Drag and Drop 3D Engine

[fayt84]

Would anyone be interested in forming a large programming team to create a 3D Drag and Drop Game Engine?

[N36fSL3A]

This should go in the jobs.

And how much would one get paid if they did so? Would it be by the hour? Do you have resources to prove your progress?

I need more information.

[BHX]

@fayt84
Can you give more details about it?

@Lumpkin
Just because someone is looking for a team doesn't automatically make it a job, nor does it mean there is pay involved. This could just be a purely educational endeavour.

[N36fSL3A]

Can you chill with the reports? All I did was ask questions.

[BHX]

I have better things to do than report you. I just get on long enough to reply to threads then go back to my projects. Right now I'm looking into Drag and Drop Engines.

[EDIT] Only one I know of off hand is MIT Scratch http://wiki.scratch.mit.edu/wiki/Scratch

[N36fSL3A]

Oh, sorry for my false accusation. I just realized that everytime I got reported it was after you replied. That's my bad, once again I'm sorry.

But someone is doing that... they've been doing it for a while.

[fayt84]

Here is additional information. In a sense it's forming a team and getting funding for the project, so it's not really a job or educational. This engine would be for more serious games. It could create Minecraft or Assassin's Creed 3.

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[Seeking]: I am seeking multiple C++, Python and other programmers.

[Project]: A first of it's kind 3D Drag and Drop Game Engine. Developers can use cross platforms such as Blender, DAZ Studio, Maya or Poser to create objects, characters, scenes, etc and import them into the game. Little to no programming experience is required for users but full programming features are available for the hardcore developers.

[User Costs]: Like with Blender and other open source engines and software, the founders and experienced developers would create new products for the engine and sell copies of them such as a new character for $9.95 or a high poly tree for $4.95. Also the free version you could create a game with limited options and a full non-commercial license would be a low cost of $299. However for companies to use it for mainstream games it'd require a $1,999 license.

[Funding]: We will gain funding of $250,000 through Kickstarter and Indiegogo, I expect the funding to exceed this amount.

[Languages]: We'll be releasing the first full game engine in English only and will consider adopting other languages in the future.

[Communication]: We'll be having weekly meetings via Skype, Live Chat, Local and other means.

[My Experience]: I've worked with a number of 3D softwares, mainly Bryce 7 and Blender. I do 3D modeling and a little animation, also have created full renders with 100% of my modeling and partial games created by myself. I currently only know web based programming languages but can create the content, layout and documentation of the engine plus publicity of it. I have been playing games on cross platforms for 27 years.

[fayt84]

Here is a demo website I created: http://www.rodgame.org/wish/index.html

[TheBeardedQuack]

So how's this gonna work in terms of the user?

It's like a simple blender for in engine modelling, drag your object in and then script it?
Kinda like Unity but insanely simplified and much more noob-friendly? This is what it sounds like to me, but then you'd need a compiler thrown in...

Or is it like a little bit more like Scratch, where you'd provide so many scripting options and the user basically creates a flowchart (I do love scratches simplicity with this)

I think an intermediate combination of the 2 would be a very unique product and also allow and inspire many more fresh minds to take to the indie gaming world. The Unity kinda version on it's own is more like a tool to simplify the work of those who already know what they're doing.

[fayt84]

Actually this one would be more unique. It wouldn't require any programming at all. Here is a basic rough draft.

Choose Game Type: Racing, RPG, FPS, etc.
Choose a level layout
Add Content: Characters, Tables, Grass, Etc.
Select Music or Create your own
Choose Movements and Actions for your characters.
Add Storylines or Speech Bubbles
Add Permissions for Walls, Ground, Water etc.
Import your own content or you can do scripting yourself
Compile and create your game.

It'd be packed with a massive amount of content (around 500mb - 1 gig of harddrive space). So basically you say do this, change this, add this all at the click of a button. So even a brand new beginner can make a game but yet highly experienced developers will use it as well.

[Mats]

This task is enormous. Have you considered how you create actions for players and other objects without doing any coding?

[N36fSL3A]

^This. It's going to take years to develop, and your funding most likely wont be enough.

It's still possible to accomplish though. Are you planning to add any programming availability to the Engine?

[TheBeardedQuack]

I would love to get my hands on this piece of software if it were currently available. I would also love to be a part of this project but have great fear that I'm not good enough (I am yet to release my first piece of software to the public).

And although as Mats says this task is enormous, with some careful planning in the core engine it could become a monster of a machine for turning out games!



Here's an idea as to how you could create actions btw.
Object models are made up of skeletons each containing a independent physical properties (such as position and momentum), but also containing the global properties attached to the whole body... This isn't a new concept.

The user is able to set up flow-scripts (a script of what happens in the form of our given flowchart options) to each body (or each piece making it up), to be executed on command.

The user sets up global event signals to trigger these commands.

example:

Command Triggered: KeyPress [W]
Character body receives event signal and activates subscripts.
Entire body move forward by speed/frametime
Sub-body legs, start rotation animation (walking)
This is create a TICK listener and repeat on every tick...


Command Triggered: GameTick
Entire body move forward by speed/frametime
Sub-Body legs, continue rotation animation


Command Triggered: KeyRelease [W]
Destroy TICK listener
Sub-body legs, terminate rotation animation and return to default pos

EDIT: You could also incorporate something like a namespace, i.e. you can trigger an event globally or just for a specific object type, or just for one known instance.
This will help greatly with instancing/variable naming for the user (even scratch contains variable naming for script allocation)



EDIT 2: I've been developing a game engine for a while now (and never seem to progress through getting better ideas and redoing the whole thing) but I think just the basic physics side I've put in could maybe live up to something like this?
I'd need to know more to whether people are actually going to go ahead with this project though before specifically incorporating any compatibility into it though (cos that'd be one area nailed)

[fayt84]

@Mats, Yes it is a big project but also a first of it's kind. It'll require Programmers, Modelers, Illustrators, Music Artists, etc. I figure a team of 15 can handle it. It'll take years for a final full working release, but can easily throw out simple beta ones with little features to get started.

@Lumkin, As I said yes, it will have a full programming side so even advanced developers and programmers can make their own games completely custom or alter the pre-made code.

@Everyone, Actions can be pre-made and created. The RPG MAKER series has already done it successfully. http://www.rpgmakerweb.com/products/programs/rpg-maker-vx#features

Look at the screenshots. It uses the Ruby language and a person who has never played a video game can create one with this software, but also have full import and scripting for advanced people. However this software is only built for RPGs. Our engine would allow for many types but also in 3D not 2D.

EDIT: As far as funding goes, this is the start up funding amount, which it could exceed that. Once an early beta release is open, funding would be greater.

[Mats]

@faty84 - How big do you want this project to be in comparison to the UDK?

[TheBeardedQuack]

Adding full programmability would severely increase the workload needed to get this thing published, with a flow chart style still fairly advanced systems can be made without too much trouble (in comparison), however doing things like what Unity's done by adding actual coding into the engine for compilation will require serious pros.

Because of this (Dragons den style) I'm afraid I'm out, but it still sounds like an amazing project and good luck with it... (I may keep tabs so make it good XD )

[N36fSL3A]

Yea, adding a scripting language would increase dev time. RPG Maker did this, but it took quite a while for it to be released.

Good luck with your project though!

[fayt84]

@Mats, I am hoping to surpass UDK or at least become equal with it. The engine can start simple, simple games, simple content, etc. Add more and more features as we go. The custom programming can always come as a later feature. It can be used as "Add ons" they take the core engine and apply add ons to it. That may be easier than releasing the builds.

EDIT: Also I already have (2) Music artists, (1) Illustrator and (1) Modeler. Currently seeking the programmers right now.

[Mats]

This is just from memory and I couldn't find the source, but I watched a talk on how the UDK was constructed sometime last year. It took ~30 programmers 6 months to produce the initial release. Bear in mind that most (probably all) of those programmers would be highly experienced and skilled. The funding wasn't mentioned, but I would be very surprised if it was below $1000000.

I did however, find a related link here, which you might find interesting:

http://slashdot.org/topic/cloud/how-unity3d-become-a-game-development-beast/

[fayt84]

Great story. It really depends if you're trying to make another Orge3D or UDK/Unity3D. If you created an engine to make 2D games like the original Legend of Zelda, it'd take few people and less than a year to make. But something with cinematic effects and amazing gameplay such as Assassins Creed 3 would require probably 30 - 50 people and over $10,000,000.

So the best way to tackle this would be to create a more simple drag and drop and continue to expand it.