A Call For Help

[Senkusha]

Here's the deal:

I'm going to tackle a huge project, I'm going to create a system simular but not quite the same as what GaiaOnline has with their dynamic Avatar system. I've contracted my niece, Stephanie, who is an awesome manga artist to do the graphics drawing. What I will need is somebody who knows thier way around coloring CG using a program like Adobe Photoshop, or simular to color the graphics appropriately.

Features of the system will include:

• A customizable avatar for each member.
• Additional avatars for role playing characters.
• An item database
• A market (with trading)
• Skills for income.
• Battle system
• other ideas may come soon...

Expect to see this module within two months.

Do I have any volunteers?

 

[Sari]

I could try to help out. '^^ I don't know how much though.

 

[Senkusha]

I assume that you've been to Gaia? If not, I would suggest checking it out. I am going to be having something simular, in regards to basic coloring and style. Nothing too elaborate...just basic shadow shading when necessary.

 

[Sari]

Oh, yes I have. Shading could be pretty simple for something like that.

 

[Senkusha]

I guess I should clarify....shading with color (basic two-tone technicque), although, it has to be done via computer software, since I'll have the images scanned in at that point.

 

[Zionia]

anything i can help out with, you know i'm here sek...i'll have to see about getting photoshop for my comp so i can do some more (planning to get it anyways, just dont know when)...If you need opinions or anything, i can try to contact some people at Planet Zot forums...they are another site simmilar to Gaia, but larger...I am in contact with one of the administrators, so i may be able to find some things out. Just let me know what you need to know...

 

[Senkusha]

ya know.....having some alpha code would certianly speed things up....but since I've never been there, idk. Anyway, they'd probably say no anyway.

 

[Faia ren]

What have I done? Senkusha are you really going to try and duplacate the avi system that Gaia has? After I found out I could use Die us my Avi here? Not only that but you're going to try and do something that it took a corpration to do......... I guess I can help with items and stuff. To tell you the different items they have and show you what they look like I guess since I'm a member of Gaia...

 

[Senkusha]

Well, the hard part...at least for me would be drawing the items and character template stuff....but since my neice is awesome at drawing manga style, and she's agreed to do the base drawings and stuff, that part will be taken care of. We came to the agreement that one month should be more than enough time for her.

My part would be coding, and.....thank goodness, most of that stuff is already out on the internet if I need it, and we've got some talented programmers here as well, that offered to assist.

Keep in mind, that what I do, most likely won't be nearly as flashy (think mostly textual descriptions for stuff), and also, I don't want to run in to any copyright issues.

Also, some of the things that Gaia has, such as shopping and a banking system, have already been developed for this message board system, so it would be a simple matter of installing those MODifications.

Besides.......I think it will be a fun challenge. (and I know I'm not the only person in the world looking for something like this either.

)


BTW, I hope that I didnt' annoy you? puppy eyes

 

[Zionia]

ONLY A MONTH!!!! wow...im impressed....

Yea, ive seen some of the MOD adaptions like that that are avaliable. The bank system is becomming popular (you get credits based on your postings and can buy stuff later for your account profile and stuff). Alot of the things are pretty cool. I hope this all works out how you are planning Sek, it would be awesome to see it...

 

[Faia ren]

You didnt annoy me, Senkusha... Hugs I thought that it would be hard to do all that stuff... It looks so complacted....

 

[Senkusha]

smiles Ah, the mystery of coding....

Basically, as I understand it, the avatar system uses a layering sytems (which is a common HTML method). You start with your body base at layer 0, and then add your features like eyes, hair, mouth, onto layer 1, and then you start adding your clothes and items starting at layer 2, just keep adding layers as needed....so underwear might be layer 2, shirts and skirts would be layer 3, coats would be layer 4....

Using this technique along with some handy Javascript to allow for fast switching of items is all that's required. Later on down the road, after I have a working prototype, I may move the system over to a Flash based system (once I have the money to buy MX Flash Professional)

As for the other stuff, like item inventory, stores, market place and stuff, that's simple modifications made to the message board to account for the money used and earned and requires an additional database table to keep track of everything (peice of cake)

Now for the extra twist that I'm going to include it the ability to have an avatar for role playing characters (which would probabably just be made my me breaking down and making a dedicated role playing database on the server (easy).

FYI: If I read correctly, Gaia Online was originally started by two college guys with nothing else better to do. Since they created the system in the first place, other people have "reversed engineered/ thought about" the process on how to do what they accomplished, and most of which is either in books or on the internet someplace.

 

[Faia ren]

OK.... so I was wrong about how Gaia was created... I don't read that kind of crap and I don't have the time to... You do what you wish with Ayeka, after all i is your forum. I will help with anything that is in my power (translation- not much). If you need anything that this piece of crap Dell laptop can do then tell me and I'll do it. I have photoshop and paint... My skills with the computer aren't very good so don't ask for anything elaborate....

 

[Sari]

My part would be coding, and.....thank goodness, most of that stuff is already out on the internet if I need it, and we've got some talented programmers here as well, that offered to assist.

What kind of code are we doing exactly?

 

[bkev]

I'll volunteer to be a beta-tester, if that helps.

 

[I wonder what lies beyond]

Kusha !!!!!!!!!!! STOP !!!!!!

Photoashop uses layers but it is NOTHING like html. it is based around BW masks, filtering, overlaying.... FAR more complicated than HTML...
Layering isnt used for what you have described above but for blending, manipulation and graphic stiching..... and artistic benefits. But using your method it makes it easy to manipulate certain parts of the image.... photoshop has NO !!!!! way to convert their psd files to HTML they are completly different code systems...

Javascript doesnt sync with photoshop files unless well they are layers to jpeg files, which is another cup of tea...

Flash would work but you would need Lengthly I.E. automated functions.... which is easy....


I know my way around ps very well, if you want an expert I AM THE PERSON

 

[Senkusha]

The only reason I mentioned photoshop in the first place was for coloring the images (clothing, base templates....)

Using HTML, there are layers, correct? At least that's what I have been lead to beleive by reading up on the subject on the INternet recently. HTML layers would allow me to "stack" the images ontop of one another to clothe the avatars.

I'm sorry if I confused anybody.

 

[I wonder what lies beyond]

oh ok sos... PS colouring is easy peasy...

But if you remember when we were building the new site, we encounterd the problem with layers flying all over the place for no (apparent) reason. and not being in the place you wanted them? you will have to get over that first...

what is this current mood thing~~~~~?

 

[Senkusha]

I found that you can specify position for each layer (top left corner I believe). Perhaps that's what we were doing wrong?

The mood thing is just a mod that I applied not to long ago, you can specify how you are feeling. You have two options: First, specify something in your profile, this goes on all messages. Second, you can specify a mood within a message, and this mood will override your profile mood for that particular message.

 

[I wonder what lies beyond]

Perhaps, but its to late now that project has been discontinued.... it'll be good if you can overcome that problem, then maybe we can return to the project