razorace Posted March 14, 2004 Share Posted March 14, 2004 Ok, while we've had limited success with the Open Jedi Project as a community based development platform, I think we need to bump things up a notch. I fear that the Project seems to be tilting into Razor-Ace-Lord-and-Tyrant's-Uber-Mod and that's somewhere I don't want it to go. I think we need to make a more active effort to inform the active modders of the community about the OJP concept and try to get them on board and, if nessicary, recreate or reform the project to better suit the desires of the community's modders. To start, I'm going to attempt to get as many modders involved in the discussion as possible. If you have contact information for your favorite modders please PM the addresses to me. I'll then attempt to contact them. Since this is trying to be a community effort, we're going to be operating under a flag of trace and friendship. Please hold off on the petty bickering and try to forgive. I will try to as well. Thanks, Razor Ace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anakin Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 Im in - Anakin Project Leader - Attack Of The Clones TC / Clone Wars Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorace Posted March 15, 2004 Author Share Posted March 15, 2004 Ok how about we start with what sort of things everyone would be interested in guards to community cooperation? When you pop into the discussion, please discribe how you are, what you do, and what project you work on/for. I'll start. I'm Razor Ace, I'm a coder, and I currently work on the OJP project. Here's what I think we need to get out of all this... We need to ensure that proper credit is given to all parties. We need to not be a exclusive club. Newbies should have access to everything the rest of us do. We need to be able to openly discuss moding designs and issues so that we can come up with the best solution possible. We need to have some way to easily store and exhange code and source materials. I suggest some sort of CVS repository. We need to cooperate so that we don't waste time by constantly cloning features. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorace Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 Ok, I'm going to post the OJP readme here so people can see what we're already come up with from the previous decisions on the subject. =================== 0001 - Introduction =================== The Open Jedi Project is a coding/modding collaboration with the intent of maximizing the features and fun factor for all Jedi Knight Academy (JKA) mods. We work together by contributing fun, interesting, and useful game features so that everyone can benefit. We operate on what's basically an open source system. Open source basically means that the source code is freely available and accessible by all. See the "Using Our Work" section for details about rights and permissions. Our design philosophy is to make everything as separated and customizable as possible to allow developers and players to choose what features they wish to use. We currently have two distributions (gameplay/code changes), Basic and Enhanced. We also have two packs (non-gameplay related), Vehicles and Skins. Basic has two main features. One is bug fixes and balance fixes, neither which will severely alter game play. They are designed to be the "unofficial patch" for bugs and game play problems. Basic can still be considered vanilla Jedi Academy. The other main feature is map enhancements. Things such as new entities, expanded AI, vehicles, scripting and effects system can allow mappers to create far more immersive and fun maps. Since Basic also aims towards recreating all the single player entities and code, it is possible for mappers to create full featured cooperative and single player games and levels using the multiplayer engine. This allows modders to make other enhancements such as new weapons, AI, etc., not possible using the single player engine. Enhanced is a superset of Basic, meaning it has anything and everything included in the Basic distribution. The difference is that it adds many significant gameplay alterations. It is a playable mod, but also a code base for other developers. To decrease the possibility of mods based off Enhanced loosing originality, we are keeping our game play feature list generic and flexible. New features will be generic, expandable, and flexible so other developers can easily adopt them to their mods. It won't venture out side of Jedi Academy's principle game play, so there won't be anything that makes this drastically unique in terms of pure game play. Players get a full mod that shares the same basic principles and ideas that stock Jedi Academy offers. Developers get a solid, flexible code base that includes the basic, fundamental features you would want to find in most mods, allowing them to spend their time on what makes their work truly unique. An example of a feature for Enhanced would be an extended version of the player class system seen in Siege, one that is available in more game types, and is far more flexible. The Vehicles package is a collection of additional vehicles for JKA. We're including them in the project to allow OJP compatible maps to use additional vehicles without having to include said vehicles in their release packages. The Skins package is a collection of quality modder created skins that have been turned into customizable player classes. We've done this to allow more player options, to allow SP useage of these skins, to allow servers and players to quickly get a pack of quality skins, and to prevent a lot of redundent data from clogging up your game directory. We have a web forum set up for OJP. You can find it at... http://www.lucasforums.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=542 We have a website pending. Please be patient. ===================== 0005 - Using Our Work ===================== We have few rules for using our work as part of your own projects: - You must include this readme in any public releases of your mod. This doesn't apply if you're only using OJP features that you wrote yourself. - You must treat your fellow coders and the project with respect. - You may NOT use our work for ANY commercial purposes without the author's direct permission. Please don't violate these rules; they are here for everyone's benefit. We have a public CVS repository set up to let you directly access the OJP source materials to keep up-to-date with latest additions to the project. However, the process to access the repository is a bit complicated, so please email one of the moderators for assistance. In addition, we are still waiting for the MP SDK so there will probably not be anything to see for a while anyway. We suggest that you: - Submit any cool features from your work that you think other developers may benefit from. - Keep in contact with us about your project. The more information we have, the better we can coordinate OJP to help you and the community. We also like to know that people are using and enjoying our works. ============================== 0006 - Submitting Stuff to OJP ============================== We are looking mostly for new code features, but are not limited to that. We are usually looking for generic, flexible, and adaptable features that anyone can work into their own code. Features that are drastically unique or special probably do not belong here, because we believe in keeping individuality and uniqueness among mods. We also accept patches. If you see something in our code that has a problem, you can submit a patch for it. A patch would usually be replacement code or files. Before you consider submitting, take note that we won't let you desubmit or remove your works from the project. Allowing people to do so would cause too many problems for the project. While your work will remain your work, submitting stuff to OJP means that you give us the rights to use your work and modify it freely as part of the project forever. In addition, your work won't necessarily be turned on or even in every compiled version of OJP. Some features will be disabled by default to allow people to just fire up and play OJP without confusion. That being said, if you have something to submit just contact one of the OJP moderators. DO NOT E-MAIL MOD MATERIALS TO STAFF MEMBERS WITHOUT ASKING FIRST! Just contact one of us, tell us a summary of your patch or feature, and if we think it fits the project, we'll accept it. If you think you would like to actively participate in developing OJP, we can give you write access to the CVS repository, so that you may work on it yourself. This doesn't have to be a commitment, but if you would like to just submit features or patches separately, go ahead. ------------------------------ 0006.1 - Submission Guidelines ------------------------------ - Document your work as much as possible. Be sure to add mentions of your work in the readme and other project documents. - Make your work as clean and tight as possible. - Follow the coding guidelines. Try to keep your code as separated from other code as is reasonable. Label EVERY coding change (from basejka) with appropriate coding tags. If you're creating a new feature, you'll get to determine what the tag name will be. Try to pick something that is simple and easy to search for. - NEVER DELETE FILES/DIRECTORIES/ETC FROM THE CVS REPOSITORY. If it is necessary, the moderators will handle it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keshire Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 I'm always on board. Keshire, I do a little bit of everything, And I do a little work for any that ask or whatever strikes my fancy. * We need to be able to openly discuss moding designs and issues so that we can come up with the best solution possible. * We need to cooperate so that we don't waste time by constantly cloning features. * And I believe we need to bring both casual gamers and hardcore gamers back into the fold. Something along the same popularity lines as CounterStrike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorace Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 Originally posted by keshire * And I believe we need to bring both casual gamers and hardcore gamers back into the fold. Something along the same popularity lines as CounterStrike. Well, I'm against directed development since people have proven that they VERY often don't do squat if you direct them to do something instead of them wanting to do it themselves. However, I beleive that this (a casual/hardcore game) will be the result if we make sure that every feature added is as good as it can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenegadeOfPhunk Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 ...albeit with a small leave of absense, I am also on board! I want to get back onto working on more features of the new vehicle inplementation, as well as porting over a few features from MBII development that I think could make sense to include into the OJP too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wudan Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 You can consider me 'on board' - I am mostly just a thinker at this point, although I try to actually write code from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Dravis Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I'm here as well. I am supposed to be OJP's webmaster, but I have been away for quite a while due to changing ISPs and not being able to access LF (at all!?!) for a few weeks. I am also the author of MCM and ConfigED, some scripting utilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorace Posted March 17, 2004 Author Share Posted March 17, 2004 Originally posted by Samuel Dravis I'm here as well. I am supposed to be OJP's webmaster, but I have been away for quite a while due to changing ISPs and not being able to access LF (at all!?!) for a few weeks. I am also the author of MCM and ConfigED, some scripting utilities. Ok, I suggest you go talk to Anakin since it sounds like we're going to be moving the website over to their server. Anyway, it looks like we got a deal with AotC to have their code be intergrated into OJP and then use OJP as the base for the AotC mod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keshire Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Wait, I thought you said the guys at AOTC were crazy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorace Posted March 17, 2004 Author Share Posted March 17, 2004 Originally posted by keshire Wait, I thought you said the guys at AOTC were crazy? LIKE A FOX!!! Anyway, yes, I have given the AotC staff a very hard time in the past, but I'm trying to work past for the sake of community cooperation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anakin Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Yeah always giving me a hard time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbl90 Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 Alright....I figured this would fit best under this post....I'm new to OJP and if you guys don't stone me to death by the end of the week I'll be impressed. I've got almost no idea how to make or animations or modifications....although I have made some good looking skins....I never was able to make em playable for MP.....I know the tech side my be pathetic but I have played many differant games and many differant mods in the Dark Forces series. I am also a fencer and my neighbors are always practicing kendo outside...the grunting can get annoying...I'm willing to help in any way possible for somone with the limited mod capabiliies of myself...I intend to start modding over the summer...now that I have free time...but I doubt I'll ever be the calibur to help in a project like this. Any advice anyone can give me I"m open too...Dbl90 out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorace Posted June 18, 2004 Author Share Posted June 18, 2004 So exactly what sort of things would you like to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbl90 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Anything I can do I'm open to help in any way possible...right now I'm trying to join in on the brain storming....but if I can help in any other way...I'd be glad to.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Dravis Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 You can... Learn C. Fun if you're into such things (I am ). Learn mapping. Very easy, actually, just tedious. I'm trying to make a siege map right now, playing around with it. Learn Modeling. Make the cool stuff that should go into the skins pack. Learn Skinning. Skins pack again. Fun to do, I've made some attempts myself, although flesh tones are hard to get right... Learn animating. I actually have no idea how this is done, but it's bound to be interesting. Also, you get the adoration of the community. Just look at Keshire... Help with the website. Well, I don't really need any help right now (unless you know PHP), but you can offer it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keshire Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 If you can model animating is just as easy. Sometimes easier if you know what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbl90 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Well, I'd realy like to do all of those ...what would decide it for me is how much help I can get in each subject and the level of difficulty...I figure I'd like to get modeling and animation one day...but you have to learn to walk before you can run.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keshire Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Do you have any level of familiarity with any 3d suite? 2d? Any coding experiance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbl90 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 I've messed around with coding..I have no idea what I am doing...I back things up, mess around, and then while I'm trying to figure somthing out kill them...3d suite can't so....2d suite I do a bit of graphics art in terms of Adobe Photoshop and Paint...I've got a baisic knowledge of that....I've done a bit of level building in the original Jedi Knight....they were intresting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keshire Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Ick. Well once wudan gets his Dragon project done animation should be fairly easy. right now you'd be limited to either owning max or softimage. Or trying to get familiar with the free version of softimage released for half life 2. Which I think should work for JKA too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbl90 Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Yes I think ICK describes everything perfectly..a.nd I found a smiley that describes me perfectly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorace Posted June 29, 2004 Author Share Posted June 29, 2004 Well, there's a lot of stuff you could do. I've just posted a sticky on this subject. You can find that thread here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jawa-Trader Posted July 14, 2004 Share Posted July 14, 2004 Ok, I been lurking the project for a while, and I have decided I would like to get involved. I have a pretty good background in C, but I am more interested in working with skin packs and animation...I havent had any real game modeling or skinning experience other than toying around with the original JK, but I am very skilled at 2d image editing, and have experience with Maya for 3d editing and limited animation...but I would be willing to invest some time into other packages if necessary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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