Remaking Grim Dawn/modified version of it, inside Unreal Engine 5?

Grim Dawn Modding - Projects
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Greetings!

Ive been thinking about this idea for a while now. Going back and forth between the idea of creating my own arpg or remaking Grim Dawn inside UE5.

Since I got 0 experience in game dev, programming, game design, game architecture, etc the idea scared me for a while. Now Ive decided that I needed to take some actions at least.

But first things first, I decided to ask Crate Entertainment if the idea would even be possible, considering laws and copyrighting. So here’s the exact message they’ve sent me:

"Hello Jean,
Any manner of modifications or total conversions or homages are fine as long as they are not monetized or use Crate Entertainment assets. Naturally, charging for a Grim Dawn project of any kind would have us requesting it be immediately taken down.

Good luck with your project.

Kind regards,
-Kamil"

So obviously I never intended to monetize the project.

My biggest concerns is about using the same 3d models for example, but adding more polygons, smoothing the edges, making higher quality textures like PBR materials, etc. Would that count as using Crate Assets, or since they would be modified enough, it would be ok? If any of you work for Crate please let me know!

So finally, this post is ONLY for brainstorming, and exchanging ideas, and see what would be possible, if any one would be interested, etc. I have NOT yet decided to remake Grim Dawn, Im just opening the possibilities. I’ll create a website eventually writting down all my ideas, what my vision for this project would be, etc.

One reason I decide not to choose to make my own game is because Ive been trying to get into programming, but it just doesn’t click for me. And I figured it would probably be easier to attract programmers to remake Grim Dawn than to attract programmers to create a new game (that would be free, because I don’t intend to sell a game/manage a business, I just want to make something for myself and have a great community). So I figured it would be easier to remake a game that is already great. And that if Im willing to work on remaking the maps, the 3d models, the vfx insides UE5, maybe some people would be interested in doing the logic/programmation of it.

Why remaking Grim Dawn? This game is a masterpiece. My only cons is I feel the graphics are a bit outdated for my taste (not the mood, the vibe, the setting, the atmosphere, the environment, etc as this is perfect). Im talking about the 3d models, the animations, the vfx. So I can honestly feel and believe that, if Grim Dawn would have UE5 graphics, I can definitely see myself playing this game for the next 20 years (Im 35).

So, sorry if this post was a bit long, like I said, I will make a website eventually with all the ideas that I have and some ideas that others might write here, to create a page where what a “vision” of this project could look like IF I decide to pursue this avenue.

This post is purely for brainstorming thoughts, ideas, concerns, pros, cons, obstacles/challenges, etc!

Btw if you live in the province of Qc, Canada, let me know :stuck_out_tongue:

Cheers :slight_smile: And may this game live forever!

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Hmm I liked the idea, as long as nothing changes in the game besides the graphics. If the graphics of Grim Dawn in the maps, monsters, and skills are really improved, it would be very good, but also that it doesn’t become too heavy. When you create the site, I want to participate and I would also like to take part in the tests.

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It might be simpler for you to start off by making a mod within Grim Dawn to familiarize yourself with the basics of level design, skill systems and quest design.

If you still want to start in a new engine, try something like Flare, which is an open-source engine meant to create ARPGs similar in style to Diablo II. It uses SDL under the hood so best you can do is 2.5D TMK.

If you’re a Rust programmer, you can try using something like Miniquad or Eldiron.

If you want to stick to the more established engines, I’d say Unity might be better than UE5.

TL;DR
Graphical capability shouldn’t be the only parameter for engine choice for a first time dev imo.

It’s not really that straightforward. You’d be hard pressed to find someone talented enough to remake something like Ultima in the Infinity Engine let alone in something like Unreal 5. The better the game, the harder it is to “remake”.

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Games are made of programming. If you’ve quit that, then your project is already dead. Be real. No programmer is gonna spend their free time on your project, when they could spend time on their own.

To make a game, someone has to make the programming, and someone has to make the art. If you’re not a god tier programmer, then you better be a god tier artist. If you’re neither of these things, then better start working on your skills.

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Doesn’t seem realistic at all.
Also Crate will work on Grim Dawn 2 at some point in the future.

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Crate does not recommend Unreal for ARPGs.

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remaking a game to learn is a good start, lets you skip game design, mechanics etc.
you can make a game with only programming and no art but not with only art and no programming.

MagpieMcGraw’s post might be blunt but realistic.

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Friend here is a simple and direct advice, if you really want this, if you are not going to harm anyone, if you are not breaking even a rule, if you have time and resources for it, and the most important (if it will make you happy), go with everything, do it …

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Thanks for the post :)! I think you are right, but I believe they were referring to Unreal Engine 4 at that point. Though I don’t think UE5 is very different from UE4.

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Yeah I havn’t really explained everything in my post, but my idea is to buy UE marketplace assets (3d models) and remake the entire map of GD inside of UE. I want to focus on the art/visual side of it.That way, I can learn while doing it. I might learn more by doing this than to try to create a game map for a new game on my own. I also would try to find someone who would love the challenge of doing the programming.

Magpie’s post was very helpful in many ways. It made me think a lot!

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Man I love your enthusiasm and optimism! That’s the type of philosophy I try to live by in my life. I respect every comment here because each comment makes you think in certains ways and maybe gives you a perspective you didn’t have before.

To continue on what you said, everytime I am thinkin about making my own game… my heart goes back to the idea of recreating Grim Dawn. So I believe that would be the best path for me. Here’s is a brief overview of my plan:

I would save money and remake the entire map of Grim Dawn inside UE. It would be a great learning experience, and also, I just love the idea of seeing this world come to life with new assets. I would use my saved money to buy those assets. Actually the last 2 days Ive been going through the campaign and watch every 3d models (houses, lamp posts, crates, docks, furniture, etc) and I have found many similar looking assets that I can buy. Ive also found many similar looking monsters. The biggest challenges will be the gear and the weapons. So obviously I don’t expect the game to look exactly the same but at the same time, it will be something fresh. As long as the gameplay remains the same.

I have faith that if I redo the entire map, it will eventually attract someone that would love to do the programming.

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Yeah I thought about that… but that game may come out in 10 years. We don’t know. And to be fair, just like any other games, there is no guarantee that the game will be as fun as the first one. I was waiting for a long time for Path of Exile 2 and even though I enjoyed it for several hours, I kinda got bored fast and a bit disapointed. Its a very different game than the first one in many ways. Titan Quest 2 doesn’t seem so promising either imo.

Of course though if we can remake GD in Unreal Engine, it won’t feel like the first Grim Dawn, but that’s a challenge I wanna take :). Doing our best to make it feel like the first one.

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There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make the game you like better. But your first post led me to believe that this project is still at the idea stage. You haven’t delved deep enough to realize what it would really take. You’re intoxicated by your own idea. Which is fine! It’s good to get excited. But to actually bring this idea to reality you have to start facing the reality.

If I were you, I would not give up on programming just yet. What you gotta do is avoid all the complex languages and all their BS. I highly recommend you try the Odin language. It’s very much like C but nicer in every way. It’s perfect for game programming. The very first Odin book was just released too, if you need some learning materials.

There is a thing in gaming called a “source port”. It’s when fans write a new game engine for the game they like. For example, OpenMW. That engine loads the assets from the original game and tries to replicate the original mechanics. I think Diablo 1 has a source port too. And the most famous one is GZDoom. What you’re trying to do is that, but with new graphical assets too. So like Diablo 2 Resurrected. That was made by an entire game studio with decades of experience and multiple completed projects.

A single person can make a great game. For example: Holocure. But that developer really is a god tier artist. He actually does contract work on anime. And he’s taught himself programming. Don’t know if he’s a god tier programmer, but he’s at least A tier.

So as I said, if you really want this, get working on your skills.

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That’s exactly why I’m sure you’ll do an excellent job, because you’re listening to your heart, which will help you a lot, you’ll love your project and believe me, a lot of people will notice it. See how Last Epoc came about, with a community of ARPG fans and today it is one of the best in the genre, the biggest secret is in believing, the rest is just paper, it has my full support.

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Yeah I am constantly thinking about how LE came about. I actually recently watched an interview with Judd Cobbler the CEO of LE and I believe he has no prior experience, but he surrounded himself with competent people. He just had a will to do it. And thats all it takes.

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There are many examples of small games that came out of nowhere and today are critically acclaimed sales champions, Eric Barone’s stardew valley who created the game alone and today is an immense success,
Darkwood also a horror and survival game of independent creation of only three people that also became a phenomenon, they just created the games having fun and learning with their own work, without haste and without pressure from even one company, I believe in your project friend …

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Had some fun yesterday testing out AI tools. Bare in mind that I couldn’t choose HD textures because I was on the free plan. Also, eventually, Ai tools will become better and better so the models could be remade eventually. But for now, for my personal taste, Im quite impressed with the results :smiley: . The picture with the sword made of blue ice/crytals is not from Grim Dawn.

Unfortunately, the results were really bad for monsters and for structures. But for weapons, at least I got decent results imo. There would probably be optimization to do also though. So the other options would be to hire someone which would cost a shit ton of money or remake the models myself, which would take a shit ton of time lol. I know some of you may prefer the originals which is understandable ! What do you think ? If you think it looks garbage, feel free to say it, I don’t mind lol! :stuck_out_tongue:

a
a1920×713 38.1 KB

b
b1920×760 62.2 KB

c
c1920×608 48.8 KB

d
d1920×652 31.3 KB

e
e1920×687 65 KB

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I think it was very good, it is not necessary to be an expert genius on the subject to see that the similarity was 99% identical, this is the way, as for the other things you could just give the beginning and show the beginning of the results, this would draw attention and the interest of future helpers.

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I appreciate your advice friend! There are already premade plugin like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi5fstXXQ8Y&list=PL1xes5GDXpkB8HIShakI3EZ8hDu7__R9V

This would save so much time. I would still need to learn at least the basics of programming, at least for Unreal Engine. I would be willing to do some programming work as long as I am taught how. And this type of plugin might be just exactly what I needed.

And yeah I am still at the idea stage (brainstorming and contemplating what it would really require to make this project work). I don’t want to go in blind. That’s why Im asking around on the internet and get all the advice I can gather. So thanks again :slight_smile: