Recruiting For OpenIQ - Quake1 Open Source Project

[QuakeRoot]

I'm recruiting for the Open-IQ project here and at the following locations:

IconicIdea.com
QuakeRoot - Mod DB
http://www.celephais.net/board/view_...5861&start=390

OpenIQ is Open Source Quake1 (single & multi-play) alternative. Here are the main bullet points:

*Full Replacement Content
* Male & Female player models (no pornographic models please)
*The original Hammer
* A new full Single-Player Episode (8 levels)
* 10 new Multi-player levels
* 1 new episode
* An End-Boss for every episode (4 new bosses)
* Play as monster (single & multiplay)

Go to www.IconicIdea.com to register for the project, the site has forums and chat. There are still items being debated, such as the engine that will be used. Feel free to add input, or opinions. No one will be turned away who genuinely wants to be a part of this.

This project will have complete replacement content except for the original Quake levels which have been released to GPL. There can be NO derivative works of the original content. This means you cannot use the previous models, sounds, textures, animation, or AI as a template - we have to create our own. If you add copyrighted or derivative works, it will be deleted. This is an Open Source Project and as such needs to be free of such things.

We want the Hammer created as originally advertised by Id Software. The earliest information releases described "Quake" as a Thor-like character wielding a giant hammer, who knocks away enemies by throwing the hammer -complete with real-time inverse kinematics. This shouldn't be confused with the hammer that was provided in Quake Mission Pack 1: Scourge of Armagon. We want a full blown "Thor-Hammer" that can be thrown - and returns to you. This weapon should be effective but not Godly, it cannot return "clipping" through a walls, if it hits a wall the player must retrieve it.

The original levels will, of course, be used (as they've been released to GPL) - We'd like to have a completely new episode (8 levels) built into Single-Play (Aztec style?) and 10 new levels for Multiplay.

We want 4 (Single-Play) "Bosses" created, one for each episode (except the 1rst which already has a boss) with the difficulty increasing incrementally when facing each Boss.

Options to play as a Monster in single play and multiplay. For instance, the option to play a fiend, that can pick up armor, but no weapons, or an ogre that picks up armor and grenades but nothing else - etc. Or even muliplayer games pitting factions of monsters against the others.

[Syluxguy28O3]

i registered....for no reason. yay.

[QuakeRoot]

Thanks for registering Sylux! I'm still working on the site a bit; it will be looking much better shortly.

[DeadTenor]

Sounds cool, I might be able to contribute to some sound effects.

[Syluxguy28O3]

to be honest the only thing i can do is contribute ideas. i have a few, and will spill them later.

[QuakeRoot]

to be honest the only thing i can do is contribute ideas. i have a few, and will spill them later.

I have a forum dedicated to random ideas, or any crazy thoughts anyone might have at IconicIdea.com

Any ideas are welcome, and please post as many as you've got!! I've worked on the site a bit this morning, it has a lot more content, and in general, looks a lot better.

[MH]

I'm just weighing in with some opinion here, so please feel free to ignore it, ridicule it, despise it, or support it as you see fit.

For most people, the concept of a completely free (and Free) Quake means absolutely nothing. Those who like Quake like it because it's Quake, and anything that makes changes to their perception of what "Quake" is will be met with a torrent of screaming hatred.

You've already listed some things in your goals that are going to provoke this, so be prepared. This will happen.

Back to being free (or Free). Like I said, this is just so unimportant to the majority of any potential audience. Quake itself is so ridiculously cheap to buy, why would one settle for sloppy seconds? The appeal is not in the freedom (or Freedom), it's in the game itself.

So, the majority of any target audience for Quake will, I believe, not even be remotely interested in this project. You are instead aiming for a very specific target audience for whom freedom (or Freedom) is something important, and who - I believe - are actually a very small and very opinionated target audience. And that brings me back to that original point - you will be hated for anything you change.

I'm not saying "don't do it" - if you have the passion for it, then you're already halfway towards meeting your goal; just be absolutely certain of who you're aiming for, why you're aiming for them, what it is you're getting into, and what it is you reasonably expect to get out of this before you commit to it.

[Syluxguy28O3]

I'm just weighing in with some opinion here, so please feel free to ignore it, ridicule it, despise it, or support it as you see fit.

For most people, the concept of a completely free (and Free) Quake means absolutely nothing. Those who like Quake like it because it's Quake, and anything that makes changes to their perception of what "Quake" is will be met with a torrent of screaming hatred.

You've already listed some things in your goals that are going to provoke this, so be prepared. This will happen.

Back to being free (or Free). Like I said, this is just so unimportant to the majority of any potential audience. Quake itself is so ridiculously cheap to buy, why would one settle for sloppy seconds? The appeal is not in the freedom (or Freedom), it's in the game itself.

So, the majority of any target audience for Quake will, I believe, not even be remotely interested in this project. You are instead aiming for a very specific target audience for whom freedom (or Freedom) is something important, and who - I believe - are actually a very small and very opinionated target audience. And that brings me back to that original point - you will be hated for anything you change.

I'm not saying "don't do it" - if you have the passion for it, then you're already halfway towards meeting your goal; just be absolutely certain of who you're aiming for, why you're aiming for them, what it is you're getting into, and what it is you reasonably expect to get out of this before you commit to it.

what you say is true. now the question is:

"is there a very good reason not to make a free open source quake?"
answer: "probably not"

[QuakeRoot]

For most people, the concept of a completely free (and Free) Quake means absolutely nothing. Those who like Quake like it because it's Quake, and anything that makes changes to their perception of what "Quake" is will be met with a torrent of screaming hatred.

Ah... Hatred - an old friend, I know her well.
I'm not creating this project for the sake of "Freedom," I've made it because people don't want to see Quake die. As much as "Ya Cain't Beat A Classic(!)," Quake needs an influx of new thought and players.

You: Want to play Quake?
Friend: No! It's 17 years old - I'm not going to buy Quake for 10 bucks! F*** that!
You: This is something else, it's Quake with seasoning.
Friend: How much is it?
You: Nothin.
Friend: ....Let's see it.

You've already listed some things in your goals that are going to provoke this, so be prepared. This will happen.

Bring it. The quickest way to deflect change is to throw hate at it - my goals flesh Quake out, they let it evolve. If everyone is as harsh as you're making out; Nexius/Xonotic would never have happened.

Quake itself is so ridiculously cheap to buy, why would one settle for sloppy seconds? The appeal is not in the freedom (or Freedom), it's in the game itself.

You're making a lot of assumptions for a game that hasn't been released yet.

just be absolutely certain of who you're aiming for, why you're aiming for them, what it is you're getting into, and what it is you reasonably expect to get out of this before you commit to it.

I've dedicated a site to this project - the funds of which come out of my pocket. I've made some big modifications to the site and will be putting a lot of work into it alone for the next few months. I'm all in buddy.

Even if it "fails" (ie: no one supports the idea, I don't get any interest in the project) it doesn't fail. A few years from now when I have more skill on the dev side, I'll release a stripped down "Beta" and re-release the project. It's going to happen.

[damage_inc]

FWIW, I think you're going about this the wrong way. On several fronts no less. But the biggest problem is your "approach"! Maybe you can't see it due to enthusiasm, IDK!

Ex:
Making comments such as this "I'll release a stripped down "Beta" and re-release the project" has zero validity. This is brutal honesty: what you have right now IS nothing, what YOU can build right now IS practically nothing!

Not only that, if I'm not mistaken, MH is a GREAT contributor to the quake community. Not saying you have to respect him, but at least have the ability to understand that your other comment "I've made some big modifications to the site and will be putting a lot of work into it alone for the next few months." is a bit laughable compared to the time and effort he has contributed over the years.

I'm not saying don't pursue your dreams of a game you envision, just try accomplishing it in a different way. One that befriends people at the start, instead of alienating them Cause brutha'... you're gonna NEED all the help you can get!

- damage_

[Syluxguy28O3]

FWIW, I think you're going about this the wrong way. On several fronts no less. But the biggest problem is your "approach"! Maybe you can't see it due to enthusiasm, IDK!

Ex:
Making comments such as this "I'll release a stripped down "Beta" and re-release the project" has zero validity. This is brutal honesty: what you have right now IS nothing, what YOU can build right now IS practically nothing!

Not only that, if I'm not mistaken, MH is a GREAT contributor to the quake community. Not saying you have to respect him, but at least have the ability to understand that your other comment "I've made some big modifications to the site and will be putting a lot of work into it alone for the next few months." is a bit laughable compared to the time and effort he has contributed over the years.

I'm not saying don't pursue your dreams of a game you envision, just try accomplishing it in a different way. One that befriends people at the start, instead of alienating them Cause brutha'... you're gonna NEED all the help you can get!

- damage_

ok, i know we are all opinionated, but can we get back to the project?

[MH]

Like I said, I was just giving an opinion. Any opinion I give must be viewed in the light of my own (admittedly restricted) areas of knowledge and expertise. No matter what contributions I make to the community, I still operate within a very specific knowledge domain, and anything I say outside of that must be taken with the appropriately sized grain of salt.

I'm not going to pretend to be any kind of expert on everything here, but - for what it's worth - there's my opinion. If there are valid reasons to shoot it down (and they may be reasons that I'm not aware of) then so be it - I've better things to be doing with my time than fretting over being right on the internet.

This project - I see some danger for it, but I genuinely do wish luck to it.

[QuakeRoot]

FWIW, I think you're going about this the wrong way. On several fronts no less. But the biggest problem is your "approach"! Maybe you can't see it due to enthusiasm, IDK!

Ex:
Making comments such as this "I'll release a stripped down "Beta" and re-release the project" has zero validity. This is brutal honesty: what you have right now IS nothing, what YOU can build right now IS practically nothing!

Not only that, if I'm not mistaken, MH is a GREAT contributor to the quake community. Not saying you have to respect him, but at least have the ability to understand that your other comment "I've made some big modifications to the site and will be putting a lot of work into it alone for the next few months." is a bit laughable compared to the time and effort he has contributed over the years.

I'm not saying don't pursue your dreams of a game you envision, just try accomplishing it in a different way. One that befriends people at the start, instead of alienating them Cause brutha'... you're gonna NEED all the help you can get!

- damage_

We're all on the level we're at. If I'm laughable, then that's where I'm at. I don't claim to be anything that I'm not.

I'm not experienced - and making mistakes is part of the game.
What if I've "Doomed" this all by sticking to my guns? Then that is what it is. I don't fear mistakes - making mistakes is what makes people golden.

FEAR - fear of this project, fear of myself, fear of others who are more talented and skilled than I am - is not what I try to focus on.

I'm not out to insult people, but I am out to stand my ground. I represent what I am - I don't pretend to be anything more.

[QuakeRoot]

This project - I see some danger for it, but I genuinely do wish luck to it.

Thanks MH, I appreciate that.

-----EDIT----
There are several things I've listed that I'm certain won't pan out. It's best to shoot high and let things evolve as they do. Aiming low... is just heart-breaking.

[golden_boy]

IMHO 5 episodes of new content, one of which from scratch, plus 10 multiplayer maps, is overambitious. And that's what kills projects.

Maybe bite off less; try to make one episode first, with an option of releasing the others later as add-ons.

MH is right, too, but of course you can't understand it yet because you've never seen it yourself. I intend no insult here, that's just how it is (btw Nexuiz/Xonotic were never intended as free Quake replacements, which makes all the difference in the world; had we called RemakeQuake "Martina" instead, we would have gotten less hate for it).

I'm not sure why you don't just take the maps from the Remake Quake project and continue from there, either, since that would save you tons of work that's been already done. I'm sure you could get permission. Moreover, it would probably be the best idea for you guys to simply join the Schism project.

I know that he who warns and points out possible fallacies is never popular; it is usually more popular to be all "wheee!" about everything. Still, it has to be said.