Team name:
Eyes Out Entertainment

Project name:
Tatsumaki: Land at War

Brief description:
Tatsumaki: Land at War is an independently developed MMORPG based upon the early 16th century in Japan, before the corruption of its purest art forms by the infection of firearms. As a Japanese man or woman from this era you must decide what you need to do to survive in a realistically crafted fantasy Japan.
Take arms against usurpers who would see to take the power of the Shogunate by force, Join a rebel faction and add a notch to your belt every time you fell an Honor Guard, or enjoy the simple life, fishing, farming, crafting, or caring for the family pet. The limits are few and hard to find as you explore and enjoy the world of Japan in a time of war.


Target aim:
Monetary: Online retail, monthly fee.
Audience: MMOG gamers looking for more in-depth combat, and a "realistic" mmo not based on stats. Other audience targets included gamers enthralled with Japanese culture, and anyone looking for a game that isn't like World of Warcraft.


Compensation:
Voluntary production with compensation and possibility of paid position after release


Technology:
System: Mid-range systems using Windows XP or below, Mac OS X or Linux
Language: C++
Graphical API: OpenGL
Artist tools: Blender, Max, Maya. Exporting to our own model format
Sound: Ogg Vorbis


Talent needed:
Graphics Programmer: At least 3 continuous years experience in C++, and is Proficient with OpenGL
Network Programmer: An understanding of general network design, and a full understanding of C++
Game-play Programmer: A complete understanding of C++ is REQUIRED
We are always on the look out for other positions, however right now we are focusing our efforts on finding more programmers. More information can be found in the application area (http://www.eyesoute.com/apply).


Team structure:
Leader: Jonathan 'Sykoi' Rush, Stephen 'DeXtrose' Shaw
Programming Lead: Jay Hsia
Art Lead: Stephen 'DeXtrose' Shaw
Programmers: Jay Hsia, Martin Tornwall, Tjeerd jan van der Molen, 'Ryu Tenchi'
Modelers: Adam 'Link' Fernel, Eric Jones, Stephen 'DeXtrose' Shaw, Steven Ramaker, Rob West, Terry Fontaine
Texture Artist: Kevin 'Falchard' Smith
Music: Baykal Sarioglu
Video Producer: Jacob Rosen


Website:
Corporate site (http://www.eyesoute.com)
Portal Site (http://www.eyesoute.com)
Tatsumaki: Land at War home (http://www.landatwar.com)
Forums (http://www.eoeforums.com)



Contacts:
Applicants can use the following:
Application area (http://www.eyesoute.com/apply)
My personal e-mail: jonrush (at) eyesoute (dot) com, in case the application area does not work at the time of applying.



Additional Info:
Interview at ************ (http://news.************/interview/content/2007-03-08/20070308223523961,1.shtml)

Video
http://www.youtube.com/v/tzRNq9fVZZM
Youtube link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzRNq9fVZZM)

A few Models:
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/Bridge02.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/Inn08.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/Inn10.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/Inn6.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/farm1.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/farm3.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/gong_render.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/the_temple61406%20front%20side.jpg

http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/dosanko.jpg

http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/Tatsumaki_Client%202007-02-07%2015-06-33-02.jpg
http://www.eyesoute.com/gdnet/Tatsumaki_Client%202007-02-07%2015-09-48-22.jpg


Some Music:
The joy of green (http://www.eyesoute.com/downloads/view-10)
Journal begins (http://www.eyesoute.com/downloads/view-6)



Development Facts About Tlaw:
Production Status: We have been in production for three years and are just about finished with our in-house engine with shader 2.0 support
Engine specs:
-Shader 2.0 using GLSL
-Parallax mapping
-Cal3d animation
-Our own static mesh format
-Multithreading enabled
Team size: 15 active members
Community: Over 1200 members
Development Status: Closed Beta Phase 0


Game information
(Taken from our knowledge database (http://www.landatwar.com/wiki))
There are no classes, races, player stats, skills, monsters, damage amounts on weapons, or unrealistic stats on armor; at least not in the sense that has become a standard in the genre. In order to provide a more realistic world, we feel that it's essential that all aspects must be believable.

We will strive to make the game actually fun to play. Users will be presented with a world that will entice them to not only play to get a better character, or better items but rather because they simply enjoy playing. There will be so many opportunities available to you that you may never look at MMO games the same way again.

Players will not be forced to take up any specific job, or follow any specific belief. It is possible to do nothing but sit around playing go all day, or raise an army to rebel against the Shogunate, you choose whatever suits you.

Players will be allowed to build private homes, villas and even villages/towns. They can also build giant mansions and castles, or keep a small tent.

This game will implement a unique family system which will encourage players to be more community minded.

Our unique combat system allows for users to both learn moves, and find them on their own - with very few limitations.


Feedback:
Any and all feedback is accepted in this forum and in our community.

I noticed that you support maya. I want to know about this, in terms of animation. Most programs without maya documentation or little of it can not support maya joints, so rigging a character is sometimes out of the question for a game unless they have the correct information. What is your status with that ? I ask because most formats that are exported from maya are either capable of holding the skeleton rigs, or are not, and if converted from ma, mb, or fbx to another different format, the skeleton structure can crumble and destroy the skeleton, and possibly make the model un repairable. :-/

So whats your stage with maya ? If I may ask.

Currently we only have animation support for 3d studio max, and it will probably remain this way for quite awhile... However we do have an exporter in Maya, 3dsmax, and hopefully blender in a few weeks - to export inanimate models.