I was going to be very negative until I watched the avi's. No matter if this is real or not, those videos of flying from the station to the planets surface were stunning. Hope this does work out for you!
I would love to have a game where I could fly from planet to planet looking simply exploring.
Originally posted by Ragosch Nyast, first of all I want to say that your work looks pretty good so far. A bit too good maybe, because i found in your forum that you are worrying about those things if a spaceship might reflect nicely in some reflecting parts of a space station ... honestly, am I there to mirror myself in a space station or am I doing business at that station?
Thank you. I am actually not spending all my time on such details, but since it's the tip of the iceberg ( what players can really "see" and discuss ), it's generating a lot of visibility. More serious things are under development, too. Besides, i have to focus on the game/graphics engine first before the gameplay if i want to license it as a way to finance the rest of the game development later.
Originally posted by Ragosch When I read this I assume ... Networking 25% - tested with how many concurrent connections?
I implemented RDP (a custom reliable UDP) protocol and made a bandwidth/visibility test some time ago with 2500 clients in LAN. Of course it was only a rough estimation; there was only basic physics and no A.I. or real gameplay going on.
Originally posted by Ragosch User interface 5% - you just have an idea of it, but already coded is nothing, correct?
The graphical design is well under progress and most of the important screens are designed, but there's very little code for this yet.
Originally posted by Ragosch Gameplay 3% - much worse than user interface, atmost an idea of how it might work, correct?
Ideas/design are not counted in these percentages; they are only for actual production materials ( content assets, code, etc.. ). So it's more than "just an idea of how it might work". Even though some areas are still heavily in discussion. But it's true that the gameplay is not very advanced. At the moment, you can connect to the server and fly around in a solar system ( setup with database seeds for procedural algorithms ) in space, around stations and down to planets.
Originally posted by Ragosch Content 5% - hm, what do I need thousands of worlds for where I can land on each of them, if there is no original content there (procedural content is meaningless, not worth visiting)?
Content here specifically refers to 3D work, 2D art ( interface, icons, textures ) and sound, not planets. For the real solar system, i will be using real textures and maps from the nasa. All the other systems will be procedurally generated, but tools will be available to "control" this generation with a set of parameters for the more important worlds.
I hope i have answered all your questions and that it will you a better idea of what the status is.
______________________________ "When Saddam flew that plane into those buildings, I knew it was time to kick some Iranian ass!" -cheer leading, flag waving American
Thank you for your detailed answers, Nyast. I will keep an eye on your project because it is very interesting.
About gameplay ... will there be any visible and (player-driven?) cities, farms, factories and such on the surface of planets when you fly over?- When I think of your project I think of a gameplay which is very similar to EVE on one hand, but on the other hand offers the possibility to actually see the development on the planet`s surface; but that is maybe just my idea of it and totally wrong ... how is the gameplay like?
Originally posted by Ragosch Thank you for your detailed answers, Nyast. I will keep an eye on your project because it is very interesting. About gameplay ... will there be any visible and (player-driven?) cities, farms, factories and such on the surface of planets when you fly over?- When I think of your project I think of a gameplay which is very similar to EVE on one hand, but on the other hand offers the possibility to actually see the development on the planet`s surface; but that is maybe just my idea of it and totally wrong ... how is the gameplay like? Ragosch
He's already stated that the Gameplay will be implemented among the last things because he wants to get the engine up and runing so that he can license and sell it as a means of funding the rest of the project. Makes sense really and is very savvy imo. If he can sell that engine he can start expanding his staff a little to speed up progress and work on more things at once.
Currently Playing: Dungeons and Dragons Online. Sig image Pending Still in: A couple Betas
That is correct, but he said also there is more than the idea of gameplay already. All I was asking here is about that idea?- I want to imagine what this game will be like and where it differs from EVEs gameplay.
Originally posted by stone-seraph wow, if they get the gameplay mechanics right Eve might actually have some competition in the Sci-fi genre
Most of us no longer care if the theme is Smurfs Online. Theyre all for-ever-quest clones whatever the theme is.
Sometimes I really do not understand your statements.
Do you mean any MMO is an EQ-clone?- That would be nonsense. Nyast said nothing about game mechanics yet, so no one can tell what his game will be like. That is why I ask about those things.
And if you want to say with it that most people are not interested in the theme of an MMO, then I can tell you, that you are totally wrong. In fact there are many, who would never play a Sci-Fi MMORPG just because it is sci-fi and not fantasy. The theme is important if it differs from the classical elf, dwarf, halfling theme for most people; that is what studies about MMORPG-players tell us.
Looks intresting, but like having 1 guy coding it doesn't sound like good idea. I see that you want keep control yourself and see the big picture by yourself, but what happen if you lose intrest, get so good job offer that you want and will take all your free time, something happens to you and you have to spend year in hospital? Who's going to take over it and even if some new coder came would he even be able to take over it, because understanding other people code can be very hard unless you have been there from begin of development? Or would players be left on game that no one is improving anymore or fixing bugs?
You are trying impossible, but I wish you good luck and that you can prove me wrong.
I am shocked to the negativ and doubtful ppl to this game. You guys are really acting like pompous morons. Here this guy is presenting his game (which looks amazing, and I will deffently give it a go, and do hope some kind of beta will show up) and most of you are trying to dismiss it.
The game looks great. I am hoping for (have not read the site yet just skimmed trough it) a good market system and crafting. Something like EvE, but not with so many holes.
Also my hat goes off to you sir for such a devotion and dedication put into it. That is a good sign for sucsess. I wish you the best of luck.
Everything starts because of 1 mans idea, from there it is growth. You all have to realise that and if the game makes it more people will deffently be brought into the picture. Have you all forgotten that EvE Online started by a small handful of ppl (just like this one) in a garage??
hmmm, looks realy interesting, will keep an eye for it, i like the idea of having a real-time spaceship fighting simulation, reminds me of armada on dream cast.
this will definately be in my watch list, good luck on completing this piece of art.
Originally posted by Ragosch That is correct, but he said also there is more than the idea of gameplay already. All I was asking here is about that idea?- I want to imagine what this game will be like and where it differs from EVEs gameplay. Ragosch
It will be similar to Eve in many aspects; after all, as i see it Eve has been inspired by Elite, too. So, you will find space stations in orbit of planets ( or cities on the planets's surface ) in which you can dock, chat with other players, trade, buy/sell equipment and ships, and of course look for missions. You will be able to form your own corporation, buy buildings/stations/factories and have a complete fleet ( you can assign orders to captains of ships you do not currently control ). The main differences with Eve ? Nothing is avatar-based ( no skills, no experience ), and combat is fully action-based in real-time. The planets will provide a new playground for different types of missions, exploration and base defenses.
Originally posted by leipuri but what happen if you lose intrest, get so good job offer that you want and will take all your free time, something happens to you and you have to spend year in hospital?
I already do have a good job and a stable social situation, and i'd think that after 2 years of development my motivation was no longer a concern. But you're right: there are risks that this project will never see the light of the day. How is that different than any other developper ? How many projects, even fully commercial, have been aborted ( or just released in an awfully disapointing state ) because the main designer left with half the team ? Is it a reason not to try ?
Originally posted by leipuri Who's going to take over it and even if some new coder came would he even be able to take over it, because understanding other people code can be very hard unless you have been there from begin of development?
I am planning to license this engine during 2006. I can guarantee that the code is very well thought-out, organized and commented. In the coming months, i will write a lot of documentation to make it useful to external developers.
Originally posted by moonfog I am shocked to the negativ and doubtful ppl to this game. You guys are really acting like pompous morons. Here this guy is presenting his game (which looks amazing, and I will deffently give it a go, and do hope some kind of beta will show up) and most of you are trying to dismiss it.
Thank you. As a player, if i saw an independant game promising so much i'd probably be as doubtful. But as long as it's constructive, i do not mind this negative feedback.
Actually talking to you, Nyast, is quite good because it gives an impression of what kind of person you are. I am now less doubtful than before and I start to think you might be able to achieve your goal.
For the non-avatar based site of your game, I guess there are many people out there who actually want a more twitch-based game where player skills count and not avatar skills - this no longer an RPG in the old traditional way then, but it might be that different that those people might join your game instead of playing EVE, atleast those who do not like the time-based nature of EVE's skill system and think they cannot catch up with veterans in EVE.
Given your great graphics I hope you put as much effort into the gameplay part of your game and it might be a success. Atleast it will enable you to go the "slow growth" way like CCP did. Again, I wish you luck for your project - stay well and healthy.
The funny thing is, I've spent the past several months working on a design of my own... and it seems to have several important features in common with "Infinity" (can I call it that?).
In particular we share the concept of a truly large galaxy containing millions of star systems whose worlds are created procedurally. The old paradigm of a few large handcrafted landmasses filled with NPCs-as-loot-bags and NPCs-as-quest-dispensers just wasn't working for me -- what I believe is needed is something that supports exploration.
Of course there's combat in my design as well, but not for the usual meaningless, zero-sum struggle over the same few little patches of ground. Basing gameplay on exploring a huge game world creates real opportunities for constructive and cooperative play alongside down-and-dirty competitive action. Combat in my design is just one of several respectable options (including economic and diplomatic) for expanding the political borders of player space through a hostile galaxy.
Nor should combat happen in a vacuum (so to speak). Worlds must first be explored by survey scouts; then space must be controlled by the fleet and ground operations conducted to establish dominance; then the prospectors show up to obtain materials for the industrialists to make and the traders and speculators to sell; and then -- finally! -- do the colonists (players and simulated NPCs) move in, along with the politicians and scientists and news and entertainment media.
All of which I mention as evidence that I've done a certain amount of design regarding characters and gameplay. What I haven't fleshed out much in my design are the heavy coding bits -- the server code, the 3D rendering code, etc. Not because my programming background wouldn't let me do that stuff, but because the overall design of the gameplay, the need to understand the key systems and comprehend how all the systems should be integrated to deliver a consistently exciting and enduring game experience, are what interest me most.
Infinity looks very nice indeed. If the gameplay design winds up being as strong as the graphics -- especially if it's headed toward the kind of gameplay I just described -- then I'm definitely going to be rooting for this one to succeed.
Originally posted by Teddy3157 Will you be able to walk around the surface of a planet as a person, rather than a ship?
No, that feature isn't planned. It would require too much content to produce for a small independent team ( buildings interiors, animated characters, skins.. it's a never-ending loop ). It's not totally excluded for an add-on later though.
Originally posted by Zwerchfell How many people will play on one server?
A single machine should be able to host between 1000 and 2500 players; it's a bit hard to estimate until the gameplay, physics and A.I. are running. How many machines will be present in the server cluster will be dependent of the popularity of the game; at the beginning, probably not more than one or two ( but that will be transparent to the players, they'll play in the same universe just like Eve ).
For me it looks like Nyast is aware of problems and has realistic estimations. His game is different from normal game development in the content providing part. There is not that much to provide than I thought of at first and he might stay in his time shedule basically. The licensing of the engine is also a good idea to get funding and maybe contact to people who might help him with the project too.
I will have a sympathetic eye on this project. Good luck, Nyast.
Comments
I was going to be very negative until I watched the avi's. No matter if this is real or not, those videos of flying from the station to the planets surface were stunning. Hope this does work out for you!
I would love to have a game where I could fly from planet to planet looking simply exploring.
Thank you. I am actually not spending all my time on such details, but since it's the tip of the iceberg ( what players can really "see" and discuss ), it's generating a lot of visibility. More serious things are under development, too. Besides, i have to focus on the game/graphics engine first before the gameplay if i want to license it as a way to finance the rest of the game development later.
I implemented RDP (a custom reliable UDP) protocol and made a bandwidth/visibility test some time ago with 2500 clients in LAN. Of course it was only a rough estimation; there was only basic physics and no A.I. or real gameplay going on.
The graphical design is well under progress and most of the important screens are designed, but there's very little code for this yet.
Ideas/design are not counted in these percentages; they are only for actual production materials ( content assets, code, etc.. ). So it's more than "just an idea of how it might work". Even though some areas are still heavily in discussion. But it's true that the gameplay is not very advanced. At the moment, you can connect to the server and fly around in a solar system ( setup with database seeds for procedural algorithms ) in space, around stations and down to planets.
Content here specifically refers to 3D work, 2D art ( interface, icons, textures ) and sound, not planets. For the real solar system, i will be using real textures and maps from the nasa. All the other systems will be procedurally generated, but tools will be available to "control" this generation with a set of parameters for the more important worlds.
I hope i have answered all your questions and that it will you a better idea of what the status is.
Infinity: The Quest for Earth, space-sim MMO with a seamless procedural galaxy.
I approve of this game.
______________________________
"When Saddam flew that plane into those buildings, I knew it was time to kick some Iranian ass!"
-cheer leading, flag waving American
Thank you for your detailed answers, Nyast. I will keep an eye on your project because it is very interesting.
About gameplay ... will there be any visible and (player-driven?) cities, farms, factories and such on the surface of planets when you fly over?- When I think of your project I think of a gameplay which is very similar to EVE on one hand, but on the other hand offers the possibility to actually see the development on the planet`s surface; but that is maybe just my idea of it and totally wrong ... how is the gameplay like?
Ragosch
Currently Playing: Dungeons and Dragons Online.
Sig image Pending
Still in: A couple Betas
That is correct, but he said also there is more than the idea of gameplay already. All I was asking here is about that idea?- I want to imagine what this game will be like and where it differs from EVEs gameplay.
Ragosch
IM not interested in screenshots, Im interested in game mechanics, and uh, the, uh, HOLEY COW NICE SCREENSHOTS!
Wow..
Just wow..
Flying from the space station to the ground, thats the way any space mmo should be created.
Amazing video.
The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.
Most of us no longer care if the theme is Smurfs Online. Theyre all for-ever-quest clones whatever the theme is.
Sometimes I really do not understand your statements.
Do you mean any MMO is an EQ-clone?- That would be nonsense. Nyast said nothing about game mechanics yet, so no one can tell what his game will be like. That is why I ask about those things.
And if you want to say with it that most people are not interested in the theme of an MMO, then I can tell you, that you are totally wrong. In fact there are many, who would never play a Sci-Fi MMORPG just because it is sci-fi and not fantasy. The theme is important if it differs from the classical elf, dwarf, halfling theme for most people; that is what studies about MMORPG-players tell us.
Ragosch
Looks intresting, but like having 1 guy coding it doesn't sound like good idea. I see that you want keep control yourself and see the big picture by yourself, but what happen if you lose intrest, get so good job offer that you want and will take all your free time, something happens to you and you have to spend year in hospital? Who's going to take over it and even if some new coder came would he even be able to take over it, because understanding other people code can be very hard unless you have been there from begin of development? Or would players be left on game that no one is improving anymore or fixing bugs?
You are trying impossible, but I wish you good luck and that you can prove me wrong.
I am shocked to the negativ and doubtful ppl to this game. You guys are really acting like pompous morons. Here this guy is presenting his game (which looks amazing, and I will deffently give it a go, and do hope some kind of beta will show up) and most of you are trying to dismiss it.
The game looks great. I am hoping for (have not read the site yet just skimmed trough it) a good market system and crafting. Something like EvE, but not with so many holes.
Also my hat goes off to you sir for such a devotion and dedication put into it. That is a good sign for sucsess.
I wish you the best of luck.
Everything starts because of 1 mans idea, from there it is growth. You all have to realise that and if the game makes it more people will deffently be brought into the picture. Have you all forgotten that EvE Online started by a small handful of ppl (just like this one) in a garage??
If you can pull this off, I will definately be playing.
hmmm, looks realy interesting, will keep an eye for it, i like the idea of having a real-time spaceship fighting simulation, reminds me of armada on dream cast.
this will definately be in my watch list, good luck on completing this piece of art.
Joined 2004 - I can't believe I've been a MMORPG.com member for 20 years! Get off my lawn!
It will be similar to Eve in many aspects; after all, as i see it Eve has been inspired by Elite, too. So, you will find space stations in orbit of planets ( or cities on the planets's surface ) in which you can dock, chat with other players, trade, buy/sell equipment and ships, and of course look for missions. You will be able to form your own corporation, buy buildings/stations/factories and have a complete fleet ( you can assign orders to captains of ships you do not currently control ). The main differences with Eve ? Nothing is avatar-based ( no skills, no experience ), and combat is fully action-based in real-time. The planets will provide a new playground for different types of missions, exploration and base defenses.
I already do have a good job and a stable social situation, and i'd think that after 2 years of development my motivation was no longer a concern. But you're right: there are risks that this project will never see the light of the day. How is that different than any other developper ? How many projects, even fully commercial, have been aborted ( or just released in an awfully disapointing state ) because the main designer left with half the team ? Is it a reason not to try ?
I am planning to license this engine during 2006. I can guarantee that the code is very well thought-out, organized and commented. In the coming months, i will write a lot of documentation to make it useful to external developers.
Thank you. As a player, if i saw an independant game promising so much i'd probably be as doubtful. But as long as it's constructive, i do not mind this negative feedback.
Infinity: The Quest for Earth, space-sim MMO with a seamless procedural galaxy.
Actually talking to you, Nyast, is quite good because it gives an impression of what kind of person you are. I am now less doubtful than before and I start to think you might be able to achieve your goal.
For the non-avatar based site of your game, I guess there are many people out there who actually want a more twitch-based game where player skills count and not avatar skills - this no longer an RPG in the old traditional way then, but it might be that different that those people might join your game instead of playing EVE, atleast those who do not like the time-based nature of EVE's skill system and think they cannot catch up with veterans in EVE.
Given your great graphics I hope you put as much effort into the gameplay part of your game and it might be a success. Atleast it will enable you to go the "slow growth" way like CCP did. Again, I wish you luck for your project - stay well and healthy.
Ragosch
Add me to the "wow" list.
The funny thing is, I've spent the past several months working on a design of my own... and it seems to have several important features in common with "Infinity" (can I call it that?).
In particular we share the concept of a truly large galaxy containing millions of star systems whose worlds are created procedurally. The old paradigm of a few large handcrafted landmasses filled with NPCs-as-loot-bags and NPCs-as-quest-dispensers just wasn't working for me -- what I believe is needed is something that supports exploration.
Of course there's combat in my design as well, but not for the usual meaningless, zero-sum struggle over the same few little patches of ground. Basing gameplay on exploring a huge game world creates real opportunities for constructive and cooperative play alongside down-and-dirty competitive action. Combat in my design is just one of several respectable options (including economic and diplomatic) for expanding the political borders of player space through a hostile galaxy.
Nor should combat happen in a vacuum (so to speak). Worlds must first be explored by survey scouts; then space must be controlled by the fleet and ground operations conducted to establish dominance; then the prospectors show up to obtain materials for the industrialists to make and the traders and speculators to sell; and then -- finally! -- do the colonists (players and simulated NPCs) move in, along with the politicians and scientists and news and entertainment media.
All of which I mention as evidence that I've done a certain amount of design regarding characters and gameplay. What I haven't fleshed out much in my design are the heavy coding bits -- the server code, the 3D rendering code, etc. Not because my programming background wouldn't let me do that stuff, but because the overall design of the gameplay, the need to understand the key systems and comprehend how all the systems should be integrated to deliver a consistently exciting and enduring game experience, are what interest me most.
Infinity looks very nice indeed. If the gameplay design winds up being as strong as the graphics -- especially if it's headed toward the kind of gameplay I just described -- then I'm definitely going to be rooting for this one to succeed.
Good luck, Nyast!
--Flatfingers
holy crap did you guys see the space to atmosphere flight movie? WOW..
The engine looks absolutely fantastic
_____________________
I am the flipside of the coin on which the troll and the fanboy are but one side.
EVE is almost an updated version of Trade Wars w/ a different name. Pretty much everything.
Just a little FYI there. If you haven't played Trade Wars, give it a shot if you can find it.
A Work in Progress.
Add Me
I read the site and stuff but i couldn't find a definitive answer...
Will you be able to walk around the surface of a planet as a person, rather than a ship?
the engine looks really nice and I'm looking forward to see more. But they still have a lot a work to do.
How many people will play on one server?
No, that feature isn't planned. It would require too much content to produce for a small independent team ( buildings interiors, animated characters, skins.. it's a never-ending loop ). It's not totally excluded for an add-on later though.
A single machine should be able to host between 1000 and 2500 players; it's a bit hard to estimate until the gameplay, physics and A.I. are running. How many machines will be present in the server cluster will be dependent of the popularity of the game; at the beginning, probably not more than one or two ( but that will be transparent to the players, they'll play in the same universe just like Eve ).
Infinity: The Quest for Earth, space-sim MMO with a seamless procedural galaxy.
All I can say is good luck. Its an ambitious task to undertake on one person's hands.
For me it looks like Nyast is aware of problems and has realistic estimations. His game is different from normal game development in the content providing part. There is not that much to provide than I thought of at first and he might stay in his time shedule basically. The licensing of the engine is also a good idea to get funding and maybe contact to people who might help him with the project too.
I will have a sympathetic eye on this project. Good luck, Nyast.
Ragosch