[mr.pancakes]

With the utter (and I do mean utter) lack of interest in a Freespace2 RPG (Hey, I tried), I've decided to simply bringing my storyline ideas to bear in another medium that I'm somewhat familiar with -- FRED.

True, I haven't FREDed since PXO went down, but I think I can pick it up again.

Currently I'm beginning a new FRED campaign that I'm looking for help on.  Realistically, I have a limited amount of time to work on it (I work 30-40 hours a week).  But I'm dedicated to things I pick up.  If anyone is interested in getting involved in the project, I'd be appreciative.

More or less, I'm looking for the following positions:

Audio editor
Voice Actors
FREDers
Cutscene creator (does anyone do this?  not FRED cutscenes, I mean more like the ones in between missions in original FS)

If I can, I want to keep using the current FS2 ships... although I might need a modeler/skinner to design a ship or too.  I'm not looking to get too ambitious in the modeling department... or even the skinning department.

I want to make it a pretty accessible campaign, with minimal to no moding if possible.

Right now, I don't have a time table.  I just want together at this point in the project and see what is and isn't possible realistically -- set realistic goals.  Once that is set, things will become more formalized.

Please, feel free (and I encourage you to) post any questions you have.

[TopAce]

If you ask me, forget about cutscenes. Do them in FRED if you want, although it takes some time to learn how. Cutscenes in the sense you want them are much harder to make and require far more time and techniques to do decently - sounds, voice actors, graphical effects, music, etc.

Voice acting also takes up a lot of time, probably more than you have available. If you don't get some quick help from the Voice Acting subforum, don't bother with it.

I don't know about audio editing, but I suggest you be more specific as to why you need one. Do you plan to have new weapon sounds, or what?

As for FREDders, there aren't many available, because they're on other projects already. Try asking for help from FRED Academy graduates. They're not very experienced, but like all beginners, are enthusiastic to do something.

I don't mean to discourage you. I simply want to help you in drawing the line between ambitious and realistically doable. I've had some bad experience with voice acting, but that was before we had a voice acting forum.

[Jeff Vader]

Yeah, sounds a tad bit too ambitious. IceyJones is a maestro among cutscenes but even he has other things to do. So yes, either drop the cutscenes or FRED them. And drop the voice-acting. Arranging it is frustrating at best and even after that it takes an awful lot of time to get it done. If ever.

And it is indeed hard to get other people to join a new project. One gets the best results if he either does everything by himself or joins an existing project.

[mr.pancakes]

Well, the project itself can go in multiple directions.  A single player campaign is one option.  Creating something in one shot.

However, the project idea I had was more... dynamic.  The cutscenes and audio are purely optional.

My goal was to take my FSRPG idea and translate it into something doable with FRED.  The idea I have I think is fairly doable... although I would like to have some briefing voices possibly... if I can.

However, the project itself has no definite beginning, nor a definite end.  It is something that happens on a weekly basis (to be conservative)... or perhaps even several times a week.

The core of the idea is to create missions on a weekly basis (1 a week is a good goal).  People who want to participate as players would fly the mission (one that would be new and never seen before).  The results of that mission (when it is flown) would dictate events in next week's mission.  Something weekly to give people to look forward to playing.  Almost like how a TV show keeps you hooked in and wanting to see the next episode.

That's the basic idea.  I might expand this idea as time goes on.  As long as it is weekly, and keeps things 'fresh' on a weekly basis to keep people interested.

Does that make sense?

[Droid803]

Well, you're going to need a pretty dedicated FREDder.
If its weekly, its never going to cutscene-ed or voice acted in time. I can tell you that for certain. Unless, of course, you do it all yourself (which would be pretty...bad). FRED cutscenes are alright.

[mr.pancakes]

I'm probably going to drop the cutscenes, and I'll have to see how I do on the voice acting front, and if I'm going to wind up doing it all myself.

The missions are the essential part.  The key thing is to put players in an environment that is new on a weekly basis.  Something that they haven't played yet.

Depending what directions I take it in, I might actually collect stats and make it RPG like, in some sense, in the downtime between weekly games... by leaving some macro decisions up to players and such.

What is most important now is just the weekly aspect.

[Droid803]

Well, if its going to be weekly, I'd highly suggest cutting out the voice as well.
You're probaby going to end up doing most of the FREDding (but hey, its good practice).

[mr.pancakes]

This is true.  But they don't all have to be complicated.  They just might be long.  Sometimes not a lot happens when you're flying patrol... only every so often.