Empires on UE4: UE4 is FREE edition

We now have per-map minimaps backgrounds. I found some code in UT4 that did per-level settings so I copied part of it and made it work.

 

I don't know about hosting on Viper, I've no idea how much access is needed to achieve what you need or how much resources you'll need. Not that I'd have a problem with it but for that you'd want to speak to Vicki.

If it is helpful I can give you a VM with admin/root access via remote desktop, a pubic IP, any firewall changes you want, licensing too if you can stick with 2008 R2.
You can use it for the reposity and/or running a server - PM me if its any good to you.

 

I have some free Azure time, so if we are moving over to better hosting, that would be it.

 

Cool beans, sounds like you guys are making awesome progress. Can't want to check it out.

 

Alright, so I sat down with Zenarion and talked about art direction. It also went into a discussion about lore and environmental storytelling.

One of the things I was thinking of is to do to 'Eras' when it comes to maps and the equipment you use.

The first Era is the Insurgency. Lore-wise, the Brenodi Empire has conquered the Jekotian Empire, creating the global Empire we all know and love. The Northern Faction, a group of extreme Jekotian nationalists, stuck to their ideals and their national identity and opposed the Brenodi occupation force, the ICA (Imperial Civil Authority).

This leads to matches between the Northern Faction and the Brenodi ICA, and the maps are set in the north (Glycen City, etc). The game modes are more Infantry and small vehicle oriented, with Conquest (Battlefield style capture points), Insurgency (A number of possible weapons caches on the map, the ICA must find them and destroy them), and Assault (a series of check points that either side must advance through... think Escort). I am thinking there would be one or two Commander maps set in this time period, but they would be limited to ground vehicles only and no heavy tanks/artillery.

The second Era is after the success of the Northern Faction insurgency and the recall of the ICA, the Jekotian Republic was founded. Quickly after the foundation of the new Jekotian State, the Brenodi call it a revolution and vow to put it down, mobilizing the entire army. This means that later era maps are the Brenodi Empire vs the Jekotian Republic. These maps feature the entire arsenal from both sides, including heavy tanks, artillery, and aircraft.

Later Era gamemodes would be Classic Commander (Two sides have a Comm Vehicle, you kill the enemy commander to win). Commander Conquest (Battlefield style Conquest but with Command Vehicles. If you lose your CV you get a major ticket drain), and Commander Assault (A series of objectives that one team must take. Both teams have a commander). The maps would be all kinds of different theaters, themed after an initial Brenodi Assault, then Jeokotia Repelling them and expanding operations in the south and eventually pushing into Brenodi home territory.

There are a couple reasons I want to do it this way

1) It allows for an 'Early Access' period where I can release Infantry/small vehicle gameplay. We can focus on the ground game that everyone will be playing before diving into the RTS stuff.
2) it builds a ton of places to do Environmental Storytelling. By building the lore into the entire gamemode system, it's very clear what is happening in the world and why you are fighting.
3) You get both lower level infantry combat scenarios as well as massive battles and RTS/FPS gameplay.

 

Well that is pretty much lore and setting only. Can you be a bit more specific on art direction? Or do you want to sit down with more people for that one?

 

Any plans for that to give excuse for including side objectives on some maps?

 

I agree with flasche. And I would like to stress that art assets are NOT something you can just do on the fly like you are already doing with the game design and code. Not only do you require an art direction everyone can follow, artists also need to know different specs for where, when and how often their asset is used. Most of the time that's not something you can just quickly change again after the model is done. So if you don't want to do meetings and a definite plan for the game design, fine by me. But please please please, don't do the same for art. Because if you do, I'm afraid I won't be able to help you.

 

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JoelBurgess/20130501/191514/Skyrims_Modular_Approach_to_Level_Design.php

 

I have 1 TB of space on my dropbox account with 19 GB used. If using my dropbox would help I am happy to do that, let me know.

 

I agree with f1r3w4rr10r..
There are a lot of nights I have been off of work that I wanted to help with this project but. Lack of direction kind of kept me from it.
You kind of need a consistency with art.

(Environmental Storytelling)
One idea I had after seeing and some of Kylegar's other post is Have kind of like BF3 maps.
Where you have one big map that is split up by game types.
Then commander mode could be the every part of the map.

(Mapping ?)
How much detail are we going for ?
You can do some amazing things in UE4. But how much is too much?
I know a lot of the current players don't have expensive gaming computers.

 

We can start with outdoor maps, those things don't need art direction outside is outside.

 

If you want maps to look like patchwork, then they don't.

 

"Cuz I'm having too much time tonight.."

https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/ue4-is-free