Personally, I dislike it when people surgically pull races from universe and put them in their own. For me, it ruins the plot. It'd be like playing Zelda, going to the forest, and finding Tolkien's Hobbits there guarding the forest temple. Could you at least change their names and make some minor alterations so it doesn't look like a blatant rip-off at glance?
This post contains no intended offense.
@gray-shirt-ninja, on Sep 21 2007, 12:33 AM, said in EV Nova: United Galactic Federation:
"In the beginning, there was a plug. And the plug was ARPIA 2. And it was good."
Nah, more like "In the beginning, there was a plug. And the plug was Arpia1. And it was not good enough, so the divine rewrote history. In the beginning, there was ARPIA2, and it was good."
And to all TC developers, everyone who has been in this community since before ARPIA2 has started to take the absence of TCs as a given fact, almost a constant (there's Polycon, EVO and EVC Miners & Teacup aren't sizeable, so they don't count if you ask me). And none of the three I mentioned were actually new things created just for Nova (Polycon was adapted to the new engine, and the EVO & EVC ports are, well, ports).
Until one developer or team brings something to completion (the only one to have shown any promise prior to that is SFA, given its public alpha and the great popularity it had), and even beyond that, the "older" people of this community will be sceptical of the idea of new TCs for Nova. Colosseum is probably the closest to release (unless UE_R&D suddenly reveals Retribution is done graphics-wise), but it is still of incredibly small scale compared to the "major" TCs in development (and that list keeps on shrinking Aftermath and Kemet disappeared from there during the past year).
So yes, people here have a reason and right to be sceptical. I am sceptical, and I happen to be the only developer to have released a major expansion with storylines for some years.
I know the developers truly believe in their TC, but well, things don't always turn out as expected. The problem being of course twofold: developers want to show there's something in development to spur interest and to help motivate themselves; people like me tend to dismiss their efforts because we've been "let down" too many times before, despite our good intentions.
I would very much appreciate help on the weapon-smithing aspect of EVN:UGF. I've put together the performance aspects of the ships already, though the graphics are still nonexistent beyond a series of pencil sketches in a spiral-bound notebook. I'll scan those and add them to the website one of these days...
Also, if anyone knows somebody who could help with the theme music, that would be extremely helpful.
A question: those of you who have experience with TCs, quasi-TCs, or even just adding storylines and such, do you find it easier to build the missions or the map first? (Could be a stupid question, but what the hey.)
Anybody who gives serious, reliable help will be cited by name in the acknowledgements as part of the developer team (currently only including me and my brother), and they'll get a PERS resource, too.
Quote
A question: those of you who have experience with TCs, quasi-TCs, or even just adding storylines and such, do you find it easier to build the missions or the map first? (Could be a stupid question, but what the hey.)
I built a small version of my map, and then added missions, but I wish I'd done the whole thing first. It would have made things MUCH more straightforward. I say, make the map first. It'll look intimidating, but it's better to get that done ahead of time.
Actually, I'd say to make a clear plan of your missions before the map. Don't actually make the missions, but be aware of what you want to do. If you just pop a galaxy like that for no reason then add missions on them, sure it works, but sometimes you'll find yourself wishing things were placed differently...
Anyways, just make sure you know what you want from your map... do you want it to feel vast and 'empty'? Do you want it to be intimidatingly big with everyone established? Do you want it to be minimal? But the most important I think would be where are each factions located and why they're there. That's important when you get to doing missions.
That's what I think.
@starsword, on Sep 22 2007, 05:54 PM, said in EV Nova: United Galactic Federation:
Also, if anyone knows somebody who could help with the theme music, that would be extremely helpful.
I'm suprised you haven't seen starboy's topic on this subject @ www.ambrosiasw.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=115163 (sorry for the lack of a link opera was being annoying).
@mumbling-psycho, on Sep 22 2007, 02:49 PM, said in EV Nova: United Galactic Federation:
Actually, I'd say to make a clear plan of your missions before the map. Don't actually make the missions, but be aware of what you want to do. If you just pop a galaxy like that for no reason then add missions on them, sure it works, but sometimes you'll find yourself wishing things were placed differently...
Anyways, just make sure you know what you want from your map... do you want it to feel vast and 'empty'? Do you want it to be intimidatingly big with everyone established? Do you want it to be minimal? But the most important I think would be where are each factions located and why they're there. That's important when you get to doing missions.
That's what I think.
Makes sense. I've already done a bit of work on the Sol System, though. One thing I was surprised at when I started EVN was Luna's absence from the Sol System. I put it back.
@egroeg, on Sep 22 2007, 04:46 PM, said in EV Nova: United Galactic Federation:
I'm suprised you haven't seen starboy's topic on this subject @ www.ambrosiasw.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=115163 (sorry for the lack of a link opera was being annoying).
Yeah, I saw the topic after I posted. I took a look, was impressed.
This post has been edited by StarSword : 22 September 2007 - 04:50 PM
@starsword, on Sep 22 2007, 01:54 PM, said in EV Nova: United Galactic Federation:
A question: those of you who have experience with TCs, quasi-TCs, or even just adding storylines and such, do you find it easier to build the missions or the map first? (Could be a stupid question, but what the hey.)
Anybody who gives serious, reliable help will be cited by name in the acknowledgements as part of the developer team (currently only including me and my brother), and they'll get a PERS resource, too.
Since I spent today working on my map, I'll answer that question - note that this just a 'how I did it', your milage may vary, offer void where prohibited, check with your doctor before using, etc.
First, you need a good sense of how your missions are going to go - in what manner might the player go about exploring the universe? Where will be explored first?
Second, you'll want a rough version of the map. I made my in Appleworks, but MS Paint or a good old paper and pencil will do just as well. draw borders on the map, label them with the controlling government, and if you feel like it, mark any important locations. If there are any large, unused sections of the map, write 'Here be Dragons' in them. (Just kidding. Actually, if there are large, unused portions of the map, think about what that means. Are there no systems there? If not, why not? If there are, are they uninhabited? Why? etc).
Third, you actually construct the universe, placing the systems, naming them, and putting in the links between them, following the plan you designed in the previous step.
Missions tend to be the last thing to be done, since they reference pretty much every other type of resource. At the moment, I'm following one of my main mission strings. For each mission, I create all the resources that need to exist for it to function (need a new type of ship for this one? Ok, hijack some graphics, paste those in, tweak the shän as needed, build a shďp, make a düde, include the düde as needed, then write the mission), but this isn't so much because I think this is the correct way to do it, as because I really want to start up Nova and go zipping around the universe I designed.
Anyway, hope this is helpful.
This post has been edited by Otter : 22 September 2007 - 06:50 PM
Here's a little bit of the concept art for some of the ships. I drew these using colored pencils.
This is the SF-81A Black Knight stealth fighter, the staple starfighter of the United Galactic Armed Forces.
This is a front view of the Mvleng Ulngaas "E-Wing" Space Superiority Fighter, the interceptor used by the Varellavite Imperial Navy. "E-Wing" is not its actual model name; the real name is difficult to transliterate. Galactics call them E-Wings because they look like the letter E from above.
This is a top view of an E-Wing that has ejected one of its fuselages. In my writing, E-Wings can eject a damaged fuselage as a safety measure. This, unfortunately, won't be possible in EVN:UGF.
This is the VINW Invincible , a Mvleng-Ulngaas "Kraken" Battleship, Obrala -class. Again, "Kraken" is not its actual name in Varellan, but a Galactic nickname that is close to the Varellan pronunciation. Krakens are the top-tier warship of the VIN, occupying a similar role to the Galactic Apache - and Aegis -class command ships. Sorry about the blurriness; I didn't have access to a scanner so I had to use a digital camera.
Now, once again, I would like to reiterate that these are just drawings. If anybody wants to try making CG models of them, go right ahead, and show me the results. One thing you should note: if you want to make a model of the Kraken, there's supposed to be a red four-pointed star in the center of the top of the hull.
@lobf, on Sep 24 2007, 02:33 PM, said in EV Nova: United Galactic Federation:
You're really going to use the protoss?
That's the plan. I've made some adjustments to the ships, so they're not quite the same as the originals (though I'm trying to stay as close to the StarCraft blueprints). I've made:
Two classes of Carriers ( Gantrithor -class and Legacy -class), each with their own dedicated armament in addition to their fighters. This armament includes a powerful photon beam (I borrowed this from the intro cinematic in StarCraft ), which can also be used as a secondary weapon against planets. (Anyone care to take a guess as to how I did this?)
One class of Protoss Cruiser (my own design, and possibly the best-looking sketch in my notebook), because the Arbiter really doesn't cut it as a second-tier warship.
Two classes of Arbiters ( Danimoth - and Aldaris -class), fitted with an area cloak that you can't buy separately. The "Stasis Field" ability has become a high-powered guided ionization weapon.
Two variants of Scouts (the combat version from the game, and a stealth recon version designed by the Dark Templar). The recon version has much less weaponry than the combat type.
Two classes of Corsairs ( Musuni- and Fenix -class). In addition to the neutron flare cannon, they have a grenade launcher (freefall bomb-type weapon) and a disruption web generator (ion weapon)
The Protoss Interceptor is the fastest and most maneuverable vessel in the entire TC, and though it is only lightly defended, armed with only two photon cannons, and can't be purchased (it's a robot), it is practically unhittable.
The Protoss Shuttle, with 20 tons of cargo space and only a pair of photon turrets for armament, is basically a flying target whose only redeeming features are its low price and strong (for a shuttle) shields. Far and away a better craft than the Terran Engineering Corporation C-5 Pigeon -class Shuttlecraft you start out with, but that doesn't exactly say much.
The Protoss Light Freighter. Again, my own design. Couple hundred tons of cargo space, decent armament, respectable defenses.
The Protoss Heavy Freighter. Designed it myself. 3500 tons of cargo, virtually indestructible.
The trouble with the Protoss is that I have only vague shadows of a plan for the storyline. I was thinking something along the lines of a cross between the Vell-os and Polaris strings, but that's as far as I've gotten, really.
He might have something else equivalent/better to show...
But I have to agree with lobf, doing a copy and paste job with the protoss is kinda of lame. I mean, it'd be mostly okay if you at least came up with a reason for them being there (inter-dimensional rift transports their whole society to another universe and blah blah blah) instead of evicting them from Starcraft for no justifiable reason.
Thats the only problem I see right now. As far as my knowledge goes, everyone else looks like original ideas.
@joshtigerheart, on Sep 25 2007, 10:38 PM, said in EV Nova: United Galactic Federation:
But I have to agree with lobf, doing a copy and paste job with the protoss is kinda of lame. I mean, it'd be mostly okay if you at least came up with a reason for them being there (inter-dimensional rift transports their whole society to another universe and blah blah blah) instead of evicting them from Starcraft for no justifiable reason.
Which is why I'm going to try to make the Protoss and Chiss campaigns in particular as good as I possibly can: to try and mollify my critics.
If Nova wasn't good enough to silence every single possible critic and get a perfect score from everyone who has ever played it...
Even if they are "teh uber awesomes", people will still critisize thier mere existance on your plug, while at the same time prasing how well done their campaigns are.
