Long range goals??
[pasted] "3) No. I have plenty of my own ideas, but Artemis is a fundamentally social game on any level. Artemis V1.0 was the answer to the question "What if I actually programmed that idea I had 25 years ago?" There's still no back story, no canon, and no vision (other than a star trek bridge). I'm not the kind of game designer that starts with an elaborate back story."
Thom, with all that's been posted and requested, have you had a chance to dream/vision/shape a picture of what you would like Artemis to look like after a year of development?
Your prior post talked about your vision 25 years ago... Back about that many years ago, I went to a "Starship Bridge Simulator" that was in the basement of a programmers house in S.E. Michigan (picked up a business card from a local computer show). There were 4 bridge stations arranged in an arc a few feet in front of the Capitan's chair. In front of each station was 3 green-screen monochrome monitors, a single CGA monitor (station interface) and a mouse. An impressive array of 16 screens in total that were at the captain's beck-and-call to display whatever information the captain wished. There were NO graphics to speak of. Just ASCII code. As "simplistic" as it was, it was also VERY high on the immersion scale.
The scenario was "DM" driven. He sent wave after wave of enemy-ships our way (I was the captain). Phasers and torpedoes sent at the invading ASCII numeric digits plus a few sound effects was all it tool. $25/each "player" and 2-hours later, all 5 of us were hooked. But Alas... For the last 20+'ish years, this type of social-game hasn't been available to my knowledge. THANK YOU for taking on this project!
Have you considered a similar type of pay-to-play (retail location, commercial-license) option at all?
Lee...
Thom, with all that's been posted and requested, have you had a chance to dream/vision/shape a picture of what you would like Artemis to look like after a year of development?
Your prior post talked about your vision 25 years ago... Back about that many years ago, I went to a "Starship Bridge Simulator" that was in the basement of a programmers house in S.E. Michigan (picked up a business card from a local computer show). There were 4 bridge stations arranged in an arc a few feet in front of the Capitan's chair. In front of each station was 3 green-screen monochrome monitors, a single CGA monitor (station interface) and a mouse. An impressive array of 16 screens in total that were at the captain's beck-and-call to display whatever information the captain wished. There were NO graphics to speak of. Just ASCII code. As "simplistic" as it was, it was also VERY high on the immersion scale.
The scenario was "DM" driven. He sent wave after wave of enemy-ships our way (I was the captain). Phasers and torpedoes sent at the invading ASCII numeric digits plus a few sound effects was all it tool. $25/each "player" and 2-hours later, all 5 of us were hooked. But Alas... For the last 20+'ish years, this type of social-game hasn't been available to my knowledge. THANK YOU for taking on this project!
Have you considered a similar type of pay-to-play (retail location, commercial-license) option at all?
Lee...
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Your experience with a simulator in a basement sounds VERY cool. Are there any pics you could share? Could you get in touch with the guy who ran it?
Of course I've been considering an LBE (Location Based Entertainment) version of Artemis. I've had long talks about it with people who used to run LBEs for BattleTech and Red Planet. And despite how intensely cool it would be to have a "real" bridge set, I cannot currently see a way to make it profitable (or even not lose money).
Now I'm not a businessman, I'm a game developer. If someone out there has the money, room, and burning desire to build a bridge and run Artemis on it, more power to them. They don't even have to pay me a cut of the profits (as long as they tell everyone where they can buy the game for themselves).
Of course I've been considering an LBE (Location Based Entertainment) version of Artemis. I've had long talks about it with people who used to run LBEs for BattleTech and Red Planet. And despite how intensely cool it would be to have a "real" bridge set, I cannot currently see a way to make it profitable (or even not lose money).
Now I'm not a businessman, I'm a game developer. If someone out there has the money, room, and burning desire to build a bridge and run Artemis on it, more power to them. They don't even have to pay me a cut of the profits (as long as they tell everyone where they can buy the game for themselves).
Creator of Artemis
No pics, can't find the card. It was soooooo long ago, that I don't even know where to look to find them. :-(
I've had the burning desire to create a better version of the simulator since that one day way back then. I'm a businessman, not a programmer (20+ yrs self-employed). I think I may have all, or close to all, of the things required to make something happen on the business/retail/hardware end (There's just never been this type software available... Til now ;-) .
Since your open to this type of idea, let me start figuring out a few things on my end... Maybe we can work something out together.
I've had the burning desire to create a better version of the simulator since that one day way back then. I'm a businessman, not a programmer (20+ yrs self-employed). I think I may have all, or close to all, of the things required to make something happen on the business/retail/hardware end (There's just never been this type software available... Til now ;-) .
Since your open to this type of idea, let me start figuring out a few things on my end... Maybe we can work something out together.
Yes, but don't spend money you can't lose, okay? :)
Creator of Artemis
Fair Enough. ;-)
Any thoughts that you'd like to share from your talks with the BattleTech or Red Planet People that would help me head in the right direction or at least steer me away from a wrong direction?
Any thoughts that you'd like to share from your talks with the BattleTech or Red Planet People that would help me head in the right direction or at least steer me away from a wrong direction?
Yeah. EVERYTHING costs more than you think it will. That's the number one thing they told me.
Also, the guys who still run Battletech pods at conventions tell me that they have to run 24/7 continuously, so they have to have employees (or at least volunteers), and can't do it all by themselves.
For a static LBE, like in a mall storefront, it's all about how many people can play per day, which means the more bridges the better, as long as you can fill the seats continuously.
Now, since I'm not using the Star Trek license, your built-out bridge doesn't have to be as large as the Star Trek ones usually were. In fact, a cramped bridge might be more immersive than a bigger one. People just have to watch their heads. However, watching people play Artemis is almost as fun as playing, so having the bridge open to view might save space AND be better from an advertising point of view.
Finally, in my opinion, cheap touchscreens suck. I got a used 5-wire one, and it's just not very responsive or accurate.
Also, the guys who still run Battletech pods at conventions tell me that they have to run 24/7 continuously, so they have to have employees (or at least volunteers), and can't do it all by themselves.
For a static LBE, like in a mall storefront, it's all about how many people can play per day, which means the more bridges the better, as long as you can fill the seats continuously.
Now, since I'm not using the Star Trek license, your built-out bridge doesn't have to be as large as the Star Trek ones usually were. In fact, a cramped bridge might be more immersive than a bigger one. People just have to watch their heads. However, watching people play Artemis is almost as fun as playing, so having the bridge open to view might save space AND be better from an advertising point of view.
Finally, in my opinion, cheap touchscreens suck. I got a used 5-wire one, and it's just not very responsive or accurate.
Creator of Artemis
I agree that a cramped bridge would be much better. Not only for the immersion, but for the amount of floor-space required per bridge.
I'm thinking about the amount of external controls that would be good for a realistic simulator. In most of the later Star Trek's everything seemed to be touch-screens. In the earlier ones mostly buttons and sliders. Should an LBE style simulator, intended for major malls (I've got a good "in" with one that has 12+ million annual visitors) be outfitted with only the good touchscreens with no external controls? Should it be as complex as a space shuttle cockpit or somewhere in between?
I'm thinking about the amount of external controls that would be good for a realistic simulator. In most of the later Star Trek's everything seemed to be touch-screens. In the earlier ones mostly buttons and sliders. Should an LBE style simulator, intended for major malls (I've got a good "in" with one that has 12+ million annual visitors) be outfitted with only the good touchscreens with no external controls? Should it be as complex as a space shuttle cockpit or somewhere in between?
Honestly, both those examples are 2 orders of magnitude more complex than my game. :)
But, if you're gonna use my game, you should use mice or touchscreens, not lots of buttons.
But, if you're gonna use my game, you should use mice or touchscreens, not lots of buttons.
Creator of Artemis
In an LBE environment, how important do you think the Bridge vs. Bridge element would be to the consumers/players?
The 5-wire touchscreen you mentioned; was the 5-wires for a D-Sub serial-connection or USB?
I hope you don't mind all these questions. I'm just excited to work on a project like this. :-)
The 5-wire touchscreen you mentioned; was the 5-wires for a D-Sub serial-connection or USB?
I hope you don't mind all these questions. I'm just excited to work on a project like this. :-)
In an LBE environment, how important do you think the Bridge vs. Bridge element would be to the consumers/players?
Honestly, I don't know. It was THE most requested feature when I started selling the game, but I haven't heard of any leagues being formed now that the feature is implemented.
The 5-wire touchscreen you mentioned; was the 5-wires for a D-Sub serial-connection or USB?
USB.
I don't mind answering your questions at all. I'm interested in what you come up with.
Creator of Artemis
Honestly, I don't know. It was THE most requested feature when I started selling the game, but I haven't heard of any leagues being formed now that the feature is implemented.
That's because a lot of the requests would likely have been coming from people thinking about their ideal of the game, not the game as it stands.
Once I start doing scenarios/we start having missions that promotes more player choice, I'm going to be really glad that multiple bridge support is there but until then it's not something I expect most people will be able to muster the manpower for.
Lee, I think it depends who you expect your clientelle to be - if it's companies etc then I think BvB could be a big draw but for individual groups of consumers they're there for coop play & the environment, for which I don't know how necessary BvB actually is. I'd start with the one bridge and if it's going really well add an additional one - it could be used to serve more than one group at once OR do BVB battles; but at any rate, that's the first expansion of the service, rather than core to the service
I had a quick preliminary meeting with my Mall contact. He's interested, but concerned about how much floorspace it would take up. He's a gaming/cyber-cafe type place with an reasonable existing client base. This means the clientelle will be more consumers and casual players in the beginning.
He's got a 12' mega-screen in one portion of the place that would work well for the main screen and would only re-purpose some of his existing space. This would lead to a more not-enclosed "open" feel, versus the "pod-style" fully-enclosed bridge that I experienced, and liked, so long ago. I would assume that the pod-style would lead to a more immersive experience, however an open bridge with the big screen definitely has several advantages.
I'm starting to draft how the 5+ client stations plus Captain chair would be arranged assuming that I went in front of the big-screen. Do you find it helpful for bridge officers and/or the Captain to be ABLE to see the screens of the other bridge officers or should each screen be blocked from the other players view? Is it best to arrange everyone to see the main screen without having to turn-around?
He's got a 12' mega-screen in one portion of the place that would work well for the main screen and would only re-purpose some of his existing space. This would lead to a more not-enclosed "open" feel, versus the "pod-style" fully-enclosed bridge that I experienced, and liked, so long ago. I would assume that the pod-style would lead to a more immersive experience, however an open bridge with the big screen definitely has several advantages.
I'm starting to draft how the 5+ client stations plus Captain chair would be arranged assuming that I went in front of the big-screen. Do you find it helpful for bridge officers and/or the Captain to be ABLE to see the screens of the other bridge officers or should each screen be blocked from the other players view? Is it best to arrange everyone to see the main screen without having to turn-around?
Do you find it helpful for bridge officers and/or the Captain to be ABLE to see the screens of the other bridge officers or should each screen be blocked from the other players view? Is it best to arrange everyone to see the main screen without having to turn-around?
See any Star Trek episode for the answer. :)
Seriously, I think the captain should be able to look at anyone's screen, and everyone should be able to see the main screen. Uhura mostly had to turn around (in her swivel chair) to see the main screen. Is that so wrong? I don't think so.
12 foot screen?? Wow!!
Creator of Artemis
From what you've said, it looks like you're trying to slot an Artemis bridge into an existing business. That seems very smart.
Creator of Artemis
The challenge will be to create the overall experience to a certain level, worthy of a portion of the mall patrons to choose to pay-to-play, without having to invest a ton of money to get it to that level.
I went back to the Mall tonight. It was pretty busy when I was there. A younger kid was playing X360-w/Kinect on the big screen when I walked in. I took another survey of the space in front of the big-screen to see what was available. Looks like there's plenty of room to have the stations and not impact his floorspace too badly for a single bridge.
Because of the width of the screen, I think a simple front-facing crew would likely work best. A 8'-10' space for the front 3 stations followed by a second row with the Captain in the middle and a bridge officer to either side. Now I need to find the right "station" consoles to mount monitors into. I probably need to find the chairs first before going any further into the design process.
I went back to the Mall tonight. It was pretty busy when I was there. A younger kid was playing X360-w/Kinect on the big screen when I walked in. I took another survey of the space in front of the big-screen to see what was available. Looks like there's plenty of room to have the stations and not impact his floorspace too badly for a single bridge.
Because of the width of the screen, I think a simple front-facing crew would likely work best. A 8'-10' space for the front 3 stations followed by a second row with the Captain in the middle and a bridge officer to either side. Now I need to find the right "station" consoles to mount monitors into. I probably need to find the chairs first before going any further into the design process.
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