RAEV3N total conversion project...volunteers? Or $$

Hiya guys,

sorry for the long post

I have an idea for a total conversion that's so converted it's actually a totally new game, with a whole new story, using the DOOM engine. I have many ideas for games, but it is a shame because I have very little skill with modding or programming.

I would really like to know what you guys think about the following ideas, and I would love some volunteers to help with the programming, graphics, sound and/or modding (hopefully I will learn more about it as well.) Preferably without pay, if you really want it I will be willing to pay you if you can't have it any other way...after you say so we'll discuss how much.

* The levels would be entirely new, and a great deal of the textures would be new too.

* The levels would use cubic designs, blending the Wolfenstein 3D style with the more advanced DOOM style.

* The music would be be all new songs, in module (*MOD,*IT,*XM) format.

* New enemies and weapons, some replacing existing DOOM enemies, others completely original.

* New weapons and totally new HUD

* Involved story.

* Possible in-game cinematics using sprites, raycasted backgrounds and voice samples (possibly,) as well as text to tell the story.

I'm also not sure we can do this, what with all the added features, but I felt like writing it down.

Here's the story...I'll go into more detail about the rest of the game later.

RAEV3N

A mysterious valley region with breathable air, water, plants and other Earth-like necessities exists inside one of the Moon's craters. The Terran Reform Federation (TRF) has had a colony there for many decades now. However, when a mysterious energy signal is detected coming from two adjacent structures in the valley, and when exploring the first structure, a temple of sorts, the creatures inside the temple have escaped and killed all the colonists.

As it turns out, the beings that live in the temple are a race known as the Righteous, a species of biomechanoid created by the god of punishment to punish the winged, female beings known as the sakura (seen by him as living embodiments of sin,) and by extension mankind itself, since mankind has forged an alliance with the sakura (since the Terrans, by contrast, see them as angelic, beautiful women.) The leader of the sakura is Saküya, the goddess of light.

The TRF dispatches a squad of tech-marines, elite soldiers capable of using a variety of high-tech weapons. You yourself are dispatched as well, as a mysterious being known as RAEV3N, completely clothed in battle armor, your face only showing on your HUD. The TRF (and the sakura as well) are counting on you to combat the Righteous threat. That other structure in the valley needs some exploring as well...possibly the sakura aren't as far away as you first thought. (assistant characters and NPCs to talk to will show up. Another feature of the game is to rescue hostages: Terrans and sakura who are being attacked by the Righteous.)

But what is the nature of justice? The Righteous were created to carry out retributive justice upon those who have sinned...perhaps you are in the wrong for resisting, defending what should not be defended and fighting against what is right and moral. You do not know, so you keep fighting for what you believe in, hoping to find the answer...

I apologize firsthand for the shameless anime influence, as well as the shameless references to Aliens, (one of my favorite movies, mind you.)

Forestknight25, before you start asking for help on your new mega-cool-and-whatnot project, make sure you have something to show first (screenshots, map downloads, etc). Keep in mind we've already seen thousands of upcoming projects that actually never got done.

Dr. Zin said:

Forestknight25, before you start asking for help on your new mega-cool-and-whatnot project, make sure you have something to show first (screenshots, map downloads, etc). Keep in mind we've already seen thousands of upcoming projects that actually never got done.

I understand...however the only map experience I have is with DOOM Builder...though I presume I can learn a few modding tools if I can get my hands on them.

As for now, all I can do is sketch characters, weapons, enemies, etc.

It is very unlikely that you will get a "dream team" of people to work FOR you. However, that doesn't mean you can't make this. Take it slow, practice, and try to learn the things you need to create this. Even if you don't know it all, if you can end up showing anything interesting, then people may want to help.

zap610 said:

Even if you don't know it all, if you can end up showing anything interesting, then people may want to help.

Hey thanks man :)

I'm doing my part (to quote Starship Troopers)

I'm creating the player sprite right now...

EDIT: Wow, why is it you DOOMworld forum goers are so nice and encouraging? Totally not like some of the @$$holes on other forums.

Forestknight25 said:

EDIT: Wow, why is it you DOOMworld forum goers are so nice and encouraging? Totally not like some of the @$$holes on other forums.

If you only knew...just dont get full of yourself and you'll be fine. I made that mistake a good 4 years ago.

Bloodskull said:

If you only knew...just dont get full of yourself and you'll be fine. I made that mistake a good 4 years ago.

I'm a little annoyed that some people still want to harass you about the ShadowRunner days (as evidenced by a certain recently released project). I think you have already proved yourself a capable mapper. Now go make that Tale of Doom ;)

Dr. Zin said:

Forestknight25, before you start asking for help on your new mega-cool-and-whatnot project, make sure you have something to show first (screenshots, map downloads, etc). Keep in mind we've already seen thousands of upcoming projects that actually never got done.

^^^

Paying money? I think your money should go somewhere else.

Bloodskull said:

If you only knew...just dont get full of yourself and you'll be fine. I made that mistake a good 4 years ago.

raped

The best way to make a TC is to make some of the sprites yourself, see how they look, improve your spriting skills, and then make a significant amount of them yourself. Rip off some Midis from somewhere and forget about them. Same with sounds, just steal them from other wads or games that can be opened with XWE. Now make most of the maps on your own as single ones. Release them, get feedback and improve them and put then in the project. During map-making you're bound to have some rejects, tidy 'em up and throw them in as filler. Now make a few more sprites, learn DECORATE/Dehacked etc and put that in to check how your sprites will behave. Then it's time to put in the new sounds. Throw in some stolen music as an afterthought and there, you've got a 99% complete TC. Now find a site that offers sprites/sounds/midis etc for nothing and steal one. Credit the maker as part of your team. Release the TC and hope people like it. If they do, you'll be able to get together a real team for your next project. Best to save your good storylines and ideas for that one eh?

Rules of asking volunteers for a project on an online forum:
-The only people joining are other new people with just as questionable skills
-The more skilled, or should I say, more experienced, people with either tell you to GTFO or tell you to make it all yourself
-Once you have shown significant progress on your project some people (mostly newbs again) will get hyped and ask if they could help
-But most of the people will actually be trashing your work for any reason, be it uninspired, too inspired, have uncredited stolen resources, have stolen resources at all or because THE WAD IS A LIE
-The best way to get anyone joining is to start a project with a handful of friends you already know, not asking around on public forums

My advice for anyone who wants to start their own project which will require a team:

First, create and release a few standalone levels (or at least a relatively small wad, no more than ten levels). Listen to feedback, learn from it, release a few more levels, etc.

Next, volunteer to join an existing project. Point the leader/members of that project's team to your previously released work, so they know what you're capable of.

Once that project is finished, have a talk with the members of that team about whether they'd like to help you out with your own project. Also, talk to other people in the community you've gotten to know, and see whether they'd be willing to contribute and/or provide advice and feedback.

If you still haven't got enough people on your team, THEN is the time to post a public thread asking for help.

deathbringer described:
How to clone DRE.

I'd follow Nightmare's advice though it will mean putting your project on hold for now.

Know what? Putting RAEV3N on hold sounds like a pretty good idea. I'm pretty tied up, what with school and all (not to mention several other non-DOOM projects) so it'll wait. I'm not sure I'll evedn call it RAEV3N.

As of now, my only real DOOM-related desire is creating this really tough type of enemy, then just placing him in maps as needed...I really love testing my cojones when it comes to fighting extremely badass enemies (damn you Cyberdemon! oh wait...you're already "damned"...lol)

I presume I could go the Aliens TC route and combine attributes of several existing enemies/things. The only new DOOM monster I want to make is Kazuma the Shell Bullet (from s-CRY-ed.) I've always wanted to pit him against Doomguy. Now considering his alter (the "power" of the characters in s-CRY-ed) has three stages, I thought of the following:

Stage 1: I dunno (sargeant maybe?)
Stage 2: Beefed-up Revenant
Stage 3: Cyberdemon

*using WAVs I ripped from the show as well*

*his attacks involve launching himself forward, so the monster to use for that is obvious: Lost Soul*

I want to do this one myself. Can anyone give pointers to the proper IWAD editors for this? Kicking Kazuma's ass is the only thing I desire in DOOM at this moment.

To "use attributes" you'll need to use Whacked2 (that's shorthand for "Dehacked", they are the same thing, but Dehacked is DOS-based and annoying). Familiarise yourself with the code pointers and you can apply them to the right frames. Code pointers tell the specific frame of a sprite what to do (ie shoot a rocket, explosion damage etc). Alternatively use one of the advanced port-based thing definition methods like DECORATE, which can be edited in Notepad. Those are your best bet if you want a "form" boss which "turns into" other things, with the old methods only certian items can be specified to drop from things