Pokémon Universe MMO

Basic Game Information

Type: MMORPG (Not a hack!)

Programming Language: C++ with SDL (OpenGL/DirectX)

In development since: September 2008

Website: http://Pokemon-universe.com

IRC: # irc://irc.rizon.net/#Pokemon-universe

Webchat: http://qchat.rizon.net/?&channels=%23pokemon-universe

Job details

Visual designer:

Create artwork including any or all of:

• World map tiles (static and animated)
• Player character overworld sprites, clothing and accessories
• Pokemon overworld sprites upscaled from official content

Tiles are to be original, you can draw inspiration from the official games but not directly copy or upscale.

We are also looking for a mapper and vector artist, but here is clearly not the place to advertise. Check our site for details.

General requirements:

• You speak good English.
• Active on IRC (internet relay chat) to communicate with other team members, and are online regularly. Using IRC isn’t difficult, if you don't know how, we can show you.
• Minimum age 18 years, unless you can prove that you are exceptionally talented and committed.
• A can-do and get-it-done mentality.
• It is helpful to live in a European timezone (most of our members are from The Netherlands). This is not vital, but if you live elsewhere it will be more difficult to communicate and you will have to do much of your work while we are afk.

How to apply:

Create a new topic in our Jobs forum http://Pokemon-universe.com/index.php/board,6.0.html (preferred), email us at jobs@Pokémon-universe.com after reading the Job post on our site, or reply in this topic.

Details on the application are on our site, but it is like any job application – tell us about yourself, why you want to join, and provide examples of work. You don’t need to have specific game-design experience, a talent for pixel artwork and the ability to apply that to the job is fine.

Full Game Information

1. Introduction

Pokémon Universe is an online game that takes the gameplay of the original Pokémon games (blue, gold, diamond etc.) and turns it into a Pokémon MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game).

You will be able to adventure in a whole new world many times the size of the original games.

2. Graphics

Pokémon Universe is a game built from the ground up. We have looked at its platform, the PC, and decided to tailor our graphics system to the high resolution it offers.

• Game field size: 964 x 720, with the semi-transparent GUI covering a bar at the bottom and right.
• Tile size: 48x48, three times the size of the original tiles (16x16).
• Tileset: 100% new tiles, with a little inspiration from existing Pokémon games.
• Tiles redesigned from scratch to make the most of the extra resolution, not just smoothed existing tiles for the larger size.
• Topography (layout of land tiles) has been overhauled for realism, including animated flowing rivers with variable depth and flow direction; natural-looking forests with offset trees and the ability to place single trees in three different places per tile; mountains will no longer look like a stack of pancakes, with new tiles blending in the vertical direction where there is no path.
• Upscaled overworld Pokémon sprites, manually smoothed and detailed.
• Customisable player characters: Male/female sprites with a large choice of clothing and accessories.
• Vector-based battle sprites with a 256x256 size, drawn in new poses not copied from any existing game.
• Vector-based battle animations in the style of the Pokémon anime, including realistic Pokémon send-out, return and capture.

Graphical known issues within the screenshots:

• Tile pixel alignment errors on a roof
• Slight blending errors in short grass edge shading
• Missing player character shadows
• Variable shadow colour and lightness
• Forest shadows may need to be larger
• Slight lack of embellishments in mapping (flowers, rocks, weeds etc.)
• GUI does not display menus or icons (blank bottom right box) or the Minimap (above Pokémon party)
• Empty slots in Pokémon party are not greyed-out

3. Gameplay

An online version of the Pokémon games, hasn't that been done already?

Pokémon Universe is not a multiplayer mod to an essentially single player game. This is a whole new game set in a brand new region, taking the popular gameplay of the existing Pokémon games and adding many unique features and enhancements to create an even better experience. It is a fusion of the original gameplay and mmorpg elements such as team play, “dungeons”, character training and loot.

What we have to offer:

• A whole new world to explore alone or with friends.
• Tons of new quests to solve including a party system for team play.
• Surprising new events on the world map bring unprecedented realism.
• Catch and train all currently known Pokémon.
• Battle against NPCs and other players. Including team battles (e.g. 2 vs 2).
• Tournaments. Beat all other players and win unique game content.
• Trade or sell your obtained Pokémon and items.
• Talk to the players around you or open the world chat to talk to everyone currently online.

4. Story

...Is on our front page: http://pokemon-universe.com/

5. Screenshots





If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me on IRC, via this thread, or on our website.

Merry Christmas one and all!

Alais

Edited by Alais - 25 December 2009 at 6:27am