Staredit Network

The old idea thread is here, though I'm going to use this one for actual planning, etc.


Update (2/20/05)-
Whew, finally got the first draft of the outline done. This draft is for reading and understanding purposes only: We'll need to break it down into more digestible pieces later as we get into the actual creation process, which by the way we are ready to begin! Planning will continue on missions (I'm no longer calling them quests), and the full item list will be an ongoing effort until the terrain, story, and quests are all completed.

Anyway, I think we should meet again to discuss some more about the core functionality so we all know what's in store, and see if there's anything left to add or refine before actual work begins. I'll be on tuesday evening (6PM+, Pacific) on MSN, as before, so be sure to have read the full outline before coming so we all know what's up and can stay in sync.

It's not too late for anyone else who wants to join in, btw.


Update (2/11/05)-
We'll be meeting again @ 6 PM (pacific) on either MSN or on bnet @ channel op Tuxedo-Templar (have yet to decide). We'll begin by finishing off the world outline and then dividing up planning tasks from there. For the next planning stage, we'll be coming up with item and quest ideas, so anyone is welcome to come whether you're already involved or not. Read the sticky threads here before contributing, though (if you haven't already).


Update (2/9/05)-
This will be the place for the main discussion. This thread will be for major updates/progress. Please use that forum from now on. I'll copy over the character info you guys wrote to a new thread there now.



∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙
Basic Outline (as of this writing):
Character and Basics:
Anyway, here's how it'll work: You begin by selecting a character (which may or may not be represented by different units), which each have their own storyline and quest tree (which may overlap between characters). The quests they are required to do eventually lead up to an ultimate objective they seek to accomplish, which vary by character.

The basic activity each player will be mainly involved with is mixing items to make new ones. Each character begins the game with access to a certain initial pool of knowledge, which determines which mixes they know of. As they progress, they not only find more items and gain more rewards through quests, but also get access to new libraries of knowledge, thus aiding them in future quests.


Mixing Basics:
Mixing is not as easy as it sounds on the surface. Not all items mixed together produce results, and some mixes fail just by bad luck. Aspects of skill and/or better knowledge apply to help make mixes successful, though not all mixes are the same. Mixing also involves tools, such as a mortar and pestle, cauldron, centrifuge, etc. Using certain tools may involve a certain amount of skill by themselves, thus affecting the quality and/or success rate of items mixed.


Quest Basics:
Since this is a fairly non-linear game (almost Open RPG-style), players could diverge on quests that are completely unrelated to their ultimate objective for material or monetary gain. Quests may be simple things like finding or making medicines, building something, or may be more complex things like assasination, escaping an area alive, etc. In other words, they won't be limited to your basic "fetch the stick" template.

Quests won't be isolated, either. Certain quests may affect which other quests become available later. Each player gets their own independant quest tree for the most part, though certain key parts may overlap as relevant to each player's story.

Stories will be relatively simple for each player, so as not to overcomplicate things. The quests will be the main focus, though certain quests will be story-only affairs, or even cross over between players.



∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙
Project Status:

Unfinished stages- qwerty
In-Progress stages- qwerty
Completed stages- qwerty

• Preliminary-
  • Assemble team-
  • Determine planning/brainstorming session
• Project Planning-
  • Characters
  • World outline-
    • Major civilized locations
    • Major geographic locations
  • Missions-
    • Full Mission List
    • NPCs and their dialog
  • Items-
    • Item catagories
    • Mission needs (what kinds of items are needed for the missions)
    • Full item list
• Mapping-
  • Terrain-
  • Items-
    • Item mixing interface
    • Map out items to death counters
  • Implement full item system
  • Missions-
    • Mission locations
    • Implement Missions

Updates to come as needed.

Sounds good to me, now just need plan outline of who doing what in map and how were gonna go about doing this.

Hey, I want to help out. I got a couple ideas im sure you can use.

Ok. Whatcha want to do then? Remember that for now though we are in planning stages, which we'll need to do before any actual mapping.

EDIT- Oh Chu, you can join. I'll add you to list.

So, when's a good time to meet? Now?

[center]This sounds fun. I'd sure like to join, Tux. I'm not so bad at making terrain. Too bad you didn't hear me tell you that on Battle.net a couple of hours ago, eh?[/center]

lol don, that channel was packed i could barely read anything, let alone keep track of when the topic changed ().

Triggers is mainly where my ideas lie. So I can help out with that part of the map.

Ok, but don't worry about mapping stuff for now. We'll get to that in due time. You may do some preliminary stuff if you wish, though.

Anyway, just to be clear, I assume we'll do all our discussion here then?

Meeting should be tomorrow sometime like 10:00 pm GMT (5pm EST). On a messenger that everyone has. I think thats MSN.

ADDITION:
Btw, you need to be on MSN more often.

Hmm, what is that 3pm? I might have some trouble getting on then but I'll try. I use MSN, and my account is webutek@hotmail.com.

For now though, since we're all here, lets get to the first order of business: Characters. How many do you think we should have?

6 is a good number, I can't see the use for more than 2 computers.

I think it's 5pm for you.

I agree. Though maybe to have a larger selection there could be more? But then again, more would mean more work. Lets start with 6 minimum then.

How about another way to do this: What ultimate objectives are there? Each character has their own story, and with it an ultimate objective, so what can you guys think of? I'm thinking generic stuff like saving lives, amassing power, getting revenge, etc.

EDIT- 3pm western, i mean. I forget how to translate time zones lol.

EDIT 2- Ok I'm getting on bnet again. I'll be in channel op Tuxedo-Templar (USeast) to discuss this. See you there.

One character:

Is out in a mission with a friend, the objective is to re-capture a large shipment of goods(alchemy materials) for a country they work for. When this person's friend betrays them and takes the shipment "elsewhere".

The following missions are based on tracing where this previous trusted ally has gone and why. This leads to finding out that the enemy (in the ultimate objective) has been manipulating chemists all around to join his force of evil. And his previous ally was once one of them. This character then teams up with the newly formed allies (other players in game) to achieve the ultimate objective (stoping this force who is using chemists and their powers for evil).

I tried to keep the gender vague so that we can decide that later.

I'll help you with ideas, Tux. I'll just keep an eye on this thread and contribute if you need anything.

uh, kinda hard work in your timezone when im GMT+10 Australia =/ not like rest of ya pretty close.

6 sounds alright.

Lol Tux, lotta people wanna help.
I could do the triggers, but ideas are NOT my thing. So just give me the ideas, concepts etc.. I will work on the map as best I can but don't expect work equivelent to you, expect better (J/k).

Hope you let me play with the Tuxinator .

Edit: (As of this post, lol: Participation: 66% Minerals: 66)

I think you're going to hit the string limit very fast, especially with the quest system.

Goddard-
X X X X Gender: Male
X X X X Initial Occupation: Mountain Miner
X X X X Specialty: Raw extraction and metal specialization
X X X X Ultimate Goal: Power
X X X X Backstory: He came to work for a large corporation when he was young as a simple miner. Always at the low end of the corporate totem pole, he longed to get somewhere for years, though the mines in which he worked ever seemed to remain his prison. One day, while mining he came across a rare metal that he knew little about, except that all traces of it were thought to have been gone forever. Thinking he had struck gold (figuratively), he did his best to make claim to finding the item, hoping it would give him attention and get him promoted. Instead, not only did his superiors thanklessly claim the item from him, but he was put to work even more when his superiors decided to look for any more traces of the item in the mines. Adding injury to insult, he became trapped in a mine collapse and left for dead. His story begins with him making his way out of the collapsed mines.

Edit by Chu: Can't see the x's now.

[center]That's a good one, Tux. Now only five more to go![/center]

4, actually. And if you guys don't hurry with yours i'll go ahead and do them sometime tomorrow.

EDIT- Actually don, we decided on 4 characters to keep the workload reasonable. If you want to help, think of some quest ideas for now since thats what we'll do next.

This map sounds like it should take some time to be fully complete, so much idea's into 1 map. (reminds me of my current project), i'm not suggesting this but it'd be cool if there was other mixing jobs like creating custom weapons and items, by metal, animal pelts, etc.

Anyways yeah, thios sounds like it be a map for hardcore RPG'ers.
So you have all the terrainers—or teams—chosen?

Teams aren't really set right now but we have a general idea of what everyone will be doing.

Hmm, jobs might be a good idea. I was thinking of quests-only but having some aspect of steady employment in the mean time between quests might be good. Also some side-quests or mini-games wouldn't be bad idea either, if any good ideas for them can be thought up.

You never answered my question from the other thread. I'll post it again but in an edit so i don't get mins =p


What kind of inventory system will keep track of all these items? And will some items not be actual units? Like 'wood' or 'water'. Like if you cut down a tree it would just display a text message "Wood Gathered!" and it adds a counter. Iono maybe save some units that way.

I already vaugly described my virtual inventory system to Tux. Only 1 string used per item, plus some strings to indicate how many of each you have.

And I think items are gained through battles, quests, missions, etc.