Open-source fantasy role-playing game project looking

Wes_Poole · June 5, 2000, 8:20pm

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Dang, and I was hoping to be safe from competition

Hans-Peter Gygax wrote:Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 20:20:12 +0000

“Legacy - the Open Virtual World Project” is an ambitious game
development
project that aims to create a big, believable, and complex virtual world

that is to be the setting for an epic fantasy story.

Our targetted features are:

open-source and free

cross-platform development for Linux and Windows

3D graphics based on OpenGL (port to Direct3D possible)

Please note that Legacy/OVWP is NOT a massively multiplayer game project

the emphasis in our project is on story (although our architecture
tries
to sufficiently abstract interaction so that multiplayer could be added
in
follow-up projects).

Our project has only just begun, and is now in need of programmers
well acquainted with OpenGL to make a start.

Our plan is to implement a graphics library as a first step, then to use

that to create a “construct” that will evolve to become our world
building
tool.

Our whole project is divided into many working groups (called
"subprojects"), meaning that while the programmers are working on the
technical part, other members will be working to provide the “content” -

story, 3D models, graphics, music, etc.

We are aware that there are many open source projects out there
competing
for the attention of programmers. However, if the fantasy genre appeals
to
you, and you always wanted to create a game - which is too big a task
nowadays for a single person -, this project could be the one for you.
Even
though we cannot give any guarantee of success, we do offer our
commitment
and our server (built for and dedicated to this project) for the next 20

months at the very least.

Please, visit our web site www.legacy-ovwp.org for more information -
and of
course to register as a member if you choose to!

Thank you

Jean-Pierre Gygax (aka JPNotADragon)

------- P.S. After registering, please allow up to 24 hours before
getting
posting rights to our discussion forums. It shouldn’t take longer than
that, though.

------- I apologize if you feel this message was inappropriate in your
newsgroup. If so, please drop me an email so that I can use the right
groups
for future messages.

Jeff_Freedman · June 5, 2000, 9:28pm

Phoenix Kokido wrote:

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Dang, and I was hoping to be safe from competition

Well, I wouldn’t be too worried. Here’s my (cynical) opinion on how
software works after seeing many projects succeed or fail:

Successful project:

One person gets a bright idea, and starts implementing it in code. If
it’s any good, and he gets far enough, then:

If open source, others will volunteer to help, and he can split off
pieces.
If it’s within a company, management will take notice, allocate
resources to finish the project (and also take credit for having the
vision to come up with the idea:-)).
Unsuccessful project:
One or more people come up with a bright idea.
- If open source, they create a beautiful web page extolling the
  virtues of their idea, and put out lots of publicity to attract people
  to work on it.
- If in a company, they set up a committee to study the idea, and
  produce a spec. Then they try to find people to write the software.
  Chance of success is ~50%.> Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 20:20:12 +0000

Andrew_Shakinovsky · June 5, 2000, 11:56pm

Jeff Freedman wrote:

Phoenix Kokido wrote:

FOR PROGRAMMERS
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Dang, and I was hoping to be safe from competition

Well, I wouldn’t be too worried. Here’s my (cynical) opinion on how
software works after seeing many projects succeed or fail:

Successful project:

One person gets a bright idea, and starts implementing it in code. If
it’s any good, and he gets far enough, then:

If open source, others will volunteer to help, and he can split off
pieces.

If it’s within a company, management will take notice, allocate
resources to finish the project (and also take credit for having the
vision to come up with the idea:-)).

Unsuccessful project:
One or more people come up with a bright idea.

If open source, they create a beautiful web page extolling the
virtues of their idea, and put out lots of publicity to attract people
to work on it.

If in a company, they set up a committee to study the idea, and
produce a spec. Then they try to find people to write the software.
Chance of success is ~50%.

Sad, but very true.>> Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 20:20:12 +0000

Janis_Kovalevskis · June 6, 2000, 11:40am

I don’t agree that when working on project many people can’t have bright
ideas- but i agree, that there should be just 1. person who makes all
final design decisions and who manages all.
Also the game is not just the code… The code in my opinion is something
like 30% of all game development process. Because you can have excellent
engine, but if gameplay sux, then whole game sux… Sad but true.

Personally i don’t trust too much in open-source (where everybody can
participate) game projects, because of several reasons:

usually persons are located in different places and it is very hard to
coordinate everyones work. Also it is difiicult to communicate among the
team members- e-mail of course rocks, but talking to person is still a lot
better way of communication.
lack of good management, schedules. Also it is very hard to find
time to work on project if you aren’t paid for it and have to do this in
your free time. Also it is very hard to keep such team together, because
many people join, then change their mind and go away.
there is usually a lot of ideas, but they are in a form “wouldn’t it be
nice to have feature X…” and usually they are too unrealistic to make or
just the idea- no details or anything.
skills and technical abilities- you usually can’t afford expensive
software, equipment or to hire good character animator…

Why such opinion? Because i have seen, how many such projects die in
natural death. As an example i can name IGP list, where they are
making game called MOD- simple flying shooter game. They are working on
it something like year, but progress seems to be zero. And it seems that
it is dying slowly, but surely.

Well, this is of course just my opinion and i as usually hope that this
project will succeed.

KovacsOn Mon, 5 Jun 2000, Jeff Freedman wrote:

Phoenix Kokido wrote:

FOR PROGRAMMERS
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 20:20:12 +0000
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=“iso-8859-1”

Dang, and I was hoping to be safe from competition

Well, I wouldn’t be too worried. Here’s my (cynical) opinion on how
software works after seeing many projects succeed or fail:

Successful project:

One person gets a bright idea, and starts implementing it in code. If
it’s any good, and he gets far enough, then:

If open source, others will volunteer to help, and he can split off
pieces.

If it’s within a company, management will take notice, allocate
resources to finish the project (and also take credit for having the
vision to come up with the idea:-)).

Unsuccessful project:
One or more people come up with a bright idea.

If open source, they create a beautiful web page extolling the
virtues of their idea, and put out lots of publicity to attract people
to work on it.

If in a company, they set up a committee to study the idea, and
produce a spec. Then they try to find people to write the software.
Chance of success is ~50%.