Plan for Mike Stoddart
by Mike Stoddart · 08/01/2002 (11:55 am) · 9 comments
Prototype Progress
We managed to have our first online test with the prototype of War In Europe. Of course there were loads of bugs found during the test, but overall I think it was a great success.
We used our first test map set in a small town, and the difference between that and an empty landscape was overwhelming. Great job Mikael! It really doesn't feel like you're making a game until you test it with some real art! We are using simple textures for now, but John and Mikael will update them as time goes by.
We only managed to have three out of the four team members online at any one time, but it was still exciting seeing people running around and shooting each other.
So here are the screenshots. 50megs.com won't let you remote link to images, so you'll need to copy the link for the screenshot and paste it into your browser's address bar. Sorry about this!
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot1.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot2.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot3.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot4.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot5.jpg
Team News
Unfortunately we lost a team member due to real life commitments, but in the process we managed to gain one as a replacement. So I'd like to welcome David Crofts to the team, who joins us primarily as a C++ developer. David will also be wearing several other hats, including designer and tester. I'm sad to say farewell to Sam Beck, who unfortunately doesn't have the time to help us out right now. Of course, if that changes in the future, he'll be most welcome to re-join us.
We're still desparately hunting a 3d player modeler, who already has some experience with animating characters. This is our biggest drawback at the moment as we're still stuck playing with the Futuristic model that comes Torque. How strange does that look!
I'm currently chatting with a very talented 3d modeler, who will hopefully have some existing work to demo to me soon. I've seen some shots of some of his work for another WW2 project, and I was very impressed. Hopefully he can re-install his PC soon and join us!
What's Next?
We still have so much to do! Obviously! There are some minor bugs that need fixing in the prototype, so hopefully they will be done soon.
I need to dish out some work for David to get started. He's new to the Torque engine, so I'll be asking him to look through the various GG resources that I've identified as being usable. There are some really cool features that we can add this way, and it will also make for a good introduction to the engine.
John will start working on some new textures for the map and for his Tommy gun that he's been working on.
Mikael has a couple of new features to add to the communications functionality, and also there are some things that need fixing in the map.
I'll be busy fixing bugs in the scripts, and trying to pin down some more gameplay features. I seem to have new ideas every week, so we'll be busy for the next five years at this rate!!
Anyway, hope you like the screenshots!
Cheers
Mike
We managed to have our first online test with the prototype of War In Europe. Of course there were loads of bugs found during the test, but overall I think it was a great success.
We used our first test map set in a small town, and the difference between that and an empty landscape was overwhelming. Great job Mikael! It really doesn't feel like you're making a game until you test it with some real art! We are using simple textures for now, but John and Mikael will update them as time goes by.
We only managed to have three out of the four team members online at any one time, but it was still exciting seeing people running around and shooting each other.
So here are the screenshots. 50megs.com won't let you remote link to images, so you'll need to copy the link for the screenshot and paste it into your browser's address bar. Sorry about this!
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot1.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot2.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot3.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot4.jpg
frontroom.50megs.com/screenshot5.jpg
Team News
Unfortunately we lost a team member due to real life commitments, but in the process we managed to gain one as a replacement. So I'd like to welcome David Crofts to the team, who joins us primarily as a C++ developer. David will also be wearing several other hats, including designer and tester. I'm sad to say farewell to Sam Beck, who unfortunately doesn't have the time to help us out right now. Of course, if that changes in the future, he'll be most welcome to re-join us.
We're still desparately hunting a 3d player modeler, who already has some experience with animating characters. This is our biggest drawback at the moment as we're still stuck playing with the Futuristic model that comes Torque. How strange does that look!
I'm currently chatting with a very talented 3d modeler, who will hopefully have some existing work to demo to me soon. I've seen some shots of some of his work for another WW2 project, and I was very impressed. Hopefully he can re-install his PC soon and join us!
What's Next?
We still have so much to do! Obviously! There are some minor bugs that need fixing in the prototype, so hopefully they will be done soon.
I need to dish out some work for David to get started. He's new to the Torque engine, so I'll be asking him to look through the various GG resources that I've identified as being usable. There are some really cool features that we can add this way, and it will also make for a good introduction to the engine.
John will start working on some new textures for the map and for his Tommy gun that he's been working on.
Mikael has a couple of new features to add to the communications functionality, and also there are some things that need fixing in the map.
I'll be busy fixing bugs in the scripts, and trying to pin down some more gameplay features. I seem to have new ideas every week, so we'll be busy for the next five years at this rate!!
Anyway, hope you like the screenshots!
Cheers
Mike
About the author
#2
I can click directly on the links now as well for some reason, whereas before I couldn't. Weird.
Thanks again!
08/01/2002 (1:42 pm)
Thanks for your kind comment! It was fun to finally play online together, until Mikael decided to go on a killing spree. Oh well.I can click directly on the links now as well for some reason, whereas before I couldn't. Weird.
Thanks again!
#3
Especially for weapons, I see your still using Tim's blue bazooka :))
It might get more people interested.
Phil.
08/01/2002 (1:56 pm)
Mike, why dont you try and adopt some of the models from polycount? I'm sure there are enough player models you'd be ok to use as a test case (go for the halflife ones, there are plenty of army ones).Especially for weapons, I see your still using Tim's blue bazooka :))
It might get more people interested.
Phil.
#4
Yes we're still using the Torque models, but we're slowly working on replacing those with our own. It just takes time! :)
Thanks
08/01/2002 (2:05 pm)
Phil, I thought of that, but wouldn't that involve a lot of work to get the player models into a usable state in Torque? For example, I'd have to add various dummy nodes. Or am I missing something?Yes we're still using the Torque models, but we're slowly working on replacing those with our own. It just takes time! :)
Thanks
#5
Course player models would be another thing, but at least you could have some nice first person weapons.. If youve got a 3d guy, you should be able to get at least 1 player model as well.
I just hate using "default" stuff, it annoys me :))
Phil.
08/01/2002 (2:17 pm)
Mike, well, being a programmer, I decided to have a go at it myself. It took a few goes getting to know the process. But now it'd take a couple of hours to get a weapon from polycount and into torque.Course player models would be another thing, but at least you could have some nice first person weapons.. If youve got a 3d guy, you should be able to get at least 1 player model as well.
I just hate using "default" stuff, it annoys me :))
Phil.
#6
I think I'll see what I can get from Polycount.
Thanks for the suggestion!
08/01/2002 (2:19 pm)
Yeah I hate the default stuff as well.I think I'll see what I can get from Polycount.
Thanks for the suggestion!
#7
Anyway, after fiddling with the scaling a bit, I finally got it to work! See screenshot5.
Thanks again!
08/01/2002 (3:27 pm)
I took your advice Phil, and added a Tommy Gun. I know that John will kill me for this, as he's working on one too, but it was the first model I came across. (Sorry John!)Anyway, after fiddling with the scaling a bit, I finally got it to work! See screenshot5.
Thanks again!
#8
Beggers cant be choosers eh? :)
Phil.
08/01/2002 (3:52 pm)
I know its cheap and all that, but it just feels so much better having models that are in context to what youre trying to do..Beggers cant be choosers eh? :)
Phil.
#9
08/01/2002 (5:09 pm)
No kidding Phil. The best part is that I learnt something from Milkshape; how to create the three joints used to control the muzzle, eject and mount points. 
Torque Owner Sabrecyd
Real life commitments - yeah, it sucks.
It's fun to have a networked game of your project isn't it. We did that a few weeks ago for the first time too. It was frickin hilarious. Yelling and cursing, all in fun :)