Going to attempt to get funding for a new skate game. not skate 4.

[Novel]

I've started a very long email that I'm going to try to get into the hands of a
Few people I think may have an invested interest in funding a new skateboarding sim.
I can't really say who I'm attempting to contact or why I think they will be forced to comply with an initial donation and or funding, but I'm fairly confident.
I'm no authority on the skateboarding community, or even the gaming community for that matter. If there is anything that anyone here feels should be mentioned in the letter, please feel free to add it here. Or email me: Christopherallensmith@gmail.com
I'd like to send the full presentation out by January, by then I should have a better idea at what the full picture will look like. I'm taking this serious, and will not take no for an answer. If I need to, I can dump my savings into this, which isn't great but it's not a small number. This won't be a sequel to skate. In any way, but hopefully something in the same arena. If you're interested in contributing to the letter, and have any reasons you feel could grab an investors initial reaction please, email me.

[m.seven]

more power to you,but i gotta be honest with you since EA owns the rights to "flickit" another game w/o it would be a letdown to me.
i've tried messing around with THPS after playing skate and i can't do it,doesn't feel right anymore.

[Slamooh]

i am really wondering if "flick it" is patented / protected... i've always heard you can't make a patent out of a software..
and a similar system is used in Stoked...

[PoppySquidJr]

i am really wondering if "flick it" is patented / protected... i've always heard you can't make a patent out of a software..
and a similar system is used in Stoked...

I think the EXACT control scheme is protected, since the ONLY similarity stoked has is the crouch and jump control. I think you'd run into issues with EA if you had all the same fliptrick controls, though.
Regardless, I still play TH Proving Grounds on Sim Mode occasionally and have fun, I'm perfectly fine with a new control scheme.

[Slamooh]

grab control is pretty much the same in stoked

[PoppySquidJr]

grab control is pretty much the same in stoked

More or less, but that isn't related to the flickit controls IIRC. I was referring to the issues you would get into if you copied the fliptrick function.

[Novel]

The fact that EA owns the rights to the 'flick-it" controls, is a point that, if i'm not mistaken was brought up by myself in a earlier thread.
I'm well aware of this roadblock, and have been almost losing sleep over a way to propose an offer to buy the patent outright. I'm well aware that
this isn't pennies and nickels we are discussing, but more in the terms of hundreds of thousands or low millions. Which is why this is the first issue i'm going to be taking on
when I find initial investors. Don't get me wrong, I am not a company, and have little experience with programming, and design. I intend to give the money to someone
who can take over. I want little to no part in the design, and distribution of the game. Making an offer on the control patent is the first thing that I'm going to cover when I start with the calls this winter (most of them set up already) I'm going into this with little experience in raising money and presenting a solid plan. I'm a teacher foremost, although I do have a secondary degree in marketing. I have a feeling that it's going to get very real, very fast and it might be a bit overwhelming if we actually see money coming through. I've got my fingers crossed, and i'm not going to pretend this is 'in the bag' already in any way, I know outright that this is a shot in the dark. I just refuse to play the same thing for years on end, when, with a little bit of initiative, we might be able to procure ourselves a little piece of satisfaction.

[InsideManager]

Good luck.

[iM DoNe]

Rockstar needs to buy the right to the flickit controls and then make a new skateboarding game but not skate 4. imo would be amazing

[Antwan]

How hard would it be to buy Flick it off of them?
They don't support the series anymore.. very clear..
I'm still quite surprised the other skate servers are still online.
I had an idea for Skate 3 when it was in development..
Some kind of environmental flex engine.. or something.. I dunno what I'm saying really.
Things like fences bending in when they are interacted with.. not sure if it's a next gen idea but would be cool.
I'm honestly drawing a blank for additions man.. I can't think of what they need to add..
Flatground stuff would be cool, but could be a bummer if implemented wrong.
We want to avoid Tony Hawk Playstyle.
Hm...
I can only think of additions to Flick it in itself..
No comply kick/heelflips, No Comply 360 flips, etc.
It would be really cool to see some new grabs thrown into Flick it..
Not sure if anyone played Shaun White's Skateboarding.. Not a huge fan of it but the grabs were something else
The big air, Snowboarding inspired style grabs.. where you flip the board up and grab it to complete a tweak kind of stuff.

[EternalRewind]

Rockstar needs to buy the right to the flickit controls and then make a new skateboarding game but not skate 4. imo would be amazing

and use the dev team from z-axis

[Ladd279]

I think ubisoft will step into a skateboard game eventually, their really a diverse company imo

[Ayreon]

With it so dead, It is a great opportunity to steal the fan base

[yumpancakes1]

I think the flick it controls are like iTunes.
You can download songs from it.
Amazon you can download mp3's
Its the exact same thing just with a different distributor
I'd love to help this project.

[PoppySquidJr]

I think ubisoft will step into a skateboard game eventually, their really a diverse company imo

Ubisoft made the Shaun White games. I don't trust Ubisoft to make any more skating or snowboarding games.

[Novel]

Ubisoft made the Shaun White games. I don't trust Ubisoft to make any more skating or snowboarding games.

This is an excellent point. There's tons of politics that are going to get in the way of having anything get picked up. I was thinking more along the lines of a newer comapany. Or possibly even a first time developer. Who were the people that made that graphical interface, that looked like a salte sim, it was only a minute or so, just someone kickflipping down a small set? This shopping part won't happen unless we get funded.
I had a good interview with the owner of a few board companies, chain owner, and he added a lot of interesting ideas, actual fundraising. He's going to make some calls, but I'm hoping to get (don't laugh) Rob Dyrdek on a conference call. Granted he's still a fan of the skate. Series... By Conference call, I mean just telephone call. Haha.
I don't know at the moment, I'm just in a thousand different directions. I just want to play a new game, and help everyone else play. We shall see what the future holds.

[PoppySquidJr]

This is an excellent point. There's tons of politics that are going to get in the way of having anything get picked up. I was thinking more along the lines of a newer comapany. Or possibly even a first time developer. Who were the people that made that graphical interface, that looked like a salte sim, it was only a minute or so, just someone kickflipping down a small set? This shopping part won't happen unless we get funded.
I had a good interview with the owner of a few board companies, chain owner, and he added a lot of interesting ideas, actual fundraising. He's going to make some calls, but I'm hoping to get (don't laugh) Rob Dyrdek on a conference call. Granted he's still a fan of the skate. Series... By Conference call, I mean just telephone call. Haha.
I don't know at the moment, I'm just in a thousand different directions. I just want to play a new game, and help everyone else play. We shall see what the future holds.

You're dedication to this is something to be taken seriously.
We may not get a AAA, super polished title but anything new can be a great thing for us.

[unplannedman]

This is a good thread. I'll throw in an idea of a day/night engine.

[Fecal Face]

PLEASE IF THIS HAPPENS PAY ATTENTION TO TEXTURES

the too-clean textures ruined the asthetics of S3

[Permy]

Scott and Jay own flickit
not ea

also good luck

[Legba]

Rockstar needs to buy the right to the flickit controls and then make a new skateboarding game but not skate 4. imo would be amazing

Hell yeah! That would be the perfect way for them to make up for never making a sequel to Thrasher: Skate & Destroy!

[Novel]

Scott and Jay own flickit
not ea

also good luck

I think you are correct, I have yet to get a response from EA regarding patent rights and so forth. I believe them to be the true owners of the rights. I'm having trouble getting in touch with either of these people, I sent out emails to all if not most of the main people who worked on skate. Months ago, and have to get a reply. These were the two people I feared talking to the most, but also had the most authority when it came to doing a new sim.
So now that we know who owns the rights to flick it, and thank god it isn't EA, because lawyer advised me not to do business with any major corp. Like them. Because they'd attempt to sell the patent on a lease type offer, that would include them making money from the deal long after the deal had been made. (Which is what I would do as well) it is good business. Scott I believe is working on other titles at the moment. And I'm already at another roadblock. I'm working on getting in touch with lil' Wayne's people, and keeping the numbers handy in case it comes to that. Who knows, he may have an interest in not only the skateboarding aspect but also the music. The guy who did the music for 'this is my element', David 'odd nosdam friend of a friend, has agreed to contribute for free to any project.
I'm going to regroup with myself this weekend. Get some more numbers, and try to not give up already. But finding out that EA does not own flick it ' has pretty much made this 70% more attemptable. I see this might actually pan out. It's a long shot, but damnit skateboarding culture is alive and it is innovative and cool.

[m.seven]

dude,i love your enthusiasm for this and really wish you the best of luck.

[Novel]

Well, i wrote this long reply, but it vanished.

As far as a musical soundtrack, i know people aren't too fond of skating to hip hop, which is why I was replying with an idea for
User generated radio stations, or the encouragment for players to use their own generated music.

The look and feel of s3 way not right. I agree. This will be addressed in a new game should it come to that.
I would like to see a skateboarding sim that simulates skating in the real world.
With a dirty, this is hard' kind of gameplay, it will be hard to do a tre flip in a real skateboard sim.
Which is going to be an idea that has to evolve. If it ever makes it to that stage.
It must, based on playability by all people who may want to pick it up. But at its core, must be a 'simulator' of real skateboarding
Which takes patience and practice. We will see.

I have this idea, i will try to explain in simple terms.
Most games have a camera system that allows for free adjustment (after)
The fact gameplay.. I'm proposing a game that uses in game camera placement.
Which will allow for a first person view, a fish eye, camera man style view while playing in real time.
This could create problems but again if we get there, this is my contribution and is not a comprimise.

Lastely, this will have to be a small game. The map will not be huge, the feel not expansive.
There cannot be professional skaters, given that I'm looking at a real budget of under
5 million. That's being generous. I don't know yet. We will have a better picture soon.
Perhaps after the first of Jan.

Keep some ideas coming. No pro skaters though, uless of course they don't mind not being paid
Until after the royalties come. Haha.

[Novel]

How do you guys feel about the future, and current capability of the xbox360 motion capture?
Is this idea, killed in a sense because of its limited use and accessibity? Basically I'm asking if using kinnect is completely out of the question. It would in some sense allow for more allocation of budget towards game design and not aquiring flick it.
I'm pretty sure flickit is not a compromise either. You guys are partial to it. Correct?
Side note, I am not raising money to acquire the technology, to pass it off as my own.
It will remain the creation of those who made it.

[Novel]

I'm also going to proposing to skate stores the ability to promote in game, for the use of their merchandising in the game.
Thats were money comes from. Selling out to active store. Haha. Oh well. The ability to go to an active shop in game and shop would be a dream of mine. Checking pop on a new board. Perhaps making the board shop the online lobby for players who conversing, and gearing up to film with each other.

I also have the idea of a sister game, that would solely be a park editor.
Pure 100% content from second seperate title, that would allow you much better usage of game space
For creating hyper realistic parks. That can upload into the skate game.
I'm on my iPhone, so excuse my grammar issues, and un thought out ideas.

[Permy]

water guns
and animals

I want fucking animals

[PoppySquidJr]

I want fucking animals

Regular animals aren't enough.

Anyway, I feel the kinect is a piece of crap that'll never work like it should.

[m.seven]

motion controls,extra peripherals...none of that please

[Novel]

you guys want like lions, tigers and bears?

oh my.

[madsser]

I'm also going to proposing to skate stores the ability to promote in game, for the use of their merchandising in the game.
Thats were money comes from. Selling out to active store. Haha. Oh well. The ability to go to an active shop in game and shop would be a dream of mine. Checking pop on a new board. Perhaps making the board shop the online lobby for players who conversing, and gearing up to film with each other.

I also have the idea of a sister game, that would solely be a park editor.
Pure 100% content from second seperate title, that would allow you much better usage of game space
For creating hyper realistic parks. That can upload into the skate game.
I'm on my iPhone, so excuse my grammar issues, and un thought out ideas.

Your posts are too long.

[Skatehead]

flatspots...
delams..
new stiff trucks...

all need to be added.

[Novel]

Sorry about my long posts. I drink alot of coffee in the morning.

[Ladd279]

flatspots...
delams..
new stiff trucks...

all need to be added.

Yes! Add a reel and park editor an I'm set

[yumpancakes1]

how about a sandbox type game like roller coaster tycoon 3? just park making,reel,and some clothes

[Novel]

how about a sandbox type game like roller
coaster tycoon 3? just park making,reel,and some clothes

That would kill the dream of getting close to the skater and obsessive attention to the small buy robust world I had in mind. But its not a bad idea, how do the rest of you guys feel about this idea of a roller coaster tycoon type of skate game. It's really unlike anything I had in mind. Now I'll spend the night wondering what type of features would make it stand out. Damned you!!! Haha.

[Antwan]

I'll be honest all I want to see is a game with features added to Flick it or something very similar to it
If it's not this I likely won't pick it up. New Tony Hawk Games were still being released when I was playing The First Skate Games
but I was so hooked on flick it, it didn't matter. I'll likely ignore anything that doesn't match up.
I'm not sure if people are serious about realism factors.. but who wants flat spots?
I do so many Reverts/Powerslides I would be rolling around on squares for wheels if that were the case.
I think you should avoid mention of any real huge ground breaking changes.
I don't care what the game looks like as long as it plays like a Skate 4, if that makes sense.
Nothing too extreme like breaking boards or any of that other stuff.. no kinect..
Kinect enabled, sure.. but not the basis. I'm a controller kind of guy.

[PoppySquidJr]

how about a sandbox type game like roller coaster tycoon 3? just park making,reel,and some clothes

[yumpancakes1]

haha i meant it as a sandbox game like mine craft where your given a ton of pieces to build then you just build shit.

[Mage505]

I wish you the best of luck. Just try and get almost every trick in the books. My suggestions:

- Day/Night cycle
- Double the clothing
- Custom shoes
- Realistic spots
- Better bailing so it's more like a ragdoll. Maybe add hats falling off.
- Tons of griptape
- Realistic clothing movement (like shirt flying up and moving to the breeze)
- Better sounds

I could go on, that's just a few ideas.