Help Wanted

RPG - Storywriters, map editors, Scripters, concept developers – vincent

vincent

Member

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

I've been working on an idea of a console-style RPG.

Before you move on to the next post.. wait a minute! I know, I know, you must think "Oh no, another lame boy wanting to create his own game trying to gather everybody to help on his project" I have to say... you're right... yes. I need people to help me develop it because it is too much for me. But I have this idea, and I really think it is worth exploring. If you don't like it, you can always bail out

It will be developed in Sphere (http://sphere.sourceforge.net/). The game is called 'Sanctium'. You need to free your friend and help her cleans her soul. The setting is an alternative reality inside her head. There is are a lot of symbolic elements in the game. More detailed description can be mailed if you are interested.

Roles needed for now:

- Map editors: who like to create huge tile-based worlds, towns, cities, swamps, caves, dungeons, castles, you name it. Fantasize about midieval worlds and mystic countries.

- Scripters: who put all the stuff together and put the glue the stuff together with scripting. Sphere uses JavaScript as its scripting engine.

- concept developers: Developement of the statistics system, how fighting works, develop balanced difficult, so that fighting doesn't bore, or get too hard. Money and items.

- Story writers: who like to interpolate story elements, and create
sub-plots, dialogs and characters. Need to work together with the concept developers.

- 2D Graphics artists: though most graphics which will be used are from console style RPG development sites, some custom graphics may be developed. I'm pretty good at it, and you need to be better than me . Also need to do some resizing work, upgrade 320x240 to 640x480 graphics.

If you embody any or all of these roles, and if you are interested, mail me, of reply to this thread, you'll get a PDF document describing the plot in some more detail and the concepts, and when everything is ready we'll start development.

Ofcourse everything is open for discussion.

Vincent

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited September 20, 2005).]

CPUFreak91

Member

Posts: 2337
From:
Registered: 02-01-2005
Interesting... I'd love to help... but I'm working on a game with HanClinto.
Does Sphere support Python?

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vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by CPUFreak91:
Interesting... I'd love to help... but I'm working on a game with HanClinto.
Does Sphere support Python?


Oh well, thanks for showing interest. No, I'm afraid not, but I'm sure someone could develop a Python2Javascript converter

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited September 20, 2005).]

CPUFreak91

Member

Posts: 2337
From:
Registered: 02-01-2005
quote:
Originally posted by vincent:
....No, I'm afraid not, but I'm sure someone could develop a Python2Javascript converter
2005).]

Or just include Python as a language... that might be easier.

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Linux vs Windows vs Mac.... what crap. Linux is best for me and windows or Mac is best for you. End of age long argument.

Learn How to Use Linux

kiwee

Member

Posts: 578
From: oxfordshire, england
Registered: 04-17-2004
I would love to do 2D graphics,
but i am working on something with about 4 other people at the moment, and I am really busy at the moment
i might do a few odd graphics though, but don't expect alot

/edit: feel free to email me (kiwee(AT)malowany.f2s.com)
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I Am God's Kid!!

[This message has been edited by kiwee (edited September 20, 2005).]

CPUFreak91

Member

Posts: 2337
From:
Registered: 02-01-2005
quote:
Originally posted by kiwee:
but i am working on something with about 4 other people at the moment, and I am really busy at the moment

Funny. i'm working/about to work with a total of 4 people too!

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Linux vs Windows vs Mac.... what crap. Linux is best for me and windows or Mac is best for you. End of age long argument.

Learn How to Use Linux

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
I'd finished the initial version of the concept of the game. I thought I would publish it so you can take a peek. Please feel free to comment.

http://www.vanbeveren.org/dev/sanctium.pdf

By the way: small demo coming soon of the start point (the church).

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited September 21, 2005).]

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
Hi.
I like the idea. The two parelled times is a neat idea - though I know it's not original and I can quess where you had the idea from but however the story sounds cool!

Here is what I suggest for quest obstacle, friend, table for the unfilled slots:

Heart
[
Fire: purity
Fire guard: pride
Pillar guard: deceiving
]
Mind [ Pillar guard: agony ]
Body [ Castle Boss: lust ]


The prayer and spiritual system makes me ponder though. I personally don't play games any more with magic and have been thinking ways to replace it. I hope you are on the right tracks on this one. That's all I can say with the given info.

I might be interested to help some in scripting and testing.

What's your role excatly, do you script? How did you plan to manage this project, do you have a site?

God bless.

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Well, I don't really have the idea from a specific game or book or something, but I know it has been done before.

Thanks for the suggestions for quests, I put them into the document. Any other sub-quests ideas are welcome too.

The prayer system is indeed like magic in other games. In what way does it make you ponder? its still not developed, I need people to help me with that. I don't really know whether it will be prayer, but it does seem to fill the job description for the stats system. if you have another idea I'm very interested.

I would probably supervise the project, unless somsone else feels called to do that, cause to be honest, I'm more of a hands-on person second I will do everything that nobody else wants to or can do. I'll also help develop the engine of the game. I like JavaScript.. its very flexible. Though Sphere is a great environment, it does not define a battle system, or dialog processing and such.

A site is not yet a priority. First I want to see whether I can get people to be excited about this. It will get one in time

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited September 21, 2005).]

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
Ok, unfortunately I don't have any ideas for the prayer system. And that's what makes me ponder - how to do it right.

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Yeah, there is always a tention between the mechanics of a game, and the uncomprehendable grace of God. You can't actually systematize it, because it would not do justice to God.
Realm Master

Member

Posts: 1971
From: USA
Registered: 05-15-2005
"lame boy trying to creat a (i forgot)" dude, your on CCN, not Coders work shop! We'll be glad to help, though as you know, (or everybody else does) my computers is... err... to put it lighly, suffering some techinical difficulties (I had to pull the plug because my modeler couldn't handle a simple dupilcation of a mesh! I hadn't saved, and i was soo close! GAAA! must remebmer to save.

anyway, i like to write stories, though, i've never really finished one (600 page novel, 600 pages and i had to let it slip away!) and there very... monster ish, but they might be good, if you havn't got a story already.

your using Java? i use C++ and BlitzBasic3d, Java's next. The thing its, im not as good as say, firemaker or some of the other guys, i just love programming, even though, as previously stated, im not too good.

oh yeah, i have the best avitar here.


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(yes, i know im stupid)
God rules!

Blessed are those who show mercy.
They will be shown mercy. - Matthew 5:7

Blessed are those who suffer for doing what is right.
The kingdom of hevan bleongs to them.-Matthew 5:10

vincent

Member

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

Well, don't worry. First of all, nobody needs a monster PC to develop this game, because its 2D old-school Zelda RPG style, like on the Super Nintendo, or the GameBoy Advance. I need story writers, because the plot needs a lot more complexity. Besides that what I need is world-developers. People who build maps out of tiles. The tiles I use already exist, so no need to draw those, you just need some creativity putting a tree here, and a house there.

The scriptinglanguage that Sphere uses is JavaScript, which is somewhat like Java, but also a lot like C++... You'll get the hang of it pretty soon. So, if you're interested, download the PDF and let me know what you think. (http://www.vanbeveren.org/dev/sanctium.pdf). Any comments, additions, modifcations are most welcome.

crazyishone

Member

Posts: 1685
From:
Registered: 08-25-2004
i might be interested in working on levels for you. I am in the process of making a game right now, but I am sure I could use some more level design practice. (I think i am capable of making a relatively decent level, lol)

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globalrant.tk

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Well, I have the first 'help me' demo ready! You first need to download Sphere 1.11 (not 1.1 - it doesn't have MIDI support) and unpack this ZIP file in the games directory. Running Sphere's engine will execute the game. In the Sphere editor you can see 'how it is done'.

http://www.vanbeveren.org/dev/sanctium.zip

Download Sphere from

http://www.spheredev.net/main.php

And to tease you, a screenshot:


Have fun! Let me know if you where able to run it!

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited September 23, 2005).]

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
Works fine here!

Question, why does the priest (pastor?) call the player he's son?

Another question, is it final that player will start dialogs by simply walking next to person or object? I just thought that it might make getting past the objects with dialog a little bit difficult.

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by Jari:
Works fine here!


Good! I was wondering if my instructions where clear

quote:
Question, why does the priest (pastor?) call the player he's son?

Well, pastors more often do, in the shepard kind of way, besides that he also represents the Holy Spirit... I guess thats a plot spoiler, but oh well.
quote:

Another question, is it final that player will start dialogs by simply walking next to person or object? I just thought that it might make getting past the objects with dialog a little bit difficult.


Well, not really, just for people who can't find the spacebar. In the actual game you'll need to press space.

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited September 23, 2005).]

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
quote:
Originally posted by vincent:
Question, why does the priest (pastor?) call the player he's son?
Well, pastors more often do, in the shepard kind of way, besides that he also represents the Holy Spirit... I guess thats a plot spoiler, but oh well.

Hmmm well I don't know much about this but Jesus said that there is only one shepard. What do you mean that he represents Holy spirit? I am confused, what church's beliefs is this based?

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

[This message has been edited by jari (edited September 23, 2005).]

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by jari:
Hmmm well I don't know much about this but Jesus said that there is only one shepard. What do you mean that he represents Holy spirit? I am confused, what church's beliefs is this based?


*gets a little confuzzled* Err.. okay, lets try to clarify some things here.

A pastor often calls a person 'my son'. Why, I don't really know, I guess as the kind of a father figure I guess.. He doesn't mean that he is a the real father or the Heavenly Father. A pastor is often compared to a shepard of a congragation. Maybe symbolically or something... Anyway, forget the shepard thing, its not important, I just tried to use it to clarify things, but apparently it only made things more confusing.

The pastor in real life is not equal to the holy spirit, but in the game the pastor IS a manifistation of the Holy Spirit, which is in the game a plot spoiler, because it will only be revealed at the end of the game. But only in the game... not in real life. In the real world a pastor is not the holy spirit, and there is (as far as I know), no church that believes that. Ofcourse a pastor is meant to have the Holy Spirit and show a lot of christ-likeness.

Anyway, I'm sorry to confuse you. I hope this makes things more clear.

[This message has been edited by vincent (edited September 23, 2005).]

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
quote:
Originally posted by vincent:

Anyway, I'm sorry to confuse you. I hope this makes things more clear.

Thanks, but can you give me a example of what church believes so. Because I only know that catholic and orthodox church has priests which they refer as fathers. Though I don't think they have pastors, while evangelic church might have. Am I right? What church do you belong Vincent? Because I want to understand how you see this.

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by jari:
Thanks, but can you give me a example of what church believes so. Because I only know that catholic and orthodox church has priests which they refer as fathers. Though I don't think they have pastors, while evangelic church might have. Am I right? What church do you belong Vincent? Because I want to understand how you see this.

Hehe, in my church our pastor actually doesn't do that. I guess my goal was to create a generic friendly pastor type of person, not really belonging to a specific denomination. I guess calling someone 'my son' is really more a catholic thing. I go to the church of the Nazarene in my home town.

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
Ok I am glad to hear that because Jesus said that we shouldn't call any one else a rabbi or father.

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
quote:
Originally posted by jari:
Ok I am glad to hear that because Jesus said that we shouldn't call any one else a rabbi or father.


But you can call your own dad 'father' can you not? I can't remember reading that anywhere... could you give me the reference to those verses? Anyway, on topic, any interest in helping me with the game?

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
quote:
Originally posted by vincent:
But you can call your own dad 'father' can you not? I can't remember reading that anywhere... could you give me the reference to those verses? Anyway, on topic, any interest in helping me with the game?

Verses:

Matthew 23:8-11
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

I recommend you to read the whole chapter but I believe it's ok to call dad father since Jesus was referring to the Pharisees.

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Thanks for the verses. And with that the thread died... well, thats unfortunate. I was hoping some more people would have liked to help.
Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
People are so busy and it looks like every one is already in a project.

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1

vincent

Member

Posts: 129
From: Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Registered: 12-23-2002
Ya, everyone always is. So I guess I better join someone elses project
Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005
That reminds me... There was some one else asking people to help in similar project not long time ago.
Here's the link to that thread:
http://www.christiancoders.com/cgi-bin/ubb-cgi/postdisplay.cgi?forum=Forum6&topic=000136

There was a little incident like in the thread but don't worry about that...

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. - Col 3:17

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. - Psalms 127:1