Dungeon Keeper: Source anyone ?

[NucHaz]

Im all up on the idea of creating a Dungeon Keeper mod for the source engine. DK was awesome back in the day, and I think it would have so much potential on the source engine. Im not gonna go into much detail on all the things I would like to do ... yet. I want to draw out a plan first, but before I do that, I want to make sure I have permission to make a DK based mod (Im searching right now trying to find somone I can email to ask for permission ... EA seems to have forgotton they ever made the DK games, and bullfrog's website just redirects me to EA's website) Im seriously comtemplating persuing this idea, and definitly plan to make some progress and a plan before I even start trying to recruit anyone.
Anyway, I wanted to throw the idea up on the boards and see what anyone here has to say. Feel free to express ideas, things you would like to see, just any thoughts you might have reguarding a DK:Source mod.

also, if anyone knows who I can email to ask permission, that would be helpful too, if not im sure I can find it on my own in due time.

/out
-Joey

 

[Ennui]

that might not be a great idea for the source engine.

 

[Th30N3Cr0wbar]

talk about mucho difficil coding there... take a FPS engine and turn it into a real time strategy game engine... v_v while it sounds cool on paper it would be extremely tough to pull off

 

[Angry Lawyer]

take a FPS engine and turn it into a real time strategy game engine...

Well, I managed quite fine.

But no, its not a good idea, because EA won't stand to have their IP pissed on.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[dys-Fuzzy]

I loved DK! However, I definitely agree with Angry Lawyer about EA's stance on people using their IP. Of course it could be cool for someone to do something "inspired" by DK, rather than a clone of it on the Source engine.

If you've seen the recent videos that the Iron Grip guys released you'll see that it's definitely possible to do an RTS style game (with small unit numbers) on Source.

 

[Puzzlemaker]

That reminds me; what is the max amount of guys that can be in one map at one time in the source engine? I thought it was something around 300?

 

[Angry Lawyer]

If you've seen the recent videos that the Iron Grip guys released you'll see that it's definitely possible to do an RTS style game (with small unit numbers) on Source.

Zombie Master and Conquest: City 17 also prove that it can be done

No idea on the NPC maximum, though, but its the AI that really slows a server down.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[StardogChampion]

You could just play DK instead, but I wouldn't mind a mod.

 

[The Mullinator]

DK had very little story. What made it fun were its unique gameplay styles and the atmosphere. As a result it would actually be pretty easy I would think (and im no lawyer) to avoid any potential problems involving IP.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

As a result it would actually be pretty easy I would think (and im no lawyer) to avoid any potential problems involving IP.

I am, though

Yeah, if you avoided the name, changed a bit of the game style, and had your own set of monsters, you'd be safe. Although using things like "Skeleton", "Troll", and "Orc" are okay, as long as your designs differ from the ones Bullfrog used.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Mutley]

I LOVE DK!

This would be an awsome mod', I support you 100%. Sod EA, make it and call it something like "Dungeon K33p0r", lol.

Seriously, get it done. Is this just an idea or do you have a team ready?

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Sod EA, make it and call it something like "Dungeon K33p0r", lol.

That's still infringement, and will definately cause EA to set up you the bomb, so to speak.

The Source Engine really isn't cut out to handle a Dungeon Keeper style thing, though. The biggest hurdle I can see is the actual digging out of rooms. That needs some REALLY big changes to the way Source handles geometry.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Mutley]

Aww, I just want another DK, I played both of them and they were really something special!

I'm sure something can be done with the source engine and I'm sure we can keep the basis of DK but not too much to annoy EA.

 

[Th30N3Cr0wbar]

That's still infringement, and will definately cause EA to set up you the bomb, so to speak.

The Source Engine really isn't cut out to handle a Dungeon Keeper style thing, though. The biggest hurdle I can see is the actual digging out of rooms. That needs some REALLY big changes to the way Source handles geometry.

-Angry Lawyer

ha ha, nice Zero Wing reference there (or the "all your base are belong to us" game as some people like to call it...)

 

[Angry Lawyer]

At least someone noticed

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Veggi]

Since I`m a big fan of the old DK games I realy would like to see a mod based on it. If it is possible to make a mod like that I would like to join

But It has to be your own version of it. EA will never give you permission to use one of their license

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Thinking something would be cool on Source and actually trying to code it on Source are VERY different, you know. The engine just wouldn't be able to handle the terrain digging aspect.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Veggi]

Yeah! Guess You are right about that. Sad since that idea was kinda interesting

 

[Crispy]

EA did not make this game. They bought out the people who did. Please don't give them the credit for making good games that, in reality, they had nothing to do with.

I understand that we're on an HL2 site, but does anyone have any suggestions with which engine would be best suited to a Dungeon Keeper revival?

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Bullfrog made it, and they made some of the best strategy games of all time (Populous 1 and 2, Syndicate). But EA own the rights, and you're never going to beat them in a lawsuit.

Still, you'd need either one of the original DK engines, or a completely new one, to make it. At a strech, anything with Geomorph or whatever it is (Red Faction) could do it.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Catsby]

I'm a huge Dungeon Keeper fan and remember the day on the bb boards when they announced they were cancelling Dungeon Keeper 3.

While using the name and characters would just be outright copyright infringement, there is nothing stopping the fans from making their own.

Not sure where this is going or what everyone's who interested skill set is at, but if anyone serious you can count me in on some sort of contribution(even #1 fan boy, lol)

Both DK1 and DK2 didn't do anything special with digging tunnels, they were just models with hitpoints on them and a "death animation" its no different then a distructable barrel, where as Red Faction was doing some major calculations on bsps and not polygon meshes(imported ones anyway)

So, I totally think it could be possible(albiet more work the a fps mod) for this to happen. I'll keep tabs on the thread and hope it goes somewhere.

 

[Veggi]

Yeah! If anyone find a way to do this send me a PM instantly :naughty:

 

[Angry Lawyer]

they were just models with hitpoints on them and a "death animation" its no different then a distructable barrel, where as Red Faction was doing some major calculations on bsps and not polygon meshes(imported ones anyway)

You'd run into entity overflow problems by doing that in Source.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Catsby]

well considering in the old dungeon keeper they were like 10 triangles, maybe, Idon't see that being an issue, though I am no coder, hehe.

Just saying I think it would be harder to do the other things(taking territory, traps, gold, creatures, etc..) then it would be to do carving out the cave.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

It's a code problem. Source only supports something like 512 entities per map. You'd easily hit that limit with the wall alone. You'd need to do some sort of magic with displacements, I think. DK had its own engine build especially to cope with the problem.

Traps, gold, creatures, and territory are comparitively easy.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Mutley]

It would be such a fantastic mod' though but I think to make a FPS engine into a strategy one sounds really hard.