RE: [TuxKart-devel] The nature of this game.

[Flash <fl...@da...>]

Ok now for my comments, im not much of a developer (but I do my best to
learn and help) im not much of a 3d artist either, but I have good ideas and
try to help in that matter and yes, im one of the people that joined the
mailinglist, wiki and am active on irc.


>I have tried to explain the problem with them - buy all I'm seeing
>is more of the same.  I don't need to see them textured to know that
>they are not what the game needs.

We are talking about tuxKart here, it's a Kart game, it isn't wacky racers
nor is it any other movie it's a Kart game so its only normal to have some
type of karts in the game whatever they look like my view is it have to be
karts of some type.

>It's not just a matter of artistic interpretation either - I've worked
>on this game for quite some time - and I know as a matter of FACT that
>karts need to be much more easily distinguished - and that they need to
>look more visually interesting from behind.  It almost doesn't matter
>what they look like from the front and sides.

I have played tuxkart and there are 4 exactly the same karts in the game
now, just with different colours. If you wanted to have them look different
why not make them different in your own game already. If you look at the
(rather nice) karts that were made when they are textured you will see you
have different looking karts (yes they REALLY look different from behind
(even in further distance)) exactly what you want.

>I'm not an artist - I don't make good 3D models - I'm a programmer.
>However, that doesn't mean I don't know how the game needs to look.
>Whilst I may not be able to sketch or model the kind of thing I have
>in mind, I can point to other things (as I've done repeatedly) and
>say "I think we need something more like this." - if I could actually
>DO the 3D modelling, TuxKart would have the models I would like to
>see and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

So leave the artists at work and see what they come up with, so far I think
they (he, ingo) has done great work and if you can only take up the effort
to wait for a full set of textured characters im sure youll agree that they
are just fine.

>I already agreed that Geeko has to go.  I disagree about BSOD - but OTOH,
>I don't see how an ice-cube is any better!  So, dumping BSOD and using
>the stupid ice-cube is *CLEARLY* change for change's sake.  It subtracts
>interest rather than adding to it.

>Some of the new characters are very good.  I love Sushi the Octopus and
>Mozilla is coming along OK too.

Your right about ice-cube, its not one of my favorites either, but there are
enough characters to pick from. You only need 4 for a race, and maybe 6 to 8
to pick from in the character screen. In the end well probably end up with a
few more so everyone can pick the bests ones to come up with a nice total.

>No - but I'll be VERY suprised if we get quality tracks in sufficient
>quantity
>to fulfil all of our needs.  Fixing up some of the existing tracks is one
>way
>to do more with less effort...tossing some of them out is certainly
>necessary,
>tossing all of them out just isn't feasible.

Do think your right about that, we should keep the current tracks, maybe
make them look a bit nicer and add a bunch of tracks to the current list. I
don't agree with trowing them all out, or trowing any out just before there
are more tracks to pick from.

>> We _are_ all those people.

> No - you aren't.

>44 people voted for TuxKart.  20 people joined the mailing list.  4 became
>developers.  Those 4 people are less than 10% of the people who voted.

Make that 5 :P

>There was NO discussion of taming the game down and turning it into a
>regular
>gokart game.

It isn't going to be a 'regular' kart game, the current game extents a bit
in the way of Mario kart or wacky wheels, the game that will be the end
result will be exactly the same. You are trying to get a game that's like
wacky races, but that is NOT a kart game in any way. Than why not rename the
project to tuxraces or so right away.


>* We need are some much more INTERESTING karts - not simply karts
>   with a lot more polygons that still look kinda similar.  Stop working
>   on all of the karts we have now - build more radical designs.

Said my part on this..

>* We need better tracks - more complex, longer, more interesting - NOT
>   shorter and simpler.  Plan on every track being AT LEAST a couple of
>   kilometers long...preferably more like four kilometers - so we can
>   get lap durations in the 60 to 90 second range with karts travelling
>   at 60 to 120mph.  Sketch out some track plans, make lists of objects
>   like trees, barrels, animals, volcanoes, castles...etc.

This was the plan wasn't it. We just need someone to build some tracks with
nice themes and maybe model them even. Will take some time but im sure this
will work out just fine.

>* We need more emphasis on the fun aspects of picking up stuff and
>   dropping/shooting/throwing at each other - and LESS emphasis on
>   it being a pure racing game.  Think new weapons, gadgets, fun things
>   that each character and each kart can do that's different and special.
>   Make a list of those for each character - make sure the artwork and
>  these effects tie together.

I agree on this, im sure that was the aim of the project to. Nobody ment it
to be a regulair racing game. The weapons and stuff are just part of the
'fun' part of this game.

> * We need programming effort on special effects, animation, AI and
>   Physics - NOT GUI.

If someone likes to work on the gui, why not let him. If that person wants
to do something else, why not let him do that to if it works out fine it
works out fine and everybodys happy, if not.. you got a gui so stick with
it.

>That's what (IMHO) was expected at the outset when those 44 people
>voted for TuxKar as the GoTM.

That was what you expected, not the 'aim' of GoTM.