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diff --git a/pipermail/nel/2000-November/000021.html b/pipermail/nel/2000-November/000021.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..43590a05 --- /dev/null +++ b/pipermail/nel/2000-November/000021.html @@ -0,0 +1,180 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> +<HTML> + <HEAD> + <TITLE> [Nel] Greetings! And some questions / comments</TITLE> + <LINK REL="Index" HREF="index.html" > + <LINK REL="made" HREF="mailto:lejade%40nevrax.com"> + <LINK REL="Previous" HREF="000018.html"> + <LINK REL="Next" HREF="000022.html"> + </HEAD> + <BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff"> + <H1>[Nel] Greetings! And some questions / comments</H1> + <B>Olivier Lejade</B> + <A HREF="mailto:lejade%40nevrax.com" + TITLE="[Nel] Greetings! And some questions / comments">lejade@nevrax.com</A><BR> + <I>Sun, 12 Nov 2000 14:58:30 +0100</I> + <P><UL> + <LI> Previous message: <A HREF="000018.html">[Nel] Greetings! And some questions / comments</A></li> + <LI> Next message: <A HREF="000022.html">[Nel] Greetings! And some questions / comments</A></li> + <LI> <B>Messages sorted by:</B> + <a href="date.html#21">[ date ]</a> + <a href="thread.html#21">[ thread ]</a> + <a href="subject.html#21">[ subject ]</a> + <a href="author.html#21">[ author ]</a> + </LI> + </UL> + <HR> +<!--beginarticle--> +<PRE>Hi Sal, + +My name is Olivier Lejade, I am Nevrax's CEO. I won't be intervening too +much on this list since we really would like to keep things technically +oriented, but since there seems to be so a lot of questions, I figured it +would be a good idea to answer some of them here so that they can go in the +FAQ. +I'll leave the technically oriented ones to the Code Team though. + +At 04:18 PM 11/11/00 -0500, you wrote: +><i>I am also a Worldforge developer, like Bryce. Though not nearly as +</I>><i>famous ;-) +</I> +Or so you think... ;) + +><i>And a commercial effort such as Nevrax could be a powerful force in helping +</I>><i>to achieve such a goal. +</I> +Thanks for the attention. +We hope and believe so too. + +><i>So I then +</I>><i>came across Worldforge, and that is where I am. Finally a totally free +</I>><i>opensource project that met, if not exceeded my own standards for an online +</I>><i>gaming system. +</I> +Yes, WorldForge is a very impressive project with a very, very large scope. +We are all admirative of your capacity to handle such a large and diverse +community. Managing a team of artists over the internet is especially +daunting and WF has accomplished an incredible feat in this area. +As Bryce kindly reminded me, code is cheap compared to Art... + +Here at Nevrax, we do not intend to have such a large range of activity. We +are concentrating on a 3D client (no 2D, text, etc) and we are doing all +the artwork/game design internally. +Nevrax.org will focus on fostering a "technical" community. + +><i>1) how compatible our projects are +</I> +I'll let the coders answer on the technical aspect. However, on a more +philosophical point of vue, I'd say our project are very compatible, +siblings really, since they are both GPL. + +><i>1) I understand that Nel will be a library to create games, but is this +</I>><i>project also developing a specific game that uses the library? +</I> +Yes. we are currently developing a yet unannounced commercial MMORPG. + +><i>If so what +</I>><i>details of it are known? As far as ruleset... gameplay... +</I> +At this time, I'm sorry to say we cannot disclose any information +concerning game design / artwork. However things are bound to change as we +go along, and some information will start trickling out in the coming months. + +><i>2) What is the development strategy? For example Worldforge will be +</I>><i>developing several smaller diverse games in succession (Acorn, Mason... etc. +</I>><i>etc.) until we reach the final goal, entitled 'BelchFire'. Will you guys be +</I>><i>doing a similar thing? +</I> +Not in the sense of WF (i.e lots of intermediary games). We are working on +a single game. However, we do have a number of milestones. Also by the end +of the year, we will be disclosing a "sample world" under an open content +license for the community to kick around and have fun with. But this will +have nothing to do with our final game. + +><i>4) I get this question a lot :-) Why develop a 3d engine from scratch? Why +</I>><i>not use/build from an existing engine, such as Crystal Space? +</I> +We checked out CS of course as well as many others, and while it is a very +nice engine, it did not seem to fit our particular needs. + +><i>6) Is development open to outside influence? Or are you following an +</I>><i>internal-only plan, and just opensourcing the results? +</I> +Well, we are following an internal plan and Freeing the resulting software, +however we are very open to outside influence on technical aspects. And +while we concentrate on our priorities, we will integrate any worthwhile +functionnality. + +On the game content side though, we are keeping things to ourselves for now. +Expect to be really, really suprised though... :) + +><i>7) Was there knowledge of Worldforge when this project was started? And if +</I>><i>so, why was it deemed necessary to start another, independant effort with +</I>><i>the same goals? +</I> +Yes, we knew of WF (actually, since the time it was called Altima !). +We took some time to consider joining the effort, however we felt there was +a number of reasons for not doing so. I'll give you some of them : + +- We wanted to keep a tight focus on the game we are doing and did not want +to be hindered in political struggles to get the code where we needed. We +felt the WF community might ressent us steering in directions that they +would not care for. We have a tight schedule : we want the game out in 2002. +Which means we could'nt spare to much time arguing about it. + +- We have different goals : we are a commercial entity. We don't have the +educational/hobbyist approach of WF. Nevrax has a complete team of seasoned +professionals not only at the programming level, but also on the design / +3D artwork / concept side working every day towards one goal : getting the +game out. + +- We have a highly original world which poses a great number of +constraints. We felt we would be in a better position to adress them by +leading our own effort. + +That said, I must emphasize that we do not see ourselves as "competing" +with WF. We are simply two different projects, taking two different +approach at building a Free Software system for MMORPGs. Diversity is A +Good Thing. +I wish WF will succeed and I hope there will be as much cooperation between +the two projects as possible. + +><i>9) How the heck do you guys manage to pay a full development team off of +</I>><i>free software? :-) +</I> +Ah ha ! :) + +Free Software doesn't mean free content or free service. +While our software is Free, we retain property of our game data. And to +access our servers in order to play our game, users will be asked to pay a +monthly fee just like with the other commercial games. + +Bottom line is : Free Software and commercial MMORPGs are a perfect match. +And we believe we have everything to gain and nothing to loose by opening +our source code. + +I hope this clarifies things a little even though I'm sure it will raise +even more questions ! + +Thanks for your encouragments, + +Olivier + + +</pre> + + +<!--endarticle--> + <HR> + <P><UL> + <!--threads--> + <LI> Previous message: <A HREF="000018.html">[Nel] Greetings! And some questions / comments</A></li> + <LI> Next message: <A HREF="000022.html">[Nel] Greetings! And some questions / comments</A></li> + <LI> <B>Messages sorted by:</B> + <a href="date.html#21">[ date ]</a> + <a href="thread.html#21">[ thread ]</a> + <a href="subject.html#21">[ subject ]</a> + <a href="author.html#21">[ author ]</a> + </LI> + </UL> +</body></html> |