Hello again everyone, long time no see! As the summary indicates, I've spent some time thinking about my course of action with The Ancients. I've come to a dramatic conclusion.
Possible shelving of the game
If I don't find the right candidate to work on this game with me, I will be shelving it.
I've recently been accepted on a college course (that starts in September) that is called "Access to Higher Education". This gives me a one-time free offer of a shortcut to University, if I pass the one-year long course. Apparently it's pretty intensive.
After this, I will be going to University to do an undergraduate course in Computer Game Programming - inevitably leading me to retaking up The Ancients in the future. Ergo why I say the game will be "Shelved" and not "Destroyed".
I still believe it is possibly the best game that I could personally enjoy playing. Seeing as no other company is currently offering the gaming experience I can enjoy, I intend to carve my own game, one way or another.
Dramatic Gameplay Changes
There are several parts of the game that will need to be changed for this to become an actual producable game.
MMO: This will have to go.
Although I imagine it would be a pretty crappy game in single player compared to the plethora of enjoyment possible in an MMO scene, so I would see that the game is developed for Multiplayer instead - sort of how Minecraft, Command & Conquer 3, Jed Knight Academy, etc does it. By player-run lobbies.
Eye-opening Expansive Realm.
No. For a multiplayer experience as described above, this would simply not work. For one, a game area the relative size of Earth, for 32 or 64 players (per example) would be ridiculous. Most of the game world would go abandoned.
If anything, I would imagine it better for the host to choose/players to vote for which area of Earth they want to play in (ie, what type of world zone; Amazon, Great Plains, Middle-Africa, Middle-East, British Isles, China, etc) and then for that area to be randomly generated - allowing the players a new experience each time.
3D?
The game courses on offer at University include teachings into 3D Game Design, hand-in-hand with the programming course - it might be worth going 3D simply because I would be able to. As much as I love 2D Retro Gaming, the capabilities and power behind 3D compared to 2D are staggering - physics, for one. I'd be able to have water flow and dynamic projectiles, which were a main disability with 2D.
The rest of the features that may be removed, modified, enhanced or added are still up for deliberation and not of great importance as of the moment. As I originally said, it depends if a programmer who is capable and willing steps forth or not.
Fingers crossed for an earlier development.
This is Fyrdrinc here from the Forums, I am planning to do a bachelor of Interactive Entertainment in games programming (eventually in a few years) somewhere along the line, and once it is done and if this project is still going I would be happy to offer my help, if need be. Good luck with your collage course and I hope you make it.
Shame to see it go by the way side. Liked what I'd seen so far. Good luck with your course!
Oh and also (sorry for the double post :D) you mentioned about 3d at the end. I was thinking, what about heading for something similar to say Baldur's Gate/ Icewind Dale sort of Direction? Could keep a 2d feel about the game (maybe even design the graphics to appear pixelated and retro) but making the characters and buildings etc in 3d? (I understand they did this for Baldur's Gate 2 for the character models, at least the option was there in game configuration). Just an idea.
A shame to see it this way, but I understand. Good luck with your course and possible university!
Too bad :( unfortunately i am a media studies student and dont know a thing about making a game :S
Fuuuuu-
Oh well, have fun at university...
There's one thing I avoided saying at this moment, but I'm going to say it as I'm seeing familiar faces here, I wanted to thank you all for the support you've given me over the last couple of years. Whenever I've felt "Do I really want to continue *wasting* my time on making a silly game?", your new comments and continued hope kept me alive.
And it's that supercharge of hope which is going to fuel me through college and university to achieve my dreams. Thank you.