My idea for a new game

[Prof.Koni]

Hello, I am new to this board so let me introduce myself: My Name is Konrad, I am from Austria, 20 years old and play games since I was 7. I've started playing Renegade X last Saturday and I love that game. I am also a big fan of the C&C franchise and I loved playing Renegade online but last time I have played it was 8 years ago. But now lets come to what I actually want to say

(Oh and sorry if my English is not that good, it's not my native language)

Yesterday (and today night) I had an idea for a new game which is inspired by Star Wars Battlefront II and especially Renegade (X) and a few other games/movies. I want to introduce it to Totem Arts and the Renegade X community because I think there is a lot of potential to find ideas together for this and other games and maybe we can help each other . I have some experience with level design and modeling (in 3DS-Max) but also with the Unreal-Development-Kit, so maybe I can support you too (somehow).

What is this game about?

This game is a space battle between the United Human Alliance (Humania) and the Great Mizar Empire. The Battle itself (in-game) has concepts from Renegade (like base-buildings, building and buying units, repairing vehicles and repairing buildings at the Master Control Terminal, etc.) but also from SW:BF2 (flying space-fighters, shooting with board cannons from bigger ships at other ships, etc.)

How do I imagine the game?

In this game each faction (Humania and Mizar) starts with a space station, which is separated into several sectors. Each sector is important for the faction (like the buildings in RenX) and must be defended. Your Goal is to destroy the enemy space station by destroying every sector-building with your spaceships from outside or by attacking the Master Control Terminal from inside (you can land in the Fighter-Bay and fight through the interior).

You must defend/attack this sector-buildings:

- Command-Center: The Command-Center provides your space station some Human- and AI-controlled cannons which defend it from other fighters and ships.

- Spaceship-Bay: The Spaceship-Bay allows your faction to build Cruisers and to buy mighty Capital Ships.

- Nanotech-Factory: The Nanotech-Factory provides your faction free credits to buy better units and ships.

- Infantry-Rooms: The Infantry-Rooms allows your faction to buy advanced infantry and hero-units.

- Reactor: The Reactor provides your Space-Station energy, which is needed for your AI-controlled defenses.

So this is pretty similar to Renegade. Maybe one difference might be a superweapon building like an invulnerable shield for Humania and a mighty laser weapons for Mizar. But I don't know if that would be imbalanced

How would be the gameplay?

You spawn automatically in one of the sector-buildings OR you spawn in a capital ship (if there's one). Like in Renegade there are buy-terminals, where you can buy stuff. You can get standard-infantry (Soldier, Engineer, Pilot and Captain) for free and if you have your Infantry-Rooms at your space-station, you can buy advanced soldiers, advanced pilots, etc. and hero units. The infantry has 4 different classes. You can still fly a fighter or command a ship as a soldier but you only have standard-values on speed, attack-damage and armor. If you fly a fighter with an pilot, the fighter gains for example +10% for speed and attack-damage. Or if you fly a repair-drone with an engineer, it's more effective for example.

The cruisers are bigger ships which are used like tanks. The Capital Ships are the strongest units in-game because they are like a big cruiser which can also be used as a spawnpoint. But with teamwork you can fly inside them and destroy the Master-Control-Terminal at the Command Bridge to destroy them more efficiently.

There is a build limit for cruisers and capital ships (like in RenX it could be 7-10), a capital ship counts as 3 cruisers.

Yeah that would be my idea for the game If you have any questions, then don't be shy to ask. I hope I can get some feedback and I hope I can use your feedback to get this thing worked.

Greetings, Koni.

[Prof.Koni]

One of my questions to all hobby game developers and users in this forum is: Where should I start? Where is the best point to start making such a game?

(And sorry for double-post )

Greetings, Koni.

[Cherno]

Try Unity3D, it is a powerful game engine, you can do any type of game with it and it's free.

[Prof.Koni]

I know Unity3D, I've tried to make a horror-game with that engine, worked well but somehow I don't really like that engine. I also tried the Source-Engine (by making a mod for Half-Life 2) and now I tried the Unreal-Development-Kit.

The easiest engine (to handle) for me was the Source-Engine, but you can only make mods with it. My game should be a stand-alone game, which is independent to other games.

Personally I prefer the UDK over Unity3D, because the small level I've made with it looked really nice (graphically) and the UDK seems not to be that difficult to handle. Unity3D was harder to handle (much more to program) and my level looked not that beautiful too.

Greetings, Koni

[Prof.Koni]

Unit Concept: Starfighter (Class 3)

Faction: United Nations of Humania

Used as: Standard Anti-Fighter-Fighter

Costs: It's free, because this is a standard unit

Weapons: 2 Plasmacore-Rocket-Launchers and 540 nm Laser-Beam-Cannon

Concept Drawing:

Background:

In the year 2094, when technology for space-traveling was advanced enough, the humans decided to make bigger space-stations for several uses: To mine Asteroids for stimulating the economy on earth, to have research-laboratories in the Space for advanced Astronomy researching, to have a platform for international conferences and so on. These space-stations are really effective, but they are also endangered, because the space has a lot of surprises for the humans like meteoroids and space debris. These hazards got countered by the Starfighters. The Laser-Beam is strong enough to cut a bigger asteroid (or meteroid) into several pieces until the rockets can pulverize the smaller pieces. If the incoming danger is small enough, it won't do any big damage to the big space station anymore. So the Starfighter was mainly used as a defense for civil stations and not for war.

Later in the year 2273, when the humans discovered the huge army of the Great Misar-Empire with 2 research-ships, they had to build a counter-army very quickly (luckily they had highly advanced Nanotechnology, so building up an army quickly was not the problem). The humans used the concept of the old Starfighter-2 and made it a lot more nimble and the plasma-engines got a technology boost too. So the Starfighter-3 (also called SF3) was born.

The SF3 is a VTOL-Spacecraft with strong engines for fast flying in space. It can open the 3 engines (in the middle and in the back of the SF3) to start vertically, if it reached a specific amount of height, it closes the engines and divert the whole energy to the back for fast forward-flying. It can divert the energy to the front wings too to brake the fighter or to fly up and down.

The Laser-Beam is the main weapon of the fighter and can cut enemy fighters into glowing pieces very fast. But it can be hard to kill other fighters only with the laser because it has no auto-targeting-system. This problem can be solved with the plasmacore-rockets. The plasma-explosion of the rockets creates, besides an armor-damaging explosion, a small emp which can damage electronics at its target.

That's the first unit concept of my new game. I will look forward to create it in 3DS-Max very soon but first I need to learn the program . Hope you will like it.

More unit-concepts and drawings will come soon.

Greetings, Koni

[Blade]

As a programmer I can only show respect for that drawing.

My inner fraudster is shouting "put it on Kickstarter".

[MeSteep]

Obligatory reference to: Why Your Game Idea Sucks

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/article ... Idea-Sucks

A) Partnership with Totem Arts at this point would be silly for them...unless you're going to be paying them.

-A1) Why would they support you?

-A2) It's silly to offer your 'skills' for RenegadeX when you could apply those skills to your game.

-A3) So you pirated 3DS Max and followed some tutorials....sorry, but that doesn't really make you qualified.

B) Story != mechanics. Sorry, game design is NOT like movie pitches; no one gives two cents about the story until you have a design document

I know I'm sounding brash, but if you even want to dare to ask for 'help', then anyone potentially interested needs to be able to weed out the dud fad projects from the diamonds in the rough. Better make sure you have a thick skin.

If you want to make a game, go for it, but start small until you can prove to yourself that you can either take on the majority of the development yourself or finance it. You've already stepped on the rakes that numerous other people have done while trying to make a mod/tc/game for me to question your research, vision, and leadership.

RenegadeX had several iterations and has been around since 2007. That's a very serious time sink, and that's including that some of the devs already had several years of experience in modding at an award-winning level. Most people seemingly think that if you can dream your game, you'll magically poop it out in a week. It doesn't work like that.

[Prof.Koni]

Thank you for your critics MeSteep.

You are right with that point that I might not be qualified because I am just a beginner. But I look forward to it because I am really motivated. At the moment I am gathering some ideas and concepts for my game, later I want to learn how to use 3DS Max and UDK.

Like you said I will start small. I will show my steps here (and later on IndieDB and Kickstarter too).

I know Totem Arts is busy with Renegade X, I am just interested if they might give me tips. If they won't do, I don't care.

RenegadeX had several iterations and has been around since 2007. That's a very serious time sink, and that's including that some of the devs already had several years of experience in modding at an award-winning level. Most people seemingly think that if you can dream your game, you'll magically poop it out in a week. It doesn't work like that.

Yes, I know. Good things need their time. Never doubted that . But that doesn't stop me from developing my ideas. Pooping out a game won't work, I also know some developers who thought they could create a game in just some weeks.

So you pirated 3DS Max and followed some tutorials....sorry, but that doesn't really make you qualified.

1. I didn't pirated it, I use the "student version.

2. I am a beginner and bought some books for it. I look forward to study them and improve my skills, like I did it with Gimp back in 2009.

Thank you for your critics. I thought nobody will do that in that thread. But you did and thats important for me

Greetings, Koni.

[MeSteep]

Thank you for your critics MeSteep.

You are right with that point that I might not be qualified because I am just a beginner. But I look forward to it because I am really motivated. At the moment I am gathering some ideas and concepts for my game, later I want to learn how to use 3DS Max and UDK.

Ideas and concepts can come at any time. Build you skills first, because you're skills naturally augment your ability to design. Otherwise you spend weeks of effort planning your game with assumptions of gaining/learning skills you may not be able to do; or you realize that your ideas were trash and need to re-evaluate.

You should only think about what game you want to make when you're actually competent enough to start making it.

I will show my steps here (and later on IndieDB and Kickstarter too).

Here really isn't the place; it's a place to talk about RenegadeX. Go to a place like Polycount or other game-art centric areas. You are NOT going to get the best or most targeted critique here as you would with communities targeted to budding creators.

Please, don't do kickstarter..as you'll only end up splitting a few fools from their money that in-the-long run costs you more than it's worth if you don't already have a functioning product.

Yes, I know. Good things need their time. Never doubted that . But that doesn't stop me from developing my ideas

Good things need their effort, time and a certain skill threshold in very large quantities.

It doesn't stop you, no, but it may not be the most efficient use of your time. It's really delusions of grandeur, and those delusions will sink you like 90% of the budding mod-makers out there who fail and consequently give up.

1. I didn't pirated it, I use the "student version.

2. I am a beginner and bought some books for it. I look forward to study them and improve my skills, like I did it with Gimp back in 2009.

If we want to get literal...anything you create with a 'student' version would eventually need to be recreated in a 'commercial' version if you produce a product.

2. It's great that you want to learn, but focus on actually learning. You should study 3DS Max so intensively that any thoughts about a game you want to make would be useless.

Thank you for your critics. I thought nobody will do that in that thread. But you did and thats important for me

As it should be. If the game is important to you at all, you will stop 'idea development' and start skill development. If you have ideas along the way, jot them down, but focusing on becoming a skilled developer and not what you want to do if you become one.

[Sammy_Bananas]

Prof. Koni, I really like your idea, and envy your ambition. Btw the article that guy is referencing is written by a total fucking douchebag. And honestly idk who mesheep thinks he is, but he is not hot shit. Go on creative forms, post your ideas, find people that share those ideas, and form your own team dude. You might find someone here but your better off trying somewhere else. A lot of people on here have attitudes lmao.

[Prof.Koni]

Thank you for your feedback Sammy At the moment I am learning to make models in 3ds max (and I am doing well) and I am writing at the background story of the United Nations of Humania.

I think MeSteep is not that wrong. Often people "dream their live" and not the other way round (which is obviously better). So learning how to model or how to program is more important as only thinking about the game

Greetings, Koni

[Angelo]

I only skimmed through your posts Koni, but from what I read your idea sounds very similar to Allegiance. Have you ever played that game?

http://www.freeallegiance.org/

Space battles with one commander on each side researching technology, constructing facilities n stuff while all the other players fight in space ships. A map consists of several different sectors linked by gates. There's also bigger player controlled space ships on which players can be gunners n stuff.

Several different roles like scouts, bombers, ships to lay minefields etc. and several different factions with different traits and aesthetics.

[Prof.Koni]

Hmmm thanks for the suggestion Angelo, but this is not how I imagine "my" game. It is, like I said, somehow a mix between Renegade (x) and Star Wars Battlefront II.

Greetings, KOni

[[TmX]Sean]

I love both Star Wars Battlefront and Renegade.

I wish you the very best of luck.

[Prof.Koni]

Thank you very much, ShadowPrime. At the moment I am learning how to model but I think I can do that pretty good now, so I will make some game-models (like the Starfighter) very soon

Greetings, Koni

[renegadexplayer]

Hello, I am new to this board so let me introduce myself: My Name is Konrad, I am from Austria, 20 years old and play games since I was 7. I've started playing Renegade X last Saturday and I love that game. I am also a big fan of the C&C franchise and I loved playing Renegade online but last time I have played it was 8 years ago. But now lets come to what I actually want to say

(Oh and sorry if my English is not that good, it's not my native language)

Yesterday (and today night) I had an idea for a new game which is inspired by Star Wars Battlefront II and especially Renegade (X) and a few other games/movies. I want to introduce it to Totem Arts and the Renegade X community because I think there is a lot of potential to find ideas together for this and other games and maybe we can help each other . I have some experience with level design and modeling (in 3DS-Max) but also with the Unreal-Development-Kit, so maybe I can support you too (somehow).

What is this game about?

This game is a space battle between the United Human Alliance (Humania) and the Great Mizar Empire. The Battle itself (in-game) has concepts from Renegade (like base-buildings, building and buying units, repairing vehicles and repairing buildings at the Master Control Terminal, etc.) but also from SW:BF2 (flying space-fighters, shooting with board cannons from bigger ships at other ships, etc.)

How do I imagine the game?

In this game each faction (Humania and Mizar) starts with a space station, which is separated into several sectors. Each sector is important for the faction (like the buildings in RenX) and must be defended. Your Goal is to destroy the enemy space station by destroying every sector-building with your spaceships from outside or by attacking the Master Control Terminal from inside (you can land in the Fighter-Bay and fight through the interior).

You must defend/attack this sector-buildings:

- Command-Center: The Command-Center provides your space station some Human- and AI-controlled cannons which defend it from other fighters and ships.

- Spaceship-Bay: The Spaceship-Bay allows your faction to build Cruisers and to buy mighty Capital Ships.

- Nanotech-Factory: The Nanotech-Factory provides your faction free credits to buy better units and ships.

- Infantry-Rooms: The Infantry-Rooms allows your faction to buy advanced infantry and hero-units.

- Reactor: The Reactor provides your Space-Station energy, which is needed for your AI-controlled defenses.

So this is pretty similar to Renegade. Maybe one difference might be a superweapon building like an invulnerable shield for Humania and a mighty laser weapons for Mizar. But I don't know if that would be imbalanced

How would be the gameplay?

You spawn automatically in one of the sector-buildings OR you spawn in a capital ship (if there's one). Like in Renegade there are buy-terminals, where you can buy stuff. You can get standard-infantry (Soldier, Engineer, Pilot and Captain) for free and if you have your Infantry-Rooms at your space-station, you can buy advanced soldiers, advanced pilots, etc. and hero units. The infantry has 4 different classes. You can still fly a fighter or command a ship as a soldier but you only have standard-values on speed, attack-damage and armor. If you fly a fighter with an pilot, the fighter gains for example +10% for speed and attack-damage. Or if you fly a repair-drone with an engineer, it's more effective for example.

The cruisers are bigger ships which are used like tanks. The Capital Ships are the strongest units in-game because they are like a big cruiser which can also be used as a spawnpoint. But with teamwork you can fly inside them and destroy the Master-Control-Terminal at the Command Bridge to destroy them more efficiently.

There is a build limit for cruisers and capital ships (like in RenX it could be 7-10), a capital ship counts as 3 cruisers.

Yeah that would be my idea for the game If you have any questions, then don't be shy to ask. I hope I can get some feedback and I hope I can use your feedback to get this thing worked.

Greetings, Koni.

add lots of weapons like over 20 of each type since it fictional make much as you want. all size map small/medium/big + full map editor/maker separate download reduce base game download size. full customization of everything maps/character/vehicles/weapons/modes/servers. custom content enabled. view switchable 1st/3rd view. make able to play with bots. 64+ player limit. maybe thousand like planetside 2. focus on gameplay not graphics when making this game. advertisement on youtube. and many more ill update

[Prof.Koni]

add lots of weapons like over 20 of each type since it fictional make much as you want.

No. This is Battle of Earth (this is the name of the game at the moment) and not Battlefield or Call of Duty. It is better to have a few different weapons then many very similar weapons.

all size map small/medium/big

Yes. That will definitely come.

+ full map editor/maker

Unreal Development Kit. Do you know it?

full customization of everything maps/character/vehicles/weapons/modes/servers.

Maps yes. Characters, Vehicles and Weapons no (except you make a mod). Modes and Servers yes (like bots, building health, starting money, max amount of players and so on)

view switchable 1st/3rd view

Yes.

make able to play with bots.

Yes.

64+ player limit. maybe thousand like planetside 2.

I will add a bar where you can choose max players. 64-128 players sounds good (because you need a lot of players for the ships and the main-base) but thousand players would be too much (lag and pretty unbalanced because of too many engineers repairing ships )

focus on gameplay not graphics when making this game.

Yes, gameplay is the most important thing. Graphics will be like Renegade X-

advertisement on youtube.

If the game has reached a beta status, I will make advertisement for it.

Thanks for your feedback.

At the Moment I am pretty busy because of school. For Battle of Earth I am creating an space station for Humania and I am writing the Backstory of Humania besides.

Greetings, Koni

[renegadexplayer]

add lots of weapons like over 20 of each type since it fictional make much as you want.

No. This is Battle of Earth (this is the name of the game at the moment) and not Battlefield or Call of Duty. It is better to have a few different weapons then many very similar weapons.

all size map small/medium/big

Yes. That will definitely come.

+ full map editor/maker

Unreal Development Kit. Do you know it?

full customization of everything maps/character/vehicles/weapons/modes/servers.

Maps yes. Characters, Vehicles and Weapons no (except you make a mod). Modes and Servers yes (like bots, building health, starting money, max amount of players and so on)

view switchable 1st/3rd view

Yes.

make able to play with bots.

Yes.

64+ player limit. maybe thousand like planetside 2.

I will add a bar where you can choose max players. 64-128 players sounds good (because you need a lot of players for the ships and the main-base) but thousand players would be too much (lag and pretty unbalanced because of too many engineers repairing ships )

focus on gameplay not graphics when making this game.

Yes, gameplay is the most important thing. Graphics will be like Renegade X-

advertisement on youtube.

If the game has reached a beta status, I will make advertisement for it.

Thanks for your feedback.

At the Moment I am pretty busy because of school. For Battle of Earth I am creating an space station for Humania and I am writing the Backstory of Humania besides.

Greetings, Koni

omg yes

[renegadexplayer]

add lots of weapons like over 20 of each type since it fictional make much as you want.

No. This is Battle of Earth (this is the name of the game at the moment) and not Battlefield or Call of Duty. It is better to have a few different weapons then many very similar weapons.

Greetings, Koni

dude just make them even if there the same everybody likes lots of options. like make them fire different sphere shots, laser shots, disc shots etc. and don't forget to add a secondary fire mode. even all guns in real life fire similarly but theres many different kind. if your not going to make a lot then at least make more than 100 weapons.

[renegadexplayer]

oy yeah. PLEASE DO NOT PUT SHOULDER CAM PLEASE NEVER!!!!!!