EV MMORPG: Who's up for the challenge?

if this were to be a game based on the ev nova graphics engine, all you would need is a networking programmer. most of the game code is already written, all the graphics are done, and the storyline is there.

i think (no experience in programming)

chill

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(quote)Originally posted by Whurp:
**if this were to be a game based on the ev nova graphics engine, all you would need is a networking programmer. most of the game code is already written, all the graphics are done, and the storyline is there.

i think (no experience in programming)

chill But don't think that such a project could be done without a massive expenditure of man-hours by anyone.

--Nathan
**

Mr. Lothario has some good points. Making Nova into an MMORPG would require making modifications to the engine, which, as of now is not open source. Also, the Nova scenario modifies the galaxcy, which makes it unworkable for a persistant online world.
However, a game with a Nova like engine and Nova ship graphics may be possible (the latter depends on Atmos's policy on the use of their artwork.) It might be better to make up an original scenario with original graphics however. Starting fresh with a set goal in mind is usually better than adapting one thing to be another.

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(/mindless babble)

You'd have to trade the expandability in for the possibility for people to build their own space station (and then offer missions to other pilots, declare war on the neighbour who has colonized a planet...), form guild or governments...

Making an EV-style MMO game is absolutely NOT impossible. The EV universe(s) would be a good conceptual base to work from, as well. But to make such a game would require a wholly new engine made from scratch. While you're at it, why not make it 3D? By the time that's done, it's hardly an EV game except in name. If EV inspires someone to go seriously about the business of founding a company to make a MMO space game, then bully. : ) My point in this and my previous post is just that to engage in such an undertaking would be something which would require millions of dollars (I would guess that it would require on the order of two to three million) and at least two years of development and content creation. Not to mention that the MMO genre is tremendously swamped at present, with what seems like everyone and their second cousin developing or launching MMORPG games. So again, it's doable, but it would be tough.

Feh. Messy post, but my brain is fried at present, so messy is what you get.

--Nathan

it's actually quite feasible, however the large problem is, as previously stated, the vast amount of data--but only systems with real people in them need be represented on the server, and that consists entirely of a couple of resids for the ship types and projectiles, etc, and the actual "system" could be stored locally. I wouldn't be surprised if one programmer could do it, but I also wouldn't be surprised if that programmer had to eat 2x their body weight in speed to do it.

I believe it could be done by a small group of motivated programers and artists in their spare time. It might take longer but it could be done this way. Also, as for money to get servers, you could sell planets for advertising. But real ads in the bar and landing screens to pay for the servers. I'de rather see ads than pay a monthly fee.

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Good points. But the problem is actually finding the motivated (and able) programmers and artists....

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(url="http://"http://www.mazca.com/")Mazca(/url) Moderator, EV Developer's Corner.
What I lack in enthusiasm I make up for in laziness.
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Whoa, hold off! The whole reason you guys can't agree on the scale of the project is that you're subconsciously factoring in the gameplay design costs, and that part could be worked on here and now. Of course, the questions must be present before the answers (and don't give me any H2G2 crap -- Douglas Adams, unfortunately, can no longer defy that law) so I'll just discreetly take command of the "question" side and start asking some stuff.

First of all, there's the question of 2D vs. 3D. 2D requires that the images be rendered beforehand; this costs a lot of money and hard drive space. If you used an OpenGL-based 3D engine, however, you could trade off those costs for others (development time and audience -- you'd need a higher-performing machine to play it). Composited special effects would be tougher in 2D, by the way -- I assume you're all familiar with the size and design limitations imposed on EV ships? Those'd all be gone with 3D.

Next, how would you structure the objectives in the game? It would be pointless to have a pre-written storyline. I would suggest giving players the ability to establish their own organizations, permitting them to be "upgraded" once certain benchmarks were reached (ie. population, systems controlled, # of servers owned, etc.).

............. Eh, I've run out of questions to ask and suggestions to make. Someone grab the torch.

I guess I'll stick my neck out a little here. I'll agree with the majority that a MMORPG is more than a little ambitious. However, a LAN-scale, Blizzard-game-esque version isn't. I have offered to do the programming for this kind of game repeatedly since EV first came out. After doing more plugs than I care to recount, I can see a few simple ways to do this from a programmer's perspective. It's not an MMORPG, but it is multiplayer and would allow you to fight each other.

Any takers on this idea?

~Charlie
"Even the Buddha despaired of saving women" ~Takuan Soho

One would be wise to proceed first with a Diablo-esque 8-player (or 16/32-player) space adventure instead of a massively multiplayer one. Expanding to MMO-level server equipment would be trivial at that point, and things would depend solely on the acceptance of the game. With popularity comes money, through advertising, for instance. That "real ads in the bar" concept isn't a bad idea. And with money comes the ability to develop large-scale projects like a massively multiplayer adventure.

This, I believe, could be called "The Blizzard Way". First came Diablo and Diablo 2, as well as the -Craft series, and now that they have the Battle.net infrastructure in place, they are proceeding to publish a massively multiplayer game.