Quantus (aka Allegiance - Planetside thread)

[Cadillac]

Nope.

Try e-mailing: csfeed@microsoft.com

that's the addy I got from their phone lines. They havent replied. Something tells me they wont. And that they smell /mrgreen.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="mrgreen.gif" />

[HSharp]

QUOTE (Cadillac @ Apr 25 2007, 05:07 PM) Nope.

Try e-mailing: csfeed@microsoft.com

that's the addy I got from their phone lines. They havent replied. Something tells me they wont. And that they smell /mrgreen.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="mrgreen.gif" />

They have run off with your money!!! /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

QUOTE (Radruin @ Apr 25 2007, 12:47 PM) Cad, have you gotten a response from Microsoft yet?

Python's coming along nicely; it's even easier than Java.

Easier then Java you say??? How is it coming along?? Is it going to be open-source or you just going to do all the prog work and keep it a secret till launch??

[radruin]

QUOTE (HSharp @ Apr 25 2007, 01:58 PM) Easier then Java you say??? How is it coming along?? Is it going to be open-source or you just going to do all the prog work and keep it a secret till launch??

I haven't started the game yet; as I said, I have to learn Python first.
But here's an example of Java vs Python:

Code: Select all

public class PrintDemonstration
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        System.out.println("Hello World");
    }
}

That's Java. Now here's the Python equivalent:

Code: Select all

print "Hello World"

lol
A downside to Python, though, is not everybody has it on their computer. Everybody's got Java, but I hadn't even heard of Python til I started looking at the Blender GE.

If anybody wants to work on the code with me, I guess I can open-source it. Otherwise, I'll keep it to myself.
What I'm coding isn't going to be stuff anyone would probably want to modify anyway; it's going to be how stuff works, like if you push (insert a key here) then it sets you off at 100% thrust, stuff like that. I'm doing the framework; it's up to everyone to come up with the neat stuff like the technologies and weapons and stuff. Hope that clarifies it /mrgreen.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="mrgreen.gif" />

[ImmortalZ]

What you need to do, is to join RT. They are 40 programmers lead by one geologist.

Of course, I'm not advocating that you join RT to get help for your project, but it is something to consider when selecting one to join after Cadet.

[HSharp]

QUOTE (Radruin @ Apr 25 2007, 07:53 PM) I haven't started the game yet; as I said, I have to learn Python first.
But here's an example of Java vs Python:

Code: Select all

public class PrintDemonstration
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        System.out.println("Hello World");
    }
}

That's Java. Now here's the Python equivalent:

Code: Select all

print "Hello World"

lol
A downside to Python, though, is not everybody has it on their computer. Everybody's got Java, but I hadn't even heard of Python til I started looking at the Blender GE.

If anybody wants to work on the code with me, I guess I can open-source it. Otherwise, I'll keep it to myself.
What I'm coding isn't going to be stuff anyone would probably want to modify anyway; it's going to be how stuff works, like if you push (insert a key here) then it sets you off at 100% thrust, stuff like that. I'm doing the framework; it's up to everyone to come up with the neat stuff like the technologies and weapons and stuff. Hope that clarifies it /mrgreen.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="mrgreen.gif" />

/ninja.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ninja:" border="0" alt="ninja.gif" />

I want to use Python instead...looks fairly quicker then that Java tripe, shame that my course requires me to do stuff in overly long-winded Java. I might have to look into Python a lil bit more now, still though Java does has the advantages that lots of people know it and the API is pretty damn good resource (but havent checked for a Python equivalent). But if that is the only difference between Python and Java you might be better sticking off with Java, in the end writing all the crap becomes 2nd Hand (and plus I know Java /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" /> )

but its up to you Lead Programmer (thats gonna look good on a CV)

But this will only be a "banner" if we dont get the subforum to properly organise stuff (once again putting up the discussion of a going off-site with the forum with the added pro of having the ability to have multiple subforums, and the slight con of being harder to access for RT's programming army /mrgreen.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="mrgreen.gif" /> )

[Cadillac]

I've got exams coming up so quite busy in RL, I might be able to get something done before them, but probably not.

They finish on the first week of June though so I'll be back in action then with the rest of the Faction Updates at the latest.

[radruin]

QUOTE (Cadillac @ Apr 29 2007, 05:54 AM) I've got exams coming up so quite busy in RL, I might be able to get something done before them, but probably not.

They finish on the first week of June though so I'll be back in action then with the rest of the Faction Updates at the latest.

Same here. Reality-land (RL) beckons, and I'll be rather busy til the last week of May.
Pray for us and our exams!

[gr4vity]

Hi guys!


I didn't saw this thread until now and unfortunately I takes ages to get through it so I just gave up trying to catch up after 7pages. (Someone should summarize the progress/current concept in a new thread >> much more overview). But anyway, I hope nobody mentioned that allready but talking about a land based version of Allegiance instantly made me think of the 'Capture the island' addon for Operation Flashpoint.

OFP is a game where you can drive pretty much every vehicle (from sitting in the back of a truck to gunning a helicopter to drive a civilian tractor). You can also have control over up to 11 AI soldiers. You can make them drive, gun, pickup a weapon or let them jump out of a Mi-24 (after you finally got all the lazy bastards inside) - using them as paratrooper. The command view in this case is a bit similar to our f3 but not that rich of information.

Usually you play missions in OFP with lots of scripted action. Now with CTI the game becomes a little bit more interesting:

Both teams start with a mobile head quarter. The commander can buy workers from the mhq and these workers can construct buildings (like a barrack or tank factory) which takes less time the more workers you have. In order to get money you need to capture the towns of the island from the resistance and hold them. For the research you need a special building and some money. You can win the game by destroying the mobile HQ of the nme or by capturing the entire island (and you get a nice money award if you kill the enemy com!).

Anyway why do I tell you about this old addon for an old game? Imho after Battlezone - CTI is one of the more serious attempts to create some sort FPS-RTS combo and you guys could learn from the mistakes they made.

CTI was very bugged (dunno about the current state) and too hard to manage. Every big game died to horrible lag or desync which was really frustrating and in the end its just a big unit spam. Imagine you got a team together you play a tough match for 2hours and then the server dies. Basically - if you play a 10 vs 10 and every player can have 5 (minimum) or 11 (maximum) AIs plus yourself. Theoretically that makes it a 60(120) vs 60(120) after some time - not counting the resistance troops, workers and scavenger vehicles. Even if you limit the vehicles to 20per team it creates a horrible chaos on the entire island.

If you want to take a look for some 'inspiration' here are some urls:

» Link #1: » MFCTI (orignal CTI?)
» Link #2: » CTI Community (similar posts and problems to our comunity /mrgreen.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="mrgreen.gif" />)
» Link #3: » RTS-4 ArmA (seems like a new form of CTI)

To Quantus (awesome name btw!):

A short list of suggestions:Keep it simple with the base building. Have the same viewing distance for every player (otherwise HiEnd system users have the advantage).Have no weapon that has a bigger range then the distance player can see.The less AI the better.Take the eye concept of Alleg.Improve the command from outside of base thingSome random ideas:Make players fly vehicles (lets say a bit hoover craft like in in BZ?)If someone gets 'podded' he is an infantry men in a live suit. He can run home to keep his KB (if you want something like KB) or he should be able to man a free turret slot if friendly vehicle comes around. Lets give him a weak pistol to shoot other live suits. Thats probably fun but let him be vulnerable to everything else (In BZ you can sniper enemys out of their vehicles and steal them - that just makes someone in a live suit too powerful). You could integrate pickups as by other players as well.Make the building concept similar to Alleg: You have to send a constructor vehicle to build a base camp/outpost. Let the vehicle disappear in a scaffolding with shields. I think its making the game too complex for the com if you have to place every single building. You are busy trying to controll your team anyway so the op/tech base concept of Alleg is ideal imho.Let there be only 1 resource type.. to be continued.Now I can add more points to the lists without a problem. But first I like to give you guys the chance to read and (maybe) think through this monster post.

Oh and of course at last a few questions:

How far is the progress on the concept anyway?
And how do you want to create the maps? (With sectors who are connected with 'stargates' >> similar to Alleg with its alephs?)
Do you want to have mountains or would you prefer rather flat land?
Will every unit be some sort of aircraft unit?



Regards
grav@RT /cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />


ps: sorry if this turns out to be a necro post.

[Kltplzyxm]

I've skimmed through this forum and was kind of a curious read.

If you ask me, this game idea is begging for mechs & tanks, as it's the only way you'll put spacecraft on equal footing with something on the ground and give you all the aspects that you would get from a ship (eye, armaments, etc).

I think the unique aspect of Alleg is that space is basically divided into rooms (sectors) where alephs are the doors. The sectors are big enough so that people can hide in them and can't really camp unless they're at the aleph. I think this is part of the essence of strategy in Alleg. You would proabaly want to maintain this concept somehow.

Anyways, I'm a java programmer by trade and a long time ago I was in a couple efforts to create a new video game back before all these engines were available. Needless to say, it's a herculean undertaking. You don't know how much work involved until you actually try it. It's kinda scary to me. There is a reason why dev schedules for games are often late when there are dozens of engineers working on them full time with a multi-million dollar budget. And that's with software engineers who know what they're doing.

Still, I would seriously have some good C/C++ skills as I would think more major engines are done in C. I wouldn't do it in Java though I have seen a couple FPS at JavaOne and they didn't seem all that bad. Also, building major software projects like these require someone that has not only superb programming skills, but is also a good software architect. You have to know how to design this stuff or you will easily code yourself into a corner, or turn it into spaghetti code in a heartbeat. Trying not to rain on your parade but if you guys have got hold of someone like that, but I would seriously start looking, especially if you don't have any programming/design skills. Even if you ended up scripting everything in Python (Python?!?! I can see the scripting aspect of it but that's the first I've heard of it). Someone with game architecting under their belt would help you immensely.

Good luck guys, you'll need it.

[radruin]

Hey, Lead Dev here (lol that seems so wierd to me). Anyways, my exams are almost done and I'm just about ready to start tackling the game I think.

@gr4vity: You seem, for the most part, to be re-iterating our basic plan lol. But @ your questions:
1. Concept is SORT OF in its infancy, for this reason: I haven't started coding it yet. What I'm going to do is make basically the game engine, and everybody else (with me chipping in, of course) is going to work on graphics, and techs, and faction balance, etc. So once I'm done coding the basics, we'll be able to start on the cool stuff.
2. Since we're basing everything on 1 world, we're going to have pre-made maps that correspond to a place on the world map, and have alephs leading between them.
3. Since we're on a planet, we may very well have some mountainous areas, and some flatlands as well, and some deserts, perhaps forests (though those would probably be too polygon-intense for most peoples' computers, i think?)
4. We're likely not having everything aircraft. As Mr Whats-his-name said (the dude who posted after you),QUOTE If you ask me, this game idea is begging for mechs & tanks[/quote]But, we'll find out as everyone develops the game. Which, again, relies on me coding it first.

@Mr. Kltplzyxm:
Yes, Python. It's what Blender Game Engine's scripting is done in. I share your attitude towards Python--I had never heard of it before. Since Python is totally free (you can even package it up and sell it), I don't think it would be any problem at all to include a Python install with the finished Quantus product.
We don't have any really experienced people; this is going to be a fan-made game, programmed by a 17-year-old who's going to college for computer gaming. lol. Nobody experienced has volunteered, so I'm learning what I have to and then tackling it. There are plenty of people out there willing to help (Blender has a very community), so all I'll need is time.

O and @gr4vity again: I'm going to make a summary of this forum and pin it (with my l337 new forum mod skillz), in a little bit. Also going to prune this topic, because 19 pages is just crazy.