Interested in making a fantasy mod

[Pxtl]

@Frog

Idunno, having a faction of clockwork-building gnomes and golems would be a nice way to set it apart from just-another-fantasy.

I've already got ideas for a Tree-ents-and-Slimes "Dark Swamp" themed faction.

[1v0ry_k1ng]

why dont you make and balance it with ta models as placeholders- so the mod actually works- then sub in models as they become avaliable.

[overkill]

I would not mind throwing some stuff into the content pool. Assuming it would go to all three project. (maackeys is my favorite )

[CarRepairer]

why dont you make and balance it with ta models as placeholders- so the mod actually works- then sub in models as they become avaliable.

Take that exact sentence and replace TA with something else that's free you maniac!

I would not mind throwing some stuff into the content pool. Assuming it would go to all three project. (maackeys is my favorite )

Maackey is doing an Age Of Mythology like mod/game. I can't wait to see how that unfolds too. Some parts can be shared between our two games (like farms or other structures, unit abilities).

[Neddie]

I've already got ideas for a Tree-ents-and-Slimes "Dark Swamp" themed faction.

Good to know I'm not alone in that thought.

[mammadori]

why dont you make and balance it with ta models as placeholders- so the mod actually works- then sub in models as they become avaliable.

Take that exact sentence and replace TA with something else that's free you maniac!

It is premature, but better start in the beginning with licensing.

I would like to ask you to use a DFSG compatible license (either CC-BY-SA (3.0) or CC-BY (3.0) for example) for licensing artworks, because if you choose the CC-NC (Non commercial) flavour, I wont be able to package your artwork for debian main.

[Saktoth]

Its another one of those dream projects thats never going to see the light of day though, the one using the 5-way RPS structure as the core principle.

If you say so, I wouldn't count it out.

Im talking about my steampunk game, the one the concepts are for. Try reading what i say.

Anyway, just offering the concept art if you're interested since im not using it, since steampunk was mentioned (and no, google, i wont be doing fantasy/steampunk models anytime soon, too much to do on CA).

Probably better and easier to just stick with generic fantasy stuff though.

[Neddie]

I did read what you said, the point stands. If you have no intention of executing your component of it or putting it into development, then it isn't a project to begin with.

[Neddie]

I would like to ask you to use a DFSG compatible license (either CC-BY-SA (3.0) or CC-BY (3.0) for example) for licensing artworks, because if you choose the CC-NC (Non commercial) flavour, I wont be able to package your artwork for debian main.

The artwork is based on the contributors, but I'm trying to steer Car to BY-SA.

[JohannesH]

And what would the gameplay be like...? Besides simple.

[Regret]

And what would the gameplay be like...? Besides simple.

CA with elves.

[Saktoth]

There is a lot of room to move within the guidelines car outlined: Simple economy, counter mechanics, using physical structures for the mechanics rather than special damages (though i dont personally think there are anything wrong with special damages if sensibly used and well balanced, say Ice and Fire damage/resistance, or Physical armour that doesnt help vs magic etc). CA mostly uses the physics engine for this though (grav guns, arcs, spread, tracking, etc_- i dont know how you'd do that with swords, not many weapon dynamics there- though if you want to go really into the magic, you can create lots of outlandish weapons light heavenly chain lightning bolts and fire balls and poison etc.

Id suggest you start with what the economy is going to look like. What resources, whether you use the metalmap or not, etc, how it progresses and grows, how the players interact with eachother and it, etc.

Secondly, and related, is the tech tree. How many layers deep, how to arrange it, unlocking techs, upgrades, or just a range of factories? etc.

Finally, id suggest coming up with some basic counter mechanics and game progressions. Fast early aggression and defense options, speed vs range mechanics, defenses and anti-defense measures, key units and their interactions, etc.

So if the devs have any thoughts on those aspects id say thats a good point to start any disussion on a mods design.

Though by all means there is no reason not to just plow ahead making units and let the devs who do the footwork come up with this stuff, grand designs are all for naught with no game and they always change once you see them ingame anyway.

[wilbefast]

Hey, great to hear it!

CA's is definitely my favourite TA-base Spring game, but it's a little daunting when you first start out, since everything is available from the very beginning. It's like: "I'm being attacked! I better build some light defence towers - now let's see, which of these 15 defence towers would be appropriate?"
And by the time you figure it out you don't need towers any more because you're dead
That's just from a "Kleenex-test" point of view - once you get used it it's great fun. Still, most RTSs use linear tech-trees for a reason...

I think having a lot of people working on similar projects is good because we can sort of egg each-other on, or maybe hurl abuse. Abuse is good if you're stubborn even: it makes you work harder
I reckon we all work more or less separately and see which mods/ideas/art directions work well and which ones fail (eg - mine obviously ), then help out with whichever one seems the most promising.
So far all these fantasy ideas seem fairly different though, we've got:

Maackey = ~Age of Empires/Age of Mythology
Red XIII = TA:K Spring
Me = ~NOTA:K
CarReparirer n' co = Warcraft?
Azaremoth = not actually fantasy, but really cool and proof that it can be done!

I was actually thinking of something similar a while ago (magic vs steam-punk/clockwork technology) but I wanted to avoid guns altogether - also that's pretty much what Glest is...
Check it out actually - free and GPL, certainly not a replacement for Spring but still interesting and, well, it's free. Duh.

Anyway: best of luck!! And since a little friendly competition is always good, may the best mod-team win!


I'll give you a hint: it won't be me


Will

[CarRepairer]

@Regret: yes, it's CA with elves. There's the door.

@Saktoth: I will be consulting with you often. But contrary to what you said, I wanted to start with the units and skip the econ for now. The basic "having more territory is in your benefit" is a given since I'm trying to use the CA model of gameplay, so I was just going to keep it simple with spring's m/e resources so I can skip the econ work and move on to the fun stuff - the units. One day I want to try my hand at the Blizzard model of different econ style for different factions. But not yet, units first.

@wilbefast: That's funny, I was just thinking of giving it the codename CA:K. But don't make all of this sound like some sort of competition. I've learned over time that when projects are helpful to eachother, they all benefit from the resulting ideas and innovation. It is in my benefit to still work on the Cursed because aza is finding bugs in my code even as we speak. I have so many ideas for crazy features (I make other CA devs cringe at just a few of those) so now I'll have a chance to try them out, in my game and in the other fantasy projects you mentioned.

When one mod dominates (no offense to BA) interest declines and complaints arise that spring is nothing but speedmetal and DSD. We need to keep being inspired to keep spring alive. Kudos to TheFatController for his new game spring skirmish.

[Tribulex]

Game design would be based on the same principles of CA.

Nope, not interested. Ill playtest, thought, if the game design doesnt involve carrying over the widgetry.

[wilbefast]

@Car : yeah, wasn't being serious really

I want Spring to have a fantasy mod - that's different from wanting to be the maker of Spring's first fantasy mod and bathe in eternal internet glory (lol). I reckon most of the people I mentioned want the same thing and if we all want the same thing there's no reason why we can't help eachother

I see no problem working on different projects at the same time - it's refreshing, enriching, and if everyone doing the same, logically all the projects should advance the same amount anyway.

[maackey]

For the record: I am *not* making an Age of Mythology type game. I can understand how some misconceptions have gotten spread around, but I am not trying to emulate AoM, like car would like to emulate Warcraft.

Also Sak: I have thought a little bit about pretty much all of that. Atm I'm trying to make a bunch of content so I can start working out all the balancing details ingame.

[wilbefast]

Oh yeah - was kindof jumping to conclusions there, sorry maackey

[maackey]

Nothing to be sorry about. I should have clarified myself a bit better beforehand. But I have been neglecting school a little bit and need to focus before some tests...

[zwzsg]

Lodestones and Divine Loadstones worked well for TAK.

That is what TA:K used, but I would not say it worked well.