AP Community Project [Released]

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Ketraar
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AP Community Project [Released]

Post by Ketraar » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 00:09

AP Community Project


It’s been a while since new content came for AP now and it still could do with some additional content, which is why I start this post. But unlike other occasion I don’t want to go lone-wolf on this and rather have it done in the spirit of a Community Project, similar to the A New Home project for X3:Terran Conflict back in the day. So here I am, calling out for you, asking you to join in this hopefully great fun of creating content.

There is nothing yet decided on what it will be so (almost) anything is possible. Considering maybe two main guidelines:
  • All things should be wrapped around or delivered through a plot. It’s a good way to introduce things and like a certain Slayer once said: “there are never enough plots”. ;-)
  • The time-frame for completion should not exceed say 2-3 months, mostly because major projects tend to fall apart due to people getting bored or finding other things (like RL and stuff) to spend their time on.
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Now before you go and start spamming this topic with great ideas on what should be done I’d like to lay a few basic “rules” for you to consider for this to work.

General Submission Guidelines
  • 1. Submit your interest in participating by replying to this post. Please don’t send me PMs, it’s a community thing, open discussion only.
    Later if, needed, we may find other ways to communicate (DevChat?)
  • 2. State your abilities and what would you be able to commit. Skills usually handy for this type of thing are:
    • Plot/Story writer
    • Translators
    • 3D Modeler/Artist
    • MD/SE Scripter/Coder
    • TFiles “tweaker”
    • 2D Graphis
    • other, please state which
  • 3. Suggestions should only be made if you have the skills to do it or you know for a fact someone already committed to the project has said skills. Wild suggestions for abstract ideas are counter-productive. Do NOT spamm this topic with Rebirth wishes!!! Seriously! :roll:
  • 4. All things are up for debate, in case of doubt majority rules.
  • 5. All things suggestion should fit the current AP gameplay. We’re not up for a TC, keep this in mind. Maybe even a submission to EGOSOFT to sign it should be aimed.
  • 6. RESPECT. You are entitled to an opinion, so does everybody else.
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Participants
  • Ketraar – MD Coding, TFile tweaking, mapping, 2D Graphics
  • Unbekanntes Feindschiff - Plot/story writing, German translation, "tweak" TFiles, MD Coding
  • DrBullwinkle - SE Scripter/Coder, TFiles “tweaker”, Translator/Editor
  • Scion Drakhar - Plot and story writer
  • apricotslice - Plot-story writer, Tfiles tweaker, Jobs creation/tweaking, Minor scripting, minor MD adaption
  • Treelor - TFiles, voice acting, writing, creative assistance
  • X2-Illuminatus - SE scripting, Story writing, Translating DE<->EN, also basic skills in Mapping, MD coding and TFile tweaking
  • eMYNOCK - tFiles tweaking (especially tShips), translation EN-DE (supporting)
  • Killjaeden - Modelling/Animation (moving objects)/Textures, Basic skill in everything else excluding Scripting
  • EmperorJon - plot/story writer, SE skills
  • dillpickle - MD Coder
  • eldyranx3 - MD Coder, overall fiction aspects
  • KilleRTidE - 3D Modeler
  • Maj. Tom - Audio/Sound creator
  • jack775544 - Minor SE, plot writer, gamestart creator
  • Woffin - Music
  • Umbru - Proofreading, compiling and general support tasks
  • Hammerit - Plot/Story writer, Content Design / Tweaking, Translator (englisch <-> german), limited experience with SE Scripting, QA Management, Balance / Difficulty / Localization Testing
  • killerog - 3D Modeler
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Communications
  • All things should be discussed in here and in DevChat there is a Client for it if you prefer. DevchatClient 1.0.5
    Private Forum at Rogueys site for spoiler safe discussion only >>LINK<< - Access restricted to members only
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General Guidelines
  • Things that make you go No
    • Don't break lore
    • Changing ownership of existing sectors
    • Shutting down or realign connection of existing gates (not counting the HUB)
    • Anything related to copyright stuff (kinda obvious, still mentioning to make the list bigger and thus looking more productive :P)
    Things that make you go Heads-up! Possible problem ahead!
    • Changing existing Jobs. Exceptions are new ones if needed and the occasional minor tweak
    • Use of unique things, like Highways, Sol Planets and BGs, or the like, out of their origin location or concept.
    • Race relations. Given the big division between Argon and Terran starts all plot interaction should take both starts into consideration and that their ranks with the opposing race is probably not so good. The races to consider are Boron, Argon and Terran.
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Ideas
  • Ideas based on new gamestart:
  • Ideas that dont require new start
    • One new special ship as reward (maybe with special scripted ability?) - design to be decided.
    • End of war
    • “change“ a sector layout (let the planet get destroyed by the Xenon or something like that)
    • let the player take over a Xenon Sector or an Unknown Sector
    • Add station repair (generic) offer
    • Player Sector Plot
  • Global Ideas summary:
    • One mission/plot line independent of it being stand-alone or part of a major plot revolves around the player to create and establish his own corporation. This includes it being registered with the (local?) StockExchange. According to MarkCondren its possible to add the player corporation to the SX and it possibly return dividend (tbc) thus make it more immersive. The course/story on how to get there is still wide open, but it seems to be clear that the main scope of it will be to provide missions to the player based on the type of corporation the player decides to choose from a set of options (TBA). These missions will enhance the player’s reputation and increase his corporation’s ranking that is to be used as trigger for missions and possible rewards.
    • In combination to the Corporation plotline there was a suggestion about deep space exploration using the UFJD. This would mean to possibly create special sectors where the player is to explore and search these sectors that will contain data related to technologies (fictional). The sectors should be special and possibly dangerous, new music tracks and layout design to include the feeling of adventure. The data retrieved by the player is from various sources, Xenon, Terran, Kha’ak, etc and when put together should result in that special ship reward we mentioned earlier. This ships is ultra-special, meaning it may hold most weapons known (including KE maybe) and look like a mix of tech (if possible to model). A split M6/7 base with thrown in “alien” look was a suggestion made in DevChat. If this ship hold an additional special ability is not clear at this point, it may if something suitable is found, but if it doesn’t, being unique in weapon load-out range and maybe slightly overpowered (think Yacht in Reunion) should be enough.
    • Other assets can be made available as smaller rewards, like the “spare” TS+ linked in OP. If there is a new station model for the player corp HQ it would be great (maybe have a look at the X2 The Return HQ model that was never used), otherwise I generic Corp HQ Model will be used.
    • In addition to these plot lines another one was thrown in that had the result for the player to get his own sector. This plotline is also wide open yet and can be elaborated on at will. The sector should not be any existing one (no claiming existing sectors) and given the other two lines are both more about think and trade, this could represent a good opportunity for a more lore loose plotline with more conquer and fighting. Still a good story is always key.
    • Another possibility that now looks promising is a plotline that leads to the end of the war, or at least a halt in hostilities. Yet still to be made sure if it’s possible (need to talk to some people), but even in a own plotline or as part of an existing one, it should be kept in mind as a possibility. I’ll get back on that once more certainty comes up.
    • An idea was made to add the possibility of player HQ be able to research and install equipment. DrBullwinkle took this task (maybe related to some idea EJ had). Cycrow gave permission to use his R&D script that already seems to be pointing in this direction.
Last edited by Ketraar on Wed, 15. May 13, 20:00, edited 27 times in total.
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Post by Unbekanntes Feindschiff » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 00:21

I want to join this project.

I can do:
Plot/story writing
German translation
"tweak" TFiles
MD Coding (not very much, I watched Ketraars tutorials, tried it out a bit and helped on bugfixing the 2.5 plot)
other (insider joke)
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Re: [SIGN-UP] AP Community Project

Post by DrBullwinkle » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 00:53

Awesome idea, Ketraar!

I would love to help with:
  • SE Scripter/Coder
  • TFiles “tweaker”
  • Translator/Editor (English-to-English: Improving on basic translations. I did this, successfully, for a recent update of the ToTT mod).
My single favorite plot device so far is the relentless Tyr chase at the end of Balance of Power. It could be improved by allowing the Tyr's to avoid Undefined Space and Xenon/Yaki sectors, so that players actually have to fight through them.
Last edited by DrBullwinkle on Tue, 2. Oct 12, 03:08, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by joelR » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 01:45

This is a great idea!

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Post by Scion Drakhar » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 02:19

I am interested in being a part of this project.

I am a plot and story writer. See links in my sig.

Very curious about what happens next.

Cheers
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Post by jack775544 » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 02:42

I would love to help but sadly RL starts getting busy again next week :( so the only thing I can do is offer moral support ;).
I do like the idea of keeping things open so the rest of the community can offer advice and ideas about the project (or so you have an army of willing testers).

I have seen a community project called Forgetten Enemies done several years ago for a game called Battlezone 2, and when it was released it's single and multiplayer matched the scope and polish of the vanilla game itself.
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Post by DrBullwinkle » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 02:59

Scion Drakhar wrote:I am interested in being a part of this project.
Nice!

I have often hoped that EgoSoft would entice someone with your skills to write text for plots for the game.

For those who do not frequent the Creative forum, Scion Drakhar is a professional-caliber fiction writer. His "From Nothing" DiD is good enough to be a published novel.
  • (He is also a talented in-game "photographer". And, yes, there *is* more to it than just grabbing screen shots. :) )

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Post by apricotslice » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 03:16

I'm interested in participating.

Plot-story writer.
Tfiles tweaker.
Jobs creation/tweaking.
Minor scripting.
Minor MD adaption.

Personally, I'd like to see a proper tutorial plot. It starts at the beginning of a game, before the main plots (so we adjust them to delay their presentation).

The tutorial plot should then achieve the following :

-Get the player to explore most of the galaxy in a structured methodical way.
-Get the player to do most of the things that people ask about how to do.
-Supply the player with the hard to get items as part of the plot, or send them to get them before god removes the stations.

The plot itself will contain various characters with different skill sets, with the appropriate character offering advise or giving orders. Eg. the player is taken on as an apprentice by a corporation, and the characters are people up the chain of command in that corporation. Thus when your talking ship upgrades and software advise, the character is the Ship Maintenance manager. When its orders, its the immediate supervisor. And I like the idea of the supervisors supervisor messing things up like happens in real life. And other pilots sending contradictory advise, that all works, so the player gets told all the ins and outs of what they are doing, and can choose how to do it. Or the supervisor tells them to do it the hard way, then some pilot tells them the easy way once its done. (Like claiming for example, spacewalk the first time, then get told about SOS and how to hide it.). All the characters should have a real character !

It could also include putting in some random chatter into the game depending on where the player is, with other pilots sending messages offering things, which sometimes conflict with their current task and make them think about what they are doing and what order they do things in.

Make it a real organisation with real people in a real universe, teaching the player how to do things in the game.

Or put this another way, lets show egosoft how to build a very entertaining and informative tutorial, that people will want to play.

I find the plots very boring. Usually only 1 main character giving orders, the occasional extra character to get something from. Its too dry, too 1 dimensional. The plots need to be 3 dimensional, informative, instructive, and a lot of fun.

Drop the player into a complex organisation and give them both things to do and advise. Lets cover all the basic questions that people ask, have them explore the universe with purpose, get them up to speed on all the X's, and prepare them for the war.

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Post by dtrowle » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 04:53

I could help with tweaking and some very minor script writing but RL gets quite busy for me to commit to much, I guess I could do moral support and testing/critiquing :D .

apricotslice:

Did you ever play Wing Commander 3 & 4? Where the plots had real consequences and if you falied you went down a different branch on the tree? And you couldn't make everyone happy, if you did something for one pilot or mechanic, etc. it usually pissed off someone else just like in real life.

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Post by apricotslice » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 04:56

dtrowle wrote:apricotslice:

Did you ever play Wing Commander 3 & 4? Where the plots had real consequences and if you falied you went down a different branch on the tree? And you couldn't make everyone happy, if you did something for one pilot or mechanic, etc. it usually pissed off someone else just like in real life.
Yes, played both to death. :D

They dont make plots like that anymore.

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Post by Treelor » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 07:25

I'd be happy to lend a hand!

I can do:
TFiles
Voice acting (Shoot me some lines if you want a sample, I'm a 20 year old male. Relatively deep voice. People tell me its great, but I'll let you decide.)
Writing, creative assistance.

I could also probably create some simple scripts, but my programming experience is Lua and GMod's Expression language. The MSCI seems easy enough to get a handle on, but don't ask me to do anything too complex ;)

The only things I can't do are visual. I've never had a knack for texturing and modelling.

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Post by Ketraar » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 20:02

Great thanks for the replies so far. :-)

I've updated the OP with the list of people that signed up. Think we should give it a few days to give some people that dont visit the forum every day a chance to notice this.

From the New Dimentions mod we still have some unique assets modelled by Mighty Odin and textured by killerog, that might come handy. I'll post a pic once I re-find it.

MFG

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Post by X2-Illuminatus » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 20:47

I would also like to participate.

My main fields of operation are:
SE scripting
Story writing
Translating (English to German, and the other way around, if it's necessary)

I have basic skills in:
Mapping
MD coding
TFile tweaking
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Post by eMYNOCK » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 20:53

Sign me up please.

Main fields:

tFiles tweaking - especially tShips
translation english - german (supporting)

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Post by Killjaeden » Tue, 2. Oct 12, 23:13

apricotslice wrote:Personally, I'd like to see a proper tutorial plot.
It would be nice to have, but on the other hand - that would be a little bit boring for basically all people that are already in this forum.

I might be interested, but that heavily depends on the idea you want to realize.
Fields: Modelling/Animation (moving objects)/Textures and making all of it work ingame. Basic skills in basically everything that has to do with modding (not scripting though).

to throw some ideas in here:
-'Deepspace' exploration by utilising the Unfocused Jumpdrive technology
-a start as khaak or xenon gamestart that lets you play in a different way then usual + plot. Fresh wind :) I can elaborate on the khaak idea if somebody wishes because i had such a project a while ago - died because of lacking people - still have assets for it.
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Post by eMYNOCK » Wed, 3. Oct 12, 02:30

Idea:

everyone knows it, everyone wants it.
what i mean is the "Repair Station Offer" from Trading Stations in X2 The Threat.

I would suggest to "reactivate" this tiny but very usefull feature for Albion.

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Post by Scion Drakhar » Wed, 3. Oct 12, 02:51

Personally, apricotslice's idea for the tutorial sounds like the perfect foundation for a whole lot more to follow. Specifically we can introduce and flesh out characters. Once a character, be it an individual, the crew of a ship, or a corporation is introduced the plot lines and possibilities are endless and can be endlessly expanded upon. Especially if there are multiple and exclusive choices (choosing to work with guy A instead of guy B, good vs evil, hero vs villain, or simply combat vs trade.)

The tutorial can be fully fleshed out and developed, giving all of us the opportunity to create and get to know each character and then create networks between them to be built upon later. For advanced players there can always be an option to simply skip it, but honestly I believe that if a plot thread is entertaining and rewarding then people will want to play through it regardless of already knowing the skill it teaches.

Now, again, once these characters are in place and we understand their relationship to each other we can build upon them. The tutorial can easily unfold into more and more content. We can create challenges that result in growing the players bank account and fleet. I, for one, am a huge fan of boarding ops for instance and always thought it was a huge opportunity for plot development that was being overlooked in TC. Capturing a ship is a very bold statement. You don't simply cost your enemy a ship, you add that same ship to your forces and that act should have a dramatic impact on both your relationship with the race/faction you steal from but also with the regard you're held in afterward, from everyone! Which could be mechanically demonstrated in terms of fight/trade rank but also could show up in terms of dialogue opportunities with characters that know of your deeds and either want to be angry at you for it or buy you a beer.

Although I do believe that you should be able to do it without losing your marines. To clarify, losing a marine in a boarding op sucks but is acceptable. Losing a whole team of five star marines due to the game forgetting to give them back was just horrifying! Did anyone have their chins hit their chests when the Goners kept your marines after you returned the Truelight Seeker?

Yeah. Okay I'm rambling ...

Cheers
Last edited by Scion Drakhar on Wed, 3. Oct 12, 02:53, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Ketraar » Wed, 3. Oct 12, 02:53

Added to list up to here.

Up front as promised the pic of the ship I refered to before
[ external image ]
Note that it can be tweaked if someone with the right skills wants to have a go at it. It was never used before afaik, so its there if we want it.

Secondly I'd like to address the communication and contact question that was asked via PM.
I'd say all things should be discussed in here and in DevChat there is a Client for it if you prefer. DevchatClient 1.0.5
I mean its there might as well use it :-)

As for the Tutorial I also think its a very good idea, but if done for its only purpose of teaching people to play the game, then I think its too late. Also like gamestart it will exclude everyone that is not keen in restarting the game, so we should keep this into consideration.

Maybe some key/special mechanics can still be "taught" and are worth including. To avoid spammification I'll just link to a Rebirth topic regarding tutorials if you want to know my stances regarding tutorials in games in general. Link to Tutorial opinion

Global suggestion to what I think should be in if possible, without going into detail yet.
  • New assets (people just like new toys), maybe just one ship but a really special one.
  • THINK, I'm an old school X player and really push this agenda of integrating more THINK to the game. Mind it does not mean it needs to be difficult or something.
  • Locations, maybe adding a small amount of new sectors or have some existing ones change.
  • Rewards. Sometimes its easier to find what is it what we want to give the player and work "backwards" from there.
MFG

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Post by EmperorJon » Thu, 4. Oct 12, 18:16

I would sign up, but fear my coding skills would be sub-par. As a result, I WILL sign up, as a potential plot/story writer. As you know, many people believe I'm one of the rather eccentric personalities on the forum...
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Post by apricotslice » Fri, 5. Oct 12, 02:24

EmperorJon wrote:As you know, many people believe I'm one of the rather eccentric personalities on the forum...
I'd say that makes you normal here :lol:

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