Zombie Apocalypse

[plopperz]

Since we'd have a (sortof) giant map. Then it would have to have respawning, especially if it's an MMO. What happens when everyone kills all ther zombies? They wouldn't immediately respawn, maybe after a half-hour or something. I say we go with Craig's idea, as it could accommodate most of our ideas, and would be a hell of a lot easier to make.

 

[Holokauston]

Since we'd have a (sortof) giant map. Then it would have to have respawning, especially if it's an MMO. What happens when everyone kills all ther zombies? They wouldn't immediately respawn, maybe after a half-hour or something. I say we go with Craig's idea, as it could accommodate most of our ideas, and would be a hell of a lot easier to make.

That's easy, re-spawn on a timer with a minimum and maximum number of mobs (at any given time) and random placement based on player and mob locations (so the don't spawn on top of anyone or all in the same place)

 

[plopperz]

It says on the wiki "Marketing and Management", so are we planning to make this a commercial game? I sure hope not

 

[Holokauston]

It says on the wiki "Marketing and Management", so are we planning to make this a commercial game? I sure hope not

Marketing and management doesn't have to be commercial, a project this size needs it.

Marketing is what this thread is, finding out what the user/customer wants also speading the word etc since it's multiplayer you need people to play it and management to make sure everything gets done and what has to be cut out, put in etc to optimize the game production and so on

 

[Dutch_Cap]

That's easy, re-spawn on a timer with a minimum and maximum number of mobs (at any given time) and random placement based on player and mob locations (so the don't spawn on top of anyone or all in the same place)

Maybe zombies should just keep migrating in from wilderness at the edges of the map.

I do think killing all zombies should be an optional game mode. In fact, I think the game should be as configurable and modifiable as possible. Creating mods should be easy. Did I mention FIFE supports Python scripting?

Also, there should be a single player mode. I want to be able to play it on my own, or with one or more friend over local WiFi.

 

[plopperz]

Awesome idea for migrating! It would make the game a lot more realistic, and would be pretty easy to do using Holokauston's timer idea and having them respawn right at the edges of the map. As for the single player thing, it would be another reason to use the Quake engine, as we could have the ongoing main server and an option for private servers to play single player or just with a couple of friends.

@Holokauston:
Thanks for clearing that up. I think if it is released, it will become a Killer Ap, so there shouldn't be a problem getting the word out. I think the main problem right now is organizing ideas. The wiki is a good start.

 

[javaJake]

The fastest way to do this is just to make a quake map full of zombies (and forever spawning zombies) and make a 'town' in it, Then just join the multiplayer game. V0.1 is up and running, now start to code mods

This sounds reasonable, though I've never had any experience with Quake. What does everyone else think?

 

[ashadocat]

I'm in favor of the quake engine, but we need to see what the devs think. I guess you two will have to duke it out. fife or quake? I vote for quake. it's probably easier to get models for and is more complete. why don't you guys make a pro/con sheet on the wiki for this?

I'd personally like to release this to the community under the gpl.

 

[plopperz]

If we used FIFE we would have to create a whole new game and implement networking and other features. With the quake engine all we would have to do is mod Q3, as someone said, that's what TFC did and thats considered a seperate game.

 

[craigix]

Quake already has zombies (which only die if they are blown up, ie their heads are blown off) otherwise they come back to life forever.

So you don't even have to make the models for them or the code, they already exist in quake, just get a map editor and put them everywhere, behind walls, under floors, above ceilings and bob's your uncle.

 

[Holokauston]

Quake already has zombies (which only die if they are blown up, ie their heads are blown off) otherwise they come back to life forever.

So you don't even have to make the models for them or the code, they already exist in quake, just get a map editor and put them everywhere, behind walls, under floors, above ceilings and bob's your uncle.

That would swing the focus more to the mod side and make progress go pretty fast later on one can mod it in to what ever the final goal is

 

[ashadocat]

well, i'd like to change them more then that. the quake engine is sounding more and more appealing.

what do you think, one player gets an rts like control over the zombies. if you die you come back a super zombie (think fresh corpse)

I have a 3d artist friend I'll talk to. PlopperZ do you think you can make textures?

 

[Holokauston]

well, i'd like to change them more then that. the quake engine is sounding more and more appealing.

what do you think, one player gets an rts like control over the zombies. if you die you come back a super zombie (think fresh corpse)

I have a 3d artist friend I'll talk to. PlopperZ do you think you can make textures?

Well as craigix said that's version 0.01, version 1.00 might be a total makeover just using something that started as the quake engine

 

[plopperz]

Quake already has zombies (which only die if they are blown up, ie their heads are blown off) otherwise they come back to life forever.

So you don't even have to make the models for them or the code, they already exist in quake, just get a map editor and put them everywhere, behind walls, under floors, above ceilings and bob's your uncle.

Does any one know if anything in Quake can be skinned? i.e it would be better to have a bunch of different kinds of zombies, and since they can only be blown up it would kindof defeat the purpose of having different weapons. Also the Quake weapon functions are good, but they look a bit too Sci-Fiey for the setting. If we could change the gauntlet to a chainsaw we could keep the same sounds and functions.

well, i'd like to change them more then that. the quake engine is sounding more and more appealing.

what do you think, one player gets an rts like control over the zombies. if you die you come back a super zombie (think fresh corpse)

I have a 3d artist friend I'll talk to. PlopperZ do you think you can make textures?

I have no experience with textures, but could probably figure it out. Are you suggesting someone gets control rts control of zombies, but everyone else is doing fps? Sounds fun but also sounds really complicated.

 

[ashadocat]

everything in quake can be skinned.
yes thats what i'm suggesting. I don't think it would be too complicated but we'd have to ask the programmers

what version of quake will we use. i'm assuming quake 2

 

[plopperz]

Excelent , that will make things quite a bit easier. It also means once we have all of our ideas down, we could get started on this and have it ready by release (or the Quake 3 port anyways)

I'm not sure rts would work gameplay-wise, like to attack, one would have to select the zombie, and click on the enemy. That would be enough time to kill the zombie and move on to the next one, which would quickly end the game. Also players wouldn't be able to hide in buildings or behind things.
It's a good idea, but I don't know if it would be practical


I just assumed we'd use Quake III

 

[ashadocat]

zombies would go after players by themselves. give them some ai and have the dm just guide them.

my mistake. yes quake 3 is the most best one. I pushed the wrong key

 

[Holokauston]

Excelent , that will make things quite a bit easier. It also means once we have all of our ideas down, we could get started on this and have it ready by release (or the Quake 3 port anyways)

Depending on how ambitious you want to get there are a few ways to go

1. "Scratch"
Use the engine, then start modding it your own way (maybe look at other peoples code but write your own)

Perks
- You know more about it
- Often easier to edit your own code and so on which makes more advanced steps "easier" since you know the ins and outs.

Cons
- Takes time even with a finished engine


2. Cut, past and hack
Use the engine, look at other peoples mod code etc and take what you think is good.

Perks
- Fast progress (specially in the beginning)
- you don't have to "reinvent the wheel"

Cons
- Often chaotic code which is hard to know what does what in the end if you got a lot of stuff in it and want to add something yourself (the more chefs the worse stew, Swedish proverb)

 

[plopperz]

zombies would go after players by themselves. give them some ai and have the dm just guide them.

That would still leave the problem of the all-seeing opponent, which would defeat the purpose and we'd might as well have it as one large open space. And the programming issue, I'm no coder, but I imagine it would be difficult, because the game would have to take information about where everyone is and what they're doing, and recreate it instantly. Also I don't know how difficult it would be to combine AI and human input, but I imagine it would be. I'd like to see what some of the dev's think about this, before shooting it down. I have to admit, it would probably be really fun to play

 

[Dutch_Cap]

my mistake. yes quake 3 is the most best one. I pushed the wrong key

I don't know. Being less resource intensive, Quake 2 should allow for much bigger levels. Quake 1 should allow for yet bigger worlds.

The same might be true for the number of players, though Quake 3's networking code may be more optimised.


Edit: Then again, if you make Quake 3's geometry as simple as Quake 1's, the difference might just be marginal. Any real game programmers willing to comment on this?