64D Com-Unity Game

Posted by Moikle on April 6, 2015, 12:13 p.m.

What do you guys think about doing a community Unity game?

Remember when we did that 64d community RPG? I really enjoyed that, and want to do something similar.

Our community games tend to revolve around game maker, which we are all pretty much fluent in, I was thinking that we could all work together on something we are slightly less familiar with. People who already know unity can point the rest in the right direction and offer support as well as stabilize the probably messy buggy code we produce.

Everyone, no matter your experience can take part, as long as you have some idea of how C# works, and have some idea that you can contribute. Even if you doubt you can even make a hello world program using tutorials, you could submit some art for the game, 3d, 2d, textures, sound, level design, writing, anything that comes to mind. Just get yourself the free version of unity, and do the basic tutorials to familiarise yourself with the navigation and the very basics of the program.

We could take turns to add to the game, like we did with the community rpg, we would share the files with everyone using git, so others can see how it is progressing/offer suggestions/support. That or we could take a less structured "add stuff whenever, as long as you don't delete other people's stuff without asking, and document all your additions." approach.

I am well aware of how interest in these community projects often tapers off and it gets abandoned, but if we don't restrict ourselves to a specific order, and are allowed to come back later and add stuff, then I suspect a few people will be left adding to it for quite a while.

I propose we write up a very basic GDD together at the start to keep ourselves focused on a common goal for the core aspects of the game, and to decide things like genre/setting/important mechanics and things like that.

yes, this blog is very rambly, but it is just a brainstormy type thing, and if anyone is actually interested then I will write up a clearer blog and plan for the project.

So?

Comments

Moikle 9 years ago

Quote:
Ehh I think I've proven that I'm not a reliable team member if anybody here followed 64DCG so I'm gonna pass unless there is something that I am absolutely positively needed for that nobody else can provide within a reasonable amount of time.
the way we'll do it, you will be free to join at any time if you change your mind.

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Ok maybe i can make an exception for your poor little cubes

colseed 9 years ago

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Oh also, i forbid us from making a game that LOOKS like it was made in unity. No ugly default ui, and no assets that you find in every single teenager's first attempt at unity

also fak u guise new unitay ui is amaze

Castypher 9 years ago

Quote:
ellipsoid warneng
I think you mean ellipsilepsy.

Well if we can get enough graphically-inclined people, I don't think defaults will be a huge issue, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that you shouldn't use those during the early development and prototyping process. Most early graphics will be replaced anyway, even if you intend for them to be final.

Moikle 9 years ago

Yeah that is what i meant

Alert Games 9 years ago

I, too, am wondering how the collaboration will work with multiple developers. Is a GitHub repo viable for a project like this? Sorry I am not familiar with Unity, but I do know how to program with the languages.

Moikle 9 years ago

I reckon we should stick to one at a time editing of the main file, but you can work on scripts and test them in a local version of it, then add them to the main when it is your turn to edit. you can request a turn whenever you want and you'll be able to edit once the person before you is done (or after their arranged time is up.) We could use the text file like Colseed said to show that someone is editing. Just check that, then rename it from "Unlocked" to "Locked-Yourname" before you start editing and when you are ready to give it to someone else then rename it back to "Unlocked". We could even write the queue INSIDE that file, so you can tell who is allowed to go next, and how long you have to wait till your turn. Then remove your name from the top when you rename it to "Unlocked".

We can make changes to the rules if things are not working out. They exist to keep things flowing nicely, not to force us against unnecessary restrictions. This is not a competition, remember.

There will be no such rules for adding assets to the FOLDER, but if you want to add them to the actual project, you must wait until it is unlocked or ask who is next on the list.

If someone is not available for their turn, we could skip them one place down the queue until they arrive.

Castypher 9 years ago

I think that everyone should definitely have their own testing scene, not necessarily a separate version of the game. You can add new features using the scene and still have access to each other's prefabs and behaviors. It'd be less tedious than copying over the project every time you want to pull an update (at least that's what I'm gathering from here).

For example, I'd have a scene (made of glorious and delicious cubes of course!) testing ladders, the UI, and combat, while Mega might be working on platforming in another scene and colseed would be creating thousands of bullets.

Anyway, while I do want to do this in Unity, I wonder if UE4 is any better at handling team projects. I've actually heard it's worse but maybe someone can confirm that for me.

Moikle 9 years ago

maybe, I have touched UE before UE4, but I figured more people here are already familiar with Unity3D and are able to keep us moving in the event someone gets stuck with something.

Edit: oh, it is JUST scenes that can't be edited by multiple people at once? Well that isn't so bad.

Castypher 9 years ago

It's not just scenes, but they tend to be the most problematic. Opening a project creates a lock file that persists until the project is closed. My suggestion was mainly an addition, not a solution. I know Unity has an asset server feature, which is built-in version control. But it's only available to people who actually paid for Unity.

Maybe we should just all join one huge Skype group for starters.

colseed 9 years ago

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There will be no such rules for adding assets to the FOLDER, but if you want to add them to the actual project, you must wait until it is unlocked or ask who is next on the list.
using that method, you might want a separate folder (i.e. separate from the unity project files) for assets-that-haven't-been-imported-yet too - unity by default detects/imports assets from the project folders whenever the unity editor regains focus, and that can freeze up the editor for a good second or two

imagine that multiplied by a few dozen image files that someone not in the project may have just thrown in and…yeah, fun times

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and colseed would be creating thousands of bullets.
kilin knows me too well

also skype helps hugely with these things yas