thanks stormy...
I love games of all kinds.. our family is a gamming family... board games, tv games, computer games... it's the comradery of people spending time together over a game that is fun..
I've tinkered with making my own board games... I have one chess variant that works well for example..
I also tinker with computer games... all the way back when Apple IIe was the hot computer to have!
I am currently working with FlashMX and I find it's easy environment plus it's easy portability to other people's computer to be very nice.. I have a small collection of "experimental" games I made as I learn FlashMX..
http://www.tony.arcticwebcreations.comIf you've noticed, I want to eventually make an online variation of NES's M.U.L.E. with Flash/PHP as well as a remake of MY personal favorite board game Starfall... I might also do a version of the board game "Merchants of Venus".. but I'm currently fleshing out my StoryMaker game....
I've tried my hand at C++, but it's abit too weildy for me.. I tend to be a sloppy programmer, and that language would eat me up alive as an appetizer!!!
As you might have guessed, I"m not really into the shoot-em-ups.. I'm more of an easy-going strategist.. my DAD however can annialate me with his weapons, so that's why we don't play with weapons on OP2, and just stick to a "goal" for winning the game...
OH, I remember my dad mentioning that he was disappointed that the CHEATS are no longer available for these upgraded versions... He really isn't good enough to get thru all the single-player games without the cheats, and had asked me about it.. I didn't know to tell him anything other than they just aren't available anymore..
I was curious as to why the cheats were removed.. possibly to make the code tighter?? I can understand that.. I'm not complaining, mind you.. I was just curious is all...
I'm totally flabbergasted at the level of programming involved with OP2... it is a beast to weild, I'm sure... I have enough trouble with the little dinky things I make, I can't image trying to manage the amount of code y'all have to handle for these....
Anyway, sorry for rambling about.... just another post of THANKS to the many people who keep the torch lit... they certainly don't seem to make games that contain this perfect blend of map, colonizing, developing, and strategy in an easy to use interface that can get a game going and done within an hour of play.. THANKS AGAIN!!!
PS. I have kept up somewhat with OP's history, and I have a few thoughts y'all are free to use if you find them useful...
I think it might be possible to create a multiple planetary exploration/conquest type of game.... here are my thoughts..
1) for the starting planet, it would be identical to the current OP2
2) Create the conditions that a colony must reach, at which point it becomes a "self-sustaining" entity... beyond an unstable colony, maybe call it a Station
3) Stations no longer need detailed attention, and become part of the larger scheme..
4) multiple planets, and their stations, become a 2nd game... a station can launch "colony" ships that reach nearby planets and start new colonies
5) A station can also launch war ships, and exploration ships (taking ideas from the Starfall game)
6) ships flying between planets can be moved about in space, you could maybe use OP's existing code and make a "star" map instead of a terrain map, and move "space ships" about, instead of tanks...
7) A warship can take out a station completely just like a tank can take out a building
just some ideas...