Dynaverse.net
Off Topic => Other Games => Topic started by: Cyberkada on May 04, 2008, 06:41:56 pm
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Heck, might as well...
Progress:
Got sector map working (main map is 21x21x21 hexes - see Mongoose Publishing for 2D map), with similar data as SFC. All using an SQL database, so strategic movement and missions are now possible, but not coded yet). Developing a SFC-type map editor, as entering 8000+ sectors into a SQL tabel was a pain. (The B5 races are 0 to 9, SFC races start at 10)
Sector Owner
#planets
shipyard (y/n)
jumpgate (y/n) and destinations (not in SFC mod)
base (y/n)
economy
offensive rating
defensive rating
terrain
Earth Alliance - 0
Minbari - 1
Centauri - 2
Narn - 3
Vorlon - 4
Shadow - 5
Neutral - 6
ISA - 7
Raider (Pirates) -8
League Worlds - 9
for mods:
Fed - 10
Klingon - 11
Romulan - 12
Gorn - 13
Kzinti - 14
Lyran - 15
ISC - 16
Tholian - 16
WYN - 17
LDR - 18
Andromedan - 19
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Bumping my own with a SFC-type Galaxy Map:
(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1176/screenshot00700003bt7.png)
(http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/655/screenshot00700001oi0.png)
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What's the multiplayer capacity to be for this game?
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64 players planned per server. It will be based on this framework:
http://minions.prairiegames.com/trac/mom/phpbb
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That thing outa be awesome!I love Babylon 5, perhaps you could copy it and send me the copy. Please.
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Sector Info on Map:
(http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4880/screenshot00800001ov2.png)
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It still will be great,if only I could get to the site or even be able to buy or download it.
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It still will be great,if only I could get to the site or even be able to buy or download it.
Its still in alpha (not released).
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Hurry up and get it finished! I'm rabid with anticipation for this game. I hope the White Star will be in there.
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What other features do you intend to program into this game?
It's fantastic.
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Will the ship classes be like in SFC?
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The ship classes will be based on Babylon 5 Wars - Fighter, PF, Light, Medium and Heavy Combat Vessel, Capital Ship, and Large Capital Ship (Collosal sounded funny).
SFB equivalents:
Fighter = well, um, fighter
PF = PF (not really in B5Wars)
LCV = FF
MCV = CL,
HCV = DD, CS
CS = CA, most CV
LCS = DN, SSCS (the EAS Posiedan has 96 fighhters) Think Pleides Turkey Shoot from SFB)
Just got jumpgates in the game to allow travel between sectors. (no effects yet). SFC mode (and jump engines) will allow the free movement you all know and enjoy. Need to LOD the jumpgate. 28K polys. 7.5K x 4 sections for the jumpgate Anyone good at Milkshape? or ??? here? :/
Screenshot tonight.
Rotating sections (EA Omega, B5 Station) is proving to be a b!tch to implement.
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Jumpgate screenshot
(http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/5553/screenshot00900001el6.png)
another one:
(http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6847/screenshot01000002tg1.png)
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The screenshots is not avaliable on my computer, so I can't tell if it's good or not.
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I saw the start of your work over on Mackies TCS a few years ago now, and it looked impressive then.
Glad to see that work is still moving along, and that you're advancing everything.
Do you think that once it's "finished" it will be easy to mod and put in new ships?
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Thanks.
New engine. The old game engine had 4 major faults. No networking, very limited multiplayer - limited to 4 players, no easy way to add AI, and NO source code that I could modify.
It will be pretty much a 3D SFC/B5Wars. Modable? Hell YES. I have already built an in-game ship stats editor and sector editor.
Thanks to SQL, every stat is modable.
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I hope that you'll be able to find the any problems you have with the game right now, heck, I hope that this game will be better than SFC! But still, can you name your ship like in SFC or does it come with an unchangeable name?
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Yes, you can name ships (the AI is named already). My main problem is LOD and doing down-level models. Right now, everything is full at LOD0. I did have 64 fighters flying around at one time even with no LOD, but the frame rate sucked.
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Wow,, that's alot of fighters..........what type were they? Starfurys, Thunderbolts or what?
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'Furies and Sentris. It was a re-creation of Centauri-Earth battle from "The Lost Tales". Thunderbolts - hmmm. I'll leave them for the group attack missions.
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The Thunderbolts were used against other Earthen ships during Earth Alliance civil war.They were best used for attacking in groups against capital ships, such as Destoryers.
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and more importantly, ground attack missions (which the game will have)
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Awesome! Those I'll enjoy them greatly, what type of enemy groung vehicles are there, tanks, AA guns, infantry?
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From Babylon 5, GROPOS units. I have to check Starfleet Marines for SFC units.
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For that, that's mostly infantry, not much else, you should watch all of the Babylon 5 series, they'll give you some ideas for ground units.
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I'm going to use the B5 Wars GROPOS books from AOG (and some from Mongoose). I bought a "Tank pack" that contains an M1 Abrams. Remodeling should turn it into an B5-type tank.
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Cool, that'll be awesome. A whole bunch of lasers firing etc.
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Got basic charging and energy allocation in game (repair, weapons, sensors/ EW, and engines <B5 Ships except for Minbari DO NOT have shields>) and auto repair of ships systems. Adding Spare part-type repair.
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Awesome, but why don't the Mibari have shields? Beshides, none of the B5 ships have shields, that includes the Vorlons and the Shadows.
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Some Minbari have EM Shields (Whitestar and variants, New MF Valen-class (not the one from B5: LOTR, the one from B5:TLT), ISA Excaliber-class), as do some of the First Ones. This comes for the SSDs of the ships. Mainly Armor (and lots of it).
For the EM Shield: Subtract Shield Factor from incoming chance to hit and any damage scored through arc.
Defense rating shown in parenthesis ( ) indicates value with shield active.
This are NOT the same as SFB/SFC-type shields.
According to the B5Wars rulebook, there is no in-game repair of systems. I am changing that to make it SFC-like (some small auto-repair + spare parts type repair).
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Ooooo, I was a little confused there. Beshides, I think B5 or Halo is the most likely to happen to the human race. I'd rather have Halo happen, I'd prefer a to fight an enemy that I can kill at least. In B5, the Mimbari were basically imune to evrything the humans had except nukes. In Halo, humans could kill the Covenant with some ease because of the MAC guns. On a side note, the Magnetic Accelarator Cannon is actually possible to make, but on a small scale, you need super huge magnetic coils to fire the shell, there are few magnets that large from my knowlege.
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Progress: Fighters launching from cap ships and bases. Working on automatic recovery and landing for refueling/ rearming et al.
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Will you be able to use missles and nukes will being with the Earth Alliance?
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That's what makes missions very short right now for pilots. Homing missiles that don't miss. I have to dumb down the missile AI a lot. I'm debating whether or not to to use BSG-style missile trails. Looks pretty... Most empires have at least 1 class of fighter that has missiles. Nukes? Yes, and the Narn (only) will have their nuclear space mines (energy mine). Funny how in B5 and BSG nukes are so "useful".
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Awesome, a nuclear mine, that's the perfect weapon. ;D
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Funny how in B5 and BSG nukes are so "useful".
Who needs Nukes when you have Magic-Photons! Photons are Anti-matter explosives which are more powerful than standard nukes anyway.
The game looks really good!
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Funny how in B5 and BSG nukes are so "useful".
BSG and B5 are meant to be more "believable." That's why they use improved versions of existing tech such as nukes, and in the case of BSG, rail guns and their ships are powered by fusion reactors. A technology that we've expected to have within the next 20 years for roughly the past 50 years.
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A rail gun? Is that like a Magnetic Accelerator Cannon? Beshides, I think Halo is more likely to happen than either B5 or BSG.
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A rail gun? Is that like a Magnetic Accelerator Cannon? Beshides, I think Halo is more likely to happen than either B5 or BSG.
BSG uses actual shells. Presumably they are using railguns as opposed to chemical explosives.
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The MAC uses just about anything that sticks to a magnet. Nails, usket ball, etc. I've built a mini version of it, but it still has problems with magnet depolarization, when I fire a few times, the magnets lose their magnetic charge after five or six shots. I'm not sure what is wrong, but for now, it can fire a shot incrediably fast.
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Started to add Low-level Shader support (normal, bump, and all sorts of other shaders). Been a real bitch so far with lots of crashes and bug fixes.
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You'll get it eventually. Beshides, what's a Shader?
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A shader allows for advanced graphics depending on the video card. Only 1 bug to go for shader support. Of course, its the hardest one to fix :(
Wiki is your friend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel_shaders
The preferred method of doing render to texture is through the GL_EXT_framebuffer_object extension. Another option is using pbuffers, but those are expensive and highly platform dependent, and thus will not be explained in this FAQ.
The first thing you will want to do is read the GL_EXT_framebuffer_object specification. The specification is 183 pages long.
Could not load this GL function: glGenFramebuffersEXT
Could not load this GL function: glBindFramebufferEXT
frakking openGL
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Ok, thanks, that was bugging me. I thought it was a ship.
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Last shader bug squashed. Now on to phase 2: writing shaders (bump mapping, illumination and bloom are probably first up.). DRL works and I need to turn it WAY down (screenshot later today). The hyperspace mission area looks HOT and gassy now.
(http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/4659/screenshot01600001ag0.png)
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AWESOME!!!! Finally I can see your progress. I'm enjoying it greatly.
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One of B5's trademarks is its attempt to replicate Newton's laws of motion. Is their anyway for you to depict that in the game? Possibly have fighters flip and fly in retrograde like they do on the series..
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Make sure you get those in as well.
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I can now rotate bases and planets in 3D. Need a break from the shaders. Have bloom working. Normal and spec maps work - but my color map has z-sorting issues.
How about this: I'm thinking of adding dockable and fly-in bases (think of the spacedock), with working doors.
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Never really saw that effect in B5, but it would be nice to have for the Star Trek mod.
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Freighters and ships dock all the time (or enter the B5 station, for one). The door effect is used AFAIK even in the opening credits of B5. I always wanted to properly enter a Starbase - not the way you kinda do in SFC2.
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I was bored. I am adding freighters that can add/drop cargo pods (like in Freelancer). Started cutting up and modularizing a Large Freighter (see "Midnight on the Firing Line" for freighter type. Will add the logic later.
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I've been watching your progress on this since you mentioned it over at the now gone TCS, and I must say ...wow! - I am greatly anticipating getting a hold of this ... (insert maniacal chuckle ...)
WELL DONE.
:D
JM.
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Last shader bug squashed. Now on to phase 2: writing shaders (bump mapping, illumination and bloom are probably first up.). DRL works and I need to turn it WAY down (screenshot later today). The hyperspace mission area looks HOT and gassy now.
([url]http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/4659/screenshot01600001ag0.png[/url])
Agreed! This is very impressive.
Is that the FPS in the upper corner of the image?
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Yep. I get normally 110 to 120 FPS but the jumpgate has 30K polys (ouch)
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Armor status display (see bottom of ship). Inner ring is primary hull, outer ring is fwd/aft/starboard/port. This is version #1. Things to do are add alpha channel and possibly textures. Can easily do spheres and six-sided shields
(http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7620/screenshot02100002lr5.png)
BTW, this is a serious fur-ball. Died in 15 sec.
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Sorry to bug you, but a couple of questions, please?
How many polies are onscreen in the above screen shot?
What's your system's specs?
At 10fps you've obviously extended the limits a bit here. ;) I'm curious because the game engine for SFC4 hasn't been finalized yet. I'm trying to see if this might be a good game engine for the project. I hope you don't mind me picking your brains.
Thanks, either way.
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The jumpgate 30K, each fighter 4000 (12 fighters), so about 78K. No LoD has been done yet, as the asset development chain is tedious (Conitec MDL7 MED export as fbx, import to milkshape and export as Torque dts). I know 3dsmax can do it easier (has good exporter) but for another month I won't be able to own it.
GeForce 7950 with a Athlon FX-57 and 2GB DDR (its fast, but dual-core is not all it is advertised)
My new home/ employer:
www.nhtv.nl
They are doing some really cool experimental stuff using raycasting.
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Thanks for the answers. I appreciate you taking your time. 8)
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Quite impressive, I'm amazed that ya'll people have so much time on ya'lls hands.
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Short update.
I now have started to play with turrets. I have them rotating (yaw, pitch) and they are animated (barrel animated with smoke and flash) . Makes capital ships dangerous ( I just have turrets on the Centauri Vorchan right now), but will add them to the EA Hyperion Class next. Have one shot that reminded me of when TIE fighters attacked the Millennium Falcon in SW:IV. I will post another screenshot later today.
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Man ... I think I'm gettin' kinda ... hot ... lol ...
I HAVE stated that I am really looking forward to this, right?
:D
JM.
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Man ... I think I'm gettin' kinds ... hot ... lol ...
I HAVE stated that I am really looking forward to this, right?
:D
JM.
*hands Mudd a cold case of beer* Hopefully that'll help ya out my friend. ;D
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Better yet, give him five. *hands Mudd four more cold cases of beer*
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It'd be better if y'all had scotch ... specifically Dalmore ... but beer is alright, I guess.
Seriously Cyberkada ... this is looking and sounding great. Will there be a single player campaign or is it a straight multiplayer? Can missions be created easily (both single and multiplayer) ? Can't wait to see what it takes to get models in the game, when it's all said and done ...
:D
JM.
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I hope that we can create missions, so I can create my own version of the Alamo.
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It'd be better if y'all had scotch ... specifically Dalmore ... but beer is alright, I guess.
Seriously Cyberkada ... this is looking and sounding great. Will there be a single player campaign or is it a straight multiplayer? Can missions be created easily (both single and multiplayer) ? Can't wait to see what it takes to get models in the game, when it's all said and done ...
:D
JM.
I've got a 90 year old, unopened bottle of Irish Whiskey. Will that do?
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That probably will do for him, but I've got one that's close to 100 years old.
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It'd be better if y'all had scotch ... specifically Dalmore ... but beer is alright, I guess.
Seriously Cyberkada ... this is looking and sounding great. Will there be a single player campaign or is it a straight multiplayer? Can missions be created easily (both single and multiplayer) ? Can't wait to see what it takes to get models in the game, when it's all said and done ...
:D
JM.
It will be both (the game engine is client/server at its core). I can be used for LAN and WAN games. Missions will be easy to create - I did rip out the built-in level editor and will be replacing it with a game specific one. My main problem is models and LOD.
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hm .... like what sorta problems?
JM.
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hm .... like what sorta problems?
JM.
I need at least 4 LOD per each model.
I'm using hitboxes for damage, so I need low-poly collision meshes as well. basically, I'm doing the programming and scripting and don't have time for the models. (many need conversion from my previous effort that I stopped due to too many dead ends with multi-player and network code) I did fix my turret problems - game was crashing when main ship was destroyed. The turrets do follow the SSD of the ship *pretty much* except in the Z-axis. I might restrict them to +45 pitch max and -0 degrees pitch minimum (projectiles keep hitting the ship the turret is mounted on - I might try a arming delay so that the round fired can clear the ship ), and the turret looks funny past about 45 degrees.
Again, my main problem is models ( I have a php guru working on the in-game web reporting interface, an a couple of 2D artists.) and I HATE MilkShape. Houdini looks sweet, and has a fbx importer/ Torque .dts exporter - and its only $99.
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Uh...................could you repeat that, in simple terms please.
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Uh...................could you repeat that, in simple terms please.
OK, here goes.
Each model should have 4 Levels of detail. (LOD0 to LOD3).
I am using hitboxes to resolve projectile collisions. (forward, aft, starboard, port, and primary). SFB six (7) hitboxes are possible - the 7th being excess damage.
Some ships - depending on hullsize - fighters have only primary hull and one hitbox, capital ships have 5 hitboxes.
Weapons hardpoints are (usually) turret-based. The turrets need to be able to rotate and elevate. This follows the weapons arc on the SSD. Some weapons like phasers are "faked" turret-based to allow for firing in 3D.
basically, I need modelers.
I will "bone" the model - adding hardpoints for lights, weapons, smoke and debris emitters prior to inclusion in-game.
Each model should have a color, normal (bump) and spec skin.
break models will (should) be animated as well.
Or did I just confuse everyone ever more?
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No, you cleared up a whole bunch of techno stuff that I didn't understand. Too bad I can't help out, 3D modeling is something I can't do to well. But I could act like a tester of some sorts.
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No, you cleared up a whole bunch of techno stuff that I didn't understand. Too bad I can't help out, 3D modeling is something I can't do to well. But I could act like a tester of some sorts.
Basic testing REAL SOON NOW. Feature creep is a killer to releasing the beast.
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Sorry for the delay. In the process of relocating from Manila to my new job as a Game Programming and Math Professor at NHTV-Breda in the Netherlands.
Stay turned for new updates....
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I think I figure out the youtube thing. Here is test footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDDA7ZtIT6Q
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cooll, though you might want to add some bank, yaw, and pitch into the movements instead of keeping the ship fixed in the center of the screen (maybe 15-20 deg max on either side).
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cooll, though you might want to add some bank, yaw, and pitch into the movements instead of keeping the ship fixed in the center of the screen (maybe 15-20 deg max on either side).
That's just a fighter.... but I will... Thats just the fixed 3rd person camera (and I do mean fixed). I have the advanced camera resource loaded - 10 cameras - but disabled. 1st person works, but I have to work on the 3D cockpits...
I was just happy to get the turrets working... Lifespan with invincible mode < 15 sec.
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OK, development will recommence... I just got my system in Holland from the Philippines...