Project Scrux

[6743a4b68380cvim]

So my plan is to learn how to make games in Unreal Engine this year. To have something to work towards I'll set the end goal to make a game inspired by System Shock 2. I also have a project name provided by a random project name generator, Scrux. As any good project name it has nothing to do with the final product. You'll be the judge if such a project fit this site as Scrux will not be directly related to System Shock, it will only be a kindred spirit. Development will be open for people to test and when done the game will be free. I hope some of you can help me with the game by creating content or play testing when there is something to play. I'll post here as the project progress.

Next up is write some setting/story ideas down and setup Unreal 

So fact sheet, so far
* Project name: Scrux
* System shock 2 inspired game.
* Will be done in Unreal
* Open development where people can test the game.
* Game will be free.

[6743a4b6839fbvoodoo47]

well, good luck.

[6743a4b683b7avim]

Thanks voodoo47. I might need it  .

Basic story/setting done. Short blurb of it.
Scrux is set in the future where mankind has colonized space. You take the role of a soldier in the earth’s navy that try to keep the rule of law in the colonies. On your first real missions you was caught in an explosion and now you wake up in a healing pod onboard a unknown ship, adrift in quarantined space. Exploring the ship you try to find out what has happened to the ship, how you got there and why all these creatures on the ship that still have a trace of humanity try to eat you.

Now to get SVN working with UE4   

[6743a4b683fc3Buff Skeleton]

Are you planning on developing this entirely solo? Do you already have significant game development or modding experience?

What you're proposing sounds like it will involve a loooooooooot of programming, 3d modeling, texturing, music composing, sound mixing, level design, playtesting, scripting, balancing, and a host of other things that go into making a complete, functional game. And that's just a functional one, not necessarily one that's worth playing.

Not saying it's not possible, nor trying to dissuade anyone, but realistically... these kinds of ambitious projects rarely go far. This thread has many of the telltale signs of a first-timer's ambition: for one, posting about a project before even starting it. I've seen announcement threads like this dozens of times over the years just in the Unreal 1 / UT modding scene alone, and that's UE1, not UE4. UE4 is much more complex, and while there are certainly a lot of things in it that make development easier, there are also a lot of much greater hurdles to get over.

I'd say you might be better off starting with just a simple mod, even just a simple level for your favorite Unreal / UT game, but styled like SS2 visually, and then slowly build from there. And make your announcements well after you've gotten something semi-playable underway so you can post screenshots. That'll lend a lot more legitimacy to your project, proving you can deliver. And if you deliver quality and can demonstrate you're really dedicated to seeing it through, you might be able to solicit help from the community as well. But this community, while full of people who would appreciate a game with nods to SS2, is really small, and I'd guess most people still modding games as old as SS2 aren't messing with newer engines much due to lack of time, if nothing else... so getting help from people here might be tough. Maybe you'd find more people on the actual UE4 forums?

tl;dr: Don't give up, but set realistic, conservative goals and slowly increase the scope of the project for best results. And,

well, good luck.

[6743a4b68413dvim]

Thanks for the advice Buff Skeleton.

I do have significant game development experience but nothing in Unreal so far. If the game ends up functional i have hit my goal of learning unreal and with some luck i still have the stamina to make it worth playing .

The reason for posting about to project so early is to force myself to write updates and make progress. Slight fail on that part as no update yet  . I prefer this forum as it seems more likely that people here are prepared to test play a SS2 style game and give valid feedback on it then on UE4 forums where they have all kinds of games. Possible that i will post on UE4 forums later to look for people to help but i wish to keep this forum as the main one.