Restarting

[iron maiden]

You have a point, but it is kind of hard to build a race without a definate back story and not knowing whats going on. It's like building a faction with a lot of water based vehicles and the story takes place in the desert.

[Zero Angel]

The good thing about developing assets, is that the assets can be repurposed later on. Modelers are welcome to make whatever they wish while the story is developed, and even AFTER it's developed. The story really just goes on top of everything, and mostly is needed so the texture artists and voice artists (mid-late in the project) know what to go for in their designs.

[Shadow Knight]

You have a point, but it is kind of hard to build a race without a definate back story and not knowing whats going on.

Not really.
eg.
We want a third Cthonian faction, so let's make some units and texture them cthonian-like. Anything unique for missions can be developed later.

[Tempest Storm]

I think that part of the problem with the current state of the project is that people are waiting for signals before they go off and start doing some real mod work. I keep seeing "We can't do this because that hasn't been decided yet" when we know that people want a new race, and more to point people are interested in a 3rd Cthonian faction.

There is no need for any back-story to work on this; the information we do need however: What kind of play style should make this race different from the others? How many units and buildings should they have? Should they use a different resource system? Should they have an original tech tree?

These are generally decisions that should get chalked up to the modders/designers; to create a new race that is not only original in a visual sense but also from a gameplay perspective. Aside from these bits of information, it is more than likely they they will have the basic BZ units, a Recycler, Scav, scout, ST, Tug, etc. These can all be built now, there is no need to wait for a story to start working on assets that will more than likely be needed without a doubt (Unless of course a design change results in them being unnecessary, but of course those models and textures can always be recycled and used for new assets)

Build the story around the mod; don't build the mod around the story.

I also feel a bit like people aren't seeing the big picture here either. Bringing a project like this to fruition isn't just about everyone cooperating towards a common goal, creating realistic milestones for the project are important if this is really to get off the ground.

Having a predominantly Scion campaign with a female main character is really cool! But it certainly is taking the high road, when you are not even sure if you are going to make it all the way. I'm all for originality in the SP campaign but creating something like the current SP setup is far from optimal. Most modders do not even have experience making decent Scion models and textures; And finding a reliable female voice actor might not be very easy either, let's not forget that there isn't much material to work with for making good Scion VOs. It essentially feels like you guys are making hurdles for yourselves when you're not even sure if you can make the jump.

Don't get me wrong though, all of that stuff IS possible; but the project might not suffer so much if a different route is taken. Why not make the campaign form the new Cthonian faction's perspective? You get the advantage of being able to create your own unique VOs, and also possibly reason to incorporate all the other BZ races into the story by doing so. From a design perspective it is much more flexible for the modders to work on and it still retains originality.

Just my 2 cents on the current state of affairs, but it may be something to think about.

[Nielk1]

If you allow me DLL, I can design one hell of a funky race while still keeping it clean and understood. Picture a utility unit that simply erects an Mcurtain shield to enemy fire at all times. I can do that.

[Mr X]

Tempest, it is generally agreed on that people want a scion campaign, and I have absolute confidence in the community's ability to make new things for them, though I share your worry about getting a female voice actor.

I'd like to propose something, and I think it would be the best solution here;

how about Neilk1 joins the story comittee, and we work to make an undetailed (and therefore fairly unrestrictive) version of the storyline that will get fleshed out and changed as assets get made. Its good to not restrict the asset making too much, but its also good to have some control over which direction the project goes in, otherwise we end up as we have before (lots of stuff that doesn't work together but we end up having to try to accomodate it anyway).

[General BlackDragon]

I vote for flying nuclear gumball machines 

[iron maiden]

how about Neilk1 joins the story comittee

I second that motion.

I vote for flying nuclear gumball machines

I also second that motion.

[Zero Angel]

how about Neilk1 joins the story comittee, and we work to make an undetailed (and therefore fairly unrestrictive) version of the storyline that will get fleshed out and changed as assets get made. Its good to not restrict the asset making too much, but its also good to have some control over which direction the project goes in, otherwise we end up as we have before (lots of stuff that doesn't work together but we end up having to try to accomodate it anyway).

This doesnt seem like such a bad idea.

[Clavin12]

How bout we do this like a normal writer would. You have one writer and a couple editors. And if we want to do this even more realistically we'd assign groups of writers/editors to submit stories, to make it out like the community project is a publisher, which in a sense it is.

[Nielk1]

When writing the aRc story and all the phases it went though, the final story evolved as thus:

The base rules of the story were decided, the pre-events, the post, and what emotional content we wanted to go for.
Ideas were gleaned from a few random locations, each adapted to the universe and science that is Battlezone.
A few of those ideas were chosen as sub story arcs evolved to complement the main arc.
Details for those events and how they tied together were found.
The characters were fleshed out from their age, gender, and general history right down to their place of birth, a detailed history, their emotional and moral blueprints, and their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

Yes, all the above is done, the story is perfect for that mod and it only took me like 2 years to learn how to write a story and about a month to get everything 100% together from there. Of course VSMIT had nearly had it with me from the first 2 years but really my stories back then did not have the quality of thought and sound logic they have now.

Now, I think we should take a similar approach. First we find the most major of events in our story, what must happen. Then we find the feelings we want to portray. I normally listen to music that matches the mood I want while writing anything more from this point as it helps to keep me in the mindset. I can of course provide such things . Now, the weird way I work when I am doing this I begin to picture matching assets. For this reason hard asset developers would do best to be deeply involved in this part of the development to ensure everyone is on the same page.

[VSMIT]

Hey, if you're finally done with the story for aRc, does that mean that we can actually start doing stuff on it now?

And I don't think that approach would work well with a CP.  We knew going in that aRc was going to take a really, really, long time.  If we take our time with it like we did with aRc, people will lose interest before we have anything to show.

[Nielk1]

Hey, if you're finally done with the story for aRc, does that mean that we can actually start doing stuff on it now?

And I don't think that approach would work well with a CP.  We knew going in that aRc was going to take a really, really, long time.  If we take our time with it like we did with aRc, people will lose interest before we have anything to show.

Use the 1 month part not the 2 year part >.>

[Clavin12]

Fine, fine. Lets just do something.

[bb1]

I vote for flying nuclear gumball machines 

ha...ha...

I've got my ideas. I'm going to bring something to the table. You've all won me over the mod it first then story...

To the workbench!