Presenting: Dark Nations
 

Dark Nations is a futuristic themed server still in fairly early development.

Some parts are developed enough to show off though so I thought I'd share our progress with everyone.

The main features of Dark Nations are (or are intended to be ;) ):

Impressive graphics Probably the most realistic graphics ever seen in graal.

Futuristic theme This means space ships, lasers, etc.

Space Exploration. Go anywhere in the graalaxy, land on planets, bases and have space based dogfights with fellow explorers.

Advanced combat system Building on graals existing system but with a twist, mouse aiming. Use the mouse to aim at targets in a similar style to a FPS.


Enough talk, here are some screenshots. First, of the space based part:
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4210/dn1zu2.png

The ship is fully flyable and weapons are in development, more ships are modelled but getting them in game is slow.

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/78/dn2bw2.png



Mineable mines, actually mine through the rock:
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9605/dn3ez0.png

Once mined, you can refine the minerals into their base elements to sell or use them to construct new materials.


Some of the weapons available so far:


http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8316/dn5gv2.png
Flamethrower that actually burns things



http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/402/dn6bw9.png
Uzi (that is actually more like a minigun).


And finally, a weapon which is aimed by the mouse. Player.dir is completley controlled by the mouse. With the weapon active and facing right you can walk backwards (left) while still firing forward (right).
This is, once fully developed going to be the parent for all the weapons on the server.
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/5257/dn7ha7.png




Dark Nations Credits:
Knight (JkWhoSaysNi) - Head Developer (scripts, space graphics, 3d models, misc graphics)
Biomass (Gscript4life) - Developer (scripts, 3d models, misc graphics)
Matt - Owner (Server Administration, hiring/firing)
Redneck (redneckchevrolet) - LAT Admin
LOiS (francy) - LAT
tada (eronix) - Gani Admin



I know this isn't the hiring board but if you're interested in working on DN we're mainly looking for people who can make tilesets to suit our futuristic theme as well as LATs. We also have zero sound effects, though that isn't a priority at this early stage.



Most of the stuff demoed here is in early/mid development and isn't in fully working order as yet so don't pay us a visit expecting all this stuff to be fully functional :P This post was just intended to show what we're working on over at Dark Nations and possibly fill some jobs.


Any comments, questions or suggestions?

I am unimpressed. The weapons are kind of bland / unoriginal and the 3d models aren't that great. :/

actually the only 3d model there is the ship and it is decent enough for the size it is displayed on screen, i just need to texture it so it looks better in game. I've attatched a larger render of the ship. It's pretty low poly but considering the size on screen, that's a good thing.

It looks pretty cool, but the fire looks horrible.

I like the graphics. I don't like the default blue interface however!

3D for the win, the rest is kind of...ok.

If it was in the future, wouldn't there be robots mining FOR us?!

What makes you say that? I think the fire looks great, of course I've yet to see it animated. But what I do see looks great, perhaps not fit for the surrounding setting, but still great on its own. What exactly are you looking for with fire?

Heh, yeah. We're going to make a sort of mining vehicle to make it more futuristic.

Yep, that's still on the to do list. :)


I think the fire looks good in game, the screenshot really doesn't do it justice.

The fire looks really choppy..

Don't use any of the classic tileset because it doesn't go with the graphics or theme.

I logged on the server and it looks nothing like a futuristic server o.O

I think your trying pretty hard. While your ideas seem to b decent, the quality of the work is not exactly impressive.

I think your project could probably use some improvement, as most projects could. Though I do think you're off to a half-decent start, and, more importantly it appears that you're actually accomplishing something (Unlike the kids that tend to merely just troll these forums).

Interesting idea though

The current public theme is classic, until the futuristic theme is in a more stable development place.

I've been inactive for quite some time, due to big family issues. I may put an old Co Manager in my place for awhile.

Heh, you would think so. I started Dark Nations in 2003. We've had about 3 different themes, 2 different server names, 4 overworlds (2 completed). I'm sure we could get to the Hosted Tab at least with our old overworld, which is pretty much completed, but we don't want to apply with some that will be of no use in the future.

With Zodiac making it to the classic list, I don't think making it to hosted is even that hard. You just need a decent system really.

You guys should get a futuristic tileset. Ditch all the graalian tiles except maybe the alien tiles. :D
This would be cool if ya made an entire universe with planets people can mine from their ships, planets to buy, fight for possession of planets and stuff, space wars, load of crap. Theres plenty of ideas to throw out there that could make your server fun.
I hope you guys pull this off cuz you will definitely see me on there if the playerworld is fun to play. :)

Actually I've been (slowly :P) working on a tileset, graphics I can do, but knowing what tiles are needed is the problem I'm having along with 16x16 restrictions. I've cheated really and most of the tiles I've made are actually 32x32 and cant really be used as 4 separate tiles, but in my opinion, having less, good looking tiles is better than having loads of horrible looking ones :P I'm attempting to stay away from the standard graal cartoony look and make something a little more gritty.

I've attached a screenshot of my test level.. which actually has no proper wall tiles yet and mixes the industrial and clean look that are my only current tile types but it gives an idea of the kind of tiles i'm making. It also shows off my (as yet inaccurate) lighting calculator.

and before anyone says it, I know the lighting on the tiles is incorrect compared with the position of the light source but as far as I know there's no way I can avoid that without making 4 copies of each tile with lighting from different angles.

I'm very impressed with your space part. It looks quite interesting. Now all you have to do is make some more spacecraft :)

I like the ideas and the graphics. You can always add a futuristic tileset in the end if you do it correctly. It looks nice though, keep up the good work :)

1. Matt what the hell :( I liked DN better when it was classic,

2. The idea is good, but sorry, you can't live to those expectations. You have GK with stefan and some of the greatest scripters who ever lived, and you have AWESOME gfxers all over.

With the staff list you have right now.. Well nothing is going to get accomplished, because there are alot of unknown prodigys, maybe some of them can dev better then I figure..

Other then that, no, not really, I don't see this server living up to its expectations that you posted, since it's been tried, and utterly failed. :(

I don't want to get your hopes down though, maybe the new kids on the block are going to become the best kids on the block, and I really hope the best for you guys. :D

It has'nt been tried by us. I have faith. I also wish i had more time to manage..