Facing Extinction

General
This project is based upon the 'hack and slash, shoot ‘em up' genre but in combination with online features and innovating fps/strategic gameplay elements.

Brief summary of the game concept
Users have the choise between 4 different races.
You start of on a group of deserted islands with minimum 2 online users in one game session.
After a while, small amount of aliens begin to spawn and the number of aliens increases exponentially relevant to time.
The idea is to build structures and defending these (in particular the main base) while enhancing team strategic thinking because each class has got a specific role, allowing for unique actions and abilities.
This is where RTS meets FPS, this is Facing Extinction.

Content
Our main goal was to create a totally new style of online gaming but with this we also wanted our own stable multiplayer system and quality graphics.
The internal network system which we have set up is based on GSTNet.
We have a working prototype, consisting of:
A firm MP core, a realtime 'active servers' list (works with an internet MySQL database and a PHP link), full connection control code and much more.
Other features such as a debug console, dynamic score screen, unique file compression and encryption.
We managed to set up a smooth connection both on LAN as over the internet going from Melbourne to Antwerp (and visa versa).
Qua graphics, we use Musty Mood to visualize everything but we are already setting up our own graphical environment to ensure maximum control.
To wrap this all up, we wrote it down in a 40p. long game design document, we have a private forum for project management and an FTP server for private file storage.

Future
We have many aspects already developed or planned, but when looking down the road we need to pull in a help request.
Team Facing Extinction is looking for members to join in, especially 1 modeler and 1 MP programmer.
Specs. :

• Skilled Modeller:
  Capable of organic modeling, skinning and rigging (example of your work or even a portfolio would be good.)

• Skilled Programmer:
  Capable of competent MP programming (specific GSTNet experience is not needed but would be salutary)

We have a current MP system, although it needs improving. We need someone who knows MP basics and can help with problems like lag fighting and smooth movement.
Although mind that we are looking for people who are willing to work for free thus basically developing quality stuff for fun and gaining experience. If you are interested PM either adoado or Frazzle

Screens
Following models are in beta stage.
Mind that we did not include all of our models since the project is WIP but we can ensure you that there are many more.


Arch + Pilar


Rocks + HQ


HQ + Lookout post


Defence + HQ


Background cliff

Slide Show Islands
Island1 -> Island6

Video
Upload here

Cheers from the Facing Extinction Team,

Adrian G (aka adoado) - Lead Programmer
Mathias K - Lead Modeler
Thomas K (aka Frazzle) - Lead Programmer

Very nice work to the Facing Extinction team. This is really looking nice. The real-time water onscreen is a neat feature.

Best of luck with this project.

Sounds cool and looks great so far. I like the idea can't wait to see what you can do with it. Your terrain makes me angry lol i been trying to get my terrain to look better but it must be my textures, the terrain always turns out not real looking. Any way looks great hope you keep up on posting during progress can't wait to see more.

GamerX you should look into multi texturing if you want nice terrains.

Frazzle, it's nice to see you working on a game ^^.
Hope everything goes well with this. Hope to see some real in-game screens!

so what happens if they leave?

still, i don't think i've seen you around in a while, frazzle, and i'm glad it's because you're working on something: something that even looks like it could be finished and fun!

all the best!

julz

Looks very promising =)
I hope you will finish it.

In your trailer @ 0:34 there is something like a graphics bug on the bottom of the screen.
@ Julz:
Is your quaternions thread gone? :-O

ooh! didn't realize there was a video! i'll check it out. it's late atm, so i'll go to bed soon, but if the download doesn't take too long i'll watch the video tonight!
i don't think so. i'll have to fix my signature. a forum search might be able to show it.

interesting that you actually checked! it's been a while! i think a7 has some new functions that make it rather redundant (not sure). either way, i have way too much time on my hands and i might re-write it. if you can't find the thread, pm me and i'll link you to the .zip file (contains a readme that's as good as the actual thread, i think).

julz

EDIT: groovy video, but i was hoping to see gameplay . any chance you can do something to cheer me up (eg: gameplay video!)?

Looks very promising. Keep it up frazzle, and FE team! (GS needed a 'real' multiplayer game, i think this is it.)



and Julz's Quaternions : http://www.coniserver.net/ubb7/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=114062

thanks Quad; that's the one. my sig is fixed now.

it's all you again, frazzle and adoado, of course!
does Mathias have a forum account?

julz

looks good frazzle, hope it does not get abandoned

yeah it really looks awesome congats to the modeler as well as for the work of the two sripters of you.
Can't really see anything that needs to be critizised

best regards

Aztec

Good luck on this project frazzle .

looks good.

good luck!

nice to see another GSTNet based mp game. if you have any problems, bug reports suggestions, ask me.

First I want to thank you all for your kind words, the foundations of this project is the result of hard work and dedicated team members with the right amount of fun and knowledge.

@ DC9:

Our main goal was to enhance our own graphics and the droplet shader is one of them

@ GamerX:

Making good terrains isn't easy indeed.
In the good old days, the only way to handle terrains was manually managing them via the height maps ^^
But luckily that has changed due to many software programs. I advice you to use Bruce, Terragen but a better choise would even be EarthSculptor.

@ lostclimate:

Very true but I reckon the design is a crucial factor as well

@ Manslayer:

Those ingame screens will come but it's best not to mention a potential day since like mentioned, I'm having exams the comming weeks
But they will come

@ JulzMighty:

It has been a while indeed but that is due to my study but I try to check the forum every day (this forum is just too nostalgic ^^)



If the host leaves, the command of the server will be past to another active user.
But from the moment that the game session only contains one user (which is the host at that moment), the game will be ended but the server will keep on existing.
Thus that one user has got the choice to wait in spectators mode (with the possiblity to fly around the level) or to end the server.

About the video, at this stage our code is set up to carry the graphics part and the MP part.
The code for handling the AI, main player,... is done as well but for the moment we want to update that part for creating a plausible gameplay with online compabilty.
Thus you'll have too wait

Mathias is actually my brother and also my main modeler thus another forum account would be abit superfluos ^^
Off course you couldn't know that

@ Puppeteer:

The 'trailer' contains a bug indeed due to the fact that the PPE fx was link via wdl syntax.
Later on, we'll switch to Lite-C for that particular reason

@ Quadraxas:



I think you're right there although we have a 'long' but yet learnful road ahead of us

@ jigalypuff:

It will not get abandoned, be very sure of that ^^

@ aztec:

There is always something that can be critizised
Although it's a good sign that you did mention it ^^

@ Joozey and Cowabanga:

Again thank you

@ nfs42:

The entire team can't thank you enough for all your hard work !
Your lastest update is definitely salutary
Be sure we'll report new found bugs and suggestions.

Cheers from the FE Team,

Frazzle

Hello all ^^

Just a quick message that we have a public forum open, with weekly updates about Facing Extinction ^^

Feel free to check it out, and post comments ^^

http://adoado.awardspace.com/islandforums

Cheers
Everyone from Facing Extinction ^^

I don't mean to sound overly critical, but what you need a forum for at this time? I mean, there hardly is any reason to give feedback at this stage of development ,

Other than that, good luck!

Cheers

But how can you comment on the state of our stage of development at this time if you don't know how far the entire pipeline is for sure
We could put all of our resources (shaders,models,...) in the public section but would it be clever to show of with all what we have got ?
Then you would probably wonder 'what in God's name is the meaning of the forum?'. The answer is because Adrian and I communicate with eachother via the private section of that forum.
Basically, the public part is for everyone to feedback on and to ask specific questions (just to overcome a 'spam' effect in this thread).
Anyway, I can understand why you mentioned this Phemox

Cheers

Frazzle

Hey, I was finally able to watch the video. Nice work!
it's very cool ...^^

But there's no gameplay in it ... I was looking forward to seeing gameplay, since that sounds very interesting in this project...

keep it up