I just read the thread through (the SEED comments).
Pity so few people actually know anything about the process of game developing - and especially something as complex as a MMORPG. It's even worse that most of the talks about SEED is based on pure hear-say, and not actual facts.

Facts are, that the team was VERY dedicated. And that both minor and major storylines were planned - way ahead of what you actually got to see. A few of you might remember the SteamBaths. And that was just the next thing in the pipeline. More playerdriven events in the line of "Esme's Tree", the "Hacked Chimbot" and the opening of SteamBaths, as well as major events ,were on the drawing board.

The team was not incompetent and we were certainly aware of the lag and bugs, but the investores insisted, despite our pleas, to launch prematurely. It didn't matter how much we stressed the fact, that it would be devastating to the project. Noone want's to pay for buggy entertainment, yet alone have to deal with it. Where's the entertainment in that?

At the time of launch, SEED had been in developing for 2½ years or so - the first 1-1½ year with a sceleton crew, primarily trying to get proof-of-concept going, in order to get the proper financing for the rest of us who was on the team for the last year+.
Most of the graphics assets were redesigned and rebuild from scratch at the time when RGD expanded the crew.
No doubt we would have required at least another year with the 20-or-so people we were on the team at the end, just to get our current game base and content straightened out. But that was not up to us to decide, unfortunately.

In time SEED would have had all the player driven stories and events you wanted it to have, as well as some major plots like contact to the lower cluster, the attempt to repair TAU, and surface expeditions. It would have had a fine-tuned repair/crafting setup and the political plots and schemes as the "combat system".
SEED would never let you play the same quest twice, and the game would evolve constantly - even when some players are logged off, others would play and possiby uncover new stories and events - same as it happens when you yourself sleep - and thus creating a much more dynamic story and game.
- and who knows what else. This was the essential idea with SEED - real RP'ing with a high level of player influence of SEED's further development.

It's fair to say, that at least 70-80% of the team, were (and still are) hardcore RPG'ers - many of them well-known on the danish RPG scene, both as players and some of them also as writers. This team bled for the dream of a MMORPG which was more true to ACTUAL roleplaying, rather than just the cookie-cutter, hack'n'slash games of current days.

*edit* This is not me bitching and whining. Just trying to set a few things straight

Cheers

Thanks for the clarification, Kroll. It is as I suspected, although not completely hopeless

Cheers

Well - I still have a lot of "interactive" seed content online. You can't play it, but you can get stuck in a Radlock, and see SteamBaths without the steam effects...

http://polygonpoop.dk/2007/05/seed-inte … ntent.html

Might hold some interest to the newcomers

Cheers

Actually you can have rights over design, colours, and much more. Just try and make a game with a character that looks like Mickey mouse and watch as the shit hits the fan

And no - you cannot duplicate the designs - you can't use the tools, suits, items, levels or parts of the levels etc.

Sorry to bust your bubble - like I said, I'd really love to see this get revitalized, but at the same time you have to keep it legal. Or it has no point in my opinion.

Cheers

The code is not open. It's probably still up for grabs for the highest bidder. You'll have to ask Kroll about that though. But it's probably not gonna come cheap, and the team is scattered so it's not really worth it.
However I can tell you that we used Qube 1.1.2 as main engine, Ice or Glacier for the whole network part, and probably C++ and some SQL or dotnet stuff for the remaining code and database.

Qube and Ice/Glacier is/was freeware.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask, and I'll try to answer them the best I can

Cheers

Valerian and Laureline was the main inspiration, yes. But obviously other things too. I personally think the Radlock has a few similarities with the "meat grinder" in the (excellent) movie "Event Horizon".

It wasn't based on the graphics novels as such. There are no actual ties to the story, or the characters. It was merely inspiration. Obviously the Seed graphics were Seed graphics, and not Valerian and Laureline graphics - it's a totally different universe.

Furthermore, it would be downright stupid to try and translate the style, universe and characters of said graphic novels, because it would most likely not translate well into realtime 3D. So the Seed graphics became pretty much the essense of what was the theme in the tower : You make do with whatever you have, and make the best of it

- hope that clears it up a little.

Cheers

Her real name is Jeannie Mortensen. She's been a Hollywood reporter for 10 years or so. Don't know about her doings, but she IS on imdb.
Princesse Miamaja became a brothel owner? Man, we should've included that in the adventure game based on the show we did at Pixeleers in 98

Cheers

Oh yeah! Wikke-Rasmussen (the responsible party behind Voldsom Volvo - and the entire Tonny Toupé, Sonny Soufflé and Ronny Rosé shows) we're a big part of my growing up. For some reason tv for young people was much more innovative and creative back then (yes, the ice creams were also bigger....honestly). Now if DR would only revive Poul og Nulle i Omvendslev (as well as their famous Christmas show), Gunnar Ville (Magiske Mads, Skrumpen and Familien Fab), Dr. Femmer and show "The killings on outpost Zeta", that I may get a chance to record it - maybe then I'll feel that the tv-license is actually worth paying.

Cheers

Wheri : Didn't you get the pot of gold and the hot babes?
No - sorry, there's no bonus other than you being able to brag about finding them all. I would've liked that though, but as it is you just save christmas if you return with the majority of the presents in the trunk. Then never mind those 10 kids that won't get a present - they probably weren't nice kids after all

- good to see you're still fooling around with it.

Cheers

I still haven't gotten hold of a fresh copy of the DVD. I will - eventually. Right now I'm in the middle of regular work busyness, freelance work, recent breakup with the GF, selling the appartment, and buyng a new - and obviously the moving part too.
So things are a bit dicy around here. I still plan on releasing more content. I also plan on releasing more TurnTool'ed Seed content.

- and I although I don't post much, I still follow the forum daily

Cheers