The Smashmouth Project

[Afrikan]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

does Strawberryshortcake know about this thread? about your game?

I haven't read through this whole thread, but about commentary......have you thought about PC Commentator.......I don't know how expensive it is...or if you are even looking into licensing anything for your project......but the tech seems interesting..

more info here on how it works..

http://www.phonetic-arts.com/welcome/products/commentator.html

article from February...

Good commentary in a sports game is vital to creating immersion. But no matter how many lines are recorded, it has been impossible to achieve the fluid combination of player names, team names and game play that occurs in real television commentary, as there are literally tens of millions of different combinations.

PA Commentator addresses this problem. PA Commentator works by using existing lines of recorded commentary to make new, virtual lines. It uses signal processing, sophisticated phonetic models and linguistic algorithms to ensure that the process of making the virtual lines is reliable and completely automatic. The new virtual lines sound perfectly natural and are indistinguishable from the originals.

The result is that the commentator in the game can describe every play, mention every player name, every team name, score, stadium and every other detail of the game, all in a completely fluent, perfectly natural manner.

http://gamerinvestments.com/video-game-stocks/index.php/2010/02/02/phonetic-arts-launches-pa-commentator-dynamic-speech-to-bring-sports-game-commentary-to-life/

[TheWatcher]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

I think you guys have the right idea. Leaving the game open the way 2K5 and BB have is definitely a great way to go.

I think a strong internal editor would be one where we could customize at the level of Maximum Football/APF/Backbreaker, and be able to trade teams without needing to buy a transfer cable or profile re-signing, etc.

I've been designing a concept that would allow there to be codes. But rather than having long codes that people have to retype and leave open the possibility of errors, you'd be able to trade the codes online, so no typing would be involved. Just copy and paste.

I also had a whacky idea about trading the codes via disc where a user could make a file compatible with the XBOX 360 in the name of the code (like a blank music file or blank picture file), put it online... then anyone could download it, burn it to disc, pop it in, fire up the game, then search for the file on the hard drive, select it, the CPU recognizes the file name and excludes the file extension, and then the team materializes based on the code directions.

[Cryolemon]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

I think a strong internal editor would be one where we could customize at the level of Maximum Football...

That would be cool. Just need to add Out of the Park Baseball as a benchmark for customization though lol. If you don't know about then check it out, you'll see what I mean.

[TheWatcher]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

does Strawberryshortcake know about this thread? about your game?

Yeah, I've talked to him a few times. He has a lot of good insights and he's very passionate about football games.

I haven't read through this whole thread, but about commentary......have you thought about PC Commentator.......I don't know how expensive it is...or if you are even looking into licensing anything for your project......but the tech seems interesting..

more info here on how it works..

http://www.phonetic-arts.com/welcome/products/commentator.html

article from February...


http://gamerinvestments.com/video-ga...ntary-to-life/

I've read a few things here and there about it. I've watched some videos of it, too. It looks like something that would go a long way towards ending a lot of repeat commentary. I would never rule out using something like that in the future. However, I still believe that a well-written script with proper timing and commentators who sound alive and connected can still get the job done convincingly.

[Valdarez]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

I think you guys have the right idea. Leaving the game open the way 2K5 and BB have is definitely a great way to go.

I think a strong internal editor would be one where we could customize at the level of Maximum Football/APF/Backbreaker, and be able to trade teams without needing to buy a transfer cable or profile re-signing, etc.

I've been designing a concept that would allow there to be codes. But rather than having long codes that people have to retype and leave open the possibility of errors, you'd be able to trade the codes online, so no typing would be involved. Just copy and paste.

I also had a whacky idea about trading the codes via disc where a user could make a file compatible with the XBOX 360 in the name of the code (like a blank music file or blank picture file), put it online... then anyone could download it, burn it to disc, pop it in, fire up the game, then search for the file on the hard drive, select it, the CPU recognizes the file name and excludes the file extension, and then the team materializes based on the code directions.

I'd suggest just making it an XML file to start. Schema's are easy to make, XML files are easy to read/understand, and there are a ton of existing XML editors out there so no one would 'have' to make a custom one, though they'd definitely have the ability to do so. I tend to follow the baby step step approach to building apps/capabilities and if I didn't have the resources to allocate to customization, that would be my first pass/option.

[MaxMan1000]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

I just wanted to check in and see what's up. I hope everything is good (please, no doom!).

[TheWatcher]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

I just wanted to check in and see what's up. I hope everything is good (please, no doom!).

LOL. No doom. Everything is going great. I've been very busy with a number of projects unrelated to the game. But in regards to the game, I've been working on a presentation for some interested publishers, and that's about to take place soon.

There will be more to talk about in August.

[Bull_Dozer]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

LOL. No doom. Everything is going great. I've been very busy with a number of projects unrelated to the game. But in regards to the game, I've been working on a presentation for some interested publishers, and that's about to take place soon.

There will be more to talk about in August.

Awesome

Can't wait to hear more about this project. Sounds wicked cool

[Cryolemon]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

Thanks for the update as ever.

Do you have any idea currently how much customization you plan to include, in terms of league structure and rules?

What I mean by this is will there just be a league (Say 16 teams) that we can edit, or will we be able to change the size of the league?

I'm also tempted to suggest including the options for Arena style and CFL style leagues, but I appreciate that they would be a lot of hassle and probably not worth the effort of writing AI for.

[scitychamps87]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

Look, I am a big fan of you making this a game. you really have great potential with this game. u could easily outsell other companies and get league licenses if you keep this up. you are on the path to glory. but can you please get a ps3 version of this. i know i and a lot of people i know and people here at operation sports would definitely buy this! I would definitely be disappointed if you couldn't get this out on ps3 for me. but i understand if you couldn't, times are tough. it would be great though!

[TheWatcher]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

Thanks for the update as ever.

Do you have any idea currently how much customization you plan to include, in terms of league structure and rules? What I mean by this is will there just be a league (Say 16 teams) that we can edit, or will we be able to change the size of the league?

The plan is to have the entire league structure customizable. There will likely be a base size and then you can expand it up to a certain point.

I'm also tempted to suggest including the options for Arena style and CFL style leagues, but I appreciate that they would be a lot of hassle and probably not worth the effort of writing AI for.

Yeah, it would essentially be like creating 3 games in order to get them all done right.

[TheWatcher]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

Look, I am a big fan of you making this a game. you really have great potential with this game. u could easily outsell other companies and get league licenses if you keep this up. you are on the path to glory. but can you please get a ps3 version of this. i know i and a lot of people i know and people here at operation sports would definitely buy this! I would definitely be disappointed if you couldn't get this out on ps3 for me. but i understand if you couldn't, times are tough. it would be great though!

Thanks for the comments. I understand where you're coming from with the PS3, and that's one reason why I've become open to publishing. A good publisher can expand development resources through studio relationships for cross-platforming beyond 360 and PC.

However, with publishing in any field, you always have to be concerned with how much control of your project you'll have to give up. I want the project objective to remain clearly focused on its core targets, so it will require a publisher who also believes in the vision. We'll see what happens there.

[scitychamps87]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

to the watcher thanks for taking time to answer my question. if its ouy on ps3 for me it would be a definite buy. what you're doing is great. and for getting this out on ps3 try sony computer entertainment. they could easily tell you about some guys who will help you get this out on ps3. and just a side note, are you on twitter?

[Cryolemon]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

The plan is to have the entire league structure customizable. There will likely be a base size and then you can expand it up to a certain point.

That sounds good. If it was my game I'd have a few default structures (say, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 teams), and then allow some level of customization on top of that, in areas such as division structure and alignment. The problem with allowing basically anything (which would be the ideal) is that automatic scheduling becomes an issue if a user creates some odd structure. A system of schedule files similar to OOTP baseball would work for a PC game, dunno about 360 though.

Yeah, it would essentially be like creating 3 games in order to get them all done right.

Definitely. If it was feasible it would be a good idea, but it's really not.

[MaxMan1000]

Re: The Smashmouth Project

Thanks for the comments. I understand where you're coming from with the PS3, and that's one reason why I've become open to publishing. A good publisher can expand development resources through studio relationships for cross-platforming beyond 360 and PC.

However, with publishing in any field, you always have to be concerned with how much control of your project you'll have to give up. I want the project objective to remain clearly focused on its core targets, so it will require a publisher who also believes in the vision. We'll see what happens there.

I have seen quite a few companies holding publishing competitions lately, some majors. Are you open to entering those? I don't think it would be a bad idea. You couldn't lose either way.