[3D Modelers/Animation/C++] The Specialists: Boost Thread

Hello everyone, I am the project lead of a new game, or rather a remake of an original game, and I'm posting here today because I am in desperate need of artists and extra programmers. The project currently is called The Specialists: Boost, a temporary title with a temporary domain name (Thespecialistsgame.com) until a real name is decided upon. The original game is a Half-life mod called The Specialists and we plan to rebuild that in all it's glory in the wonderful Unreal Engine 4.

Who we need are environmental artists (map meshes and props), player model artists (for those trench coated badasses), animators (for the slick dives and slides), and extra C++ programmers.

This game will be made to sell as a commercial game on Steam. You may or may not be paid right away, but if the game is successful, which I don't doubt, then we will divide the shares of the success by percentage. Which will most likely be predetermined, it's just too early to say right now.

There is a lot to discuss, so if you are interested please contact me either through Steam or through the forums.
Thank you for reading, I hope to find the much needed talent here!

um, huh?

Are you affiliated with, or in contact with the original team that made the mod?

Your trying to make a DLC, not a full game.

you'd need to convert all the Source files to the new engine, and if you did that, you could potentially C&D legal order. Just be careful, what your doing is fine, as long as you know what you're doing, not just bumble around, and think you can make money off an existing mod, by porting it to a new engine.

If you want to make this, you'd probably need to keep it in source, and sell it as a DLC.

Your using the wrong verbiage.

Sounds like your trying to mod a indie project, and then convert it to a new engine, which would be classed as a DLC.

either way, I'd advise you get authorization from the original makers of the mod. or form half life devs. (if you want to go commercial)

Also, you do know, half life is originally an indie dev project.

TBH, how can you say, you're sure you'll make money, and then in the same sentence, say you're unsure as to how you'll make money, that it's too early to tell, and the %predetermined?

Had a look at your site,

And your "Core game" feature is a bunch of hopes

I'd advise you make a GDD before you start recruiting.

And focus on what you have so far, and go post in the source community forums, where you'll likely find more people familiar with the mod your referring to, and are more familiar with the engine your converting from.

Edited by: GeneralJist

Whoa I think you have misinterpreted and misunderstood, I am not converting anything, we are making a whole new game, not a mod, on Unreal 4 using our own assets either bought or made. We aren't calling it The Specialists: Boost for the final revision, it's just a temporary title, and it is mostly a remake of the original game. This isn't DLC and it isn't on Source engine. As for the money, I can't say if we will make any at all but it gives incentive for artists to join, because if it does get on Steam as a commercial game, then of course there will be money shared among the team. Money can't even hardly be talked about at this point, if people want to help then they will do it for the passion of TS and for a solid game on their resume.

I don't need any of their permissions to make my own assets with my own name, the only thing that will be the same between this and the original TS are the actual gameplay mechanics and you can't copyright those.

Anyhow sorry for the misunderstanding, hope this clears some confusion.

Edit: Also you seem to have some background in making a commercial game, if you'd like to help you are more than welcome to. I've released a free game on Steam before, but commercially I haven't.

Edited by: Dementei

Alright....

Just concerned, since the way you made it sound, is that your trying to port the mod your referring to into a different engine.

No, the mechanics aren't copy righted, no mod is, But if your using that as your inspiration, and you'll be "copying " features over exactly, or with minor alteration, then you might be infringing on intellectual property, if you're not careful.

For example: If I said I intended on making a Dota 2 game, with all the features of Dota 2, and similar assets, and putting it into a new engine, then trying to sell it, that would not be ok. Even if I had made all the assets from scratch, and they looked and played very much, or exactly like the original.

Even if it was a no name mod, like my project, and you went and looked at our public documentation, and work, so inspired you decided to remake it, in a modern engine, without telling us, and we find it, or some one notifies us, and we see you've basically just copied and remade our content and mechanics,in Unity or UDK, slapped a new name on it, and maybe even tried to make money down the road off our mechanics and content, that would not be ok, even if you never made money, that would still not be ok.

Hell, we got a nod of approval by someone from Petroglyph a while back, they followed our developments and sent us a message, and when we saw Grey Goo, we clearly saw design and mechanical features that clearly were inspired by us, we're honored OFC, but were also a little pissed that they made money with those designs and mechanics, and we couldn't.

It's not an issue we can press, both because of them being a company, and us not, also the type of people we are, but if they were another indie or moding team, we'd definitely pursue it further. At minimum call their PR dpt. A simple acknowledgement that we inspired them would be enough, we're not asking for anything that's not ours.

Anyways,

You should get my point.

I think the 1st thing you should also do is identify how your project will be similar, yet different from your inspiration. (in concrete/ technical terms)

EX: will the melee combat be the same?

Will the weapon selection be the same?

What's going to be different?

Don't get me wrong, it's a great thing when indie and mod developers do such a good job, they inspire a remake of their content and vision, but what is your vision and goals?

Let me guess,

maybe you came across this mod a while back, and your trying to relive the good old days?

Maybe you consider this mod wildly successful, and you want a piece of that glory?

Or maybe you played it during a difficult time in your life, and it was your primary mode of escape?

Whatever the reason, I'm just going to say, that's fine, but making something that will go commercial, or inspire people to work for free is no easy task, and a long journey.

It seems you've forgotten to mention what your skills and experiences are, which is critical to recruitment.

Edited by: GeneralJist