New Phoenix client! - Lets play.

[Vidiot_X]

It looks as if the router change to it's setup has really helped, not only with logging on (no problems today at all) but with the ping rate or lag. I am really surprised at the decrease of ping times. Some from the other side of the globe will be testing in the next few days and I am anxious to see the ping times and Phoenix's client lag capabilities.

 

So, I've done a quick calculation based on four players online (data throughput) and I believe my lowly DSL connection (.756 Down, .12 UP) could handle up to a hundred players with a bit of headroom. That is encouraging for home based servers even if in the end the player count is a bit less. My gut feeling is with more improvements to efficiency and limiting players out of view from being streamed to a client that a home based server is a reality. Good news for 'team low budget's" like me.

 

I'll be working on the server and client tonight so it may be down sometime late in the evening. Keep testing and thank you for supporting this project.

 

- Rich -

[Lone Outlaw]

Hey Richard

 

This is my screenshot of the recent crash. My question is, How come when i travel too far from the NKZ, my ship is being pulled in 1 direction and i can't fly back anymore? Only way back is to press insert (warp). I was actually in the middle of the very situation i described when server crashed.

 

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6213/exceptionsaccesss.png

 

Also here is a screenshot of the Not Responding on server try 9 or 10.

Though it eventually goes away and asks me to input the IP again.

 

 

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2298/notresponding.png

[Lone Outlaw]

Yep that's what crashed server. Server is down again. When you fly too far from NKZ, eventually all directional controls don't work, and you keep moving in 1 direction only (away from nkz still)

 

Then i think once this happens, and you fire bullets - Server crashes.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[Hakaku]

Gave it a shot, but can't connect to server either. Offline works fine on DX10 and OpenGL for me, though wall collision is kind of jumpy.

[Vidiot_X]

OK... I will fix this tonight... I have to run out for an hour or so. If the server is down I'll get it back up soon. This bug is player count and position related so I'll have to look it over.. back soon..

[Lone Outlaw]

Server might have been temporarily down. (since it crashed twice) Try again? Enable Public Networking and Private when windows asks. Enable firewall to allow Phoenix obviously =p. And uh, the IP is 72.161.222.80

 

So server is currently up, if it still doesn't connect, then i guess its some other issue.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

There is new client posted here:

http://www.phoenix.s...lient_a88_E.zip

 

Fixed parallaxing asteroid field.

Some Collision Fixes. But still a bug'

Fixed nasty array out of bounds error that killed server and clients.

Added a parallaxing planet.

Way faster ship.

 

I think the parallaxing is better now. Here is a pic.

 

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/screenshottxtx.png

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

The speed up on the ship really is sweet for game play.

 

Here is an image of a ship exhaust particle effect I'm working on. I plan to include this particle editor into the map/world editor. It will be useful for a lot of effects from exhaust to explosions and even shield impact effects.

 

- Rich -

 

 

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/particle.png

[Lone Outlaw]

Great idea

 

You are really going all out. In a way you are not just designing one client. But many other things in the process. A Particle Edtior, Map Editor etc. Even the Client itself can be thought of as many programs collectively working together for the whole. In a way it's like you made 5 different programs? Combined them, and have the Phoenix client. It's really a big undertaking.

 

I'm pretty impressed with the extent you are taking this. Even though you are not here to impress anyone. Just can't help it =p

 

Particle editor is pretty cool.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[Vidiot_X]

^Thanks. That particle editor is part of a library that I can include in this project. One of the few things I have not written. I will have to adapt it, but worth the effort.

 

@All

 

In order to log on to the server and have good game play always use the latest version of Phoenix SS

 

New version of Phoenix SS: (A.88_F)

http://www.phoenix.s...lient_a88_F.zip

 

Some changes to ship collision.

Experimental server messenger added.

Server now logs player status'

Server now logs chat.

Misc fixes.

 

Keep testing and playing.

[Lone Outlaw]

So if you have time, this client is closed source right? Not open? And would it be easy to hack or edit the client? Or figure out the protocols how it works? Like through hex, check-sums, packet interception etc. Will there be encryption in place? Is open source a bad idea? Or is it preferable you have access to the code only?

 

Can you guarantee you would be around and fairly active, even if you are married, have kids, go to school, start a company more successful that goes beyond the priorities of this simple game? Active enough to patch or update after release for the next 20 years?

[Vidiot_X]

Yes there will be encryption and other checks for security. Aside from that the server is in charge of the game and clients can not act on their own outside of the server game state. So if client X tries to exceed a maximum amount of moves or updates a position inconsistent with its model the server corrects it and if need be ejects the player/client. By using an authoritative server security is greatly enhanced.

 

As to the source code for this project that is something I am open to, perhaps sharing under license (no fee). When I started Phoenix SS I had envisioned developing a flexible game engine I could use on several projects. That still is the goal making SubSpace a beneficiary of my efforts. So I think it's doable. There are some concerns though that make me wonder who and what code. Server code and even the client code would lay bare the inner workings of security and network organization. Not something I'm in favor of. Although there is server code available for SubSpace I do not believe there is any Continuum code around. For good reason, security. With Phoenix the issue of security can not separated in to server and client. They both use the same physics and more to achieve client side prediction and security.

 

So in the end this may be more an issue of who can you trust. I've been here a year researching, designing and coding Phoenix SS with little more then an idea that SubSpace could use a new lease on life. The simple joy of saving something you love. Not to mention a quick check on usage 2362 hours in game (SubSpace). So walking away or abandoning Phoenix is just not going to happen. I hope that once the editor. server(s) and client are in the hands of the community, the fears of flexibility and free access will be nullified.

 

But to be sure, more to discuss here.

[Lone Outlaw]

Hm, nice input on everything.

 

i just wanted to report a 'bug' or just something odd, when you kill a person in the NKZ - safe - spawn area or whatever it's called. The person will explode, respawn, and then the direction of their ship will be adjusted from the original direction they were facing when spawned. And basically all ships directions will be adjusted to that one direction (making it look odd) maybe randomize it? Noticeable if you are looking at other ships. (Not really your own - haven't tried looking at my own ship after i die).

Edited October 13, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

I have been working up a window framework for Phoenix. I have a window interface that is selectable, moveable and re-sizable. The windows also accept 'skins' , one image for the window and a border image. The windows also accept text and images and automatically render to the window with clipping and scaling to text and images, as well as color and blending. So adding a menu and button framework should round out the elements for HUD, chat, radar, scoring and other interfaces.

 

The cursors are also changeable and I'll probably use mouse move to show the mouse cursor.

 

- Rich -

 

 

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/screenshot_windows.png

[Lone Outlaw]

Very nice if you will make windows moveable, you may want to add black space around screens, that way all windows can be moved into that space that is not used for displaying the game. Such is like Ultima Online.. shown in this screenshot. My paper doll, skills, chat log, backpack, spells, and health bar, are all displayed off to the side of the game screen.

 

It's probably best to keep chat inside the game, like subspace/continuum. And the map being transparent can remain in the game also. Even the F2 list can follow with subspace/continuum.

And one could make it so in windowed mode, if the resolution you select does not take up the whole screen, the rest of the screen would be occupied by this black space, rather than the desktop. And within this black space, one could put menus or display other information.

 

AGAIN only in windowed mode, it's probably best in full-screen to have only the game.

 

Infantry another similar game, has it's chat under the game window, and player list off to the right. I advise keeping the chat in the player window like Subspace/continuum. The chat perfect that way.

 

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4690/lammam.png

Edited October 14, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

Well I can tell you from just messing around with the window system I have it will really open up the social aspect of the game. For example not only can you have a configurable chat window but also private message windows, system control windows (zone or match) and many other informational/communication style windows.

 

Since the windows are scalable, and movable they are easy to use. They also can be maximized, restored and closed (if allowed). Because I can skin them and assign an alpha (opaqueness) they can be solid or semitransparent. This keeps the game in view and is way cool if you have a lot of windows open managing a zone or general info/communications. The window system also clips anything beyond it's scope and can scale text or graphics. I can even set a view port within the window to further restrict drawing as I do to accommodate window borders. In all a very useful window system.

 

Additionally I can have "game-in-game" windows. This will allow 'instant replay' or spy on a ship view to be possible. I already support completely scalable game display. So it is already possible to do this I just need to hook-it-up. My only concern is the demand on graphics processing but I think I can squeeze what I need out of the radar system which is rendering in-view map parts at scale, not efficient. Rendering all that to an image for the map display will yield what I need in graphic horsepower, hopefully.

 

I'll be adding buttons for windows today. Then menus, then back to fixing small collision bugs and networking. After that's done I will start a scripting framework to get a CFT game going complete with scoring (game wide and player level)

 

- Rich -

[Lone Outlaw]

Maybe make it so there is a tab bar for all the windows. Like in a windows OS. When you select game it overlaps all the messaging windows. When you select a messaging window, it appears over the game. (transparent) And the way to tell you got a new message, is by making the tab flash when someone sends a message.

 

Otherwise having so many windows is an intrusion even if they are transparent.

 

And that's the point i was getting across by making it so when you are in windowed mode, the windows can be moved off to the side of the actual game screen.

 

Beyond this, making a separate window for Public chat is faulty, and will ruin the immerse feel of the chat in game. Right now chat is connected to game-play, because it's in the game play screen. Moving it to a separate window will make chat feel like a separate entity and actually make the game less social. Equivalent, to games where the chat appears above your characters head, as opposed to in a separate box altogether. The way continuum has it set up is basically the same as text appearing above your head. Anything different will ruin this feeling greatly.

 

For private chat it doesn't really matter, though I'd prefer the whole chat system stay the same as continuum. The only differences should be additional features, like adding a friend-list, a better e-mail system etc. or ignore button etc Changing the layout is the wrong way to go if you want phoenix-ss to resemble anything of subspace.

 

Personally i still think the only optimal use for windows is so zones can display stats in them after games, (zones can add their own columns and row count, and edit titles, and add the formulas for calculating the stats they want.) And of course windows are good for any zone into buying items. So they can buy the item listed, select quantity with an up and down arrow, display price, and display the graphic of the item, and that actual graphic will be used for the weapon/item in game.

 

Other then this, it's more advisable to leave the chat system within the game, and like continuum to be able to select ?lines=0 or ?lines=5, And maybe a ticker for displaying full chat history. The chat system could be edited to customize colors, font, but there is no need to remove the chat system to a separate window.

 

It would be efficient if the transparent map can also recognize more map elements than just ships, or flags. IE it should be able to color code sectors if a zone wishes, or show other important objectives, or map elements.

 

That is all! take my feedback or leave it, though as a developer looking for player feed back, here it is, despite me being the only player leaving feedback, i still think it's a fair and accurate opinion, that respects the strengths and original design of the original client. While still advocating for improvements, i don't think one needs to disregard old ideas etc. Like that old saying goes, add to the game, don't take away.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[LostAndNotFound]

What shard is that?

[Lone Outlaw]

That is a free shard. I don't play on OSI. It's Pre-T2A 1997-1998 Ultima Online. You need to download Razor to access all the freeshards. Currently there is IPY, and probably Second Age (T2A), and Hybrid with about 200-500 players each. The only good free shard that is PRE-T2A which is what i play, is called Origins. http://forums.uoorigins.com/ All access information can be found in their forums. Full house looting, PKS, great template system etc. though origins recently opened in August and barely has players. Maybe 10 people player base. But rebirth (another pret2a shard) for example started with 10, and grew to 300.

 

When i did play OSI i played on chesapeake, back in 1999 during UO:R and then again in 2002 or something during Second Age.

 

Since then i played on a PREt2a shard called Rebirth, and then Divinity, and now i play on Origins. As i like pre T2A the best.

Edited October 15, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[LostAndNotFound]

I played on Catskills in '99. I then moved to a private shard called Imagine Nation. I played on IN off and on up until a few months ago when they shut the doors. I've also played on Hybrid, Divinity, and about a dozen fly-by-night free shards. I think I'm done with UO for good.

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

@Lone Outlaw - Most suggestions cheerfully accepted.

 

@all,

 

Here is a picture of the particle system in action on the ship exhaust. Also I have removed the ship under light (will be a game option) and scaled down the bullets to match the ship size. You can also see the intro/help window (with the Phoenix logo) which will let you have access to help or game settings.

 

The windows are now setup to auto-hide window borders when not selected. This default action gives a cleaner look for HUD elements such as the chat window in lower left. There will also be an option to hide window backgrounds altogether. Great if you want a classic look to chat but still have it moveable and scalable.

 

I have also got the map/world editor up and running again. It's still early in it's development but usable. I will be posting a copy very soon so that everyone can start to get familiar with it. Make a cool map and I'll put it on the server to test.

 

Look for a new client (also server update) very soon. Maybe this weekend. With the additions (ship exhaust for sure) the look and feel is coming together. I will also be changing the project name to just Phoenix, with "Space Combat MMO" under the logo.

 

Thanks for supporting Phoenix.

- Rich -

 

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/screenshot_strail.png

[Cheese]

you also may want to have f1 activate and put all the words as text in the chat box

[Vidiot_X]

you also may want to have f1 activate and put all the words as text in the chat box

 

You have a good point and one I have been thinking on. I plan to use 'F1' to open up help, 'F2' to open settings, and the 'space bar' or clicking on the chat window to access chat. Accessing chat should be easy that way, better then hitting 'T' or 'F9' for chat. I like and dislike the way Continuum accesses chat, but it so frustrating hitting the key for rockets with no response because random keystrokes have enabled chat. In the end many key commands will be mappable including chat.

 

The blue window is going to be the game configuration gateway. To access it you will use 'F2'. from this gateway you will be able to access many of the game settings such as graphics, sound, music and more. As well as be able to configure user personal settings for key mapping, window configurations (like chat window) and communication like private messaging and system wide chat. System wide chat/messaging is every server within the Phoenix system. So you could chat or message with users on any zone. This means you can be (for example) sitting in a zone and pimping it out to all the other users connected to system chat who are sitting in other zones. In addition to this a system wide notification system will notify all zone users of current Phoenix news and events.

 

Lost to do...

 

- Rich -

[Lone Outlaw]

Yep the ship under-light is perfect for when zones, or events will decide to have 'factions', but i don't really think its that useful for most leagues or pub. (personally) but still a great feature.

 

Also for the bullet under-light, can you decrease radius by half, and dim it slightly? That would probably make it perfect (as in realistic of laser fire glow in space) Not that i shot a laser in space before, but meh..

 

The windows are now setup to auto-hide window borders when not selected. This default action gives a cleaner look for HUD elements such as the chat window in lower left. There will also be an option to hide window backgrounds altogether. Great if you want a classic look to chat but still have it moveable and scalable.

 

All window backgrounds? Can you make it so we can also just specifically hide the Chat window background?

 

Will there be a tab system for windows not in use? If i have many windows open, can they be tabbed somewhere and not shown, unless i select them?

 

You have a good point and one I have been thinking on. I plan to use 'F1' to open up help, 'F2' to open settings,

What opens the player list? Isn't it better to keep player list on F2, to give it the familiarity of continuum? Will player list be a fixed window off to the left/right of game screen like Infantry? I prefer the continuum system of a window that pops up upon pressing F2, and is scalable in size.

 

i think F3 or F4 should be settings window..

 

 

Any ideas on if you will have a prezone lobby? A chat lobby before players enter any zones? And how it will be implemented? Of course if you do this, have to make it so the players in that lobby can still be talked to, through maybe a universal Lobby tab in the chat system. This way even inside a zone, you can talk to people in pre zone lobby. To this end no one would not enter a zone because they'd miss conversation, or not be able to talk to players in this pre-zone lobby. This would basically mean the pre zone lobby, would have every player both in a zone and not in zone, from every zone in it. Making the game much more connected/universal.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Lone Outlaw

[Lone Outlaw]

For example one way to do a tabbed thing, is to have, it like DDO, they have General, Trade, Advice (Player Help) Tabs in their chat.

 

Though it would be nice to even have a Phoenix-SS bar, maybe at the top of the screen, where game windows are tabbed like in an Operating System.. So basically, health/energy show in middle, (in a bar of there own) then off to left Side, (Where normally Start would be on windows PC) it will instead have F1, F2, F3, F4. And then on the right side, it could have Tabbed Game Windows. Game Stats, Buy Menu, any other game windows.

 

http://images.mmorpg.com/images/galleries/full/312009/0db9fd1a-f103-4f8f-b72c-604d34b2eac4.jpg