Rebellion Remake Release Demos!

[Slocket]

The ISD will fire random constantly. That is normal. If you watch it, it will hit the EFC ship after a minute or so as it moves closer. I am going to change that to work better (longer fire distance).

 

I'm not so much concerned about the fire distance or rate but it seems wasteful to have the ISD open fire when it can't hit the ship. I don't think realistically that would happen (unless the crew/captain is incompetent).

 

But yeah, the camera works fine in the 2d. I'd just like to be able to move so I could keep pace with the ship but it's alright for now.

 

Also, I PMed you a while ago about this but if you're looking for help, I'd be more than willing to assist. I'm pretty handy with graphics and I do know DBPro, but probably not as well as you lol.

 

I need to implementable a scrollable window to show large text and many ship icons of planetary resources. I also need Parent and Child windows. Dark Basic Pro does not do this by nature. It can be implemented though by tapping into the w32.dll using C++ or making a custom dll so I can keep using DB instead of GDK and C++. A person on the forums of The Game Creators has made a professional module called Dark Windows for sale that already does this functionality.

I have some code I took off the net for free that does a basic scrollable window somewhere on my old hard drive. So yes there is a lot of stuff to help me out.

 

BlueGUI for DarkBasic I think it might be worth the 20 USD to have it ready to go already. Or just use the basic scroll bar window I got the code somewhere.

 

http://robertknight.me.uk/blue2/site/index.php?view=info

Edited December 15, 2011 by Slocket

[Slocket]

One thing to note, if I start putting all these fancy graphics effect and high poly models into the game, many people will not be able to run the game with more than about 20 to 200 ships. Many have problems even running in 1080* high definition. You need a modern computer and video card to show the 1000 ship battles and all the effects. I wanted this to be first a real strategy game, not a beauty pageant,. I can add in the glowing exhaust gas for example and dynamic lighting for shot blast and explosion but at the cost of rendering total number of objects. No problem for my new computer, but it would not run on your five year old machines I am afraid.

 

@Antillies, maybe you have suggestions for easy make of exhaust gas trails? Use particles, shaders, sprites, etc. I do not know what is the best.

[antillies]

Sweet, sweet. I'm working on some other projects too but I'll start thinking up ideas. I'm actually not all that familiar with DBPro outside of the basic 2d realm. The largest thing I've programmed is a text-based RPG that I'm still working on but it's gotten me fairly familiar with the workings of the language. I'll definitely catch myself up on some of the more complex topics though.

 

Do you use any IM programs? I've found with projects like these it's often easier to communicate via those than posting back and forth. But if you don't, the latter will suffice lol

[Evaders99]

You need a modern computer and video card to show the 1000 ship battles and all the effects. I wanted this to be first a real strategy game, not a beauty pageant.

 

I think games like Sins solve it with a level of detail to abstract things. Don't tie the battle calculations to the graphical effects, otherwise you'll just be in a world of pain. Use less LOD models at further distances, abstract more with icons further away.

[MrPhildevil]

That is correct. There is no blue glow exhaust gas trail implemented yet. Easy enough to add later. I did not include it for this functionality delta demo test. You can see where the sun would be in the game, there is a yellow gas halo around it to give you an idea what it looks like though. Later you will see the pretty Rebel red and Empire blue exhaust cones trailing off the models just like in the movies and other games with some added dynamic lighting.

 

I did not mean the actual exhaust, sorry. I meant it seems like the skin is somewhat incomplete

 

By the way, Evaders has a good point. SOGE itself is already a mini-dump fest (somehow improved lately, but still...), so it would be sad that this game be bugged...

[Evaders99]

SOGE isn't a minidump fest, at least not since it was redone for 1.0E. It's been handling really well from the changes in beta.

[Slocket]

That is correct. There is no blue glow exhaust gas trail implemented yet. Easy enough to add later. I did not include it for this functionality delta demo test. You can see where the sun would be in the game, there is a yellow gas halo around it to give you an idea what it looks like though. Later you will see the pretty Rebel red and Empire blue exhaust cones trailing off the models just like in the movies and other games with some added dynamic lighting.

 

I did not mean the actual exhaust, sorry. I meant it seems like the skin is somewhat incomplete

 

By the way, Evaders has a good point. SOGE itself is already a mini-dump fest (somehow improved lately, but still...), so it would be sad that this game be bugged...

 

Skin? What do you mean...it is a frilling DELTA demo, not a beauty pageant as I explained. Plus is your reference to mini-dump derogatory as in going to the bathroom? Second, why should I even support legacy video cards -go spend a few Euros, while they are still worth anything, and buy a real video card for 50 USD. They are dirt cheap.

 

I think if you had a real High Definition monitor and video card you will see how ugly those legacy graphics really are, and why I do not wish to support them.

[MrPhildevil]

Skin? What do you mean...it is a frilling DELTA demo, not a beauty pageant as I explained.

I know it is a Delta demo, I just wanted to point-out what appears to me to be a flaw in one of the models. No need to be jumpy, I am impressed with your work and I want to help you improve-it. Here's what I meant:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/9118/engineu.png

 

Number one is the correct one. I did not ask you to put exhaust trails, that's a bad choice of words I did, in reference of the conversation we had on exhaust for my own mod. Just a kind of modder's joke. I meant the actual engine color/skin. Take a look at number 2. That's what I was trying to express. I think the blue thing is not supposed to be like this, but like number one.

 

Plus is your reference to mini-dump derogatory as in going to the bathroom?

Not at all. The Sins of a Galactic Empire mod has problems. Mainly, the Sins game was designed to work with Single core machines and my quad core has to use only one of its core to make the game work. When the game has too many assets to manage, the memory cache is overflowed and a window pops-up in the background and on this windows is written "Mini-dump", as in a memory dump. Nothing derogatory there, so no need to get upset.

 

Second, why should I even support legacy video cards -go spend a few Euros, while they are still worth anything, and buy a real video card for 50 USD. They are dirt cheap.

 

I think if you had a real High Definition monitor and video card you will see how ugly those legacy graphics really are, and why I do not wish to support them.

 

Well, I don't live in europe, so first, that would be CAD dollars, though that is just technical. As you have guessed, my monitor is not HD. Why the heck should I put a working monitor in the garbage just for your game. Hell, this computer runs Mass Effect 2 at max settings without any lags (and this game is pretty heavy for graphic cards...). My Nvidia GT 220 is not the hottest graphic card there is out there, but it cost me a hundred bucks at least and is good enough for just about any games that interest me. Sure, I'm not going to play high end games like Crysis 2, but my graphic card is far from outdated.

 

So you have 2 choices: -either you support lesser definitions too (1280x1024 is pretty standard, and I think most user can use-it...)

-Or you can not even support "legacy video cards".

 

Whatever, I don't know all that much about screen resolution, but I know what I won't do: buy a new monitor and a new graphic card per year. that's just freaking waste and anti-environmental attitude and that's not the kind of stuff I stand for.

[Slocket]

OK , thanks for clearing that up for me. That model has blue there since that is where the exhaust gas trail effect would go. I have not placed it it.

 

I have the problem with specially the resolution ratio of the height versus vertical pixels. The new monitors are 9:16 and the old video resolution are mainly 3:4. This aspect ratio difference makes the images very distorted and out of place. I made a thread called "Can your Monitor Support This Resolution" in order to resolve it. Just about all video mode until a few years ago have been 3:4 but now is 9:16 only. The highest video resolution that older video cards and monitors can support must be something 9:16 which there is not. I thought about trying to fit the square 3:4 into the rectangular 9:16 artwork in order to make it work. I need to study it further to find a better solution. It seems there are many old video cards still out there that cannot support the 9:16 ratio.

 

Thanks again, I am sorry for the misunderstanding.

[TimFletcher]

Hi, could you re-upload the demo(from page 1&or2)? the link appears to have stopped working and I would love to try it. Also any updates on your progress?

[Slocket]

http://www.4shared.com/archive/fudna4sW/RebRel0001.html

 

This is legacy 1024*768 4:3 artwork.

 

I am working on a version that has modern 1080*1290 9:16 aspect ratio for native res. It can be windowed to fit old screen monitors and video card/laptops.

 

Since darkbasic pro does not have windows, I am recreating windows like ability to display list of data in the game. Plus drag drop ability and scrolling list.

 

I understand there is a way to tap into the w32.dll to command these windows processes using GDK C++ , but I have no experience or examples of how to do it.

[TimFletcher]

Thanks for the updated link. Keep up the good work.

[Slocket]

Can you take a look and tell me what it does, visual and sound?

[JasonTL]

wow, i'm so glad i decided to look at the posts tonight and saw this thread, even though its been hard to read because i've been up going on 40 hours now, lol. i know absolutely nothing about programming, sadly, but it sounds like you're programming a version of rebellion from scratch just based on it? wish i would have gone into computer science, i would have tried something like this a decade ago. new compute is coming tomorrow, i just got a shipping confirmation. pentium 3.2ghz, 6gigs of ram, terabyte hard drive, windows 7 (which i was going to multiboot, but if you have this working in 7, might not have to, but will anyway for other older games) vid card is integrated, but at least it is HD, can always put another ine in, have the extra PCI slots. and gonna hook it up to my 32" wide screen hd lcd tv that i've been running this crap vista laptop off for years. not top of the line, but it was cheap for what i'm getting, so can't complain. can't wait to set it up and check out your delta demo build, almost want to stay up, but i'm falling over right now and my new system will come faster if i sleep til then, haha.

 

while waiting the last week, i've started doing some researching. was going to start my own mod for rebellion, probably still will at some point. definitely want to go by the new atlas maps out, set up the correct regions, sectors and systems. i'm getting my bearings back on info about the galaxy, its history, characters, military units and ships, so will be starting to build an information archive about things like that for encyclopedia entries. don't know too much about modelling, and don't have the money for 3dsmax, but getting together those resourses too, cheap or free programs to at least edit, texture, and convert models. not really an artist either, but i can find pics on the web or capture them and get them with the right palletes and resulution for the different came pictures. can get some vid clips out of movies, maybe record some audio. was going to be doing those things anyway for my own TC.

 

hope when you're done coding this, they'll be a program like rebed or be able to use some easy utilities to mod it too. sounds like you're doing a great job, really can't wait to see it. if you're programming this the way i think, you should be able to make this not only so much better in terms of the intelligence of the gameplay and AI, and some better graphics, which are nice, but nobody here has played rebellion for the last 14 years just for the graphics, lol. but also make it on a grander scale. maybe not in terms of thousands upon thousands of ships going into a tactical battle (which would be cool every once in a while, especialy with better control over the fleets) but 1.5-2x the amount of characters to control, small galaxy of 20 sectors, large of 35, huge of 50, more specialized special forces and fighter types and ground defense and assault troops, manufacturing and and defensive facilities. how cool would it be to have two sets of mines refineries. have to research new more efficient types that would increase your materials and rate of collecting them and purifying them and give more maintenance to build your bigger units as you research those too? and of course, more ships, from millenium falcons and lambda shuttles and slave Is to death start IIs, other battle stations, eclipses with superlasers, and viscount star defenders. and then there's teh dream, also being able to control ground forces in a tactical battle, but i think that's one wish we're never going to get, the game the way it should have been from the start, at least not from lusacarts.

 

damn, i really ramble when i'm sleep deprives. anyway, i'm excited to check it out and give you feedback. at any point that the little skills that i have, besides ideas, cause i guess i already gave you some of those, would come in handy for you, just let me know whatever i can do. right now, i need sleepy. you're awesome for doing this slocket, keep up the good work

[JasonTL]

tried to take a peek at the demos on this crap laptop and had the same problems that were mentioned throughout the thread. new ps should be here within the hour, so i'll get back to you when i've had a chance to take a look once that is set up

[Rogue_5]

Works fine for me.

[Slocket]

Thanks for checking into it. I need to release the source code for those wanting to try their hand at BASIC programing. The DARK BASIC PRO is free. The strategy window part is a pretty nice start. There is also a demo of the Tactical battle simulation part.

 

I have been out the loop due to surgery. I hope I will be OK later in 4-6 months. I had to stop working on the Rebellion Remake for now due to serious health concerns.

 

Though, I always seem to live and bounce back. I wish to finish what I started. January 20, 2012 yet another surgery,,yes I know.... life can really throw you a curve. If I survive this one, I will report back.

 

Else, I did try to the bitter end.

 

May the force be with you. God bless.

[MrPhildevil]

Are you fighting a Cancer?

[Slocket]

yes. I beat it for 6 years. It was completely removed with kidney, but a few cells got lose as usual. They parked inside the bone marrow inside one, my left shoulder, two inside the maxillary top mandible of my jaw. They are still small and well defined, so it should be able to remove them while they are still tiny and not spread. I think that is the last of it. Renal cell carcinoma is slow growing by nature (originated inside kidney). I hope I do not end up looking like that dude from "The Fly" if they remove too much of my jaw.

 

I would need to get a Vader helmet/ Sith jaw plate to wear so not to scare people.

 

After this, I think I will finally be cleared, very few people survive cancer 10 years of this type. But the survival rate are getting much better due to good CAT SCAN and MRI scanners. It did cost me everything I own, and put me out of work.

 

But I still enjoy playing computer games! Since I cannot go out and party with the old crowd.

 

Sorry, I should not mention all this -I do thank everyone for the support. I do always bounce back. This is my fourth surgery.

 

I will see how well I can type one handed. I do love programming my own game, I wish these computers were around when I was a teenager. I hope I retain most of my arm and hand /nerve control.

[DarthTex]

Hang in there Slocket. I'm sure the doctors will do their best to get you at your best!

 

Thanks for all the hard work you've been putting into the "new" Rebellion. I'll probably wait 'til it's 99.99% complete before I run it through its paces. That's mainly because I'm slow at using new technology and such, and just plain ole take my own time. Whoever would have thought I could respond to these forums on an ol' vaccuum tube machine and ancient CRT?

[MrPhildevil]

You can do-it! We are behind you Slocket!

[geir389]

You're a hell of a guy Slocket. If i had cancer i'd proubably be whineing at other people to make a remake of the game, not taking the challenge on myself.

I've lost a few family members to cancer, its a tricky disease. I wish you the best of luck.

[Slocket]

Hello everyone. thx for your prayers and sentiments. i am still here, Dr's believe i should be OK. i need my arm in sling for 2-4 more weeks + 4-6 months of PT, so i type one handed. hopefully i can be back on station soon enough in a month or so. That is good news so far, only some nagging numbness in ulnar nerve to my little fingers and hand, i hope it gets better. it can be depressing, but i have infinite hope. i really miss not having two hands to type with.

[MrPhildevil]

Ulnar numbness could be a result of having your arm in the sling too, if you mean that arm...

[DarthOminous]

Wow, I thought I'd check in sice I have not been around for some time.

 

Slocket I wish you the best and a speedy recovery.

Had a few good friends go through it and beat it.