Ok, i haven't quickly found any really relevant posts about the kickstarter idea, but i've had the same idea for quite some time now, and here it is with a few more details:
1. Buy all AO technology off from FC, including ALL source code (the complete! repositories with history), artwork, content production tools (the complete pipeline sans publicly available 3rd party tooling), maintenance tools, databases, documentation. The whole thing. Everything required for running and maintaining an AO shard.
2a. Buy a license from FC that permits hosting an AO server (post merge) on our own terms, including charging subscription fees to cover the cost of running it. That license should also include the right to design, modify and publish these modifications as the licensee sees fit.
2b. Alternatively buy the complete AO brand from FC, ie. no further licenses required. More costly, don't think so, as AO is not that popular a "brand" after all...
3. Set up a cloud infrastructure suitable for running and maintaining two complete AO shards (live + test)
Still thinking about the part about continued development of the game itself, given the code base is very old and there is probably next to no viable documentation, and obviously no personell to ask
I could imagine creating a non-profit company responsible for *at least* keeping AO in the air thru subscription fees.
The big question for this would be the number.
How much, FC?
WTB...
Btw, it might not be on Kickstarter, as they are open only for UK and US residents/citizens.
You should probably contact FC in a proper manner on that topic rather than through the forums
Thor Mastablasta Hammersmith - Level 220, AI 30, LE 70 Clan Atrox Nano Technician - Setup
The Red Brotherhood
I'm a Nano-Technician, don't ever expect me to fight unbuffed, alone or fair.
Means: about f'ing time :P
Satenia: heresy <3
Znore: Mastablasta <3
Kinkstaah: I have agro from many mobs ;(
Madarab: we are aoe class, we are supose to use pistols
Marxgorm: the NT toolset does not fit into my raiding tactics
@MB, i'm not at that point yet. First i'd like to get an impression of how the community would respond to the general idea...
I personally think it would be best to wait and see what happens with the new office in Raleigh. If we see that after a while, AO is not being worked on and left to rot, then this may be a good idea. Now is just too early.
Thornee - resurrected lowbie, former 200 Fixer
Stannerd - 220 Soldier
Megusta - TL7 Doc
Kaleeh - TL5 Shade
Thanks for that information, you have given me an insight into what is going on here. But for me most importantly, I am a returning player, having first played over 5 years ago.
Would it be possible for someone to post me a link to a thread that explains what exactly is happening with the big update that is coming. You mention briefly something about the "engine", which i'd like to know more about so if someone can direct me, or briefly tell me what is happening with the big upcoming update.
Cheers
Wish I can peek inside Ole Schreiner brain. Dude what are you thinking? The means of the many out way the means of the 1.
The server merge is a band-aid on a blood gushing juggler vein. The new engine is vaporware. They claim it works and is playable but never show it to us and this has gone on for years now. The magician that is fc has used this trick too often if you've this whole thread the awe of the prestige has since faded. Class re-balance was in the works but we haven't heard anything in months maybe a whole year at this point. I will tell you balance is horrible. Choose careful what you play as. Tier 1 is doc,soldier,crat,enfo. Bottom of the barrel is agent, mp etc I won't go into details you an find out easily. Depending on which you play you may have fun or experience a nightmare. I have an agent and keeper currently. Not worth a minute of my time. Get used to triple of quad logging of accounts. Its common practice to have your own personal army of alts under your command.
Quite honestly, not just since this month do i have the feeling that someone high up at FC hates - not dislikes, hates - AO. They have to keep it running, because its cashflow positive, but only just that. And that's sad, considering how long AO has actually been running by now. Had FC skipped wasting time and resources on duds like AoC or TSW, what an amazing game with up-to-date technology AO could've been by now.
We are like a brain dead vegetable in a hospital kept alive by machines. We won't get any worse but we can't get any better either and any minute they might decide to euthanize.
I always in my heart thought AoC and TSW where basically AO in different settings. I also can't imagine what difficulty there is in the new engine upgrade when AO should have long ago been converted to "dream". Instead of trying to reverse engineer everything, just make it brand new using AoC/TSW templates and just change the images and names to AO.
In the short amount of time those games went from announce to launch I would have thought that would have been pretty straight forward route to new engine upgrade. Instead of trying to patch it, make it a new client download. That would have eliminated the need for all that "old code" hunting and repairing. Instead of finding out mobs had init caps by accident that sort of thing could have been created right under the new dream engine. Maybe i'm simplifying but all the updates I've read seem to say they are "converting" AO to that dream engine. I don't understand why they didnt just "re-create" all the AO images/icons/animations in the new dream engine and go from there.
I remember when I heard AoC was announced it was like 3 months later beta testing started and then it was live. I'm like how did they do that so fast and why aren't those people working on AO?
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Because its too many things. Also, there's heaps of legacy code on the server side that the new client would not necessarily be compatible with. In the end, you'd basically have to recreate both client, server and content. That's like remaking AO (which hasn't happened WHY exactly?)...
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Keep in mind: My posts are my own personal views and thoughts.
Exactely my point..they are "redoing" everything anyway to meet the standards of the new engine. Good example are all those new heads we keep seeing. Or water/grass/shadows in Tir.
Why not just redo it all using AoC/TSW templates and "repaint" or "retouch" them for AO?
I mean maybe I don't understand more than basics of game design. But I've always been told to work smarter not harder.
So for example I would dare say there is not much diff between Ice golem and upgraded IG aka Beast. Same template different look, both high hp, high ac mob with aoe attack and diff resistances.
What about all the DB bosses aune, vortexx, etc. Basically upgraded borgs with melee/ranged attacks. Sure a few tricks but I'm sure you can see what i'm getting at.
There are comparable difficulty mobs in AoC/TSW that with a new mesh and maybe size would be identical to AO mobs. Why reverse engineer the game instead of just painting AO meshes on top of existing templates with a few tweeks here and there?
Last edited by Psikie; Feb 2nd, 2013 at 00:22:23.
~Anyone can level, but only the wise gain experience~
*Bronto Burger, serving 10,000 high level noobs daily*
http://wolf-brigade.webs.com/
My Story
Don't feed the Mensa Tralalalala
Everyday I'm Shuffling.