Summer time talking - Ever thinking of EB doing its own game?

**darius_d** · 08-10-2009, 17:24

for all those tired of AI behaviour in RTW/M2TW and who can't wait for EB II release...

Yeah, this struck me this morning. Simple comparison:
Roughly taking, people engaged in EB project spend about twice the time that CA on developing its games, with quite comparable resources as of workload (depending on which department).

So maybe instead of modding CA games painfully strechting them to hardcoded limits and bugs, perhaps much more beneficial would be spending similar amount of time to make its own solid engine and a game of dreams?
A game continually developped like mods - entirely volunteerily by fans in their free time, free to download for all, moddable as wished. Free from CA engine limitations - totally new original game - no limit for things to include except hardware limits. Imagine different AI.

Considering success of many fan-driven mods, notably EB, and huge passion that keep many talented and skilled people participating - such speculations doesn't seem worthless.

No doubt creating a new engine - better than CA's - from scratch can't be easy, imagine just all animations to be done without motion-capture.
But I believe EB is the team that can get human resources needed to accomplish this.

Another trick - financial and legal issues which may arise if some licenses need to be bought. Everything managed in a free time.
Well, I can't say much about that part. As for financing, EB team has already something which I believe could help - thanks to its unique database EB can offer historical consultation for external entities (game developpers, book publishers, tv programs, museums, etc) about historically accurate look of ancient warriors. This database is not something to be underestimated, imho.

Well, that's it. I hope someone in EB was ever thinking of that idea.

**A Very Super Market** · 08-10-2009, 18:04

It would be difficult, to say the least. Working on EB itself tends to take up a fair amount of the team's lives, and above all, it's a side-project for them. Making a whole new game is a full-time job.

**Skullheadhq** · 08-10-2009, 18:09

Wouldn't CA complain when they're making money of their concept, but then again, how many GTA ripoffs are there? 276?

And I don't think the team can program, and certainly not that good that they can actually create their own engine, and yes, some mods evolve into new games, I once heard of an Age of Empires II mod that did that.

**Krusader** · 08-10-2009, 18:17

No way.

Would take too much time and would need a much more structured organizational approach. We don't work by deadlines, we just say "in 3 weeks you might see something" and either two months later you get a "RL happened. 4 weeks from now" or the following week "Its done". Its haphazard.

**Skullheadhq** · 08-10-2009, 18:36

And that's a no.
Well, that was a short summer-time talk

**darius_d** · 08-10-2009, 18:40

so sad

Yeah, that's why I posted this becasue I knew such projects do happen and also because Shogun was apparently made is quite small team - if this can prove anything.

Well, so what is other choice?
Any new developper coming with more elaborated game? I wonder how Lordz are doing.

**-Praetor-** · 08-10-2009, 20:08

Perhaps EB is what it is, because EB is for free and people work for it for free.

**bovi** · 08-10-2009, 20:16

Shogun may have been made with a small team - but it was also done on full-time. EB's people mostly work in spurts of activity, when we have a lot of time on our hands. There are many intermittent breaks when other stuff is happening, like work, getting married, going on an archeology dig etc.

If you want a "game made entirely by modding", perhaps you should try one of the many Rogue-like games. I'm fond of ZAngband, myself.

**Horatius Flaccus** · 08-10-2009, 21:17

And you kinda need something like a *budget*.

**/Bean\** · 08-10-2009, 21:35

If everyone that played EB gave the EB team a tenner, they'd have a budget and a half.

**moonburn** · 08-11-2009, 17:03

to build a decent artificial inteligence (and i mean decent as not to make stupid mistakes not that it will be a true challange) it would probably require at least 200k lines of proper coding plus testing bug hunting and so on so at least a team of 20 people over 1 years work wich could be lost by a mistake or then the code could be stolen near completion (yes there are people in this world who will do almost anything for profit)

so for a good artificial inteligence you would require 10 times more work for it and for a trully amazing artificial inteligence (one that "plan ahead" deal with the economy, army management, public construction, diplomacy, population control/managements, tactical movement strategic thinking and batle fighting operations )

thats 2 much of a daunting task imho, most games go with fresh aproaches/concepts cause going with a true ai wich isn´t visible only felt after a bit of gaming doesn´t sell and it would take 2 much work for litle profit revenue. as i said ca could do this to prepare for a future game competition when a worthy opponent finally arrives and quality and every litle detail will matter.

just my view on this subject and only for the artificial inteligence i don´t even go into skining or other stuff.