SMOG32 Detailed Design This document is a work in progress, and was last edited on 15 January 2009 @ 11:49
This project will be a large undertaking, but as long as it’s broken down into smaller components, it should be achievable.
Player Models Options are to either contract a modeller in, or try and 'source' some models that have many poseable positions. (Unlikely to be able to use models with free moving ‘bones’). First thoughts are to use some stock models that are available as placeholders, preferably with 'Stand’,’ Run', and maybe an action like 'Fight'.
Player Interface Do not alienate client machines with low specifications. As this will be a freeware engine, I expect the audience will be people with low-to-mid-range machines. The engine will be designed to accommodate this, with mid-level polygon counts. Also try to allow 'windowed' gaming, a lot of graphical games take over your desktop, but with an online RPG you want to be able to use your pc normally at the same time. (This may not be achievable, depending on the engine used)
Terrain/World/Objects The terrain will be dynamically created, via heightmap images, and standard textures. This terrain will be pre-generated by the game owner, and will be unique to that server (if desired). Sample worlds will be provided as well. Builders can then tailor areas of it (controlled by X,Y gridding) by overriding textures and adding objects such as dwellings or landscaping features. As with MUD32 there will a full set of feature rich gui tools to help out the builders and game admins.
Player Added Content All players will have the ability to upload textures (and in some cases, models) to the server. These uploads will then be approved or rejected by the game admins. If a texture for, say, a new type of clothing is uploaded by a user, and is approved then this texture could then be seen in the shops as an item to buy etc. With model uploads, this will be highly restrictive, but will allow players to create unique content for the world, hopefully adding variety, and giving the players a sense of inclusion. For example, you visit a small town in the game on regular basis, and you suddenly think that a monolith would look good in the town square. You whip out a modelling tool and knock up a 10 foot monolith complete with a detailed texture, upload it to the server, saying where you want it. If it gets approved, then it will be distributed to all players and will automatically be rendered in the town square when they play. Of course there are copyright issues with this, so a disclaimer will need to be used prior to uploading.
NPCs/InGame Characters There's nothing worse than all NPCs in a game looking the same. Aim to use a modular skinning approach to achieve a sense of randomness in the appearance of NPCs. As with MUD32, NPCs will have a stats 'sheet' specifying various attributes.
Related Pages: MUD32, SMOG32 Overview
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