[IMPORTANT] A campaign to get the official tools released

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by Agetian, Jun 9, 2006.

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Will you participate in the petition to get the official tools released?

  1. Yes

    391 vote(s)
    97.8%

  2. No

    3 vote(s)
    0.8%

  3. Not sure

    6 vote(s)
    1.5%
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  1. krunch

    krunch moving on in life

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    Just for talking purposes, not that it would ever happen, but can you imagine visiting your local retail sales outlet for computer games and seeing a retail boxed set with a cover that reads "Atari Temple of Elemental Evil: Egyptian Whore 1st Edition" at its top, Atari ToEE game with Patch2 and Co8 5 MOD that would be fully integrated in one CD disk set? *smirk* Now, that would be cool.

    [EDIT] Imagine the D&D rave-n-crave. Hey fellas, have you checked out ToEE Egyptian Whore, yet? It's the bomb, guys! Imagine the underground D&D following..

    But alas, that was a conversational piece, was nothing more than that.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2006
    krunch, Jun 28, 2006
    #76
  2. gzur

    gzur Member

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    Now I'm all for the release of the Editor - but I'm just throwing up an idea here, I don't know whether it's been put forward before, but here goes my hypothesis: The reason Atari isn't releasing the world editor simply that it thinks it could hurt future releases by creating competition for the Next D&D Game* ?

    ToEE contains a fully working(well sort of) implementation of D&D 3.5 - if Atari were to give the editor away for free, they would also be creating competition for themselves in the long run, since there would be less incentive for gamers to buy the Next D&D Game* if there already was a game which had an active modding community dedicated to creating quality mods - which could in fact be looked upon as whole other games, since they potentially only share the engine, so to speak. Just like Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate - same (or VERY similar at least) engine, different story.

    Anyway - that's my point.


    *Be there such a beast.
     
    gzur, Jun 29, 2006
    #77
  3. Shiningted

    Shiningted I changed this damn title, finally! Administrator

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    My $0.02: I have had late-night dreams of KotB being the next CounterStrike - that is, a mod that gets taken up by the publisher and makes us all rich - but in the cold light of day I gotta say, it ain't gonna happen. No how, no way. While I hope from a role-playing and pure enjoyment perspective it will exceed ToEE, from the simple 'polish' view its never gonna b good enough, not without the ability to clip the maps and do them in the 'proper' pseudo-3d format that ToEE uses. Absolutely the tools would change this, but without them we should just concentrate on making it as good as we can and not cling to unrealistic expectations. I'm not sure its a healthy thing to discuss anyway, holding Atari to ransom, or even thinking at this point we can barter with them. We are throwing ourselves on their mercy, thats the plain truth of it. Patch 3 showed exactly their dedication to the ongoing development of this game: to them its ancient history, and that should be our case for getting the tools - it can't hurt to release them.

    Also, I COULD DO WITH SOME HELP OVER HERE! I have got some feedback from the latest release (thanks BTime et al) but very little in the way of new offers to help. Bless those hardworking few (Cuch, Screeg, Rogue Trader etc) who are soldiering on!

    O, as for going to the shop Krunch: I will keep an eye out when I am in Asia. Jedi Knight mods from the Massassi Temple have turned up in Asian markets, as have copies of U5: Lazarus (which also turned up on Ebay before it was shut down). If I see Co8 stuff I will take photos before I ring the police ;)
     
    Shiningted, Jun 29, 2006
    #78
  4. Agetian

    Agetian Attorney General Administrator

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    Yup, and I'm hoping to help out with this as much as I can - we already got SVBs (which will become even better and more prominent once you get a good grip on the lighting technology ;), since SVBs are only fully functional when the map is lit with sector lights), and maybe I'll do the full-blown clipping some day as well, although I don't know how practical that'd be since the technology is definitely very hard, while the outcome is IMHO worse than that of the SVBs (since not seeing your characters at all is not something I like - I really like the Baldur's Gate style of things when the models got grayed out but not clipped altogether).

    Anyway, when KotB was started we didn't know SVBs, we didn't know everything about the lights (the editor was very bad), we didn't know half about the MOBs.. Today KotB is a lot bigger project and a lot more professional one than it was when it was started. Maybe with a few more major breakthroughs that are to follow during the course of its development, KotB will actually turn out to be a very solid and professional product. Even today the screenies and the maps in action look hardly distinguishable from the Troika's original product (some dynamic lights would really help though). ;)

    - Agetian
     
    Agetian, Jun 29, 2006
    #79
  5. cpdm

    cpdm One-eyed wanderer

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    Co8 has turned a game I regretted buying into one I look forward to playing, so I am definitely in favor of something that would make it easier on the modders. I am a little disappointed that I'm only the 88th person to vote after two weeks. Heck I've only been a member for half that time, and you guys deserve more love than that.
     
    cpdm, Jun 30, 2006
    #80
  6. EegahInc

    EegahInc Member

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    This is out of my area of expertise, but I'll happily add my vote if the general consensus is that it will not impede further development.
     
    EegahInc, Jul 1, 2006
    #81
  7. silvannus

    silvannus Member

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    I agree with Agetian that this is a moral issue. You coders of the mods have done a great job without any support, and have improved a crippled game. I think you deserve at least some praise and support from Atari.
     
    silvannus, Jul 2, 2006
    #82
  8. silentone

    silentone Member

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    Long time lurker who has enjoyed the work done by Co8. You have my vote as well :thumbsup:
     
    silentone, Jul 2, 2006
    #83
  9. jebberwacky

    jebberwacky Member

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    I'm in...go for it...it could only make something great even better. Kudos for all the mods...and "fingers crossed" ...many more.
     
    jebberwacky, Jul 3, 2006
    #84
  10. krunch

    krunch moving on in life

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    Is there a magic poll number being looked for in the yes votes to proceed with the objective at some interval?
     
    krunch, Jul 3, 2006
    #85
  11. lord_graywolfe

    lord_graywolfe Wolfman

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    i agree with you and would love to have access to those tools. ill help anyway i can
     
    lord_graywolfe, Jul 3, 2006
    #86
  12. Agetian

    Agetian Attorney General Administrator

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    Well, I'm basically waiting for a word from some of our modders as to whether we should proceed with this or not, and whether we should do it now or wait for a better time in the future. I think everyone have spoken, and we have about 100 votes by now - not too much of course, but at least something. I'll also need help with this since I won't be able to do it all alone. So, we need some final discussion with this before it's put into execution, delayed, or canceled.

    - Agetian
     
    Agetian, Jul 3, 2006
    #87
  13. krunch

    krunch moving on in life

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    Honestly, right now, all we have is a basic plea to Atari for the most part. We don't really have anything solid to leverage action in our favor. Co8 would have to provide Atari with some kind of financial-based incentive or reason. If we do proceed at some point, Lord_Spike made a great suggestion - contact the ex-Troika devs, first, ask who to contact within Atari and go from there. *props* to Spike for brainstorming that solid idea.
     
    krunch, Jul 3, 2006
    #88
  14. lord_graywolfe

    lord_graywolfe Wolfman

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    well as i said Agetian ill be happy to help, now that i can be back here full time again, just tell me what you need :).
     
    lord_graywolfe, Jul 3, 2006
    #89
  15. Sokaijin

    Sokaijin Established Member

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    As I have been selfishly seeking answers to my own problems, I ignored this thread, and so did not know what is was really about. I'm ashamed , but am now fully on board in any way I can help. I have recently (yesterday) started learning how to mod., and would gladly do anything in my power to help the true saviors of this wonderful game. The better they make it, and KotB, the more fun and knowledge for all of us.
    Even if they (Atari) agree only to license the tools to a specific group at Co8, it improves ToEE for all. My only hope is for everyone of us here to have the best gaming experience possible, even if that means restricting use of the official tools to the core modders. They are the ones who would make best use of it anyway IMO. Perhaps Atari would, at least, consider releasing them under this type of restriction. Though that would probably mean letting them have more control of/access to the forum than anybody would, or should, allow.
    Agetian, I generally 1-2% of my inbox, if space is needed for correspondance on this matter, I'll provide the unused portion to this worthy cause. Let me know if this or anything else I could do will help. Be warned, though, my address has a VERY unproffessional ring to it.
     
    Sokaijin, Jul 3, 2006
    #90
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