Postworld Update

The winchester widowmaker is the double-barrel shotgun you find in Fallout... I'm pretty sure this is going to turn out awesome, the atmosphere in the early build I tried out (I'm allowed to say that right?) was just unbelievable! If you think the videos are good then the tech demos will blow you away.
 
Well not right now. Since this is only a tech demo there is not too much work in that department.
We will need help developing various locations and characters once we start working on the core content though.

For now we are only looking for 2D artists. There is a lot of concept work that needs doing and we got tons of in-game art that we desperately want to finish.
 
Hehe, I may have little real experience, but if you don't think quest design and writing is not a must at the early stages of development, I'm betting you'll have a looong development cycle.

If you're making an RPG, of course. If it's just some tactical game, or action or whatever, then it's relatively less important.

:EDIT:
In fact, I'm still looking for a team (and/or funding) for my own Fallout-style RPG. It's not the setting that's similar, but the gameplay and feel of the game. I would be very interested in developing my game on a fallout-inspired platform as modern-looking as yours. If you think we could work out a fork between the two projects, or even merge them, I would be very interested to show you what I have already, and what my plans are (flexible! They're flexible! even the setting can change very easily with no detriment for the other aspects of the game).

:EDIT:
I have sent you guys an email. Doing things properly and all that.
 
archont said:
What is your opinion regarding us making this thing feel a lot more like a board game in combat?
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Don't. Board games are limited by real-world constraints. For example when calculating if a shot hits or misses you wouldn't be able to factor in many variables, unless you'd have a rulebook the size of an encyclopedia and a bunch of accountants counting that.

Don't confuse turn-based with board game. Turn-based (as in Jagged Alliance) yes, board game no. Obviously the Jagged Alliance system would be difficult to do in real world because of the hundreds upon hundreds of rolls and complex calculations every turn.
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You can make much more complex and realistic board games than JA2. Two words: Phoenix Command. It is quite slow to run, but it works. JA2 isn't overtly complex game at the end with it's game mechanics.

archont said:
Open source development does not work for games.

Allow me to repeat.

Open source developemt DOES NOT WORK FOR GAMES.

ESPECIALLY content-based games. Transport tycoon? Sure. Multiplayer games? Sure.

Content-based games? No.

Your motivation WILL eventually run out. You NEED money.
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It is possible to make content as open source project, running the project is just very hard and most of projects fail.

Killap has provided us with example of open sourceish project that is quite convincing that with enough motivation huge amount of content can be done. Even when someone else has written most of stuff.

Not game, but another somewhat relevant example is Star Wreck, it is Finnish Star Trek/general space opera sci-fi parody. It started as couple guys sort of demo project when guys were kids, sequels went further with more ambitious content, then it ended up in live action mostly virtual set short movie. Last part was full length movie, it's production lasted for seven years. When makers came up with better CGI most of stuff that was made previously had to be scrapped, final special effects were well comparable to standards of CGI on sci-fi TV shows.

Most of projects will stop on lack motivation. If key folks of team are motivated enough, doing good single player game might be possible. For single player game projects writing/game design part of team must be that dedicated core of project. Doing something as hobby will eventually lead to conflicts with schedule, folks involved will have life outside of project. Sometimes stuff that is made by other won't be available when someone need it.

People will go away and new people will fill the gaps. That creates problems with consistency of content. One guy doing thing A and other doing B... might lead to situation where stuff doesn't fit together. Another problem in running game project as hobby comes from motivating folks, it nearly impossible find folks who can do something decently and will do that with very limited creative liberty without payment.

That is basically reason why most non-commercial single player games and single player mods are relatively short. Fallout 3 mods are pretty good example, there is very few mods that add something more complicated to game than custom items and models. Most of mod added quests are very short and dialogue and scripting didn't really cut it. Very few of modded items did really fit into Fallout setting at all and were über tacticool modern modular rifles or not so covering armors with ridiculous damage resistances for also modded female character models with unrealistically large boobs. Most of modded items also broke game balance.

Working with other people has one definite basic flaw that cannot be overcome or circumvented, other people. Managing people is shitty job unless you are either sadist or masochist or combination of those two. Outside of that only reward you can get from it is paycheck. Most of mankind is made of spineless pieces of shit who don't care, don't know, are incompetent or all of those at same time. Rest just doesn't know about it already or live in denial after learning about it. Even in organizational environment that is highly hierarchic, where management has relatively absolute authority and proper tools to implement that authority. Like military for instance. Trying to run food supplies and medical evacuations (read: conscripts that claim to be sick) to exercise involving couple companies of infantry for week may lead to becoming bit irritated. There is always platoon or two that won't be able to make whatever they are supposed on time.

Eventually you will reach zen like state of being one of guys who just work here, with no real motivation or any ambition. It is either that or burnout, burnout is usually followed by becoming automaton that doesn't give a shit about anything. I don't have personal experience on running software project, but I have heard plenty of stories about cubicle frustration from friends that do work in that industry.

When it comes to computer games made as hobby projects money isn't that much of an issue if team already has computers and expertise. Money will become issue if commercially licensed engine is used and professional development tools are needed.

And for Postworld team... Hopefully you guys can beat the odds and make good oldschool cRPG. Plan the project carefully, set standards to achievable level and take failure tolerances into consideration on schedules. If something can go wrong, sooner or later it will happen, but you can be prepared for it by making proper contingency plans.
 
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