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"Tethical, an sRPG Engine" Kickstarter is Live! (Ended now.)

Started by lirmont, September 06, 2013, 09:13:29 pm

lirmont

No problem. Here's a stripped down version that doesn't include any of the Python applications (except the tests), but it has everything that's necessary to run the demo event as a standalone application.


I am the very model of a...



Download: http://darkabstraction.com/showOff/ffhackticks/Tethical-DemoEvent.zip

The file you want to execute with Python (after you install the Panda3d SDK) is at .\master\client\games\snap006\events\TestMap\SquireAndKnight.py. If you don't know how to configure Python 2.x to include Panda3d in its site-packages, Panda3d provides a python shell (search for ppython.exe on Windows) that you can use.

Snap006

September 19, 2013, 02:13:31 pm #21 Last Edit: September 19, 2013, 05:55:22 pm by Snap006
Thanks! I'll try it out today!!!

I tried it. I can not get it to work. Everytime I try to open it the cmd window flashes and disappears. I ran the ppython.exe file, but I really don't know where to go from there.

Python doesn't seem to use the same command prompts as DOS.

lirmont

September 19, 2013, 06:38:06 pm #22 Last Edit: September 19, 2013, 06:43:44 pm by lirmont
Launching ppython.exe alone is not what you want to do. If you put the directory it's in into your PATH environment variable, you could just do: ppython.exe SquireAndKnight.py (from a command-line in the actual folder of the SquireAndKnight.py file).

Otherwise, you'll need to (1) open a regular command-line prompt (cmd.exe), (2) navigate to the directory ppython.exe is in, (3) type ppython.exe, (4) type a space followed by the full path to the SquireAndKnight.py file (so that you have something like: ppython.exe "c:\a\really\long\path\games\snap006\events\MandaliaPlains\SquireAndKnight.py"), and (5) hit enter.

Executing the file with a python installation that doesn't have the Panda3d SDK package in its site-packages is, as you've already witnessed, going to open a window and immediately close (because it will hit an error the first time the script asks for anything related to Panda3d). If you run the file from a command-line in that folder (python SquireAndKnight.py), you'll actually see the error message. You're using the ppython.exe because the good folks who package the Panda3d SDK know it's a drag to configure on Windows (ppython.exe is a Python installation that already includes the Panda3d SDK in its site-packages).

On Windows, you can write a batch file (like SquireAndKnight.bat; that you could just double-click) that looks like the following in order to have an endless loop (so that you can run the event and see what errors/messages happen in the console window; include the full path to ppython.exe if you don't put its path in your PATH environment variable):

:start
ppython.exe "C:\Tethical\master\client\games\snap006\events\MandaliaPlains\SquireAndKnight.py"
pause
goto:start


Thanks.

Snap006


Snap006

Just pledged and shared on my facebook page asking others to to share even if they don't play rpgs. I'll get my wife to share it because she has a crap load of friends lol.


lirmont

I'm going to send out a survey to the people who pledged to the kickstarter, which will help decide that. It'll cover things like crowdfunding platform, existence of a demo, etc. I have a course of action I'm partial to, but I want to take other opinions into consideration, too. That survey will be out no later than noon eastern time. Thanks!

Paheej

Just filled out the survey.  Playable demo for certain man.

Here's the biggest thing - if it takes more than roughly 2 minutes to get some running in today's day in age - you're project is probably boned.  The fact that you're having Snap006 run command line prompts to get anything running drastically reduces the pool of available personnel who even understand what you are doing.

Realistically most people won't understand the huge benefit something like this will have.  They want a playable demo they can use and play a Tactics like game in.  Those are the people you want to target with a $10 kickstarter buy in.  The rest of us who are more interested and serious may be willing to spend significantly more (I'd seriously consider dropping 1k, I only pledged $200 for the kickstarter) if it will essentially give us the tools to start creating our own games with your engine/tools.

lirmont

Thanks for filling out the survey!

As concerns the thing in this thread, he asked for something he could edit. For this, that's ultimately code, and the code for this stuff is in Python which uses the command-line like a debugging console. As far as playing something, the runtime the underlying engine provides runs a file (extension P3D) which can be set up to run like any other game; that's the format any game would be distributed in (that isn't meant to be edited), and the underlying engine provides packaging tools that make an automated installer.

Thanks!

Snap006

I think a big problem is getting the word out.

No one I know plays RPG's so I really couldn't get no one myself to get aboard. All I could do was post it on my wife and I's facebook.

Also a lot of people love this game but I don't think they know about the community. I didn't know about it til about a few years ago. If more people knew the possibilities that exist with this engine would help.

At the same time, I don't know how else to spread the word besides on social networking. Maybe have a link or modding tutorial on gamefaqs website that directs them to this community so they can discover the possibilities. That's actually how I found out about this because of all the gameshark hacks.

Angel

If I had actually been an established member of the RPG Maker community, I would have spread it there, myself. There have been numerous requests for SRPG engines for RPG Maker, and the niche has yet to be filled. You could surely garner support there; I just wouldn't want to outright spam anything.

Also, if you're aiming for versatility, show that versatility off. Have an FE-esque demo, an FFT-esque demo, a Fort-Condor-esque demo, whatever. One map of each showing the myriad of possibilities. Only need enough to get the point across, no need to craft more than that.

Also, it's easier to catch someone's eye immediately if you show them what you can make, and not how you can make it. How you can make it is for the user manual and tutorials, or perhaps if you're pitching to the engineering department of a corporation. For public support, it's better to focus more on 'look at these awesome things you can make' rather than 'look at how you make these awesome things', even if it is a development tool. I realize this is an observation better shared a month ago, and for that, I do apologize, but there is still further opportunity.
  • Modding version: PSX
* Angel should quit being a lazy bitch
<@Elric> I agree to that as well

nyanyame nyanyajuu nyanyado no nyarabide nyakunyaku inyanyaku nyanyahan nyanyadai nyannyaku nyarabete nyaganyagame
At the end of the day, are we not all trapped inside lemons?

kaalitenohira

Is there any way to donate some more in the future? I missed the boat :\ But I'm very, very interested in seeing this project get off the ground. Thanks in advance!

Choto

I haven't gotten around to doing your survey ,my apologies.. but I did want to point this out. I'm sure you're aware of the Shadow Remnants game on kickstarter. They were up for 30 days and pulled $8.6k... and I think part of the reason they did better than Tethical (granted you have a different focus than them) is because of their video. In their video they show some more fireworks in the game (effects, zombies climbing up from the ground, a cool earthquake effect). The main thing is that it makes it look pretty refined. I think getting the engine to the point where you can show a dynamic fight going on (with smooth animations, sounds, effects, artwork) will go a long way towards grabbing peoples attention. The bummer is that most of your work has gone into the architecture of the tools, server communcation, etc. and that's just not the flashy part that people are going to buy into. By comparison, the pure gameplay that you show in the video looks choppy and unrefined. Not to knock you in any way, I know it hasn't been your focus.. I just think more fireworks and refined gameplay may get people's attention better. There are probably tons more game players than game developers.. maybe that's who you should appeal to?

I'll try to get around to the survey and think of any other feedback.

lirmont

@Toshiko: Yeah, that's something like the plan for the engine demonstration game-ish thing. I will write down the part about just showing the end results rather than the tools that helped make them possible, though.

@kaalitenohira: There's going to be another campaign in the future, but there's a lot of stuff I have to do (and re-do) before starting it. It will likely be one to two months from now. I'm also pretty sure at this point that it will be the last attempt, so please don't miss it if you want to help it succeed. I'll post more planning-related details next Friday when the survey to backers closes out (we're currently at 15 responses out of a possible 38). Thanks!

@choto: You're not alone in that opinion, and that's part of the reason for the engine demonstration element on the survey (when you get to it). Another concern about this is games that would use this engine being non-existent. In other words, that, even if it were to get finished, no one would use it, and that that's a factor of backing (again, pursuant to games rather than the actual project). I'm working on sourcing projects to fix that, as a couple of people have contacted me in the wake of the campaign's failure regarding their projects that could use the engine. I've offered to make something in the engine using each of their input, which I'd ultimately hope to show during the future campaign video. One is a card game with units, and another is a more standard RPG (where they've planned out something in range of 100 - 200 classes); needless to say, they were concerned about feasibility of storing hundreds of classes, and even more concerned about making sure they stay balanced (but that's math, and the formula editor gives you a pretty good starting point for that).

Angel

It's not that you wouldn't want to show the tools themselves - it's important to at least make it apparent that the product is a suite of development tools - but that you don't want it to be the primary focus. Think of it more like a television commercial for a line of paint; 22 seconds of various colorful pretty things in diverse settings, 5 seconds of showing how easy it is to apply, finish with brand logo. Just as it's important to show that you're selling paint and not deck furniture, it's important to show that you're selling tools and not the most confused game since Shenmue. The spin is everything. Unless you're selling phamaceuticals, where it's important to be as vague and confusing as possible. But I digress.

My point really falls more in line with Choto's than anything, which seems to be a popular point in and of itself.
  • Modding version: PSX
* Angel should quit being a lazy bitch
<@Elric> I agree to that as well

nyanyame nyanyajuu nyanyado no nyarabide nyakunyaku inyanyaku nyanyahan nyanyadai nyannyaku nyarabete nyaganyagame
At the end of the day, are we not all trapped inside lemons?

lirmont


Cheetah

Interesting read, I like how you are approaching this.
Current Projects:

Lijj

Hey I missed the survey..
but I'll donate even more next round Lirmont.
  • Modding version: PSX

reinoe

Hey lirmont, do you have anyone assisting you with Tethical?  I'd volunteer but I have no talent whatsoever.  I'm just wondering if you considered trying to recruit someone in the recruitment thread.
My dreams can come true!

lirmont

@lijj: Don't worry. I think I got enough data, but go look at that the WotL cutscene shader discussion when you get a chance.

@reinoe: For the tools, it's just me. And, do you mean the Recruitment board? That's for patches to FFT (per the rules). I will post in this board when I get the individual pieces of the field test demo playable. At that point, I hope people help me play-test those pieces (and then later the field test demo as a whole). Thanks!