Zero2D - a reference to the "Zero-to-Death"-Combo, a term commonly used in the Smash Bros. series' community to describe a string of hits that lead from zero damage (respectively full health) to a KO through the side. It also references the graphic style of the project: 2D.

A good friend of mine called Buzz always has wanted to make his own PC game fighter. So, he feels that now is the time to begin seriously forming a design specification. I'm on his side, as well, so I'm advertising the project here, as well.

Here are the important facts surrounding this idea:
* Formerly known as "Project PHOENIX", the engine will now be called "Zero2D".
* Zero2D will be using the game concept of the Super Smash Bros. series, with KOs through ring-out, %-meters, and whatnot.
* Zero2D will be built in the spirit of MUGEN. It will operate as a generic engine and allow the community to add characters and stages freely.
* Zero2D will be written in C++ for optimal performance and guaranteed support for the big three (Windows, Macintosh, and GNU/Linux).
* Zero2D will be a 2D fighter using sprites. This is to ensure that anyone can contribute to the fighter/stage rosters.
* Zero2D will be open source. Programmers can contribute to the engine, while the rest of the community will help form characters and stages (no programming knowledge will be necessary).
* Zero2D will pave the way for a truly competitive smash fighter. By having absolute control over all aspects of the game, true balance can be attained! (Of course, people can also make insanely broken characters for their own leisure.)
* Zero2D will offer superior online play. LAN play will also be an option. (Screw you, Blizzard!)
* Zero2D will use an "official" roster of completely original characters and stages (in order to keep ourselves from copyright issues) - the community still can create their favourite characters from video games or anything else, though.


Now, as said, I am one of Buzz's partners and helpers in this project. I'm more or less holding the responsibility to recruit team members for mainly everything else but programmers. I'm also the lead designer for the characters and will write out their movesets in words, as well as the writer for the storyline.

We still need help, though! If you are open-minded about this, and want to help us out, here are the spots we are looking for as of now:
- Programmers (for C++, of course)
- Artists for character artwork as well as background/stage-artwork
- Spriters (really important!!)
- Composers for the game's music.

If you are willing to help us out realizing this project and are capable of one of these things, be sure to contact me.

This sounds pretty interesting! I'm interested in contributing to the music if I can.

Awesome, I'll send you a PM.

i'd also like to contribute with music!

Same here. I'm interested and can lend you a few tracks of mine, but if I already had an image on how the game looks and feels like it's easier to compose for it.

but if I already had an image on how the game looks and feels like it's easier to compose for it.

this.
have you got someone already working on the art

Yes, we are already having people working on the art and sprites.

The thing is, it will feature many things, so you guys can go ahead. We'll have Eastern Asian, Medieval-European, Sci-Fi, and much more. You can go crazy, make rock, techno or folklore!

I also intend on every character having a whole theme and a victory jingle (preferably a "shortened" version of the main part of the themes, I'd say), as well.
For now we have no concrete character concepts but an Eastern Asian-styled martial artist (Shun) and a European-styled swordsman (Darius). Every other character is just only thoughts. We have no concrete stage for now, either, though.

I, however, can give you the draft of the storyline if you need inspiration.

Edit:
Wheeeeee! I'm happy to announce that I've just recieved our first concept art for one of the two aforementioned characters, Darius! He'll be changed a little in a few details, but this is our first official artwork. =D

2 ideas for original tracks.. not yet mixed and not finnished..

http://www.nfftrax.nl/trax/453502410-ode%20to%20c64pizz.mp3

http://www.nfftrax.nl/trax/-1014830898-mps_mixdown.mp3 starts at 00:20

2 ideas for original tracks.. not yet mixed and not finnished..

http://www.nfftrax.nl/trax/453502410-ode to c64pizz.mp3

http://www.nfftrax.nl/trax/-1014830898-mps_mixdown.mp3 starts at 00:20

The link to the first one doesn't work.


The second one sounds great as an "Options Menu" loop song! Very nice work, fellow guitarist/composer.

I wish I has some stuff to show that would suit a fighting game, but I'm having a bit of a busy life right now.


Edit: use this link instead: http://www.nfftrax.nl/trax/453502410-ode%20to%20c64pizz.mp3

The link to the first one doesn't work.


The second one sounds great as an "Options Menu" loop song! Very nice work, fellow guitarist/composer.

I wish I has some stuff to show that would suit a fighting game, but I'm having a bit of a busy life right now.


Edit: use this link instead: http://www.nfftrax.nl/trax/453502410-ode%20to%20c64pizz.mp3


Thx for ur comment and thanks for fixing that link! Forgot about that space thingy.

Hello everyone. If you are interested in joining our project, it'd be better to directly go to our new forum:
http://zero2d.smashnexus.net/

I know it's a free forum and whatnot, but our ressources for now are a bit limited - we will get an actual forum sooner or later. For now that it's a bit small, though, this little board has to suffice. =)

That fixed link doesn't work for me either, by the way, but I like the working one. :3

I could help write background info, character profiles, etc. I would help with music (I play metal on the guitar) but I don't have anything to record with atm :(.

I could help write background info, character profiles, etc. I would help with music (I play metal on the guitar) but I don't have anything to record with atm :(.

Thanks for the offer about character stuff, but for now, we don't need help regarding this. ^^