EV: Firefly update

I haven't spoken much about this project on the board lately, but I've been working on it a lot nonetheless. A link to the development board is in my sig.

First, the background.

Firefly is a TV show which aired briefly in 2002. It is also the basis of the upcoming movie Serenity (US trailer) (international trailer). If you're in the US and you have cable, now is the perfect time to see it from the beginning; the Scifi channel will be airing the Firefly pilot this Friday from 6-8pm (probably as two parts, rather than a single two-hour ep as it was originally), and every Friday at 7pm thereafter until it's over.

If you don't have the Scifi US channel, this is a pretty decent fan-trailer made from clips of the pilot episode. Also watch the movie trailers linked above. It's essentially Han Solo: The Series, done as a western.

Anyway, the project is still alive. It hasn't gone vaporware. It has, however, slowed down of late. Therefore, I'm looking for a booster shot, a kick in the shin, or whatever you want to call it----an infusion of new blood.

This is an open project. Anyone who wishes to contribute is welcome. All you need is ideas and/or graphical skills-----to date, I've handled all the NovaTools stuff. Anyone with skills in that area would be appriciated, of course; it would be nice to be able ot share the burden of incorperating the raw ideas into the mod. Helping out does not require you to join the team; just drop by, give your idea, and leave if you like. Though we would of course appriciate it if you'd stay and continue to contribute.

To date, we've got:
8 ships with graphics (nothing fancy, most don't have engine glows)
160 planets/moons, in 204 systems
29 "oops" disaster events for various worlds
30 "junks" (random tradable objects available at only a few worlds)
41 planetary types

What we still need are outfits, more ships, space station graphics, and of course----missions. Missions compose the storyline, although not all missions are part of the storyline. Some are just for making money.

So, here's what I'm asking for. If you're at all intersted in helping out with this project, please, either post here, or drop by the board linked in my sig.

I need people who think they can write stories and dialog in the Firefly universe. All missions should be written in the second person-----the player is Mal Reynolds, and missions should read like, "You watch the gaming table with a critical eye, mindful of the predatory glances of your fellow patrons." etc.

Even if you don't think you can write like that (or, hopefully, better than that), general storyline ideas are always welcome as well. Please, stop by and give us your input. The mod is currently set in the time period between the Battle of Serenity Valley, and the beginning of the series proper; you can't always assume Mal will be aboard Serenity, and you can't always assume he'll have met all of his crew just yet.

People with 3D modeling experience are especially welcome, although I know better than to expect such folks to flock eagerly to a project which is not their own.

I will give the download link to the project as it currently stands to anyone who shows continued interest in helping out, and provides a significant amount of assitance. I used to give it out to anyone who asked, but too many people got the link and were never heard from again, so I stopped doing that.

Thanks in advance to anyone who decides to help out.

http://s4.invisionfree.com/GunRunner

This post has been edited by Lindley : 24 July 2005 - 05:15 PM

Reminder: 6pm tomorrow, Scifi Channel.

Still looking for additional input. Post here if you're curious, or in any way interested in seeing something in particular in the mod. Chances are good it'll get in if you ask now.

Maybe some of the ship graphics would get people interested. At least, that's what always catches my eye.

That's a good idea. I'll do a few renders of the models I've got.

The Firefly-class transport (model by Treybor of FireflyFans.net

A luxury liner design (model by me):

An Alliance patrol boat (model by GunRunner of FireflyFans.net

We've begun writing the storyline and adding outfits.

Here's the Cry Baby (decoy), 95% complete:

Those images need some anti-aliasing. If you're program cant do it, render them twice the size and shrink them back in a 2d program.

I wish I had the sci-fi channel.

Those are actually special quick renders for this thread. The actual in-game pictures are done as you say.

I really like that model of Serenity. And I think this is an excellent idea, but I haven't watched the show enough/done any 3D modeling, so I doubt I'd be of any help.

Ideas are as important as graphics at this point. There's still a lot of descs to be written. Stop by the webboard (in my sig) if you're interested at all.

This is an open project----anyone is free to contribute what they will.

I like your Liner, but I do have some critisiscms (sp?)

First of all, that doesn't look too luxurious to me. More like a pirate ship. Is that how it looked in this show? Second of all, the boosters look like speakers. Too unrealistic. However, I do like it overall. The design strikes me as good.

That liner was pretty much the first thing I ever modeled, so cut it some slack.

The ship in the show I based it on is here:

We now have sixteen ships, and have made progress in other areas as well. I don't see any reason we can't have a preview version ready by September 30th.

I took the comment above under advisement----the Luxury Liner (a name I came up with without really thinking much) has become the Corperate Yacht. Contributions do matter, no matter how small.

This post has been edited by Lindley : 04 September 2005 - 02:27 PM

Any quick renders of those huge Alliance patrol ships, the ones that look like three buildings floating in space? Those are so cool.

We actually haven't modeled those yet, unfortunately. It'll be done eventually, but I can't gaurantee they'll be in the preview.

Well, don't quote me on this, but if I get the urge to do so and feel like taking a break from working on SFA, I just might attempt modeling those ships myself in Strata.

If you do, that'd be great.

For EVN purposes, they don't have to be extremely detailed. Most of it can probably be done with texture mapping.

I was planning to have a preview version out by today. Looks like that plan is shot to hell.

But I'll have it out soon, I promise. A week, maybe.

Oh, and Serenity rocked. Go see it if you haven't yet.

I'm looking forward to seeing what becomes of this.

Hey, I remember this! I always thought it'd be a cool idea to make a plug based off the show, and I'd forgotten about this I've seen the movie and most of the TV episodes, so I might by able to help.