FACDT needs you!

[Rasbelin]

The FreeAC Development Team looks for volunteers to contribute in the FreeAC project (AKA Stella Polaris) as a member of the FACDT. Be a man and join our ranks!

What's FreeAC? A new Alpha Centauri clone?

Stella Polaris (FreeAC) is an open source project that is currently planning and programing a free turn based strategy game on interstellar and extraterrestial colonisation. Quoting one of the members of the development team: "A free game developed by gamers who always wished that existing TBS games could have been something more than they are. It is a game of hope and inspiration, set on alien Planet, where your leadership would determine the future of a species." The game is more concentrated on the multiplayer concept with many players (16 or so), but it will also be able to play it as a singleplayer game.

The developement team has members from all over the world and they all provide a distinguished flavour to the team and the game itself. The itself is currently at pre-alpha stage, so builds have yet been made. Currently there’s no exact schedule available for the project, but as we approach the first alpha version, we will release a full scale plan for the development process.

What should you do if you want to know more or/and join us?

First of all visit our website and access the FreeAc Forums section. Surf around and have a look at our dicussions. If you get interested, join the FreeAC Forums (like here on Poly) and look at the official FACDT vacancy list and read the whole text, unlike some blind sheeps. If you need help or you have questions, do contact Rasbelin, our Communications Manager. E-mail address: rasbey at mail.gr.

But I can't do any programming; help! But I want to contribute. What can I do?

It doesn't matter that much what you can; it's more important you're interested in this project. Just get over to FACF and we'll see what you can do.

[Urban Ranger]

Waiting for Mark Everson to come along

[Andemagne]

nice poster
sorry, I have NO procramming skills

[Rasbelin]

You don't need any programming skills for joining us. For instance I'm only an intermediate in HTML 3.2, so I really can't say that I know how to program. But do take a look at the vacancy list for a complete outlook or just join us on FreeAC Forums.

[Jeremy Buloch]

You can still contribute without special skills. All you need to do is find something to contribute and help.
-J.B.-

[Lemmy]

i know java and a whee little bit c++, but i'm not joining
well, maybe, it sounds ok...better go read that forum

[CapTVK]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Waiting for Mark Everson to come along

Well, I can answer in Mark's place. Starting a project from scratch takes far more TIME then you think, a lot more. It will take years to get something decent running in a volunteer project. Mark has pointed that out on several occasions when it came to similar projects. Many haven't been heard of since....Do you realize that?

There are a number of open source projects in the works, including a SMAC version based on Freeciv code. This isn't some pre alpha program -it works now-

I wish you guys good luck on your endeavour but why didn't you simply join one of those other projects?

[Rasbelin]

CapTVK,

thanks very much for sharing your views and wishing us all the best!

Why didn't we join any other project?

First of all Stella Polaris isn't a cheap SMAC clone or just slightly altered version; nope. Stella Polaris can be suspected just like Freeciv for being a cheap clone, as you very well know. It sad for both projects, but true. Neither is this a game done by using the art of copy & paste from different titles: nope. Stella Polaris is much more than that. This project is being done from scratch by inventing brand new ideas, making ones seen before better and sharing ideas from various titles like SMAC, MOO, CtP, Civ II, Stars!, etc. The basic idea of colonisation of the final frontier, the space, isn't anyhing new. We're just building up something new on that basic idea. We're using the same old basics like many previous projects, but we look at things from a new aspect. Neither is an author inventing new concepts; he/she just looks at the basic idea from a different angle. That what the Greeks once invented is just used in a different way. The goal of FACDT/SPDT is to create something new by thinking different and using new ideas and concepts. For instance slave trading will be presented in a interstellar colonisation strategy game for the first time, and it won't be limited just to that. Of course there has been many games before, but we're trying to extract good ideas from them, spice them up with some new ground breaking ones and giving it a final touch by brainstorming (or that's what at least The Cooker is doing). It would pointless to make a SMAC clone (like the one done by the other project) or anything like that, as it's not a new inovation or it isn't anything inovative. This is one of Sid's principles I like to refer to. Stella Polaris is by extensively developing the conecpt of interstellar colonisation avoiding being a cheap SMAC clone. Of course I don't say Freeciv and that SMAC clone project aren't justified, but that's not our goal. We have also tried to mark our independence from any other games, projects or companies by not using the name FreeAC, but instead adapting Stella Polaris, that even has a good meaning that fits in with the project. As the inventor of the name Stella Polaris, I want to add that it's a worthy name for this upcoming title of hopefully good strategy gaming.

So the main reason for not participating in other projects is that we want to create something new and different, and that couldn't be offered by the other projects. At least I assume that's what we think in general.

Best regards,
Rasbey

In Stella Polaris we trust.

[Jeremy Buloch]

HERE! HERE!
In Stella Polaris we trust!
-J.B.-

[Rasbelin]

What now? Something wrong about that?

[Rasbelin]

There's still a great need for new merry members of FACDT. Graphics artists would be very welcome, but of course all kinds of help is needed.

[Straybow]

Interstellar colonization? Sounds more like MoO (colonize planets in various star systems) than SMAC (Civ-like game on a weird planet that could just as well be a warmed-over Mars or a chilled-out Venus).

[MarkG]

visit the new Stella Polaris forum right here on Apolyton!

http://apolyton.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=159