Foundations of Hope: Closed Beta and updates
by Leathel Grody · 07/15/2010 (8:08 pm) · 10 comments
Game Name: Foundations of Hope Online
Technology: TGE + Torque MMO Kit
Genre: Christian Fantasy MMORPG
Company: Lethal Games Corporation
Game Website: Foundations of Hope Online
Almost at Closed Beta anyways. Just cleaning up alot of stuff from Alpha and implemented a bunch of new technology that required a character wipe. I will have a short Closed Beta to test the new technology and changes while I finish up quests so I can go to Open Beta.
New Technology:
I reimplemented the MoM template system as a 4th realm. Now have Humans, Saurians, Dragons and the monster templates that can run around in Realm vs Realm against each other.
I also implemented Per Character starting code across all four realms which now gives each character its own logoff/log on location. Before all characters of the same realm had the same logoff/log on location. Quite a pain were last fighting high level mobs with one character, then log on with a low level character.
I Implemented tracking for quests as well as visible on webpage stats of how many PvE and PvP kills a character has.
I implemented a military ranking system for PvE and PvP. So people start out as Private Name, but can grow that based on PvE quests. There is also an additional PvP ranking that can be added to the name. So a person can be a Battle Private Name, or Battle Sergeant Name. Each ranking is independent of its own quests.
Clean up:
Alpha was kind of a dump of art assets and game was pretty big, going through and trimming unused assets out for a smaller download. I have also merged and removed many zones. I decided to cut back on the amount of zones to save on server resources. I can add more if population grows, but atleast now I can host all zones on one server instead of spread out across multiple servers.
New Art Style:
I am still trying to find that game I would like to play. I always thought I wanted it more realistic, but I am finding that too dull. I also don't want cartoony, so I am finding a middle ground of in between. I have kicked up the brightness in the terrains and some foliage, and offsetting it with the still dark buildings. The art style is working alot better for me.
Some images of the new look:
New Payment Design:
I "think" I am going to go back to the MoM style one time purchase, but then have expansions as purchaseable. I am also looking at having a "fluff" item shop of cosmetic type items that can help offset the costs. I will still offer a fully working Free client that has restrictions of what race can be chosen. Primary level of 100 can be reached, but Secondary and Tertiary levels will be restricted.
Life:
Life is crazy. As I posted a few blogs ago, I am going full tilt to try and make it as a Indie dev because of the loss of my job. I have missed my 6 month timeline and probably 3 months still out to get to Open Beta. Unfortunately I have said I am 3 months out a few times and it seems to be the family joke of when I will be done. From here, it shall be interesting. Wife isn't the happiest of my decision to keep moving forward, but if I don't atleast get to Open Beta(which has a discounted order price and bring money in), I will always ask myself "What if...". If FoHO bombs, it bombs, but I think I'd go crazier never knowing...
#2
07/15/2010 (11:22 pm)
It's the mohawk look that's got you hooked, huh? :) 
#3
07/16/2010 (5:51 am)
Other than my preciousssss it's also an epic task doing an MMO on your own and I support that. :) 
#4
07/17/2010 (11:14 am)
Well done with the progress, love the overall game look so far. 
#6
07/20/2010 (8:29 pm)
Updated the Black Forest and Desert pics and added two new Black Forest Spiritual Warfare pics. Black Forest wasn't 'dark' enough for me so changed the sky and also added in some pines to fill it in. Desert is in same zone, but it still works with the darker sky. You can compare the changes from it to the Spiritual Warfare realm(Human only). I didn't have water in last SW realm zones, but with TMK enabled, you just got have water :) It is a pain to mimic other zones because one change in the physical zone, means I have to go change the SW zone of it. Thankfully I knocked down from 5 to only 3 SW zones now. 
#7
I think I like the direction you're headed with the art as well reminds me more of W.O.W. which is a good thing seeing W.O.W.'s sucess.
I'm curious as to the quests you have in place. Being as though I left when there weren't quests yet.
Also curious on if the animations have changed at all for any of the movement and attacks as the way they were set before felt klunky and robotic, taking away from the enjoyment of the fights and the imersion of the person into their ingame avatar.
Like I said before the game has/had alot of potential but had along way to go.
If you've fixed and polished it up enough, I totally believe you can make it.
Make it polished and make it fun, even if you only have a few areas at first, if you get people hooked then you can add more.
Games that are "Free" to download and play are the in thing right now. And as you've said they get their money from ingame item shops from real money so I could see that approach working for you, as long as you got enough people interested in it to begin with, and kept the extra content plentiful (say shades for your character, or new hair styles, special mounts ect.).
Take Runes of Magic for instance, they have everything from buying your mounts to buying extra "costumes", which are really just a way to have whatever stats you want on an armor you think looks cool.
Good luck and God bless if this is the right direction for you.
I know you've always said I came off negative, but really it was just a want for you to have a great game and a great alternative to some of the other games out there. And it was that passion that I even have that lead me to be as harsh as I was/am sorry.
07/25/2010 (11:56 am)
It was probably a good idea to cut down on the zones, that way you can have atleast a few finely polished areas to show what the game can and will do.I think I like the direction you're headed with the art as well reminds me more of W.O.W. which is a good thing seeing W.O.W.'s sucess.
I'm curious as to the quests you have in place. Being as though I left when there weren't quests yet.
Also curious on if the animations have changed at all for any of the movement and attacks as the way they were set before felt klunky and robotic, taking away from the enjoyment of the fights and the imersion of the person into their ingame avatar.
Like I said before the game has/had alot of potential but had along way to go.
If you've fixed and polished it up enough, I totally believe you can make it.
Make it polished and make it fun, even if you only have a few areas at first, if you get people hooked then you can add more.
Games that are "Free" to download and play are the in thing right now. And as you've said they get their money from ingame item shops from real money so I could see that approach working for you, as long as you got enough people interested in it to begin with, and kept the extra content plentiful (say shades for your character, or new hair styles, special mounts ect.).
Take Runes of Magic for instance, they have everything from buying your mounts to buying extra "costumes", which are really just a way to have whatever stats you want on an armor you think looks cool.
Good luck and God bless if this is the right direction for you.
I know you've always said I came off negative, but really it was just a want for you to have a great game and a great alternative to some of the other games out there. And it was that passion that I even have that lead me to be as harsh as I was/am sorry.
#8
Also you have an advantage of your time span being set in the future with a revert back to medievil times, but being as though it is set in the future that really opens up the potential for many many different weapons and armor and even mounts. --you could have a dragon mount or a lion mount and yet the guy next to you could have a 4 wheeler idk just something to chew on, if done right you have alot of options and a few angles you can go one up on other games with some similiar styles.
07/25/2010 (12:53 pm)
I've been thinking on what angle your game has over other games and I'd have to say it's gonna be the spiritual warfare part. That's something unique to your game that you can captialize on if done correctly.Also you have an advantage of your time span being set in the future with a revert back to medievil times, but being as though it is set in the future that really opens up the potential for many many different weapons and armor and even mounts. --you could have a dragon mount or a lion mount and yet the guy next to you could have a 4 wheeler idk just something to chew on, if done right you have alot of options and a few angles you can go one up on other games with some similiar styles.
#9
After I push out all the new stuff for Closed Beta testing, my entire focus will be on quests. Just implemented only a few for testing the Monster templates for Closed Beta testing.
07/25/2010 (8:44 pm)
Thanks Sidikian. No new animations. I never had a problem with the animations so not on my priority list. I'll fade in new animations attached to new skills as the game moves on, but doubt they'd all get replaced. I'll probably have to play other games some day to see how clunky they are, then maybe I would change my mind.After I push out all the new stuff for Closed Beta testing, my entire focus will be on quests. Just implemented only a few for testing the Monster templates for Closed Beta testing.
#10
07/31/2010 (4:28 am)
All right Leathel, I know several folks in my family who are anxious to play this, so keep chipping away at it! It's a daunting task, but you're making great progress. 
Torque Owner 000
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