Invasion Week - Behind the Scenes With Max Gaming

Submitted:	Benjamin Bradley
Posted:	Mar 15, 2005
Synopsis:	The dream started in January of 2003 and on this Friday, March 18th, the dream will be realized. Many things have changed along the way. So sit back and enjoy and we take a behind the scenes look at Max Gaming Technology and DH:Lore Invasion.
Keywords:	games

Article

Invasion Week
Day One - Day Two - Day Three - Day Four

You've come a long way baby...

The dream started in January of 2003 and on this Friday, March 18th, the dream will be realized. Many things have changed along the way. So sit back and enjoy and we take a behind the scenes look at Max Gaming Technology and DH:Lore Invasion.

Many people talk about how their games change and evolve during development, but most fans never hear about the original ideas or have to opportunity to see early concept art. Take DH: Lore Invasion as an example. The game didn't always go by that name. In fact, in the early stages of development, the game and the universe it existed in was called Critical Subterfuge. As development progressed, the name changed into SOL 2160: Lore. When the game entered its beta stages, the title had morphed into Dark Horizons: Lore. And most recently, while gearing up for the final release (which will take place this Friday, 18th), the title of the game evolved into DH: Lore Invasion. Over the next day, we'll be taking a look at how DH: Lore Invasion has matured as a game.

The growing pains of the MAVs

Indie Development is like a Roller Coaster...

Adrian Wright, founder of Max Gaming Technologies, summed up the last few years when we asked him about the high points of development.

Quote:
"We have spent the last 2 years on a virtual roller coaster of Indie game development, with every low followed by a high that kept our spirit alive. I can remember seeing for the first time at IGC in 2003 people play Lore at a LAN party, it was breath taking, not only in the fact that people were having fun, but in the words of one player as we wanted to break for a focus group, "We just wanna keep playing". That stands out to me as a milestone of the work we have poured in Lore as not only the first of what we hope to be a franchise, but as our first game developed as a Team. It's a lot to say that a team of guys, who had talent and the drive and vision to make a game, stayed together for 2 years on a project where they were working for the hope of getting the game done. Every corner where we thought it was the end, we would be lifted up by what has become our fledgling fan base. We could not have done it without each other."

Concept art for Sector 2 base and DH: Lore Invasion in-game screenshot

The Max Gaming Dev Team Together

The Max Gaming Technology Crew

Welcome to our office :)

The Early Days of Development

Early In-Game Screen Shots

The early dev snapshots for Lore...

This Friday, March 18th, get in the action and grab your copy of DH: Lore Invasion

...and the latest dev snapshots

DH: Lore Invasion Exclusive In-Game Screen Shots

Continuing Coverage on Invasion Week

Tomorrow on Invasion Week we will spend some time chatting with several of the developers of Max Gaming's hit game DH: Lore Invasion. If you have a question for the Max Gaming Crew, post it below and I'll pin them down and force them to answer in our interview tomorrow.

Submit your own resources!

Craig Blackney (Mar 15, 2005 at 23:45 GMT)

Oh how I remember the early days! Coming down off that hill and getting stuck on a certain tree all the time!

So much better now :)

Logan Foster (Mar 15, 2005 at 23:51 GMT)

Ah the stroll through memory lane. Its been a great 2 years worth or hard work and effort put forth by everyone to make Lore Invasion, we all know that each and every person will enjoy what they see come the 18th of March.

In regards to the questions, please start posting and ask as much as you can about Lore Invasion and its development, this is a rare chance for many of you to find out not only more about Lore Invasion but the process that went into making it too!

Josh Moore (Mar 15, 2005 at 23:59 GMT)

I for one welcome our new mecha overloards.

Seriously though, Invasion looks pretty sweet. I'll have to pick up the new demo this weekend.

John Erb-Downward (Mar 16, 2005 at 01:44 GMT)

I remember being so blown away when I first started with the beta, and suprised by how impressed I was with each new release. With what's packed into Invasion, surprise is no longer adequate...I've been forced to resort to astonishment. It's freaking amazing! I can't wait ^_^.

Leon D. Backer (Mar 16, 2005 at 02:00 GMT)

It just keeps getting better and better. Im not sure astonishment even covers what i felt when i saw Invasion for the first time.

Adam deGrandis (Mar 16, 2005 at 02:01 GMT)

fanTAStic work guys! :) This is one of the best news items ive seen in awhile.

Nathan (Mar 16, 2005 at 07:48 GMT)

There is only one word to describe this.

SWEET!

Keep up the awesome work guys.

Phil Carlisle (Mar 16, 2005 at 08:15 GMT)

So my first question is..

Going with a multiplayer only game seemed to be a big risk, did the risk payoff and if someone else were making a multiplayer focussed game, is there anything you would tell them that they absolutely need to do?

Invasion's looking great, Lore looking better than ever!!! cant wait to try it in the IGC'05 LAN!!

Edward Gardner (Mar 16, 2005 at 11:45 GMT)

Don't wait till IGC to try it ;)

Anthony Rosenbaum (Mar 16, 2005 at 15:27 GMT)

@PHil, my Advice "Don't make a multiplayer only game, provide a single player experiance, so the players can practice before they go compete"

Nicolas Quijano (Mar 16, 2005 at 20:19 GMT)

Grats fellas !!
Keep up the good work, and make us proud :)

Alexander Brown (Mar 16, 2005 at 20:23 GMT)

@anthony, what about tribes? a purely online game that flurished. The very same game that allowed torque to become such a great engine. And besides, anyone knows that the difference from fighting bots and real people is like comparing black to white. If people want to learn, they can fight bots, however I guarantee they wont have nearly as much fun vs bots as they would with real people.I cant wait for 2.01!

Edit: also i am wondering what modding abilities will come with lore. What will we be able to add to the game(through models, custom music/sounds/reticles/skins...etc). Also will we be able to change certain aspects of the clientside? lets say i want debris to last longer on the battlefield or for the missile colour to be a different colour, will that be possible?
And about the persistant universe, will it be constantly updated with new content and added "features"? will new technologies become available throughout the duration of the game? how will these technologies be distributed?
Lastly what are your thoughts about TSE? TGE is a great engine, and lore looks great, but as time(and the game) progresses, and depending on the popularity of Lore do you think it a possibility that lore might be ported over to the TSE engine?

thanks for any answers you might be able to provide
Edited on Mar 16, 2005 20:59 GMT

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