New Site--- New Adventure Engine, Forums, games and more!

Joseph DiPerla · Mon 23/01/2006 16:20:18

I have been sending out e-mails to a few people, actually, a lot of people asking them what they would look for in an Adventure Game engine. So this site should now be public to everyone.

About two months ago, I contacted Thomas Mayer about his Engine he was working on. He always had made some promising stuff. I was wondering about its status. From then on we discussed a few things and he had decided to create a new Adventure game engine. He has decided to call the Engine "Scrub".

Let me give you some quick links to look at first and then I will explain some more about the site.

The site can be found here: www.scrubengine.com
The forum can be found here: www.scrubengine.com/forum
Board Rules: http://scrubengine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2
For some news: http://scrubengine.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=35
For some suggestions we could use: http://scrubengine.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2

This is why you should begin making suggestions now, becouse development has not begun on the engine, but many of you know Thomas Mayer and know about his sciencefact game engine back in the day and even Sage Classic and SFCI.

Check out some links to his older stuff:
SFCI : http://www.tomkatgames.com/SFCI1.htm
Sciencefact Interactive Archived: http://web.archive.org/web/20020105110650/www.sfsoftware.com/index.html

You can check out his MobyGames profile here: http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,196072/

So, since he hasn't begun programming on it, making suggestions now would give him an idea of how he would go about it. So the sooner you get suggestions out there, the better.

Now on to the site... I didn't come here to promote this engine. Well, partly I did, but I also come here to get people to populate the site a bit. The site and its name is mostly focused on the engine. But it would be a lot more.

For one thing, I am a great AGS fan. The site will still contain as many possible resources for AGS as it can. In fact, at one point, I would like to add the modules, plugins and other resources to the site. I would like to have Older and new builds of AGS on there. Some AGS tutorials, some links to games and possibly be a mirror for all AGS games and resources and AGS builds.

I also wanted to host the RON type Community game based on the AGS community on this site when it gets launched. So Vel and others, if you would like to participate with this, let me know and I will get a setup for you guys to start uploading files and stuff. I would even create a forum for you.

What else am I going to do? I am going to provide Web Hosting for adventure games and all things related to adventure games! For now, the hosting will be completely free. I might even setup a MySQL database for you and a your own personal forum.

What else do you get for being hosted on the site? Here is a list of features:
*Yourname@scrubengine.com email address.
*Support for PHP
*Real Audio and Video
*Streaming audio
*External Linking
*FTP access to your folder.
*Space allowed? 500 megabytes. If you need more for a promising reason, I will give you more.

Okay, okay what are the requirements? Here they are:
*You can host anything you want, as long as its Adventure Game related. It could be a site that reviews games or previews games. It could be a blog site about Adventure games, It could be even a site on Adventure E-zines. Or if you are making a game, you could host it on mine. You can even transfer all your AGS made games to my site.
*You must include a link to the Scrub main site (www.scrubengine.com)
*When we have a banner or small button image, you must include it somewhere on every page of your site. This is, sorry to say, for promotional reasons.
*No Porn material, or links. Nothing illegal or that would get me arrested.
*If you have resources and games and certain public files, You must allow me to include it on a CD for redistribution on Cafepress.com or lulu.com. The disc would be compiled with other material from the site. The reason for this is becouse the more people join the site and the more popular it gets, the more money I will need to pay for it to stay up. This is mostly for bandwidth and Disk Space. Sorry.

I am actually hoping that most of you move your site over to ours actually. And Chris, I will mirror all new AGS Builds as well if you would like.

And just for your info, my 2 Simpsons games I am making and the Template will still be made with AGS. Future games of the Simpsons will be made with Scrub.

The site will offer more than just a new game engine and hosting. I am going to open up my own Book and Game publishing business as well. We will offer ISBN numbers as well. We will market your game for you, create manuals, etc...

We loved the Crows Nest and Ambrosine.com, so I will be making a resource site similar to that as well, where you can post engines, tutorials, sites and games you made with any engine.

We also like the Garagegames and Sourceforge approach to finding teams, so I will be setting up a way to find a team for your games through there.

There will also be some tutorials for Poser, Gimp and other programs so you can make games with your own graphics and sounds etc...

Also, we are going to be making a team to develop a commercial product. We have two in mind, but all we are capable of doing is come up with a story and plot etc... We need some more members to join the team. Payments will be made.

Right now, we have a forum made up which will really be useful to the visitors. We set up for technical help, and discuss general things such as games and hints and tips. We also have a programming section to share tips and ask for help in a particular language. We even allow abandonware. In fact, there is a section in the forum directly related to that.

There will be more soon. I know the site looks bare now, but within the coming months we are still going to be adding to it. Right now, I need some moderators and some team members who want to help create a commercial game. If you are interested in helping in anyway or having your site hosted, either post below or e-mail me at admin@scrubengine.com

Joey DiPerla

Nikolas · Mon 23/01/2006 16:47:32

Nothing really to say to this forums except: Good luck!

I hope that this engine goes well, and that a lot of people will think of suggestions to make it better. I find it good idea to ask for the "audience" what they want.

SSH · Mon 23/01/2006 17:04:26

You know why they have those rules about "Have something to show before you post" in the Games In Production thread, Joe? It's because 99% of people who have ideas for something don't complete them... even if the people are great (no offence to you guys). I think you posted too early, it is bound to be a year before there is anything usable of the engine, and people are unlikely to keep interested in vapourware until then.

But if you want suggestions: use OpenGL, make it portable to handheld devices, make it compatible with AGS scripts...

AlbinoPanther · Mon 23/01/2006 18:13:37

just three letters AGS and one number 4 and then again four letters EVER

LD[/b]

The Inquisitive Stranger · Mon 23/01/2006 18:34:02

"Made to Scrub all other engines away"?! Oh, please. We have enough engine superiority wars in the adventure development community as it is.

m0ds · Mon 23/01/2006 19:37:59

Good luck to you Joey! You did, as SHH says, make the first major mistake - and that is, opening forums before you have anything, absolutley anything to show. You're about to get bogged down in discussiooonnnsss!!!

Anyway best of luck, I'll take a proper look at the site when I get home to night. "Scrub" is the cheesiest adventure game engine name I've ever heard

I wonder what would have happened if LEC had called SCUMM, AGMEMFM.

Helm · Mon 23/01/2006 19:50:49

Good luck with your new engine, new website, new hosting solution, new company, new games, and the poser tutorials.

MrColossal · Mon 23/01/2006 20:03:37

Beside good luck the only thing I want to say is:

"This rule is for both Public/Private boards and on PM. Yes we can read your PM's, so careful what you write in there."

You don't want to do that. You don't even want to be able to do that and not tell anyone.

Pumaman · Mon 23/01/2006 20:10:09

Quote from: Joseph DiPerla on Mon 23/01/2006 16:20:18
So, since he hasn't begun programming on it, making suggestions now would give him an idea of how he would go about it. So the sooner you get suggestions out there, the better.

I want it to do everything AGS does, but do it better. That way, I can finally retire to the Costa Del Sol.

TerranRich · Mon 23/01/2006 22:33:57

Chris, one of these days I'm going to buy out C. Jones Enterprises and own AGS once and for all. You can retire to the Costa Del Sol, while I release version 4.0 with 3D support, lens flare realtime features, and rename it to Adventure Studio Suite 4 (with OLE support), or ASS4OLE.

Helm · Mon 23/01/2006 22:52:00

TerranRich, you make me moist.

ManicMatt · Mon 23/01/2006 22:57:16

Quote from: Helm on Mon 23/01/2006 19:50:49
Good luck with your new engine, new website, new hosting solution, new company, new games, and the poser tutorials.

POSER TUTORIALS!!! HAHAHA! Oh Helm, you are a funny bunny.

Joseph DiPerla · Mon 23/01/2006 23:35:55

Well, in all actuality, the site is mine. The Engine is Thomas Mayers. He asked if I would be interested in helping him design it and ask for input. But, in all honesty, the site is to be much more than just about the Scrub engine. (Oh by the way, Scrub is not intended to scrub away all engines. If I remember correctly the author came up with the name as a pun with SCUMM. Like to scrub the SCUMM away, or something like that. It has no other real meaning).

We are both big AGS fans BTW. But seriously. Thats the plan I have for the site. Now I cant do it all on my own, thats why I am asking for help on this at the moment. For instance Mods, people to write tutorials and a team to make the commercial games. The publishing business is something I actually started a long time ago. Its more like Self Publishing. I am doing it as a side job. A few of my friends are writing books and what I do is get an ISBN number and then sell it on Amazon. I have a few people write reviews for it. Then I begin selling them at local bookstores. And there is a lot more to it. Basically anyone could do it. Its pretty easy once you get used to the routine. I am starting to write a book myself (Well me and a couple of friends). Its going to be called "5 guys from Brooklyn". Being from Brooklyn NY, I wanted to write a story about what it is like for Italians to live there. I wrote the outline for it out. I am writing the whole thing out. With some help from 2 other co-authors, they add in some more to it and spice the novel up a little. Then I have an editor who helps me to choose better sentence structures and writing for it. Its a big process to write it. I have been writing it for about 4 months now. Its actually quite funny, but you wouldn't get the humour unless you were Italian, or atleast European.

Anyways... Getting back on track. I figured that if I could do this, why not do it for Video games as well? Why not start a web page about it? So I figured, once I get things on track, my site will also be used to publish books and games. This is far down the line. Maybe like by Next year.

But I agree with you SSH, but my site is not completely without nothing to show for it. Like I said, I am offering hosting for it. Thats available now. So if anyone needs hosting, let me know now. Also, I am offering Image hosting for your games as well. So thats available now.

The forums are open to discuss things that wont be available on the site, such as Abandonware topics, General programming, off-topic chat etc... These are forums that are there for people to discuss, which you will not be able to see topics about on the regular page. Plus the forums leave it available for you to find help for your game and to advertise your game. There is much to do.

On top of that, The forum is also designed to take in opinions and suggestions on how to improve the site and the engine.

Also, like I said, I made the announcement for the website so that I can start getting people ready to be hired for my commercial game and for other staff positions on the site, such as moderators for the forum.

And in a day or so, I will have my Simpsons page there as well. So its not too bad, its not completely without anything to show. And again, this is just to alert CJ that I will keep a mirror of his builds of AGS on my site too.

But thanks for the help many of you have given already and for the positivie feedback and encouragement. Remember, the engine part of the site is for us, but the rest of the site is for the adventure games throughout the world.

-------------------------------------------
I hope nobody minds, I just wanted to modify this post a bit:

To Nikolas, m0ds, Helm, MrColossal: Thanks.

Pumaman: I dont know, it might be tough to make something better than AGS. But Thomas is a great programmer, just like you. But each programmer brings different great things to their programs. Its hard to say which is better than the other. I think its what your more comfortable with. CJ, I would love to have you work on a team and help me make a commercial game one day, even if all you do is write a plot and puzzles and have others take care of the scripting and graphics.

As for Poser 6 tutorials: I own poser 5 and 6. I would like to start putting up some basic tutorials on the web soon. I cant seem to find them anywhere. Most games can be made using Poser sprites if you think about it. Anyone can contribute tutorials you know. And just FYI, the site is not just limited to AGS, and Scrub or adventures. It does also include Sludge, Wintermute, Agast and other engines too.

SSH: Dont know about openGL. Up to Tommy. Also, dont know about importing AGS scripts. Maybe someone could write a plugin for that down the line... But, Portable to handheld devices is on the list believe it or not.

Squinky, aka coveredinSludge, This isn't really for superiority over other engines. I like different engines becouse of different reasons. We are just attempting to make our own engine. We are not trying to out-rival AGS or Sludge or wintermute. We just want to offer an alternative. Like any other true adventure gamer, we just want to see good games. Thanks to AGS, we have seen a lot of good games.

LJUBI: Hey, if you fancy AGS, thats fine. But the site will contain stuff about AGS and adventure games in general. So feel free to visit it anyway.

Mr Colossal: I understand your concern about the PM's and things. I dont want to read anyones PM's. Really, and I wont. In all honesty, people should stick to E-mail for privacy options. Keep simple not to private stuff to PM's. But in reality I wont be looking through anyones PM's. If for security purposes, such as harassment or life threats or other illegal activity, then I will have to look through it and take proper action. I dont want to get in trouble for something someone else does, nor do I want my visitors to be harassed. I put that warning out there so that people will always remain respectful to one another and to alert them "hey, your stuff may not be so private, so be careful to not post anything super important or illegal." But I wont, just for kicks, go looking through peoples PM's.

Kinoko · Tue 24/01/2006 01:40:25

QuoteWe are both big AGS fans BTW. But seriously.

Am I the only one who finds that funny?

Just add a "folks" to the end.

Good luck and all, but I agree with what people have said. When I got to the point in your OP where you mentioned you hadn't begun development yet I was a bit shocked at the announcement.

As we've seen here, time and time again, it doesn't matter HOW much you try to convince people, the majority of people need to see something substantial or they'll lose interest quickly, or won't have any in the first place. I also think that this was well premature.

I guess I don't really get it either. If you're big AGS fans, why the huge desire to make a new engine? If you think AGS doesn't do everything you think it should, then don't you already have an idea of what you want your own engine to do? If I were you, I'd just lurk for a bit on all the adventure game engine forums and keep a constant check on what features people are requesting.

Then, create your engine as best you can and THEN give it a big release, big announcements and fan fare.

I just say this because I feel that people are probably thinking the same way I do here, which is to say, if I have any suggestions or features I'd like, I'll ask CJ for them.

Joseph DiPerla · Tue 24/01/2006 01:59:41

LOL, sorry about the "But seriously" thing. I didn't mean for it to sound the way it did...

I understand that if I am going to announce something about an Engine, announce a release. But we are focusing too much on this being about a Game engine we are developing. That is just the Sites main project. But the site is much more than just about an Engine. I mean we also offer Hosting. We are gonna be a commercial Games company as well. It will contain resources.

Basically, with this announcement, I am asking you to help me out with the site. In other words, I am saying "Hey! I just started a website! Talk on my boards. Donate Tutorials and Resources. Host an adventure site on my site!" and all that.

And please dont take this the wrong way, but I am satisfied with AGS. But lets look at it this way, I love AGS, but Wintermute has certain features and IDE comfort that AGS doesn have and Vice Versa. Same with SLudge, and Agast. I like them all. Now, we are making an alternative, but I still like these other engines and I still want to promote people to make adventure games, becouse playing adventures is what I enjoy. If AGS is what they are made in, great! As long as they are being made. Thats why the site will also focus on AGS and other Engines.

Plus, our engine is not made. So for the time being, I will continue to use AGS. Plus, before we begin production and development, we want to know what all of you are looking for in an engine. Starting from scratch with an idea of what we want, would give us an organized view of our project and develop things quickly.

But dont focus on the engine. The site will be much more, with all your help.

By the way Kinoko, Gift of Aldora looks great so far! Keep it up.

Kinoko · Tue 24/01/2006 04:11:34

Why, thanks!! I...

Hey, waaaaaait a minute. You're just buttering me up.

Continue.

Nikolas · Tue 24/01/2006 07:49:40

Quote from: Joseph DiPerla on Tue 24/01/2006 01:59:41
By the way Kinoko, Gift of Aldora looks great so far! Keep it up.

Chicky...

Well, too bad that CJ hasn't been working on a game right now, to say the same thing... Migh be more usefull...

You know, they are right. The forums are empty. Just one post: Yours! I checked it yesterday. And I'm a fair man, as ye all know, so I'm going to check it again some time later, in the hope that there will be something to see.

I can only applause your trying to do such a thing. Huge! And I can only assume that you're really spontenous (sp, of course). I can't find another reason for this thread. For some reason I can't find enough reason to the point "I want more suggestions".

btw Kinoko, Gift of Aldora does look great.

JimmyShelter · Tue 24/01/2006 09:35:29

Joseph, you sound pretty ambitious, too ambitious if you ask me. Try to set realitic goals, man, writing a book, publishing books, writing & piblishing games, you sound like someone with loads and loads of ideas, but you still haven't finished even one game!
Because of that people take your plans with a grain of salt. Starting a site without something to show about your engine... why didn't you wait a bit till you really had something to show, than people would take you a lot more seriously.

At the moment, I'm thinking, 'Vaporware'... and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Joseph DiPerla · Tue 24/01/2006 12:30:05

I understand all your thoughts on this, but the engine is not being programmed and developed by me. It is being developed by someone else. I just advertise and provide suggestions for it. I also provide web space.

The Web Hosting, again guys, is available now. I made the announcement so that if anyone wants hosting, they can have it now. Forums are also set up to talk. And like I said, I have done some low level publishing for some people already.

On top of that, I did release a Template game which is huger than most AGS games in general guys. And myfirst game will be done shortly as well.

I didn't do anything different than when someone posts here: "Upload your games and images to my site". Try to look at this site ina broader way.

Oneway · Tue 24/01/2006 16:09:56

Quote from: Joseph DiPerla on Mon 23/01/2006 23:35:55
Anyways... Getting back on track. I figured that if I could do this, why not do it for Video games as well? Why not start a web page about it? So I figured, once I get things on track, my site will also be used to publish books and games. This is far down the line. Maybe like by Next year.

No offence Joseph, but with a huge project comes planning. Long term planning. And if your idea of long term planning is 'maybe doing something next year' then i don't think you've thought things through.
I don't think you realise the scale of the project or level of commitment that is required to follow through in the long term.
As CJ can tell you, developing a piece of software by one man is a HUGE task. And chances are that in a year you still won't have any usable software with wich you can actually make a game.

In addition to this, when introducing such a project and getting people to your site, make sure you have the site finished as far as possible and don't link to yet unwritten pages. Over half of the links in the main menu are dead. I didn't feel urged to read anything on the forums because i just went through about 5 pages that weren't available yet.

In my opinion you jumped the gun by publishing a project while it's still in its design stages.

Whatever my feelings are about this, though. I still wish you luck in your endeavours and hope you will persevere and create something beautiful. Anyone willing to provide a free service to the community should be praised!