The Arenafront Project- Line of Development

[Haldirian87]

My team is currently developing a 2D-Side-Scroll Shooter to be called Arenafront, being developed currently on Game Editor, it will be unique in it's style of gameplay, as it is going to contain 100+ features of customization ranging from Menu Editing, to U.I. editing, to specs of gameplay. Though we can't release too much information, we can say that it is going to take much hard work and dedication, for our Alpha-Testing stage is hoped to be very advanced to start with. The main focus of the game is that it's 60+ different game-modes will enable the player to find a style of -instant shooter action game play that suits them. Initially, the game is being developed as a Single-Player game, our hopes is that a future version will be able to feature Online Multiplayer. Though we can't release too much information in fear that our unique ideas will be taken and used without our consent this early in development, we can answer questions that any curious viewers may have.

Additionally, we didn't just start this topic to brag about our upcoming product, but to seek assistance, and advertise for help that we require. Our hopes, is to make this project blossom and become the revolutionary beauty, we will come to know as, Arenafront

[makslane]

I want to see this game finished

[Haldirian87]

The team, currently consisting of six, will be adding more in multiple areas of Video Game Development, below is a list of jobs that we are requiring currently and the relative specifications and requirements for each one

--2D Animator
-Experience-Moderate
-Requirements at current stage-Smooth animations of people (could be silhouettes)|Must have experience with animation programs which they currently own/use.|Must have at least minimal experience with Game Editor

--2D Animation Artist
-Experience Moderate to Superior
-Requirements at current stage-Must be able to create smooth images of things ranging from people, cityscapes, detailed scenery,detailed fire, and mechanical objects|Must be able to comply to requests and have the proper materials and/or program/s available, and must be able to show experience with the program/s available to them

--Game Editor Guru
-Experience Superior to Advanced
-Requirements at current stage-Must have high-experience with Game Editor, must be able to respond accurately to questions concerning the full-functioning of Game Editor

--Scripter
-Experience Superior to Advanced
-Requirements at current stage-Must have great experience with game editor|Must be able to comply to requests|Must be able to script anything ranging from overide scripts, to character control fluctuations, to high-end response of complex strings of animations, to incredibly intricate coding of interactions between several in-game objects

--Digital Image Artist
-Experience Superior to Advanced
-Requirements at current stage-Must have passed an Advanced Art class/es|Must be able to create images that the Animation Artist would be required to produce|Must have the proper materials and program/s available, must be able to show experience with proper programs

--Texture Artist
-Experience Moderate to Superior
-Requirements at current stage-Must be able to produce multi-layer textures digitally, though paper textures may be accepted (though only if the textures produced are of high-quality on paper)| Must be able to comply to requests, and produce textures as requested|Must have proper materials and program/s available to them, and must be able to show experience with the program/s

--Sound Programmer
-Experience Minimal to Superior
-Requirements at current stage-Must be able to produce high-quality sounds (digitally) that perceive to what is requested|Must have the proper program/s and/or materials available to them, must be able to show at least minimal experience with program/s

--A.I. Engineer
-Experience Superior to Advanced
-Scripting Experience Moderate+
-Requirements at current stage-Must be able to create advanced A.I.-controlled in-game sensual perception,activation of animation, user-controlled variables via customization, variations of produced A.I., relative fluctuations in events, and A.I. to A.I. interaction and communication|Must have moderate experience at least with Game Editor

--User Interface Engineer
-Experience Minimal+
-Requirements at current stage-Must be able to work with the Programming and Design Teams to produce user-controlled customization, utilization, activation, and variables of the activation of game scripts|Must have Moderate+ experience with Game Editor

Understand that the jobs listed here will have higher requirements the later into development we venture. At this early of a stage in production, we will most likely allow some modesty in acceptance, so some of those with lower amounts of experience may be able to join the respective teams

Requirements for all volunteers-

Must be able to communicate every day of the week
Must be able to commit at least 4-7 hours a week to work

Current Team Leads-

Collin Kindred-Arenafront Developer
Matthew Smith-Group Management
Max (abbrev.) Hefley-Production and Programming
Logan Gunderson-Animation Art
Kennedy Kindred-First Level Concept Art
Kelley Kindred-Secondary Level Concept Art

Much opportunity awaits those who join the team here, and even though we ask for the jobs listed, we may accept any beneficial persons which can offer something to aid us in our development. May we prosper

[makslane]

You will found great Game Editor gurus here

[krenisis]

Is this game going to be sold?
Is this going to be freeware?
will the people working on it get paid?
what platform will it be windows mobile,windows computer,linux?

[Haldirian87]

"Is this game going to be sold?"
Yes and no, primarily it will be freeware during Alpha and Beta stages of development, although the Alpha testing will be closed. The game will be sold when we consider it "finished", although we're going to be continuously adding material and features to the game, as well as improving existing items (graphics included). We're unsure of the price of the game as of yet, though since we're expecting to consider the game "finished" in about five years, the price could be more than $3.00 =). Though just because there's a price on the game, we're contemplating about the concept of having a free-edition of the game, where you can experience the game more than a demo could experience

"Is this going to be freeware?"
Well, it will be freeware during later-beta stages of development. Initially, like I said, the Alpha-stages will be closed, and the early beta-stages will be closed still, though we will expand to who can download the product. The "final" product will not be freeware, and neither will the expected expansions we will be developing on much later.

"will the people working on it get paid?"
As of right now, until we start selling the product successfully, the members of our team will be strictly volunteers, though now that we've conceptualized some ideas to severely broaden the range of consumers, when we get to the salary stages, they may be quite satisfactory, though we hold no guarantees right yet

"what platform will it be windows mobile,windows computer,linux?"
The platform will be primarily developed for Windows XP and upper-versions, we're unsure if lesser-versions will be legit for the product. Later we will be adding a Mac OS variant of Arenafront as to expand the product's range. The game may be released on mobile, though I highly doubt even the Droid could fully utilize Arenafront when we consider it "finalized", though we may be able to compensate if the demand is high enough, though we're fairly sure the full-game could not run on 2009 phones, though in five (or less) years, Smart phones may have the capabilities to store and run the product. As for Linux, we're blatantly stating no, unless demand raises over 45%, we're not delving into Linux AT ALL.

We may actually be considering console development of the "finalized" product however, though that depends on our resources, and demand.

[Haldirian87]

Incredible Amounts Of U.I. And Game Play Customization
Customization of Menu Layout
Customization of Menu Interface
Customization of Menu Themes
Customization of additional Menu features
Customization of User Control
Customization of Game Specs
Customization of the Leveling System

Great Originality And Variation
60+ Game Types (Nearly all original and designed for optimal enjoyment)
-Ranging to nearly all types of game play variants possible
25+Pre-Created Maps
125+ Weapons
-Ranging from light automatics, to claymores, to mortars
100+Weapon Customizations
-Ranging from Enemy Recognition, to different munitions
Several Character Customizations
-Ranging from helmet types, to where your secondary weapon is holstered
12 (possibly more) Character classes
10+ Vehicles

Advanced Artificial Intelligence That Reacts, Interprets, Executes, And Exists In Several Variations
Features of the A.I.
-Communication with allied A.I. unites to coordinate actions
-Interaction with environment such as firing from a ladder
-Reacts to player, such as beginning to open fire when it counts four seconds of fire from the player (when their magazine is nearing empty)
-Full utilization of the map and objects within it, say using a Bipedal Assault Craft to cover the short-ranged artillery while crouched by an equipment depot
-Highly accurate prediction, they read enemy movements, and learn when they're motivated to do different actions, such as jumping, going prone, etc.
-Creative emotes
-Being able to have customizable intelligence, difficulty, and other settings

Smooth Higher-End Graphics
--Features of graphics
-Fog/smoke transparency layers
-Explosion specs of reacting to physical objects, say reflecting off of the hull of a heavy barricade
-Munition casings
-Varying muzzle-flashes
-Motion Blur
-New "bleary-eye" visual effect
-Visible breathing animation
-Visible breath-water vapor in winter maps
-Destructible objects
-Different textures responding to impacts, E.G. a soft texture responding to the impact of a shotgun blast such as tilt, lean, and other gravity and physical responses
-Light and light reflection
-Unique view-shadowing feature
-Character emotes

Complex Animation Strings-
--Features of Animation
-Shifting of leg placement and body lean of multiple slopes
-Leaning against side of objects
-Vaulting over objects
-Varying leans depending on character kneeling
-Variations in body movement and speed depending on texture variants
-Wading in water
-Firing weapons from virtually any action, including blind firing
-"Rag doll" activation
-Interaction with other characters, E.G. the character shouldering aside another character

New Mode Feature
Select from Realistic, Non-Realistic, or Combination Mode
Realistic Mode, features a set of game features, the Realistic set includes more advanced interactions, the advanced animations, realistic settings (such as body part health statuses and low amount of health[can be killed by two or three shots to the upper chest]), character movement affected by body part conditions (E.G., limping with a wounded lower leg, or shaky firing with a wounded right hand), stricter gravity limitations, a revolutionary "Adrenal-Style" Pain Status, less lenience on falling, more unlocked actions, magazines carry the rounds; not the player (E.G., when you reload and the clip had five rounds in it, the five rounds are lost),characters interact with other character physically (When not attacking), textures and barriers have more realistic interactions and capabilities, and characters have more emotes available. So in Realistic Mode, the game is more complex, more realistic (who would've guessed Oo), but more difficult, or simple, depending on the situation
Non-Realistic Mode, features default interactions, default animations, default settings, default character movement, default gravity limitations, default health, default lenience on falling, default actions, default ammunition settings, default character to character interaction, default interactions and capabilities on textures and barriers, default emotes available. So Non-Realistic Mode is quite the opposite of Realistic mode, though the game has less to it, it is simpler to play and the game is easier to play.
Combination Mode, features as a checklist, where the player can select features from either realistic mode, or non-realistic mode

Creative Balance System
For example, vehicle-enabled maps have certain areas in which the more powerful vehicles can roam, though there are areas in the same map which they cannot travel in.
Additionally, the technology which we are putting in Arenafront, is advanced and original, with that touch of realism that we're striving for, and this technology can help a Medic counter a Heavy Bipedal Assault Vehicle (name will change) to a certain level, though the Medic would lose, they could do a decent amount of damage to the vehicle.
We are enduring in-depth to balance the overall effect of all the classes so that a side with more of one class, doesn't necessarily dominate one that the other with more of another class.

Innovative Genre Acceptance
Featuring the ability to play the game as the primarily intended 2D Side-Scroll Shooter, along with an RTS-variant, which you lead your forces to victory on the map, as if it was you out on the front lines. It can also function as an RPG-variant, with our leveling and unlocking system (which can be activated or not by choice of the player). We will be creating a map or two which the focus is a puzzle in the form of an expansive level, in which you must solve your way through the intricate system to lead yourself, or your forces to controlling the multiple command points set at random into the level. The level is expected to have a random assembly function, so the map is never the same one twice.
Much later versions of the game will have a massive game type, which the character travels with a force, to different areas (maps) to conquer and control them, and the questing system in that game type will then be implemented into all of Arenafront
Then for all of those Zombie-game lovers, we're expecting to produce a game-type in which you or you and your force battle against the undead in new game types, along with the zombies having weaknesses that you yourself can experiment on and discover, as you fight endless hordes or them, or just a couple, depends on what you customize it to be

Other Features
-Advanced Training System
-Implementation of version patches
-The ability to fly, or be flown in a drop ship and land directly into the fray, whether it's on, or behind the enemy, you can launch an assault from a drop ship, so long as you hit the ground running
-Artillery, be able to coordinate several different artillery weapons, or request a bombardment or round to be placed at exact coordinates, with even the advancement to choose different rounds, and round settings, such as detonation, blast direction, and more
-Continuous Development, the game is constantly evolving, adding new featuring, smoothing out features, and always making it more advanced, and higher quality
-This game is of American design, made by Americans, after all, not all great games need to be Asian oO
-Advanced Technology introduced in Arenafront, ever thought of a bullet that could tell you where it hits and what kind of texture it hit?
-Since the product is in continuous development, features, game types, technologies, and more from future games, will be put together as expansion packs for Arenafront, so you can check out what the upcoming games will be boasting, whether it's a six-barreled weapon, or an advanced Orbital Drop-Pod, you'll be able to see it there

Additionally, the Arenafront project is looking for any help it can get, specific help is nice, and is requested above, though we're looking for anyone who can produce something beneficial for Arenafront, and be a part of this imaginative development

[krenisis]

Wow a very ambitous project , i wish you well and much success. Iam sure you did your homework and have a very detailed marketing strategy. As far as windows mobile is concerned touchpro2 has 580mhz processor with 120mb of running memory. In 5 years windows mobile will most defitnatly handle your game. Iam not that skilled as for what you need nor do i have the time but there are some incredible minds here. If i do get a chance though i will help out and if my website holds i even give you free promotion on my website....if its a pocket pc version thats what my website covers. Thank you for being so detailed thats a great quaility iam sure you will go far.

[Haldirian87]

Well to be honest, nor did I do my homework or have a marketing strategy haha. Though I will be working on that in later beta-stages of development. Though that should be a ways away from now, though since I'm only 16, I should have enough time to move on haha, and we appreciate your praise, though my team admits, they just do what I request of them, and I try to work with them on the fulfilling of those requests, and that I'm the brains and caulking behind the project, though if Arenafront becomes what I intend for it to become, then it will show just how far some creativity can go. I appreciate your honesty on the subject of assistance however, and we have about 1039 working-partners that we'll be asking later this afternoon the kinds of volunteers that we need. Though this is the, well, basic stage of development, for the future products will spawn from this project here, as we make them better, and more advanced than this one, though that's nearly dreaming, for we live in the present, and in the present, is where we accomplish.

[Haldirian87]

At these early stages of development, we've been inserting hand-drawings of characters and items, as well as the "ground" we coined Flat Plane. Now we inserted a box to test some physical interaction with the Avatar (character actor) and the box, upon first trials, we found the box permeable on the left and right sides. Though we could jump onto the box, and the top-side was not permeable. Another small issue was the disability of movement on the Box1. though we quickly fixed that. Then we changed some parameters concerning gravity, movement speed of Avatar, creating a wall and floor with the Box1 in tiles. Nothing has worked so far, when we made the changes, the left and right sides of the Box1's were functioning correctly, though then the top sides wouldn't work. Then we noticed how the bottom side of the Box1's worked as well when we returned to our original state. Then we tinkered around, and then created a non-permeable Box1 on all sides, but then, upon collision to the wall of an L shape we created with the Box1 tiles, the right sides of the Box1's worked fine, then the Avatar fell through the floor set of Box1's. We're unsure of how to change this so that the sides of the Box1's will not allow any permeability until we start scripting in some override codings for it. Our theory is that the Avatar, traveling along one plane, travels until collision with an object in which the traveling Avatar is supposed to stop moving. Then there's an overrider conflict, between following the parameters of movement along the X-Set and parameters of movement (none) along the Y-Set. Though we're unsure how to resolve this. If there is a Game Editor Guru, this is your time to prove yourself. We feel quite ashamed to run into so small a problem, for we are used to multiple other programs, most of which are 2.5D and 3D. Game Editor is entirely alien to us at this stage to be honest, though we're exploring and learning through Honest Mistakes, and tutorials as needed. Any changes to this situation shall be noted at about 11:30 A.M. PST to 3:00 P.M. PST tomorrow (12-9)

Additionally, we took note on the "games" from the tutorials had the same issue, where the "ground" could be walked on, though passed through on the sides, and objects within the "game" could be passed through, when it was obvious they shouldn't have been permeable

-Thank You

[skydereign]

Okay, I am assuming you after all of that that you are having problems with collisions, though there seems to be some catch. Also I am not sure I got what you needs this for exactly right, is this for platform type physics? To set collisions up so you can't pass through any sides, you need to have some form of physical response on every side. For a platformer, you would want to have two collision events like the following.
Avatar -> Collision with Box1 (Top or Bottom, repeat enabled) -> Script Editor

Code: Select all

PhysicalResponse(MOVE_EVENT_ACTOR_ONLY, USE_CALCULATED_MASS, 1.000000,1.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000);

This prevents moving through the top or bottom of Box1 tiles. Now you would add a separate collision event for left or right side. This part is necessary if you don't want your actor to stick to the walls, as the collision style above allows for sticking if used on left or right sides.
Avatar -> Collision with Box1 (Left or Right, repeat enabled) -> Script Editor

Code: Select all

double yvel = yvelocity;
PhysicalResponse(MOVE_EVENT_ACTOR_ONLY, USE_CALCULATED_MASS, 1.000000,1.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000);
yvelocity=yvel;

I think this is what you wanted, but I can't be sure. If it isn't can you give a more concise explanation of what you needed? As far as helping goes, I can provide guruish support if you want, but I am not sure I can fufill 4-7 hours a week for any of your jobs. I am pretty good at gameEditor, and gameEditor scripting, so I can help with almost anything you need. As guru, would I only be required to help out when you have questions about how to do something code or gameEditor wise? My only problem is that I am busy with other things, and not sure how much you would rely on my commitment, but other than that I would love to see this project progress.

[Haldirian87]

Alright this is Max the head scripter of the project. The boss doesn't know the scripts behind the problem so here you go. I have inserted a box to test physics and I've given it: physical response->any side of actor PLAYER->1, 1, 0, 1. However though I have made it any side, still the physics only register on the top and bottom. When the actor touches either side of the box, he ends up falling through the floor. I'll try to give it another condition using script editor. Thanks in advance for any help.
Max

[Haldirian87]

Check out what we've cranked out from the Animation Art Team
The concept art team won't be releasing their art for a while

[Haldirian87]

We've changed the Box1 permeability issue, FYI, so now our Box1's are completely functionable

[Haldirian87]

So I'm having problems. The scripts in game editor are so alien when compared to anything else I've dealt with. Is there some way to make an actor move smoothly but randomly? And how do I use the getTime function, and timers. Help please. These things are so simplistic and yet they escape me.

Max - Scripter