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Newcomers DBPro Corner / Before I buy, what does it take?

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Meliora
17
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Joined: 15th Oct 2006
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Posted: 15th Oct 2006 23:31
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Hi all,

First a warning: I'm a complete newb, but very interesting in these tools. Apologize for any repeating and/or silly questions.

I have enjoyed making gaming/server worlds with NWN (Neverwinter Night) for a good deal of years, but have longed for something that would allow me a bit more freedom, in choice of rules and content. This site, of course got my attention.

I hope some of you have tried NWN and can answer me the following:

1) What programs/tools do I need from this site, to be able to get close to something as usable as NWN? Is it at all possible?

2) The best thing about NWN was the models and graphic, since my talent lacks completely on those areas. What will it take for me (again, what kind of programs) to be able to create decent areas (both outside and inside) with DB and Gamemaker and have a nice selection of antagonist and NPCs for the players?

3) Is it possible to have a character creation program in the start of a game, where the players can choose the look and apperance? If, how advance can it be, E.G. Face, size, colors, clothes etc. (remember my low skill level )? And if again, what programs/tools would I need?

4) What will it take to run a dedicated server for a game made with these tools (just want to be able to host 25-50 players)? And as always what tools are needed?

5) Can the players fly and again if, what tools are needed?

I know a lot of questions. I would really appreciate anyone taking their time to answer this newb (very interested newb).

Respectfully

Meliora
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Gil Galvanti
19
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Joined: 22nd Dec 2004
Location: Texas, United States
Posted: 16th Oct 2006 01:32
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Hmm...well I've never played or worked with "Neverwinter Nights", but I'll try to help you out as best I can . First of all, I don't think you really understand how programming works (no offense) from your questions #3 and #5, because if you did, you'd know things like those don't depend on the applications ability, but rather, the programmers . It's really all to complicated and long to explain all of how everything works here, but I try to do it in my "Guide for Gamemaking", see if it helps, and if not, just ask again and I'll try to explain some more .

Pirates of Port Royale
Live the life of a pirate.
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Meliora
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Posted: 16th Oct 2006 01:41
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You are right. I am very new .

Let me try to ask it differently.

3)The characters incl. in one of the packs such as FPS (and the add-on packs), are they divided into parts, such as head, arms and body and thereby possible to exchange between each of the modules without too much skills?

5)Is there a Z-Axis incl. in the game maker tools, so it would be possible to move a character up and down without limits?

Perhaps this won't change the answer, but what I'm looking forward is an easy and nice tool especially when it come to the use of animation and graphic. I should be able to figure out the code
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Gil Galvanti
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Posted: 16th Oct 2006 03:50
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3) I'm not sure, sorry.
5) There is an x, y, and z axis, x is side to side, z is forward and back and y is up and down .

Pirates of Port Royale
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jinzai
18
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Joined: 19th Aug 2006
Location: USA
Posted: 16th Oct 2006 13:57
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Your #3 depends on the model types you are using, and also to a great extent, the animation system you are using. It is possible, but very difficult. I'd actually save that one for last, if I were you. In fact, the editor front end will likely determine the model type and animation type. I think you will end up with something alot like Quake III md3 format, which uses multiple mesh files, and bone frame animation, and supports multiple skinning options, as well. The models in DarkMatter are nice, but not suitable for your application as you have described it, imo.

There is a sharp divide between tools and code that you might be overlooking when you ask a question about something like flying, or swimming. 3D rendering takes a model and places it in a world, and then creates a viewport of that. The model moves in its space in three dimensions. This is what concerns you in a model editor when you are making animations, for example. The model's space in the world is another matter altogether, however. Flying is made easier because it is not a function of the model, it is a function of the model's position in the world's coordinates...you have control over that beyond what the model has to offer, or limit.

The answer to your question about animation and graphics is very convoluted....this is not a simple process at all. I use 3D CanvasPro, but...I have not created a character model and animated it yet. It is best to ask those kinds of questions in another forum, I think.
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Meliora
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Posted: 16th Oct 2006 16:55
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Thanks for your answer. I do believethat the game maker and Dark Basic perhaps are a bit harder to use, than I have knowledge and more important time to learn (would use the tools to create a visual world for friends).

But have still not decided. I think the FPS creator will be the place for me to start.

Thanks for taking your time to answer.
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Death Swarm
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Posted: 16th Oct 2006 18:30
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I think you should start with the fps creator and script it for a while. Then you should move up to Dark Basic Pro or if TGC will release 'The RPG Creator'

I know what your thinking
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Cliff Mellangard 3DEGS
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Posted: 16th Oct 2006 18:57
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i do recomend dark basic pro.
as the only limit is you there actually.
but you will then have to be ready to make simple games like snake,asteroids and pacman the first year.
to get the simple gripps of programming.
cheers
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Meliora
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Posted: 16th Oct 2006 22:28
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Death Swarm-

Quote: "“I think you should start with the fps creator and script it for a while. Then you should move up to Dark Basic Pro or if TGC will release 'The RPG Creator'”"


Now that would secure my pre-order and five years subscription .

Has there been talk about that? If, I would be hoping of something like the power of NWN 2’s area creation, but with NWN 1's user friendly setup when it come to NPC, event and item creation, and to make it perfect, with the possibilities of Realm Crafter’s tool when it comes to being able to change UI, rules, mountables and the executable file and server. Those three combined would sure make me and the community I’m part of, extremely happy . Sign me up for Beta on that *grinning*.
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2D Analyst
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Posted: 19th Oct 2006 04:21
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Ebay is cheaper..

www.simpoware.com
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Mr X
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Posted: 19th Oct 2006 10:54 Edited at: 19th Oct 2006 10:55
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Welcome Meliora. First of all I must say that NWN is a bit different from the tools here. As an example, in DBPro, which I use, you have to create the entire environment from scratch. There is no gravity, physics, characters, AI, multiplayer or anything else if you don't create them yourself. If you just create an DBPro program without any coding, all you'll get is a black screen for second or so, then the program has ended. But I recomend DBPro, it's very nice. But in it you have to create everything yourself. And since no one has answered your 2 first questions:

1)

DarkBASIC Pro would be enough. You could even create NWN with it, if you had the patience and the skill.

2)

With DB you have to import modells. Alternatly you can create modells in the code, but this is hard, or use the primitives as characters (boxes, shperes etc). And the "areas" you can do in several ways. Remember you don't edit them like in NWN, you must create them in one way or another. You can use a matrix, terrains, BSP maps and so on. It's even possible to create an own system, if you like. I don't know about FPS Creator or 3d Gamemaker, since I've never used them. But if you want to create FPS games without having to deal with coding, then FPS Creator might suit you.

Goodluck with your gamemaking. I hope you find what you looked for.
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Meliora
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Posted: 19th Oct 2006 21:54
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Thanks Mr. X,

Really appreciate your answer. I do believe that DB (and DBPro) is a tool that is very powerful. But with that probably too much (especially when it comes to time and my skills ), for what I would need it for. I'm more of a hobbyist game creator, only to share with close friends and family. I did want to move up a step or two from Neverwinter (became to limited to what I really wanted to create), but DB is a whole staircase away.

I did use the FPS creator demo and that is for my level of skill. I will be playing around with the Demo for the next month and already pretty convinced that I will have to buy it.

As said in my last post, I would be very interested in a RPG creator (like FPS Creator), but I'm also aware that it is not just something a dev team can put together on the fly plus I don't know if there would be any profit to make such. But will certainly follow the GameCreator closely .

Again thanks for your answers.

Respect

Meliora
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