Saying "Hi"
by Bryan "daerid" Ross · in General Discussion · 03/14/2001 (1:51 pm) · 6 replies
Hey all. I'm new to the GG forums/community, so I thought I'd say "whazzuh" to everybody.
Also, I'm currently a Web Developer looking to get into the Game Development arena. I have extensive experience scripting for the game Starsiege: Tribes, and I know basic C++ (very, very little experience though).
I was wondering what the best approach to breaking into the field would be?
Thx in advance for any help!
Also, I'm currently a Web Developer looking to get into the Game Development arena. I have extensive experience scripting for the game Starsiege: Tribes, and I know basic C++ (very, very little experience though).
I was wondering what the best approach to breaking into the field would be?
Thx in advance for any help!
#2
You're in luck if you know scripting, man, because most of the gameplay stuff will be handled in scripts! In fact, the AI for the V12 is all handled in a script; I guess they partway compile the scripts into byte code to make them run faster, and to protect intellectual copyrights.
03/14/2001 (3:57 pm)
Hey man! I'm a Tribes player too; my name on the TW forums is mr_luc.You're in luck if you know scripting, man, because most of the gameplay stuff will be handled in scripts! In fact, the AI for the V12 is all handled in a script; I guess they partway compile the scripts into byte code to make them run faster, and to protect intellectual copyrights.
#3
I go by the name "daerid" on TW's forums. :)
My main interest is gameplay functionality and physics
03/14/2001 (4:00 pm)
hehe.. zup d00d.I go by the name "daerid" on TW's forums. :)
My main interest is gameplay functionality and physics
#4
One project that I want to do but I know I could never accomplish is a multiplayer RTS where people can hop in and fight the other guy's guys. I've also got some pretty interesting ideas for making a single-player FPS/RPG. (Single-player because so many of the balance and AI issues disappear . . . only to be replaced with an insane amount of scripting work).
But you know . . . what I really, really want to do is make a fun Adventure/Action type game, in the spirit of Mario :) I mean, think of the over-the-top levels you could create. It'd be fun as hell. :)
03/14/2001 (4:38 pm)
So what sort of ideas are percolating inside YOUR skull?One project that I want to do but I know I could never accomplish is a multiplayer RTS where people can hop in and fight the other guy's guys. I've also got some pretty interesting ideas for making a single-player FPS/RPG. (Single-player because so many of the balance and AI issues disappear . . . only to be replaced with an insane amount of scripting work).
But you know . . . what I really, really want to do is make a fun Adventure/Action type game, in the spirit of Mario :) I mean, think of the over-the-top levels you could create. It'd be fun as hell. :)
#5
I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool if you could zone off a level with different areas that have varying gravitaional orientations. So it would seem to one guy looking into a room that another guy is walking on the wall, whereas to that other guy, it looks as though the first guy's peeking out of a hole in the ceiling/wall, and each person views this (from a first-person POV) as though their particular direction of gravity is "down".
Did that make any sense?
03/14/2001 (4:47 pm)
Well, mainly I've been thinking for a while (ever since I futzed around with UnrealED) about gravity in games, as well as orientation of the POV. I realized that virtually every game has the gravity oriented the same way for everybody. I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool if you could zone off a level with different areas that have varying gravitaional orientations. So it would seem to one guy looking into a room that another guy is walking on the wall, whereas to that other guy, it looks as though the first guy's peeking out of a hole in the ceiling/wall, and each person views this (from a first-person POV) as though their particular direction of gravity is "down".
Did that make any sense?
#6
But since it looks like the V12 is the best option here, I have had some other ideas about gravity.
My idea has a sort of 'outer space' thang going for it -- the idea being that gravity is NOT appied uniformly, ie straight down -- it is applied based on certain physical points, OF WHICH THERE CAN BE MORE THAN ONE! Imagine the direction this could take.
Imagine several asteroids in close proximity to one another. (For the sake of convenience, we won't be talking 100% accurate physics here; imagine these are supa-dense asteroids). Each one has a gravity field of about 1/6th earth g, emanating from its center.
Right away we have some VERY interesting scenarios -- for instance, you could avoid an enemy attack on foot, by actually hiding behind the horizon of the asteroid!
There are some things that would really, really have to change -- for one, gravity that gets weaker the further you get from the center, so you could actually attain escape velocity in some cases. Which would be a pretty bad thing if you aren't aiming for another asteroid . . but we would undoubtedly give the player some kind of a grapple.
The biggest problem as I see it is that we would probably have to model each individual asteroid, unless we suddenly become l33t and can make a terrain generator that handles semispherical bodies. Of course, the resource section has some very interesting info on doing just that.
I have always wanted to do a first person shooter in 'space'. Just imagine the radical difference in gameplay if the physics were anything like realistic! (Assuming that the asteroids are denser than uranium, of course). If the physics were in place, just imagine the l33tness of using a grappling hook to get around -- you're almost dead, you using an explosive sharge to blast yourself clear of the asteroid surface -- congrats, you've got escape velocity! But the only thing that now stands between you and an death in space is the tip of that asteroids you're about to go flying by -- grappling hook -- thunk! it catches, and you swing like a pendulum, releasing your grapple as your flight parallels its surface; the slingshot effect is propelling you even FASTER.
And then, BAM, a stray boulder is in your way and your suit is ripped wiiiide open, your blood boiling away violently into the void. It's a tough life.
But, man, just imagine the possibilities of different gravity sources. How l33t is that? WHat an idea . . .
My biggest beef? That you'd probably have to do some SERIOUS work on the terrain editor, which I believe involves understanding fractal geometry . . . unless, of course, you want to settle for modelling the asteroids by hand -- which is entirely unsatisfactory because of how the engine handles LOD; we'd need the terrain system's LOD system to make the stuff right next to use detailed and the further stuff less so; modelling the asteroids yourself means that when you get close to the asteroid, the whole thing goes to a higher-detail model. Which, for a decent-sized asteroid, would suck ass.
But this is all just ideas; I like to try to come up with new stuff, new concepts. There are a ton of other ideas, but the only ones that look like they'd work well for a small team are things like FPS games, racing games, flight/fight sim games, etc.
Actually, the one game that I really wanted was the Babylon 5 combat sim. It had REAL ship physics; you didn't do those goddamn BANKING turns in the airless vaccuum of space. (Thanks a lot, George L).
03/15/2001 (9:18 am)
I see where you're coming from. I've had some similar ideas of my own re: gravity. But I think that it would be a lot easier to do what you're talking about using a portal-based engine, like Unreal or Thief 2's Dark Engine. (In fact, I've made a lot of funky-physics Thief 2 missions, and it turns out that Garrett walks on his head really well).But since it looks like the V12 is the best option here, I have had some other ideas about gravity.
My idea has a sort of 'outer space' thang going for it -- the idea being that gravity is NOT appied uniformly, ie straight down -- it is applied based on certain physical points, OF WHICH THERE CAN BE MORE THAN ONE! Imagine the direction this could take.
Imagine several asteroids in close proximity to one another. (For the sake of convenience, we won't be talking 100% accurate physics here; imagine these are supa-dense asteroids). Each one has a gravity field of about 1/6th earth g, emanating from its center.
Right away we have some VERY interesting scenarios -- for instance, you could avoid an enemy attack on foot, by actually hiding behind the horizon of the asteroid!
There are some things that would really, really have to change -- for one, gravity that gets weaker the further you get from the center, so you could actually attain escape velocity in some cases. Which would be a pretty bad thing if you aren't aiming for another asteroid . . but we would undoubtedly give the player some kind of a grapple.
The biggest problem as I see it is that we would probably have to model each individual asteroid, unless we suddenly become l33t and can make a terrain generator that handles semispherical bodies. Of course, the resource section has some very interesting info on doing just that.
I have always wanted to do a first person shooter in 'space'. Just imagine the radical difference in gameplay if the physics were anything like realistic! (Assuming that the asteroids are denser than uranium, of course). If the physics were in place, just imagine the l33tness of using a grappling hook to get around -- you're almost dead, you using an explosive sharge to blast yourself clear of the asteroid surface -- congrats, you've got escape velocity! But the only thing that now stands between you and an death in space is the tip of that asteroids you're about to go flying by -- grappling hook -- thunk! it catches, and you swing like a pendulum, releasing your grapple as your flight parallels its surface; the slingshot effect is propelling you even FASTER.
And then, BAM, a stray boulder is in your way and your suit is ripped wiiiide open, your blood boiling away violently into the void. It's a tough life.
But, man, just imagine the possibilities of different gravity sources. How l33t is that? WHat an idea . . .
My biggest beef? That you'd probably have to do some SERIOUS work on the terrain editor, which I believe involves understanding fractal geometry . . . unless, of course, you want to settle for modelling the asteroids by hand -- which is entirely unsatisfactory because of how the engine handles LOD; we'd need the terrain system's LOD system to make the stuff right next to use detailed and the further stuff less so; modelling the asteroids yourself means that when you get close to the asteroid, the whole thing goes to a higher-detail model. Which, for a decent-sized asteroid, would suck ass.
But this is all just ideas; I like to try to come up with new stuff, new concepts. There are a ton of other ideas, but the only ones that look like they'd work well for a small team are things like FPS games, racing games, flight/fight sim games, etc.
Actually, the one game that I really wanted was the Babylon 5 combat sim. It had REAL ship physics; you didn't do those goddamn BANKING turns in the airless vaccuum of space. (Thanks a lot, George L).
Chris Runyon