Ultimate Amiga
Amiga Software Help / Discussion => Software Development => Topic started by: Hungry Horace on January 11, 2010, 12:06:28 AM
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Ok... i've decided, since i am -slowly- working on this project now to post in here the message about it I had sent to Zetr0, to see if he was interested in being involved.
This is something Graham Humphrey and I were going to work on together. I know he's been a bit busy of late, but it would be great to have him still on-board. It's a project i'd like to collaborate on, in order that I can learn Blitz myslef (with some guidance) ... Ive never even managed to get a nice comfortable working setup of BB2, so that alone would be a nice start!
Title: Serious Aliens
Team: 2012 - As appearing on the game credits:
Game Design, Coding & Audio: Hungry Horace
Production Support : Skateblind
Programming Advisor: BooBoo
Game Graphics: Osiris37 [provisional]
Artwork: Kitty [provisional]
3D Modelling: Emuchicken [provisional]
Playtesting: Anemos
Online Host: FOL
Genre: Top-down Shoot-em-up
Graphical Style: Sensible Software (in-game) , Graphic Novels (cut-scenes etc)
Language: Blitz Basic 2 AMOS
About: It's effectively an Alien Breed / Chaos Engine clone, but in the style of the Sensible Software games. An homage to the film 'Aliens' but with my own nods to Dr. Who, star wars and Asimov thown in ... being the multiplayer obsessive i am, i had also dreamed of the game being 3-4 player... and even better than that, i'd love it to multiplayer over TCP/IP, but that is a dream way beyond my abilities!
Game-wise, my idea was to build a kind of 'generic' game engine from which one could build maps, and with simple customisations you'd have endless options. TBH, i'd like to know this is firmly in-place and being developed before even thinking about menus/overheads etc.
The game would use a similar mission objective system to Cannon Fodder (i.e, a number from certain possibles; destroy all opponents, or bases, or key points like power generators etc, or activate a number of triggers) ...
it might even be worthwhile building some kind of trigger/event system similar to the one i discovered in Bloodwych, as I'm sure this must be how CE largely works. (eg; event 1, toggle, door open/close @ x20y03 ... event 2, remove wall @ x02 y12 etc)
The game engine could be largely built up using Cannon Fodder sprite rips (they are easy enough to obtain) , but it is the importance of getting something as smooth running and as 'active' (read; decent number of sprites) as that which has stopped me from making this game in AMOS. BB2 i feel will cope with it much better.
this game has been a dream of mine for about 5-6 years now, and i'd love to get the ball rolling on it. Alas, i cannot do it alone without BB2 knowledge!
References: Inspiration for other artwork, design etc , as well as coming from Sensible Software, comes from my own 'space art' which you can see some of here:
http://www.djcresswell.com/live/media.html
and i have a lovely book which i could scan some of showing Giger's concept artwork for Alien.
i also have a zip file i sent to Graham of lots of bits and pieces (largely gfx rips) although i think much of that would be better off taken 'from fresh'.
Music: The music is mostly done in MED format, now being converted to Protracker Mod. I have three tunes; menu/intro , mission screen and game over... the only changes i am making are the addition of more variations.
Sound FX: i started some speech for in-game but i will have to re-record those. They are just 'snippets' like the ones used in Dune 2. Obviously, this is something i'd like to do myself, but it's not that hard to build up a small FX library for a game like this anyway.
System Requirements: 1 meg ECS is possible, but perhaps load times would be massive. 2 meg AGA might be preferable and give a lot more options. It would be a consideration for further-down the line i think. I write for HD usage anyway.
Storyline: i also have a storyline drafted, but i wont go into that just yet. It's nothing too clever, but enough to have some Asimov-esque social/political commentary as i think all good sci-fi should do.
Here on www.ultimateamiga.com where i would like to build, not only a project team, with diaries , logs etc, where it is well known am always looking to expand information for a developer base. Anyone interested in being a part of this, please feel free to post in this thread :)
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sounds good...
Mission Completed once you escape from the level (Alien Breed), or once youve completed the objective (cannon fodder) ? ;-)
doesnt matter really... sounds like a good project though
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hmm, sounds interesting!!
I would be happy to help out with graphics if Dastardly would like a hand!
And a website should it be required!
my idea was to build a kind of 'generic' game engine from which one could build maps,
Made me thinks of that BOH, (which is a current release, but ive never played it)! i think they have taken a themeing approach where graphics can be easily changed.
Will be interesting to see the progress on this one!! :)
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i am happy to make this a proper development team effort, so any assistance on graphics especially will really help ease the burden of making this game, and hopefully push things along a lot more.
re: level completion, this really depends on how the maps end up being put together. I'd like a "open" approach like AB:TA if possible, with the missions as a side element, which open up more possibilities as you go on.
One thing the game will likely need once the engine is in place, is graphic sets and map designs! I will sketch up something on paper for how i think the 'universal' map will look and post it here. Should give a feel for level types as well.
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Just to confirm that I am definitely up for helping out with this project - as soon as Tank Wars Deluxe is finished I will be fully committed to this game. I want to get back into programming again as I'd kinda forgotten how much I enjoyed it, and am a bit low on inspiration for ideas of my own so working on someone else's idea with (hopefully) a group of people together seems to be ideal.
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Horace youve gone to the Dark side -Blitz Basic :D
Anyway sounds like a great project - If a Working/Good setup of BB2 does get upload can I get a copy :)
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Horace youve gone to the Dark side -Blitz Basic :D
Anyway sounds like a great project - If a Working/Good setup of BB2 does get upload can I get a copy :)
chck the downloads section, i just forgot to post about it ;)
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probably deserves its own topic, but! :P
A fella on EAB has been showing some of his pixel work from amiga games, including Elfmania!! How about getting someone like that on the team????
http://www.miharinne.1g.fi/amiga/Amiga_index.html (http://www.miharinne.1g.fi/amiga/Amiga_index.html)
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Hmm... inspired by Aliens, Dr. Who, star wars and Asimov? I'm liking the sound of this project!
probably deserves its own topic, but! :P
A fella on EAB has been showing some of his pixel work from amiga games, including Elfmania!! How about getting someone like that on the team????
http://www.miharinne.1g.fi/amiga/Amiga_index.html (http://www.miharinne.1g.fi/amiga/Amiga_index.html)
The artwork from that link you posted looks top notch!
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Just to confirm that I am definitely up for helping out with this project - as soon as Tank Wars Deluxe is finished
I still think some tiles from another game like MaxRally or a mixture of fresh and recycled graphics might work for you.
chck the downloads section, i just forgot to post about it ;)
Thanks :) - Ive had a realy good play with your NZS editor and its great realy impressed I guess your be makeing some kind of similar Level Editor for this new project? maybe a general level editor could be made at some point for all to use in there projects.
Good luck guys :)
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I find it both sad and amusing that most the games this guy designed graphics for were unreleased...
Im sure the gfx he did for the (unreleased) expansion were better than the real elfmania graphics though ::)
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oh oh.. now i want to learn Blitz Basic.. ::)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyjl1oX0hDQ&feature=related
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please continue to use this thread for general project discussion.
However, technical requests for those involved in the team have now moved to the private developer board. If anyone wishes to join the team, get in contact here and i will arrange you suitable access. General demos etc once ready will of course be displayed here for all.
@ Anemos - i'm using the Amiga version!
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Sorry if I am having a stupid moment, but (a) do I already have access (which I suspect I do) and (b) where is it?
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Sorry if I am having a stupid moment, but (a) do I already have access (which I suspect I do) and (b) where is it?
1) yes you do, as an 'amiga guru' (contributor)
2) Look near the top of the forum for "guru meditation" board, or recent topic "serious aliens upload"
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Cheers Horace.
So it was a stupid moment - just as I had expected!
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About those fonts we were discussing last night, are you going to be using the same font in various places in the game or is just the once for the intro?
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About those fonts we were discussing last night, are you going to be using the same font in various places in the game or is just the once for the intro?
Intro pics are exactly that, pictures, so they can use pretty much anything. The general in-game font (work in progress) is the CHARSET.iff file in the archive. I am going to work on the small font for that myself i think, as i have a similar font in my FONTS: library
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i have penned an introductory story. The kind you would normally get in the manual. I guess the last bit of it and/or a stripped down version of it could be used for the intro.
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There came a time in the galaxy when the Human race proliferated. It spread itself amongst the stars in Empirical glory, reaching beyond the imaginations of it's humble Earth-bound beginnings.
Only in their own arrogance, could they have once thought themselves alone in this universe. With their power and might, the pioneers of the Human space-race were able to greet the other inhabitants of the universe with technological treasures and scientific wonder.
And just as easily they were able to snatch them away.
With the United Systems of Earth and its colonies now at the forefront of the galaxy, they abused their control over the populous, relishing in the success of their kin and bringing alien races to their knees. As was inevitable, there was outrage and unrest, and the wars soon began.
But the Aliens were not so weak as to surrender blindly, for they had many strengths of their own, strengths considered to be the stuff of Human legend. They formed coalitions with break-away humans, assembling inter-species armies the likes of which had never been seen, uniting for a common cause and soon the galaxy found itself in turmoil. Decade-long battles were fought over small remote worlds, whilst others were reduced to dust within the blink of an eye. Countless lives lost and resources squandered
Within time however, both sides lost spirit from the fighting and the war came to an impasse - planets in deadlock, bidding their time, hoping to salvage some strength that one day they might fight on.
...
Above the remote world of Ubik, a United Systems satellite rests in orbit. A research station for pioneering weapons-tech was reaching the end of it's run - it's mechanised militants sent to the planet had been a failure, and with another fleeting glance, as he had done every day for the 2 months, since the rest of the team were called to other task, Jools sat up his post to take a look at the signals relaying back.
Minimal response from all units.
He pondered to himself why he bothered at all. He'd have skipped coming to work today if it wasn't where he lived. Surely no one in the Defense Sector would be checking on this line of development anymore anyway? Most of the investment was going into organic weapons-tech now. Someone must have told them they could grow an army cheaper than they could build one. Certainly breeding one might be more enjoyable.
But this was his duty, and he was damned if he was gonna suffer the punishments for falling out of line just because he didn't want to crawl out of bed.
This day was different though, for mere moments later a stronger signal was received. This alone was something of a shock to Jools, and only as he began to wipe the coffee stains from the screen did the obvious become apparent. This signal was not from the cyborg units on the surface. This was coming from outside. Right outside.
...
General Midi was the sort of man Jools wasn't happy to have invading what had been his home for nearly 3 years. They may have been on the same side, but within an hour his troops had completely rewired his computer systems, upgraded the teleport transport systems, and most importantly they'd unplugged his cafetiere. More to his disbelief was the fact that the troops had completely refilled the station with supplies, and somewhat alarmingly, themselves. Jools pondered the cleanliness of some of the habitation units, before remembering that these were hardened Marines, unlikely to be upset by a bit of vent-dust.
At least, he hoped not.
He'd naturally assumed that was it - time to pack his bags and leave the Novation Space Station once and for-all. Afterall, his hand-over was done and there was nothing left for him here now except a handful of memories of ill-spent time. Nothing so mudane. It seemed the General had other ideas, and that he was to be left in charge of the monitoring station. He was told how his new role would be to monitor the life-signals of the units as they were sent down to the planet's surface, and when necessary, send down the replacements. It sounded to Jools a lot like his old job.
There was something new and exciting about all this activity though, and it was more than just his passing interest in a few of the female staff now on-board. The General seemed to take genuine pleasure in talking about his latest "weapon in the war on the Alien menace." A system to allow teams of apparently skilled operators one-to-one control over each Marine, to help guide them through their mission.
But yet the mission itself seemed simple enough. They were to investigate exactly what had gone wrong with the cyborg units, assess the numbers of the local population who had survived, and if required, suppress their numbers. There was a key-point installation which the General was adamant would contain all the information they would need. The team only needed to await the arrival of the teleport relay on the planet's surface, and at the flick of a switch, the first troop would be there.
Jools flicked the switch nervously.
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no feedback on the story? ok then...
Question: Target System?
I had considered previously i was going to attempt to make this a 32 colour ECS game, as of course, i'd obviously love to be able to play this on PSPUAE. However, given the freedom offered by being A1200/AGA/HD only, is it worth the effort?
Graham - have you ever used the NewCommandSet for Blitz? Bippy is adamant that this is a lot quicker thant the original BB2 commands, but my investigations show that, although you can set your application to high-priority, you are still operating in "Amiga" mode - any attempt to switch to Blitz mode causes the compiled program to lock-up. Does Tank Wars Deluxe kill the OS or not, and how well do you think BB2 will fare running a 32 colour game on an ECS machine? The increase to AGA palette size would certainly give us a lot more freedom.
Feedback from anyone else on this is also welcome.
Other interesting news, i found a good TCP/IP Stack set of commands for BB2, although i doubt i'll be able to implement them very well by myself, it cetainly makes for an interesting prospect!
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The story so far is great, only make minor changes to it, if any at all. Some funny art would go well with it, Jools sitting at his post with everything around him in a mess and then the next shot shows General Midi in the background, but everything is clean and Jools hasn't even moved an inch.
I would suggest creating the best game you can and if you really want a version for PSPUAE and A500s, then you can always cut bits out and by then your knowledge of BB will be good enough so that you can optimise it to a point it works on the 'lesser' machines.
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Graham - have you ever used the NewCommandSet for Blitz? Bippy is adamant that this is a lot quicker thant the original BB2 commands, but my investigations show that, although you can set your application to high-priority, you are still operating in "Amiga" mode - any attempt to switch to Blitz mode causes the compiled program to lock-up. Does Tank Wars Deluxe kill the OS or not, and how well do you think BB2 will fare running a 32 colour game on an ECS machine? The increase to AGA palette size would certainly give us a lot more freedom.
Never used the NewCommandSet myself, although I have heard of it. Never tried to do anything with it.
TWD does indeed throw the OS out. As to how it will fare with 32-colours on ECS, I guess it depends on how much you have going on screen at one time. Due to the type of game it is I'd imagine it is going to be fairly action-packed so it might struggle at points. I don't think it's impossible however but you will probably have to make sacrifices to get it to run at full pelt constantly. I think skateblind's suggestion is a good idea myself, if you feel you can't quite do it full justice on a bog-standard machine.
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Alien Breed Tower Assault AGA would seem to use 128 colours in-game? i am no 100% as the images i have ripped from it are PNG and the files therefore have many more 'blank' colours in them.
Of course, it does also have an ECS version, which might be 32 colours?
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I dont know if these Alien Breed TA tiles will be on any intrest to you.
http://walen.se/sprites/?level=album&id=16
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Hi BooBoo - they appear to be the ones i have been looking at! but thanks, whoeer helps later on with gfx might need them
i have been discussing this with someone a bit more knowledgeable about the restrictions of Amiga hardware, and I think i am going to go with Skate & GH on this... an AGA game, with a view to "downgrading" it later on perhaps.
320x256x 64 should be quite adequate for in-game.
320x256x 128 for still pictures etc (i know 256 is possible, but i think unneccessary?)
Thoughts?
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I run right now the demo on my A1200!
its great ;)
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Is there a Demo to Try?
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Is there a Demo to Try?
only a intro-demo. been a bit busy the last few weeks, and really need to speak with GH once he has freed up a bit from working on TWD.
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*WANTED*
dedicated coder to take over this project ;)
I am happy to still work on design, gameplay, coding ideas and sound, but I doubt i will have time to pick this up again as far as coding goes, as I am about to start some serious training over the next few years, so i cannot dedicate myself to learning a new language.
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OK, so this kinda got put on a back-burner...
However, I'm looking at possibly resurrecting the idea with AMOS... maybe stripping it back to basics and seeing what i can achieve, so that the idea isnt wasted. I'd still love to have a "team" involved, so I'm going to focus on the code, the design and the gameplay elements, leaving room for graphical improvements and high-level stuff like cut-scenes/story to be added later by others. I'll pretty much work with just ripped graphics for now (Cannon Fodder, Alien Breed)
I'd be interested to know if anyone is working on an AGA AMOS extensions at the moment... even if it just meant I could have the option of AGA (128/256 colour) intro pictures, although they would need fade in/out commands that worked with them.
I looked at a cool AGA tile example I found on Aminet but I dont think I'd have the ability to implement it sadly. I will also take another look at the TCP/IP AMOS code thats on there.
Any help implementing AGA improvements and / or internet play would be welcomed ... I'll be happy to share the code for development via this board.
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Maybe work on 4 way rap around after the hard work this should be quite easy to convert to other languages like blitz later if you want.
Whats the AGA demo you mentioned on Aminet
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Pretty sure I will be using TOME for my map code, and scrolling.... There's a really good example of the TOME disk which is exactly like I want!
There are a few little AGA/ Amos examples on manner, but none feel very complete tbh.
Just wondering BooBoo, if you'd like to be involved with code/gfx/level design (any or all of these!) on this project? :) I would love to get a team together for this one!!
The menu / intro etc code for this is coming on well. Hope to start on some game code inthe next couple of weeks :)
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If I can help I will
I'll have a look at Tome but I thought the scrolling was all screen copying? Not sure this is a good idea?
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If I can help I will
I'll have a look at Tome but I thought the scrolling was all screen copying? Not sure this is a good idea?
the routine i've seen is screen copying but it is really good.
TOME package including ADFs with examples is in the downloads section... you'll be surprised what it can do!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jbf-cSvPOg
^^ have a look at the first game, and mazeman at 6 minutes... impressive stuff covering what I want to do!
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Cool, look forward to seeing it
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Been a while aye? :)
Glad to see you are getting back into it. Coincidentally I recently got all my amiga stuff out and started playing around with it again. I have not got back into AMOS yet and it has been a long time since I last pretended to code in AMOS. ;)
I would be interested in helping out where I can, I have continued to code/create games, so my skill level is actually a lot better than it was, but I would need to refresh myself on AMOS syntax, although that should not take long.
My first suggestion would be to maybe try add a few extra moving sprites on that Maze Man game to see if it can handle it without too much slow down. There is a jet game demo in TOME and that seems pretty fast, so maybe that would be a better example to try first?
What ever you need, I will help. I am more mature and commited to projects now, so don't worry about the old Skateblind returning. :P I will keep checking back to see what the plan is, maybe we can get into an IRC channel again?
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hey skate, would be great to have you back on the team. I still had you penned down for "playtesting" but maybe i'll make a change of description in there then.
You are right about the TOME code, i will look at both in much more detail further down the line. I think i had a fault on my TOME ADF though when i tried to run the jet game? Any chance you have a working copy?
Just msg'ed kitty to see if she'd still be interested in doing some artwork etc down the line. No rush on that one though. I'd also like to know if EmuChicken wouldnt mind doing a few more 3D rendered pictures, because i've used the space-station one in the game and would really like to keep some consistancy in the style, his really was very good looking.
I'm also hoping Osiris37 might be interested in transferring some of his 2d/pixel skills that we saw on the MLM editor over to this, to help make some "new" sensible software gfx. For now, i'm going to work with rips from Cannon Fodder though.
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Sounds like a very good plan. My offer of help is not limited to coding, I will do anything you need.
Concerning the TOME stuff, I couldn't find my CF card, so I am not sure if I have any of that, but I know I have that card some where, just a case of searching through all my crap for it. Might be on my old HD, so I will take a look at that too.
The TOME stuff I put together is already in the downloads page I see, did you check through that or is that corrupted too? :/
I am setting up a WinUAE enviroment now, so I will check too.
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Sounds like a very good plan. My offer of help is not limited to coding, I will do anything you need.
Concerning the TOME stuff, I couldn't find my CF card, so I am not sure if I have any of that, but I know I have that card some where, just a case of searching through all my crap for it. Might be on my old HD, so I will take a look at that too.
The TOME stuff I put together is already in the downloads page I see, did you check through that or is that corrupted too? :/
I am setting up a WinUAE enviroment now, so I will check too.
sweet - today->wednesday I can probably be in chat quite a bit :)
the copy of TOME i got from the downloads section here, but i will check it's not just the download causing the corruption - i got an error copying the files to the HD in the UAE environment. :S
http://youtu.be/d2K83RkyQqc
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Having switched the project to AMOS, and re-appraised what I want the game to be, there has been some slow progress.
For now, I'm just going reveal a small teaser preview....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2K83RkyQqc
If anyone wants to be involved, largely in Graphics or Coding, please get in touch :)
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You big tease, the intro music is good, certainly made me want to wait for the gameplay. Awww! no <spoiler removed by MadAngus>.
Had a little fun faffing about with the mission text. :)
Mission Briefing
The mission you have been assigned is located on planet UBIK, this mission has been designated low risk and will be operated by a two man team, you've met good. The drop point will be 3 kilometers from the primary target, you should expect minimal resistance on landing, but be at the ready and keep your eyes open, Private Horace I'm looking at you.
The indigenous lifeforms are well adapted to the high moisture content of this planet, you are not. You know the routine, so check your equipment and apparatus, there's no room for slackers under my command.
You've got your mission script, read it, it may save your life.
Mission Script
Objectives:
#1 Establish Base Camp relative to primary target.
#2 Surroundings may be hostile, scout the area for potential threats.
#3 Secure Base Camp, engage and eliminate hostile lifeforms.
#4 Proceed to Zone 2
Environment:
Area type: 39B (Marsh)
Soft marsh
Swamp lands
Movement will be slow but not hazardous.
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Project of this game is continue ?
want to help,with a statics graphics ,or anything .. like 5000 pound,s :D
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I wouldn't mind trying my hand at animating some of the Abuse alien graphics, but I can't promise they'll be any good. If that sounds interesting, then I'll have a go and post the result. You can asses the work and see if it fits. I can accept that not all work is good enough or fits the theme. :)
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I am sure Horace knows what he wants first, but if it is at all possible, I would love some tile graphics to work with as soon as possible.
Tiles are 16X16 and they need to be able to link with each to create a varied map. E.g top left corner of building, top middle, top right, right middle, bottom right, bottom middle, bottom left, left middle and a few extra tiles for brick patterns, windows, doors and so on. Then I can stick them all together to create different shape and size buildings using only a small amount of tiles.
Cannon Fodder example maps: http://hol.abime.net/2917/gamemap
Put the tiles together on an iff image so they can be extracted within the map editor. They should be right next to each other, so DON'T put a 1 pixel grid between them. It does not matter how many are on a row or column, but keep the row lengths the same. e.g 10 tiles per row
Exactly like this, but WITHOUT the 1 pixel border round the tiles. http://8bitape.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/tileset.png?w=479
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Thanks for the info, it's will be Sunday/Monday when I post my efforts, I want to get Volume 1 of the AMOS Newsletters released this weekend as well. The sprites need properly ripped, they're in *.spe format. We'll see then if the effort is of use and meets Hungry Horace's theme ideas. :)
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What style map-ground we need ? forest,ice,ect.. what colors,also the characters of the game is rdy ?
Maybe one line to what to doing is important
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What style map-ground we need ? forest,ice,ect.. what colors,also the characters of the game is rdy ?
Maybe one line to what to doing is important
Most of the graphics Horace is using at the moment is from Cannon Fodder. He has characters and tiles from there, but they are only place holders. I guess he wants original artwork for the finished game and I am trying to make a map for him to test with, but the cannon fodder tiles will not be in the final game.
The first area marshes and swamps, so something like Chaos Engines first level would be good I guess. Remember, this is a futuristic/sci-fi theme game, so try to have jungle/swamp/grass tiles, but also have buildings and technology. Since you might make the effort to help with this, I would say you can use your artistic freedom, I'm just glad we have some people to help Horace with graphics. :)
Take a look at the images below to see how you could create tiles to be robust enough for map making. Thanks!
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Hi guys,
I am very grateful of the interest, but i need to stress, there is no mad rush to be getting graphics sorted!!!
I really want to get a good game-engine in place first, with simple place-holder graphics that meet my game requirements.... after that new graphics (which conform to the "regulations" can be simply slotted-in and some levels can be designed.
I wouldnt want people spending ages of graphics, only to have to wait a year to see them in action!
In due course, i will post all the limitations and requirements of any game graphics...
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OK, I'll contain my enthusiasm ;D and hold off on the Abuse graphics.
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Graham Humphrey can help? if he want of course..
Well,my graphics it will just gives some ideas to upgrade later.. will see ..