(If you don't care for Introductory Rants, Skip Down To Below the Line)
Throughout the Years, We have Seen many projects promising new Oupost Games and mods, And Throughout the Years, We have Waited.
And Waited...
And Waited...
And Yet, What have we gotten?
A Few Minor mods, maps, and Bug Fixes to OP2, And a Tiny game where you play as a linx.
But:
No Epic Sequal to OP2 (Despite the many promised ones)
No "What Outpost Should have Been's"
No Awesom OP2 Mods Like New Vehicals, Buildings, or Weapons.
Closed or "Limited" Source projects, Our Busy Lives, And The overly Complex Multi-Language Code of OP2, Have been the main reasons for these things.
But You all knew that already, so, lets get on with this.
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Outpost Open-Core Project
This Goal of this Project is to make an open source, Readly available game "Core" That can used to more Easily Create an RTS and TBS Game. (IE Outpost 1 and 2 like.)
It Will Be Written in JAVA, and Will Contain all the Necissisary Classes, Functions, and Interactions between them, that a Outpost like Game would Need. An of course, they will be organised in such a way that Adding and modifing the classes Should be Relletivly Easy.
Upon Completion, Any one should be able download the package, Import their Grafics, Stories, Maps, and Scenarios, And Then Compile a Working game.
Now, This is still alot of work, but this will give people a Starting point, a Launch pad if you will. Perhaps if this part is done for them, We might actualy see a working game.
It seems Everyone is More Concerned about grafics and stories than mechanics anyway.
Development Process (In Proposed Chronological Order):
Simple Menu
Basic Game Functions (Starting, Stopping, The Timer)
Basic Terrain Classes
Basic Building Classes
Basic Vehical Classes
Basic Weapons Classes
Building-Terrain Rules
Vehical-Terrain Rules
Vehical-Building Interactions
Weapon-Mount (Both Vehical and Building) Interactions
Various Game Functions (Reasearch/Construction Timers, Repair)
Advanced Game Functions (Building, Spawning, Destroying)
Special Tile Functions
Special Tile Interactions
Weapon/Damage Interactions
Extremely Basic Test Tileset
Extremely Basic Test Map(s)
Random mapper Framework
Weapon Mechanics / More Damage Interactions
Simple AI
Better Tileset
Better Maps
Improve Random Mapper
Better AI
Map Editor
Multiplayer Support
An All Inclusive Menu
Optional Turn Based Rule Conversions
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As you can see, I have alot on my plate (Did I miss anything), None the less, I believe it can be done.
Some Questions:
Why use JAVA?
1.It's the only lnguage I know.
2.Any OS can use it.
3.Its Object oriented nature makes it perfect.
4.I'm confident that Computers have advanced enough In recent years to allow for a game running on an Interpreted language to run smoothly.
2D or 3D?
The First Engine is going to be 2D, But after completion, I may make one that Runs 3D.
I'm Going to us 2D First Because:
A: A 2 Dimensional map is easier to make (I Don't know how to make JAVA Use 3D models)
B: Not everyone has Expensive Modeling software, But Anyone can get Gimp and Paint.net
When Can I Expect Updates/Completion?
As for Completion I don't know yet, I'll include an estmate with my first update.
But for Updates, Expect the First in Mid to Late June. I graduate High School May 31, So Anything before then will be impossible.
Mid to Late June?!?!?! Why Post This So Early???
Two Reasons:
1: To motivate me to do it. Now I'll look like a Jack ass if I don't.
2: Because I Need Stuff From You.
What? You Need Stuff From Us???
Yes, You see, I'm No Artist. Any Art work, Modles, Pics of Vehicals, Buildins, terrain, and things of the like would be much appreciated. Just Post them in this thread, or drop a link.
I WOULD REALLY APRECIATE TILES
even if they are ripped from OP2, I cant make a random map maker without something to work with.
Any Tiles should be in the form of an image file. The format doesnt matter as long as it's not RAW. If it doesn't work i'll just convert it.
What Will be considered an "Update"
An Update will be a description of whats finished, what I'm workin on now and of course, The Full, Current, Up to date Source
Whats Next?
Well, After this Project, I plan to start my "Outpost 3: Remenants of Earth" Idea, and base it of this proposed core. Of course, as of now, thats a long ways off.
