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Work in Progress / Galactic Catastrophes - RTS

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Veron
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Posted: 11th May 2007 14:25 Edited at: 23rd Jul 2007 13:29
I've been working on this game tirelessly for a long while now, and I thought it's an appropriate time to release a demo/beta version of the game.

The game's an RTS (Real-Time Stratergy) game, played in the same way as the Age of Empires series, but the game's content is vastly different.

You can also play online with friends, but it's not tested properly yet, so, when the demo is released, i'll need some online testers.

The game has 3 difficulty levels, Easy, Medium and Hard for the AI.
There's also a fully functional day/night system, and an in-game clock.

Up to 8 players are supported, and so far there's only one civilisation, but that'll change soon. If you have an idea for a civilisation, (eg. name, type, figure, appearence, history), please, post it here and let me know.

If anybody wants to start an online game, let me know when you host it here, so I can join and test the online out with you!

Please download and then post your comments here!

Note: All screens are in .JPG format.

Oh yeah, and there's also a map editor, which you can use to create your own maps, and also your own campaigns.

http://img182.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screen1fr3.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screen2nn9.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screen3tf0.jpg

http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screen4we5.jpg

http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screen5di0.jpg


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TDK
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Posted: 11th May 2007 18:00
Looking quite impressive so far.

The only thing that occurred to me when viewing the pics was that the camera viewing angle didn't look right - it's too 'top down' and doesn't match the angle of the buildings.

This also restricts the viewable play area and you don't get to see what's heading your way.

How easy would it be to make the camera view at a less steep angle - or is it controllable in-game?

TDK_Man

Sergey K
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Posted: 11th May 2007 20:46 Edited at: 11th May 2007 20:47
yeah.. try to make the ground lil bit more 3d..
but looks really cool so far.

Veron
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Posted: 12th May 2007 01:46
Thanks for the replies!

Quote: "This also restricts the viewable play area and you don't get to see what's heading your way."


From what i've done with it in my testing/debugging, you can see what's heading your way fine. When I release the demo in a few days you'll see it!

Quote: "or is it controllable in-game?"


Heh, i'll probably do that!


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Lucifer
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Posted: 12th May 2007 02:07
wow, just wow, i'm looking forward to trying this game out when it's finished


i like pancakes..
Gil Galvanti
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Posted: 12th May 2007 06:17
Looks pretty good so far .


tiresius
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Posted: 12th May 2007 08:53
Looks really cool. RTS games are one of my favorite types to play! We'd all be interested in how you handle the AI for the game, I'm sure.

Although a bit confused about the title, it makes it sound like it's based in the future. But I see Ali Baba like towers and villager huts...

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 13th May 2007 14:31 Edited at: 14th May 2007 13:39
Quote: "Although a bit confused about the title, it makes it sound like it's based in the future. But I see Ali Baba like towers and villager huts..."


I know, I can't really decide which genre of RTS would suit the game more, scifi or medieval, so I went for a kind of twist. Doesn't help the game flow though, so i'll have to decide on a genre, then either update the title, or the graphics.

EDIT: Alright, i'll be buying my domain name within a day or two, and so then, after a few quick lighting issues are fixed, and some online play things get worked out, it'll be available for download.


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Veron
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Posted: 15th May 2007 12:49
This is important enough for a double post.

Well, just tonight I figured out how to get the game working with multiple civilisations, and most of the code for it is done. All that's really left to do is create the graphics for the teams. (4 in the first version, maybe only 2, depending on time constraints)

But anyway, i'd like suggestions on what names do you think the civilisations should have, and/or the genre/time setting of the civilisation in question.


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Scraggle
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Posted: 15th May 2007 16:39 Edited at: 15th May 2007 16:40
Quote: "How easy would it be to make the camera view at a less steep angle"


I would say it is impossible. If the buildings were 3D then of course, the camera angle could be changed but they are clearly sprites downloaded from Reiners Tilesets. Which is absolutely acceptable but obviously not adjustable.



zzz
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Posted: 15th May 2007 20:44
It looks really good!

WII number: 8220 5043 6939 7393
tiresius
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Posted: 15th May 2007 22:58
Veron-

I'm always partial to some post-apocalyptic setting where there used to be lots of technology but then civilization went to crap.

That way you could have rudimentary units like raiders and gunmen, but if you research or find enough technology you can get some of the "old tech" and have tanks and lasers and stuff.

But that is the most interesting part of making a game... figuring out story and such. You sure you want others to come up with it for you?

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 16th May 2007 12:29
Quote: "I would say it is impossible. If the buildings were 3D then of course, the camera angle could be changed but they are clearly sprites downloaded from Reiners Tilesets. Which is absolutely acceptable but obviously not adjustable.
"
Indeed, but Reiner's Tilesets offer 3d versions of their sprites in .MMF model files as well, all I need to do is get Multimedia Fusion to open them correctly, which i'll have for the v1.1 release in the near future.

Quote: "But that is the most interesting part of making a game... figuring out story and such. You sure you want others to come up with it for you?
"
Nah, i'd already come up with a plot, and civilisation names, I was just looking for input, to see what came up more, scifi or medieval genre stuff.

Anyway, online bugs fixed, domain name bought, just uplaoding all the site's pages onto it now, and another civilisation is almost added in, along with the menu screen for choosing what civilisation.

In other words, a couple more days and it's done.


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tiresius
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Posted: 16th May 2007 18:43
Oh I didn't realize it was so far along. I thought you were still at the beginning. This looks really cool I look forward to playing it!

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 17th May 2007 11:40
Quote: "I thought you were still at the beginning."


Heh, nah, almost finished the first version beta, v1.0. It'll be uploaded by tomorrow. However, it'll only have one playable civilisation, it'll take ages for me to work out a civilisation selection screen, and with all my half-yearly tests starting today, it wont be done fully for a week or two.

So tomorrow, it'll be uploaded.


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Kiefer Greenspan
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Posted: 18th May 2007 09:14 Edited at: 18th May 2007 09:15
*edit* sorry
Veron
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Posted: 26th May 2007 04:07 Edited at: 26th May 2007 04:10
Ahh. At last. The first version is done. It's taken so long because of domain registration troubles, and some persisting online bugs.

But anyway, that doesn't matter anymore, because i've finished uploading it, and the link is below.

http://www.verongames.com/download_id=gcd1.html

If anybody wants to start an online game, let me know when you host it here, so I can join and test the online out with you!

Please download and then post your comments here!


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tiresius
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Posted: 26th May 2007 08:24
People usually don't like installers for WIP games.

I ran it but the splash screen gets stuck with a little bit of green in the status bar. Maybe it will work for someone else?

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 26th May 2007 08:49
Wait a little while, it will eventually load, what're your PC specs? On my PC it takes about 25 seconds to load from the splash screen.


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tiresius
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Posted: 27th May 2007 03:21 Edited at: 27th May 2007 03:26
2Ghz P4 with 2Gig Ram

It was over a minute with just a 1/4 inch of green for the status bar. The bar didn't grow at all. I'm assuming it was stuck.

If it works for other people and they report it takes a long time to load I'll try it again.

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 27th May 2007 06:02
Agh, that's strange. When someone else downloads it, and it works for them, then try again.


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Veron
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Posted: 29th May 2007 13:59
*Bump* Anybody else downloaded this yet?


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Veron
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Posted: 31st May 2007 11:40
Alright, updated version maybe sometime soon, as soon as I recieve some proper feedback on the version so far, but the maximum map size has been increased greatly, now at a maximum of 6024x5768, before it was only something like 2024x1028.

But yeah, comment on the current version, I want to know what you think of it!


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Sixty Squares
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Posted: 31st May 2007 14:00
Pretty cool game, I like the music Keep up the good work! I found that unit selection was somewhat difficult when my workers were behind my main hall but other than that nice job! I liked the lights around the workers, although explored areas could be lit up a little more and the soldiers could have lights as well. Not sure if this was already mentioned.

Good job on this game. It's fun

Phaelax
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Posted: 31st May 2007 19:40
models look great, but terrain is somewhat lacking.


Veron
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Posted: 1st Jun 2007 10:01
@ Sixty Squares: Thanks! I've got three questions for both of you though:

1. How long did the game take to load?
2. Did you find the map sizes were too small and constrained?
3. (@Phaelax) What do you mean by "lacking?"
4. Did you try out the level editor?

Also, has anybody tested the online mode?


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tiresius
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Posted: 2nd Jun 2007 06:20
The game eventually loaded for me. I will give a full review in a few days after I play it a bunch. I really like RTS's and glad to see one made in DBPro that is so far along.

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 2nd Jun 2007 12:00
Cool, thanks!


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Veron
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Posted: 5th Jun 2007 13:01
Cmon guys, 758 views and around 30 posts...


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Veron
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Posted: 9th Jun 2007 12:57
Uhh, yet another bump... What's up? Over 900 views nearly!


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tiresius
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Posted: 10th Jun 2007 04:02
I played up to (I think) the 3rd mission.

Here is a list of things found or opinions:
- Campaign level #3 - invisible main building
- Units need better pathfinding
.... Sometimes they go in circles spinning uncontrollably
- allow waypoints for buildings (units just clump around them)
- explosion sound from elite soldier should be pooled so there can be more than one of them playing at a time (sounds stuttered in a group)
- hard to click on trees for resource gathering
- show the units selected in a window somewhere
- not readily apparent where the buildings can be built
- assign numbered groups so you don't have to keep picking units
- victory screen should be fully lit (follows day night cycle)
- the day/night cycle is neat but night time should be much shorter than it is. Right now it feels longer than daytime, and that's because it is annoying. Also, ALL the buildings should be lit up for you at night, and I think all the units should too.
- currently no fog-of-war, so you can see all enemy units.
- enemy AI needs improvement... barely built anything or just sat there

With all that being said. It's a pretty cool game! I'll be keeping an eye on this project for sure!

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 10th Jun 2007 08:35
Cool, thanks!

I've just managed to add compatibility for up to 4 civilisations now, so soon 4 civs will be playable!

Tiresius, did you try out the online mode?


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Dr Manette
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Posted: 10th Jun 2007 22:39
I played it, but the game play was clearly lacking. Overall, the controls were good. But, as Tiresius said, the AI needs a lot more pathfinding. Also, I noticed the enemy only attacked when I attacked it.

Also, you need a button to access idle citizens. It was extremely annoying to have to find person behind a tree.

Finally, the fighting units need more balance; I find that a rock/paper/scissors method is the easiest to implement. Also, the siege weapons should have more health and defense, and be slower. The towers were way too strong, and were the only building the enemy built. This is alright, except it prevented me from being able to win from lack of trees to use for building.

So good start, but now you need to make everything much more balanced!

tiresius
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Posted: 11th Jun 2007 02:38
I have not tried out the online mode, as I don't have any friends. I haven't tried the campaign editor yet either, I'll take a look at that later.

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 11th Jun 2007 07:56
@ Dr Manette: Couldn't agree with you more. A.I will be the biggest thing which I hope to improve over the coming week or two. And don't forget, you can create yor own maps, the maps that I made that come with it were quick concoctions to test out the loading of levels, so, if you're short on resources, make your own map with plenty! But, i'll be releasing a map-pack sometime soon as well.

Okay, i've pretty much finished off the first two civilisations, all I have to do is name them. For the time being, i'm diverted to fixing the bugs and making improvements on the existing features. Fog of war is almost done, and the day/night cycle is a lot faster now. The same goes for numbered groups. After that, i'm working on the A.I pathfinding and showing the unit selected in a window.

Hopefully, in about a week, i'll have most of the above things completed, and I can release a new version!


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Veron
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 08:09
Ok, fog of war is almost done, and there are two civilisations to play now, Britain and Japan. It's probably going to be a real-world RTS, where you start off in the "Dark Ages", and advance in technological levels, and you progress into the modern-day world, and eventually into the future.

The day/night cycle is also half the time it used to be as well, and the buildings for both civilisations are different.

Towers are weaker, and the higher AI levels are a lot smarter, they lay siege to you straight away if the map allows!

I'll upload the new version soon.


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Veron
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Posted: 22nd Jun 2007 13:22 Edited at: 26th Jun 2007 12:54
Fog of war completed, AI is even tougher now, and I managed to fix a really annoying bug which wouldn't let the player drag a rectangle around units to select them.

Right now i'm working on the first tech level. It'll allow 1 extra building, and 2-3 technologies so far, but when I have more time, this'll expand to over 10 buildings and 20 technologies.

And also, in-game screen recording is almost done.

All the above features will be in the new version, which i'll upload the v1.1 beta for tonight.


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ArKano
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Posted: 23rd Jun 2007 23:32
This game looks surprisingly similar to my game Dark Hive:

http://www.yoyogames.com/games/show/1595

I mean... you didn´t even bother to change the GUI graphics. I deserve at least a mention in the credits, don´t you think so?
ArKano
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Posted: 24th Jun 2007 00:12
... even the coding is nearly identical to mine. I assume that you worked "tirelessly" on some sprites, because the rest is the same. -_-
tiresius
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Posted: 24th Jun 2007 10:23 Edited at: 24th Jun 2007 10:29
Ok so ArKano made a game Dark Hive with some gamemaker product. He gave out the gamemaker source stuff too.

So there's two options:

1. Veron = ArKano and he's just remaking the same game in DBPro, and trying to drum up some controversy.

2. Or Veron is copying almost to the letter, the gameplay mechanics and GUI of someone else's mediocre RTS.

Either way I don't like being played with and this has turned me off this project for good.

[EDIT] Check that. Galactic Catastrophies has the same EXE footprint as Dark Hive, therefore it is not even a DBPro program.

So we're led to believe it is a DBPro game, and that it is your original project. Neither of those is true. That is just wrong and you should be ashamed of yourself.

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
ArKano
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Posted: 24th Jun 2007 12:13
I think option 1 is a bit senseless.... how would i benefit from doing that? What is the point of rewriting a 100% finished game in another languaje?

Dark Hive´s source is free, and people can do with it what they want, but if someone *copies* it trying to pass it as their own game, without saying my name somewhere....
Cliff Mellangard 3DEGS
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Posted: 24th Jun 2007 14:58
Ok i yust want to say thanks to arkano to pointing this out as i must agree here on some strong points given out.
veron could you please fill uss in on waths happening here.......
tiresius
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Posted: 24th Jun 2007 16:42
Quote: "Dark Hive´s source is free, and people can do with it what they want, but if someone *copies* it trying to pass it as their own game, without saying my name somewhere.... "


Yeah this is a double whammy, because the WIP forum is for Dark Basic or Dark Basic Professional games only, and there's no mention of your previous work.

Yeah and thanks Arkano for pointing this out. I wouldn't have thought someone would do this on this forum, but whatever. I'm done with it.

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
Veron
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Posted: 25th Jun 2007 10:34
If anybody wants to see the full source code for this game in DBP, if that's enough proof, drop me a line via e-mail please.

Quote: "it trying to pass it as their own game, without saying my name somewhere.... "


I must say, if you checked the credits, I have credited you for the interface.


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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 15th Jul 2007 07:43
Wow, copying someone elses game is pretty pathetic. Why would someone waste the time?

Vernon, why don't you post the code here? Say, 50% of it. It will be apparent whether or not it's the actual source of the game, and 50% will render it useless for someone trying to copy it.


Come see the WIP!
Sixty Squares
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Posted: 17th Jul 2007 04:21 Edited at: 17th Jul 2007 04:25
Hmmm.... If this game is a two dimensional RTS with buttons AND unit selection that was started on May 11th, shouldn't Veron know how to do what he has posted in this thread (July 8th, nearly two months after the first post) already? I'm actually starting to think this game was copied...

Anyway, I'm hoping it's not copied, for the sake of this being a cool game . Cash Curtis II has a good point. Try his sugguestion, and we'll be able to find out once and for all what's going on here...

Inspire
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Posted: 17th Jul 2007 05:43
And you were in the newsletter...tsk tsk.

tiresius
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Posted: 17th Jul 2007 06:33 Edited at: 17th Jul 2007 06:33
Quote: "Anyway, I'm hoping it's not copied, for the sake of this being a cool game "


Ahem, did anybody read my posts above?

This is what happened:
1) He took a game in GameMaker called DarkHive made by someone else (which was freely available)
2) Changed some of the media and a few other things
3) Made a post here about his new RTS Galactic Catastrophes, which happens to have the same EXE footprint of a GameMaker game
4) Advertised in the newsletter about it (I already notified BatVink when I first saw it, not sure why it's still there)
5) Posted questions about how you click on an image

Do we need any more proof? Lets let this post die the horrible death it deserves and stop posting. It's already wasted enough of my time, I'd hate for it to waste other's as well. Or better yet, MODS lock the bloody thing.

I'm not a real programmer but I play one with DBPro!
BatVink
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Posted: 23rd Jul 2007 09:48 Edited at: 23rd Jul 2007 09:49
Quote: "Vernon, why don't you post the code here? "


Quote: "Advertised in the newsletter about it (I already notified BatVink when I first saw it, not sure why it's still there)"


Due to it being requested to be featured in the newsletter, and Tiresius notifying me, I requested the source. It never materialised. However, I think this is all the proof I need:
http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=110752&b=7

Once the newsletter has gone out, I can't change anything.

Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 23rd Jul 2007 13:19
Might I say, this has indeed been a galactic catastrophe


Come see the WIP!

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