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Velociryx
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of Candle'Bre
Apr 1999
time: 05:13
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Good question, Osweld, and 'splaining the "what" behind the game is right where I was gonna begin....so! Since the question has been asked while I was making my way home, here's the answer to that question:
The idea to even do a game came out of one of the many "disappointed" threads regarding Civ3. In one of those threads, the question "So, who would you like to see on the design team for Civ4" was posed.
My name was one of those mentioned, and that got me thinking.
Cool as it would be to have a spot on the Civ4 Development team, I would reckon my chances slightly higher for winning the big 100+ Million Lotto than that honor.
But what if we could? Make a Civ-Style, 4x game, I mean?
Start with a blank slate....build an entire world from the ground up, solicit ideas from fans of the genre and LISTEN to them....craft the kinna game that people will be absolutely SALIVATING to play!
What if we could?
So...somewhat rashly, I declared that, By God, I WOULD make such a game, and proceeded to spout off an idea from the top of my head about a conjectural game called "The Courts of Candle'Bre." (nevermind that I don't know the first thing about programming, and my artistry is limited to drawing stick people with a vaguely humanoid appearance).
Thankfully, a large number of people thought the initial idea was pretty cool, and the concept of making something like this from scratch was pretty cool....and almost before I fully realized what was happening, poof! We had the ball rolling!
***
The Essence of Candle'Bre
First, keep in mind that the kingdom that is Candle'Bre, is but the tip of the iceburg. This is the game we're making to prove that we can do it....but there's more. Soooo much more.
Candle'Bre is a world not unlike Earth....well, okay, so it IS unlike Earth in a few important ways. Imagine what the Earth might be like if all the fairy tales and legends had been true. That's the world of Candle'Bre.
So....a 4x game in the spirit of Civ, EU, and MoM, with some features in common with all (MoM's fantasy bent and magic, EU's Provincial base (as opposed to Civ's City-based structure) and the influence of Religion, and Civ's accessibility and vast array of options.
But of course, we gotta crawl before we can walk.
The world described above isn't just going to fall from the sky fully coded and into our laps, so we're taking a small initial bite....focusing in on just one Kingdom in this world....Candle'Bre, and in our initial effort, we find a tiny, isolated Kingdom in turmoil, and five very different factions competing for control of the throne.
This version of the game engine will introduce some of the concepts we plan to use in later versions (but in a more simplified fashion for this first release), and some of our concepts will be left out entirely for the time being, and integrated more slowly into the mix.
Important stuff to note about The Courts of Candle'Bre are:
1) It's free - Each "test version" we release will be absolutely free, as will the finished product. We're giving it away to prove that we CAN do this.
2) It's a 4x Style game set in a fantasy/medieval setting
3) There are three "research branches" in the free version we'll be releaseing (EU style research)
4) Provincially based, rather than City based, with a variety of Provincial Improvements that can be built.
5) A combat system that fosters the use of combined arms (as opposed to simply paying lip service to the concept).
6) Lush graphics, done with Bryce 3d
7) A responsive development team!
8) A Fate/Event Engine that's not quite like anything ever seen in this genre of game 
Our goal is to get the game in playable form as quickly as possible (ie - as opposed to working on, and perfecting various modules to the game, we'll make a bare bones version that can be played from start to finish, and add components with each new build-out), and once we get most of the key features roughed out, put the game out there, in the hands of the gaming public to really get a feel for what works and what doesn't.
That last bit is THE most important aspect, in my mind, and we're not playing around where that's concerned.
Too many times, gaming companies only pay lip service to what the fans REALLY want....they put in token appearances on various forums, pretend to listen and then....do whatever they want anyway.
We're not gonna be that way. We're making this game both for ourselves and for our fans...thus, what YOU want is important.
That's why I see this forum as being so important.
It's how we communicate with you.
-=Vel=-
(how's that for starters?) 
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Velociryx
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of Candle'Bre
Apr 1999
time: 05:13
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Well said, Cyclo! And I'm thinkin' that you're right!
IMO, the key is not only to listen to the fans, but to make intelligent choices regarding what to put in and what to leave out (in keeping true to the initial vision of the design, and in always asking the question of whether or not the idea being discussed enhances the fun factor of the game), AND, while doing that, keep the lines of communication open.
If something is a GREAT idea, but just doesn't work for this game....well, that doesn't mean it won't make an appearance in some other!
It's interesting to note too, that every time we've had a creative jam session...EVERY SINGLE TIME, we've come away with a handful of new ideas, or variations on older ideas.
That's good stuff. You can never have too much of that.
So...by all means! Bring every idea you can think of to the table and we'll kick it around.
If it winds up not getting used, we'll have a reason for that, and we won't be shy about saying what it is.
Everybody involved in this project is a gamer. We're all looking for the same thing....
-=Vel=-
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Velociryx
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of Candle'Bre
Apr 1999
time: 05:13
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Thank ya, Solver! And yes, definately some AD&D roots in the game. I played all through HS and College, and the influence is unmistakable.
In fact, just so everybody knows where I went looking when I was after some inspiration for the core idea, here are the first several things that lept in my mind:
The Civ-Series, EU (especially for its provincial base, and emphasis on religion), MOM (Magic), Axis & Allies (favorite board game), Shogun (coolio board game also by MB, with a tiered combat system and Ronin (Mercs)), Magic: The Gathering (fate cards), AD&D, and a whole host of others....
-=Vel=-
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Velociryx
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of Candle'Bre
Apr 1999
time: 05:13
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Hey guys! Forgive the slowness of my responses....wampum big storm knocked out my power for the better part of a day! 
BUT! Back in action now!
Solver:  Ya got me blushing again, bud! And thank ya! This project has been.....simply amazing to me so far. In my wildest imaginings, I would never have dreamed that we could have come so far, so quickly!
And as to the game's status as free. That's absolutely correct. Not only is the coding open source and being done in Java, but when we finish this early version (scaled back and simplified from what the commercial release will be), it too, will be made freely available, either via downloading from the Candle'Bre Site, or for those that want a CD copy, we'll work something out where those folks pay postage, and we'll have a copy burned and shipped out.
From the outset, I had it in my head that if we were really gonna DO this thing, then the one thing that would be true above all else was the fact that we were gonna do it differently.
The golden rule of playing strategy games is "don't play by the other guy's rules," and it occurred to me during the planning stages of our enterprise that what works IN strategy games could also work when MAKING one.
Given that I didn't much care for the established rules of the game, I decided to invent a few of my own.
Doing so has raised a few eyebrows, that's certainly true.
My ideas are untried, and untested, and I'm admittedly a novice at this particular game (design and development, marketing....the whole nine yards). There have been (quite valid) critisims and comments raised that our ideas and methodologies, taken together with the fact that none of us have ever done anything like this before, represents too much change. Too many uncontrolled and unpredictable variables that could very well spell our doom before we finish this thing.
And, in the end, that may prove to be true.
But if it turns out otherwise (and I have every confidence both in our team and in the validity of our overall plan).....then what we'll have is a game company that's unlike any other in the business.
I like that.
I like that a lot....
-=Vel=-
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Solver
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Apolyton Duke Of Something
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Latvia, Riga
Sep 2000
time: 07:13
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Yesssss, I got Vel blushing .
You know, I really like your ambition and devotness. Wish I developed a game somewhen .
Java is, IMO, not the best language, despite it being so portable - sure I'd love C++ there, but it's your call.
Vel, maybe you WILL be invited to Firaxis to work on a Civ 4 someday? You can be a big talent in game development, I think. Really, your threads SHOW it.
Good luck .
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Velociryx
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of Candle'Bre
Apr 1999
time: 05:13
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Thank ya, Solver! One of the most important elements of having a forum section here, IMO, is that we get to demonstrate our responsiveness to those interested in our project and our progress. I figure if we can generate some genuine excitement about the game while it's still being made, slowly convince people that we're serious about getting their input and listening to their ideas, then we can turn the expectation around in a positive way....after all, how many times have game companies hyped the next big game, hunkered down with the players, talking about "oh, we'd really like to get fan-input on this thing" and then pretty much ignored every idea they're given? Happens too often, IMO, which means that we've got some work cut out for us to make people see that we really are playing the game a different way!
Now....as to the design talents....hmmm....I'll have to say that the jury's still out on that....BUT! When we get the last coat of polish put on the free version, get it out the door and then suddenly find ourselves with a legion of hopeless addicts to the game....well....at that point, not only will the Skanky Mafia see a huge upsurge in its membership (which will further our goals of world domination, of course!), but we'll also maybe be in a bit stronger of a position in terms of dealing with other people in the business, cos at that point, they'll recognize that...hey! Those kids have something over there....
-=Vel=-
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03-05-2002 03:27
well ... it is certainly short on content at the moment, but that is being changed as quickly as possible. The latest update is tagged as being from the 5 March ... it prolly should read 3 May, so updates are being made.
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