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FPSC Classic Product Chat / Dev Team Question: Priorities...DBPro or FPSC?

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SkyCubes
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Location: Vancouver, Washington
Posted: 10th Feb 2005 00:18 Edited at: 10th Feb 2005 00:19
In reading through the sticky "XP" thread, I came across something that got me thinking. Assuming Mike and Lee are normal human beings and not some kind of superheroes, it's safe to say they can only work on one significant project at a time with full devotion. So the question I have is this: What is going to happen to FPSC after the EA release? Specifically, is there going to be continued focus on its development and more importantly support? Or, is the dev team's focus going to shift to DBPro and FPSC will be in jeopardy of falling into that same black abyss called "lack of support" that T3DGM fell into?

Look, I'm not complaining here or trying to drum up controversy where there is none, but I think it's a serious question that warrants a response. There's only so much 2 people can do...only so many 12-14 hour days a team can consistently work.

"Beware of people who try and belittle your ambitions. Small people do that. The really great people are the ones who make you feel that you too can become great" --Mark Twain
Noldor
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 00:28 Edited at: 10th Feb 2005 00:28
They made it sound like they would take it "far" beyond
V1 atleast.. But we can only hope for that
super hero support that you are talking about.
(sounds nice thou)
SkyCubes
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 00:34
Quote: " They made it sound like they would take it "far" beyond
V1 atleast"


I know they have, and that's what I (personally) am hoping for. But like I said, it's a small dev team and there is only so much they can do at one time. And, I'm not naive either. I understand that if for some reason FPSC doesn't take-off, they aren't going to continue pouring time and money into a sinking ship either.

I just get the impression that there are going to be two significant crowds of people pulling on them for support/enhancement/development...exclusive FPSC users and exclusive DBPro users. I think the issue is inevitable and I don't envy the team in that they will have to deal with it.

"Beware of people who try and belittle your ambitions. Small people do that. The really great people are the ones who make you feel that you too can become great" --Mark Twain
Noldor
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 00:36
We just have to hope that our Camp does not become to
small with time.. Hopefully it will grow.
Ali
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 00:42
Well aren't they both using the same 3D engine?

So any updates in one will also mean updates in the other. For the 3D engine and compatibility with new DirectX, hardware, etc.
uman
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 01:11 Edited at: 10th Feb 2005 01:16
I have DB but not DB pro so cant really say much on that one.

I can say however that in my humble opinion if FPSC is moved forward to future versions and it meets with current and some forecast expectations, if hopefully the promotion of the product and unknown buyers potential is good then it will continue to grow in stature and the question wont arise.

We all need to do what we can to ensure the early versions are a success and promote the product. Making good games with it and making sure they are well promoted in various professional and non professional circles is probably a winning way to do this as well as of course promoting FPSC itself.

I mean that as well as the large potential mass market interest user base that may be generated - if promoted in the correct circles then I would suggest there may be a good number of more active peole in the game making community that would like to give it a chance. Certainly in the indie arena - theres not another product currently that can do what FPSC hopefully will allow small developers to do - and thats ship a title of some worth. Theres a lot of dissatisfied indie engine users out there and they are a fair potential market also that needs targeting - That includes all the DB and DB Pro users.

Of course I dont know whether its either posiible or likely in any case but I guess the products may have a benefit one to the other - perhaps they, their content or even the products can be merged to some degree.

Its possible that FPSC may be of more benefit to DB or DB Pro users than the other way around - FPSC will certainly I think be of more benefit to me than any of the other two products.

uman
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 01:19
Heres a link that some might consider might be of benefit to FPSC if TGC can get it listed there. How about it?

http://www.devmaster.net

And dont forget everyone - give FPSC a link if you got a web site.

SkyCubes
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Location: Vancouver, Washington
Posted: 10th Feb 2005 01:28
I'm doing my (little) part. I've had on my board in my room for a few weeks now:

It's Coming!
Feb. 11th
FPSC Creator
$59.00
www.fpscreator.com

I can tell you there is alot of buzz with my students about it. I can't say with certainty how many will be buying it, but I know it will be quite a few.

"Beware of people who try and belittle your ambitions. Small people do that. The really great people are the ones who make you feel that you too can become great" --Mark Twain
uman
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 01:38
Thats they way to do it. Well done fdecker

Van B
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 01:51
It's been said so many times before, but FPSC is being developed in DBPro, so when Lee is encountering all these DBPro bugs and fixing them - the next few patches for DBPro should have all this. I mean, 1 pet peave for a lot of people is DBPro's debugger, many many people have complained - however...

Quote: "
Last night I posted to the forum assuring a few users that I would indeed be fixing the debugger. It struck me to look into it and find out the why. About four hours later not only had I answered the why, I had fixed it. Done.
"


That's from Lee's diaries, no fanfare - just a coder trying to keep thousands of people happy with no time to dance. TGC are at the brink of releasing a product that could put them in a whole different league in terms of revenue - it'll definately make them more money than DBPro, but the reasuring thing is that DBPro and FPSC rely on each other.


Van-B


It's c**p being the only coder in the village.
SkyCubes
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 02:10
Sorry Van, I didn't realize the two were so closely related. I guess that is a good thing for both camps.

"Beware of people who try and belittle your ambitions. Small people do that. The really great people are the ones who make you feel that you too can become great" --Mark Twain
SoulMan
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 02:40 Edited at: 10th Feb 2005 02:41
fdecker,
We can forgive you. You've only been around since Nov 16th 2004.
Just a quick recap on why FPSCreator is not going to be thrown away for Dark Basic Pro.

1.) It's a new product. Dark Basic Pro is an older product. However the two are almost one in the same since FPSCreator uses Dark Basic Pro to render the game. The level editor uses it as well but only to render the level editing window. The rest of the editor is a C++ Application.

2.)Lee is working on this and Mike is working on Dark Basic Pro stuff but they also trade off for certain things like Mike working on the editor and Lee fixing Dark Basic Pro (If it is causing him problems on FPSCreator or if he is adding a new feature which will be in both)

3.)This product represents TGC's continuing effort to make game tools. As with a lot of game tools, they evolve over time. This program will be no different. I think the reason that T3DGM was dropped was due to the fact of a limited engine. When Dark Basic Pro came out, it was much more powerful than DB and it could be extended via DLL's. DB was at the end of it's life when T3DGM came out. DBPro however isn't and I believe both it and FPSCreator will see some wonderful upgrades.

I hope that helps. At least that's my take on the situation.
SoulMan

This is as backwards as is This
SkyCubes
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 02:52 Edited at: 10th Feb 2005 02:55
SoulMan,

That does help. That gives me some background/insight I didn't have before. Thanks.

BTW, I have been around a little longer than that. I bought T3DGM in 2001. I've just never participated in the forums until recently because I really couldn't relate to you DB coders on much and they never did set up a forum for T3DGM, at least as far as I could ever tell.

"Beware of people who try and belittle your ambitions. Small people do that. The really great people are the ones who make you feel that you too can become great" --Mark Twain
David T
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Posted: 10th Feb 2005 03:08
DBPro and DarkSDK have been 'put on hold' as far as publically fixing bugs and releasing patches is concerned until FPSC is done. Once it's out the door, they'll be releasing some new patches for DBPro + dsdk.

Lots of people want FPSC finished so lee + mike and get back to some serious dbpro development (rather than fixing hte odd bug they find). Then again, I spose the FPSC guys will want as much time spent on it as possible

Get 15 new commands, all the date / time commands left out of DBPro for free!
DOWNLOAD PLUGINS HERE: http://www.davidtattersall.me.uk/ and select "DarkBasic"

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