- Joined
- Mar 15, 2008
- Messages
- 324
- Reaction score
- 3
- Points
- 18
Milestone 0:
This is what I consider a living document. Content will be added/subtracted/edited/omitted as needed. As content for this document will evolve over time from direct quote or paraphasing of posts within this thread, the content of the thread is community content and I hold no claim to it myself. Everything in this Milestone 0 post is open for debate and subject to change based on community consensus.
0. Define the purpose, scope and background of the add-on:
Orbiter Online is to be a set of add-ons for the Orbiter simulator. The purpose of the project is to add another layer of complexity and interest for the Orbiter community to enjoy, help build and be a part of. This is merely adding a social aspect to the simulator and a few systems to give meaning to flying other than just because you can. We could easily design something too complex to implement -- which is not what I want to see. I'd like to see us come up with something both feasible and fun that can plug into Orbiter.
It is the near future. Earth still has the current political structure as present day but we're just now establishing semi-permanent commercial footholds in Earth orbit, the Lunar surface, Mars surface and certain portions of the asteroid belt.
Earth Initiatives: There have been incentives pushed for low and null gravity manufacturing and production of products outside the Earth gravity well. Also certain factions of Earth government are pushing a "clean Earth" initiative that seeks off-Earth resources to replace and phase out many of the resource dependencies that drive the Earth economy. A shift from terrestrial coal and fossil fuels to new resources that can be found on the Moon or other places within the solar system.
Lunar and Mars Initiatives: The Moon and Mars also have colonization initiatives currently in place to seek development on those locations. Resources on both locations are in high demand to accomplish colonization goals and establish on-site industrial base for futher expansion.
Outer-Rim Initiatives: Why not have a wild outer rim, without established big bases like in the inner solar system, but instead some island-like wild settlements, like for example the Jovian or Kronian system. After all, it would be some sort of gentrification in the solar system, if you politically start out like that - bigger companies that take less risks would displace smaller, more risk-seeking companies, forcing them further outward for not getting into lossy competition with the big ones. Of course, you would then need also ship wharfs and factories, which would be more around Earth, but maybe establishing small wharfs and factories outside the inner solar system might offer some good plots.
1. Define core developer positions for the add-on:
I look forward to seeing this project evolve and take on a life of it's own over the next few months. Thanks!
-Brad Hawthorne
This is what I consider a living document. Content will be added/subtracted/edited/omitted as needed. As content for this document will evolve over time from direct quote or paraphasing of posts within this thread, the content of the thread is community content and I hold no claim to it myself. Everything in this Milestone 0 post is open for debate and subject to change based on community consensus.
0. Define the purpose, scope and background of the add-on:
Orbiter Online is to be a set of add-ons for the Orbiter simulator. The purpose of the project is to add another layer of complexity and interest for the Orbiter community to enjoy, help build and be a part of. This is merely adding a social aspect to the simulator and a few systems to give meaning to flying other than just because you can. We could easily design something too complex to implement -- which is not what I want to see. I'd like to see us come up with something both feasible and fun that can plug into Orbiter.
It is the near future. Earth still has the current political structure as present day but we're just now establishing semi-permanent commercial footholds in Earth orbit, the Lunar surface, Mars surface and certain portions of the asteroid belt.
Earth Initiatives: There have been incentives pushed for low and null gravity manufacturing and production of products outside the Earth gravity well. Also certain factions of Earth government are pushing a "clean Earth" initiative that seeks off-Earth resources to replace and phase out many of the resource dependencies that drive the Earth economy. A shift from terrestrial coal and fossil fuels to new resources that can be found on the Moon or other places within the solar system.
Lunar and Mars Initiatives: The Moon and Mars also have colonization initiatives currently in place to seek development on those locations. Resources on both locations are in high demand to accomplish colonization goals and establish on-site industrial base for futher expansion.
Outer-Rim Initiatives: Why not have a wild outer rim, without established big bases like in the inner solar system, but instead some island-like wild settlements, like for example the Jovian or Kronian system. After all, it would be some sort of gentrification in the solar system, if you politically start out like that - bigger companies that take less risks would displace smaller, more risk-seeking companies, forcing them further outward for not getting into lossy competition with the big ones. Of course, you would then need also ship wharfs and factories, which would be more around Earth, but maybe establishing small wharfs and factories outside the inner solar system might offer some good plots.
1. Define core developer positions for the add-on:
- Project Coordinator - A position meant to help steer the overall project and play cat herder as needed with project devs and resources.
- Programmer - The key people who take the concepts and make them reality. This would be a title that would cover aspects such as server programmer, add-on programmer, voice-chat integration programmer, etc...
- Media Artist - Works on both 2D and 3D art assets for the add-on. Includes a wide range of media assets for user interface, cockpit panels, ship models, etc...
- Systems Designer - A catch-all title for those with interest in helping with the theoretical aspects of the add-on design including but not limited to all aspects of the game such as economy, building, corporations, mining, construction and anything in-between. Systems mechanics and how those systems interact.
- Quality Control - A group of people within the dev pool that test all aspect of the add-on and notify the dev pool if any bugs or balance issues need to be addressed. This would also be the group who would test out individual add-on assets for compatibility with the Orbiter Online add-on to make sure there are no incompatibilities.
- Key Add-On Systems: Economy, Communication, Quests, News
- Economy: Establish and define a system based on finite resources, the exploration of the resources and the ability to harvest them. Have the further ability to manufacture useful items from those base resources though construction and manufacturing mechanics. Impose a supply and demand mechanic on every entity in the add-on.
- Communication: Define the ways communication could occur within the add-on. Text communication could be piped in via an IRC interface and voice chat could be integrated via either ventrillo or teamspeak SDK with appropriate time delays enforced within the client-server design. An email system might also be useful to explore.
- Quests: I envision the quest system for the add-on to use dynamic player generated content based on supply-demand needs of the playerbase. Quest content could also be generated by News events or goals internal to your corporation or country affiliation. Quests could be at the level of plots and missions. Plots would be elements of a bigger storyline, while missions happen in between and only have side effects on the plots.
- News: Current events and how they unfold within the add-on is an important aspect to give meaning to the interaction in the add-on. While supply-demand mechanics will drive much activity being made aware of such supply-demand issues via add-on News will also be important.
- Forums - Face has offered use of the OMP sub-forums for this.
- IRC - irc.orbithangar.com #orbiter-online
- VoIP - VoIP embedded in multiplayer framework as needed.
- Wiki - To help document the add-on
I look forward to seeing this project evolve and take on a life of it's own over the next few months. Thanks!
-Brad Hawthorne
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