I've just been thinking about the mass amount of speculation after the last few years regarding the possibility of another Tex game. Aaron has spoken many times and remains optimistic that we'll get a game. At the same time though, he endeavours to get a full fledged project. As much as i'd love an FMV based Tex adventure, would we be willing to settle for an indie (that is an underground, non-mainstream title) installment of Tex Murphy by building the game as a graphic advenutre with Adventure Game Studio, making it a point and click affair like the Broken Sword games or even the early early TM games like Mean Streets?
If Chris and Aaron with a few of us worked on that collectively in our spare time, we could have a full length adventure game in the pipeline. While not to the proportions of a traditional Tex game, it would still fulfill the promise that Aaron made when he said the next game would be simple, elegant and about humour and detective work.
If Chris and Aaron with a few of us worked on that collectively in our spare time, we could have a full length adventure game in the pipeline. While not to the proportions of a traditional Tex game, it would still fulfill the promise that Aaron made when he said the next game would be simple, elegant and about humour and detective work.
Why not? I've been wanting to try this for a while, but I have no graphics skills. 
Well as long as we have wiling participants and Aaron's thumbs up, why not? Much like yourself though, Mr_Cyberpunk, i'm way to busy for an ongoing project at the moment as i'm chipping away at my Law degree this semester. Holidays are in October, so from then i'm available.
I'm hopeless with drawing. But I can familiarise myself with AGS as I have begun to do. I'd love to do some voice acting and story/script development.
I'm sure we have plenty of people here who can draw.
As for where to begin, since we'd be developing a point n click title, the first good place to look at are our favourite PNC adventure games that we consider timeless. What made them so captivating?
But before ANY of that takes place, the best place to start would obviously be with a story/script. That's something i'd love to be heavily involved in since i'm deficient in drawing and code scripting. Ideally, i'd like to Collaborate with someone like Dragon, JTOG, James or Matt who have shown talent and interest in story writing. Plus, anyone else who would love to give it a shot.
If we take it progressively and take things one by one, it's possible. We don't need to set deadlines. This can be like our Fountain of Youth project (FOY being an Indiana Jones fan game which I have written about in another thread. see http://www.barnettcollege.com/index2.htm It's pretty spectacular).
I'm hopeless with drawing. But I can familiarise myself with AGS as I have begun to do. I'd love to do some voice acting and story/script development.
I'm sure we have plenty of people here who can draw.
As for where to begin, since we'd be developing a point n click title, the first good place to look at are our favourite PNC adventure games that we consider timeless. What made them so captivating?
But before ANY of that takes place, the best place to start would obviously be with a story/script. That's something i'd love to be heavily involved in since i'm deficient in drawing and code scripting. Ideally, i'd like to Collaborate with someone like Dragon, JTOG, James or Matt who have shown talent and interest in story writing. Plus, anyone else who would love to give it a shot.
If we take it progressively and take things one by one, it's possible. We don't need to set deadlines. This can be like our Fountain of Youth project (FOY being an Indiana Jones fan game which I have written about in another thread. see http://www.barnettcollege.com/index2.htm It's pretty spectacular).
First of, the game has to be Trance. We've already got most of the voice acting done for the first part, I'm sure if we impressed AC and CJ they might help us voice the rest.
If possible it'd be nice to use a 3D enigne, as much as I'd like to do that I'm lacking the 3D skills (except Texturing UVs) and the engine. I could write up design documents for the game.. but this wouldn't happen anytime soon on account Neuromancer, NV and my other projects (as well as employment) come first.
I will however be prepared to whip a Neuromancer (as in the game I'm making) Tex Murphy sprite just to show you what it'd look like using ARPAS. We'll see what happens. Thats assuming we take the 2D path. Meanwhile the sprite could probably be used in AGS assuming it takes 24-bit PNGs. (Be aware that AGS is not High Def.. ARPAS is..)
AGS sucks because I can make something better and in the process of doing so.
If possible it'd be nice to use a 3D enigne, as much as I'd like to do that I'm lacking the 3D skills (except Texturing UVs) and the engine. I could write up design documents for the game.. but this wouldn't happen anytime soon on account Neuromancer, NV and my other projects (as well as employment) come first.
I will however be prepared to whip a Neuromancer (as in the game I'm making) Tex Murphy sprite just to show you what it'd look like using ARPAS. We'll see what happens. Thats assuming we take the 2D path. Meanwhile the sprite could probably be used in AGS assuming it takes 24-bit PNGs. (Be aware that AGS is not High Def.. ARPAS is..)
AGS sucks because I can make something better and in the process of doing so.
I had to create my own 3D Engine for my Library program. It allows full 3D, first-person navigation and interaction with the surrounding 3D world.
It's not a game engine, per say, because it was designed to be embedded in a specific program. So it wasn't written as a general purpose environment. However, all of the features are there. Look in any direction, move in any direction, interact with objects. What more do you need? It is written in Java3D.
That being said, I still maintain that the best thing to do is to write an interactive fiction text adventure. It would be like reading a Tex Murphy novel except that you are the main character and the story progresses according to your actions. Meanwhile, in your mind's eye, everything is exactly as you picture it should be. You won't be distracted by poor graphics or characters that don't look or sound like you think they should because your mind 'sees' them the way it thinks they should be.
This could be done in a fraction of the time and effort that it would take to make a graphic game. It will have all the style, atmosphere, scope and story that we expect in a TM game. Most of the effort would go where it belongs: the story. People with no programming, drawing or CGI skills can make the most important contributions.
I can do 3D graphics and I can create 3D worlds, but I'm telling you, text is the way to go.
It's not a game engine, per say, because it was designed to be embedded in a specific program. So it wasn't written as a general purpose environment. However, all of the features are there. Look in any direction, move in any direction, interact with objects. What more do you need? It is written in Java3D.
That being said, I still maintain that the best thing to do is to write an interactive fiction text adventure. It would be like reading a Tex Murphy novel except that you are the main character and the story progresses according to your actions. Meanwhile, in your mind's eye, everything is exactly as you picture it should be. You won't be distracted by poor graphics or characters that don't look or sound like you think they should because your mind 'sees' them the way it thinks they should be.
This could be done in a fraction of the time and effort that it would take to make a graphic game. It will have all the style, atmosphere, scope and story that we expect in a TM game. Most of the effort would go where it belongs: the story. People with no programming, drawing or CGI skills can make the most important contributions.
I can do 3D graphics and I can create 3D worlds, but I'm telling you, text is the way to go.
You can make a text adventure if you'd like, but I've never been a fan of them. I'd like a 2D point-and-click game much more if we'd have to cut corners. An old school '90s era point-and-click game isn't that huge a deal to pull off. I'm not saying it's easy, if you want a high quality game, but compared to 3D, it's a piece of cake.
I see the main problem as being the diversity of what people see as a viable or interesting project. Everybody has a different opinion of what this should be. Well, that doesn't work. One person should step up as project leader with a clear plan and something to show for it. If no one does that, all this will ever be is an idea that someone had. The best thing that we can hope for now is a one-man project that has something concrete to show for it with more people getting involved in it because of it looking promising.
Definition of scope is the most important factor in any project's success. We're already talking from a simple text adventure to full-fledged 3D. So what is it? At this rate, I'll be done with a game before anything comes out of this discussion.
I see the main problem as being the diversity of what people see as a viable or interesting project. Everybody has a different opinion of what this should be. Well, that doesn't work. One person should step up as project leader with a clear plan and something to show for it. If no one does that, all this will ever be is an idea that someone had. The best thing that we can hope for now is a one-man project that has something concrete to show for it with more people getting involved in it because of it looking promising.
Definition of scope is the most important factor in any project's success. We're already talking from a simple text adventure to full-fledged 3D. So what is it? At this rate, I'll be done with a game before anything comes out of this discussion.
3D sounds really good. The only reason I didn't suggest it is basically because of the limited time and resources that will go toward the project. I propose the point and click interface because i'd say if we got to work on the game within the next 6 months, we could have the project completed by December 2009. I know what you're thinking "that's such a long time away." Keep in mind that we're talking about a full length Tex game though. Whereas, with 3D, I anticipate it would take years.
Well, since we have some volunteers I suppose we could begin to get some ideas down. I agree with Cyberpunk in that we should work with Trance and continue from where Overseer left off.
So far we have:
Joel (me) + other volunteers : Script/plot development.
Cyberpunk: visuals
Thaurin: AGS scripting (or some other engine that we can agree on)
As for a Text based adventure, interesting though the idea is, I must say I agree with Thaurin. I'd much prefer a low budget graphic adventure reminiscent of an old style adventure game than something which can be put together in say 6 months. There's no time limit on this and it is a team project. No profits to be made, no pressure from gaming studios, I say lets make one that will truly count.
As for voice acting, if we can get Aaron and Chris on board- great!
I'm not sure how likely it is but if someone can pull a few strings, yeah, let's give it a shot.
I might get to work on a script over the next week and see where it goes. All we need are a few more members and possibly the thumbs up of Chris or Aaron...this might just work
Well, since we have some volunteers I suppose we could begin to get some ideas down. I agree with Cyberpunk in that we should work with Trance and continue from where Overseer left off.
So far we have:
Joel (me) + other volunteers : Script/plot development.
Cyberpunk: visuals
Thaurin: AGS scripting (or some other engine that we can agree on)
As for a Text based adventure, interesting though the idea is, I must say I agree with Thaurin. I'd much prefer a low budget graphic adventure reminiscent of an old style adventure game than something which can be put together in say 6 months. There's no time limit on this and it is a team project. No profits to be made, no pressure from gaming studios, I say lets make one that will truly count.
As for voice acting, if we can get Aaron and Chris on board- great!
I'm not sure how likely it is but if someone can pull a few strings, yeah, let's give it a shot. I might get to work on a script over the next week and see where it goes. All we need are a few more members and possibly the thumbs up of Chris or Aaron...this might just work
If you need more people willing and able to contribute, just look at the thread I linked in my first post. I was surprised to see so many skilled people myself.
But what is Trance? I don't know what is meant by this. Is it related to Overseer, because I never finished that one.
But what is Trance? I don't know what is meant by this. Is it related to Overseer, because I never finished that one.
Hey ho everyone. All of this conversation sounds really good. But my question is, hasn't a fan based Tex game already been started? What ever happened to Oracle? Or has that been canceled and I haven't been informed? At any rate, later.
"If at first you don't succeed,
redefine sucess."
- Sowden
www.nineteenthstar.cjb.net
www.sowden.cjb.net
redefine sucess."
- Sowden
www.nineteenthstar.cjb.net
www.sowden.cjb.net
Over the years, numerous efforts have sprung up, then disappeared just as quickly. I'm not saying this to sound discouraging, but it takes a LOT of time and effort to coordinate and execute a project of any kind between multiple people--all the more reason why our friends in Salt Lake City are so remarkable! I, personally, can't contribute due to time constraints (I've got the new site to finish, for one!! 
), but I'd love to see a fan-made game come about someday.
), but I'd love to see a fan-made game come about someday.