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(if you dont have time to read all this scan down to the numbers the rest is just a mess of anecdotal stuff ) Hello.
My name is Victor. I am new here on the boards. I have been a fan of Escape velocity since I ever saw the first one. I never registered that one but ended up registering the others and love the game
Anyway, I had not a clue what the point to plug-ins was. I thought they were just cheats so I avoided them. Later I realized that they could be cool additions to the game. So I had my mind set on EV Nova ever since I registered override and got all the way to the funny looking yellow warship without cheating So I thought I was done and I bought Nova.
Since Ive had it I read the manual and saw the plug in section and said cool I wonder if I could do that So I read it and it pointed to the EV Nova Bible and I was like oook, this is way to confusing. So I let it set and the next day I read it again and went to the site and downloaded ResEdit and tried to mess around with that I was still utterly confused so I went on line and downloaded a tutorial and about a dozen other resources.
I went through the Tutorial and learned about spobs and systs and resources and all that kind of stuff and go confused after reading the bible over and over. I had trouble with the initial mission and I read the misn section in the bible a dozen times. I let it set for 24 hours and read the section another dozen times and looked at all other possibilities. I was about to ask on the board till I read the FAQ and the answer was in there.
So I had trouble understanding the flags thing but found that too Now all I have to learn about bits but Im confident that Ill figure it out
I messed around with the system and two planets and wrote a mission and I was like hey I could do something kinda cool with this Even though Im no good with graphics but they are all there to mix and match so if I got a good story that would work. So I did it backwards and worked the story in my head and the story was getting too complex So I started to outline the planets and systems and governments and bars and characters and story plots and mission ideas and so forth.
It was still too confusing so I realized that I had to write down each story of the plot and then proceed. Any way I got this really cool plot least I think, I dont want to give it away but I started writing and realized that I had a lot of ideas that were running around in my head before that really just can come out using the Game as the palette for the story. 11111122222223333333444444455555566666667777778888889999999 So I have this guy, Named the Teacher he does space work for a while and decides after learning that what everything he was looking for in life could be found on the home planet teaching others about their history. The history is the plot for the plug in. Its going to be an intermix of politics intertwined with a basis of cant we all just get along
So I started writing the first chapter is of this Teacher from the night before till about 1200 hours. And I was patient and let the story flow and it turned out to be 5 pages long. That is the first chapter. And this is just the teacher Based on this the whole thing is going to be like 200 pages or so.
Now my writing is pretty decent. Id put the story up to about what you might consider a 14 years old interest Though it comes into some depth the vocabulary is basic and its not all that prolific
The plug-in will be 1 Government 12 systems and 24 plus planets A few junks because that is what the whole story is based on the commodity and how people fight over it. A modified carrier that needs a specific license that will be one of the already designed ships but modified. Probably so that it is more shielded, less weapons if not none and a smaller cargo bay But super fast well at least 300 anyway. Thing is the commodity will be illegal less you have this ship to move it. And a couple of mission strings
Now, Im not worried about weather or not I can complete this or not. I either will or wont. If I do finish it will probably take about 6 months since Im young and do not have many other commitments. Im really picky though so if it gets done it gets done right
My question is, what do I do with the story Its going to be more like a book than a story So what do I do with it?
Oh by the way some of the ideas being pumped into this have been ones Ive been thinking about since I was fourteen so prepare to see alot of human experiance if you ever read it...
By the way I have about 8 pages of the story completed... One section needs to be revised but that is only 2. Developement is another 5 pages but I dont count that its not part of the story...
Any comments you may have will be accepted generously with thanks. Victor . \------------------ Yeah, I'm crazy. Really crazy. But, Im the nicest crazy guy you'll ever meet.
Well, you can add-on to the Nova Universe. Remember the Kontik Launch Exploration Probe Mission? Use that mission as the starting point for your small TC. Talk to Bomb about that one.
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Not real sure what it is you're asking here. It sounds like you're having control issues though. You're trying to control every aspect of what the player does. The original Nova strings are very linear; there isn't much room for deviavtion - although you can occasionly choose "wrong" or get caught and the game just takes a different course. What I'm saying is that you can still guide the overall story in the right direction using key elements. The trick is just allowing the player some freedom to act out the actions of your story rather than holding their hand through every step. This is something I'm currently learning right now. My current plug is very linear - if you screw up you're screwed (but this also has to do with the nature of the story). But I'm working on another that will be much more player influenced. Certain decisions will lead to different events.
Also I'd say to keep in mind the type of format you're working with. Aside from the dominant interactive element, although the EV series is text driven, it's not a novel. Each part of the story (mission) has to be clear and concise. Just like making web pages - people don't read anything. And if you don't give them something quickly they'll get bored - no matter how interesting your story is. If I felt like reading, I'd go read a book - not play a computer game.
If this has nothing to do with what you were concerned about, well, then disregard it I guess. Maybe someone will find it helpfull.
------------------ I used to jog but the ice kept falling out of my glass.
While the EV/EVO/EVN bible is the most hideous thing to read on its own, it when used with res-edit (at the same time) is probably the single best resource that a developer has. What can't be found in the bible or figured out can be asked to the developer's board because that's what we're here for.
Matrix
------------------ "Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool."
Kauther said,
Hi, Thank you Kauther I will remember that idea. I had it on the other side of the nebula from tocc or whatever its called.
Vic
Kame Said
Not real sure what it is you're asking here. It sounds like you're having control issues though. You're trying to control every aspect of what the player does.
Hi,
No I'm not having controll issues But I can see why you might think that. Im not writing the story to be the plug in. Im writing the story to be the story.... The work I want to do for the plugin if I can do it should be extremely good for the player...
I know what you mean by 'linear' missions... I dont like the fact that they are that way...
I started doing a Tutorial but started getting ideas forming. I started to write them down and decided that I couldn't write the plugin with as good quality as I am capable if I didnt write the backstory... So I started to write the back story and realised that this is the palet that I can write alot of my ideas down... I write ALOT so Im just enjoying developing the story and writing it.
The Plug in and the Story are totally seperate... The story is just a series of short stories and character sketches that will be linked by a common universe and theme.
I will then use what I have written to design the plugin. Not by coppying and pasting but just by using the general ideas that I have concretely set out. The story will be a story and it will be sound and unmovable...
However the plugin will not be that way. The plug in should be extremely freeing for the gamer... That is once I learn to use the control bits... My question is what do I do with the story... I meant that quite literally.. Its going to be long and drawn out and probably pretty decent. So I am wondering what I should do with it after im done writing. I guess I could save it into PDF and put it under the Documents Section or something since its too long for the Chronicals board... Even broken down the chapters are a little long. But what Im asking is for opinions on the story... I didnt know were else to ask but here.
Oh, I know about the conciseness of web sites... Mine is 84 pages in all and takes an extremely organized format just so I dont loose my mind writing my ideas for it. I guess the downsides of mine are spelling and xhtml standards but Im getting there.
Matrix Said
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Yes I know. Ive written 1 single mission two planets and a government. It is actually quite easy after you learn some of the things that are confusing at first.
------------------ Yeah, I'm crazy. Really crazy. But, Im the nicest crazy guy you'll ever meet.
(This message has been edited by Kiveck (edited 02-25-2003).)
Hi again...
Prelude Chapter 1, 2 and part of three written to the story...
Part I 'The Teacher' Prelude 'From Boy To Man' Chapter 1'Gifts' Chapter 2 'The Ship' Chapter 3 'The Co-Pilot'
The Plugin Setting is starting to come along.
65 systems set. percieved that at least 50 will have multiple planets with descriptions and totally new ideas. (oh I put these in using graph paper and individually going through them.)
2 Gov'ts
2 Ships which are designed by specs though only one visually and only on paper.
2 other ship ideas.
3 planets complete with details.
12 concrete ideas for planets (just gotta get off my butt and put in the numbers)
oh and the absolute definate idea to make Penut Butter a Commodity =p I love penutbutter
1 mission
still have to develope mission strings... through the story and then ill start writing them for the game and then learn bits and stuff ...
I hope bits arent confusing...
if anyone cares to see the general theme of the plug I could show you I have alot of the ideas worked out just starting to get in the groove of creating it in detail.(: ...
Vic Out