help wanted

so a friend and i have been working on a TC for a few months. it doesn't have a name yet, so first of all i'm looking for suggestions. (i'll tell you about the plot later in the post)

second, we've mostly been working on ships. he draws them and i model and render them. Thing is, i use bryce (don't try to talk me out of it) and it isn't too good for importing models and making them look like real ships so i'm looking for graphics help since i've been doing graphics for just a few months and arn't that good yet.

we have a bit of plot, but more races than plots. so third i'm looking for people who can make new plot lines that mesh with the current stuff.

fourth i'm looking for coders because i'm not that good at coding and my friend couldn't code to save his life.

i've started the galaxy and have created about half the systems created and half a dozen spobs, so i'm looking for lots of help there.

i hope to have a site up soon, if i can find somewhere (maybe evula). i will have that part pretty much nailed. i have lots of experience with html and css.

so basicly i'm looking for any help i can get
1. name suggestions
2. graphics
3. plot
4. coding
5. syst/spob creation
6. anyting else
7. hosting

even if you can't make a commitment, please help by contributing some comments on any part of this post. does the plot sound good? would you want to play it? any ideas for minor plots for other races? anything you'd like to see in a TC?

this is the official, temporary suggestion box for this TC
thx

ok, now the plot:

we have some races:
Gov't
rebels
rokilians(humanoids)
pirates
aliens(several races)
unnamed race(doh)
other/civ
new alien menace

now... the rokilians have started developing a weapon that could destroy an entire system. the gov't is trying to destroy the weapon with brute force. meanwhile rebelion is brewing and several planets have revolted. the rebelion manages to steal the prototipe weapon so they can use it, but the pirates then steal it from them. they auction it off (or something) and the unnamed race busts in on the auction and confiscates it. the weapon passes from race to race like a hot potato, no race keeping it long enough to use it.

with the rebelion thing arn't going so well. under the leadership of (insert name here) the once rightous rebelion is becoming no more than an other pirate group. planets begin to go back to the gov't's protection after rebelion ships start raiding rebelion planets.

each of the other races has their own probems internally and with rivals as well as the galaxy wide struggle over the weapon

the aliens are in constant border disputes over planets near the edge of the galaxy and between their long held borders.

then a new menace comes from the center of the galaxy where other ships couldn't go because of powerful radiation and gravimetric forces (the galaxy has got to be spining around something). these powerful new ships start attacking and boarding ships of all races. can the many races work together to reach a peaceful settlement with these aliens? if not, can the other races stop fighting each other long enough to pool their resources and defeat the new menace? will anyone have the sense to use the weapon against their common enemy?

you'll never know unless you help me with this plug

Could you post some picts?

Without trying to sound rude, this is (in my opinion) a good example of something that could take place in the Nova galaxy- the only new ships you would have to come up with would be the alien ones (saving you ubertroubes there). You'd also save much of the time, pain and heartache that comes from trying to make a large and internally consistant galaxy. In short, you could just code/write your new missions after taking out all of the Nova missions, and toss in your new alien ships at the top and wala (rmx waves a magic wand) you're done

Or at least more done than you'd be if you tried to see a TC through to completion.

But best of luck anyway

(edit: don't ask what I managed to mispell)

This post has been edited by rmx256 : 06 August 2005 - 08:07 AM

first, you can find some pics on my blog. some of my newer ones and some older ones are both up there. i'll try to get around to posting some more, but i don't have much free time in the next few days, and after that i'm leaving for 2 weeks (Hawaii)
i'll do my best

second, i don't want to make just an extension to the existing evn. i may only get one chance to make a significant plug and i want it to be memorable and something to be proud of. and i have so many different plots that there would be no way to add it to the nova story.

my blog: http://terrabite3.blogspot.com/

first, you can find some pics on my blog. some of my newer ones and some older ones are both up there. i'll try to get around to posting some more, but i don't have much free time in the next few days, and after that i'm leaving for 2 weeks (Hawaii)
i'll do my best

second, i don't want to make just an extension to the existing evn. i may only get one chance to make a significant plug and i want it to be memorable and something to be proud of. and i have so many different plots that there would be no way to add it to the nova story.

my blog: http://terrabite3.blogspot.com/

Terrabite3, on Aug 7 2005, 07:42 AM, said:

first, you can find some pics on my blog. some of my newer ones and some older ones are both up there. i'll try to get around to posting some more, but i don't have much free time in the next few days, and after that i'm leaving for 2 weeks (Hawaii)
i'll do my best

second, i don't want to make just an extension to the existing evn. i may only get one chance to make a significant plug and i want it to be memorable and something to be proud of. and i have so many different plots that there would be no way to add it to the nova story.

my blog: http://terrabite3.blogspot.com/
View Post

I enjoyed looking at your blog, and I don't want to discourage you from making a TC.

But I would suggest keeping it fairly quiet until you reach the Beta stage. We get about one announcement per week on this board of a new TC. So far, in the last six years, only about three of the thousand or so promised TCs have ever materialised.

The usual trajectory of these kind of discussions is:

i) Announcement of TC
ii) Initial enthusiasm by a few posters
iii) Encouraged, TC maker makes increasingly grandiose claims about what the TC will be like (biggest ever, made in six months, uses features that don't actually exist in the game engine, or similar)
iv) Old hands make a couple of would-be constructive suggestions
v) Incensed TC maker perceives these as criticisms and defends claims
vi) More people join in, attempting to heal the peace
vii) Incensed TC maker sees these attempts as a series of insults
viii) More people join in, telling TC maker to show some respect to old hands
ix) TC maker, now furious, storms off board muttering equivalent of 'You'll see'
x) Old hands post final comments, consigning said TC maker and TC to the dustbin of vapourware

I wouldn't want your TC to follow this path.

(slightly off topic) It's fair to say that the majority of total conversion projects, no matter what game they're for, tend to fail because of a lack of organization or overpossessive behavior on the "Director's" account. Back in the high days of StarCraft, total conversion projects were announced at about the same rate or greater than what Martin pointed out for this board. Out of maybe 10000 total conversion ideas, maybe only 0.1% were ever finished. Even I had an idea for a total conversion. I never publicly announced any details for it which was fine in the long run; poor planning killed my project. Martin is right about steath regarding your total conversion project. Whether you're looking to give that 85-year old man at the old folks home who keeps stealing your pudding a heart attack or just trying to surprise the Escape Velocity community with an outstanding plug-in, stealth is your friend.

(closer to topic) If you're seriously concerned about the realism of your ship models, consider using a tool that more closely supports and reenforces your goals. I would recommend trying Blender (Redmond and Penguin flavored) or K-3D (also in Redmond or Penguin flavors). If you're experienced with Lightwave, Maya, or InfiniD (or even if you're not, like me), you will experience no trouble with the interfaces. With minimal help, I spent a few hours familiarizing myself with the Blender interface. In this same timeperiod, I created, then recreated a scene with tuning the camera and lamp consuming most of the time. Speaking from personal experience, for the small amount of time investment that you might spend learning a new interface layout, it might save you the expense of ending up with something you wish you could have done better.

If you're concerned about rendering a scene with your Bryce world in the background, Blender (and I'm sure most other animation-style 3-D rendering tools) can import images into the background and render them as part of the scene.

Good Luck!

STP

iCodeŠ, lol.

I can help make the plug-in resources for you for Mac or Windows. I make oütf, wëap, shďp, chär, and other "normal" resources. I can also make a passworded topic on my forum for your TC for "stealthy" discussion.

Find my forum at The Star League Forums.

Good luck.

Terrabite3, on Aug 7 2005, 09:40 AM, said:

second, i don't want to make just an extension to the existing evn. i may only get one chance to make a significant plug and i want it to be memorable and something to be proud of.
View Post

Though I know it's a foolish comment, it's managed to get on my nerves.

Terrabite3, on Aug 7 2005, 09:42 AM, said:

second, i don't want to make just an extension to the existing evn. i may only get one chance to make a significant plug and i want it to be memorable and something to be proud of.
View Post

Or you could make something like the guy above me.^ I would say his plug will be memorable, and will be proud of, although it's not a TC.

Frequency 245, on Aug 17 2005, 08:00 PM, said:

Or you could make something like the guy above me.^ I would say his plug will be memorable, and will be proud of, although it's not a TC.
View Post

Actually, I've been proud of it for the past year
Thanks for the support

A plug can still be memorable and something to be proud of without being a TC. Take Arpia 2 for example. Arpia was a bit crap, but Arpia 2, despite not being a TC, is really being looked forward to, and having only seen a small portion of it being on the beta team and not actually being able to test it, is worth the hype. Project Inferno, which I am developing and is hopefully not vapourware is also looking very good at the moment. I myself am proud of the missions I'm writing, and I certainly think that this plug-in will go far, providing we get more team members (Read graphics person and programmer, and I have someone in mind that I'll be talking about with the team here.)

I'm rambling, the point is, it doesn't need to be a TC to be spectacular. I think that your TC has some good potential, and with the right team could be great, but try to aim lower. As was mentioned earlier, intertwine it or simply drop it into the Novaverse. I guarentee you it'll make the process easier and probably your plug better.

Okay, there's Martin Turner's TC Path Stage IV complete. Let's hope it isn't followed by V.

Martin: I hope this won't go that way. In fact I will keep it from going that way.

rmx256, sarienpalth, Steelix: I apprieciate the comments and will now promise not to take it as critisizm... lol

sarienpalth: I hate blender's guts

apache1990: I appreciate the offer. I'll keep your name in mind.

I could host it for you, and if you ask nicely, make the webpage for you.

Dude nice picks.

Now here are my thoughts; why do all of the ships in the unamed race look like unpainted U.E. destroyers? Other then that I liked all the pics. Really nice planets! I especialy liked the fleet carrier too!

Also I would like to take part in this TC if it happens. I can help with what ever you need except for graphics. I use Mission Computer to do everything which makes all that I do simple... I've made many plugs before for my friends and me but have never released any. So I hope I can help...

For the name? How about Escape Velocity High Rise or something?

You do realize that the last time this thread was posted to was over half a year ago, don't you?

If you're going to go reading through the archives, you need to check the dates on threads before posting to them.

@derakon, on Apr 6 2006, 07:51 PM, said in a new TC:

You do realize that the last time this thread was posted to was over half a year ago, don't you?

If you're going to go reading through the archives, you need to check the dates on threads before posting to them.

lolz yah I know... but u nv know...something could still happen out of this (unfortanetly I have to agree... dobtful)