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Author Topic: The Universe Project  (Read 8529 times)

Tobel

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The Universe Project
« on: February 07, 2013, 05:03:30 pm »

The Universe Project seems to be in fund gathering phase. It's an interesting concept.

Video
http://youtu.be/dREeDjQ0jIg

Description:
Quote
We're creating a video game, similar to an RPG, that is capable of supporting millions of players, in the same game world, at the same time. The very first players who enter the game will notice the planet they appear on is completely devoid of human infrastructure; they appear on a planet that has developed only plant-life and animals. Now, the perspective of the game will be 1st/3rd person in that the player will control a single character in the game and will control only their character's actions in the world. There will be no NPCs in the world, every character is a real player.

The game will simulate human needs in that player's characters will need to eat and drink. Characters will need to find shelter and need to avoid being too cold or too hot. Characters will need to defend themselves and their belongings from animals and other players. Characters will be able to invent their own tools, skills, buildings, and even weapons, to assist them in meeting their needs.

Main website - http://startonate.appspot.com/main.jsp
Newsletter signup - http://startonate.appspot.com/

Lots more information is available on their main website. Some technical demos and screenshots are there as well.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 06:43:49 pm by Toady One »
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Absolute Niro

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2013, 05:09:11 pm »

Oh hey, it's "Everything: The game". I think I heard of that back when people just called it "Your World".

It looks way too ambitious.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 06:24:39 pm by Absolute Niro »
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Tobel

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2013, 05:11:12 pm »

I think there is another game out there that is going to do the entire world thing as well. But it was fully 3d and as far as I knew there were no plans for expanding into space.
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Tellemurius

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2013, 05:15:07 pm »

I think there is another game out there that is going to do the entire world thing as well. But it was fully 3d and as far as I knew there were no plans for expanding into space.
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Tyg13

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2013, 05:21:41 pm »

I really dislike the fact that this game isn't being funded on Kickstarter. Now, I know everyone has their own opinion of Kickstarter, not all necessarily good, but surely it's preferable to the way they have it set up right now. I'm essentially putting my money into what could possibly be a hole. There's no obligation on their end to ever create a product with the money I'm putting in, just a promise. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but for a game with this kind of enormous scope, I already pretty much know it's going to fail. It's just too ambitious. And with a Kickstarter, at least I'll get my money back if they don't reach their goal.

Mini-rant aside, I love the idea and I would definitely spend $50-60 on a game that actually fulfilled this premise. It's an idea that I've wanted to put into fruition for a long time, but abandoned a while ago for lack of ability, funds and because of the sheer difficulty of building something this large. I definitely wish them luck. Maybe I'll be tempted to donate if I see a bit more progress than a little trailer and some empty promises.
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kerlc

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2013, 05:24:35 pm »

Everything has to be built by players?

After a brief overview of creative multiplayer games, I predict Cocktropolises an Titsvilles.

I'd still play it, though.
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BuriBuriZaemon

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2013, 06:17:29 pm »

The idea intrigues me, but seems to be overly ambitious.

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Karlito

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2013, 06:27:46 pm »

Here's the new video that's been put out, since it hasn't been linked yet.

The departure from a recognized crowdfunding platform and the pyramid-scheme-like referrals program they've got going on would be setting off warning bells in my head even if the development plan wasn't completely laughable. I suppose there's some indie developers who have made a successful first project with crowd funding, but this guy has literally nothing on his resume. His biography ends at age 16; does he even have a degree in game development? Heck, hasn't even told us his last name!

Even if he is totally honest about his intentions, he has apparently no practical experience in the industry and he's proposing to build a MMO from the ground up. There's no way this is going to happen.
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Tyg13

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2013, 07:23:02 pm »

Okay, really? This is just silly now. Having read his bio, it sounds like something someone young would create. I believe the reason his resume drops off at age 16 is because he is 16 himself. He basically claims to have predicted the MMO, and finds it strange that people don't use his acronym for it ("M.O.G", i.e. Massive Online Games, which is so obviously contrived from MMO it's not even funny.)

Then when he's arguing against the impossibility of simulating the whole universe, he brings up the example of procedurally generated content. Which is all fine, sure, but if you're going to store that content, then you'll eventually run into major space issues. It's similar to how Minecraft gets crazy when you go out extremely far, because you're starting to exceed the limits of what your computer can feasibly store. Storing information about every planet on something the size of the universe will be impossible.

And to have millions of people on one server? It's possible if you're a big company like EVE Online, with competent developers who have actual experience with these systems and programming something bigger than a simple 2D game.

I have more complaints, but it just goes on and on and on. At one point, he says something which I feel confirms my hypothesis of him as a teenaged male. When talking about how he'll offer permadeath and non-permadeath options, he justifies this by saying people like the "female demographic" will not want to lose their progress, comparing it to Farmville.

He also seems to be referring to a "we", but as far as I can tell, this is just him. A simulation of the entire universe, millions of people on one server, all done by one guy. Could be an achievable feat, for someone of Toady's level of dedication, but this guy? I'm not impressed.

Donate at your own risk, remember this isn't Kickstarter, and he has no legal obligation to reimburse you in any way.
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aristabulus

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2013, 08:11:59 pm »

This thing bubbled up on Rock Paper Shotgun about a month ago.  The RPS title is telling, and the commentary there-then is essentially parallel to here-now.

The most winningest comment from that RPS thread:

Quote
Urist McFanboy says:

“STILL LESS COMPLEX AND AMBITIOUS THAN DWARF FORTRESS”

Both the original trailer and the new vlog seem to suffer from "clever" editing.  It's slightly forgivable for the trailer, as its purpose is strictly to be PR bling...  but the vlog?  Makes the entire transcript looks contrived.  He goes from talking about fractal generated trees, to plant life being represented by photographs!!!  Gee golly, which is it?  I could nit pick more, but damn the target is so big...  I don't think I could miss even if I tried!

On top of the very reasonable concerns regarding general implementation & scaling, anyone who gives this guy money is a Fool of the First Order.
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Nighthawk

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2013, 08:24:26 pm »

Overambitious is the understatement of the century when it comes to this game.
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alexandertnt

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2013, 10:06:34 pm »

Vague descriptions are vague. It sounds like one of those things where they give a really awesome (and to the point, really open to personal interpretation) description where the blanks are filled in by imagination and then the game releases, technically fulfilling the points but not in the way anyone wanted.
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jocan2003

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2013, 01:00:52 am »

Well after watching videos etc, i feel like seeing an ant trying to get up the everest..., sure might be possible but hell i dont think he will succeed, dont get me wrong, i really hope he does.
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Shadowlord

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2013, 01:14:36 am »

The ultimate in feeping creaturism.
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kerlc

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Re: The Universe Project
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2013, 04:28:57 am »

Okay, so i watched the trailer, and I have to say that it tells a lot of pure bollocks.

1st off, "the most ambitious and unique computer game project ever undertaken." I have a few issues with that statement. Claiming that something is "The Most Unique computer game project" is an incredible fallacy, as there are a lot of unique games about, and a lot of unique and ambitious projects are being worked on. Planetary Anihilation, for example, the first RTS that will allow you to weaponize asteroids and have massive scale galactic conflicts. Okay, maybe the "ambitious" part is true, but certainly not "The Most Ambitious". Ultima Ratio Regum, the roguelike that aims to bring together Total War, RPG and just a bit of Crusader Kings. That is incredibly ambitious.

2nd off: "It seeks to create a completely new genre" No, constant player driven worlds are nothing new. Set up a massive enough Hardcore Minecraft server (about 100 people should suffice) and you've got yourself a world that will be driven by the players, where everything created will be player-made (except for precreated structures, such as villages). Also EVE online, which simulates space business and warfare quite well, where players have made adventures other people had into legends that very few people outised EVE will ever know. Also, the "Virtual Parallel Universe" does not really apply since it's not really a parallel universe, more a perpetual player driven world, something i mentioned in this rant mere sentances ago.

3rd off: Having the ability to create weapons, tools all by yourself would require either massive amounts of variable pre-set recipes for crafting, or an incredibly advanced crafting system.

4th off: "A simulation of humanity by humanity as individuals." There already is such a thing. It's called reality. Also, don't try to distinguish yourself from other MMOs, because that's pretty much what you're setting up here.

5th off: "A player can create an entire village governed by his own rules" well, the first principle of humanity is that people are massive dicks, and very few people would listen to what you have to say, especially in a world where everything is allowed and you're not playing with people you know. So, unless there are some in-game limitations set up, this whole village thing would only work out for someone who's strong enough to enforce his will, and has either no life or incredibly devoted friends all around the world, I can't really see this happening.

6th off: "The gameplay map will be enormous.... it'll take just over a year to walk over the whole game world." one word: MINECRAFT.

7th off: "Eventually, all of space will open up to them" Like EVE online, only with a Minecraft part for colonizing planets?


Okay, so so far, the trailer left me cold. It looks like someone thought to themselves: "What if Minecraft was an MMO and had a bastard child with EVE online?" and said "I'll do it!" without any actual experience in programming or knowing how games work (To store all that data... It'd require terrabytes. Even if it was played via Cloud Gaming, the server would have to have enormous amounts of RAM, Hard Drive space and an incredible CPU just to run this thing.)

Perhaps the introduction video will leave me less cold?

1st off: THE VIDEO QUALITY IS AWFUL.

2nd off: "It's like Pac-man and Tetris put together!" No. Whoever said this is a moron.

3rd off: The argument that this isn't Spore has been handled incredibly poorly.

You know what, I won't even do the point thing.

It is a project that is burdened by severe overambition. If it works out, I'll be glad, but I won't be holding my breath for it.
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