My Dream

I can't guarantee it with interface art, but I can guarantee you, every planet will look different from every other planet in the game, from space. I will generate one planet for every single system on the system map I have! It's the best I can do(I hope this will fit on one cd, It's something like 1000 meshes.)

[Edited by Darkmage on 04-17-2001 at 01:01]
 
Originally posted by Darkmage
I understand what your saying man, but if I were to do that, do you have any idea how hard that would be? I am going to have to use a generic sort of layout already, the only real differences between some planets is going to have to be example: one planet has a ship dealer, another doesn't this is for the sake of being able to keep it on 1 cd. I will have more detailed planerts though IE: in wing commander 1 all the planets mentioned WILL have different interface art. same goes for WC 2, & 3. I'm sorry, I would kill to do more but that's what today's technology limits are. If I could I would have ships with over 1 billion faces , super detailed, every planet entirely different.; But I can't It just can't be done. I do want this game to be done in a way that you can go from one end of the war to the other both in time, and in space.
Click to expand...

Sorry. I got the impression that you were aiming for a "Wing Commander Everything game" (wouldn't that be cool -sigh-). Still, this does seem less ambicious, and thus more realistic. I'd love to see it...just include my fantasy of becoming an intergalactic gravy trader. :)
 
I just discovered a major problem, The axion planet shader does not save as a texture. I'm going to have to put the planets in the game as 2d images on a 3d background. I could make them really high resolution so that as you get closer they get bigger but don't lose detail, how would that be?
 
Originally posted by Darkmage
I just discovered a major problem, The axion planet shader does not save as a texture. I'm going to have to put the planets in the game as 2d images on a 3d background.
Click to expand...

I'd help you if I could, believe me. Maybe you could switch to another planet shader?

I could make them really high resolution so that as you get closer they get bigger but don't lose detail, how would that be?
Click to expand...

How high resolution? I'm not sure my pitiful 166 could handle it...:D

I don't know, really. Personally, I'm not bothered by pixilation, so I guess I could handle low resolution...but I can't speak for the other people. Can we get an aye or nay here?
 
Originally posted by Supdon3
There wasnt anything there :(
Click to expand...

Really? Try again. I got in just fine.

I've seen 3D that looks like 2D, and 2D that looks like 3D...this is one of the latter. :)
 
Flight Commander

I've seen a number of questions on Flight Commander, so here's some answers:

I should post a public beta in a few weeks.
There are incompatibilities with the Voodoo 3,
but most other cards should be happy.

It will include a java mission editor, so you can
create your own missions.

Also, you can edit ship and weapon stats with a text
editor.

I've converted practically all fighters from
Wc3, wc4, Armada, and Secret Ops. I
need people to do weapon and ship stats.

As far as the meshes that you would need
for this privateer like game, no problem, I've got
many converted. Of course, its up to fans
to help do stats.

I don't really have the resources to program a whole
privateer game. But here's what might be possible.
1) You recruit some other programmer to implement
the privateer part of the game.
2) Their code dynamically generates a mission file.
3) Use the Flight Commander engine to run the mission file.
4) When the mission is complete, return to the privateer
shell.

I'd be happy to contribute the flight commander engine
for your idea. You'd need to find a programmer with
a LOT of time on their hands to code the privateer logic.

If anyone has any more questions or comments on Flight Commander, please email me at eddieb@ucla.edu

Also, Vega Strike is coming along quite nicely too.
 
Originally posted by Darkmage
Prepare to wet your self:
http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/WingCommanderUnivers/images/Planet3.jpg
Click to expand...

On second thought, it doesn't look 3D. It looks better than 3d. :)

Originally posted by eddieb
I've seen a number of questions on Flight Commander, so here's some answers:

I should post a public beta in a few weeks.
Click to expand...

And I will be waiting by my computer for that day. :)

Originally posted by Darkmage
New Detroit anyone?
http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/WingCommanderUnivers/images/Planet4.jpg
Click to expand...

Now I'm getting "Page Not Found". My guess is that something's gone kaput with Angelfire. :(
 
We love you eddie!!!
I think I may know a programmer.... watch this space. My internet when down again, I gfot it fixed quickly, the pics are all uploaded look at them now!
 
Ok I have contacted the programmer, I am now waiting for the answer, if yes we celebrate, if not.....
Maybe I can learn? probably can't though....
 
Just to play devil's advocate.

I'd estimate what you had in mind would take at least
7 months, with someone working on it full time.
I'd recommend taking a simpler approach, defining a
FEW key features first.

Here's a few suggestions for core features, based on what
you've mentioned

1) Buy and sell entire ships.
FC doesn't really provide support for dynamically
swapping weapons.

2) Buy and sell cargo.
Has no impact on FC.

3)Dynamic mission generation
Note that with FC, the flight plan would have to be done
entirely before the mission started. FC has no way to switch nav points.

4) Money on mission completion, kills.

5) Buying wingmen and cargo ships.

6) Having different planets in the background
is trivial in FC. Go artists!

Stuff that would be out of the question
Network play
The histories
Mapping the entire WC universe

So hopefully, try to make your first cut simple.

Although its really cool to work on artwork for fun,
and to come up with ship stats, I think you need
to come up with code first, then tweak the fun stuff
after you already have a full engine.

The most important step would be for you to recruit programmers.

Just some friendly suggestions from someone who's gone through an entire project. Just opinions of course, I'm sure others could provide suggestions as well.

Eddie.

[Edited by eddieb on 04-17-2001 at 03:44]
 
------------
Key Features
------------
Trading / Credit system
Planetary Interfaces
Date system
Navpoint System
Jump System / intrasystem navigation system
Planetary Landing System

The link I posted was to a website where there's a 3d program which allows you to make fully functional 3d games quickly and easily. It also has 2d interfaces in it as well.

[Edited by Darkmage on 04-17-2001 at 03:58]
 
Originally posted by Darkmage
------------
Key Features
------------
Trading / Credit system
Planetary Interfaces
Date system
Navpoint System
Jump System / intrasystem navigation system
Planetary Landing System
Click to expand...

Trading / Credit system
Planetary Interfaces

Those sound pretty doable by whoever's going to program it.

Planetary Landing System
Minor tweaks to flight commander, but quite doable.
Just create a "capship" that looks like a planet.
Also, some new cutscenes could be created.
But I think this is very doable with the existing
Flight Commander engine. I could probably take care of this over the summer.

Navpoint System
Jump System
A jump cutscene could be added to flight commander
instead of an autopilot cutscene, that would be very doable.


intrasystem navigation system
These things don't exist at all in Flight Commander,
and would require lots of work by someone else.
The only way I can see how to do it with the existing engine is to plan the navigation before the mission.



Date system
Hmm, I think get the basic privateer engine working first.
But this could be integrated into the mission
generator.
 
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