Vidiot_X

I am using BlitzMAX (www.blitzmax.com) which is a C++ friendly development language. It is an OOP style language. It is very useful for rapid development. I plan to release the source code at some time. For now I feel it best to keep it under control until near final / final release. I do not expect many will be coding in BlitzMAX anyway, but I am open to further discussion. @All Client/Server test should begin sometime next month (Dec). At that time the editor will be able to function fully enough to create parts and collision information. You be able to make a map and then run it in the client/serve application as well as limited online play. The basic framework of the game systems (networking, physics and other engines) will be in place. Once I have a working game system (level editor and client/server) I would like to discuss what to do with it. My goal is to remake SubSpace. Keep the good and add to it. I am fairly sure most of you don't know me, which is why I am kind-of waiting until I have a working game system before I ask everyone to get involved. I am sure some of you have seen others developing, come and go. So I would like to impress upon you my seriousness by delivering "the goods". Anyway... Quentsions on the editor? L8r, Richard Betson aka. Vidiot_X

New game client/server image. Now starting to get a parallax effect with all the layers moving. Alpha blending is working nicely. Here: http://redeyeware.zxq.net/Pheonix_SS_Client_Server_Alpha%203.html Release: Phoenix SS (working name) Level Editor Alpha.3 (Windows only) I have attached a copy of the level editor in this thread. More information about the editor can be found here: http://forums.ssgn.net/index.php?showtopic=25083 All you need to do is follow the instructions in the help.html file. You can also just unzip the zip file and run the exe file. The help file is displayed when the editor runs. This should give you an idea of what I am up to. Please remember this is just the rough outline. Let me know what you think of it. BTW: Use the "ARROW" Keys to move around the map. Forgot to mention that in the doc. Richard R Betson aka. Vidiot_X

Thanks Purge. I just exchanged my new computer for a for a different one. I had bought what I thought was an Athlon II X2 but instead was sold an Athon II 170u (2 ghz) single core. The short story is they messed up, and upgraded me to an 2.8 ghz Athlon X2 220, 4 gigs memory (was 2) and a much nicer monitor. Over a $100.00 us free:) So I am sorta moved into my new , new computer and I am back to coding. L8r,

Is there a way to attach a file to a post? I would like to upload a copy of the editor just to see how its working. It's very "Alpha" but is far along enough for some video card testing and feed back. It does nothing to special right now. It will load a preassigned map, let you do some editing and save the map. One cool feature you might like is "Multiple Sub-Views". Using a Tab Interface you can open multiple sub-views of your map. This allow you to have many independent views and independent locations. So you could have a view in the NW part of your map and on the next tab have a view of the SW part of your map. You can scroll around any view in any direction (set 8 axis for easy keyboard control) as well edit from each view. Sadly no part editing yet. But very soon. The collision system in the game requires the part editor be working enough to create bounding lines around parts. So, it is next up. I need to make a few more tweaks but should have it ready by Saturday (ish ). If I can not attach a file I will post it on my site (might do both). L8r

A listenserver is what I am working out right now. I have just got the timing code down enough so I can sync up it all. I have two computers going right now to test it and it seems to work.

@JoWie I feel this way as well. For alpha development purposes I will combine the two. But after that it will break in to a client (game) and a server (pure server no graphics). That's the plan @All I just bought a new computer. This is forcing me to deal with video cards and DirectX / OpenGL support in my game. It appears that I can use both (OpenGL a must in some os's), so this should make it flexible. I am finding that some cards have Great OpenGL speed and poor DirectX speed or the other way around. My test bed sytem has an on board GeForce 6150 which is at best low to fair in performance. With no timing limitation I get 220 fps (OpenGL) which is not bad. But in DirectX I can only get 60 fps or so. Even though this game looks 2D it is really a 3D game (images are on quad polygon's). Video card performance is going to be of some importance. A quality video card is going to be a must. With that said I am very hopeful that my game will run quickly enough on most systems in OpenGL or DX which ever ends up to be faster for the users system. Richard Betson SubSpace: Vidiot_X ps: If you have ever wanted to see what you sometimes have to go through to iron out video card issues follow these: http://www.blitzbasic.com/faq/faq_entry.php?id=2 http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=183215 http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=177015

Well were to start? On the server issue my feeling is, it's best to start from scratch. Right now I am using a library (gnet) for game networking. This will work fine at first but it will need to be modified if I were to keep the same style of networking that SubSpace uses PHP/MySql (and others) or some such. There are also other issues to consider as relates to translating the design of my client (the game on the client side) and the restrictions of the current sever. In many respects networking your game can be more daunting then coding the physics. I would like to give this some thought and come to a discussion on it after I have a stable working client and a server. The networking end can be modified later. As to the game. I am "Knee-Deep" in coding. The design of the game breaks out like this. The game is a client/server. This means it can be a client or a server. If your the server then others (the clients) need to know your IP. If your the client then you will have to enter the IP address of the server to connect. For alpha testing purposes this will function nicely. I will address the future network needs when I get to the beta phase of the project. I have a working inertia engine which accounts for a great deal of the movement of ships, bullets, particles and most any thing in the game that has velocity and mass. Collision is based on a "Line vs. Circle" algorithm were a ship would be virtually represented as a circle and the surface of a wall would be the line. If the circle crosses the line a collision has occurred. All that is tied into a a collection of map parts ( map walls and other collide-able objects) that are surrounded by these bounding line segments ( vertlet's ). The map engine then manages these parts displaying them monitoring for collisions. The map engine also supports Z-ordering objects so that stationary map objects can move at different speeds giving a depth effect. I am right at the point of constructing the part-building segments of the level editor. This is were you will be able to take 2D images (say a wall segment) and "Wrap" then in bounding lines. This is at the hart of the collision system and the last thing I need to do before releasing an alpha version. In addition to the above I can support OpenGL and Directx so alpha-blended (adjust opacity) and other types of image blends can allow for great special effects. The programming language I am using is BlitzMAX ( http://www.blitzmax.com/ ). It's a high level OOP language written in and based in c++. So it is a good tool for open-source projects. I have been involved with this company as part of the "beta team" in development of most of their products. I have access to many resources and advice through their community. I hope I have answered some questions. Remember the alpha will be just a basic working version of both the level editor and game client/server. That said you will be able to build basic maps and test them online. I will keep you all posted on this project. Thanks for the interest. Richard Betson SubSpace: Vidiot_X

I got to thinking about server issues; is there a link to some of the server details? Specifically the server commands, data stream formats and alike? Richard Betson SubSpace: Vidiot_X

@Purge, I probably will write a new server. I'm looking at my options now. In some respects getting the server right is a tough job, but I have access to libraries that may make it much easier. @Maverick, I'm looking at hosting sites now. I'll let you know. ps: I hope I created this topic in the right spot. Richard Betson SubSpace: Vidiot pps: I should add that I can compile to Windows, Linux and MAC.

Hello, I have some pictures posted on my website (temporary site until I get a domain) of "Alpha Versions" of my client/server (the game) and level editor. Go here: http://redeyeware.zxq.net/ I have wanted to make a new version of SubSpace for a long while and now have the resources and time to accomplish it. I will be releasing the alpha client/server and level editor for testing by all who would like to have an input in the development. It should be about two weeks. My primary goal is to take the best of SubSpace and then expand it so that it is a much easier, richer and up to date in the graphics. I also would like to make it "open source" so that code development can continue. Look for a post here about the alpha release. Alpha means it's working enough so you can get a feel for what the game will become. Basically the ability to fly around, shoot other ships and basic level building. I am starting with 2D (2D quads with all the bells and whistles) but this may change to a 3D version still keeping the overhead view/2d Plane that SubSpace has now. Regards, Richard Betson SubSpace: Vidiot_X