I truly don't know an easy way to do this but i do know this is not enough for me.
The way i like it to happen is give us say an Unreal Engine and tools and allows us to import our own content into our own shards.Then you have a loading and unloading system so that files are not too large.You obviously cannot store a million shards of ideas on each players HD,that is why i said load/unload data.
Sure it might take 5 maybe even 10 minutes to download the data before you can enter a shard but it just gives each shard a better looking game.You can still have shared assets if people don't want to make an entire zone from scratch as well.
To me this way you always have to use low end graphics and that just does not excite me.Also being a budget game there is only so many assets,so it will be exactly like NWO and the way quests were done.After a week or so you begin to see the same stuff over and over just shifted around a bit differently and it gets real boring real fast.My point is you NEED NEW player made assets or it is just NWO questing all over again but instead of some small tavern you get shifted around full maps.
I would still be willing to try this game out,perhaps they somehow can manage to pull this off,until then i would be very skeptical of this attempted game design.
Custom assets and custom asset download to the client are planned down the road by CS and are a part of the overall concept. It will happen, but is planned for later. In the moment the focus of development is on the server (=foundation of the house).
Its not the Unreal Engine but Unity on the client side and a homebrewn software on the server side which gives them more freedom for certain optimizations. The graphics are definitely not low end, though also not triple A. I believe there still is much more room for optimization, e.g. on the lighting / shader side. But comparing it with UO is entirely inaedequate.
I believe this game is much underestimated by the crowd and as someone who is actively developing a shard I think I can judge this from a first hand perspective. I have been waiting about five to ten years to actually do my own project with a game, because I felt it just wasn't there. NWN didn't do it for me neither NWN 2 - despite the stunning graphics. Shards Online is different.
Of course neither I nor anyone else can really judge in the moment where this all will lead to, but for me it is the first time since years I feel it is really worth to put my money, time and energy into it and try to realize my project.
It is important to understand the mindset behind Shards Online which really is about empowering the community and this will be the determining factor on the long run.
I really cannot see this concept ever breaking into the "mainstream". The vast majority of gamers want to consume content, not create it. And they set their standards by what's available in AAA games, so they'll not accept just anything, even if it's "free".
Originally posted by SpottyGekko I really cannot see this concept ever breaking into the "mainstream". The vast majority of gamers want to consume content, not create it. And they set their standards by what's available in AAA games, so they'll not accept just anything, even if it's "free".
I do not think it is the intention of CS to compare and compete with Skyrim, WoW, The Witcher III and the like.
The go for the niche market of people who do not want to continue to just consume the themeparks presented by powerful companies. It rather is for people who like to create a community of people who actively participate in a shared process of gaming, storytelling and fantasizing.
This is indeed a revolution, maybe a little one and surely not one that will generate gazillions of $$ out of a product for mass consumption.
But I believe it will be enough for SO to have its place and allow the CS people to pay their bills and feed their kids.
Originally posted by SpottyGekko I really cannot see this concept ever breaking into the "mainstream". The vast majority of gamers want to consume content, not create it. And they set their standards by what's available in AAA games, so they'll not accept just anything, even if it's "free".
This game is for those who are or were part of Neverwinter Nights Persistent world communities. Its not for the mainstream and never was.
Any mmo worth its salt should be like a good prostitute when it comes to its game world- One hell of a faker, and a damn good shaker!
I'm a Pre-Alpha Admin backer of Shards Online. I'm not really into the extensive modding and story telling, I'm wanting for Alpha 3 when I will be able to add MY OWN buildings, armour, weapons, monsters and just about any custom item you can think of (Brings back memories of the days of Biowares Neverwinter Nights CEP (Community Expansion Pack) ) Citadel will also be giving player admins all the models and code to create their own items and custom assets for the game (Alpha 3 on the Development Roadmap). I already have many new craftable items in the works to expand the crafting abilities in the game, also working on my dream castle
This is the thing about Shards Online (SO) if you don't like something you change it, if you want something you make it! and the devs of SO have stated 100% commitment to this. This will be EPIC.
Originally posted by SpottyGekko I really cannot see this concept ever breaking into the "mainstream". The vast majority of gamers want to consume content, not create it. And they set their standards by what's available in AAA games, so they'll not accept just anything, even if it's "free".
Well, if its consuming content they want, they will have a few hundred people making them content to consume using the same tools the developers use The AAA games would never allow anything not in THEIR vision in THEIR game.. They also would not cater to the people giving them money because they are AAA and spending millions on the hope they get it right, most could care less what those backers are paying for or even think (ie: Try getting support from EA or Perfect World). Shards Online is making it so someone WILL get it right for whatever play style someone wishes with player run servers.
Originally posted by Raven322 Sounds something like an old school MUD where players can eventually add their own content to the existing world.
I was getting the MUD vibe too. It won't be exact though. In a MUD, it was very easy to add content because you didn't need models animations or textures just words and some coding skills now and then. (Though people seem more talented now then back then so ya.) It's neat idea that I want to see work out.
I'm in testing. Game plays very well. Very much get the classic UO vibe every time I log in. Impressed with how much such a small dev team can get done in a short amount of time. Very much enjoy Shards and can't wait until the game is ready for prime time.
Comments
Custom assets and custom asset download to the client are planned down the road by CS and are a part of the overall concept. It will happen, but is planned for later. In the moment the focus of development is on the server (=foundation of the house).
Its not the Unreal Engine but Unity on the client side and a homebrewn software on the server side which gives them more freedom for certain optimizations. The graphics are definitely not low end, though also not triple A. I believe there still is much more room for optimization, e.g. on the lighting / shader side. But comparing it with UO is entirely inaedequate.
I believe this game is much underestimated by the crowd and as someone who is actively developing a shard I think I can judge this from a first hand perspective. I have been waiting about five to ten years to actually do my own project with a game, because I felt it just wasn't there. NWN didn't do it for me neither NWN 2 - despite the stunning graphics. Shards Online is different.
Of course neither I nor anyone else can really judge in the moment where this all will lead to, but for me it is the first time since years I feel it is really worth to put my money, time and energy into it and try to realize my project.
It is important to understand the mindset behind Shards Online which really is about empowering the community and this will be the determining factor on the long run.
Just my $0.02 ...
Cheers
~Y.
http://www.arcanima.org
It was only a server/mod author that actually said it. Title is just click bait created out of that one quote.
I do not think it is the intention of CS to compare and compete with Skyrim, WoW, The Witcher III and the like.
The go for the niche market of people who do not want to continue to just consume the themeparks presented by powerful companies. It rather is for people who like to create a community of people who actively participate in a shared process of gaming, storytelling and fantasizing.
This is indeed a revolution, maybe a little one and surely not one that will generate gazillions of $$ out of a product for mass consumption.
But I believe it will be enough for SO to have its place and allow the CS people to pay their bills and feed their kids.
Cheers
~Y.
http://www.arcanima.org
This game is for those who are or were part of Neverwinter Nights Persistent world communities. Its not for the mainstream and never was.
Any mmo worth its salt should be like a good prostitute when it comes to its game world- One hell of a faker, and a damn good shaker!
I'm a Pre-Alpha Admin backer of Shards Online. I'm not really into the extensive modding and story telling, I'm wanting for Alpha 3 when I will be able to add MY OWN buildings, armour, weapons, monsters and just about any custom item you can think of (Brings back memories of the days of Biowares Neverwinter Nights CEP (Community Expansion Pack) ) Citadel will also be giving player admins all the models and code to create their own items and custom assets for the game (Alpha 3 on the Development Roadmap). I already have many new craftable items in the works to expand the crafting abilities in the game, also working on my dream castle
This is the thing about Shards Online (SO) if you don't like something you change it, if you want something you make it! and the devs of SO have stated 100% commitment to this. This will be EPIC.
Well, if its consuming content they want, they will have a few hundred people making them content to consume using the same tools the developers use
The AAA games would never allow anything not in THEIR vision in THEIR game.. They also would not cater to the people giving them money because they are AAA and spending millions on the hope they get it right, most could care less what those backers are paying for or even think (ie: Try getting support from EA or Perfect World). Shards Online is making it so someone WILL get it right for whatever play style someone wishes with player run servers.
I was getting the MUD vibe too. It won't be exact though. In a MUD, it was very easy to add content because you didn't need models animations or textures just words and some coding skills now and then. (Though people seem more talented now then back then so ya.) It's neat idea that I want to see work out.