Zauberer

[Ed the Bat]

What's strange is that it's a game that isn't playable.

[Cire]

Blue Shadow: Sure, I would be happy to replace the Blasphemer stuff with original content, if someone contributes any.
Ed the Bat: Yeah, I agree, it can't really be considered a game, more of a start of a game. I don't think I've called it a game though.

[Ed the Bat]

I can't fault it for being new. After all, everything has to start somewhere. My point was that this is pretty much as fresh a start as you can get. I'd think it's rather early to make any public releases. Once it gets to a point where it's at least playable, even if blatantly unfinished, like Blasphemer, I'd say that would be the earliest a release ought to ever be.

That being said, I'd like to see where this goes. The idea of another Hexen-type game interests me.

[Cire]

OK, perhaps "public release" was a bad choice of words from my part. Perhaps I should have called it "proof-of-concept" or something.

[leileilol]

You've done nothing wrong releasing this prototype of a wad so early. Some people are just over-entitled to a finished, polished project these days right on their genesis and don't understand Free Software and the importance of being underivative of any copyrighted work (i.e. no copy paste effort from model rips, other game rips etc).

When Blasphemer started, all it was, is a IWAD full of tiny red smiley faces, and some extremely anal randomly generated midi music.


You should have a real, not-trademark-dangerous title though, avoid calling it "FreeHexen"

[Cire]

"Freehexen" is just a working title which I do not intend to keep for long. I would be glad if anyone could help me come up with a better name.

[leileilol]

Perhaps banging on this generator device could give an inspiring result for a name.

Also, you could try stirring up interest here, as there's a few pixel artists and fantasy enthusiasts too


What hurts the projects the most is a lack of a decent sprite pipeline - no one has written up a Blender script to export renders of cropped frame angles with appropriate file names (Which would help the character/monster art get done immensely)


Also what direction are you going to take this project in? Blasphemer was a more gothic take on it since Heretic was already bright and colorful. Are you also going to have infamous switch and item hunt hub adventures?

And just fyi, I do have a similar project for Hexen II's source that has been on hold due to Blender MDL exporting technicalities (i.e. so hard exporting a mdl, then adding proper model flags, and re-importing the skin pcx with the proper palette, losing vertex precision in the process)

[Cire]

Totally agree. Thanks for the suggestions! Actually I haven't really decided about the art direction and stuff like that, though I'm open to suggestions.

[XutaWoo]

Hexen is German for "witch." Google Translate, which probably equates to how much effort game designers put into cool-sounding game titles, gives me Hexenmeister for warlock.

... Okay, different direction, yes?

Magician gets the much more different Zauberer, which I could see working as a name. Of course, this is only if you want to go on the same naming scheme as Blashphemer, when you use a word that's similar but different in a subtle manner.

Also, gratuitous German is always* the best.

*always in this context meaning "sometimes; with proper use"

[Cire]

Yeah, Zauberer sounds cool, it's taken!

[Matt]

I didn't even read this thread and just looking at the name Zauberer I thought this would be a free IWAD of some sort, and Hexen by process of elimination.

It's working well as a name already!

(though I may be thinking of Sauerbraten and working backwards from there somehow)

[Gez]

Zauberer

Wollten selber ausprobieren des Zauberers Gesang.
Hand in Hand, standen sie im Kreise
und fingen an zu singen, erst laut und dann ganz leise.

A ALLA GOJA HO HOPI HAJATA
AL HEJA GOJA HOI GOI HAJATA

[Enjay]

Unfortunately, these Free[insergamehere] projects seem to stagnate sooner or later. FreeDoom is obviously the furthest along but it really hasn't seen much progress for months, if not years. Blasphemer seems to be hitting the same kind of difficulties and now there is a Hexen project too and Hexen probably needs the most resources of all of them. I'm not really sure why it happens. There are plenty of people capable of creating original content - and they do - but very little gets contributed to these projects. Mind you, I haven't really helped either. If this project is still "live", say, 5 years from now, I expect that the IWAD will still be populated with many placeholders.

[CorSair]

I don't like some folks attitude on here, even if it is justified.

Anyway, I have zero abilities doing concept art, textures or sprites, and I can only map, if it is bit mediocre in quality. Might still be able to help if my talents could get better.
Still would be interested to hear about the theme, though.

But good luck with this.

[TerminusEst13]

I'm not really sure why it happens. There are plenty of people capable of creating original content - and they do - but very little gets contributed to these projects.

Doom and Doom 2 are the most recognized and modded-for games, so a free alternative for them that you don't need to buy makes sense. Doom 2 has thousands, if not millions, of additional mods.
Heretic, less so, so while Blasphemer's quality control is (was) better, the tighter prerequisites for resources combined with the amount of demand for a free version ain't a good combination for development. Keep in mind that even with all the vested interest, Freedoom still isn't done and the amount of resources is a giant mishmash of theme and quality.

HeXen and Strife are lucky if its number of mods breaks the 50s, and there are far more people who actively dislike them than like them, so the freeproject versions of them...eehhh...