Community-Built COH Style MMORPG

Styrj · April 20, 2013, 11:50:44 AM

Aviticus Gladius: Are you going to provide a DL link here or on the Valiance web site? :D Also, are you looking to do play testing or QA type testing or maybe both?

Aviticus Gladius · April 20, 2013, 04:54:12 PM

TDGeorge, I'll be posting it here and there. Sorry I haven't had time to update the Valiance site, but I will soon. Regarding QA and testers, the plan is to have a team of 1 QA specialist and 3 internal testers during the early phases of development. As I stated in my prior post, we're not trying to compete with the likes of large corporations. Therefore, we won't be enlisting an enormous team as we get things off the ground. Once we release builds, the public will act as both, but our internal specialist will be responsible for up-channeling bugs and inconsistencies to the programmers and designers. I've been trying to remove a bit more of our content and replace some art before I share the link.

Styrj · April 20, 2013, 08:50:55 PM

Glad to hear it! I was beginning to think this effort was going by the way-side. Ready & willing to do some testing!! ;)

Aviticus Gladius · April 20, 2013, 09:29:27 PM

Not at all TDGeorge, not at all. As I said before, this will continue as long as there are heroes.

Lightslinger · April 23, 2013, 07:35:15 PM

Would it be possible for you to post some screenshots or maybe even videos?

downix · April 23, 2013, 08:35:06 PM

Quote from: Lightslinger on April 23, 2013, 07:35:15 PM
Would it be possible for you to post some screenshots or maybe even videos?

In all fairness, only TPP has posted any of those out of the various PlanZ proposals. Valiance here is much newer than the other efforts, so I would not expect them for awhile. But hey, I've been surprised before.

Aviticus Gladius · April 24, 2013, 01:22:32 AM

Thanks for expressing that Downix.

Lightbringer, I made a decision to start removing our content and just keeping a barebone character creation with a small terrain chunk and a few mobs to run around and attach. I didn't want anyone to assume I was attempting to pass off our other product to them. I'm almost done, and only have a few more elements to remove. It will then allow players to log-in, create an account, create a character, enter the persistent server, and attack mobs. It's basic features of MMO gameplay, but I believe it's enough to get a team of artists, writers, coders, and designers behind this to really make some forward progress.

I'll be sending a copy of the client to everyone on here that has given a nod to hoping in and testing.

Heroette · April 24, 2013, 01:00:22 PM

I would love to give it a try. Just let me know when and how to log in and I will. Thank you for doing this for us.

damienray · April 24, 2013, 01:55:03 PM

I'd be happy to help with any testing, if you need another warm body.

Aviticus Gladius · April 24, 2013, 05:53:12 PM

@Scalebeast and Damienray, thanks for support me on this. I'm going to make this happen.

I'd also like to say that if anyone knows any interested code with network experience and writers, please have them PM me. Once I strip the current build down a bit more, I'll make a formal post for recruitment. Right now we need to bring on some dedicated devs to get into the architecture soonest (because there is so much to learn) and to start developing characters and story elements. I have a bit more to remove, but I have today off from work so I'll be doing as much as I can.

Styrj · April 25, 2013, 08:46:57 PM

Any idea when you will post up a link for testing? ;D We be anxious! ;)

Aviticus Gladius · April 26, 2013, 12:25:21 AM

I should have everything done by tomorrow night. I'm in the U.S. mountain time zone so around 9pm-10pm my time. As soon as it's done I'll PM everyone that has posted requesting access. I know once people get a taste of the capabilities and share their experience, we'll be able to get a lot more support behind the project. More to come.

Heroette · April 26, 2013, 03:17:06 AM

I am really looking forward to it. Thank you.

downix · April 26, 2013, 03:33:24 AM

I had three people ask why I'm supportive of Valiance, when I'm the technical lead of TPP.

Simple, there is enough room for several MMO's. Valiance is going in a different direction, and that's cool. TPP is going in our own direction as well. Different people liked different things from CoH.

But ultimately we are a community, not just a game.

Styrj · April 26, 2013, 11:29:11 AM

downix, Amen to that!! ;) Also, each is a bit different from the other two and will offer something unique. So, there is variety among the three, and at the same time a sense of what CoHV was all about (i.e., a community). I played solo 98% of the time, but if needed, I could call for help and someone would chime in.

I will Alpha/Beta test (if called upon to do so) and play all three until their servers are shut down. Hopefully, each will have a mechanism built in that will allow single-player play if the servers are shut down.

downix · April 26, 2013, 03:58:39 PM

Quote from: TDGeorge on April 26, 2013, 11:29:11 AM
downix, Amen to that!! ;) Also, each is a bit different from the other two and will offer something unique. So, there is variety among the three, and at the same time a sense of what CoHV was all about (i.e., a community). I played solo 98% of the time, but if needed, I could call for help and someone would chime in.

I will Alpha/Beta test (if called upon to do so) and play all three until their servers are shut down. Hopefully, each will have a mechanism built in that will allow single-player play if the servers are shut down.

Well, I don't know what Valiance is doing. I know with TPP we are planning on that. I also know that H&V's engine does not allow for offline play. You can verify for yourself here:
http://hewiki.heroengine.com/wiki/Other_FAQ#Does_HeroEngine_support_an_offline_mode.2C_where_players_can_explore_the_game_world_alone.3F

Aviticus Gladius · April 26, 2013, 11:58:15 PM

@Scalebeast, I think I've about gutted all that I can without making it unplayable. Currently the architecture uses a system of content streaming so that the client will start off really small and you only download elements that you are required to see. If someone on the map is wearing something you don't have in your client repo, it will load it so that you see them properly. But some people may player in at a certain time or on a certain server and never really need to see a certain amount of customizations. Therefore, there is no real need for them to download a massive client. There are a lot of players that will thumb through the first few customizations and decide they are done and that's the character they want, so we'll definitely be adding a rather large group to the client for starters. If I take anymore out, things won't operate.

@Downix, thanks for continuing to be supportive. I fear that many players have no idea what the product means to a lot of us. I really enjoyed talking with you last night about "the good ole" CoH days, before PvP and the forced balancing stage. A lot of people met their best friends, spouses, through the game; it has literally changed the lives of a lot of its players. Those are the things that made CoH/CoV (even though I wasn't into CoV too much) so much more than a game to me and I'm sure others feel the same way. I'll continue to support you as well man, look forward to running the new architecture with you shortly.

@TDFGeorge, currently our MMO architecture is designed to be easily redirected to an operating server executable. The administrator would need to run the core server .exe on a dedicated machine. Then the admin would need to redirect the database handling to another server machine running MongoDB for data storage. Lastly, the admin would run a barebone build of the Unity physics puppeteer, and it's watch dog counterpart on a third machine. The physics puppeteer simulates Unity's physics while being monitors by the WatchDog, which insures any hack attempts will result in the players being banned. All these could be easily provided in an .exe pre-compiled. It's then a matter of making the domain redirector public within the game client; that's something we'd do on our end. So yea, we'll make provisions for that. Nothing is worse than someone just blinding taking someone's virtual world away from them and leaving them with no way to return to it.

In other news, looks like she's ready except for the fact that she needs mobs added. So, I'm going to get some rest and spring back up and get those mobs added. Then I'll start sharing the client with those who have chimed in. Please remember this is pre-alpha development and all of the art is placeholder.

Styrj · April 27, 2013, 12:41:42 AM

No worries AG. I'm mainly looking to give the Toon Box (Character Creator) a thorough once over and do some street sweeping.

BTW, I just checked out the Marvel Beta (ugh, choke). All I can say about that game is I'm glad I'm not paying for it. Just Diablo with Marvel Heroes running around. Can't even make your own toon.

Styrj · April 27, 2013, 01:20:56 PM

Um... When did you say you were going to post your sample for testing?

Aviticus Gladius · April 27, 2013, 07:40:29 PM

I was trying to have it up by last night. I laid down to rest for a bit and fell asleep completely haha. Working on it now, having an issue with one of the mobs I've been trying to setting up, so I'm just going to add a few that can't be killed, so we can just test out skills. Give me about an hour from this post to get things done and uploaded. Links are on the way!