Firefly Source Mod *May Contain Spoilers* by Novan

FIREFLY UNIVERSE

Firefly Source Mod *May Contain Spoilers*

POSTED BY: NOVAN
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 09:24
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VIEWED: 13015
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Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:16 AM

I am in the process of making a Firefly Mod for Valves Source Engine. If you dont know what the Source engine is, it is the Engine used for Half-Life 2.

The story takes place about a month after the Serenity movie. The result of the broadcast that the crew of Serenity showed the world has begun to make people revolt against the Alliance. Many of the core planets are in disarray, and the outer rim is even worse. The Revers keep growing and moving closer and closer to the core. Hundreds of cities have been destroyed by the increase in the number of Rever attacks.

I was just wondering if anyone would actually be willing to play it. Thanks!

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Wednesday, December 21, 2005 11:24 AM

FIRESTALKER

I would.... make it!

-------------------------------------------------
"You know what the definition of a hero is? Someone that gets other people killed."

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Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:14 PM

NJOLMA

I would so play it if you need help I have HL2 and am a programmer. Not good at art though

If by special forces you mean he rides the short APC then yes he is!

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Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:59 PM

DTUCK

Heck yeah!

A Firefly mod for Source would rock! I've got 12 comps here at the gaming center that I could put it on, if you wouldn't mind me pimping your Source Mod, and in the process, Firefly. :)

__________________________________

The best way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

- Oscar Wilde

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Wednesday, December 21, 2005 2:05 PM

NOVAN

Great. I just started it so I dont know when it will be done. Hopefully it will be soon. And njolma it would be great if you can help. Go ahead and email me at Gladiusmagister@gmail.com

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Saturday, December 31, 2005 3:51 PM

CITIZEN

Novan:

As part of a project I'm working on I'm creating models of the crew, I'm working from low poly meshes that are roughly the sort of poly limit of the Half-life source engine for major characters. They'd need some work to incorporate into the game but would be better than starting from scratch. PM me if your interested in using them.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
Remember, the ice caps aren't melting, the water is being liberated.

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Sunday, January 8, 2006 12:27 PM

PYROX420

I'll play it! I can help make a website for it. I might also be able to swing some hosting. Send me an e-mail: lemkepf@gmx.net

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Friday, January 13, 2006 8:25 AM

NOVAN

Update on Firefly Mod

Here are some of the features Im working on:

- RPG Elements
- Being able to fly the ship
- Being able to drive the mule (one from the movie)
- Physics and Effects of Firefly Weapons
- Side Missions where you smuggle cargo (Would be optional)
- Missions for each character

Some examples of the missions for each of the characters:

- For Mal, Doing bussiness transactions that turn into gun fights
- For Zoe, Helping Mal duing those gun fights
- For Inara, Going out for clients (flying the shuttle)
- For Jayne, things that envolve shooting :)
- For River, kicking butt in anyway she can
- and For Simon, fixing up the crew in an emergancy

Tell me what you think, what I should add or remove, or if I am crazy (which I am, but in a good way)

Thanks

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Friday, January 13, 2006 8:43 AM

CHRISTHECYNIC

Quote:
Originally posted by Novan:
I was just wondering if anyone would actually be willing to play it.

Hell yes.

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Saturday, January 14, 2006 5:38 PM

NOVAN

The project is now looking for the following:

Story Writers
C++ Programmers
Graphic Artists (To Make Texures and Such)
3D Modelers

So if you can help please contact me at:

Gladiusmagister@gmail.com

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Saturday, January 14, 2006 5:41 PM

TANSTAAFL28

I'd be willing to play in a cold minute. I will E-mail you privately concerning any assistance I might lend.

"You can't take the sky from me..."

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Saturday, January 14, 2006 5:44 PM

NOVAN

We have an idea, but no real story. If you would like to join, just say.

Also, what are the graphic setups of the people who want to play. I plan on using sources High Dynamic Range Rendering if I can figure out how. You need a ATI 9800 or a NVIDIA 6800 or higher to use it. It would be optional. There would be two versions of the map, one with it and one with out it.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, and is also sometimes referred to as High Dynamic Range Imagery (HDRI) or High Dynamic Range Rendering (HDRR). The Dynamic Range is the ratio of the largest value of a signal to the lowest measurable value. Current 16-bit integer-based formats use colour component values from 0 ("black") to 1 ("white"), but don't allow for what is known as "over-range" values, for example, a whiter-than-white highlight glinting off a piece of metal.

HDR facilitates the use of colour values way outside the normal range in an effort to produce a more realistic rendering of a typical 3D scene. If you have ever driven through a dark tunnel in your car, and then emerged out the other side into blazing sunshine, temporarily blinded by the difference in light levels - that oversaturation is one example of what is possible with HDR.
For the average enthusiast, there are only three things to remember about HDR:

1. Bright things can be really bright
2. Dark things can be really dark
3. And the details can be seen in both

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Saturday, January 14, 2006 5:54 PM

TANSTAAFL28

I've got the hardware requirements on my laptop.
I'm planning an upgrade to my primary desktop so it will be up to speed as well. I've already speced the parts I'll need (I've built my last 5 boxes).

"You can't take the sky from me..."

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Saturday, January 14, 2006 6:58 PM

MISBEHAVE

Heck Yes.

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Saturday, January 14, 2006 8:44 PM

MAJORCLOD

Do you have any sort of design specifications, planning or other doco that we could look at?

It's definately going to be a lot of work to undertake, especially if you are intending to incorporate flying too. A few years ago I was the 3d artist on a Halflife Singleplayer mod, the three of us worked on it for eighteen months until it was released quite sucessfully. It was even mentioned in a few mags, including PCgamer. :)

Flying the ship would be fun, but I doubt it would be essential, and it is going to be a lot of work to incorporate into the source engine. It'll be downright hard if not impossible to get seamless travel between planets, and I feel any sort of occasional flying mission might seem gimmicky.

I don't know if letting the player be all the characters would serve the game well. You'd get a much more character driven experience if you were the one character. I get it depends if you after the engaging story or more arcade action etc...

Are you looking to take the player on a story, or allow them to play in an open ended world?

As far as gameplay goes, it's going to be much more work for you if let the player take the role the captain. It would be very hard to guide the player along a path, as it's not in the character of Mal to be told what to do. Its going to be hard to get the player to follow a basic story, so an open ended, living world is what you'll require.

If you want it to follow a story, my thoughts would be to have the player take the role of a new passenger or crew member, and slowly have them accepted into the family, similar to the journey of River and Simon. This will allow the player to experience the crew first hand. It will also allow you to mold a story around the game as the player will be taking orders from the captain rather than running around unguided.

One interesting approach would be to have the player take the role of the new pilot and have them try to fit in. It will ensure plenty of conflict and emotion while trying to fit in with the crew. This would also be an easier way to implement a flying aspect of the game.

Just some ideas, I've been thinking about a mod like this for some time.

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Sunday, January 15, 2006 11:38 AM

RITTER

I have almost no experience with programming in the the HL2 engine, however I would be happy to test anything you can give me. If you need to contact me you can do so via e-mail @ blacknight@carolina.rr.com.

I do have some C++ experience, but it is nothing very fancy, so if you need a monkey to throw together some code let me know what I can do.

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Thursday, January 19, 2006 12:38 AM

DUFF

OK, here's my take on it...

About 3 months back, a Firefly mod project was announced back on hl2files.com. At first, I was horrified. I didn't want them making a game where I got to be Mal and the crew. I didn't want to take part in any of the stuff that they do in the show. I was later VERY relieved to find out that it didn't have anything to do with that. It was going to be a Counter-Strike/Day of Defeat/Dystopia-esque war mod between the Browncoats and the Alliance. Big sigh of relief.

'But why, Duff?', you may ask. 'We all love Firefly and being Mal is 2x as good as watching him'
Here's the thing. It's not. I'm finding it hard to explain, and I understand why everyone is so excited, but... there's just no way we can re-create those feelings we get when watching the show. We can't get the actors, we can't hire Joss or anyone else to do the writing. In every way shape and form, there's just about no way we could possibly capture that feeling. It the same kind of feeling as I have with the Halo movie. I hope the Halo movie has NOTHING to do with the Master Chief. The Master Chief is a character game fans were always meant to PLAY as, not observe as an outside party. So, yeah, same kinda feeling. But... opposite.

I think that the only reason I would play it is to have a quick look around to see how closely you've recreated Serenity.

HOWEVER... There are so many things you could do with the 'verse that have nothing to do with Mal and crew. You can have that same idea with the COunter-Strike-esque Battle of Serenity valley situations. You could have a Brain Bread/Zombie Panic style co-op mod while you hold off Reavers (And have characters like Mal and crew as unlockables for doing well in that round). You could still have that single-player experience described, but as different characters. Both Joss and Mal make the point several times that they're just 8 guys in the whole 'verse. There's millions more to choose from.

But all I ask is that you consider steering away from a story involving Serenity. Well, Serenity can be in there, if you were to play as past/future owners. A-la Millenium Falcon, or the Ebon Hawk.

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Thursday, January 19, 2006 2:05 AM

CITIZEN

I'd like the idea of playing as a character outside of Firefly that sometimes comes in contact with the crew.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

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Thursday, January 19, 2006 3:53 AM

KAZZAHDRANE

Just replying to show my support for what sounds like a fun project.

I've got HL2, but don't have any experience with the Source SDK. I know some C++ and my writing skills aren't too bad.

Basically I'd be happy to be another tester hehe, but if you need any simple tasks done I could possibly be a coding/writing monkey.

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Thursday, January 19, 2006 7:32 AM

NOVAN

We are still working out the basics. Ive decided to make it one character instead of all, and it wont be one of the shows crew. Although, there is a chance you would be able to interact with them be it thruout the whole game or just in certain parts. Ive been planning interplanetary flight to be something similar to Knights of The Old Republic where you use a computer and select the place you want to go. The physics needed to create a belivable space flight sim using Sources Ragdoll physics engine is impossible so Im dropping that. There is going to be a main story but Im hoping to let the character go off on his/her own on side quests and such. I also plan on including a multiplayer version where it would be like CS:S. In some maps it would be Browncoats VS. Alliance and in others it would be One of the two vs the Reavers. And If anyone would like to work on it please email me at Gladiusmagister@gmail.com. We need all the help we can get to have this mod come out in a reasonable about time. Thanks again and I will keep updating as we progress!

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Saturday, March 4, 2006 7:17 PM

SAMURAI5

I would keep it as open ended as possible. I wouldent want to play a character from Firefly, i d like to make my own. BUT I LOVE the Firefly Verse!

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Saturday, March 11, 2006 5:54 AM

MRFOX

I would definatly play this and recommend al my friends to get it as well (by recommend I mean force).

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Saturday, March 11, 2006 6:34 AM

FWBBROWNCOAT

Count me in...big fan of HL2 anyways, and I'm a programmer, if ya need any help with the mod process, I'll be glad to offer my services.

"Come a day there won't be room for naughty men like us to slip about at all." - Malcolm Reynolds

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006 11:31 AM

KUANGZHEDE

Ambitious...keep up the good work...I can't wait to see whatever the final product is. However, the idea of being the new pilot is interesting...I think it is a touchy subject to play from the point of veiw of the main characters, maybe they could be used as the mission and quest hubs, ie Mal wants you to fly here, or someone needs help doing this or fighting that or fast pickup here etc...

Once I saw this forum, I almost lost my mind...good luck...sorry my programing skills suck

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Wednesday, June 28, 2006 5:50 AM

FROSTYELF

Do you know when you will be finished at all?

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Wednesday, June 28, 2006 7:01 AM

GHOSTTOWN

Hey, if you don't have someone for story yet, write me at karaoke_cowboy@hotmail.com. I'd love to help out. I've got a decent idea for character not on the crew, but involved with them in a very different way.

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Monday, July 17, 2006 4:22 PM

HOLLYWOODROB

i dont have any training with source, but soon i will be running my own server, and i will happily host anything on it. if you need testing, call me to it. if you can do it in source, have it so that you can join a team of people playing as the actual characters for a more pleasing feeling to the game.

ninja hat!

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Wednesday, August 2, 2006 5:18 PM

HARLEQUIN

You need story writers? That's the easy part. Count me in for that if ya need. Well, I'll send you an e-mail too if you don't see this.

Quote:
Originally posted by Novan:
The project is now looking for the following:

Story Writers
C++ Programmers
Graphic Artists (To Make Texures and Such)
3D Modelers

So if you can help please contact me at:

Gladiusmagister@gmail.com

"You'll never get nowhere on a calm sea."

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Thursday, November 30, 2006 4:01 AM

BIGJOHNSON

Heck.......I would also love to be involved with this little project........Tell me what you need and I'll do my very best to get it done......"they cant stop us"

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007 9:24 AM

CEE

Any new status on the HL2 mod?

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