Ideas for a libre team FPS based on Warsow code?
Posted: 17 Jul 2013, 16:41It always seemed like a pity that Warsow ( http://www.warsow.net/ ) uses non-libre art and was pretty negative towards open-source for various reasons. Anyways... recently they seem to have adopted a more open development style, at least towards their engine and gameplay code: https://github.com/viciious/qfusion
Warsow itself seems to be rather dying though... not too many player left and no real plans for further development. The engine itself is pretty cool though, especially with it's easy to use mod scripting and some quite advance online multiplayer features like friend-lists, online stats, e-sports TV servers etc.
And than there is the fact that it includes some rather nice team-based multiplayer modes (one that is like bomb/defuse in Counterstrike, and one is a simplified version of Team Fortress and I think there is also an objective based mode) which where largely overlooked as they are so hidden in the otherwise ("yet another") fast paced arena shooter.
So I was thinking if it wouldn't make sense to take the lesser know stuff and make a fully libre/FOSS team FPS with it, using existing FOSS art from various sources with a non-realistic style to keep the art efforts low (I was thinking of something a bit like TF2, using for example some environmental art from Yo Frankie and other similar art from OGA/Blendswap etc.; I also still have some TF like playermodels that might fit and work with the RedEclipse animations, but well they aren't that great).
But low hanging fruits aside, I am wondering if there is really an interest in something like that. Obviously the player communities for FOSS arena FPS are already really small, and there is no point in trying to copy TF2 either (it being free to play and having a linux client... which is of course not the same as FOSS at all, but from a player's perspective will probably result in low interest in a FOSS clone).
So my idea was to focus on making a team based FPS that works with a lower number of players, e.g. 4-6 (2-3 players per team). The reason for that is that:
1. It can be thus played on private LAN session, which is really something that is lacking these days (except for coop-game like Left4Dead etc.)
2. It can be properly played more competitively online, as it is rare to have well working teams of more than three players.
3. Servers don't feel so empty when there are only a few players around initially
Obviously this idea would need custom maps catering to a small number of players, maybe some innovations like one sided "street basketball like" capture the flag and so on (other ideas welcome). Furthermore it might be possible to take some ideas from the DOTA genre, that also plays quite well with fewer players (CPU controlled enemies and turrets?).
Anyways... some food for thought if you think this is a niche that can attract some players and if you think this idea is worth the effort. If you are really motivated and want to help out, that would be of course great too
Warsow itself seems to be rather dying though... not too many player left and no real plans for further development. The engine itself is pretty cool though, especially with it's easy to use mod scripting and some quite advance online multiplayer features like friend-lists, online stats, e-sports TV servers etc.
And than there is the fact that it includes some rather nice team-based multiplayer modes (one that is like bomb/defuse in Counterstrike, and one is a simplified version of Team Fortress and I think there is also an objective based mode) which where largely overlooked as they are so hidden in the otherwise ("yet another") fast paced arena shooter.
So I was thinking if it wouldn't make sense to take the lesser know stuff and make a fully libre/FOSS team FPS with it, using existing FOSS art from various sources with a non-realistic style to keep the art efforts low (I was thinking of something a bit like TF2, using for example some environmental art from Yo Frankie and other similar art from OGA/Blendswap etc.; I also still have some TF like playermodels that might fit and work with the RedEclipse animations, but well they aren't that great).
But low hanging fruits aside, I am wondering if there is really an interest in something like that. Obviously the player communities for FOSS arena FPS are already really small, and there is no point in trying to copy TF2 either (it being free to play and having a linux client... which is of course not the same as FOSS at all, but from a player's perspective will probably result in low interest in a FOSS clone).
So my idea was to focus on making a team based FPS that works with a lower number of players, e.g. 4-6 (2-3 players per team). The reason for that is that:
1. It can be thus played on private LAN session, which is really something that is lacking these days (except for coop-game like Left4Dead etc.)
2. It can be properly played more competitively online, as it is rare to have well working teams of more than three players.
3. Servers don't feel so empty when there are only a few players around initially
Obviously this idea would need custom maps catering to a small number of players, maybe some innovations like one sided "street basketball like" capture the flag and so on (other ideas welcome). Furthermore it might be possible to take some ideas from the DOTA genre, that also plays quite well with fewer players (CPU controlled enemies and turrets?).
Anyways... some food for thought if you think this is a niche that can attract some players and if you think this idea is worth the effort. If you are really motivated and want to help out, that would be of course great too