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Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Agent Smith on Fri Jul 22nd at 12:17pm 2005

As some of you may have noticed I've been dropping some posts regarding a small mod I will be doing for my final major project in my uni degree. I will be focusing on the idea of collaborative conceptual design in a virtual and interactive setting, attempting to address some of the issues that I have encountered during my course when it came to group work. I am studying Graphic Design and New Media by the way.

Essentially the mod will turn HL2DM from a game into an online collaborative space in which designers can participate in creating conceptual roughs and mood boards in real time, allowing them to work on the same work at the same time, something which many exisiting design related programs do not. The weapons will be replaced with various visual tools, and the users will have the ability to work together or individually in a set amount of time (Think CS round based type stuff).

Now I know a number of you are getting ready to throw the proverbial book at me for attempting what seems to be a large project in about 10 weeks worth of time. Well hold your horses! Firstly this is me, I know all of it already, and secondly I'm not attempting anything quite as ambitious at this stage.

What I hope to achieve is an early beta that offers a limited selection of tools and hardly any of the visual bells and whistles you would expect in a mod. Essentially the tools are just modified weapons with individual decals and setup (spraypaint, stencils, type, etc).

What I need to do in the time frame is:

- Make 2-4 small maps.
- 1 Font set (Weapons/HUD)
- Various Decals
- Basic models only (The player will only view the HUD, no tool animations/models)
- Any files needed for mapping purposes (cfg, etc)

And all importantly the coding, which is all possible and mostly simple, according to some coders I've spoken to. I am not going to attempt to learn Visual C++ in 3 weeks, so I am looking into recruiting a 3rd year student from the informatics department at my uni to do it.

The beta will give a taste of what a full program would do, but without most of the work required of a full working program.

I should have a working site up for the project soon, where I will update progress and post my research into my chosen area. As mentioned in other posts, I'm hoping to recruit some of you lucky members to do some beta testing and ensure the mod actually works as planned.

Also I would appreciate any advice those with mod experience have, particularly relating to the coding, as its the major weak spot in my range of skills.

At this point this topic is more of a fill in for you guys, my trusted peers, with some substantial updates and work coming soon .


Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by French Toast on Fri Jul 22nd at 2:03pm 2005

Cool, can't wait for it.




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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by ReNo on Fri Jul 22nd at 2:10pm 2005

Can the "players" move around in a map, or are they fixed viewpoint looking down on a canvas or something? Sounds like a novel project anyway, definately something different from the norm <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">




Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Agent Smith on Fri Jul 22nd at 3:12pm 2005

The players can roam freely around the maps like normal and there'll be some camera's focused on the main work area's, so that at the end of the rounds there will be opportunities to capture the work done. I might try and work in an automatic screen capture system.

The maps for the project will offer some varied locals for work. Since the tools available for this initial mod will be more graffiti style there will an aquaduct or train yard setting. Also a gallery setting, a studio setting and a white void with invisible walls to work on.



Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Andrei on Fri Jul 22nd at 4:05pm 2005

Sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to this <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif"> .




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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Dark_Kilauea on Fri Jul 22nd at 5:36pm 2005

? quote:
Sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to this .


Indeed.



Dark_Kilauea
DVS Administration
http://www.dvstudio-production.com/



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by DrGlass on Fri Jul 22nd at 9:10pm 2005

I'd be happy to work on some simple decals for you, I'm quite a wizz with photoshop, but not with the whole hl2 textue thing.






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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Captain P on Fri Jul 22nd at 9:24pm 2005

Sounds interesting, this project. What are the things your teachers will be looking at most for this project?

As for the coding department, shooting decals shouldn't be too hard. It's mainly removing code and changing decal references and all, I think. Not that I've looked at the MP code yet, I've only fiddled with SP weapons so far, but hey... <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_wink.gif">

Good luck with this bytheway.



Create-ivity - a game development blog



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Andrei on Fri Jul 22nd at 9:48pm 2005

I haven't even bothered myself to do that. What compiler do you use?




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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Agent Smith on Sat Jul 23rd at 12:56am 2005

My lecturers are primarily interested in the process of the project rather than the final product, so it's not a huge deal if you don't get it finished. Basically we had to choose an area of interest for us personally (eg web design, animation, publication, etc), then choose an area of research that will lend some depth to the project (I'm working with online collaboration and intereaction).

It actually took some convincing for them to let me do this project, because they were a bit suss about the validity of games as design, but recently game design has become recognised as a part of the design community, thanks to games like GTA: San Andreas.

Most people in my class will be working with multimedia, web design, print stuff or whatever, more traditional graphic design area's. I was able to do my project because I'm not producing a game, just using the game as a base for a graphic design tool.

Thanks for the offer Dr, but I have to do everything I can myself, and decals are going to be about the easiest part <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">.



Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Myrk- on Sat Jul 23rd at 11:08am 2005

You should encourage people to use thier signature as thier spray, so they can add it at the end :P


-[Better to be Honest than Kind]-



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Agent Smith on Sat Jul 23rd at 3:15pm 2005

Thats what I was thinking Myrk. A lot of the exisiting HL2DM functions carry across beautifully. If I end up taking it further than the beta stage I get to for the assignment, I'd like to set up some kind of customisation system, so that users can add a number of custom made elements for specific work.

Obviously at this point the mod aims at designers or creative people, in particular those in a collaborative situation. I've also been thinking that if the more graffiti styled tools work well, I'd work on making a more graffiti and street culture mod, so that it becomes more of a game again.

Anyway, the site/blog for my project is coming along nicely, so I should have it up by this wednesday.



Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by habboi on Sun Jul 24th at 12:49pm 2005

Sounds too good to be true <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">

I can see it now, at the end of each round naughty pictures of d**ks all over the maps <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">





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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by ReNo on Sun Jul 24th at 3:20pm 2005

Yeah, you're not the only one fed up with that duck pornography :P




Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Agent Smith on Mon Jul 25th at 7:22am 2005

? posted by ReNo
Yeah, you're not the only one fed up with that duck pornography

LOL <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif">

Good news, I have an 'in' to the informatics department at my uni. Turns out the current artist in residence in the creative arts faculty, who does a lot of game design and was one of the first people I approached regarding my idea for the project, is a lecturer in the informatics department as well. So first up tommorow I'm off to see about recruiting me a coder <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">.



Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Agent Smith on Fri Jul 29th at 4:25am 2005

Well as the revised thread title would suggest, I'm in need of a coder. I wouldn't say I'm desperate yet, but getting close. I've tried some of it myself and failed quite miserably. I'm way over my head when it comes to coding of any type, and have come to the realisation my project will only succeed if I can find someone to do it for me.

So if everyone and anyone could recommend a coder if they know one, someone experienced and reliable, that I could contact, I would be much obliged to say the least.



Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by French Toast on Fri Jul 29th at 4:36am 2005

Sorry, I do happen to not know anyone. If I come across someone I'll tell you <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">




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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by rival on Fri Jul 29th at 5:58am 2005

this mod is a really good idea. but i dont know any coders though, sorry!


Bullet Control: $5000 for a bullet.
&quot;I would blow your f**king head off! ...if I could afford it. I'm gonna get another job, start saving some money... then you a dead man!&quot;



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Crono on Fri Jul 29th at 6:13am 2005

I could probably give you some pointers (no pun intended), but I've got too much school work to finish before Fall starts for me to be able to do anything for you.

Not to mention I haven't sat down with the source engine at all. So that'd take some time (after I finish vomiting from all the global variables and terrible MS practices in use)

But, if you have a specific question I could help as much as I can. I have a feeling though that you could just do some research on the source sdk to get some clues as to how to change things.


Blame it on Microsoft, God does.



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 Re: Major Project - Anyone know a decent coder?
Posted by Agent Smith on Fri Jul 29th at 11:53am 2005

Thanks for the replies fella's. Here's a list of the stuff that needs doing Crono:

1 Individual damage decals for each weapon.
2 Extra weapons (Most weapons are different from standard HL2DM set, no exisiting weapons except crowbar).
3 Extra places in drop down weapon HUD display for extra weapons.
4 Player invulnerability (ie cant get hurt).
5 Limited range for all weapons.
6 Weapon decals that dont fade (Increased number of allowed decals if too low).
7 Re-organise the weapon HUD classes to suit new tool classes (eg spraypaint, letters, shapes, stencils, etc).
8 Round based gameplay, with or without teams.

I've been asking around some various HL2 coding forums and all the stuff is do-able, most of it easily so. The hard ones seem to be 1, 6 and 7. If anyone has tuts, or forum threads, or even if your a 1337 coder and know how to do this stuff, let me know.




Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'




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