44 replies to this topic

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

Since it's been quiet and I've been looking for a way to use my ideas that won't work for LW I'm relaunching CoPro.

Rather than just polling for an idea I'm going to raise an idea and we'll all discuss it and see how it evolves.

 

My idea is adapting the MOBA/AOS gameplay style to a BFME2 mod.

MOBA/AOS is the name for the genre spawned from DOTA and it's clones.

http://en.wikipedia....ne_battle_arena

 

Rather than simply trying to emulate DOTA I'm using the basic idea as a starting point and I'm interested in seeing how the idea grows into something that will hopefully be a good fun to play mod that brings something new to the game.

 

My 1 rule is that it should only really use in game assets plus some ROTWK assets the mod would be more coding and mapping based.

 

The main community part of this project will come through hero submissions once the main part of the mod is set up.

Modders could make idea submissions or even contribute their own fully made heroes.

Lore isn't a concern for this project since heroes will probably have new names and skills.

 

So when adapting DOTA to BFME2 there are some issues to address.

 

The basic hero and creep idea is pretty straight forward but it gets trickier when considering BFME2 doesn't have an item system or attribute system like Warcraft 3 so some creativity will be needed.

 

I had in the past played around with the idea of using the spell store to act as an inventory and faking items using a combination of code and WB scripts.

 

I've in the past also set up a basic version of this concept for BFME1 with a functional map, some heroes and the beginnings of the creep AI scripts but it was abandoned and lost because of time constraints.

 

We'll also need a name for this mod so post your name ideas below.

Hero and system suggestions will be given their own topics.

[Goldtouch]

What about sacrificing one slot of the unit abilities to go to a different commandset... And there add the items.

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

That's why the 6th slot is being kept blank.

[Goldtouch]

What about sticking close to the name of its original custom maps name "Defense of the Ancients", "DotA"
"Defense of Middle-Earth "DoME"

Edited by THORONGlL, 08 April 2013 - 06:48 AM.

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

I had an idea and I'm surprised it didn't come to me earlier we could use Create a heroes for this as well premade ones something I don't think has been done in a MOBA yet.

 

Thorongil it's not going to be Middle-Earth based it's simply using the assets to create new characters.

Last thing we want is WB shutting us down because we're making something similar to one of their games.

 

Another thing worth mentioning is levelling abilities.

Since it can't really be done manually in BFME2 I think a simple passive increase certain abilities is manageable.

 

Yet another thing is movement speed the speed gap between infantry and cavalry units will have to be narrowed for balance reasons.

So maybe mounted units are 20% faster?

That's about 2% more than the difference between regular infantry and fast infantry like Uruk Hai in vanilla (which is approx. 18.2% difference).

[Goldtouch]

I'm sure that I won't be the only one thinking of a "bfme dota" with lotr characters especially in a lotr game...

Like you said the plan is to only use assets of the game itself. You seem careful with legal issues.
What about the selection of goals? If you build them all from scratch you double the amount of work.

 

Say we make a custom map with heroes like legolas, haldir, saruman, smeagol etc. There is no chance they gonna sue you for doing this. The amount of players who will be playing this are most likely very scarce perhaps none but the developers will play it, due the inconvenience of setting up the game to play with friends..

 

But I do want to ask you to take the opportunity to ask the community of gamers yourself. To hear them out of what they want. This is also the initial reason I came here because someone pointed out this dota/moba community project and on his turn he responded because of an request from someone who like to see such a map made for bfme...

 

Let me know if you want to make this conversation. Cause it can be motivating if someone likes an idea or demotivating when they do not, if you can catch my drift...

Edited by THORONGlL, 08 April 2013 - 08:27 PM.

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

You can't use the BFME heroes as is and to balance them properly would take as much as to completely make them from scratch.

As for the coding from scratch thing there are definite advantages to this the main one is heroes can be more flexible and creative the standard BFME fare won't make for an interesting MOBA and for coding heroes considering I'll likely be doing a lot of that coding I can code that stuff very quickly every hero ability I listed I can code easily.

What makes DOTA great is the range of heroes and skills adding incredible depth to the gameplay every hero is different and when there's so many every game is different by creating more original heroes we can better achieve the same results.

I was careful to only call it CoPro MOBA not BFME MOBA or LOTR MOBA, BFME2 just happens to be the game we've got to work with.

 

In the past the History mod failed in part because it was I think a bit too open no one could decide on what to do and it took a long time to fully form the History mod idea.

This time I want to cut out a good deal of the first part and get straight into a developed idea where players can freely add to the project.

The basic idea is already planned out community input will mostly be on the end of fine tuning the concept to work with BFME2 and the submission of heroes and abilities as well as balancing etc.

[Goldtouch]

You know what I don't mind this at all... About the balancing you have to agree that you can only figure that out by actually playing. Especially with full amount of players. When you release something out too fast you can get unexpected/unforeseen problems but on the other hand when you try to foresee every little issue than can occur you'll never release it cause there is always something.

Another note is you can plan out too much by doing so you never get to start working on it...
So if you like you can add me on fb http://www.facebook.com/thor.thorongil 

Edited by THORONGlL, 09 April 2013 - 10:43 AM.

[Devon]

Rad, this is basically just Guardians of Middle Earth in an engine not really suited for it.  I think CoPro idea is cool, but I don't think this is the best way to go about it.

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

Well since there's been very little interest in my little side project how about something different and closer to our core.

How about a Community mod with a few factions.

 

People can donate to the project and see where it goes.

I'd be willing to donate some stuff to the project.

 

So if some people are on board we need to answer a couple questions.

Which game do we mod?

What factions do we add?

 

Another possible Community project is TEA:CE since it's a Community Edition and Rob has vanished, is there anything that still needs doing for it?

[Bofur]

Or even an RJ:CE...

[Rider of Rohan]

^ I like Bofur's idea !! Also of TEA:CE I can donate some stuff .... if needed.

[Mathijs]

If you guys want to work on a faction mod, you can have my Shadows and Flame and do what you want with it. I will even throw in some pretty awesome new models I made for it. Just let me know.

[Bofur]

I preferred Echoes (well, the look of it)

Well, to be honest, the most popular mod here must have been RJ. I still think that continuing that would be the best way to get some activity around here...

Edited by Bofur, 14 May 2013 - 09:23 PM.

[Elric]

agreed! im not exactly around much anymore but yea RJ was pretty awesome. continue that!

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

It's no good people just making suggestions we need people to volunteer.

CoPro could be a good way to help finish and/or polish some mods.

[Bofur]

Well, I'm doing a "Help a mod finish" scheme already.

[Rider of Rohan]

I can throw in some code after June has passed. 

[Bofur]

I can "throw in" some maps, and, if necessary, any hero portraits required. Or Button Images, etc.

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

Now we're talking.

 

So I guess we'll start with RJ first off we need a list of things to fix, balance issues etc.

Just like TEA there should be no new additions that weren't intended by RJ.