Slocket

Thanks for some insight into this. Maybe I should just try out a quick 1000 model load stress test and see what it does. I really hope this Dark Basic Engine can handle it. I do know I have the Pro edition that can be written over to C+ language, to gain alot in FPS, if I read off their website correctly, compiling it with MS Visual 2008 Express edition. I guess that compiler library is more effecient for generating the code. If it cannot do it then I am in big trouble! I hope by keeping the FX simple, and low poly counts, it could handle it. Well, I better check it out, else I will need to use another engine. I think their are benchmark tools to see how much memory the engine is using.

Help! my IP adress is blocked for some odd reason. I get a message error 403 forbidden, your open proxy is not allowed or your a hostile host or something about spamming. Can someone fix this or tell me what is wrong? The page says this forum is protected by http://www.code-authors.com I have to use a back door in order to post here. Can you check to see what is wrong? my IP is 98.168.193.55 it is not an open proxy, it is real from Cox Cable Communications. Unless people really hate my game remake...I hope not. all my ports are closed, I ran anti-virus again, ad aware, unless one of those free image editors I been using was a bad load of virus... I am trying to figure it out on my side, but my IP is forever darn near.

10 meg low resolution? somewhat better. Or just download here, if anyone really wants to see it decent. http://rapidshare.com/files/129498934/Rebellion2008_2008-07-13_14-54-04-71.mpg.html ThX for reply (did the sound work?), and another update. Almost done with the 3D battle engine. Pretty ships and stuff can be added in later. The 2D strategic part will be a piece of cake compared to the 3D work. I added a functional shield and hull readout. More sound, 3D sprite explosions, a glow around the sun. Basic AI path finding. Targeting. Vid is better but still low res due to 3 meg and 20 second limit of free FRAPS. I really need a decent video capture and processor. Fraps runs the movie at half speed for some reason. Shield hit by Turbo Laser. http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/7715/15550000ow2.th.png Shield hit by Ion Cannon. http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6314/16200000rz2.th.png

There is a command "Clone" so to speak that does make a new object from the original that is loaded in during start up. Unfourtanely, the clones do not maybe have the same independent properties as the parent. I do not fully understand this and how it relates to this darkbasic engine. If I am lucky, then maybe it will not be an issue. I think though if each ship is acting on its own, dynamically as I want them to, then I need a seperate entity for each ship. Clones work for such thing as a bunch of static trees, or other things that do not really move independently of each other. As far as I can tell, from reading tutorials and examples, each ship is moving on its own and has to be rendered in real 3D space upon the 2D screen. All those calculations need to be made. If I had say a RPG game with a forest of trees then I could just clone a few variety of them and make it look like I have thousands of trees since they are all behaving the same within a tree type. I think. good question. I do not know.

Indeed, if you can muster 1000 capital ships, with enough mines and refinerys, then you can. I just do not know how far I can push the graphics engine. I can know how much memory a single model hogs up the RAM, I have only 1 gig of ram on a old 2.8 Pentium 4 with a ATI 9800XT vid card. Fighter is about 13kb, ship around 137kb but adding a texture will increase that about 100kb. So I guess 10x fighters over ships, and using 500 meg of system memory /256kb ~1800 ships rendered (mipmapping which is working lowers ships farther away so I think 2000 could be achieved). I really do not know, the cpu has to have time to move everything within a 1/60 second frame rate and think. So maybe 500 vs 500 is it for my old computer. Yours could go higher. Sooo...maybe a switch of some kind to allow more ships for bigger battles. I could even have different level of polygon detail models for high end/low end computers, and if people want a really huge battles! Of course maybe more input. EAW had a limit of only what was it around 25 ships per side? I guess there is a limit to what a engine can do graphically compared to number crunching all the stuff going on (everything has to be rendered and moved including lasers bolts and AI thinking). I am just getting a feel for what people think and what they experienced in the old rebellion game. And mostly what would be cool. I believe everyone would want more fighter types and groups. I made a bit of a typo in number of types of capital ships. I meant to say 24. There is no real 'limit' to this, just interface. What does the community think. 24 capital ships to research for each side and additional tech upgrades for all can be applied, with 8 fighter types? Plus those 1000 vs 1000 ship battles can be done with 500 vs 500 then call in reinforcements like EAW. I will try to go for 200 vs 200 for a start and see if it pucks up. And how big of a universe? 200 planets as is original. Higher resolution I can go to 400 I think and squeeze it into the interface. Turn based games are great to allow the computer to render and think alot AI between the turns, there is no real limit to this. And how many characters...scale with size of game...about 60 maximum per side?

New total of ships and fighters for a Rebellion Remake? I need to know this answer. I think maybe due to limitations possibly, of the game engine, the maximum number to make the game still fun. For a single 3D battle, 100 capital ships and 1000 fighters per side? I really want ships NOT to be spammed -diplomacy missions, sobatage, espinoige, and troops are going to be of importance morever from just brute force. Your ships are to be valued and tough, not just a pure war RTS game. If it turns out to be a problem, make the fighter back into sprites? (yuck)..Maybe just low polygon models. So far, I figure it will not be a problem for the above. I have made the sprite explosions, a basic panel showing what ship you click on, hull and shield , ship status. I will show a picture in the old thread I am mostly posting in. I would like to show the detail status as a new button pop-up. I am trying to give the most GUI feedback with the old style flavor without hogging up all the pretty pictures. As for task forces, we will see, I never used them that much, but I can give the groups (then some kind of more intelligent commands to make it worth while). I figure with more resolution, I can place lets say 24 types of capital ships hot buttons / groups; maybe 8 fighter types/groups? Opinions please, I am at that point. Been a busy bee with all this Iowa Katrina Storms from Hades here in Iowa (clean up) had to repair/replace my whole roof froma 110 mph wind gust...tornadoes... Oh yes, ships and fighters will have limited protons topedoes to slug around as research upgrades, so you may decide to research 'advanced' proton torpedoes or a gravity well interdector quicker -flavor of Master of Orion. Edit: typo 24 capital ship types instead of 12 for each side (I forgot to double the number ) over the basic starting force, so 32 in total. That is 2x the original game.

As DarthTex knows from his work, and so I learned, A savegame can be edited to place in more system energy for Rim planets. A program can be written to add in random energy to all planets to make them worthwhile, if you run it on a save game just after you start. ReED does allow for Rim planets to be tagged as Core planets, but I think that makes them visible from the start and would ruin gameplay. A person can also change the probablity of structures on Rim planets from the start I think from editing the files in the other editing thread I posted there (expanding on the stuff others have discovered along time ago). Lastly, would the AI "know" to build up more structures on a planet with "more" energy slots available than it expects? I do think random events does add to the game personally, but it would be nice to be able to control the probabilty (on/off/percent chance). More choices is always good. How about the planet eating Crystal Space Monster from Master of Orion showing up in the galaxy? Joking a bit, but more random stuff would be cool.

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/1180/vsdfire4js2.png A Sun is Born 800*600 The lower resolution you cannot see the star background. Free hosting loses 4x the pictur quality. I need to get my own website soon! Added a real 3D Sun. Added Collision detection for models and laser fire bullets. Added basic AI path finding. Learned a whole lot of new stuff. Vector targeting. memory management. Later after i finish, I am converting this to LUA embedded into VC++ for communtiy usage and moddding. Stay tuned for REAL good movie in high relolution. Show a battle and decent FX.

I always thought there was something 'Freudian' about that scene in Episode III when he was on his knees. Best laugh I had all year!

From my little corner of the universe. My first badly made YouTube movie!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQQKwmilmF8 YouTube free 30 second movie. the resolution is way terrible, but I hope it can give a flavor of the Turbo laser and Ion firing. The real resolution is much better but that AVI is 158 megs. The stars and stuff cannot be seen due to free website size limitation. (Low res). <5 meg movie , so alot of video is lost, but the sound is is there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQQKwmilmF8 YouTube free 30 second movie. the resolution is terrrible, but I hope it can give a flavor of the Turbo laser and Ion. The stars and stuff cannot be seen due to free website size limitation. (Low res). The real thing is much better to look at! This is my first try at video capture and conversion to fit using free stuff off the net. Mostly Impressive, but a good teaser enough?

Empire at War: Gold Edition if you want it to work on Vista. I own both games too. meh, Vista strikes again. As for new PC games from LA, after reading about Force Unleashed, I think they gave up on the PC (even though it takes a PC to design the game). Sad Indeed. I do not want Vista unless they make it truly backward compatible with XP. Another probelm is the manufacture of video drivers -there may only be DX10 only with Vista. Now there's a kick in the pants. So what about all our treasured software game titles from the last 10 years?? Video card dies then you are up a creek without paddle? I hope some companys can see profit in still making compatable hardware. We may never see anymore decent games (at least for not FPS for kiddies) released for PC platform. One reason to start making our own games...but so many good ones I have from the past I stil enjoy. Sad indeed.

Yes, indeed LUA every where. I just need time to learn it. Hopeful in one year the second remake will have much more professional look and feel to the code and graphics. Using up to date code and compilers gives one much more power for speed of graphics and ease of use. So far, for this project, the cpu seems not to bother with my old but effective style. Of course, I am going for strategy and not so much for great graphics so I can get away with it for now. This will support DX9.0c shaders if peeps want more pretty ships and effects, ASFAIK. In order to keep the frame rates up, then hardware support may have to be enabled by converting this code into true VC++ which Microsoft 2008 express free version will handle. This is where I learned about this DarkBASIC (or you can right it in C++) on their MSN developer's website. It seems they are promoting it to work together, and it seems to work fine so far... I hope my luck holds out.

Well, save a game before, then one right after. then see if reload the previous if it happen on the next turn. trying to track down that value in EXE would be difficult with some knowlege of the mechanics. Usually some funtions are easy to spot use PE Explorer works on this old game ASM (assembler) always take one apart, but not very readable, but IF () THEN () are rather easy to see in hex...look for subroutines, close to Natural Disaster string. Oh yeh, very difficult. Do you know the probability absolute? I did change Freelancer a long time ago to get rid of the singleplayer storyline so you could play it like multiplayer mode with being connected to the Net. I liked that mod my made, but it took forever to find it via the ASM then going back to the original game reference call DLL to goto end.

I think more real traitors in the version I am making. Not enough in the original. I think resources are fine as they are, the refineries slow down work according to your popularity or something. But one thing in the game, resources are too abundant. I never worry about running out. I would like to see the Empire have high mantianance costs, so that when a Rebel destroys via sabotage one of thier refineries, it will really hurt. Vis a vis 'hit and run' tactics. I am giving Rebels a Espionage ( I can't spell worth a hang) bonus if they control their Alliance Headquarters. Similiar to what the Empire throne effect on Coruscant for Leadership. And optional function: Natural Distasters{ (None, Neutral, Decay, Expanding), (percent chance per turn), (number planets)} . Since LA does not seem to give a hang about the PC games that made them [ 'ala "Force Unleashed" ] on alot of platforms except PC. ---------- I think I can place in your own external folder scripted events. The syntax would not be hard, use wordpad and basic logic functions similar to Basic. If turn() > 500 AND RND (1000)< 5 THEN Bounty () All gameconstants are in external custom files so you can enjoin them. I really hope to finish this first draft by fall. If Bounty == 1 then Hans () Define function Hans () { AliveCharacterMajor () Returns a true, roll chance for capture, roll for injure, etc.

Thanks! I have the Turbolaser and Ion cannon Fire routine finished in 3D. This still picture does it not justice. I never used FRAPS before or YouTube, but I want to show the cool SOUND effects (here two turbo, one Ion, one engine). They are is 3D sound, very cool. Plus show full free camera movement, and free movement of the VSD in this picture moving around. Wait until you see it in action, the single picture is nothing compared to video movie with sound. I will post link ASAP to YouTube. Once I finalize the 3D code, the 2D strategic portion of the game will be a cake walk compared to this. Later for display I want to add in another Rebel ship, shield and hull hits FX (maybe even damage + death clone) battle. But one step at a time. Let me figure out this YouTube /FRAPS recording thing to show a movie with sound I hope. Ship fire arcs, like StarFleet Battles. Alot to go I guess, but not that bad. Free time was bad since we got a heck of a flood and tornadoes here in Iowa slowing things down. Then you guys can go to town with models, color / texture ships ( I used Milkshape but any thing in X format VSD mesh came from the archives here). Sound. Everything is moddable as promised. In seperate folder. Game constants. http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/1756/vsdfire2vn5.png Target Practice

Having more people is definitely a plus. It is alot of work, but with the extra manpower and recent graduates, you should meet with success soon! By the way, Mara Jade is a nice looking picture! Wow, I did not know about that, I will check them out before I get too far into using DarkBasic. I really would like other OS to run this free game in the spirit of free, such as Linux. And the extra functionality would be nice...I did not know about those engines. I think it would be worth checking out. It is never too late to convert over what I have so far into a more stable, portable engine. I hope I can understand it. I will give a try. Thanks for the heads up! I am always learning something new every day.

Yes, thanks. It does take along time for one person, your team should be finished before me. I guess about four more months for me.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4212&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15 You may have missed this one hiding over in the Editing section. I am about 33% finished. I am doing this rather solo since my coding skills for graphics were/are a bit rusty, but I am "staying on target....almost there"... Star Wars Deathstar trench run. Rebellion 2008: A New Source http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1715/rebtact10001mw3.th.png New 3D Tactical Battle Engine. http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1593/galx4te0.th.png Updated high resolution screens, and using some the old retro graphics for effect.

Nice one DavidAdas! You are coming along quite well. I know for me skinning those models is a bit of work. I posted a picture of some stuff I got a hold of form here and other sites. I am using that free Microsoft SDK 2008 and DarkBasic written in C++ sort of. The 3D battle engine works better than I thought, though it being in VC Basic, it will not be able to support high polygon models and alot of ships without the frame rate droppin to its knees. Anyway as for the OP, I am still plodding along with Rebellion 2008, I have no website but here for now. I posted a picture in this thread Rebellion Editing. The more project and teams, the more chance we will have a new remake of this wonderful classic. One thing, I am learning the new DirectX stuff, no way really around it. I learned my lesson. Graphics are my weakness, but the rest of the code is easy, since that is plain old code that anyone can write ( I first learned FORTRAN, but all languages are basically the same). Keep up the good work. Here is a picture from the other thread. This will only run under Windows XP and Vista (for now). The tech demo is active model AI movement and sound with a free camera movement also (even the planet rotates too ), but I want to put in the new VSD from here with a nice texture and add in laser particle beams fighting, for that dramatic effect. http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1715/rebtact10001mw3.png On Approach to Hoth

Oh, I can, and others, make more systems, but maybe make the 200 there worth while to have. You can change the positions and everything if you wish, the basic game, I am following the original. Then Mod away! Looky here, I used the EFC and some TIE interceptors from the down load section. This is a 3D full tactical battle engine. It is my first build, to get things moving. The planet rotates too for realism. Though my sky box needs work. Here is a picture. Also I need a texture for the EFC cruiser. The picture was original in 1024*768 at 2.5 meg, but the imageshack limits the size to 800*600, so it looks cooler in real life. http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1715/rebtact10001mw3.th.png What do you think? later I will have a EXE to show sound and movement. Later addin partical effects and death clone animation models. http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1715/rebtact10001mw3.png On Approach to Hoth

To get the AI to build a DeathStar, Master Kane has a RebEd mod in DL called Protecterate that gives the DS a lower maintenance / cost as that of a super star destroyer, fooling the AI into building it. ASFAIK. 137 RebEd AI to detect and train (never) ---> need new source engine. Some are working on this project in their own ways (skill level).

Thanks DarthTex, and sorry about all the fuss. I am learning, but good news! http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1593/galx4te0.png http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1593/galx4te0.th.png http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1593/galx4te0.th.png Using the same galaxy form DarthTex used in his Galaxy Configuration. The actual size and resoulution is 2.5 megs but imageshack only allows 1.3 megs free, so the resolution is lower than it would be in reality 1024 *768 instead of 640*480. I think I may have to bite the bullet and use DirectX or something more effecient. It is painful to Blitter all these Bitmaps! I am sorry to those in the know on software programming. I am learning the hard way as they say. Later I will add an exe download test for a tactical battle sound of multiple random sounds of a TIE fighter and a capital ship turbolaser battle. Mosty to see if it really will run on Vista and XP using OpenAL via hook into DirectSound (software I understand so no fancy EAX harware effects) plus if it will work on a multichannel setup (mono and stereo is guaranteed). I am waiting to the end to animate the Droid.

Good to see a nice team of fresh grads to work on this game. As for me, I am not up to date on code used today. I am still stuck back around 8 years ago; so my skills are very limited. I am just plotting along with basic Win32 GDI, Direct 3D, and OpenAL for sound mixing. Nothing fancy. Basic windows like 2D gaming as the original but higher resolutions. I really wish you the best, always good to have alot of people going on it; eventually something may happen true!

I emailed the New Fighter's Tutorial .zip to you, but yahoo may not take it. Tell me if you received it.