or even a city block, although I dont want to make each map so big that people have trouble running it on their computers. Anyway, it will be based around players baricading themselves in a building(s)against some kind of computer controlled player. I was thinking zombies, because it would help add an interesting/exciting horror aspect to the game.
Anyway, each game would go for around an hour (maybe the title can be "The Final Hour"?). The players have to barricade themselves in, and hold off the atttacking zombies for an hour (Mass computer controlled zombies, maybe even 40 +?) Anyway, if a player is killed by a zombie, they will become a zombie, and continue onwards with the computer controlled zombies attacking the remaining humans. Whilst the zombies will be slow and cumbersome, meaning they can easilly be picked off in ones and twos, they will have the benefit of attacking in LARGE numbers, easilly overwelming a player and killing them. Anyway, i must keep this post short (im meant to be doing an assignment at the moment :P )
I need to know if there are any FREE game engines out there that can support large multiplayer games. I have found several engines (Cube, 3DE, Genesis 3D, Crystal 3D, The Nebula Device). Basically, the engine needs to be able to support large ammount of npcs AND human controlled characters in enclosed environments. So far, "The Nebula Device" looks the most promising, but I want to find the BEST engine possible for the task that is FREE (I cant afford to buy a licence at all :P)
Anyone that wants to join the dev. team, send me an email. I can't pay you, but as long as you have well developed skills in any field of game design, you are welcome!!
Thanks in advance,
Sketcha (Andrew)
Well, over the past few weeks I've been tossing around the idea of designing a massed Co-op multiplayer game. Although the ideas are still REALLY basic at the moment, I was thinking about making a game based around the 20 - 30s, in some town which is rumoured to have some ancient evil brewing deep within the earth below it (And now you all say, Ive heard that one before! :P )
Anywho, the game will be based around several large maps, probably based around a large building, or even a city block, although I dont want to make each map so big that people have trouble running it on their computers. Anyway, it will be based around players baricading themselves in a building(s)against some kind of computer controlled player. I was thinking zombies, because it would help add an interesting/exciting horror aspect to the game.
Anyway, each game would go for around an hour (maybe the title can be "The Final Hour"?). The players have to barricade themselves in, and hold off the atttacking zombies for an hour (Mass computer controlled zombies, maybe even 40 +?) Anyway, if a player is killed by a zombie, they will become a zombie, and continue onwards with the computer controlled zombies attacking the remaining humans. Whilst the zombies will be slow and cumbersome, meaning they can easilly be picked off in ones and twos, they will have the benefit of attacking in LARGE numbers, easilly overwelming a player and killing them. Anyway, i must keep this post short (im meant to be doing an assignment at the moment :P )
I need to know if there are any FREE game engines out there that can support large multiplayer games. I have found several engines (Cube, 3DE, Genesis 3D, Crystal 3D, The Nebula Device). Basically, the engine needs to be able to support large ammount of npcs AND human controlled characters in enclosed environments. So far, "The Nebula Device" looks the most promising, but I want to find the BEST engine possible for the task that is FREE (I cant afford to buy a licence at all :P)
Anyone that wants to join the dev. team, send me an email. I can't pay you, but as long as you have well developed skills in any field of game design, you are welcome!!
Thanks in advance,
Sketcha (Andrew)
About the author
#3
What is the name for that system they used in Deus Ex? Where the boxes appear around objects that can be picked up, push, operated etc. I think they used it in System Shock 2 as well. Does anyone know its name? Does nevrax have it included?
11/04/2002 (12:53 pm)
Another question.What is the name for that system they used in Deus Ex? Where the boxes appear around objects that can be picked up, push, operated etc. I think they used it in System Shock 2 as well. Does anyone know its name? Does nevrax have it included?
#4
11/04/2002 (1:54 pm)
It's under the GPL license, so yes it's free, although you would have to release the source for any programs you wrote with it. Having said that, if you did write an MMPOG with it and released the client (binaries + source), you could choose to not release the server which would mean not having to release the server source.
#5
If you have to release the source, you're basically giving hackers free reign to cheat. :(
11/04/2002 (2:23 pm)
It seems like that licensing agreement would totally kill off any MMORPG.If you have to release the source, you're basically giving hackers free reign to cheat. :(
#6
No it won't and no you're not. Remember that Apache is an open source web server, and it's much more secure (IMHO) than IIS, which is closed source.
11/04/2002 (2:41 pm)
Quote:It seems like that licensing agreement would totally kill off any MMORPG.
If you have to release the source, you're basically giving hackers free reign to cheat. :(
No it won't and no you're not. Remember that Apache is an open source web server, and it's much more secure (IMHO) than IIS, which is closed source.
#7
Another thing: if you use a third-party engine, most of your programming is done. Your main work is in the content creation, that can be copyrighted, even if the engine is under GPL. The GPL license refer only to code, not to the content.
11/04/2002 (2:46 pm)
Maybe there would be a closed, non-GPL "security layer" attached to the GPL game. A server would apply this layer or not, like a firewall against cheating.Another thing: if you use a third-party engine, most of your programming is done. Your main work is in the content creation, that can be copyrighted, even if the engine is under GPL. The GPL license refer only to code, not to the content.
#8
11/04/2002 (2:49 pm)
Exactly Adib. The content and media are not "open source", and are probably your most valuable asset. But then again, if you're not in support of the GPL then Nel isn't for you.
#9
What you guys are going on about makes NO sense to me, but the third party engine sounds good. If an engine is third party, and you want to make some slight changes, can you/are you allowed? Do any of u guys know where i can see some examples of the nevrax engine at work? i cant find any screenshots at all, not even on their official website :(
11/05/2002 (12:31 am)
Ok, the third party engine thing sounds good, considering i dont have a scrap of coding experience, im only a designer/level designer/ texture artist :P What you guys are going on about makes NO sense to me, but the third party engine sounds good. If an engine is third party, and you want to make some slight changes, can you/are you allowed? Do any of u guys know where i can see some examples of the nevrax engine at work? i cant find any screenshots at all, not even on their official website :(
#10
You can only make changes to third party software if you have either the source code. This can happen if the software is under some kind of open source or free license (e.g. GPL, LGPL), or if you have paid thousands of dollars for access to the source code. Alternatively, you could buy a Torque license and you'll get the source code and you can modify the code to your heart's content.
You can download a demo of Nel from www.nevrax.org. The demo is actually the Snowballs game, so make you download the Windows binaries and the data. You can play online (though noone else does), or just play offline. There's a couple of values in the config file you can tweak (read it through) to try to improve performance slightly. Performance isn't great, but the Nevrax guys tell me that the game hasn't been optimised. They are using Nel to develop Ryzom, and there are screenshot for that game at www.ryzom.com. I've setup English forums at forums.stodge.net, though they aren't really busy yet. Alternatively, there is an IRC channel and usually there's a couple of Nevrax guys hiding there somewhere.
Oh I just found this link on the Nevrax site, so you didn't search hard enough:
nevrax.org/screenshots/
Using third party is always a good idea in my opinion, although make sure you pick the right tool for the job.
Cheers
11/05/2002 (7:06 am)
If you have no development experience you should probably partner with someone who is. Are you planning on working with a developer? If not, you're trying to do the impossible.You can only make changes to third party software if you have either the source code. This can happen if the software is under some kind of open source or free license (e.g. GPL, LGPL), or if you have paid thousands of dollars for access to the source code. Alternatively, you could buy a Torque license and you'll get the source code and you can modify the code to your heart's content.
You can download a demo of Nel from www.nevrax.org. The demo is actually the Snowballs game, so make you download the Windows binaries and the data. You can play online (though noone else does), or just play offline. There's a couple of values in the config file you can tweak (read it through) to try to improve performance slightly. Performance isn't great, but the Nevrax guys tell me that the game hasn't been optimised. They are using Nel to develop Ryzom, and there are screenshot for that game at www.ryzom.com. I've setup English forums at forums.stodge.net, though they aren't really busy yet. Alternatively, there is an IRC channel and usually there's a couple of Nevrax guys hiding there somewhere.
Oh I just found this link on the Nevrax site, so you didn't search hard enough:
nevrax.org/screenshots/
Using third party is always a good idea in my opinion, although make sure you pick the right tool for the job.
Cheers
#11
So far I have found the following engines promising:
Nevrax
Cypher
Qube
The Nebula Device
Which one out of there do u reckon would suite a multiplayer first person shooter?
11/06/2002 (12:20 am)
yah, i only have very limited time during the week to look, thats y i didnt find the link to the screenshots.So far I have found the following engines promising:
Nevrax
Cypher
Qube
The Nebula Device
Which one out of there do u reckon would suite a multiplayer first person shooter?
#12
11/06/2002 (7:04 am)
I'm sure they could all be used for that job. You'll have to look at them all to determine which suits your needs best, and then decide on which you're most comfortable developing with. Take into account things like documentation, support, utilities, functionality etc.... It's really your choice.
#13
11/06/2002 (2:46 pm)
Hey, I just found CloakNT, very good, being used for "Chaser" (www.chaser.com i think) Does anyone know anything about it?
#14
11/06/2002 (3:05 pm)
Nope, that's a new one for me. Doesn't look like it's available so I wouldn't bother with it.
Torque Owner Christian Weber
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