If Any1 here has any questions or UPDATES on thisnew priject by team xlink just post it here!

just a thaught here i got really intrigued by the whole idea it sounds like the making of something incredible when i was reading about how the helicopter could just come in to play this game could not only represent just a war game the whole idea of this project sounds incredible if the pilot of the helicopter had to be experienced in flying helicopters from other games you would have to actually know a good pilot/copter game play with some real understanding of them on the development side i understand how hard that would actually be but thats just the one aspect there are the vehicles could get actual tank controls in them or whatever meaning this could be good for any game player from 1st person shooter to flight sim lover.

im really enthusiastic of the potential this game has cant wait to see some pictures of it in development.

I could help with some graphics, I am really good at PhotoShop. Tell me if you need any graphics, I will post/e-mail them to the team!

Also, will you restart your player status everytime you quit and join again? It can't be stored on your Xbox, because people can download it to their PC and edit it somehow. It also can't be stored on the game's server, because it will have too much data to hold (unless the data is very small). Even so, how will the team keep up with the bandwidth demands? Will there be more than 1 world (spaceship travel)? If you conquer someone else's land, do you own that land? How will the game be played? RPG style, 1st/3rd person, etc..??

SWEET, FACTIONS

will talking be able to be done through both keyboard/headset (a la boxlink)?

will there be building/buildings?

if there will be, will there be seperate buildings that a person can walk into? ie a pub, barracks, lab, vehicle creation place, n00b area?

how are you going to do voice and keyboard? (i suggest you do Everquest-type sectors in which everybody can hear you/read your typing at the bottom of the screen. also, don't forget private messaging to specific people, only team talking, and global/team announcements)

will there be an in-game bulletin board?

what happens when you die?

what happens when a faction's base is destroyed?

will people have to manually mine ore for the first couple of weeks until they have enough money to make automatic miners?

i understand about making a vehicle that can get to the other bases, but will this also involve the amount of fuel you can hold in a specific vehicle?

will vehicles be able to hold multiple people? if so, what happens if a person drops out of the game while in a vehicle?

what happens when a person drops out of the game?

do players camp/sleep in the base's barracks? If they camp, can they have things stolen from them/can they be killed?

will there be any form of spying/stealth/stealing?

will there be a sweet-ass map? w/ coordinates?

how many players per faction?

will players be able to choose to be part of a certain faction? if so, what if one faction has more "active" players than another faction? wil there be any sort of balancing?

will you be using your x-tag as your "gamertag"?

will there be a special faction for old-timers/admins?

can i help?

I'll think of more questions later... fyi these questions are a half my curiosity and a half me wanting to get you guys thinking. Sweet

Hi, This sounds like an interesting concept, I can help with some 3D gfx, me and 3DStudio Max 5 is getting along fine...

how can it be server side.... you'd be hosting/showing off illegal xbe's .... the best way to do it would be for people to have lots of there own games much like xlink now but all the stats get updated on all the servers, in a hosted stats file or something... i know what im on about i just aint explaining it very well... never mind...

QUOTE (dazdastardly @ Sep 28 2003, 05:07 PM)

how can it be server side.... you'd be hosting/showing off illegal xbe's .... the best way to do it would be for people to have lots of there own games much like xlink now but all the stats get updated on all the servers, in a hosted stats file or something... i know what im on about i just aint explaining it very well... never mind...

i can tell u that they wont be intending this for use on live if that is what you meen will be xlink and knowing xlink crew they will add support for xbconnect just to rub it in

Thanks for the offers of help art people - I'll be intouch as soon as i have some specs for you.

Muerte:

>will talking be able to be done through both keyboard/headset (a la boxlink)?

yes

> will there be building/buildings?

not decided yet - whether you just have a "building factory", or whether u can build actual rooms / walls / etc to specification... still to be decided

>if there will be, will there be seperate buildings that a person can walk into? ie a pub,
>barracks, lab, vehicle creation place, n00b area?

base layout will be up to the players.. hard to say at what "resolution" you will be able to control things yet

>how are you going to do voice and keyboard? (i suggest you do Everquest-type sectors
>in which everybody can hear you/read your typing at the bottom of the screen. also,
>don't forget private messaging to specific people, only team talking, and global/team
>announcements)

sectors certainly.. but what if u could "develop" radios? and then, what if later on u developed satellite phones and could talk to someone anywhere on the planet - or even taunt the other factions?

> will there be an in-game bulletin board?

probably not actually.. the emphasis is on hierarchy here.. for example, in a real army, there is no big magic bulletin board which everyone sees.. decisions are made at the top, then passed down through the "tree" ..

> what happens when you die?

dunno yet ... probably something along the lines of you have to wait out a certain length of time, depending on what advancements your faction has made in terms of recuitment, or later maybe cloning

> what happens when a faction's base is destroyed?

it gets taken over by another faction, and a new faction is introduced at a remote point on the map.

> will people have to manually mine ore for the first couple of weeks until they have
>enough money to make automatic miners?

probably, although you will have some default stuff to begin with.. probably jeeps, shovels, a couple of scientists and a map

>i understand about making a vehicle that can get to the other bases, but will this also
>involve the amount of fuel you can hold in a specific vehicle?

yes, but again, depends what u develop.. ie.. jeeps run on diesel.. great.. but what if u developed some other form of power - say a "nuclear powered jeep" ??

>will vehicles be able to hold multiple people? if so, what happens if a person drops out of
>the game while in a vehicle?

same thing.. you develop it, you can use it.. although, when ppl drop out of the game, if theyre in the base, they will just auto-walk-to-barracks-and-sleep .. if not, you will choose an AI state for your person... say either a.) go home, b.) defend c.) hide ..

> what happens when a person drops out of the game?

answered above

>do players camp/sleep in the base's barracks? If they camp, can they have things stolen
>from them/can they be killed?

if you're asleep, you can be killed .. unless a real player wakes u up - then u probably auto-run-away or auto-defend or something

>will there be any form of spying/stealth/stealing?

yes

>will there be a sweet-ass map? w/ coordinates?

depends.. got enough research done to build a GPS sat.?

> how many players per faction?

as many as come

>will players be able to choose to be part of a certain faction? if so, what if one faction has
>more "active" players than another faction? wil there be any sort of balancing?

auto-balanced, although in future, specialist factions may be possible (ie if u have 8 friends, u can sign up as a mercenary group and be affiliated to nobody)

> will you be using your x-tag as your "gamertag"?

probably not.. but a similar system

>will there be a special faction for old-timers/admins?

we'll probably just become a mercenary group.. or something

TD

thanks for answering my questions... i really like your idea of building or researching everything including buildings, vehicles, weapons, communications, positioning systems... etc. 3 new questions i thought of:

will we be able to creat outposts? ie fueling stations?

also, will a certain technology that has been created be available to everybody? as in, will satellite phones be given out to everybody once created, or does it actually cost to create each individual phone?

Have you though about either random/realtime weather? Think about a fuckin hurricane wiping out units advancing on an enemy base. Shits yeah

i can just see it now, you start with:


to (after research):


Edit: strike the idea of having realtime weather, only make it random. Or else people would check weather online, instead of having to research weather prediction/radar/satellite stuff.

There wont be any kind of charge for this game, will there? That would be a shame... and probably piss off M$.

Hmm, this is really nice, another fully homebrew game, just like Jihad. Just had a minor question, most are awnsered above:
-Are you gonna have to download the game at the "usual adresses", where you can also get things like XBMP, and other xbox apps.

-Will it be possible to play from HD, just like back up games?

-Will this be a stand alone game with it's own online network, just like pc games online, or will it be played using Xlink (or Xbconnect )?

Edit: Could we get this pinned?

How much code has been written?

Will the network protocol be will documented?

Is there any plans for a PC client / peer?

Would you like one? I would be willing to code it.

QUOTE (Softco @ Sep 28 2003, 11:08 AM)

I could help with some graphics, I am really good at PhotoShop. Tell me if you need any graphics, I will post/e-mail them to the team! Also, will you restart your player status everytime you quit and join again? It can't be stored on your Xbox, because people can download it to their PC and edit it somehow. It also can't be stored on the game's server, because it will have too much data to hold (unless the data is very small). Even so, how will the team keep up with the bandwidth demands? Will there be more than 1 world (spaceship travel)? If you conquer someone else's land, do you own that land? How will the game be played? RPG style, 1st/3rd person, etc..??

Lol, My questions are good too!

> I could help with some graphics, I am really good at PhotoShop. Tell me if you need any
> graphics, I will post/e-mail them to the team!

Thanks the game will be 2D upon launch, although all the structures maintained by the server will be 3D .. so in future, a 3D client will arrive and "just work". Art is something we have *no* skills at all with, so I'll be calling people in the future for help..

> Also, will you restart your player status everytime you quit and join again? It can't be
> stored on your Xbox, because people can download it to their PC and edit it somehow.
> It also can't be stored on the game's server, because it will have too much data to hold
> (unless the data is very small). Even so, how will the team keep up with the bandwidth
> demands? Will there be more than 1 world (spaceship travel)? If you conquer someone
> else's land, do you own that land? How will the game be played? RPG style, 1st/3rd
> person, etc..??

Players data will be persistent - on the server. Bandwidth is indeed a factor, and may be solved by either a.) tight netcode and a *big* server, or b.) a distributed server architecture. Every faction will have a "nucleus" (probably comprising of the research station and the command post) .. although im sure you will be able to research a way to make more of these at time goes by..

TD

> Are you gonna have to download the game at the "usual adresses", where you can also
> get things like XBMP, and other xbox apps.

Yes

> Will it be possible to play from HD, just like back up games?

Yes

> Will this be a stand alone game with it's own online network, just like pc games online,
> or will it be played using Xlink (or Xbconnect )?

Standalone server.

TD

Thanks! E-mail me through the forums ( I HATE SPAM ) or PM Me.

Ok,
Just checking in with you and letting you know I am available for :
2D Graphics
3D Graphics
Any Animations
I have worked in the game industry for a many years and this sounds like fun. Please contact me and let me know what you need.

WE NEED A SITE!

Wow, this sounds amazing! Anything i can do to help? I do have one suggestion though. Is there anyway to ban the eeprom of cheaters, thus stopping them from going back on the game? Something similar to what MS does with Live. Doing this would be much more effective then banning usernames or IP

It wouldn't be possible to cheat! Everything is stored on a server. The only thing that could happen is the server getting Hacked

I can't wait for this, it's gonna rule!

Just out of curiosity, did you take any inspiration from 10six (pc mmo)? because it was very similar, almost identical to this concept. If not, some ideas could probably be drawn from there, as that was a pretty fun game.

I'm assuming there won't be any cost, but I know I would , and probably many others would also, be willing to donate some money to help pay for the server and stuff.

Will there be any sort of friendly fire... if so how will tkers be delt with ie excessive tkers being sent to a "relm" of there own where they are puhished for 1 day and have to stay with there fellow tkers

how much coding do you have done? it sounds kind of ambitious...

wow i cant wait
this sounds like the game i always wanted..
the fact that it can be updated will be nice.
i cant wait

Hehe, not alot of my skills used there, made that in 5 mins... Like it?

Hehe... had to brand it, so it wasn't stolen and used
Tell me if you want me to design any images, I can show off some of my work.

Uh. That should be Factions, not Fractions.

ahaha
anyway, everything stored on the server eh? how do you expect to get the bandwidth and server for that? devils advocate

Well, as was said before, it's likely every faction (not fraction ) get's their own server, now we only need a few 100 Mbit servers

Lol, my bad. Luckily, I kept the .psd file, I just gotta delete a letter

Whoops forgot a question:
Do you have a wild guess about when the 1st release will be?
Hmm, and another oNe:
What tools are you using to create the game models/textures/etc

I was thinking about the storyline
* Timeframe 2091 (doesn't matter, some time in the future)
* Post apocalyptic war (barren lands... means you don't have to deal with setting down trees everywhere)
* Much like a huge desert?
* All technology destroyed... some people lived by hiding in bunkers/caves (depends on the Faction)
* Fights started over ore (only known power supply, it was created in craters where each nuke hit directly)
* An international moon base was also attacked by these nukes, broke the moon in half (will make the night sky more interesting, possible expansion on world if ever needed)
* Days are still 24 hours long, but the nukes knocked the earth into a faster rotation, 2 hours of light and 2 hours of dark (makes it more interesting so that people will see the different times even if they only play at night or day in real life)
* Sky during the day is orange... cuz of all the earth thrown up into the
* Nuclear war also caused irregular weather/san

I dunno, that's a good start for a storyline. I was also thinking about different communications junk...

* Radios
* Encrypted Radio (need encryption research + radios)
* Cell Phones (need cell towers + encryption research)
* Satellite Phones (need encryption research + communication satellite)
* Communication Satellite (need encryption research + satellite research): largest radius
* Cell towers: smaller radius
* Adv. Cell towers (need Cell towers): larger radius

also about weather (which i think would make this game even more original)...

* Weather radar (need radar + weather research)
* Weather satellite (need satellite + weather research)

and so on and so forth.

One question for TD: who makes the decisions on what to research? is it a vote?

Hmm, that weather sounds nice, maybe programm some storms and stuff into it that can do much harm, and so when you know it's coming using ur idea muerte you can make preparations, would be a nice add on. But most important is i think first to get the basic game running. cu in the faction

As I said, i would love to do some models or something for this game! Pm me

QUOTE (SeQr @ Sep 29 2003, 06:47 AM)

Well, as was said before, it's likely every faction (not fraction ) get's their own server, now we only need a few 100 Mbit servers

a few 100mbit servers? finding those without money will be tough. especially when your program relies on a modchip which is incredibly legally shakey at best, and unlicensed. and if each faction is responsible for its server, you arent going to see many factions, fighting those factions could be a very bad experience if their server sucks, and they could easily cheat.

i'd like to see it be done, but im afraid it will never see the light of day. look at 10six, that couldnt stay in business even with corporate funding

Only 1 server will ever be needed, and it wont need to be anything special..

TD

QUOTE (flat235 @ Sep 29 2003, 05:03 PM)

Only 1 server will ever be needed, and it wont need to be anything special.. TD

amazing

nevermind, i answered my own question hehe

Sounds great. Hope Antman3DFX's comment was taken seriously. I'll be watchin this evolve

How much do you think it is going to cost, to maintain this game, else we might be needing to search sponsors

QUOTE (SeQr @ Sep 30 2003, 12:20 PM)

How much do you think it is going to cost, to maintain this game, else we might be needing to search sponsors

let me assure you that factions will not need more than one server... and I'm pretty sure TD is covering that.

QUOTE (flat235 @ Sep 29 2003, 11:03 PM)

Only 1 server will ever be needed, and it wont need to be anything special.. TD

if you're only going to have one server, with "nothing special" for bandwidth or processer power, how many players do you really see this supporting? especially when taking game world size into account

Hmm, well of course not everyone can play the game, only modded boxes, or xploits and TSOP flashed, and luckily the biggest part of the xbox gamers cant play it, that will cover much. Then it's very smart of having a connection like DSL/Cable so secure a stable connection, so a few people drop off to, and some people wont even play this game, either since they dont play games, or are not in the mood to play a game that will start with "old" graphics. Ss hehe, lot's of box ownerswon't play it i guess, but I am hehe. Maybe we can already start discussing how we to manage those factions Helium

QUOTE (HeLiuM @ Sep 30 2003, 02:09 PM)

QUOTE (flat235 @ Sep 29 2003, 11:03 PM) Only 1 server will ever be needed, and it wont need to be anything special.. TD if you're only going to have one server, with "nothing special" for bandwidth or processer power, how many players do you really see this supporting? especially when taking game world size into account

guys, don't talk unless you know how the world is going to be created... the world is not serverside... and it's not in an editable file. just wait until TD explains it in some documentation. peace

Terrain is fractal... but not simple tri/quad splits.. it's something ive been working on in my head for like 2 years...

Don't worry about the server... it's not a problem... a standard ded. host in the UK gets a 46mbit pipe - and with a standard rackmount CPU / RAM / etc. , 10000 concurrent players wouldnt be a problem..

TD

it'ssuchagoodidea.sorry,i'mtypingonakeyboardwithoutthespacebar.iwasjustwondering,withthisfractalidea... willyoubeabletoputspecificgeographicfeaturesinspecificplaces(inotherwords,deviat
ingfromthefractal'sterrain)?

just spoke to flat on messenger and hopefully should be helpin out with the music.

oh, and hi everybody.

QUOTE ([WSD]-NEO @ Oct 1 2003, 11:19 AM)

just spoke to flat on messenger and hopefully should be helpin out with the music. oh, and hi everybody.

have in-game music, soundtracks on your hd, and mp3s off of a specific place on your hd (can be defined)

Just say something that you need! PM ME! Lol, post a graphic you want here, and I'll make it. (For the game plz )

I would like to suggest one thing: Release a "Proof of Concept" build before getting help on things like graphics, models, sounds, and music.

It could be the cruddiest looking thing around. Just have some code running. I would be willing to put some effort towards this project, but not until I know it is really pushing forward. I don't doubt that you are serious about it now, but I don't know that you will be serious about it in a few weeks/months when you start hitting those coding road blocks.

QUOTE (UberJim @ Oct 1 2003, 04:34 PM)

I would like to suggest one thing: Release a "Proof of Concept" build before getting help on things like graphics, models, sounds, and music. It could be the cruddiest looking thing around. Just have some code running. I would be willing to put some effort towards this project, but not until I know it is really pushing forward. I don't doubt that you are serious about it now, but I don't know that you will be serious about it in a few weeks/months when you start hitting those coding road blocks.

do you know what TD does for a living? didn't think so...