Camaign to start development - Epic!

Hi everyone!

A campaign under the tentative name "The Numina Chronicles" is currently starting development.
I will not only need a skilled, varied team, I will also need full cooperation, as most of it is already on the drawing board, ready for life.

It is a generic Rpg, planned on changing the WC3 RPG as we know it. After choosing your gender, race, and class, you will be asked to choose your kingdom. Each one is unique, spanning multiple maps, in the hopes of creating a free-roaming environment.
Another aspect included among all this is the gods, from which you will gain and lose favor with, depending on your role in the game, as well as how you play it.
Covering different gods per kingdom, this campaign will also include a varied weapon system, hopefully chagniong the idea of the WC3 inventory as we know it. Different slots will be help for different typed of items, including an interactive weapon system, revealing the weapon at hand, and sheilds. Armor items will also be included, although I currently have no plan to show them in gameplay.

As you can see, only skinning and mapping isn't enough to make this thing come to life, and it still won't unless I'm sure that you meet the requirements. Development will take place over a long period of time, so some faithfullness would be appreciated.

As of now (I'm just starting), I will need quite a lot of people. I will not be able to accept everyone, as I really hope to only get a quality product, and nothing less.
I will be playing the part of a side-skinner, concept artist, design leader, over-all project leader, and story director. I still can't fill the many places still needed, so please let me know if you can.

The positions are: At least 1 per position.
Skinner. Must be able to skin current units and items, along wit hany of the models edited or created by the modelling team. Knowledge of creating custom icons is appreciated.

Modeller. Must be able to model current and new models. Will include buildings, units, and items (swords, axes, sheilds). Must also have a basic idea of how to implement into gameplay. Animating abilities are appreciated...

Terrainist. This campaign will cover an extremely large amount of area, including the knowledge of doodad placement (and editing within the WE), and willing to follow map concepts.

Triggerer. This will be some seriously hard shoes to fill, since it covers a vast area of skills. If you have some of the skills mentioned, let me know (be good at it though!)Between editing campaign triggers, unit triggers, making custom abilities/units/items, weather, spells, and almost everything else you can think of...

Maybe! a Webdesigner. I have no idea on anything relating to this area, or how we would secure a website (a free forum area, chat system, etc...), or how to at least get a free domain. PM me with any info, or if you're interested.

*Note* Other Positions will no doubtably be needed, or multiple of the ones already mentioned. For a more in-depth back story (on the gods, kingdoms, and area), PM me! As for wanting to work, do *NOT* post your work in here! This is an area to ask questions about the project, not contend for position. PM me if you are interested in working, and I'll give you an e-mail address to send previous work.

Use this forum to ask questions on the project, and I will be glad to clear anything up. This is only to see if it *could* get off the ground, and it is not yet a positive that it will happen. It all depends on the feedback, and support!

Thx a bunch!

looks like you have got quite a project ahead of you, but i wonder, would it not be several levels[when i say several, i mean too many too keep track off], and i doubt it will be played massively if the size is too large, many of us have 56k, but yes there are some massive levels that are played frequently, good luck with the project..

Sadly, this will only be a single-player map, as I can't see how people would be able to free-roam throughout the multiple maps, with other people doing the same. After the first map, they would be playing single player.... So anyone with WC3 can play, actually...
Also, yes the size would be jsut too big to play online. I'm hoping that through careful npc participation, and some seroious story overhauls that I can keep the player more than interested in finisheing it through to the end. Since it's failry open-ended, you could technically stroll to the final objective. Obviously, you wouldn't be able to do anything at level one, but you could...

*2nd edit* heh, On another note, when I say open-ended, I mean that if you take the road west out of the map, you enter a new "region" of the over-all map, making a transition. Instead of Chapters, you would focus on objectives, and quests (many mini quests are a definite), so going from Ether (one of the countries), to sail south to Palinia would drop you there. Techinally, you could sail right back, only having to wait a few seconds for the map to load...

I wish I could help you in a more direct way, but it happens that I'm already working on a WC3 RPG, as well as a Neverwinter Nights campaign (which has already become large enough to fill a library, even though it's not even halfway into development). The only thing I *can* do, unless you'll still be working on the RPG next june, is give a few basic suggestions. I'd go into detail, but given that you haven't described much of your RPG, there's nothing for me to work on.

You've mentioned that the player may start in one of several kingdoms... Does that mean the only major states in your campaign world are going to be monarchies, or did you just mean "countries"? You would make the story much more complex (not to mention interesting) by providing a form of government that doesn't exist in typical non-fantasy, or that doesn't really exist at all. Let the player interact with several of the people in power, so that he'll be eager to meddle, intrigued by the way that society works, and amazed by the originality of it all. You can go far with monarchies if you make them detailed, but not as far as you might have wished after the project has been completed

Give each standard item a description, and make it a cultural element of the kingdom where it was created - imagine how unappealing Japan would have been if its warriors used swords instead of katanas, throwing daggers instead of shurikens and brawling instead of unarmed martial arts. Always give villages some realistic role in their kingdom... You'll know that a farming village will get you a cheaper, although less varied catalog of clothes, while a village on the outskirts of the kingdom, rarely visited by tax collectors and even more rarely by the army, might be growing illegal crops (like poisons, drugs and even perfumes, if the law considers them decadent) to earn a few more coins. And make something specific to each village, such as a temple to the god of purity constructed by a prophet who had ordered that no one enter it, so that its purity would not be spoiled (he actually wanted to show that purity is a consequence of constant intervention, and the temple waits for someone to go in and clean it of the filth built up over millenia); or a lens hung over a doorway-light thingy, that supposedly burns the shadow of any compulsive liar crossing through at noon. Or, in a natural environment, some unique plant or feature, like a creeping vine that can pierce the fruits of various trees, causing them to spawn snakes that instinctively protect the vine and the tree (or hero) to which it has bonded.

Supply culture... In a high-magic setting like yours seems to be, that's very easy to accomplish, as you have a lot to work with. There are billions of ways to regard magic, and designing a unique ideology related to it wouldn't be that hard. Once you have a mainstream ideology set up for each kingdom, the player can actually follow a set of goals other than fetch, hunt & kill. Just remember to design a playing style that actually fits that ideology... The dumbest thing about The Frozen Throne happened at the start of the orc campaign, when the beastmaster complained about how the other races fought among themselves for no reason, then charged towards Durotar while killing every single thing that stood in his way. Keep things consistent and always check whether the things the NPCs propose, or the ideas the players might get from listening to these NPCs, are always avaliable to them.

That's all I could think of for now. It's actually quite entertaining for me to design campaign worlds, so if you need help with that (which I doubt, as you said the whole thing is already on the drawing board) or any other ideas, let me know.

Ok, first of all:

Actually, I've developed exactly that, multiple monarchies (a growing number, depending on the recources, but so far...7) All with different cultures, that are symbolically based off of present, or past, real cultures. From dictators to imperials, each has it's own respected religion (including an asian/ ancestor/ god culture), ranging as varied as the terrain they are based off of. The leaders, technology, and units will all represent that culture accurately, with some kingdoms being major ruling powers, others minor cities on the outskirts.
Each "government" will be basically a given: Barbarians will have barbaric laws, maybe even blood-oaths, duels, etc. Other, more cultural kingdoms (e.g. the Imperialites resemble a Byzantium empire, even excelling at intrigue, spying, assassination, etc..)
Where you stand in all this is up to you. Obviously, if you were an assassin, you would ask for work from leaders, senates, government officials. If you were a warrior, go to the barracks, commander, mercenary band, bandit pack.... All hopefully in the game.

Although not all of it has been done, as its a very large undertaking, I hope to have over 300 items by the end of the game (if not more... ://// ).
Reason being, if anyone has played Diablo 2, one of the main catches in that game was the item system, providing entertainment in and of itself. The joy of the hunt, of finding that unique item! By developing a similar system in this, I hope to add to the many facets of the game.
As for the "kingdom specific" items, they are also being "implemented". For instance, the "Goth" race is a highly war-like kingdom, a dictatorship, that has taken metal forging to the extremes. All of their soldiers resemble walking armories, perfecting armor, but slower than mollases. They have also developed many types of blades, making many different options to go, just from that country alone.
Add the religious aspect to it all, the different gods, and you've opened up a whole new way to go with the items! Not only could you have legendary weapons, like Thor's hammer, but also from more vague origins... Achille's godly armor? I could even make up my own, offering unlimited recources.

Heh, now you are offering quests, environments, etc... All very good, I might say, but nonetheless, irrevelant. If I ever get this project running, I will definitly see if you are present...

I will, as not all of it is on the drawing board. I just want people to know that the over-all idea is fleshed out, meaning that I won't be sitting in "What should our hero look like?" forums. Abilities, units, items, heroes, and npc's can actually endless, especially since we can continually add to the world via additional maps (to a certain extent of course).
I have been poring over Mythology books, history books, fantasy novels, appendices, etc, and I can't help but wonder if I can't meld it all together.

Let me know if you need any additional info... PM me! I'll consider you an "outside recource" ok? Anyone else, please direct all questions about the campaign, story, or gods to this forum. Direct all questions regarding "enlistment" to me via PM! I only want this forum to decribe various objects to the game itself, answering anything I didn't cover already. Thx!

I'll help you harlequin! I'll model and skin muscles and faces and terrain for you.

we could use this http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/index.shtml for some ideas or inspiration

Honestly, I've done a good amount of triggering, and am a programming student in california, so I grasp it fairly well. I do not, however, have an IMMENSE amount of experience, since I haven't worked with a team before (Basically the only way to finish a campaign). I have done about the first two maps in my own campaign, but am in need of help there, so I thought until I get that help (IF I get that help) I'll see if I can get experience by helping others with their stuff. If you want my fairly decent Triggering skills, I'll Help. I've also done a good deal with custom abilities, (Including ones that are heavily dependent on triggers) as well as, of course, the Terraining of both of my maps that I've finished (And the terrain on a few others, though they were pretty simple).

Well, all I can guarantee is that if you are interested, professional talent is a must. I hate to be so fickle on this, but I simply need it done well, and right. Immelman, I'll check out that site, but other than that, PM me for a position and I'll send you an outline on the story, along with an e-mail address to send your best work.

Zechnophobe, if you are good at triggering, then you will probably be needed. Truth is, though, that this map may never leave the ground, as most campaigns don't... Also, the triggering will come last with the units, heroes, and everything else.
First comes story, gameplay, and terrain, mapping out the game world. I can help with mapping, although I will need some help.

*On future work* Should you be applying for any of the more creative jobs (modeller, skinner, terrainist) send your idea of your best work, and be creative. This will cover a lot of different areas, so we might end up taking differnt people for different things, even going free-lancer should we need random people.
Immelman, I know you can model, so send me your best model for reference... I also know you use an exceedingly large amount of polys! The main characters for which we do not have a model might be larger than other models, but otherwise, they have to remain small.

Please PM me people! I have already thrown together a small story snippet, involving the sublying plot, although very little of the game is revealed. It does give a feel for the landscape of the campaign, though, so feel free to just ask for that.

My Godemote_sweat
This project sounds huge. I sure wish I could help you with this, it really sounds brilliant but unfortunatly I doubt any of my skills will be good enough for that. I can just wish you good luck.

The idea certainly sounds extremely good. But because I already work on a project I can't help you. Though perhaps I can give some ideas. So, if you need help with the story or just some wild ideas, give me a PM :D

Anyway, good luck.

Once I get it into a forum or at least somewhere "not" in this exact forum, all ideas will be appreciated. Alos, you would then be able to follow the development of it, perhaps even have a hand in creating the many items... (personalized items hidden throughout the game could happen...)

I'm looking into it soon, so I can get it situated. Hopefully this idea can get realized, and make a truly great game.

how are we gonna save our kingdoms and stuff

Heh, what do you mean...? About saving Kingdoms? Thing is, it will be a campaign, technically, so we can use the multiple maps within one structured format. The maps, istead of being chapter one, 2 or 3, it will read the name of the country, as it currently is (I might have it change to real-world effects.... a country destroyed, it might be ruined when you visit it in the future, making consequences.....more work.. heh).

Again, feel free to ask anything people. Not only is it nice to let people know everything going on, but it's nice to cover things I forgot in the first post.... ;)

ahh... this is not working. im leaving. sorrys

Well, I don't think this is gunna get anywhere.

In a game such as this, you can't have someone who does not know the difference between object editor and triggerer.:nono:

Making units/upgrades is easy, an idiot could do it. Same goes for most of the triggers, but a few really good triggerers is useful, coz somebits can be tricky.

Spells are quite easy, but you need ideas.

This does sound like a lot of work, but mainly bucket loads of triggers, so just make the units/heros/spells/terrain/items and then put everyone onto triggers, coz it will take ages.