Graal Forums - Project seeking graphics and levelmakers

Over the course of the past few months, I had an epiphany with GraalOnline and how playerworlds are made and managed. I myself am the FAQ Chief of Maloria, and have played GraalOnline for coming up on three years now (this November). I am looking for graphicmakers and levelmakers that would like to help me with a project of mine (graphicmakers first so the levelmakers have a more diverse 'palette' to 'paint' their levels). And I have never seen a playerworld like the one I plan to make.

I'm not a rich guy so I don't have any money to buy a server, but that's not of my concern at the moment. In fact, a while ago we had a server that was "given" to me by a friend, but he has since then had second thoughts. Anyway, I got started on it and want to finish... so I'm not giving up on the project so easily.

I don't want to give too much away about my server idea because I would like to be responsible for how the idea turns out, but I'll be happy to share the main idea for those who would be interested in helping. I have no name for the playerworld idea, but I title it "Project_" on my computer.

(Also, thanks to unixmad and the other PWA people on the Support Desk for fixing my forum account even though I couldn't find the Transaction ID#)

. Premise

. Premise > (Playerworld level structure)

A main premise of the playerworld is that it does not revolve around the fact that there is one large Overworld that the player can move around in. Instead, there are numerous GMaps (each coded with a 3-letter combination of the Greek alphabet - an example being Tau Omicron Sigma). There is no main overworld. These GMaps (or "zones" as I usually refer to them) are connected by a designated point in certain zones where players can enter a code and be warped to the entered GMap zone.

The following is a diagram to help you see what I mean:

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/3...orldmap4ps.png
Diagram of Playerworld GMaps. Red lines indicate level links from one level/GMap to another.

This is a diagram showing how each zone (GMap) is:

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/5...rldmap23kj.png
Diagram of a given GMap. The broken red line indicates a possible level link to a deeper level of the GMap.

This is a diagram of a typical 2x2 GMap zone.
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1...rldmap38dh.png
The outside area is to be much more heavily detailed than the outside to give the illusion to the player that he/she is in a smaller part of a larger place.

In Graal Kingdoms, you touch the edge of one GMap to reach another (or hiding in the cargo hold of a boat to give the illusion of it at least), or you go into a level link (in the form of stairs or a door) to enter a new GMap/level (underground dungeons or shops, for example).
In this playerworld, GMaps are linked together by a NPC script that players must interact with in order to reach a certain zone, but this device is not just in any zone (but more on that later). All GMaps are small as well, no less than 2x2 and more than 5x5 levels (heightxwidth) each.

. Premise > (Playerworld content)

The goal of the server to the players is just like any other MMORPG, to get high in level and get many items. This is just like Graal Kingdoms and Maloria (because there isn't really any other way to do something else and call it an MMORPG) for the most part. Unlike Maloria however, a more interactive GUI (which shouldn't be too hard with the new GScript) and a wider array of balanced items are to ideally be made (but this is not on the top of my developing list at the moment).
The level XP formula was made for me by the wonderful scripter, Growlz, earlier this year, and a simple level script I have already made for possible interested scripters to mess with. (contact information at the bottom of this post)
There will be a wide range of items with various statistic differences (recolorations and resizes of item icons can be made to show differences, like a major potion of healing and a minor potion of healing...) as well.

. Benefits

There's lots of benefits to designing the playerworld around this (from a developer's point of view). The main thing is that it's the most easy, but more specifically:

. Benefits > (Levelmaking)

Using many small GMaps puts less demand on the client's computer.
- (because let's face it... if you're playing a 2D simple MMORPG, it would be bestto assume that your computer isn't good enough for WoW.
Using many small GMaps will put more stress on the NPC Server rather than the client to keep track of all of them, and less on the client so that the client may load the GMap of the zone that they warp to, which will definately reduce lag.
Using many small Gmaps with seemingly infinite combinations using the 3-letter codes.
- (512 GMaps to be exact, but don't be intimidated by the number. They don't all have to be done in order for the playerworld to be released. Certain codes can be inactive or display an error message of some kind.
Levelmakers will small demands, each focusing on making a different level. People can make a 2x2 thru 5x5 GMap and make the zone, then move onto other things while scripters and other people put in items and whatnot. This way, there won't be any stress and the playerworld can be made piece by piece.
- Perhaps players and non-levelmakers could help make levels too. This would create a staff job for "Level Submissions" (like what Delteria has)
- (The DungeonGenerator could be used for this to make things more simple on the levelmakers too)

. Benefits > (Graphicmaking)

The graphicmaker's job is to develop tilesets (I have a list of tilesets a graphicmaker could work on from obvious things like desert and volcano to more specific things, along with ideas and tips and help to get the graphicmaker started) that create variety for the player.
The Graphicmaker is the guy who creates the 'palette colors' that the levelmaker usees to make his 'painting.'
- (if you don't understand the metaphor, the levels can't be made until the graphicmakers make stuff so we need graphicmakers first)
There (so far) are a list of 15 different themed tilesets that are to be made by the graphicmakers. To help lighten the burden for the graphicmaker, I have taken the liberty of providing templates, ideas, and material to work from for the tilesetmakers.

-

This is really all I can put together to tell the GraalOnline community without giving away specific ideas and more information.

My contact information:
AIM: Z3phyrDresari
E-Mail: [email protected]

Once again to repeat, I am looking for graphicmakers and levelmakers of all kinds. The Playerworld itself is to be made in an edited classic sense with a wide variety of themes each. My goal is to make the graphic tilesets first and then to develop the GMaps en masse with many levelmakers. For the levelmakers, I have a model 2x2 GMap zone being developed right now that I can show you when necessary to give you something to work from.

If you would like to help, please contact me with the information given below saying you'd like to help.
If you have any questions, please post in the thread or contact me (again) with the information below.

If you're going to help please take your time, but use all the time you take. Thanks ahead of time for any help given, any help of any kind is greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Zephyr Dresari