27 replies to this topic

[Rajada]

Well a friend mentioned this website to me and I couldn't resist joining. I've been into Nerf for as long as I can remember, and I still have most of my original blasters from the 90's. Of course I tweaked most of them for better performance, and i'm glad I did.

I was cruising the forums and I found a few posts on the PC game "Nerf Arena Blast". I found that most of the posts contained some sort of animosity towards the game. The best I could attribute this to was a lack of realism.

I really liked that game. I am still active on the NerfArena.net site and so are a few others. It was Nerf Arena Blast that really taught me all the basics of the Unreal engine and I play it to this day. But it was the "Nerf:Source" topic that really caught my eye. So many people thought it would be such a good idea to make another Nerf Game or at least some custom content for some other games, yet the idea fizzled out so abruptly.

Here's the funny part, we on NerfArena.net have tried to do this countless times. We had a mod for UT 2004 in the making; we even had someone model a Longshot and they got it in-game successfully. That idea kind of died off when the main modeler stopped talking to us. Then of course their was a push for a Source mod, but I haven't seen any progress on this in quite some time. One thing is for certain though, each new mod failed due to a lack of participants, especially skilled modelers.

Okay, now I'm usually pretty modest, but let me just say one thing. I am very, very good with the Unreal engine. I've seen several people on this very website proclaim some abilities with 3D modeling programs. So why can't we make something worth playing? I think with a bit more coordination, we can make something great, wether its a whole new game or a few new weapons. I've had experience with making weapons, its not hard at all. I made over 100 for Nerf Arena Blast.

So, let me know what the genral feeling towards a project like this is. I think it would be a blast to make something new for Nerf Arena Blast, maybe get some people playing it, but that's just my opinion.

Edited by Rajada, 15 August 2008 - 06:07 PM.

[Skitzo]

Welcome to the Haven.
I think this would be an awesome idea.
I've had the idea of a Source based game in my head for a while, the problem is I don't have any real experience with modding or making a game.
The only thing I could provide would be ideas about how the game mechanics would work.
I've been to countless wars, so I know how the game goes and what features would make the game more realistic.
If you need anything in that department I'd be glad to help.


Skitzo-

[Jedijoe9]

I tried a demo for Nerf Arena Blast way way back. It seemed a little goofy to me at the time, but having just tried it again, I see where someone might have fun with it.

Generally though, I think most people would prefer to actually get out and nerf, as opposed to playing a video game about it. I nerf so I can run around with bright plastic guns, not to sit inside and pretend to. That's how I feel, at least.

[Night Shadow]

I love Nerf Arena Blast too! Yeah, the game would be tight if we could add the entire N-Strike line into it. All the weapons they have in there are considered vintage now. A Longshot in NAB would totally rule. Then its secondary attack should be the shotgun extension. I just wish I had the full game, and not the demo.

[Captain]

If we made our own Nerf-based game, the first thing we'd do for sure is fix any problems with the original Arena Blast game. For example, my main gripe about Arena Blast is that the Darts travel far too slow, making it unrealistically hard to shoot a moving target. Also, it needed more game types to make it more interesting to play. Oh yeah, and there was way too much color. So if we can make sure none of those things happen with this theoretical game, it should be an improvement over Arena Blast.

[Llama Boy]

NAB makes the game I made ( Boltsniper The Video Game) on HQ, look like crap.

[keef]

Well, for it to be Source, you'd have to use the source engine.

I dunno how to code, but I can make maps and texures for HL2 and the like if wanted.

I know they make a tool to make .VTF (Valve texture file) into Unreal files and vice-versa.

[Rajada]

Wrll, I'm an Unreal engine modder, so my first choice would be anything on the Unreal engine, which kind of puts Source out of the running. I'd probably want to leave that to the people on our forums who are working on Source games.

Looking over what i've done with NAB, it would be entirely possible to make a mod or totally convert NAB. The same is possible for UT; a mod or a TC (total conversion) is possible. I am less familiar with UT 2004, but would be willing to try.

But why limit ourself to one? We could make one for each if we have the desire to. So I guess my question is, would we like to start with a TC / Upgrade of NAB? I know how to make the darts go faster, trust me.

I ask this because I wonder if anyone would play it if we finished it.



OH, also. While I'm good at Unreal Engine modification, we'd also need people who are strong with coding, because I don't know everything.



The upgrades I think would be neccessary for NAB or UT would be something like this:

-New Models for weapons, projectiles, special effects and ammo

-New sounds, such as cocking, suction cup hits etc...

-New game rules

-New maps, we'd need new maps, NAB has already got like 800, so we can dig through there too

-New teams? We'd have to decide if it's team based first

-New textures, skins for people, guns, ammo etc...

-An upgrade system might be cool

Thats just a basic list. It would be about the same for UT 2004, it'd just be a slightly different engine.

Edited by Rajada, 15 August 2008 - 09:08 PM.

[Lynx]

If we can put in custom content with a easy to follow program like to mod a gun or whatever. You would need to have a system so that you need to "earn" things or whatever. I don't want to see more General Cole's running around with copycat guns. (no offense, but that was pretty bad)

Start with a NF and you can only go into a pistols only server, then you can earn a primary or whatever.

This has major potential. I just want to have sort of realistic game play.

[boisie]

Have the experience be currency based. That way you have to beat certain objectives, like attending your first war, then you get to go and buy materials for , say, a barrel replacement. Or you can earn more money and get a primary. You could also have a trade system for either cash or other blasters, with an auction system also.

By the way, I'm not exactly a programmer for games, I'm more web-based programming, so I could do stuff like that.

[aamiller321]

Dang it boisie I was about to post something along those lines but computer lag prevented me from posting.

[CaptainSlug]

Shooting virtual 13-year olds is just nowhere near as satisfying as shooting the real thing.

[notthedinkus]

I own 3D gamestudio 6 commercial edition and am fairly skilled at map making. let me know if you need any help.

[Skitzo]

Shooting virtual 13-year olds is just nowhere near as satisfying as shooting the real thing.

Very true. But it would be cool to have a game to bridge the gap between Saturdays.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we don't want to make it extremely realistic, then it would get kind of weird. Having a currency system would be a good idea, but to buy already modded guns and the like.
We shouldn't be going to a virtual store and buying PETG and then playing a mini game or something to mod the gun. That would just seem too... 13 year old ish.

Skitzo-

[Rajada]

Well, though I am good at modifications, and though a menu based currency for upgrades system would be cool, that seems a bit complex for NAB to handle. However, I have seen it done in UT 2004, so my thoughts are:

-We can do an upgrade for NAB, which basically replaces the weapons with new ones. The upgrades would be simpler, like a pick-up in a hard to reach place. Then afterwards do something more indepth for UT 2004.

-Or we can go straight to UT 2004, though I do not have as much experience with it.

Edited by Rajada, 16 August 2008 - 12:41 AM.

[boisie]

It wouldn't be a minigame, it would be more of a point and click, replace barrel on X blaster. No minigame involved.

[aamiller321]

Shooting virtual 13-year olds is just nowhere near as satisfying as shooting the real thing.

Very true. But it would be cool to have a game to bridge the gap between Saturdays.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we don't want to make it extremely realistic, then it would get kind of weird. Having a currency system would be a good idea, but to buy already modded guns and the like.
We shouldn't be going to a virtual store and buying PETG and then playing a mini game or something to mod the gun. That would just seem too... 13 year old ish.

Skitzo-

No I wasn't thinking like mini game or anything, but say you buy a stronger spring, and you can place it in your NF without a minigame. And then buy barrels and add them. Minigames would kind of ruin it.

[Skitzo]

I think working in UT 2004 will give us more flexibility from the start. I will start looking into the engine and see if I can actually provide anything to this project.
I was just giving the mini game as an example, all I'm saying is I don't think this should be so focused on modding.
Sure there are going to be modded guns and such but I think buying them "stock" and being able to buy a better modded version for a cheaper price would be better than placing parts into the gun.
Because you already own the stock gun, your essentially "modding" by buying the better version.
It would be easier to make work in the game (From what I know) and keep the focus on the guns and the shooting, not the PETG.
Also if possible I think a good way to handle the money would be time based and cumulative, not based upon how many people you hit.
Say every day you play you get $5, which kind of simulates the way you put money into the hobby periodical from an outside source, and in the beginning you don't have much cash and have to start putting time into the hobby.

Just throwing some opposing ideas out there.

Skitzo-

Edited by Skitzo, 16 August 2008 - 09:24 AM.

[Killzor]

A nerf video game by us would be sweet. However, in case you didnt' know another nerf video game is coming out in a couple of weeks for the wii. The controller doubles as an actual nerf gun. Looks pretty sweet.

[Pebbles]

If we change how fast the darts fly or other parts of the game wouldn't we need to update the AI?


On a different note, part of the fun NaB has for me is that I can do things I can't do in real life. So if we do a remake, would it still have the special fire modes for the guns?

And the reload time: do we change it to be more realistic or keep it the way it is?

[mintee]

We play with Nerf guns for various reasons, but for the most part it's mimicking something which we can't do in real life, which is shoot each other with real firearms without repercussions and minimal injuries.

Video games vary, but the specific FPS genre is built upon a virtual experience of what we can't do in real life - shooting each other with real firearms without repercussions and injuries.

Now making a video game which will provide us a virtual experience of a sport which is in itself a virtual experience of shooting each other with real firearms... Thats some meta shit right there.

[Rajada]

Well, I am still around, and still considering this mod. (It looks better and better every day) But this is going to be the test of wether or not we will be successful: DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE GOOD WITH ANY 3D MODELING PROGRAMS OR THE UNREAL 2004 ENGINE? (Coding, mapping etc...)

If not, I'm down to recruiting off of the UT Forums, which while not a bad idea, its unpredictable if we'll get anyone interested. Plus, alot of people on those forums seem to think I'm a n00b, so who knows how many people are gonna be like: "Oh jeez, it's Raj, I hate that n00b."

If this UT 2004 thing fails miserably, we can take comfort in the fact that I can at least make a "realism" mod for Nerf Arena Blast almost entirely by myself. Of course some modelers and various other help would still be nice.

Edited by Rajada, 08 September 2008 - 01:26 PM.

[aamiller321]

Well, I am still around, and still considering this mod. (It looks better and better every day) But this is going to be the test of wether or not we will be successful: DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE GOOD WITH ANY 3D MODELING PROGRAMS OR THE UNREAL 2004 ENGINE? (Coding, mapping etc...)

If not, I'm down to recruiting off of the UT Forums, which while not a bad idea, its unpredictable if we'll get anyone interested. Plus, alot of people on those forums seem to think I'm a n00b, so who knows how many people are gonna be like: "Oh jeez, it's Raj, I hate that n00b."

If this UT 2004 thing fails miserably, we can take comfort in the fact that I can at least make a "realism" mod for Nerf Arena Blast almost entirely by myself. Of course some modelers and various other help would still be nice.

I have no clue on how to mod it. I still think it'd be really cool so I say to go for it.

[CaptainSlug]

I used to make character models for UT99 (see here), but I no longer have that kind of free time to devote to such a tedious pursuit.
To me at least getting outside and running around like a looney is an integral part of Nerf and a video game can't really act as a substitute for that.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 10 September 2008 - 11:47 PM.

[slowguitarman]

Holy crap. I got a huge smile out of those models, slug. Awesome work. The Stewie on the robot walker was very awesome, as was Grover.