Need assistance for LBT Game Development!

[action9000]

Hi all!

I set up this subforum for the LBT 3D Multiplayer RPG project.  The project has come far enough at this point that it's showing real signs of life, so I figured we might as well have a nice, cushy studio to work on it from.  

This is a potentially large-scale game which will require a lot of time and effort to get decent results from.  We have a basic 3d movement engine working, as well as multiplayer support over LAN / internet (up to 100+ players, so that's not an issue. )

What we need now is game content...and people to develop it!

Here's what I'd like to do in the relatively near future before we push ourselves too, too hard:

Maps:
We need a map of the Great Valley.  Malte and Mumbling (Iris) have been kind enough to look over the movies and screenshots and engineer maps of what the Great Valley could look like.  Malte and Iris, if I may post those maps here?  I want to get permission first before I just post them up.

We need to agree on what a map of the great valley would look like so we can make a 3D map of it for our game.  I intend to build the actual 3d maps for the game myself unless others wish to volunteer to do so (I can send you software if needed).

Eventually we'll want maps of locations other than the Great Valley.  The Great Valley is just our "concept game".  Once we get that working, we'll move out into other territory. Still, if people want to design maps of the Mysterious Beyond, go for it!  We'll probably use them eventually.

Screenshots of LBT characters:
We will eventually need to make 3d models of the Gang as well as other LBT characters.  The more screenshots you can get and send to me of LBT characters, the better!  Again, I assume I will be doing the 3d modelling.  If anyone wants to volunteer, we need people to send the 3d modellers the screenshots.

2D graphics:
To anyone who has played the game so far, the menus are pretty ugly, there is no interface to speak of in the game, no real eye candy at all!  We need people who are willing to fix that problem!

3D modellers:
I don't expect anyone to take on this task, but if anyone is willing to make 3d models of characters or landmarks (Saurus Rock, etc.), it's something that will need to be done eventually.  I intend to learn 3d modelling once the programming is more complete.
As for a free 3d modelling program that can do animation: Blender.

Game ideas:
A big one!
We need people with good ideas for Content to put in a multiplayer LBT game world.  If you come up with anything potentially cool, please post it!

Concept Artists:
If you have ideas for characters to add into the game, good guys or bad guys, post up pictures!   If you have an idea of where in the game they could go, let me know!
Also, if you have ideas for scenes that you want to see in the world, feel free to show us!

Anything else you have to offer:
Play testing, advice, tips, tricks, if you have anything to add to this project, please do so!  

I am counting on you, GoF members to help design the greatest LBT game EVER PRODUCED!  It can be done!  It's just too much for one man.  

The game will have credits, of course!  Here's what I have right now: People who have done awesome things for me and this project.  I thank you all!

//********************CREDITS:***********************
//Project Lead: Timothy Murray, AKA. Action9000
//Game Design: Timothy Murray, AKA. Action9000
//Game Design: Malte, AKA. Malte279
//Game Design: Yoshi, AKA. Littlefoot Fan
//Lead Programmer: Timothy Murray, AKA. Action9000
//Concept Map Design: Malte, AKA. Malte279
//Concept Map Design: Iris, AKA. Mumbling
//Map Design Assistant: Kor
//3D Maps: Timothy Murray, AKA. Action9000
//Play Testing: Timothy Murray, AKA. Action9000
//Play Testing: Yoshi, AKA. Littlefoot Fan
//Play Testing: Flathead770, AKA. Jason
//Play Testing: Iris, AKA. Mumbling
//Play Testing: SolarThreehorn
//Play Testing: Nicholas Halsey (AKA. LettuceBacon&Tomato)
//Special Thanks: Coyote_A and his programmer friend
//Special Thanks: AvesTheForumFox AKA. Brian Bullock
//Special Thanks: Iris, AKA. Mumbling
//Special Thanks: The Gang of Five, http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive
//Special Thanks: The Game Creators, http://www.thegamecreators.com/
//***************************************************

If you're willing to lend a hand, I'll be sure to get your name on the final product!

[Lillefot]

I'd sure would like to help out.  

Screenshots is something I have plenty of, if you want them, just ask.

As for Map design of areas other than GV, sure, I could help with that if I get someone/s to co-op with.

2D-graphics: You mean buttons, a menu system?

I'd would very much like to help out with game ideas! But I guess that should be put in that specific topic.

[Mumbling]

Heh is funny you change names around in the credits part.. (like with me you do Iris aka mumbling and with others you do gofname aka realname).

Hmm, if you need me just call me out. Once I'm taught how to work with something I won't forget it.

[Kor]

I have uploaded screenshots I made to the LBT wiki, so feel free to use those, I have more then I've uploaded there, and if you need any just ask, like a particular character.  I have the movies 1-11, and the first 3 tv series dvd's (the 4th should be here next week.  I have all of the episodes downloaded but some are not very good quality.)

I put some ideas on the other post, thought it better then spamming here with the same text.

I also wonder how hard it would be to code a marker on the map, and maybe the directional thing, like in Oblivion where you can see where your quest goal is, if it is a set place like, can you take this to x place, can you go to x and do y.

I guess based on type you pick you would be limited in what you could carry.  Ducky & Petrie can't carry as large things as Ruby can, for example.   Not sure how you'd handle 4 footers, though they can carry things in their mouth or balance them on part of their body.

[Coyote_A]

//Special Thanks: Coyote_A and his programmer friend

My programmer friend's nickname is Stalker A.K.A. Furrball. If there gonna be anymore problem with coding, i think, we might help you. At least, we can try.
I'll try to help you as much as i can. I'm facing some problems in my real life right now, through... But i'll do whatever i can.

[action9000]

My programmer friend's nickname is Stalker A.K.A. Furrball.

Changed.

[Sky]

I'm getting really interested about this game. :^.^:

I would likely do some of the 2D Graphics part.
And maybe as a Concept Artist.  

[action9000]

I'm getting really interested about this game.

I would likely do some of the 2D Graphics part.
And maybe as a Concept Artist.

Awesome!

I'd love to see your artwork in the game, Sky!

[Kor]

It would be neat to see Sky, and some other artists here's work in the game.

[SolarThreehorn]

It would be neat to see Sky, and some other artists here's work in the game.

Hmmm, maybe if you complete a certian mission/level in the game you get access
to a concept art area in the menu ?

[Lillefot]

I'd sure like to help with such things, if anyone wants it.
Though, I don't know what that would be.  :^.^:

[SolarThreehorn]

Screenshots of LBT characters:
We will eventually need to make 3d models of the Gang as well as other LBT characters. The more screenshots you can get and send to me of LBT characters, the better! Again, I assume I will be doing the 3d modelling. If anyone wants to volunteer, we need people to send the 3d modellers the screenshots

I can help with this,I have a good collection of LBT pictures/screenshots of characters and locations, you can use whatever one's you want, if you request a certian screenshot of something, i'm sure i can get it for you
Here are some pictures, new and higher quality one's will be added as i get them
Here are some pictures, new and higher quality one's will be added as i get them
Help yourself

[Vilstrup]

I'd would defiantly like to help, and I wonder if I could help with 3-D modelling.
I don't have any experiance with 3-D modelling, but I'm willing to learn, I just need the program.

[Mumbling]

I'm not sure what to do now. I've tried a bit more 3d modeling but I can't create a proper dinosaur, next to that, movements are really hard too. I'd love to work a bit more on the map of the great valley, but I have no idea where to start. I could try working together with malte a bit more. Maybe I could fill up the last missing spots in his full map, or make it a bit easier to look at.

Or is there anything else I could do... I'm soo bored in these holidays, I mean.. I've almost finished bejeweled, endless mode..   Seriously, I want to do something that has got a purpose. So is there maybe anyone who could tell me what I can do?

[Kor]

I uploaded a lot if pictures to lbtwiki that you can use.  On my hdd I have about 83 meg of pictures, mainly of various characters, a lot of them being of the gang.  No idea how to get them to you but they are there if you wish to use them.

[action9000]

Or is there anything else I could do... I'm soo bored in these holidays, I mean.. I've almost finished bejeweled, endless mode.. Seriously, I want to do something that has got a purpose. So is there maybe anyone who could tell me what I can do?

I've been thinking about what needs to happen next in our game as well.  Once I get the final issues in the main engine worked out, here's what we'll be needing next:

1) A Great Valley to explore.

2) Something for the player to do when they start a new game.  Also, coming up with tasks and adventures for the player to go on while playing.

3) 3d models of characters and environmental objects (trees, rocks, etc.).

I'd love to work a bit more on the map of the great valley, but I have no idea where to start. I could try working together with malte a bit more. Maybe I could fill up the last missing spots in his full map, or make it a bit easier to look at.

The design of our Great Valley map will take quite a bit of creativity on our part.

The next step for us now is to figure out a way to make #1 and #2 above work together.  Most tasks will probably rely on the fact that the map is of a certain design or that something or some NPC is in a particular location.

The most important tasks for us to come up with right now are the ones that are available when the player starts a brand new character for the first time.  What can the player go and do when they load the game for the first time?  Where does the player go to do it?  What will this area look like?  What NPCs are there, if any? How does the location of this task compare with the rest of the map?  

I'd be really interested if you wanted to come up with some cool ideas for things that the player can do in the game.  If you want to work on the map, which it sounds like ya do (   ), if you want to design what the map looks like around where you start the task, where you do the task and where you end the task, that would be awesome!

If you and Malte want to work on tasks and the maps associated with them, that would be a great thing to see!  Eventually, we'll need to fit all the map designs together into the Great valley map as a whole, so keep that in mind when developing ideas.

If you want to post up any drawings, ideas, or anything else related to tasks, maps, or a combination of both, that'd be great!

Things to keep in mind when designing maps for tasks:
Do the locations of things like trees, rocks, hills and valleys matter?
Do you want a particular area to be visible from a specific location?
Does the distance between objects matter for the task?
Are existing objects from other tasks going to be in the same area?  (basically, are two or more tasks happening in the same area in the valley?)
Will there be any threats, such as hostile creatures, lava, tarpits, etc.?
Will unique objects specific to this task be present on the map (special flowers found nowhere else, for example)?
Any other factors that may be important for a specific task.

If anything like those mentioned above is important to know for the functioning of the task, just mark it on the map somehow so I know.

Thanks a lot!

[Kor]

I've already listed some ideas I've had elsewhere.  Getting pretty stones for Tria, since who says she got them all herself and she has a lot in the beginning of that episode of the canyon of shiny stones.  and moving sharptooth eggs away from the great valley like in the great egg adventure episode.

saving and finding hatchlings is another possibility.  Maybe finding x treestars or treesweets to bring to someone sick who has to rest in their nest till they feel better, is  another task that makes sense.

I can do screencaptures if you want on pc2, not sure what you may need and I've no way to get them to you.  I already have 83gig of screenshots.  Mainly of various characters and a few of areas.

[action9000]

I really like those ideas, Kor!
What we need to do now is get maps that are associated with these, and other, tasks.  

First things first, we need to agree on which tasks will appear in the game itself.  I like all of your ideas here, Kor.  I'm fine with all of them being in the game.  Now we just need to know things like:

Where are the shiny stones?  Where exactly do they appear on the map?  What does this area look like?  Where is the area relative to the rest of the valley?  Is there anything in that area that is important to finding the stones?  
Eventually we'll need graphics for the stones, too, or at least some way of identifying where they are.


Same with the hatchlings, treesweets, etc.  

Treestars...treestars are everywhere in the valley, theoretically.  I suppose if we're going to use treestars as task items for tasks within the Valley, they ought to be special in some way.  Extra green, really big, something that makes them more important than regular ol' treestars.  The exception to this could be, as you said, if the NPC is unable to obtain them for themself.

[Kor]

For special ones you could use  red tree stars.  Ruby mentions them as being rare and sweet.  

The Canyon of Shiny Stones is next to smoking mountain.  In the episode the gang has to go on a path that borders smoking mountain and they are able to look down and see the magma.

[action9000]

For special ones you could use red tree stars. Ruby mentions them as being rare and sweet.

That works nicely.

The Canyon of Shiny Stones is next to smoking mountain. In the episode the gang has to go on a path that borders smoking mountain and they are able to look down and see the magma.

We'll need to figure out specific details on the exact geography of this area.  I suppose the episode is a good enough reference for me to look at.  I have it on my computer.