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Huge CCN project idea? – AmazingJas

AmazingJas

Member

Posts: 437
From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Registered: 04-03-2003
Please hear me out. I am sitting here and thinking, why is it that there isn't an absolutely fantastic Christian computer game for sale in EB or Walmart or wherever else non-Christians buy games? I don't know if this is a solution to what I perceive as a problem, but it's an idea, and I think one worthy of debate. I'm not recruiting, just wondering if this idea has any merit:

What if everyone who was actively involved in the CCN forums got together and cooperated on making one blockbuster game with a Christian context? I know that we all have our own little projects bubbling away, but there's strength in numbers, and if it were treated more like a 'business', maybe a game of such high quality could be made that both the Non, and Christian community would really sit up and take notice. It might even make a few dollars as well?

Anyway, I don't have anything invested in this idea, just thought about it for a second or so and it seemed promising. I also have a unique idea for maintaining enthusiasm, but I'll keep that for a later thread.

D-SIPL

Moderator

Posts: 1345
From: Maesteg, Wales
Registered: 07-21-2001
I think it could be done ultimately, but i think everyone would disagree on things like engines, and i know there are some conflicts on beliefs and things.

So if you had 1 or 2 people to run and direct the project, i think that it's definately a good possibility.

--D-SIPL

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If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that suggests you tried

Graceworks Interactive

silicon_chippy

Member

Posts: 208
From: Scotland
Registered: 10-26-2002
I'm in!

I am not as capable of programming as some other guys on this forum, so I would be more interested in the writing/business side of the project. We have good writers who visit this site, good artists and good programmers. I think that if we can pull them all together, we can produce a great game.

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I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all around me seemed insufficient for the day. ABRAHAM LINCOLN

ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
that'd be cool.. extremely hard tho...
But that'd be cool to see the CCN logo on some game in CompUSA or something...

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silicon_chippy

Member

Posts: 208
From: Scotland
Registered: 10-26-2002
are you in Archangel?

are you willing to help in any way you can?

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I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all around me seemed insufficient for the day. ABRAHAM LINCOLN

ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
quote:
Originally posted by Silicon_Chippy:
are you in Archangel?

hmm... I am definetely interested, but I can't make a commitment now.

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BKewl

Member

Posts: 144
From: St. Charles, MO, USA
Registered: 07-10-2002
We've tried to do something like this before. Check out "Infinitum" in the Showcase. Looks like it's kind of died off, but I'm not involved so I can't really say. Maybe InsanePoet will give us a heads up here.

Not that you aren't welcome to start something up anyway You may want to check into joining them if you feel like it, though.

ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
dude, whatever happened to infinitum... it seemed to going, but it's been silent for a while.

(slight diversion from main topic)

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Mack

Administrator

Posts: 2779
From:
Registered: 01-20-2001
quote:
I am sitting here and thinking, why is it that there isn't an absolutely fantastic Christian computer game for sale in EB or Walmart or wherever else non-Christians buy games?

Mostly because Christian games are too preachy or cheesy for secular publishers to pick up. If CCN goers are going to drum up another community project then I recommend doing something easy to develop and something that doesn't focus on the Christian market at all. Forget about publishing in the Christian market, it's so slow and frozen in religion and fear that it's almost pointless. It will play catch up when it relizes the money they are loosing, which will happen when the Christian gaming market has 'proved' itself. Christians already purchase secular games/products so they shouldn't have any problem walking into any store to pick up the game if they like it or heard good things about it. Build Christian games that will reach, not preach and go attack some publishers. This is what we're doing right now.

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It's not seeing is believing, it's believing and then seeing.
http://www.twoguyssoftware.ca

GUMP

Member

Posts: 1335
From: Melbourne, FL USA
Registered: 11-09-2002
quote:
Originally posted by ArchAngel:
dude, whatever happened to infinitum... it seemed to going, but it's been silent for a while.

(slight diversion from main topic)



It's dead. I doubt it will come back again. Brenton stopped working on it when he started college.

ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
quote:
Originally posted by GUMP:

It's dead. I doubt it will come back again. Brenton stopped working on it when he started college.

That sucks.

well, we can do a LOTR style christian game, where not actually outright christian, but alludes to truths, which are christian. Truth is christian, period.

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AmazingJas

Member

Posts: 437
From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Registered: 04-03-2003
Mack, I agree with you there, hence my comment on gameplay over story. I think a game that has mainstream popularity with Christian undertones would work great. I seem to remember quite a noise made about the Abe's Odyssey games a while back because they had an anti-alcohol theme in the game. The game still sold very well regardless, because it was a cool, fun game.
I'd also be thinking that more people would be needed than just two or three.
As to the cooperation issue, I really think this needs to be knocked on the head. It seems that everyone wants to do their own thing (self included), which is ok if you just want to have fun, or treat this like a hobby, but I really think we have to work with our strengths rather than our ambitions. It would require submitting to each other over our ego, and concentrate on the task.
As for myself, I can do Blitz3d, Darkbasic, and GameMaker, but my ideal would be Blitz just because it's quick enough to develop with so that we might actually finish it, and also you can produce 'reasonable' looking games (if you choose your game design carefully). I also do a lot of modelling/animation (but not so much for games).
Archangel, I recently saw footage of the new LOTR game in development, and I reckon that would be excellent gameplay to attach a message to.

silicon_chippy

Member

Posts: 208
From: Scotland
Registered: 10-26-2002
"I really think we have to work with our strengths rather than our ambitions. It would require submitting to each other over our ego, and concentrate on the task."

Here Here

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I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all around me seemed insufficient for the day. ABRAHAM LINCOLN

silicon_chippy

Member

Posts: 208
From: Scotland
Registered: 10-26-2002
I have just checked the Infinitum webpage. There doesn't seem to be a game demo there. There is a good storyline, but that is it. Please could any of the following people get back to me if there is a demo, it would be easier to complete a project than start one from scratch.

InsanePoet | Team Leader/Writer/ Designer/Musician
BlazeQ | 3D Artist/Concept Artist
Gumpingreen | Programmer
ChosenServant | Game Designer, Programmer
Gromit | 2D Graphics Designer
MaxX | Web Designer
Whoosh | Programmer
TARoe | 3D Artist
Maverick | Concept Art
Destroyer | ASP/PHP Coder
The Velvetteen Preacher | 3d Artist, Concept Art
Knossos | Designer

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I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all around me seemed insufficient for the day. ABRAHAM LINCOLN

GUMP

Member

Posts: 1335
From: Melbourne, FL USA
Registered: 11-09-2002
It's dead. Except for me, it will be hard to just get hold of the people. No code was ever completed due to the others constantly wanting to switch engines (though I did do complete some stuff in HLSL while waiting for a choice to be made). Various music, sounds, textures, and models were completed. You would have to contact the various people in the group to get hold of them.
ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
yeah.. and I was looking forward to infinitum.. oh well, maybe it'll be resurrected.

I saw the footage for the ROTK game! it looks awesome! the two towers one rocked!

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AmazingJas

Member

Posts: 437
From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Registered: 04-03-2003
Wow, a lot of names in that group.
GUMP

Member

Posts: 1335
From: Melbourne, FL USA
Registered: 11-09-2002
BTW, if I might make a suggestion. If you guys are going to do this, why not start with a mod? Making a mod does not require as much technical expertise yet you can still make a completely new game depending on the engine being used. If the quality is high enough it may even be published in stores. Perhaps look at using the upcoming Half Life 2?
ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
yeah, mods do have a possiblity. was thinking of making some.

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D-SIPL

Moderator

Posts: 1345
From: Maesteg, Wales
Registered: 07-21-2001
How bout a mod for HL2, the SDK gets realeased on the 30th September. You also (as i said before) need some real good direction in this project, or it will fail like soo many others.

Good Luck guys!

--D-SIPL

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If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that suggests you tried

Graceworks Interactive

ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
or Dungeon Siege, or Unreal Tournament 2003, etc.

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AmazingJas

Member

Posts: 437
From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Registered: 04-03-2003
Personally, I'd like to see it go retail. Sure some mods do, but more chance with a stand alone title.
D-SIPL

Moderator

Posts: 1345
From: Maesteg, Wales
Registered: 07-21-2001
quote:
Originally posted by AmazingJas:
Personally, I'd like to see it go retail. Sure some mods do, but more chance with a stand alone title.


I recommend you start small. Don't go for a full title yet. Get to know eachothers strengths and weaknesses and gel as a team first. Then you will be in a lot better position to start a more commercial title.

--D-SIPL

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If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that suggests you tried

Graceworks Interactive

GUMP

Member

Posts: 1335
From: Melbourne, FL USA
Registered: 11-09-2002
To go retail, you must have a publisher. To get a publisher, you must be competitive with other games on the market. To be competitive, you have to have enough time and money. Unless you're rich, you need to do get the money from somewhere. To entice an investor, the team must have well developed technical skills. To have skills, you must first get experience. To gain experience, you pretty much need to start with a project at your own level.

I think that pretty much sums it up in a short paragraph.

[This message has been edited by GUMP (edited September 15, 2003).]

ArchAngel

Member

Posts: 3450
From: SV, CA, USA
Registered: 01-29-2002
yeah, that's pretty good advice.


Go from Freeware to Shareware to Commercial Games to the World!

bwahaha... k, fine, that's shooting a little too high.

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AmazingJas

Member

Posts: 437
From: Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Registered: 04-03-2003
I'm no expert on the matter, but online self-publishing should still be feasible?
GUMP

Member

Posts: 1335
From: Melbourne, FL USA
Registered: 11-09-2002
Yes... that's how Eternal War is currently being sold. I'd have to ask Mack to find out how many copies have been sold so far.