Re: Developer (and artist? and sound?) recruiting
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:14 am
I've contacted him and am currently waiting for a response.
Forums for the FreeOrion project
https://freeorion.org/forum/
Yes, this is why I asked about our current audio situation. The recruitment posts can wait until we have something like the Audio Work page set up, or at least a decent understanding of what kind of sounds are needed and where. I can do the recruitment posts when the time for them is considered right, or if someone else feels that he/she should do them or is just eager to do so, the links to those two forums and posting rules (which might however change over time) can be found from this topic.Geoff the Medio wrote:It's probably not going to be very useful to ask for sound effect contributions until we have a set of events and objects involved in events that need sounds to accompany them. In order to decide what objects and events need sounds, we probably need a basic working combat system, or at least some mockups and/or a plan about what sounds and parts of sounds will be needed. Having that, we can make an Audio Work page... without that, we probably can't..
Could/should sound recruitment posts be about something else too than asking for sound contributions?Geoff the Medio wrote:If recruitment posts are just asking for sound contributions, not having an Audio Work page or list or equivalent will probably make contributing rather difficult.....
This doesn`t sound very promising. I hope that we can at least keep the current FO music track. And I wouldn`t mind having more of his tracks to be considered for FreeOrion, since if I can still remember right some of the other music tracks that he made sounded quite good.Geoff the Medio wrote:* He said to me in an email a year or two ago that he wasn't fond of the CC-BY-SA without NC license, and that he might change his mind about releasing the current FO music track under it.
Probably not...MikkoM wrote:Could/should sound recruitment posts be about something else too than asking for sound contributions?Geoff the Medio wrote:If recruitment posts are just asking for sound contributions, not having an Audio Work page or list or equivalent will probably make contributing rather difficult.....
Sounds good to me.MikkoM wrote:Again, if it is considered to be a good idea to make recruitment posts to these two sites, I could make the posts. [...] I will follow tzlaine`s example and post my drafts here first, so that they can be reviewed by others and if necessary corrected.
Haven't read the rest yet, but *please* don't use that bit of "vision statement" text in a recruiting post. It's poorly written, is quite misleading about the current state of the project, and reads like bad marketing text.MikkoM wrote:"FreeOrion, an open-source game inspired by Master of Orion, is a turn-based game of epic space strategy that builds on the classic '4X' model by incorporating the nation-building elements of games such as Europa Universalis 2 and a versatile tactical combat engine. While its modular, open-source design allows for a significant degree of customization of the game engine and the story elements by the community, the FreeOrion team is dedicated to the construction of a living, breathing universe in a 'grand campaign' model."
Do we currently have anything that could be used to easily summarize the project? Or should I use a similar free description that tzlaine used in his recruitment posts?Geoff the Medio wrote:Haven't read the rest yet, but *please* don't use that bit of "vision statement" text in a recruiting post. It's poorly written, is quite misleading about the current state of the project, and reads like bad marketing text.
Presumably saying something like: "Version 0.4, which deals with space combat, is currently under development," shouldn't be too misleading.MikkoM wrote:I also started to wonder, if it is appropriate to say that we are “currently in stage 0.4, which deals with space combat, ship design and tech tree additions for both of the above” ? 0.4 is the stage currently being coded, so this way it might make sense. But will saying it like that make the reader think that 0.4 is already complete?
This needs to be rewritten. Note that FreeOrion is coded mainly with C++, but AI is scripted with Python. Modern C++ features are used, including numerous Boost libraries, and the client is built using the Ogre 3D library. Rendering is done with OpenGL. FreeOrion can be built on Windows, Linux or MacOSX.MikkoM wrote:FreeOrion is being coded with C++, Boost, Python, OpenGL and GiGi. The project’s programming lead is tzlaine, who is a professional C++ programmer, and our other main developer is Geoff, a grad student. The FreeOrion project tries to keep the quality of the code to a very high level. This is necessary for a project as big, complex, and ambitious as ours. Most of the "modern features" of C++ are also used in the project, though certainly not everywhere. Modern features in this case mean things like, templates, STL, and Boost.
The project currently uses the following libraries: Boost (most of its libraries), OpenGL, OpenAL, GraphViz, Ogre, Ogg, Vorbis, OpenSteer, and GG. GG is a GUI library that our programming lead wrote for OpenGL. It can be found here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/gigi/
Could use some rephrasing, but basically OK.The development speed of the project is mostly slowed down by the lack of dedicated and skilful programmers. So if you are interested in working with talented individuals on an open source game project such as this, and don`t mind learning new things, FreeOrion is a project for you
Might want to mention http://freeorion.org/index.php/How_to_HelpYou can find more info about the project from here:
http://www.freeorion.org/index.php/Main_Page
And more info about programming work specifically can be found here:
http://www.freeorion.org/index.php/Programming
Not really a reccomendation for contributing... (Rather, is a requirement)Also, if you have any specific questions about some areas of the game or want to contribute to the project, I recommend that you register to our forum:
http://www.freeorion.org/forum/
OK to mention tzlaine in this context.A good summary of the game’s current situation (note the date of this post) can be found here:
http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2009/08 ... ach-laine/
This page contains an interview with FreeOrion`s programming lead tzlaine.
Not keen on the "worthy of the Orion name" part...Personally, ever since Master Of Orion 3 turned out to be a disappointment for me, I have hoped for a project like this. The core team behind the FreeOrion project isn`t very big, but consists of highly talented and motivated individuals that all share a common goal. To me FreeOrion seems like a once in a life time opportunity to create something that will hopefully be worthy of the Orion name.
The last two combat renders are too similar, and aren't very interesting regardless. Could probably stick with just two or three images total.And finally here are some screenshots from the game:
Works for me. Could say "deals primarily" and "being developed".Bigjoe5 wrote:Presumably saying something like: "Version 0.4, which deals with space combat, is currently under development," shouldn't be too misleading.MikkoM wrote:I also started to wonder, if it is appropriate to say that we are “currently in stage 0.4, which deals with space combat, ship design and tech tree additions for both of the above” ? 0.4 is the stage currently being coded, so this way it might make sense. But will saying it like that make the reader think that 0.4 is already complete?
If you don`t want that I mention your names or jobs I certainly won`t do so. However we could possibly use your and tzlaine`s jobs as a sign of quality that this project has, since tzlaine is a professional C++ programmer after all (don`t really know what kind of a job description grad student is). These job descriptions together with screenshots from the project could hopefully make more people interested in FreeOrion, as they could set FreeOrion apart from thousands of other hobbyist programming projects, which don`t have as professional members or the kind of quality that FreeOrion has.Geoff the Medio wrote:* Don't need to mention my or tzlaine's names or aliases or our jobs
Changed it to: "to create something that will hopefully carry on the Orion legacy."Not keen on the "worthy of the Orion name" part...
I will change the Ogre screenshot as soon as I find a good one to use.The last two combat renders are too similar, and aren't very interesting regardless. Could probably stick with just two or three images total.
There will be quite a lot of 3d modelling to do very soon. I'm in the process of preparing the concept art for ships(hulls) and some related things. What exactly are you capable of doing? High/low poly modelling? UVs? Normalmap creation? Texturing? All of it? Do you have some kind of portfolio? Please see this thread to get a rough idea of what will be needed.GlasShadow wrote: not sure how much 3d modeling is involved in this game, but i would be willing to work on most anything of that nature