Engine

Faille · 04-10-2007, 01:16 AM

Any thoughts on which engine would be best to use?

We would want one that gives us enough power to do wierd and original ideas, but also user friendly enough that its fairly simple to actually implement things.

Multiverse is probably the one I've followed the most, but thats still in Beta, so that limits how much it can be used.

Vatoreus · 04-10-2007, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faille

Any thoughts on which engine would be best to use?

We would want one that gives us enough power to do wierd and original ideas, but also user friendly enough that its fairly simple to actually implement things.

Multiverse is probably the one I've followed the most, but thats still in Beta, so that limits how much it can be used.

Have you looked at Torque?

Ssinurn · 04-10-2007, 11:06 AM

I think using multiverse at least to start is a good idea. It's more than an engine, they have done a lot of the work for us. Especially since we do not have a ton of knowledge capital in this department.

Once things get going and we see limitations that may or may not hinder us (game just not looking polished enough for example) - then we could try to port our world over to one of the more complex ground up engines. We don't know what our eventual funding will be or our potential. Obviously if we get cash going to a more commercial engine might be a good idea.

Here is a list (here and here) of some of the ones out there and a high level overview of their features.

One of the things I think we have the advantage of over an established MMO team with VC funding is that we can move to whatever engine/etc etc later we like. Currently our limitation is time, not cost. I have always wondered if some prototyping would help and we can try this method. Like testing out animations/characters in an engine before selecting, or testing out combat/loot code etc in a mud/text based area before implementing it in 3d.

Maybe if we take some of these practices into all our development, we could save potential "Yea, going with *fill in product* severely limited our ability to *fill in issue*."

Tuco · 04-10-2007, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vatoreus

Have you looked at Torque?

My school used Torque to build games last year for their game design class and found it to be rather poor for their purposes. I don't know much beyond that, but given that Multiverse is geared towards MMO development, there'd have to be some really good reasons that I don't know about before I would suggest using torque.

Tyen · 04-10-2007, 03:27 PM

Mutlieverse sounds like the best idea

Ssinurn · 04-11-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Game world Geography

Multiverse does not currently support "instance dungeons" (player-unique world instantiations). This feature may be added in a future release.

Just read this today, so we need to think about this also.

Moskank · 04-12-2007, 12:16 AM

I'm no expert on engines by any means. However, the torque engine offers their latest software to indie developers for around 150 bucks. From what I recall, developers do not owe garagegames anything and are not required to purchase the commercial license until their company brings in 250K, (proxy is blocking garagegames so I can't verify all the details).

I only mention that because Multiverse appears to only be free for non-commercial use. "If you don't charge consumers or run ads in your world, then you don't pay Multiverse anything, as long as your world is in the Multiverse Network."

I guess those are only two minor financial points to consider. Tuco appears to actually have had some experience on Torque and wasn't impressed. I would weigh that more heavily than licensing fees.

Throag · 04-12-2007, 12:37 AM

I haven't seen that mentionned anywhere so here is my question:
How is the coding side going to be handled? Improvements and modifications will most likely be heavily needed no matter what the engine is (does Multiverse even release source code for devs?). Do you already have some people for that or is it yet to be decided?

Slide · 04-12-2007, 05:21 AM

downloaded multiverse, the graphics engine is axiom - which is a c# port of ogre. Ogre is a pretty decent and capable engine, and I did a little bit of work on the portal renderer way back.

Vatoreus · 04-12-2007, 05:57 AM

So can Ogre files be imported to MV?

Ssinurn · 04-12-2007, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Throag

I haven't seen that mentionned anywhere so here is my question:
How is the coding side going to be handled? Improvements and modifications will most likely be heavily needed no matter what the engine is (does Multiverse even release source code for devs?). Do you already have some people for that or is it yet to be decided?

That's primarily what I volunteered for. I have a few ideas about the world but I would much rather program and brush up on art building skills. I have a masters in CS and I program for a living. I'm sure others on the board do as well.

Stil · 04-13-2007, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ssinurn

That's primarily what I volunteered for. I have a few ideas about the world but I would much rather program and brush up on art building skills. I have a masters in CS and I program for a living. I'm sure others on the board do as well.

Same boat here. If we get a decent tracker system set up for tasks it really isn't bad to jump in and hammer out a hundred lines of code a night on a "by enhancement" basis.

Fattyfat · 04-18-2007, 09:44 AM

I posted in another thread and I'll post here.

I've been a Torque license holder since 04.

Someone has already created a successful MMO using Torque. Go download the free version of Minions of Mirth.

What you see there, is what you get when you start development with Torque using the MMOKit that they will be coming out with soon. In addition, they are releasing a Minions of Mirth modkit, which allows you to modify everything about the game.

I've been playing with the mmokit for torque for the last week and I think it is pretty awesome. Most of the grunt work behind an MMO has been done for you. This lets you focus on the real shit like gameplay and content.

You may want to check it out.

Hathe · 04-19-2007, 01:55 AM

I had a lot of fun playing MoM a while back, I thought it was a really cool and stable game. Torque may be a smarter route off the bat.

Faille · 04-19-2007, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fattyfat

I posted in another thread and I'll post here.

I've been a Torque license holder since 04.

Someone has already created a successful MMO using Torque. Go download the free version of Minions of Mirth.

What you see there, is what you get when you start development with Torque using the MMOKit that they will be coming out with soon. In addition, they are releasing a Minions of Mirth modkit, which allows you to modify everything about the game.

I've been playing with the mmokit for torque for the last week and I think it is pretty awesome. Most of the grunt work behind an MMO has been done for you. This lets you focus on the real shit like gameplay and content.

You may want to check it out.

If you got time could you have a play with the multiverse and give us a comparision?

04-10-2007, 01:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
Faille Fires of Heaven Officer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 2,658 +13 Internets	Engine Any thoughts on which engine would be best to use? We would want one that gives us enough power to do wierd and original ideas, but also user friendly enough that its fairly simple to actually implement things. Multiverse is probably the one I've followed the most, but thats still in Beta, so that limits how much it can be used. __________________ Faille Fires of Heaven http://www.fohguild.org/forums/uberw...lopment-forum/

04-10-2007, 11:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ssinurn EQ2 FoH Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 219 +2 Internets	I think using multiverse at least to start is a good idea. It's more than an engine, they have done a lot of the work for us. Especially since we do not have a ton of knowledge capital in this department. Once things get going and we see limitations that may or may not hinder us (game just not looking polished enough for example) - then we could try to port our world over to one of the more complex ground up engines. We don't know what our eventual funding will be or our potential. Obviously if we get cash going to a more commercial engine might be a good idea. Here is a list (here and here) of some of the ones out there and a high level overview of their features. One of the things I think we have the advantage of over an established MMO team with VC funding is that we can move to whatever engine/etc etc later we like. Currently our limitation is time, not cost. I have always wondered if some prototyping would help and we can try this method. Like testing out animations/characters in an engine before selecting, or testing out combat/loot code etc in a mud/text based area before implementing it in 3d. Maybe if we take some of these practices into all our development, we could save potential "Yea, going with fill in product severely limited our ability to fill in issue." __________________ =Ssin'urn D'Ssinns=

04-10-2007, 03:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tyen FoH Thriller Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 1,864 +40 Internets	Mutlieverse sounds like the best idea __________________ A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.

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04-12-2007, 12:16 AM	#7 (permalink)
Moskank Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 29 +2 Internets	I'm no expert on engines by any means. However, the torque engine offers their latest software to indie developers for around 150 bucks. From what I recall, developers do not owe garagegames anything and are not required to purchase the commercial license until their company brings in 250K, (proxy is blocking garagegames so I can't verify all the details). I only mention that because Multiverse appears to only be free for non-commercial use. "If you don't charge consumers or run ads in your world, then you don't pay Multiverse anything, as long as your world is in the Multiverse Network." I guess those are only two minor financial points to consider. Tuco appears to actually have had some experience on Torque and wasn't impressed. I would weigh that more heavily than licensing fees.

04-12-2007, 12:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Throag Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Paris Posts: 341 +0 Internets	I haven't seen that mentionned anywhere so here is my question: How is the coding side going to be handled? Improvements and modifications will most likely be heavily needed no matter what the engine is (does Multiverse even release source code for devs?). Do you already have some people for that or is it yet to be decided?

04-12-2007, 05:21 AM	#9 (permalink)
Slide Limey Bastard Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: London innit Posts: 742 -3 Internets	downloaded multiverse, the graphics engine is axiom - which is a c# port of ogre. Ogre is a pretty decent and capable engine, and I did a little bit of work on the portal renderer way back.

04-12-2007, 05:57 AM	#10 (permalink)
Vatoreus WAAAAAAAGH! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mt. Pleasant, TX Posts: 3,123 -4 Internets	So can Ogre files be imported to MV?

04-18-2007, 09:44 AM	#13 (permalink)
Fattyfat Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: ftw tx Posts: 293 +4 Internets	I posted in another thread and I'll post here. I've been a Torque license holder since 04. Someone has already created a successful MMO using Torque. Go download the free version of Minions of Mirth. What you see there, is what you get when you start development with Torque using the MMOKit that they will be coming out with soon. In addition, they are releasing a Minions of Mirth modkit, which allows you to modify everything about the game. I've been playing with the mmokit for torque for the last week and I think it is pretty awesome. Most of the grunt work behind an MMO has been done for you. This lets you focus on the real shit like gameplay and content. You may want to check it out.