Help Wanted

Christian RPG kinda game for Java – vincent

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Hey guys,

I'm pretty new at this board, but I was wondering if someone would like to build with me a online 2D RPG in Java. What I would need:

1. Java programmer with experience in graphics programming in Java (clipping, double buffering) and a good sense of object-orientation. (I'm pretty good in Java, but this is too much for just itty-bitty-me)
2. Graphics artists, who know what they are doing, to draw characters and items + buildings, sceneries, etc in isometric form ( <> tile shapes )

We'll still need to work out the details. But I'm sure it'll be fun. It'll be a multiplayer game. So you'll be able to meet your friends and do a quest together with them.

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited December 23, 2002).]

Mack

Administrator

Posts: 2779
From:
Registered: 01-20-2001
Welcome to the CCN, take your coat off and stay awhile! The only way I can really help is prayin' for ya, because I can't code and my computer drawing skills are not really that great. :-P I hope you find the people your looking for!

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

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by Mack:
Welcome to the CCN, take your coat off and stay awhile! The only way I can really help is prayin' for ya, because I can't code and my computer drawing skills are not really that great. :-P I hope you find the people your looking for!


Hehe... thanks for the welcome. Ya, praying would help. I'm really looking forward to finding some good Christian Java programmers. I don't know any in my area, and I'm not really good @ working alone @ projects. I always wanted to make an RPG, but my self motivation doing it alone isn't very good...

CobraA1

Member

Posts: 926
From: MN
Registered: 02-19-2001
I know some Java, but I'm working on my own project right now. If you need some help, I could take a look. Which SDK are you using?
vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by CobraA1:
I know some Java, but I'm working on my own project right now. If you need some help, I could take a look. Which SDK are you using?

just the standaard Java 1.4 development kit. I was thinking about making the game a full-screen applet or a downloadable launcher which loads the game from the web. (easy for updating) The idea is just an initial one. I need to build a world editor with classes and stuff, for which I need a really good object model. Object inheritence for classes, etc... like for characters in the game I was thinking of this:


Being
|
+-Critter
| |
| +-Foe
| |
| +-Friend
|
+-Character
| |
| +-MPC
| |
| +-Controlled
| |
| +-Local
| |
V +-Remote

Well,these kind of graphics with object inheritance have to be drawn for maps, and items. So we know which object in herets properties from others. A game design has to be made. A isometric engine has to be written. A server has to be written which can prioritize data and send it to the right people (peer 2 peer?). A cool game interface. ofcourse a general setup. a goal. I mean a Christian game can't be about all killin'(atleast I don't think so) so I though about maybe it could be about retrieving lost Christian artifacts/biblical. It should be fun to play, and I was thinking about making it free.

So there is enough work to be done, but first I need some people who are excited about the idea. The end work has to look somewhat like Baldurs gate (which depends largely on the graphics artists )

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited December 23, 2002).]

CobraA1

Member

Posts: 926
From: MN
Registered: 02-19-2001
quote:
Originally posted by vincent:
just the standaard Java 1.4 development kit. I was thinking about making the game a full-screen applet or a downloadable launcher which loads the game from the web. (easy for updating) The idea is just an initial one.

I don't think applets can be full-screen - they're designed to be viewable in web browsers. In any case, making a standalone application will give you more control than an applet. My recommendation is a standalone application. But it's your choice.

The idea of a downloadable launcher is good - it should probably save a local copy of the game, and use something like checksums or versions to detect when changes have been made.

quote:

I need to build a world editor with classes and stuff, for which I need a really good object model. Object inheritence for classes, etc... like for characters in the game I was thinking of this:

Being
|
+-Critter
| |
| +-Foe
| |
| +-Friend
|
+-Character
| |
| +-MPC
| |
| +-Controlled
| |
| +-Local
| |
V +-Remote

Well,these kind of graphics with object inheritance have to be drawn for maps, and items. So we know which object in herets properties from others. A game design has to be made. A isometric engine has to be written. A server has to be written which can prioritize data and send it to the right people (peer 2 peer?).

I recommend server-client - problem with peer-to-peer is determining who's cheating if somebody decides to do some cracking and cheating. Any game that's somewhat popular will have to deal with crackers and cheaters from time to time.

hmm . . .
That heirarchy looks ok, but might need some changes - why is "Controlled" in the "Being" heirarchy? I think the rest of the program should take care of stuff such as control. Do you know what MVC is, BTW?

quote:
A cool game interface. ofcourse a general setup. a goal. I mean a Christian game can't be about all killin'(atleast I don't think so) so I though about maybe it could be about retrieving lost Christian artifacts/biblical. It should be fun to play, and I was thinking about making it free.

Free as in price, or free as in open-source?

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by CobraA1:
Free as in price, or free as in open-source?

Free as in price. I dunno about code. I think there should be atleast some copyright on the graphics and the code. Unfortunatly with decompilers and stuff Java code protection is quite hard. Its always hackable. (then again, anything is). The hierachy is a class model. Controlled are those beings that are controlled by a human player, either remote or local. Maybe it shouldn't be in the class model. Maybe you got MPC's and Players. Or maybe it just ends at character. And a character has a 'controller' which can either be a computer controller or human controller. No, whats a MVC?

CobraA1

Member

Posts: 926
From: MN
Registered: 02-19-2001
MVC is a common form of architecture for object-oriented programming. It stands for "Model-View-Controller", and the idea is that one part of the program can be replaced with another easily.

The Model is a database or some other type of structure that models something - in your case, the hierarchy that you just showed me.

The View is what's shown to the user - in the case of a game, it's usually the graphics engine.

The Controller is the input the program receives - a keyboard press, a mouse click, etc.

Note that there can be several of each type - there can be one controller for the mouse, and another for the keyboard, for example.

The idea is that there's loose coupling between the different parts of the program, so the different parts can be rewritten if neccessary without a rewrite of the entire program. That's why I don't recommend putting "Controlled" in your "Being" hierarchy.

Obfuscators can make decompiling very difficult, and can help with bytecode optimization.

Search the web for "java" and "obfuscate". Here's a link to a free one:
http://www.retrologic.com/

Java also has an Java Encryption Extention that can help where encryption is needed.

Some obfucators will encrypt as well as obfuscate, I think. Look around.

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Oooh, yeah, I know MVC. I forgot about it though, but usually my programs keep those parts seperated, and I know about the encryption extention. It just so complecated to use. Certificates.. keys... authorization. To do it well requires a lot of efford. I guess security isn't in my mind yet though. My first priority is finding a team of people who can help me design and build this. I guess my controller is something of the program logic layer. It'll need to be in the object. Like this:

public class Sheep extends Critter
{
public Sheep(Controller c) {
//...
}

//etc..
}

And a controller can be anything, like a remote controller or a local controler or a AI controller. A remote controller copies anything from a local controller or AI controller... something like that.

Anyway.. euh ... Are they any good 2D graphic artists here (also 3D modelers who can render to 2D)

quote:
Originally posted by CobraA1:
MVC is a common form of architecture for object-oriented programming. It stands for "Model-View-Controller", and the idea is that one part of the program can be replaced with another easily. Java also has an Java Encryption Extention that can help where encryption is needed.

Some obfucators will encrypt as well as obfuscate, I think. Look around.


Flare

Member

Posts: 22
From: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Registered: 12-23-2002
hm.... ill check around on the other message boards i frequent to see if anyone is good. i know of one person, but i highly doubt he will help. ill ask him, but expect a no.

ill be asking around.

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Well, trying is already a great help. Thanks