Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

DarkBASIC Discussion / I have a decent game project at last!

Author
Message
TDK
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 02:27 Edited at: 19th Oct 2009 02:33
As most of you know, I'm not really a game writer - I prefer to write tutorials and utilities to help others write games.

In the past, when I have written games they have been pretty awful and most were never finished because I got bored, essentially due to the subject matter not being that interesting to me.

But, I have finally come up with a subject for a major game project that grabs my interest.

Not being a game writer, there are aspects of this project I'm not going to be able to do myself and I'll need some help with - when the time comes.

I was going to suggest it as a community project, but there are already enough on here too far underway to disrupt them, so I'll just continue developing this one myself for now.

It's based on my favourite TV programme (which has now ended) and a search of the net amazingly shows no sign of a PC game based on it. (One was being made but it was cancelled before it was finished).

I won't tell you what TV program it is, I'll let you download the 5MB demo I've knocked together so you can see for yourself...

At this moment in time, I've not decided what specific sort of game it's going to be and would be interested to hear what you all think.

Finally, on the topic of utilities, I'm writing a couple of new ones for this game and I'll be releasing them into the community when finished.

Download Link (5MB)

TDK

Pincho Paxton
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Dec 2002
Location:
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 03:30
WARNING CONTAINS FLASHING IMAGES.

Not that I am susceptible to them.

Yeah I don't really have any ideas how to put this TV show into a combined storyline.

TDK
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 03:45
Flashing images?

Not sure what you mean there. It doesn't flash for me anywhere - strobe light fashion at least.

Quote: "Yeah I don't really have any ideas how to put this TV show into a combined storyline"


There are a few directions it could go. It could all be done as a space exploration/trading game or more like the TV show itself.

Not sure which one would be best.

TDK

demons breath
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Oct 2003
Location: Surrey, UK
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 04:14
That's cool man. Looks damn fine as well.

2 things though - that wouldn't be in the game too regularly would it? Or would it be skippable if it was in the introduction before the menu screen or something? Because cool though it is the first time, I could see it getting annoying by the 187th or whatever. Like those Sims games - my sisters play them and when they get a new one or if someone there hasn't seen the introduction before they'll play the video before the menu screen. If they have though, they'll just skip ahead to the loading.

Also the sound was a little odd - after it rotated, it sounded abruptly and unnaturally cut off, almost as if the computer froze every time. Possibly having a slight background noise behind it would help. Digital silence is a bit of a shock and while it can be used for good effect, I think generally some low-level background noise, no matter how insignificant, would help...

"A West Texas girl, just like me"
-Bush
TDK
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 05:29 Edited at: 19th Oct 2009 05:48
Quote: "that wouldn't be in the game too regularly would it?"


Not sure yet as it depends what sort of game it's going to be.

If it's going to be an 'all in space' explore/trade/shooter then the gates would be orbiting the planets and they would be the 'quick-dial' type.

In any case, even if you did use gates on the planets, don't forget that they have to be dialed, so you wouldn't actually be sitting there doing nothing but watching an animation.

My guess is that some form of computer interface would be used on earth and a DHD on other planets (I'm creating a model of a DHD at the moment).

But that's where I'm open to ideas. Should the game 'feature' scenarios from past episodes of the TV series and be 'planet-based', or should it be more open to roam about in space - Freelancer style?

To start with I currently have 128 galaxies, each with 100 stars (solar systems), each containing up to 12 planets. As everything is generated randomly, enlarging everything is simply a case of increasing a few numbers. It also means new campaigns would always be different.

As for the sound glitch - it must be when I'm overlapping two sound effects as the ring stops rotating. There's background music looping through it all and it doesn't sound too bad on my machine - especially for a roughly knocked together demo anyway!

TDK

demons breath
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Oct 2003
Location: Surrey, UK
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 10:15
Woah man that's a lot of planets to be playing with - sounds like a pretty open ended game. You'll have to make sure anywhere the player is likely to go is interesting though. I played Spore when it came out, and the space stage really disappointed me - I thought it was a good fun game throughout but then you get to the centre of the galaxy and it basically says "Well done. You did good. By the way, in all these thousands of stars, why not see if you can find earth?"

Rather anticlimactic, really.

I think a combination of planet based missions and the ability to roam about freely would be good. Kind of like how in RPGs they have a main storyline and then additional things you can do on the side.

Would you have one storyline and have the player progress through it? Or would there just be a smattering of unconnected missions around various galaxies. Because to be honest I think the first would be vastly preferable. Unless there's some other incentive to complete areas of the game then I probably wouldn't play a game that was too detached and fragmented.

"A West Texas girl, just like me"
-Bush
TDK
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 13:36
Quote: "why not see if you can find earth?"


At the moment, our solar system is the starting point, so it's not that hard to find!

A touch of Battlestar Galactica there methinks?...

Quote: "Would you have one storyline and have the player progress through it? Or would there just be a smattering of unconnected missions around various galaxies."


Not sure. My first thought was to stick more or less to the plot of series 1 of the TV series and have the primary objective to track down and destroy the Goa'uld - using the gates to get new technology for the job.

TDK

demons breath
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Oct 2003
Location: Surrey, UK
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 13:54
Cool. Must confess I'm not particularly familiar with the TV series (don't really watch TV, only a few shows which I get on DVD, so my knowledge of all this stuff in general is somewhat limited). I think a reasonable amount of faithfulness to the original's always got to be a good thing.

That sounds like a good primary objective - gives the player a reason to keep playing and a motivation to complete the missions.

"A West Texas girl, just like me"
-Bush
BN2 Productions
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Jan 2004
Location:
Posted: 19th Oct 2009 21:51
Quote: "should the game 'feature' scenarios from past episodes of the TV series and be 'planet-based', or should it be more open to roam about in space - Freelancer style?"


Seems like the same dilemma the creators of Star Trek Online faced. Their solution was have it filled with lore and allusions to aspects of the show (aliens, locations, characters, etc). Some missions bare a resemblance to shows but are still original. This allows those who know the story and lore to be excited about it, but those who don't can still enjoy it and get into it.

Have you thought about when the game would take place? If you do the future, the gates could have fallen out of use for some reason or another so your character is "re-discovering" them. This would also give you an excuse to block off certain terribly hard places while the player is still weak. It also would allow you to have references to events throughout the shows entirety, without having to worry about continuity (there were a lot of problems with this in Star Wars Galaxies, namely, that you could be a jedi and the time frame was such that there shouldn't have been any).

Great Quote:
"Time...LINE??? Time isn't made out of lines...it is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round!" -Caboose
Libervurto
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 20th Oct 2009 02:35
Like BN2 I also prefer games that are set in the "world" of the show/film rather than just replaying the events in a boring linear way.

How close is it going to be to Stargate? (I'm assuming it's stargate, haven't downloaded, but I will )
Are you going to use the idea of gates and create your own universe or are you going to use the planets and people from the programme?

TGC Forum - converting error messages into sarcasm since 2002.
Digger412
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th Jun 2007
Location:
Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 04:16
Woohoo! I sense some SG1 (or maybe SGA..)! I've always been a big fan of the show, glad to see someone working on a game. I've always loved space games, I hope that this goes far (btw, have you seen SGU yet?).

Oh, I've had a slight problem with the .exe. For some reason, I can see a flash of the Chappa'ai, but then it disappears. I still hear the gate noises, but I can't see anything. Then, when the last chevron engages, I get like a...well, I'll take a screenshot .

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Bluestar4
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 06:42
how are you on models for the game ?

bluestar4~
---Missle Might - Hero Battles - Zillipede --- which do you like the best ?
TDK
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posted: 22nd Oct 2009 23:36
Quote: "Have you thought about when the game would take place? If you do the future, the gates could have fallen out of use for some reason or another so your character is "re-discovering" them."


That's more or less the Stargate TV series storyline and following that seems to be the best way to go.

Quote: "How close is it going to be to Stargate?"


I don't know yet. I'm leaning towards it being mainly based in space so only a small amount will be based actually on the planets. I don't want the project to be too over-ambitious.

All the galaxies and solar systems will be randomly generated, but I do want to include the home worlds of all the characters in the TV show - if not necessarily the characters themselves.

I think I'll have the main objective be destroying the Goa'uld but in order to do it, you have to locate other races and get their help first.

Quote: "have you seen SGU yet?"


Yes - of course. Slow start, but can only get better...

Digger412:

That looks cool - though I've no idea why it does it. Anyone else experience this with the demo?

how are you on models for the game ?

Not knowing what direction the game is going yet, I have made a start. Obviously I've got a gate and I've just finished a DHD:



I've also made a start on the Prometheus...



I'll probably have a smaller craft capable of going through the larger orbiting rings.

TDK

Libervurto
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 23rd Oct 2009 02:35
Quote: "All the galaxies and solar systems will be randomly generated"

I made a random planet name generator about a week ago. I'll try and upload it if I get time.
I found generating characters in pairs helps, the possible letters for the second character are limited by the first.
My rules had consonants pairing with vowels and vowels pairing with L,N,R,S or T - of course Q can only be followed by U.
This may sound limiting but the second letter will be the last in the name and those consonants seemed to work best.
Another thing is that A can be followed by a null character, helps to mix it up a bit.

No doubt you've probably done this before but I thought I'd share what I've learned.

TGC Forum - converting error messages into sarcasm since 2002.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 23rd Oct 2009 19:35 Edited at: 23rd Oct 2009 19:35
Pretty cool!

I like the part where you take the player through that tunnel. I felt like I was actually riding in it!

I didn't experience any problems with the program whatsoever.

I did think that the part with the actual Stargate was a bit long though. I dunno if it was just slow on my computer, but it lasted nearly a minute and that was too long for me. I really like the quality of the model, though, it was awesome!

And the model you're working on right now also looks awesome! I gotta get me some TrueSpace.

Click the pic:
Dark Dragon
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Jun 2007
Location: In the ring, Kickin\' *donkeybutt*.
Posted: 24th Oct 2009 04:50
Whoa.

(\__/) HHAHAHAHAHAH!
(O.o ) / WORLD DOMINATION!!!!!!!!!!
(> < )
Bluestar4
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posted: 24th Oct 2009 11:38
yes very nice models indeed. I can donate a backdrop texture for space if you need one

bluestar4~
---Missle Might - Hero Battles - Zillipede --- which do you like the best ?
Phaelax
DBPro Master
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 24th Oct 2009 18:40
Quote: "and a search of the net amazingly shows no sign of a PC game based on it."


You didn't look very hard then, because there is a stargate mmorpg coming out.


What you should do is start the game off just like the series, you're simply an explorer. No initial goals except to explore, but you only have 1 address in the beginning. As you discover new addresses a storyline begins to unfold (kind of like Thief). Perhaps you find evidence of the goa'uld on a planet and decide to start trying to find out more. On certain levels there could be a sarcophagus to regenerate your health.
You can make allies, but it depends on how you interact with them. Again, sort of like Thief 3 and how their "factions" worked. Doing tasks for them gain you favor and eventually reach allied status.

TDK
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posted: 24th Oct 2009 20:03 Edited at: 24th Oct 2009 20:23
Quote: "I made a random planet name generator about a week ago."


The one I have written works using an array of syllables. It no longer creates the planet name PooPoo!

Quote: "I like the part where you take the player through that tunnel."


That wormhole effect was only the rough first draft and isn't finished yet. I've also yet to finish the water 'explosion' effect when the gate wormhole is established.

Quote: "I did think that the part with the actual Stargate was a bit long though."


Yes it is, but it is in the TV programme too - there's always something else going on that the camera cuts back and forth too.

In the game, I'll probably have it so you dial in the required address then maybe go do some other task while the gate is doing it's stuff. Maybe an equip screen?

... or you just press the space bar to skip the dialling sequence.

Quote: "I can donate a backdrop texture for space if you need one"


Anything gladly received! I've got a few but I'm actually going to need a different one for each galaxy in the game.

Like I said in the OP, I don't want to start yet another community project as there aren't many members of the DBC community these days and I don't want to detract from any of those already in progress. There are only so many hours in a day...

But, I would gladly accept any help...

Anyone not already involved in another project who thinks they might like to get involved in this one can email me.

Quote: "You didn't look very hard then"


OK, OK, so I missed the word 'existing' from "shows no sign of a PC game"!

You can't buy one today for the PC and the 'official' SG-1 game was apparently started, but cancelled (according to Wiki and all the Stargate sites I've seen). Seeing as the TV series has now been cancelled too I thought it highly unlikely that an official Stargate SG-1 game would be made now.

But, that said, the one I assume you are talking about, (SGW) isn't finished either yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for it though...

However, if nothing else, you've helped me make my mind up about how my project will go.

SGW looks to be a world-based FPS style game so mine will be mainly space-based so it's not the same as SGW.

Your plot outline is similar to what we were talking about earlier in the thread and does seem to be the best way to go.

A couple of home solar system screenshots:





TDK

Blobby 101
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 17th Jun 2006
Location: England, UK
Posted: 25th Oct 2009 01:05
this is looking nice! The cloud layer on Earth in that last shot is waay to high up though xD

Your signature has been erased by a mod because it's larger than 600x120
TDK
Retired Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Nov 2002
Location: UK
Posted: 25th Oct 2009 01:15
Quote: "The cloud layer on Earth in that last shot is waay to high up though"


Yes I know.

I've just fixed that problem in my random planet generator. It's now a bit more realistic...




TDK

Libervurto
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 25th Oct 2009 01:24
woah is that terrain procedural?
Looks amazing TDK!

TGC Forum - converting error messages into sarcasm since 2002.
Digger412
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th Jun 2007
Location:
Posted: 25th Oct 2009 05:30
How long does it take to create a planet? Those look very very nice!

I may be able to do a couple of things now and again, if I have some spare time (which I seem to be waay to short on lately), I may do a little texture or something..I may work on a little procedural space backdrop program sometime within the week..
Bluestar4
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posted: 25th Oct 2009 07:01
well heres a couple free for any type of use(commercial/freeware whatever) for anyone who wants to use them

bluestar4~
---Missle Might - Hero Battles - Zillipede --- which do you like the best ?

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Digger412
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th Jun 2007
Location:
Posted: 25th Oct 2009 07:07 Edited at: 25th Oct 2009 15:19
Here's a pulsing starfield generator. It's crude, but maybe you can use it. This version is for DBC, I have a DBPro version too. Best of luck.



EDIT: I forgot to mention, I do have an x and y bias, but they don't really work too well..I need to make a percentage based bias system.
Latch
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 23rd Nov 2009 18:48
@TDK
Hows this coming?

Enjoy your day.

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-03-29 12:46:45
Your offset time is: 2024-03-29 12:46:45