Outpost 2 On Iphone

[ray]

Felt like doing something a bit different to all the other projects that seem to be going on here.  The idea of this project is to create a clone of outpost 2 which will run on on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.  I started this project a couple of weeks back and so far its going well.

For version one I am going to have the following restrictions:
Single player only with no AI opponents
A single map (I am using the beach party multiplayer map for this)
Eden only
No disasters
Simplified graphics (like outpost 2 with ambient animations and shadows off)
Tile at a time scrolling
Some units/structures removed (due to no combat, disasters, or multiplayer)

To start with I am using the graphics from the original game, but in order to release this they would need to be replaced in order to get this one the app store due to copyright issues.

I currently have the map loading, and momentum based scrolling works (in the same way that most scrolling on iPhone works, if you lift your finger off while it is moving then scrolling will continue allowing you to scroll quickly).  Structures can be defined on the map and display correctly, although I only have the texture for the command center sorted out at the moment.

Next step for me is to sort out the rest of the structure textures and make sure they all display correctly, then I will move on to add bulldozed squares and tubes.

Obviously the user interface will be significantly different to the original due to screen size restraints, but I have some ideas for that which you will be able to see just as soon as I have any of it implemented.

If anyone is wondering about my capability to achieve this, I write software for a living, including some that is run on handheld touchscreen devices, so I have done user interface design for stuff like this in the past.

Anyway, the following two screenshots were taken on my iPhone running the latest build:





I hope to be able to post semi regular updates on this.

[Freeza-CII]

hehe i would becareful with that one you could get into trouble. or at very least apple will not let you share the app.

and if those are your apps i know you play eve lol.

[ray]

Yeah, I admit to playing eve.  Gives me something to do when I need a break from my projects.

I don't intend to let this anywhere near the app store with any of the original resources in it.  Names, artwork, and sounds will all need replacing to avoid copyright issues, at that point I think it will be ok.  If not then I can still play it myself and put it on my friend's phones with the ad hoc method of distribution.  Theres always the jailbreak route too if needs be.  As long as the resulting game isn't too obviously outpost 2 then it should be fine.

[ray]

Update!!!

Additional buildings added (there are others which aren't in the picture), and bulldozed tiles now display correctly.  Tubes next.

[Kayedon]

Copyright law: If someone can distinguish the difference, you're free to develop.

If anyone can sit down and say "This is that" then have fun in jail.

[Hooman]

Uhh, considering this site is still running after all these years, you probably don't need to be so negative about copyright stuff. Besides, he did say he'd change the media if anything was going to be released.

I think it's rather interesting.


Btw, how did you rip the graphics?
 

[Spikerocks101]

i second hoomans question

[ray]

To get the images I extracted the vol file using revolver, then extracted all the images from the bitmap file using one of the image extracters written by you guys.  I forget which one it was that worked but I got one of them to eventually.  The map was duplicated from pieced together screenshots of a land rush game where no one built anything, then split into tiles by a small script I wrote.  I'm not going to worry too much about loading maps from the original game since I intend to use a whole new set of maps and tiles at some point, I just needed to do one so I would have something to work with for now.  If people are having trouble with image extraction, and someone has some online space, I'll happily upload the extracted images.

The actual images used in the app are edited from the ones in the extract to be in png format using the alpha channel for transparency.  All structure image files are square with a width and height which is a power of 2 (As recommended in the iphone sdk for compression reasons).  The actual structure is contained in the image such that when the image is lined up with the tiles on the map, the structure will appear in the right place, although different structures have different offsets (measured in tiles), which the image must be drawn at.  If people are interested then these image files can also be uploaded somewhere.

There are no new features as such yet, but I have changed the code so that when structures are placed on the map it will automatically bulldoze the area around and underneath them, as well as preventing structures being placed too close together.  There are currently nine working structures, with the rest to follow shortly.  I can't find the tube images in the extract so thats another screenshot job.  I think I'm spending more time messing about with images than I am actually coding.  Here's another screenshot, not that it shows anything new, I just like making the thread look pretty.

[Hidiot]

The OP2 mapper made by BlackBox contains the full tile set, including tubes, walls, ice and stuff.


Hmm... The A Lab looks weirdly small. The Residence looks a bit offset towards the top. Then again, the Eden residence does that in the PC game too, so maybe it's just me.


Well, good luck with the project.

[ray]

Thanks, I'll download the mapper now and take a look.

I've double checked the advanced lab and residence against screenshots of the game and although they may look slightly odd, they are the same as the original.

Tubes are now working, although their behaviour is not quite like that of the original since they are calculated on the fly when drawing the map.  For example, if there is a t junction connecting a tube travelling from east to west to a light tower, and that light tower is destroyed, the t junction tile will become a regular east west tube tile.  I'm going to leave it this way for the sake of keeping the code as simple as possible since it doesn't affect gameplay.

[Hidiot]

Hmm, you're actually right.

Ok, that only leaves the half-missing radar dish off of the CC

[Hooman]

Hmm, looking very nice.
 

[ray]

Update

Structure status indicators now display, although current there is no way for a structure to go offline.  Also you can select a structure by touching it.  I am aware that the status indicators are in the wrong place on some structures, but since its obvious which structure they apply to, I don't want to be spending too much time making it look perfect when the artwork will be changed at some point anyway.  I am more worried about making it work perfectly, than making it display perfectly, that can come later.

Next I will implement workers, scientists and power as ways for a structure to go offline.

[CK9]

I must applaud you both for the number of updates you are giving us and the fact that you are still working on this

[ray]

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Buildings will now disable due to lack of workers, scientists, or power.  Also a solar power array will disable if there are not enough solar satellites to support it.

[Moley]

just wondering if it would be possiable to port to Zune Hd?
if possible i wouild be willing to translate for you...
Zune apps are writnen in C#..

[Arklon]

just wondering if it would be possiable to port to Zune Hd?
if possible i wouild be willing to translate for you...
Zune apps are writnen in C#..

I really don't think the market is there for Zune.

[Sirbomber]

What's Zune?

[Arklon]

What's Zune?

Exactly.

[Sirbomber]

Owned?

[Moley]

ummm... me?
i would love to play this on my zune...

[Arklon]

ummm... me?
i would love to play this on my zune...

iPhone and Mac apps are written in C (or C++?) I believe. Porting it to C#, and to use the Zune SDK, would require a complete rewrite.

[ray]

Thoughts on the zune hd...

Currently, like all iPhone games, this program is written in objective c and uses opengl es.  A zune version would have to be written in c#.  Since the zune also supports opengl, and I have very strong knowledge of c#, that is actually the easy part.  Although it would be time consuming, the process of converting the code would be relatively simple.  However, there are other problems, like the screen resolution.  While the iPhone screen is exactly 15x10 tiles, the zune hd is 15x8.5, and that causes a problem because that would either have to become 15x8, or I would have to add per pixel scrolling in order for people to be able to see the top half of the top row of tiles on the map (currently the bottom left of the display will always line up with the edge of the tiles).  Then we come to the biggest problem of all: I do not have a zune HD, and neither do I have any way to get one since they are not available in the uk. I also don't have spare money to spend on one anyway.  In short, maybe if someone were to send me a zune hd and a ton of beer or something I might think about it.



Update

I've started work on the user interface for structures.  Touching a structure will select it.  Touching a structure that is already selected will produce a pop up telling you about the structure and allow you to build stuff/research/whatever.  Touching anywhere outside the pop up will close it and return to the normal map view.  All that other stuff I said I was working on works too (scientists/workers/power).

[Larrythepoet]

What does capsuleer do?

EDIT: Nevermind...  

[Sirbomber]

So this project seems pretty cool, but I'm a little discouraged that it won't have multiplayer.

Then again, it doesn't really effect my either way.  I don't have an iPhone, so...