Thats what I said this mornining...
Hello, I am currently working on a few things alone, I can do this project this way, by myself, but in the interest of doing a better job at it, I would like to invite other people to jump on in, and help make this little content pack I am working on for UT3.
The idea has been tumbling around for a while. When I first came here I started a thread about a DeathMatch level I wanted to do, it was poorly structured from the word go, and I had no plan or guide to follow, I quickly got to a point with it where I thought it wasn't really going to be something that I would enjoy.
I PM'd a few people on this forum about joining there projects, but I didn't get any responses.
Eventually I found the IRC channels, and met some people there, one of whom (Wormbo) got me working on BuFs wiki, I started with a clear idea in my head of what I wanted to achieve there, and made a little sub-section in the wiki orientated around the project I had began.
It was another DeathMatch level, but had a clear and concise outline on what the map was supposed to be and what it was not.
I've been buisy writing tutorials orientated so far around the creation of custom content which is/was to be imported into the level, each peice of content I was doing I had a section dedicated to how I made it.
Then the idea hit me, since the map I was making was orientated around lots of custom content, based on a particular theme, I decided to shift my focus a little, the DeathMatch map would still be built, but I was now more interested in making a content pack with much more included than just what was in the map.
Anyhow, in the interest of making sure the content pack is fairly robust, I am inviting anyone interested in making stuff to join me.
The theme orientates around volcanic, but not so much the fiery lava theme, more around the brimstone/sulphurous styled terrains, I have been thinking about making some 3D models for props to go with the theme, such as massive distant volcanoes beyond the edge of the map, for use with enhancing skyboxes over the past few hours, and will probably comence work on that soon.
The primary purpose behind this content pack is so that others can use it to make entire levels based in this theme, rather than just using the content made in the DeathMatch level I am doing.
Keep in mind I only started this project about 3 or 4 days ago, I have been buisy documenting most of what I have done on the wiki, and I have been moving slowly but steadily through it.
All in all, I am expecting this project to be fairly slow paced, even with dedicated few working on it.
The link to the section on the wiki can be found here.
Reply to this thread with questions or a keen interest in the project, or feel free to PM if you'd rather not talk here.
P.S. Be aware, there will be quality assurance in the final mod output of this pack, the amount of time you put into the content will not matter one bit in this respect, your content will still be available for download from the central download bank, but the final pack will only contain the best of what is made.
Also:
* Anyone is welcome to contribute, even if we all think it is crap, it might just fit a niche that someone is looking for.
* I want things that fit with the theme, ie. exterior volcanic, with little fire or lava. Even if you think those computer panels and nice sliding doors would be good incase someone wants to build a bunker in the map, that is not what this pack is for.
* If you would like to start a differently themed content pack, please feel free to discuss it with me also, not sure what opinions are on my efforts, but, provided there is enough content being produced to warrant it becoming a pack, I personally don't care that you would want to choose a different theme, the point to this post is that one person can only do so much alone, with a few people working on making this pack bigger at least, gives me/you/us/them a lot more options.
* Be prepared, if you aren't going to document how you have made what you have, then I may have to move the bulk of this project out of the wiki, and seek some other hosting option. A lot of variables remain, but things will fall into place, and will not change.
Thats what I said this morning.
Anyhow, since it is becoming apparent I am going to need my own hosting, applications are on a semi-freeze atm.
I am still willing to discuss any ideas people have with the threads topic, but in the light of what has been said today somethings have changed.
For starters, the fact that I will be hosting a web page solely devoted to this project means that I will be looking for ideas for other themes now, and possibly having a few of them available, this is also putting me under a bit more pressure to lift up my work speed.
The tutorials and documentation of how the content was made is no longer a high priority, though Wormbo would love people to add this kind of stuff to the BuF Wiki, it will no longer be a requirement of adding content to what now will be a
set of packs.
One other aspect has also cropped up, I have done very little PHP, tbh I have done more ASP than PHP, and the amount of ASP I have done is trivial, if anyone would like to do things in the way of making a better web page, your more than welcome. (I can follow detailed instructions with PHP, but I lack knowledge and experience in that area to - well - say be original in what I do).
Content can include anything, from 2D Textures, to 3D Models, to original audio files that match the theme, etc.... I thought this point was obvious, but then thought I should clarify. Each
Item however should be a compleate entity neatly packaged and show cased in a tiny published show case level.
Example
I'll try to keep this post updated with other changes as they become noted.