What exactly will it take to re-create TAO?

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09-02-2017, 09:48 PM
CPC

What exactly will it take to re-create TAO?

Is it all just coding that I would need to learn (not making that sound easy, just clarifying)? Are there specific programming skills I need? The last 6 months I've spent a lot of time doing web design and fiddled around with code academy...but it would take a looooong time for me to get on the level needed to re-create this game...I think? I also noticed Hulky posted a thread with a ton of script from TAO...if that is what makes it all happen then I guess my question then would be what's holding everyone up from implementing it? Copyright infringement?

PS. It's been a year since I checked in on this replacement forum and I thought BR was remaking the game but...it seems maybe not so? I played his demos and those are legit but I don't see any talk about further progress? I mean literally its like half the game already accomplished in these demos...what's the hold up from finishing it off? :)

So many questions, please lemme know!
09-03-2017, 12:43 PM
UnitOfTime

Hi, I'm actively-ish developing my own little spinoff of TAO. I Chose to start from scratch, from what I've read it would be illegal/frowned upon to copy TAO's code, art or sounds. I assume someone decompiled the flash binary (Not familiar with flash) to get all the data included in the game (I'm guessing that no server code was included with the client binary, so you'd have to write that yourself). The biggest headache I've had so far was making the game look good. I'm not very artistic so that's been the difficult task for me - especially the effects. Other than art, you'd need to code the user interface, the networking interface, the game logic, the server-side database stuff (unless you didn't want those features).

I think that BrutalRage has a game (HTML5 I think), Hulky has a game (Unity), AllFatherGray has a game (Unity), and I have a game (HTML5/WebGL).

I think that the holdup from just using the old binary is that someone would have to reverse-engineer the network interactions and then code the server-side (network interactions, game logic, and database) - so still a sizeable effort, and fairly unguided.

Hope that helps!
09-03-2017, 01:09 PM
CPC

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnitOfTime

Hi, I'm actively-ish developing my own little spinoff of TAO. I Chose to start from scratch, from what I've read it would be illegal/frowned upon to copy TAO's code, art or sounds. I assume someone decompiled the flash binary (Not familiar with flash) to get all the data included in the game (I'm guessing that no server code was included with the client binary, so you'd have to write that yourself). The biggest headache I've had so far was making the game look good. I'm not very artistic so that's been the difficult task for me - especially the effects. Other than art, you'd need to code the user interface, the networking interface, the game logic, the server-side database stuff (unless you didn't want those features).

I think that BrutalRage has a game (HTML5 I think), Hulky has a game (Unity), AllFatherGray has a game (Unity), and I have a game (HTML5/WebGL).

I think that the holdup from just using the old binary is that someone would have to reverse-engineer the network interactions and then code the server-side (network interactions, game logic, and database) - so still a sizeable effort, and fairly unguided.

Hope that helps!

Yes that helps a lot actually...Thanks for clarifying all of that. So its something that can be done with a lot of effort and / or probably quite a bit of funding it seems like ($150,000 to pay a couple programmers?). As far as the copyright goes, while I don't expect anyone else to take the risk, I know I sure as hell would. If I had the programming skills to do this tedious replication I for sure would bring it back and collect those membership fees. :) I seriously doubt the original creators are even on the face of this earth anymore. In fact, if someone is serious about replication but doesn't want the legal implications of possible copyright infringement, I would happily register all assets under my name and take full responsibility while whoever does internal operations and we can split the profits. ;)
09-03-2017, 01:22 PM
UnitOfTime

Haha. if you ended up making money off of a 100% copied game you'd likely get sued. If you published a copied game for free and hosted the servers then the original devs may not mind enough to pay the lawyers (Guessing).
09-03-2017, 01:56 PM
CPC

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnitOfTime

Haha. if you ended up making money off of a 100% copied game you'd likely get sued. If you published a copied game for free and hosted the servers then the original devs may not mind enough to pay the lawyers (Guessing).

Makes sense. I just wonder if any of them pay any attention. I forget bills involvement with tao. I know he was an admin?
09-03-2017, 04:52 PM
CPC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wizzy`

bills was the one who initially bought the rights from Seed while he was running Digis/Legends to make FPS TAO

then bills sold his stuff to mindjolt who sold to a larger company who forgot about it and let it die basically, so I'm not sure if he'd even care or have a say.

i don't even know who would realize that it was that game at this point to be honest, to even think to sue because they wouldn't look twice at it.

Yup that's exactly my point. No one knows who mindjolt sold to? And does anyone have bills contact info?
01-14-2018, 01:16 PM
AllFatherGray

To recreate TAO sans art, with a server for just atomic matches, takes just 1 week, given a decent library to use(which I have built). 2 weeks for stability. If you are interested, I am AllFather_Gray on steam and AllFatherGray#3718 on discord. I wouldn't mind building TAO if the price was right.
01-14-2018, 07:21 PM
AllFatherGray

Haha no hostages here - I want it too! I plan to redo my game and allow the realtime elements to be optional. But Right now I'm working on a brand new chess game which will be announced soon. Going to use the money from that to upgrade the gfx. I'm just saying that my priorities can be re-adjusted for money.

In summary:
1. I will do it when my project is finished.
2. Given some cash flow I could do it in 1-2 months with a playable build in well under 2 weeks. Art assets is all I'd be missing but I could use the ones for my game as a place holder.

Anyone here play chess? Interested in the first truly 3d chess game? And by 3d I don't mean the pieces.
01-14-2018, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllFatherGray

To recreate TAO sans art, with a server for just atomic matches, takes just 1 week, given a decent library to use(which I have built). 2 weeks for stability. If you are interested, I am AllFather_Gray on steam and AllFatherGray#3718 on discord. I wouldn't mind building TAO if the price was right.

Hmm... are we talking original TAO? And how in-depth could you be with it? If I'm investing cash for us to get the game back, I would like to know what we're looking at here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wizzy`

Is this blackmail?
Are you holding TAO hostage?
GIVE US BACK OUR TAO

I wouldn't mind investing some cash if this dude is legitimate. I would enjoy having our TAO back as well. :)
01-15-2018, 12:07 AM
AllFatherGray

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheManiac

Hmm... are we talking original TAO? And how in-depth could you be with it? If I'm investing cash for us to get the game back, I would like to know what we're looking at here.

I wouldn't mind investing some cash if this dude is legitimate. I would enjoy having our TAO back as well. :)

https://www.patreon.com/Cenobium

^ that's from 3 months of work all by myself. In 2014
It has:
AI
Multiplayer and MatchMaking
22 Units
Training Mode
20 Stages
Airborne Enemies
Reactive Skills - think FF Tactics
Accounts

I now have 3 partners to help out.
I was going to re -do my game and finally go into early access(it was greenlit a while back) but to pause and do a non real-time version is essentially a stop on the way to my game.

All accounts on this server would be given permanent access to the game barring illegal activity.
All I am missing is art assets which I have place holders for if you look at the link. I could use my unit assets in the meantime.
Replays and a server for turn based is already done in my upcoming chess variant too.
Undo actions and new Unit generation wouldn't be hard at all.
My object models allowed me to create the Mime from FF Tactics in 5 hours and it was mimicking allies in real time over the net.

I don't mind putting up my LLC into a contract with full transparency and milestones.
Take look at the game trailer in the link and triple the workers and add an actual budget(did the above for free obviously)... then take out the realtime and stamina aspects . That's essentially what you guys want right?
01-15-2018, 12:11 AM

Okay, I checked out the link. If you don't mind, I am going to be sending you a private message in regards to any future business.
07-17-2018, 05:10 PM
CPC

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllFatherGray

I wouldn't mind building TAO if the price was right.

Care to share what the right price would be? We might be able to get a pool of people willing to pitch in if it was realistic.
07-27-2018, 03:19 PM
Entrain

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPC

Care to share what the right price would be? We might be able to get a pool of people willing to pitch in if it was realistic.

+1

Maybe BR could help if anyone can contact him
07-28-2018, 02:33 PM
CPC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Entrain

+1

Maybe BR could help if anyone can contact him

Yeah I think its safe to say those who were really dedicated would be happy to pitch in a reasonable amount and the more who do the more realistic his offer is to be met by us.
09-02-2018, 09:52 AM
AllFatherGray

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPC

Yeah I think its safe to say those who were really dedicated would be happy to pitch in a reasonable amount and the more who do the more realistic his offer is to be met by us.

Sorry for the delay - was working on this:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/762950/

It's a chess variant with some cool mechanics - what do you guys think?
09-02-2018, 10:00 AM
AllFatherGray

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPC

Care to share what the right price would be? We might be able to get a pool of people willing to pitch in if it was realistic.

I think 5-10K would work for the initial state of the game. That would give me 1-2 months to hermit up and develop the first build.

It wouldn't have to be all up front. Besides, I wanna make the game anyways so the funds just speed up the process. Currently free to return to the project so now I am working on an authoritative server instead of the peer-based implementation I had before.

My email: cenobiumsoftware@gmail.com

As I said before, I don't mind milestones and full transparency. We could even set it up on UpWork so the money could be placed in escrow and released as milestones are met. I already have a realtime and turn-based engine so it's just a matter of time really.