Short Version:
Hello my name is Steven Heiser, and I am programming a physics based online multi-player first person shooter. This game is designed to incorporate destructible environments, spells, guns, melee, and other abilities to make scenarios where the player can manipulate the environment to their advantage. The spells in this game will work as physics algorithms that modify this environment, or modify a player. Players will be able to customize their load out by choosing five abilities(guns, magic, c.q.c., or equipment) before a match. This allows the
player to find a unique playing style that fits with how they want to play their first person shooter. So here it is:
*WARNING: PROGRAMMER ART
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4o1Y5iZmIw&feature=youtube_gdata
The Reason this is here:
While my game functions correctly, has versitile physics, and is becoming quite fun; it consists of only programmer art. The reason for this is because I’ve designed a game in terms of numbers, logic, and algorithms, and as a result it has minimal artist appeal.
So here is my proposal:
If you are an artist who is tired of playing the “cookie cutter” f.p.s’s, and does not know how to customize their physics engine to have novel and percise interactions, then let’s help each other out. I’d like to work with a few artists who want to have creative freedom over the graphical style and visual themes of the game. Whatever style of art you think would be good for this project, I’ll enjoy, as long as it isn’t a “gridy military f.p.s.,” or a “space marines!,” shooter.
LONG Summary:
This game is intended to give a novel breath of fresh air into the staid and cliché online first person shooter genre. Along with a player having their standard armament of various small arms and ordinance available to his use (ranged abilities), she will also have a copious amount of melee weapons and spells to choose from. A player will select 6 abilities before going into battle with any where from 8 to 32 other players. These abilities can be any mix of magic, melee, or ranged abilities. Along with the abilities he takes into battle, he will also take a unique set of armor and two armor “mods.” Each player will then have a completely unique character that will have his own strategy and playing style. The way a player combines their 6 abilities and the various ways they interact with the environment are how this game achieves “Infinite Entropy.” Spells will work more as physics algorithms that will make your interaction with the destructible environment useful to how you play
the game. Infinite Entropy is meant to give the players a sandbox style environment and interesting tools to create and destroy this environment.
Using different combinations of abilities, players have the tools to make characters that will fit the way the want to play their online f.p.s… You could play the combat style of a ninja, Jedi, gladiator, solder, manic arsonist, team support/ wall maker, predator/ hunter, sniper,
infiltrator/ assassin, explosive specialist, pirate, or anything you can think of. Players will have a mild leveling up system that will let each character they make(they can make any number of different characters)be completely unique. They will be rewarded with experience
points for leveling up based on how much they benefit their team.
Match types this game will be in will include: the standard team death match, free-for-all, gold rush (the primary game-type of “Battlefield Bad Company,” and “capture the spawn point.”
Organisation:
The small team:
I would rather keep this game’s development team small. In general, for every programmer on
a development team there should be about three artists The only people developing this game currently is another programmer and I, so I’d say between
3-6 artists may be the perfect team. I really do feel like two programmers who know what they are doing mixed with a handfull of creative artists can make a game that can be called novel. I’m not quite sure how many artists of specific abilities should be on this team, but I’m hoping for people with multiple hats.
- 1 concept Artist
- 1 Character Artist
- 1 props (weapons mostly)
- 2 Environmental artist or two
- currently I’m able to make decent particle effects.
we will need in the future:
-Animation
-HUD and menus 2d art
There are just a few things I ask if you want to join:
- Be open minded, and brutally honest. That way we’ll be able to make better design decisions
- Be forward with how much time you want to spend on this project
- Be Indie
Assuming that a few people would find this interesting, the design approach would be pretty standard. There will be a period of time at the beginning of development where we’ll come to a consensus on the artist style. Then we need to produce a few pieces of concept art, and if we all like it, we should be ready for full scale production afterwards. Incorporating your assests into my engine will not need to be your concern, as I have a plan to mod a level editor to attach the rigid bodies to 3d models. Any gameplay mechanics you would want to add, I could prototype it, and see if it’s fun. I have the entire game designed in mechanics, but I’m sure some of the ones I made will be weeded out.
So if you like the idea of working with a quality programmer, and making your own world without having your freedom restricted by some one else’s criteria, then drop me a line:
Please include some samples and what theme youwould like to do for the game. Also if you want more info about any aspect of the game or want the g.d.d. just ask.
Thank You for your time, and I look forward to collaborating with someone that I may mutually complement.