I been developing an Intergalactic Space-Trading Fps Combat Dialog story-line Driven Rpg game over the last few months. Now I had trouble with setting up the Unreal Engine with the 3d Models.... So at the moment it don't have the 3d FPS element. For I DIDN"T receive the help I needed with setting up unreal even though I wrote on an unreal Epic website asking for help, but their message board for UDK appears to be dead so I could only do what I could with what I knew how to do. This was a complex game that I tried to make.
I wrote the dialog of the game all in batch script because Unreal UDK 3 takes anything from 10 minutes to over half an hour for rebuilding its lighting each time you make any new change in the engine, so I knew it would take too long to construct the dialog tree up inside the game engine building it bit by it. So I constructed the game diaglog tree outside the engine Because I wanted a working dialog tree to test the storylines out of the game.
If I had a 3d game engine that could support windows batch script then I could code all the game.
The game is now over 46 thousand lines long it has four main systems now all wired up and working. Teseract Prime System, The Cascades System, and The Ntis System and Tyhosi System which including trading and shops it also uses jumpgates to travel through the galaxy quadrant.
The Star map is now expandable by buying star maps now at the stores to expand your Quadrant map with. and you also need to farm credits to upgrade ship parts for getting into certian areas you encounter But if you manage to find a certain trader to get ahold of a slip stream drive then you can visit other systems that are outside your galaxy. The Game is also multi-event layered, so far it uses over 200 flag and counter values to keep track of everything that changes in the game which are weaved intricatelly into all parts of the dialog for triggering off all the different game events and storyline changes. It also has mini games woven into it as well. The game characters also choose their own script lines to speak with to give them also some A.I in their speaking.
Wiring up all the 200+ Flags and Value Counters into the dialog tree took me some time to do.
Text Dialog of game written so far: 5,000+ paragraphs of dialog
Speech Files created: Storm (747 files), Commander Axel (463), Loana (208), Skinar (209). T6 (190). Alien in Yellow: (31), Bartender: (53), Skars (57), Security Guard: (40),
Rogue Factions now created in the Tyhosi System: (Titan Rush, Underhounds, Rebel Alliance, Domination, Core, Fight for Rights, and Bad Sector (Anti Battery Abuse faction run by rogue paranoid droids.)
Trading is also done by rogue factions in the game as well as good factions.
Now I could just go head right now and just stick in pictures to create a 2d si fi space rpg game with speech if I decide to stick with just 2d graphics in it then it would be a nice turn based 2d space trading rpg game with speech story-line dialog, but I would prefer the game be 3d. But i don't know how to set up the 3d models in Unreal.
Will you offer the game as free game or payed?
How if you just do both hae a 2d trading space game and a 3d.
I know it could add much work depending on the code but 2d and 3d games have a very different gameplay and it might give you 2 very different games.
Well, if my game is all clear of any patents and copyright issues then the game is likely to be put under Creative Commons. If the game is made only 2d then the game will be huge in terms of area. BUt it will be all turn-based graphics, but if I make the game in a 3d game engine with the 3d models for the cutscene and dialog, which is alot more work, the game will be large, but limited in size.. but as I've said, I dont have the necessary knowledge to know how to set it all up in Unreal to create those dialog cutscenes plus I don't have a 3d space engine either for flying about in the universe.... So I would need several 3d engines. 1. A 3d engine For flying about in the universe to visit systems using the gate jump nodes which would have to be all wired up to it. Or use a 2d planet picture system to change to different systems and show the interior of the spaceship to walk around in instead which is another way of doing it instead of flying the ship through 3d space to get to the gates.
2 another 3d engine for when down also on the planets surface for exploration or doing any first person combat.
And I don't know how to get the models out of their t-poses either so I can't do dialog cutscenes until those problems are resolved and facefx in Unreal which is the Face animation program for synching audio to facial expressions is complicated to use..and you may need Maya plugins it might work with Blender Plugin, I don't know.
I like 2D space trade games more. Where 3d can be fun at times too but i think its very hard to get a good way to fly and the battleengines from this games tend to be akward especially if you start off by triing to make an realistic fly simulation. Most 3d space shooting games that are good are the nonrealistic older ones.
On the other hand i dont know any recent 2d space trading game and i think when making a battle and fly engine for this type its quite easy and quick done since Its only some menus and item.
The best space rpg i can think of is star wolves which is a strategic RPG nor first person but still 3D (but plays like 2D).
Since i have not done 3D yet i cannot help with that sorry.
Here's a snippert of my code: to show the different flags I'm talking about:
:tsewr
cls
echo. -----------------ENTRANCE INTO RIGHT TUNNEL SEWER ------------------
echo.
echo. Commander: It looks like another old sewer system.
echo.
set /a spin=%random% %%3+1
if %spin% EQU 1 if %sewer% EQU 1 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: Oh no, not this again
if %spin% EQU 2 if %sewer% EQU 1 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: The last time we
if %spin% EQU 3 if %sewer% EQU 1 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: We were attacke
echo.
echo.
if %sewer% EQU 1 echo. Storm: Yeah, there were too many rats down in that last sewer
if %sewer% EQU 0 echo. Storm: Looks like a dark and spooky place to me.
if %sewer% EQU 1 echo. Storm: I'm game to give it another go as long as Skinar rescues us
echo.
if %sewer% EQU 1 echo. Commander: Yeah I do remember and that was an awful exp
if %sewer% EQU 1 echo. maybe we should turn back in case we are outnumbered again
echo.
echo.
echo. Commander: Well let's go in and explore these tunnels then.
echo.
echo. Storm: Let's investigate then.
set /a spin=%random% %%5+1
if %spin% EQU 1 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: Try not to get yourselves all dirty
if %spin% EQU 2 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. I don't really want to go back down there
if %spin% EQU 3 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. It took ages to get the stench out of our clothes
if %spin% EQU 4 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. I don't want my hair to get all messed up again
if %spin% EQU 5 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. I don't want to meet anymore of those hideous rats
if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. t6unit: I have been in here before.
echo.
if %t6unit% EQU 1 if %loana% EQU 1 echo. I'm sure you have T6. But I don't plan on staying.
echo.
echo. Storm: Bla bla bla, Excuses, Excuses, you are just full of excuses Loana, where's your sense
echo. of adventure.
echo.
set /a spin=%random% %%3+1
If %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: You mean where' your sense of intelligence.
if %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: Are you sure your brain is not on overfreeze Storm.
if %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: Let me help you thaw out few of your broken frozen clusters.
echo. Commander: Now stop it you two, no more arguing.
echo.
echo. Skinar (breaking over Communications), Commander. I ran scans
echo. Deeper in the sewer exists some volatile pockets of gas. Be careful
echo. not to trigger them off. Try not to shoot any weapons down here.
echo.
echo. Storm: Oh great, then what if we come across more rats.
echo.
echo. Commander: Use the other end of your gun.
echo.
echo. Storm: Play Whack a rat, ok then. Let's just hope there's not a million of them in this sewer.
echo.
echo.
if %sewer% EQU 1 echo. A) Turn back the way you came.
if %sewer% EQU 1 echo. B) Man up and take a risk
Well in this game you have to find a cure to a plague. but as the game unravels you find you also have to clean up the galaxy of rogue factions and a few out of control droids. to get into all the system areas, your ship needs to have strong enough shielding and your guns need to be powerful because some areas will have stronger enemy fire and you build all this up through trading and mining. So you collect credits to build up your shielding and your guns.
All the rooms in the game have spin counters. so many rooms have them, I use them for replacing characters so each time you reenter the room, the scene changes, you get people at the bar appearing at different times to give you a mini quest or task and some rooms don't have them, so over 600 spin counters have been already been wired up into the game. I use them mostly for changing dialog lines to allow the characters to speak their own minds. but I also use them for changing things around in the rooms or choosing different rooms to branch the game out so instead of being linear, its more multi level, because spin counters allows me to HIDE and UNHIDE rooms or trigger certain events...
So some rooms in the game do switch places using a spin counters and this gives the game alot more depth.
So If the flags switches exist, then you get the different spoken dialogs depending on your progress in the story line in the game.
In many cases for me the gameplay is more important than the story... While ofcourse a good story can be a nice addition to the game, when the gameplay itsself is not fitting one would not play it.
Are you talking about First Personal Shooter Combat?,what type of gameplay you talking about? If you mean those games that reward you with little wee trophies for achevements well they already got a patent against that I think. I would like to write good gameplay, but the problem is the gameplay is protected by alot of these patent limitations like they done to Final Fantasy and other games. So what is good gameplay to you, what is the x-factor that maes a game stand out in its gameplay. If I use that x-factor it might
be protected by a a damm patent so I got to be careful what I put into my game
I been developing an Intergalactic Space-Trading Fps Combat Dialog story-line Driven Rpg
Lets say i cannot really imagine something from your description.
Is it something like vega strike a first person flight simulator trading game?
You can't fly around in real 3d space in a batch file. batch dosen't have a 3d space engine to allow me to fly around except if I do it screen for screen turn based and using mini games like this for random ambushes or encounter when I enter into a certain area. So I can fly around so to speak but not in real time. So I will show two snippers of my code to show how I tried to do this old school style.
Have a look at the code I used for the Metroa System for the Gas Barrier.....................
:metrostart
sound play spaceambient.wav
sound play spacestation.wav
set shiphealth=30000
set shipshields=7000
set gaspocket=0
goto metrosys
:metrosys
echo.
echo. (A) Bank Ship Right of Gas Pocket
echo. (B) Bank Ship Left of Gas Pocket
echo. (V) Reverse back the way you came
echo.
set /p x1=
if %x1%==a goto explosion1
if %x1%==b goto thru1
if %x1%==v goto zoomtprime
goto metrosys
:explosion1
cls
echo. -------------------------------------------------------------------
sound play explosion01.wav
echo. Gas Pockets Left: %gaspocket% of 20 Health: %shiphealth% Shields: %sh
set /a spin=%random% %%1700+100
echo.
echo. The Ship receives %spin% damage as it runs into a gas pocket.
set /a spin=%random% %%1300+690
set /a shipshields=%shipshields%-%spin%
if %shipshields% LEQ 0 set /a shiphealth=%shiphealth%-%spin%
if %shipshields% LEQ 0 set /a shipshields=0
if %shipshields% LEQ 0 echo. && echo. Ship's Computer: Warning, SHIELDS COLLAP
sound play alarm2.wav
echo.
set /a spin=%random% %%4+1
if %spin% EQU 1 if %shipshields% LEQ 3000 echo. Commander: Did we upgrade the
if %spin% EQU 2 if %shipshields% LEQ 3000 echo. Commander: We better get outta
if %spin% EQU 3 if %shipshields% LEQ 3000 echo. Commander: Get us out of here,
if %spin% EQU 4 if %shipshields% LEQ 3000 echo. Commander: We need stronger sh
set /a spin=%random% %%3+1
if %spin% EQU 1 if %shipshields% LEQ 1000 echo. Storm: Apparently it seens not
if %spin% EQU 2 if %shipshields% LEQ 1000 echo. Storm: We won't last much long
if %spin% EQU 3 if %shipshields% LEQ 1000 echo. Storm: We got to leave, we can
if %shipshields% LEQ 1000 echo.
if %shipshields% LEQ 1000 echo. Commander: Then we better get the shields upgr
echo.
rem -- Here comes all of Skinar's 101 excuses
set /a spin=%random% %%9+1
if %spin% EQU 1 echo. Skinar: Oops, I might be a little bit rusty,
if %spin% EQU 2 echo. Skinar: I haven't actually done this kind of thing before
if %spin% EQU 3 echo. Skinar: Oh .
if %spin% EQU 4 echo. Skinar: Crap, not that way
if %spin% EQU 5 echo. Skinar: Wrong way
if %spin% EQU 6 echo. Skinar: Right into trouble
if %spin% EQU 7 echo. Skinar: Damm
if %spin% EQU 8 echo. Skinar: I will get it eventually Commander, it was easy in the simulations.
if %spin% EQU 9 echo. Skinar: It will take a little time.
echo.
set /a spin=%random% %%9+1
if %spin% EQU 1 set spin=Idiot
if %spin% EQU 2 set spin=Moron
if %spin% EQU 3 set spin=Dweeb
if %spin% EQU 4 sst spin=Nutter
if %spin% EQU 5 set spin=Dodo
if %spin% EQU 6 set spin=Dimwit
if %spin% EQU 7 set spin=thick
if %spin% EQU 8 set spin=slow
if %spin% EQU 9 set spin=stupid
if %loana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: I thought this guy was the best pilot
echo. around. He is a %spin% . My droids could do a better job.
echo.
echo. Storm: So you think machines are better than humans do you. Well your
echo. Machines don't have any personality, and that's the one thing you are
echo. missing. You have been coddled by machines all your life.
And for what do you need the 3D Unreal engine?
Actually using a batch file sounds quite akward would it not be better to use a programming language?
Do you mean its just like the old text adventures?
The UNreal Engine or other game engine is needed to build the 3d version of the game, This is just the code for the 2d version of the game
This 2D text game that I've built (it does have some bitmap graphics to it) as well as speech files for the text dialog. so its a little more than just a silent text adventure turn based space trading game. there are sound effects, there's also ambushes enermy factions, illegal tradings, there's also ambient sound as well as dialog text which will be put at both the top and also the bottom of the screen. I ony have put a few graphics in the 2d version of the game.
So how will the 3D version look like?
This game will have many systems and not just one system and it will be done in modules in a 3d engine.. And each system will have their own mini economy where you can buy assets or stocks or things from stors to put in your spaceship if you wish to waste credits on junk, but if you buy stocks then you take a risk as bad things sometimes happen in the markets like a stock crashing because of warring factions disrupting trade, So you might want to stay steer clear of doing money deals with shady aliens trying to sell you you stock with Vinus because Vinus is an unstable world, its trading one minute, and ceasing trading the next.
If you buy an asset and forget to arm it with defences you can lose it and lose a source of generating credits. The systems will also contain hidden jumpgates to other unknown systems so if the system is unknown, your can scan the system to create a star map then it will be added to your map. Some factions are local, and some factions will be spread out over several systems like Titan Silver Suns, Core, and Domination which currently occupy Okion, Hyoshi and Ntis. and not all factions will be friendly. Not all aliens will be understandable if you don't buy a translator but the translators themselves wil be limited in the number of languages they can translate. Each system will also have its local news bulletin Holo screen system and also along with the local crime reports of the day, and cheesy commercial prommos comes interstellar news from other systems. along with that the factions that don't like you or you upset will often send out ships after you as you jump from system to system. There will also be bounty hunter rewards put up to catch certain criminals hanging around certain systems..
The Game can now be saved by zooming out to the full view of the Andromeda Galaxy the save option will then be showing. Because this game has got so many variables 240+, its likely to be 100k or more for the save file when I add in all the values for all of the many systems. You can also upgrade your ship's scanner if it can't scan everything inside the nebula. If you buy the scanner upgrade from a certain trader then more items will show up on the galaxy map when you buy the upgrade. The upgrade for the scanner won't be cheap. also debris fields, abandoned stations, and going inside gas nebulas as some of these places will have random ambushes of enemy ships.
New Ship Functions being added:
Now your ship scanner can scan up to 3 Levels deep. But you have to upgrade your ship scanners if you want a better deeper scan of the area. The more powerful scanner you upgrade to, the more Computer Memory cores you need to buy otherwise if you upgrade the scanner and don't get the extra memory cores when you buy the scanner upgrade, then the new scanner will just give you back nothing but screwed-up rubbish on the screen instead of listing whats in the system and give also back all kinds of false readings.
Upgrading the computer ship's memory cores will stop the bogus garbage problem. so you could end up with a corrupt star chart all full of half english and half junk. Of course if you get the memory you need, it will fix the problem then your star chart will be readable.
The Gas Nebulas now have these strange energy radiation barriers deep inside them that can only be scanned with a level III ship scanner to find out what is behind generating the barrier of radiation and you need to have level a SIX shielding on your ship to get through the energy radiation barrier or your shields will all start draining like your lilo bed.
Prices: Level II scanner 160000 credits, Level III Max (60000 credits.)
The special Phasic Corona Heat shielding (needed to penetrate radioactive energy barriers.) (is a milion 1000000 credits to install on your ship. You have to do some jobs for some factions or security forces to build up your credits to a million if you want to find out what these mysterious anomalies are or look around hunting for credits scattered in areas on the planets, or mining with your ship by either destroying enemy raiders or collecting scrap metal from systems to turn them into credits with a metals trader....
Do you think my prices are too high?
New Stuff been Added.
If you help deliver the sniff shipment for the Alien Whites on Telos, Sniff is a medicine agent that helps their bodies to deal with the colder climates of the other worlds. If you help thee aliens, out then you get some credits as well as a couple of free star charts from them to an unknown system. You also need cooling suits to visit their homeworld as their world has a really hot climate which is intolerable for humans so you need the ice suits.. Each world also has its own set of laws...
But Storm has been banned from using his gun in the Belgarus System, courtesy of Bad Sector, (Anti-Violence Initative for All Robots. They run AVIFAR Corporation. Bad Sector is the Intergalatic Anti Violence Faction for Robots.
So you got a loose cannon called Storm in the game with an ego to boot and if he makes the stupid decision to try to use his gun against the Great Shield Barrier at the labs on Tesseract Prime, ends up not only destroying the lab complex but ends up triggering an event which ends up destroying the whole entire planet but he escapes from the disaster, just barely, after that, the whole entire galaxy blame him for destroying Tesseract Prime. And then after that you get a bad reputation in the galaxy as the Planet Destroyer, bounty hunters from the systems will also be looking for Storm because most of the systems will start to turn hostile they see him as a menace, they won't want him on their world.. So if you want worlds to be friendly, don't destroy the planet.
So this is bascially a futuristic sci fi rpg game with an intricate detailed storyline woven throughout all the gameplay.
You are either mad or brilliant. I eagerly wait to find out which :) Either way I wish you good luck, can't wait to see the result of this endeavour!
Just based upon the batch files you've shown, it may be possible to parse the batch files to be usable by a game engine. Realistically, it would probably be more work than re-writing what you currently have, but you've already written 46k lines...
As for the game engine, you may want to try Unity instead of Unreal if you're not totally invested. Not only does it have a better support community, but many plugins exist for code-less scripting, such as drag-and-drop event systems. You would need to reproduce your scripts in a different form, but may be easier to manage in the long run.
It would be good if I knew how to parse my batch code into game engine script so a game engine can beable to use my code. like a batch to engine script converter...... Because I only know how to set up my flags and switches in batch code. and in batch I can wire a game up in it faster because I type high speeds but I cant do fast wiring up with the way Unreal game engine is currently set up to wire up with which is slow and cumbersome and takes a long time to configure and set up. That engine took ages to try to wire a game up in. Unity might take a while to wire things up in it as well.But Unreal UDK was well in it infancy really, just unreal the way lightmaps kept on crashing out with black screens all the time..
They need to come up with a faster way of setting up the 3d game models with the engine code.
I have done over 51200 lines of code now in my game. A mechdroid droid unit can now be added to the party if you repair him, he is found at the Tesseract Prime Labs Facility outside in the vast maze of ruins where a big battle between the Techdroids and Mechdroids along ago took place. The Mechdroids come from another galaxy, so this mechdroid has in his memory banks over 200 star charts of this galaxy and also other galaxies the mechdroids have visited. But his memory is damaged and frozen over, so he can only grind them out to you a tiny bit at a time. These droid star charts are not the same ones you buy from traders or from doing odd jobs for certain factions.
I added in the Giant Megallanc Gaseos Cloud Nebula with random ambushes of enemy raider ships, a hidden planet on the other side of the the cloud which is the source of where the enemy raiders are coming from., . and about 20 more systems.
Solar Systems now in the game so far For the Sirus Expanse Region: Cayrel, Calsai, Belsus, Tsirus Belt, Cesir Belt, Aquari, Debris, Maion, Jupitea, Hansu, Hysohi, X-Dimesion Barrier, Rim Outerworlds, Out Worlds, Tierk, Olas, Olas Nebula, Alran, Ionia, (Ionians Homeworld), Gnosia, Sybain, Cascades, Megallanc, Metroa, Zenon, Tryphis, Tiera, Okion, Sirus Major, Sirus Omega, Veltas, Belanus Prime, Ryben
You really should learn Python enough to make basic input and output with it.
However I think for some styling you need to dip a bit deeper but still not need much more code than for Batch.
I cannot imagine how to use a 3D engine without a programming Language. I think if you really want to do 3D you will have to learn Programming and try to convert your code.
I dont know much about Batch but if you are Lucky you can make a script which fits your batchfiles into the Language it all sounds rather uncomplicated so there is a chance to make it somehow (while it might be a challange)
In Python your code would look like this, however enveloped with buttons and backgrounds:
(I omitted quite a bit like the sound because im too lazy to look up the exact syntax or because i dont exactly understand what you do)
from kivy import Button
shiphealth=30000
shipshields=7000
gaspocket=0
buttona=Button( text= "(A) Bank Ship Right of Gas Pocket")
buttona,bind(on_press=explosion1)
def explosion1():
print "Gas Pockets Left:", gaspocket, "of 20 Health:", shiphealth, "Shields:", shipshields
shipshields=shipshields-spin
Well Here's a section of my code where I do use multiple flags in a code block...
:upgrades
cls
echo. ---------------SHIP REPAIRS AND UPGRADES AREA && echo.
if %secureguard% EQU 1 echo. There's a security guard standing nearby....
echo.
echo. (A) Go down hallway
echo. (B) Back into lift
if %secureguard% EQU 1 echo. (C) Talk to Security Guard
echo.
echo.
if %stationdroid% EQU 0 if %vinusdone% EQU 1 echo. Computer: Ship's Computer: Warning: Cooleant Lank detected in Engine Room %% sound play computermsg20.wav %% bg sleep 3000
if %vinusdone% EQU 1 echo.
if %nanor% EQU 1 echo. Storm: Don't worry Commander, when you get that Nano Reflector
if %nanor% EQU 1 echo. technology put in the suits, your Solar flare troubles will be over and
if %nanor% EQU 1 echo. the planet will then be safer to explore.
echo.
if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. T6unit: I'm in need of an upgrade or two as well. My systems are feeling a bit strange. It be nice to replace all this beaten up dirty old armour plating.
if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo.
set /a spin-%random% %%5+1
if %spin% EQU 1 if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. Storm: What are you doing down here. You don't need an upgrade.
if %spin% EQU 2 if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. Storm: Get outta here you crazy droid.
if %spin% EQU 3 if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. Storm: Go back to the bridge and stay put. Do something useful like freeing up another memory cluster of one of your lost star charts.
if %spin% EQU 4 if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. Storm: You don't need any upgrades. You walked all the way down here to follow me, so You're working fine.
if %spin% EQU 5 if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. Storm: Stupid droid, these are ship upgrades not droid upgrades, we don't have new droid armor plating. Get back to your Alcove.
set /p x1=
if %x1%==a goto dhalls
if %x1%==b goto lift
if %x1%==c goto talkguac
goto upgrades
Reason Why you're in trouble with a security guard watching you....2 reasons
1). Causing a planet to be destroyed.
2.) Causng trouble down at the hospital by deleting all the paitent medial records or causing trouble directly with hospital paitents.
:secexp
cls
echo. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
echo.
echo. Security Guard: I'm here because I was sent here by Central to keep
echo. an eye on you so you don't get yourself into any more trouble than
echo. what you already are in. Boya are you deep in it or what.
echo.
if %planetdes% EQU 1 echo. Destroying a whole planet.
if %planetdes% EQU 1 echo. tsk, tsk, tsk. You are one Bad puppy that should not ever be left alone on your own.
echo. Security Guard: So I have the utmost displeasure of having to watch over you.
echo.
if %planetdes% EQU 1 echo. Security Guard: You already destroyed Tesseract Prime and put us
if %planetdes% EQU 1 echo. Security Guard: all in danger by letting a black hole run all rampant
if %planetdes% EQU 1 echo. Security Guard: You can't bring the planet back. It's gone.
echo.
if %planetdes% EQU 1 echo. Commander: Well Storm shouldn't have shot the reflective shielding if
if %planetdes% EQU 1 with his illegal dark matter gun..That's how the trouble all started..
echo.
if %malpractice% EQU 1 echo. Security Guard: You should've left the hospital alone.
if %malpractice% EQU 1 echo. Commander: Oh you know all about that.
if %malpractice% EQU 1 echo. I should've focued more on the mission instead of trying to play
if %malpractice% EQU 1 echo. Operation. oops I guess I gave them a little too much medicine.
echo.
echo. Security Guard: Frankly, I don't care about your silly shennanigans or who did it, or how, but I am surprised commander that it came from someone like you. Neither do I like having to babysit you but i am under orders from Central to remain where I am to watch your every move
echo.
echo. Commander: Well I will leave you to "watch our every move" then. Don't fall asleep.
echo.
if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. T6unit: Commander, I calculate that
if %t6unit% EQU 1 echo. T6unit: within 6 hours the Tesseract prime sun will be swallowed up and within 10 hours the whole tesseract prime system will be gone.
echo.
echo. Commander: Oh crap. as if things couldn't get any worse. We are going to have to evacuate neighbouring planets in that system if that anolamy keeps growing..
echo.
if %r6unit% EQU 1 echo. T6unit: Oh not to worry over one little planet Commander, there are over 15 billion more in this galaxy, I calculate that it will take approxitemly 100 years for the whole for galaxy to be turned into a Great Dark Matter Expanse. You have plenty of time before that happens Commander.
set /a spin=%random% %%8+1
if %spin% EQU 1 echo. Security Guard: Humph, you enjoy making me stand here don't you.
if %r6unit% EQU 1 if %spin% EQU 2 echo. Security Guard: I don't like what your tin head friend is saying.
if %spin% EQU 3 echo. Security Guard: It's Not funny what your friend did.
if %t6unit% EQU 1 if %spin% EQU 4 echo. Security Guard: You should keep your friend and your droid on a leash
if %spin% EQU 5 echo. Security Guard: What? Now hes gonna destroy the whole system.
if %spin% EQU 6 echo. Security Guard: Visiting time is over, Talk to the hand buddy.
if %spin% EQU 7 echo. Security Guard: Your lap dog friend is a menace to all.
if %spin% EQU 8 echo. Security Guard: Hes a Planet Destroyer. he should be exiled out of the galaxy.
The if condition is about the same in Python:
This would be
myflag=0
def select1(): myflag=1
def select2(): myflag=2
if myflag==1: print "Security Guard: Humph, you enjoy making me stand here don't you."
if myflag==2: print "Security Guard: That's enough talk for now."
otherflag=0
def otherselect1(): otherflag=1
def otherselect2(): otherflag=2
and so on...
def are function definitions you could trigger from a button. You would just need to change the flag somehow from a button.
Also print does print to console, if you would want to have a real interface you would make it with lables instead:
if myflag==1: mylabel= Label(text ="Security Guard: Humph, you enjoy making me stand here don't you.")
something.addwidget(mylabel) #Add the Label to the interface
So label pops up a windows screen.
The only time I use brackets mostly is when I do options to choose from A) B) C) ect.
But Python does use lot of brackets in its code. I had alot of that trouble with Festival.
Festival required brackets with everything you typed so I hated typing in all the open and closed parathesis brackets and just macro it instead..
I wish there was a magic button somewhere
that said 'no brackets'
Here's an example of what I was talking about (C# pseudocode):
File f = File.Open ("filename.bat");
string line = "";
//Read file line-by-line until ReadLine returns nothing/EOF
while (line = f.ReadLine()) {
//Split the line into words/symbols, separating by whitespace
string[] symbols = line.Split (" ");
//Take the first symbol and perform an action dependent upon it
if (symbol[0].Equals ("if")) {
//Do IF command parsing
//symbol[1] is equal to PARAM1
//symbol[2] is equal to COMPARATOR
//symbol[3] is equal to PARAM2
//symbol[4 to n] is the statement to execute
// IF PARAM1 COMPARATOR PARAM2 STATEMENT_BLOCK
} else if (symbol[0].Equals ("echo")) {
//Output symbol[1 to n] to console/GUI/speech bubble/audio file/etc.
} else if (symbol[0].CharAt(0) == ':') {
//Register Tag symbol[0] by saving it in a variable
} else if (symbol[0].Equals ("rem")) {
//Ignore REM lines and do nothing
}
}
And to read/write batch scripting variables, you could save them in the game engine in a similar way to how CMD.EXE stores them.
SortedDictionary<KeyType, ValueType> variables = new SortedDictionary<,> ();
//Read variable
variables["VariableName"]
//Write variable
variables["VariableName"] = variableValue;
If your scripts don't do much more than IF statements and outputting, something like what I described should be a lot easier than trying to rewrite all of your existing scripts.
That would have to be compiled as a command line exe I would think that you just put your batch file through it.
My game plays audio wav files, display bitmap graphics in the console window (at the moment) becauae I don't know how to open up a gui windows interface with batch script language to allow me to display JPG or PNG graphics instead of being stuck with just BMP graphics because you cannot easily animate bitmaps that don't have the alpha channel.
And with mp3 file, the media window player keeps on popping up all the time when I only want the mp3 file to play without showing up any player window.
So i used sound.exe to play the wav files in the dos console window without showing any window output. and that's handy because I can play more than one sound file at the same time. but eh disadvantage is wav files take up more space.
The game is actually just all one big long script text batch file there are no sub scripts files, unless you count the couple of game save files as a script file.
Label is part of Kivy framework it would run as part of kivy and would have it own Window you can style.
Python uses brackets mainly for functions it has quite some brackets however still much less compared to C or java based languages which use brackets for grouping and other stuff (Python does use indent for grouping).
I find the brackets stuff difficult to try to layout becase it just takes one missing bracket or cause the whole thing to crash.
For batch code does crash easily if you missing an envinment variable, or mispelt a flag label name. And the problem with batch code, it dosen't always tell you what type of error it is. doen't give enough detail on the error. so you have to try to debug the code to locate where the error is coming from, most of the time the error comes from a certain section of code.
But I hate getting the
1 is unexpected before goto error
because that usually means a misspelt or missing name label somewhere in the code..
I've got unity on my computer, but I didn't understand how to set things up in it. Don't you need a 3d modeling program to create your worlds in with that engine? Unreal expects you to create your 3d worlds with Maya or 3d max.. I don't have those programs, Only Blender... But I'm still trying to figure out how to get thousands of lines of dialog text into a 3d game engine without overloading it. because in the batch format, I can do thousands of lines of dialog and have no problem, its just getting it all into a 3d engine is the problem and putting in all the flags and switches to trigger all that dialog.. .
Actually, having it in a single file might make it easier to process the script. So it looks to me that you just perform a Goto when you go room-to-room/system-to-system, is this correct? If so, you would be able to load the entire script into memory (I'm assuming filesize < 1mb, even larger is fine too) and just link the Goto tag to the line number. When a goto is encountered, you would be able to load the lines starting at the tag and run them.
In this fashion, you would no longer actually be using Windows batch scripting, but rather a custom interpreter that is based upon a subset of Windows batch scripting commands. New functionality could theoretically be added that doesn't necessarily work in Windows, such as
-any "echo" command that includes "LETTER)" will create a selectable button
-any "echo" command that include "CHARACTERNAME:" will create a speech bubble for "CHARACTERNAME"
As for Unity, you technically don't need to have any 3D modeling programs. They have a certain amount of built-in 3D tools, such as a terrain generator and basic 3D shapes (sphere, cube, cylinder, etc.). There are also free and paid 3D models available in the Unity Asset Store, which can be easily imported into the Unity environment. To import your batch script, you would need to create a Javascript or C# script (the languages supported by Unity) that would do like I suggested and be an in-between step between the batch script and Unity scripting.
Tell me if I interpreted this right. Do you mean to say that I can just Piggy back my code into any computer language by loading my code all into the ram so I can to bypass the limitations of Cmd.exe which is stopping me using batch code with other script languages?
So once its all loaded up in the ram, then the code is free to be accessed by any program or script whether its java, or python, or C++ can now call any of the goto label that I made and execute any section or function of my game. and have much faster execution speed because its in ram not reading one line at a time through cmd.exe and if I'm right, then that then will make it possible to run that code in a 3d game engine script and start customizing it. once you get Cmd.exe out of the picture. I think that's what you're saying to mem can piggy back it. And if that's true, that sounds really interesting but I don't know how to load my batch code all up into the computer's memory, I only know how to execute it within cmd.exe one lousy line at a time.
Now I know with these type of games they prefer to load the files it as small modules from the HDD into the memory, this may be necessary when working with a 3d engine to create all the 3d systems and stuff because you need a 3d space simulator engine for a game like this so you can beable to fly around in your spaceship through all the different systems....That's what I want it to be doing. So the text script gives me a starting foundation to work from.
I would need to know how to create the big large nebula clouds of mist so you can fly through them, and the planets in the systems.
But because this game is not yet hooked up into a 3d space engine, I can only move from room to room in my script or system to system I use either Goto :Label, or
B) A If "%hyoshi% EQU 1 1 A Flag label to determine a certain condition in the game before making a goto jump
C) A If %x1%== or use a set /p prompt choice.
D) Or I use the Call command to load the save file but I don't use the call statement much excep for two places in my game at the moment. 1. Halfway through the spacestation mission you can save the game then load it to continue where you left off, or when you zoom out to the galaxy you can save where you are up to in the game.
Do do that I simply put the Save routine halfway in the spacestation mission code. so i got a save checkpoint in it.
51273 lines have been written, that didn't take long, what took me long, was creating and wiring up all of the sound files of the text dialog of the game characters.
So now with each game character having around 200-400 speech audio files each for ll the different dialog in the storylines, throughout the various missions and systems I'm going to need to set my directories out like this
Sound/Streams/Storm
Sound/Streams/Leona
Sound/Streams/Axel
ect. So I don't get that LAGGING if I just chuck the audio dialog files all into one sound directory. the same also for all the systems of the game.
The good thing about batch script is that the filesize can be very big but the downside is that it will slow down eventually the exeution speed of the script the bigger the file gets as it starts slowing down when you reach about 400,000-500 lines, then it starts lagging.
becuse I think when you run the batch file the command.com, spools it one line at time into the memory, so it takes the hdd a little longer for the computer to run it as its not all being loaded into the ram.
Because windows has a problem with lag when you have alot of files in a single directory or when you run a big massive batch file
I think it's safe to say that over 90% of storage space required for modern games consist entirely of multimedia assets - images, videos, music, 3D models, textures, etc. The rest consists of the assorted scripts, save files, game executables, log files and other small miscellaneous files. Keeping this in mind, the relatively small filesize scripts are usually always easily accessible - whether through being kept in memory or kept in the hard drive cache. The game engine takes care of the heavy lifting of maintaining what is kept where, so unless you're building a 3D engine from scratch, you can stop worrying about what's kept where for the most part.
The programming philosophy I was taught, was something to the effect of "Get it working first, then optimize", in other words, don't worry if what you wrote works slowly, as long as it works correctly. Programming bottlenecks are often hard to discern from source code, as compiled code differs dramatically from source code.
Unity, and I think it's safe to say Unreal/Cryengine/most other game engines, utilize programming models that allow for the separation of data, graphical components, and user interface. With this in mind, the scripts can be executed upon user input, which updates the underlying data, which is then seen when the graphical components are redrawn on the screen based upon the underlying data.
I think they rely on the HDD cache, but some use the memory too. Some say I was mad making this type of game, well some of the promos of Ntis City in the info centre show that mad chaotic world..
New, just recently imported into Ntis from the Telos Homeworld, Housecat remakes, these cute adorable little creatures called Leonix are no ordinary house pets, along with our popular product the fangercrawlers, these lovely little cats have special cloaking abilities. Watch your Leonix dissapear before your eyes and reappear. Fun for all the kids. Don't delay only 100 credits each. Get yours today. P.S We will not be held responsbile if your Leonix decides to materiaise inside your warp core engine. Ship train your Leonix today. For more information see Leonix Pet shop in the Main Central Markets area.
Financial News:
In Financial News: Well Citizens of Ntis, its your lucky day
Element 113 stocks are now going at half price due to market crash on
the Belanus Homeworld of rare metals. Trade your precious metals in today.
Visit vendors area Metal Suppliers for more information.
In other news, Thelisium trading stocks from Vinus fell over 70% today after
Financial trades negotiations all fell through. Attempts at Negotations are again curently
underway with the planet, but because of tight security due to conflicts with
rogue factions warring with each other, the govenor of Vinus has called off
the trade talks with Ntis until further notice.
In other News Brokers are doing well in the Metals market on Triaxis
Prime. Rich mining resources were found on the planet so hurry and
invest in your metal stocks on Triaxis before bandits get it today.
News for today: The Ntis Government has decided to say no to the council's
requests for more reinforcements for a breakdout in the north district
of the city of a dispute between two neighbouring factions, saying that
local security are able to handle the dispute. Bad Sector and Core are
responsible for causing the unrest over 'machine rights'.
Breaking News, a rogue droid has just trashed the Central Plaza
Hotel, 1000 credits reward to anyone who can take him down. Security
has been unsucessful in capturing him. 4052 credits of damage was done to the hotel. If you are the owner, please pay up for the damages and keep your droid on a leash.
The Cheesy News Bulletins on Telos
Welcome to Intergalactic News for Today. On Telfus, Rogue droid
robs Spare parts store claiming to be all out of date with software. Store
owner is shaken up, but the droid has been apprehended by security
screaming, 'I have my rights, I have my machine rights.' before being taken away.
(Note if you invest in Thelisium) you lose 130000 credits....
which brings up random one line script replies from one of the game party members.
BAD NEWS ON YOUR STOCkS---------
Loana: All is good with Thelesium market You were saying?
Loana: Well look what happened to your precious stocks now. Its hit the bottom.
Loana: Looks like your precious stocks just went all down the toilet
Loana: Looks like the Commander's lip fell on the ground after hearing this
Loana: Didn't you know my world has volatile stocks?
Loana: You should'v listened to me and not brought theleslium stocks from that alien.
Laona: Your stocks just lost all their value
And If you are on Telos at the bar.............
In other news, thelisium stocks are doing well this year
but there is some concern as Rogue Factions are starting to
disrupt trading operations on the planet. The governor of Vinus
will soon release a news bulletin on the developing situation.
In other breaking news, this just came in, Disaster hits Vinus as the Rogue Factions continue to
shut down trade. The Vinus Stock Market has halted trade, causing
precious metals stocks like Thelisium to crash and burn. Folks, I
hope none of you brought any Thelisium stocks this year. Vinus say
they hope to resume normal trading at a later time. Someone should
really sort that planet out.
Storm: Ahahaha that's funny.
ana% EQU 1 echo. Loana: I don't see what's so funny about my planet
ana% EQU 1 echo. being in conflict with rogue factions. Now trade
ana% EQU 1 echo. has been halted I hope its only temporary.
Commander: I invested in Thelesium stocks. It' not funny. I just lost my money.
Storm: Well it looks like the Thelesium has crashed and burned on you Commander.
Commnader: Damm, all that money wasted.
Bar Owner: What's the matty sonny, it looks like you seen a ghost.
Storm: He just lost over 130,000 credits in the Vinus Stock market when
the thelisium trade market crashed.
Bar Owner: (Bursts out laughing), I wouldn't trade all the credits for one
metal stock of that planet, there's too much conflict all the time on that
world. They need to sort themselves out.
In Intergalactic News Today: A big group of Ionian Raiders was
seen in the Metroa System, destroying one of our Metal Refineries.
Telos reinforcements are being called right now to go to that system
to deal with these raiders. If you want to help with the fight,
please see Security Administration Recruitments in Telos Towers
Floor 10 for more information. Bounty reward is $6000 and under
Right, so how do you load a batch file all into the memory?
I think you misunderstood, they meant that you could write ascript that reads the text of your batch-files and translates it to another language. I think you're better off starting over with e.g. Unity and just reuse all you content (that is, all text and images you already created).
To make the transition easier you should get some type of Dialogue extension from the asset store, e.g.
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/14854
I haven't that one myself and there are others so check around a bit before buying. If you don't want to learn c# (you should, it's a lot eaasier than batch-script IMO) then there are visual scripting extensions as well. I think Playmaker is the most used one. I haven't used it myself though, I like writing code :)
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/368
If you wrote 50k lines of batch script then I suspect that you included the output text in those scripts? That's a mistake you're now paying for when transitioning technologies. Imagine if all your text was instead in a text file that your batchscript read from? Then you could just write a new c#-script in unity and reuse the same asset. That's why we always try to separate data from logic, I learned that the hard way myself many many years ago...
Again, good luck, whatever solution you decide on!
If you wrote 50k lines of batch script then I suspect that you included the output text in those scripts? That's a mistake you're now paying for when transitioning technologies. Imagine if all your text was instead in a text file that your batchscript read from? Then you could just write a new c#-script in unity and reuse the same asset. That's why we always try to separate data from logic, I learned that the hard way myself many many years ago...
Well my game Is written as one big massive text batch script file. 1 big long long batch file not a series of mini little scripts. The Assets of the game (the audio dialog is embedded by file pathnames into the script file itself....I don't know enough knowledge with Unreal engine to fix the T-poe problem with the models but the planet will have to be fixed at a later time.
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Lip synch?? I think you may approach this the wrong way... Start solving simple problems, like getting a game engine to work, and then do the AAA-stuff a few years down the road... Don't animate any characters at all, instead just focus on getting some basic gameplay working in unity or unreal and if you have more time, generate more content! Not a lot of people will care THAT much about character animations much less whether they have working lip-synch!
Solve simpler problems first...
If lip synch is a must then it if possible, UMA has phoneme lip synch so you could make a text-to-phoneme parser for it. https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/35611
As for the assets, all the text written should be considered an asset and stored as such (in separate text files, xml or whatever) is what I meant before.
You want me to create Seaparate text files of my game?
What do you mean by this, are you suggesting I break my text dialog tree down into hundreds of little text files? Well for starters this game will have over 60,000 lines or more of dialog text because of all the many system that I have to still wire up in the galaxy.
I agree with this rule that the 90% of game assets like graphics, sound, your game dialog streams and videos should be separate files, but the main script code shouldn't be all broken down into hundreds of tiny little script classes (pieces) like they did wth Unreal, because then you're just cachng the crap out of the HDD (oh no that's UDK 3 I'm thinking of) where you had to wait for lighting to be all rebuilt each time you build something new to the level and it won't surprise me if the UNREAL 3 engine has busted more than one or two HDD's with all that heavy caching that that engine does. Unreal 4 says my comptuer is crap and recommends that I can only render the game on the lowest production setting, yet its got 16 gigs of memory and that to Unreal is low?
I think of the poor little guy who sits with Unreal 3 engine spending 10 minutes caching the rubber all off his HDD just to get Unreal to build all the lighting and i Unreal 4 I watched a guy put a dozen blueprint nodes togeher just to build up a text shader to display a small little piece of text on his screen. And how long does unity take to build its Lighitng?, as long as Unreal does?
When you're doing a game with over 60,000 lines of dialog text, it might be better to access the dialog text directly from the ram instead of relying on the HDD, That might help the frame rate stay low once you add all the other game assets to it so you need some kind of dialog tree database file..
No it does not need to be in thousands of little text files (but it could be, i really doubt that this would be a problem*) it could very well be in a database, in xml or whatever BUT NOT EMBEDDED IN CODE!! If it was and you needed to change techs from say one game engine to another then there would be tonnes of work to port it.
Well each to his own I guess, whatever works for you and actually results in a game that people play is what you should go with!
As for Unreal, I never used it, I use Unity myself but Unreal is an engine used for AAA games. I think you're safe to trust them that they don't burn through HDDs or their QA would know about it.
*) I have never heard of any best practices in game development that you need to keep everything in one file for the purpose of saving HDDs of users.
What interests me is how Bioware managed to fit 40,000 lines of text dialog in the Unreal 3 Engine with Mass Effect 3 in their level maps. so I think they built their dialog tree up in Kismet using the node system using that text announcement system,
This other guy is telling me to forget running my game one line at a time, just load the whole script into the computer's memory banks and just execute the goto labels in memory (I don't know how to execute batch goto labels in ram yet or from game engine scripts yet if it can be done, I don't know.
And then I will have faster execution speed and everything will be all nice and smooth with no lagging of windows to read in the file from the HDD because it will be already all loaded up into the memory. So I can see the benefits from keeping the code in the memory instead of reading it from the disk. He also said the main game code is only small in size about 10% when compared to the separate file game assets 90% that the game uses. So he makes a good point. And that is true, because my game script file is only 1.8 megs in size, the game assets are over 1.3 gigs. of all the sound Foleys, and audio dialog files, and some music.
But you say if I load my batch script all up into the memory and execute the code block from memory instead of breaking my code block down into these little script classes then nobody can port my code into their game engine or have a hard time trying because its all in one big file not in separate little class scripts that those engines like UNreal and Unity like using.
I am not saying anything about batch script... I don't know much about it. I am just talking about game dev in general.
Yes, as it stands now your text assets are hard to port. If they were in a database separated from logic it would be a lot easier to port.
If you are looking at c64-games for technical solutions then I think you are doing something wrong. If you want to develop games learn one of the following:
1. Enough programming to make your own engine
2. How to use an existing engine
That's my two cents... Checking back through this thread I can't help to suspect trolling. Someone defending the use of batch-script for game development, talking about burning out HDDs, lip-synch and using c64-tech just seems... Unlikely... If that's not the case then I'm sorry but I don't think I can help you much more anyway.
Good luck with your game, I hope you switch to some other tech than batch-script and that you actually manage to finish it.
No, the c64 was used just as an example to show how you can use the ram for storage of your code I think this other guy is trying to tell me that I can probably do it using the ram with a game engine instead of using the dos interpreter to just run my script from that so he may know a way of making that batch script work with the game engine scripts if he can access it from the ram. That's why I mentioned it. He might be onto something.
I don't like unreal 3 for all its constant lightmaps crashing problems and black screens. Here's the pattern. Bulld New Geometry, Unreal is stable, Build some new Geometry, all of a sudden the lighmaps just pop out the window and crash to a black viewport window saying 'cannot buld lightmaps. Lighmaps must be all rebuilt." So you start Swarm up which takes 15-20 minutes to rebuild the lighting again . Lights are back on again. Buld new Geometry, lights are ok, Build some more new Geometry, Crash out go all the lightmaps again. Rinse and repeat.
Its not normal behavior for the engine's lightmaps to go pop like that everytime you try to add in some new geometry to your level.
For with Red Faction red editor, I never had these kind of problems with my lighting because the game engine rendered the lightmaps all last, not first.. . But unreal is trying to render both at the same time which is causing the lightmaps on my machine to keep on busting. and I haven't even done a big map or strained the unreal engine at all and it lightmaps keep on busting like that everytime you try to build geometry not normal.
Oh well, no surprise that the Armageddon Mass Effect game will not be out on pc until 2016 if this same problem still exist in the latest engine.
Indeed there is some akwardness going on.
Here is something i wondered the whole time:
You have a text game with screens with some music and some background.
How does fit a 3D Engine in there at all do you want to make 3D Backgrounds, 3D Texts or maybe 3D sounds?
and audio speech files (don't forget the dialog audio that goes with it). The type of game i made needs a 3d engine for the ship to fly all around in to vist the varioius systems and a 3d engine also for the surface of the planets for walking around on to walk through all the different parts of the city and docking ports, shops ect..That's the type of game I wanted to do and walk around in your spaceship as well talking to all your ship crew ect..
Make 3d Sound for my game? That's a Good question if I make a 3d space sound effect for my game then I would build a simple sounds up by just getting two or three ambient space sound files and play them all together to give the space ambient more depth and atmosphere and volume and playing more than one sound file to create the 3d ambient effect,
I also wanted to see if this could alo be pulled off in a 3d game engine as well. to make 3d models all spawn in on the edge of your camera view FOV so it give the illusion the place is all filled up with thousands of people.when its only just a few dozen models that are walking in different waypoints directions being spawed in at random places to walk into, and fade away on the edge your camera field Of Vision View and the trigger be as big as area that you want the busy people to be walking around in to start spawning in. So this effect would suit large open city areas and also the busy shopping areas to create the illusion you have got a big city of thousands of busy people.o
And please don't tell me that making some busy city people in games are patented because I am getting tired of these companies going out of their way to try to cripple everybody's creativity.
So you want to make a game to fly around in an universe with 1000 - 10000 of Planets and a ground engine where you can walk around like in a shooter without programming knowledge and having the text and triggers in Batchfiles?
Now making a space simulator and a groundsimulator in 3D is quite a bit of work.
I think you better stick with what you have now, finish your Batch scripts and make with the 3D simulation an Other game after you have finished, and dont worry about it at all till you have finished your game.
And dont think about HDD wear...
Yes, doing ground simulator and a space simulator is alot of work. No, You dont make the whole universe with 1,000 planets in it, the computer cannot render all those objects, unless you portal it with gates but you just load it in a module at a time when you go from system to system .But Unreal might not be suited for the game I'm trying to do. Plus I had quite enough of all its lightmaps crashes.
"No, You dont make the whole universe with 1,000 planets in it, the computer cannot render all those objects, unless you portal it with gates"
So you dont want to use gates to fly from one part of the universe to the other and you dont want to have 1000 planets? so maybe only 10?
But how does it then go along with the storyline you have already you said you have so many systems how will you get them into the engine without Planets?
I still to decide whether to just let the t6unit drip feed the starcharts out from his frozen memory from time to time, I know I said he suppoed to have 2,000 but I might give him 200 star chart systems and have the rest stored up in a damaged slipstream drive which is found on planet Spoak and get the T6unit to extract all the star charts data from the damaged drive to add in another 700 more to his memory banks to make it 1,000.
I can compromise, for not all star systems have to be full blown in a full 3d flight simulator modules some can be just simple 2d flat mini simulator to move around on the star chart to mine stuff from certain systems ect, and the bigger more important systems can use a full blown 3d space simulator if necessary to fly your ship through gaseos cloud nebulas and stuff, to get to certain areas so a full blown 3d simulator is just an optional thing, just gives a nice touch to the game if you can have that for the larger systems, so for the small systems with ony 1-2 planets, , no need to have a full blown 3d simulator you can use a mini 2d chart one instead on the screen.
the systems will have the planets in them. some system might have 2-3 planets, some might have 4-6, 3-5 moons and all the other stuff. BUt not every planet in every system has to be a full blown 3d model, it can be just a 2d pic on a chart you fly our ship around to if its not an important system.
and you jump from one system to another through the gates if you can find the gates that lead to them.
Do you have the Planet and ship textures and everything already?
I think you would need a program to render the planets, the nebulas and so on, if doing 2D system charts for the smaller systems, and for the larger important systems, need to find 3d models for the planets as well as the textures for the ship, render also the gas for the cloud nebulas. You would need quite a few resources. For I don't know what program will rende Gas Nebulas Yet that you canfly your ship into.
Indeed and i think only for the Graphic engine you will have to do many many hours work. I think multiplers of what you have done till now.
Well think of it this way, with Unreal 3 UDK, you are already spending many hours waiting for lighting to be all rebuilt and doing nothing else, So yes I welcome spending many hours of actually doing something in an engine instead of putting up with many many hours of re-building crashed lightmaps all the time with swarm everytime Unreal 3 decides to crash and burn on me.
A game the scale of which you are describing would take an entire development team months, if not years, to develop. I would suggest adapting your game into a Visual Novel (much like a choose-your-own-adventure), since your game is story-driven (the best kind). Not only would it be radically simpler to design, but there are free tools to do exactly what you need to do, such as this Unity extension:https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/9416
Right thats what i thought of you will need quite some time usually more than one person has for this.
How if you just make some kind of Visual Novel and add a 2D Battlesystem like Master of orion 2 has it.
A visual Novel? with a 2d battlesystem, instead of a 3d engine? I'll have to look on you tube to see what you mean. Well Had a look as master of Orion 2, looks like a turn based game to me with still screens a little bit of animation. like a sim city type of game. In my game you don't build the assets, you buy them from other people in the game but maybe i might think of adding in the option to build a new asset if you want by inputting an asset builder vendor in the game in the systems, I'll think about it., and if you buy an asset, like a mining ore facility, or something that produces some goods, it will earn some credits for you which is deposited in your bank which can be accessed from any system that has a bank that supports Alliance Credits but some systems won't have alliance credits or accept alliance currency so you would have to go to a system that has a bank that is friendly with the Allance unless of course some rogue faction sends in some raiders in to destroy your asset.
If it gets destroyed, it will pop up in the daily interstellar news telling you all the bad news of it being bombed. of either losing mining stock you invested in if the stock market you invested in on a particular system has a turn or when you lose an asset.
So the first thing you learn is not to invest in anything from Vinus when shady little cheeky aliens come to you with tempting offers because that planet's economy is unstable... But there will be other systems that will be unstable as well with their economies so it will be a mxed bag. So trading will have some risks that could pay off, but if you do it too much and with the wrong type of systems with the wrong type of traders who work more like the Ferengi do in trying to sell nothing but interstellar junk, might not pay off and sell you all short and lose alot of credits instead.. So it can work for you or against you if you pick the wrong traders.
This is what I wanted for my close-up cutscenes..
FULL SCREEN close up Cutscenes that you walk up to the person on to have small but not too tiny crisp clear looking font and look cinematic with a modern look, blur the background if necessary so the text dialog can be read more easily on the screen or just stick the text on the top and bottom borders of the screen out of the cutscene movie altogether which i did in batch, but in Unreal, the text is put directly in the cutscene. What I don't want is a 1991 Japanese Aime style cartoony speech bubble interface, I need the futuristic modern 2015 wide cinematic paranoma look in my close up cutscenes when talking directly to people in the room with me.
WHAT I WANT FOR THE GROUND SIMULATOR
A mini small little 2d animated portrait of the game character speaking to you from a certain far location away while you are still walking or running around on a planet's surface or like talking to your ship pilot Skinar from time to time over communications but when a party member wants to speak to you you then you will have an automated audio only dialog conversation back and forth with them while you're on the move if you have subtitles text turned off you won't see the dialog. (no need for text subtitles or animated pic showing) for these type of scenes.
And when you are in idle mode with them when you walk up close to then you get the full blown cutscenes of them to talk to and just speaking audio to you if subtitles are tuned off or they have their subttles text turned on so you can see all their text. This is for the more important stuff of the game.
FOR THE SPACE SIMULATOR
This 2d mini portrait pic with no text would be necessry if you do the game in a 3d space simulator when communicating to other ships or aliens in the area when they are far away from you while you are still flying round the systems in your ship... You hear their audio and see just a tiny moving 2d animated pic of them talking. Might be hard to make in 2d to make them lip synch the audio dialog.
So I know what I want in my game for the 3d version. but its alot of work involved
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