Starcraft plug?

Captain Skyblade

Out of curiosity, how many of you would express interest in such a plug for one of the EV games (probably Nova)?

I'm not making any promises to make such a plug yet since RL matters are keeping me occupied. But if SC is as popular in the EV community as it is everywhere else, I don't see any reason not to give it a shot once time permits me.

-Blades

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Zacha Pedro

I think it makes sense... and I'm a big Starcraft fan, I would really be interested in playing such a project.

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(This message has been edited by Zacha Pedro (edited 03-23-2004).)

Echoboom

I'd download it. No need to make a full storyline - I'd be perfectly happy with just a few ships and weapons.

I think that there's already one that gives a Battlecruiser and a Carrier.

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(This message has been edited by Echoboom (edited 03-12-2004).)

zhouj

I'd be interested and recommend a ships pack of sorts. I would advise against a TC given the relative lack of background information and the fact that a TC will likely not be completed anyways.

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(url="http://"http://www.zhouj.net/days/")Days of Glory(/url), Upcoming TC for EV: Nova

Ephialtes

Actually, I have the manual with a WHOLE lot of background info if anyone is interested.

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"They can swivel on this middle digit, swivel unti they squeal like two pigs on their honeymoon!" - Kryten, Red Dwarf series 5, episode 6, "Back to Reality"

zhouj

Quote

Originally posted by Ephialtes:
**Actually, I have the manual with a WHOLE lot of background info if anyone is interested.

**

I have the manual too. It's not even close enough for a TC. Less than a dozen planets are mentioned in any detail. I really don't think anyone wants to play in a universe about 12 systems big.

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(url="http://"http://www.zhouj.net/days/")Days of Glory(/url), Upcoming TC for EV: Nova

Captain Skyblade

Quote

Originally posted by zhouj:
**I have the manual too. It's not even close enough for a TC. Less than a dozen planets are mentioned in any detail. I really don't think anyone wants to play in a universe about 12 systems big.

**

If I did make a SC plug, the story would be developed specifically for the project. All of the happenings in the original SC game would serve as historic points and a basis for a new story.

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Sam_the_Smart

That's a good idea (if you're willing to take a few creative liberties), but I agree with zhouj. There are many TC's that get started, but never get finished. Either the people on the team get bored, or you decide it's too much work, or it just never really gets organized enough to make any real progress. If you really think you can commit yourself to that big an undertaking, go ahead. But, otherwise, don't waste your time. While the ship or two available now are nice, I'm sure everyone would still appreciate a bit more, even if it isn't a TC.

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Guest_UE_Research & Development_*

Quote

I have the manual too. It's not even close enough for a TC. Less than a dozen planets are mentioned in any detail. I really don't think anyone wants to play in a universe about 12 systems big.

You can expand that a bit. Between the assertion that the Protoss controlled one-eighth of the galaxy at one point, and the backstory that can be found in bits and pieces on the Map of the Week pages, you could probably bump that up to about 70 or so systems :D.

However, there aren't that many space-capable vessels. I can think of only a few off the top of my head (from the Terran race): the Battlecruiser, the Science Vessel, the Wraith, the Valkyre, and the Dropship. As well, there is the strange-looking 'recovery ship' that you can see in the introduction cutscene (which made no sense to me whatsoever), and the thing that looks like a cargo container which makes an appearance in two other cutscenes. Oh well...SC is mostly a land-based game, so there would understandably be a dearth of space-related information.

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Dr. Trowel

Yeah, Starcraft EVN could be fun! Making the first release be less than a full TC would probably be wise.... But having limited "official" background info isn't necessarily a drawback when making a TC or other big plug based on an established body of fiction -- I'm trying to help with a few of the SFA planet descs, and trying to stay true to canon gets old after a while. If there was less information out there, I'd feel more free to make stuff up.

That said, I'd rather see you do banking spins for some of your Cold Fusion models first, if you can stand the drudgery! (If not, doing engine glows for 'em remains on my to-do list, though Photoshop trickery will never match what you could do with the models.)

Zaku

i like the idea and would like to help if i knew how

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Captain Phillips

I don't even know what starcraft is, but I have Ideas for a plug. UE R&D; said that you could maybe glean some 70 systems. for starters I suggest making a plug that adds those seventy systems. Do as many ships as are possible and add those, leave the rest of the game as it is. Kinda like a half (or with nova's huge uniferse, tenth) TC.

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Captain Skyblade

Note that I never do the actual plug development. I always start plugs with a team of two or three. I'm just the graphics designer who gets projects started.

And yes, a Starcraft plug would indeed demand some creativity. That would mean developing new ships that were never in the original game.

Since this plug would take place in the future, new tech wouldn't be out of the question.

For everyone with hard feelings toward TCs, I can't really blame you. There have been numerous projects out there that had a lot of promise but never reached completion. But generally I do not start a project unless I intend on finishing it. Only sidenote would be the Ares: Override project, but Ragashingo and I had good reasons to scrap that - new versions of OS X (mainly Panther) do not get along with Ares... or at least Ares developers. Unless Ambrosia releases an X version of Ares, A:O will never be completed.

That said, I will not start a Starcraft plug unless I intend on finishing it. Which is exactly why I haven't made any promises yet.

Main reason so many TCs never get completed is because the developers spend more time advertising the project than working on it. If folks would get their act together and put all their effort into finishing a plug before showing it off, I believe we would see many more playable TCs on the download pages.

Sucks to say so, but I have not yet played Brood War. I'm going to purchase it sometime soon and find out exactly how the story ends. I do pretty much know that Sarah Kerrigan ends up destroying Arcturus and the Terran Empire / Sons of Korhal... but I'd like to find out the details first-hand.

@Trowel: I've also been thinking about getting those Cold Fusion graphics upgraded for the Nova engine. But I've pretty much come to the conclusion that once I start work on a version 2.0, the graphics will not be mods of the original models - they will be new designs created from scratch. Cold Fusion might make Override's gameplay somewhat more enjoyable, but I'm fully aware that I could take it much further.

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solistus

Starcraft could be a really cool plug, but you'll need to come up with a ton of new tech. May I recommend that you await the release of Starcraft: Ghost before finalising anything? You could start on models from known ships now, but who knows what material the latest game will give us?

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what_is_the_matrix

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Skyblade:
**Note that I never do the actual plug development. I always start plugs with a team of two or three.:) I'm just the graphics designer who gets projects started.

And yes, a Starcraft plug would indeed demand some creativity. That would mean developing new ships that were never in the original game.

Since this plug would take place in the future, new tech wouldn't be out of the question.

For everyone with hard feelings toward TCs, I can't really blame you. There have been numerous projects out there that had a lot of promise but never reached completion. But generally I do not start a project unless I intend on finishing it. Only sidenote would be the Ares: Override project, but Ragashingo and I had good reasons to scrap that - new versions of OS X (mainly Panther) do not get along with Ares... or at least Ares developers. Unless Ambrosia releases an X version of Ares, A:O will never be completed.

That said, I will not start a Starcraft plug unless I intend on finishing it. Which is exactly why I haven't made any promises yet.

Main reason so many TCs never get completed is because the developers spend more time advertising the project than working on it. If folks would get their act together and put all their effort into finishing a plug before showing it off, I believe we would see many more playable TCs on the download pages.
**

Could be fun. Chalk me in as tentative anything (graphics, plot writing, desc writing, resource editing, whatever). I've hit my project limit (two simultaneous extra-curricular projects) for now, but I'm hoping that at least one will clear up with the next quarter. Starcraft would be an interesting challenge to stay true to the game while taking it to a totally different level.

Matrix

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(This message has been edited by what_is_the_matrix (edited 03-13-2004).)

Bomb

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Skyblade:
**Out of curiosity, how many of you would express interest in such a plug for one of the EV games (probably Nova)?

I'm not making any promises to make such a plug yet since RL matters are keeping me occupied. But if SC is as popular in the EV community as it is everywhere else, I don't see any reason not to give it a shot once time permits me.

-Blades

**

**Not only would I love to play one- I'd come out of retirement to help develop the scenario/missions/overall design if someone was so inclined.

_bomb

**

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Ephialtes

I would also love to get involved. I have loads of EVN plug editing stuff on my comp, but I never DO anything with it due to lack of ideas. However, I am pretty competant at it Email me if anything comes up!

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(url="http://"http://blog.evula.net/Ephialtes")The Blog of Ephialtes(/url)
"They can swivel on this middle digit, swivel unti they squeal like two pigs on their honeymoon!" - Kryten, Red Dwarf series 5, episode 6, "Back to Reality"

Dr. Trowel

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Skyblade:
**@Trowel: I've also been thinking about getting those Cold Fusion graphics upgraded for the Nova engine. But I've pretty much come to the conclusion that once I start work on a version 2.0, the graphics will not be mods of the original models - they will be new designs created from scratch. Cold Fusion might make Override's gameplay somewhat more enjoyable, but I'm fully aware that I could take it much further.
**

Fair 'nuff. I actually like that CF uses the original models -- it gives new players an opportunity to see something that relates closely to Cartwright & Co.'s original vision, without the eye-pain that a Nova player gets when faced with untextured 256-color graphics. I see adding banks as a logical follow-up along the same lines. I'll go ahead with photoshop engine flare experiments in the next month or so unless you object, in any case. You'll definitely get a chance to nix it if you find my results awful.

Whatever your next project, though, get in touch if you are looking for help -- I might be able to lend a hand again.

Captain Skyblade

@solistus: That's indeed what I had in mind. I've heard that Ghost will take on more of a FPS role, but I'm certain it will have plenty to add to the original SC story.

@Bomb, Matrix: Good to hear. I know you both have plenty of plug experience. I'll give you a ring if I decide to make this idea a reality.

@Trowel: I could go ahead and re-finish the sprites for the current Cold Fusion graphics, but I simply wish to improve on the models themselves before I put more time into new CF versions. The original release suffered from the all too common "get it released" syndrome... I was lacking time and needed to get the plug out the door ASAP. I never feel like I've done a good job unless I've given it everything I've got.

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Skyfox

Isn't there already a semi-done SC TC in the add-ons section?

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