Bulma

BladeFireLight: I have upload it to Releases, so now you can download it without join. Jman4117: I think we should put it at bottom, it`s common even for Windows games to have menus at bottom... Which buttons do we need? There is no throwing, shall we use ACC for bomb throwing?

I have add some function for map building in Battlefield. Balou: Download Battlefield v0.2, and try to make some simple test map. First go to File/New, and select desired map size. Then press Elements/Load Blocks to load .X blocks from Blocks directory (you can add your own blocks there). Block is placed by pressing left mouse button on desired location. For browsing map use arrow keys, and page up/down. If you need to delete block use DELETE key. With +/- you choose block to add, and with SPACE you select position to add. There are five positions, and only one object can use one position on same block (so, total is five objects per block). LEFT and FLOOR looks the same, so beware (use FLOOR for floor elements, and LEFT for wall elements). Map is saved with File/Save, and loaded with File/Load. If you have any problems, or request for additional features, I am here Jman4117: While Balou is making demo map, you could draw some pictures for Battlefield HUD where unit stats, turn and other data will be displayed. Also, we need some basic characteristics that units will have like AP, HP, ACC, etc. Any ideas?

Sorry for delay. I had some personal problems to solve... OK, here is how to install DirectX: 1. You need to install .NET Framework first, you can use Windows update or you can download .NET redistributable, and install it. Once .NET Framework is installed, go to step 2 2. You need to install DirectX9. There are two options: a) If you have redistributable directx installation (DXSetup.exe), start it with with the /InstallManagedDX command line attribute: Example: DXSetup.exe /InstallManagedDX B) If you use windows update, first install DirectX9, and then install DirectX9 Managed from windows update. Then you should try Test.EXE from fileshare. If it work, you have succesfully installed DirectX9 Managed. There is possibility that Test.EXE work and Battlefield don`t, becuase of some compatibility issues. Ok, I need to know do you like this grid thing, or should we make some changes? I would like to add multiple level support, and add some options for working with maps (loading, saving, adding elements, etc.). After that, we create some sample map, and start working on menus, units, weapons, and stuff... OK? I would also like that both of you send me spec. of your PC configurations (CPU, memory, OS, video card)... Jman: Yes, that would be great... Scott: If you are still alive, say something... :devil:

I was affraid of something like this. First did you install .NET framework before DirectX? If you did, then Directx9 MDX should be installed. But, I remember that I tryed that once and for some reason it didn`t work. Did you installed DirectX 9.0 - Managed DirectX from windows update? If not try this first. If all failed you could try to install mdxredist.msi which I uploaded to fileshare. Note, this is for DiretX9 not 9a, so maybe is better to wait few days till I download 9a SDK (which was released few days ago), and try to found out what is wrong. Balou: Microsoft .X exporter used to have some problems with vertex normals. There is a fix, but you have to recompile it. Is EffectWare good? Now, about ideas: I`ll try to summarize ideas: - x-com only founded by a few countries, other governments will attack aliens by themselves, AND MAYBE: Governments hostile to Xcom should attack xcom (an alien pact) - aliens/x-com units can surrender - can be free by attack or prisoners exchange - Xcom needs gravity, buildings collapses after enough structural damage - some weapons shoot through walls instead of blowing out sections - two types of units: agents and soldiers Did I forgot something? It would be nice if you could call reinforcements while in combat. Then you could first send only few agents, which would be enough for most missions, but if you encounter heavy resistance, you could call for an army (lots of heavily armed soldiers). However, there is a timing problem: if this happens on other part of world, agents should wait for few hours, and if one round lasts 1 min, then there will be lots of "end turns". But than again, we can bend physics a little, and make ship to arrive in few turns, or even set option to put agents to some waiting mode, so you don`t actually play those turns waiting for other ship to arrive. Using agents for spying and stuff is ok, but I would rather use them in more interactive mode like combat or exploring...

We just got new member, his name is Scott Worley, and I hope he`ll soon join our discussions... What errors are you getting? Try using HTML version for fileshare, because there is something wrong with Windows Forms interface. Choose Fileshare from left menu, and that HTML version. I am converting to .X format (currently using Panda exporter) from 3DSMAX. Just send me .MAX, I`ll do do the rest... for now (until I test it, and give you detailed instructions how you can do it) About 5000 polys, it is pretty lot, and lower end graphics card will have problems, but I think it`s easier to reduce number of polygons than increase it...

Balou: male template: Depends on maksimum number of units in game. Let`s say maximum is 100000 polys, so for 20 units, one should have no more than 5000. Parts of body should be linked, but I have to test that, so you don`t have to worry about that for now. Which program you use? 3ds Max, Maya? I need someone to make some parts for map: walls, grass, chairs, etc. Download latest Battlefield (v0.11) and you`ll get idea. I made three simple parts (floor, wall without picure and wall with picture), but I need many more of course... This is how to create parts: Every part can be in 5 positions: left, right, top, bottom and floor. Top rotates objects in block for 90deg, bottom for -90deg, right for 180deg, and left and floor are actualy the same and they both leave object in default position. Each block is 100by100by200 units in size. So, everything you draw should be inside that block. Default position is in direction of X coordiante. So, if you want to make wall, you draw box from -50x-50x0 to -45x50x200 for 5 units thick wall. Of course, you may use much more than just one box. For now, only one texure is supported (diffuse layer). Texture coordinates are needed. I`ll upload my three objects to gotdotnet, so you`ll get the idea... I would like first to try to create some demo map, so we can start adding units, weapons and stuff... I am still not sure how to do damage to walls, it looked easy on 2D walls(3D, but without thickness), but 2D would be very ugly so we do need 3D.

I started working on Battlefield. I`ll be uploading new versions of battlefield and screenshots (if you can`t run executable) periodically, so you can monitor my progress and give your ideas. It`s uploaded in XCom.NET File Share on gotdotnet workspaces.

Jman4117: 1. Agreed. I have some ideas how to implement "WTC" effect: After enough structural damage to one floor, whole building collapses at same position. It could be ok for skyscrapers, but I don`t think it`s very real for smaller houses. Maybe it should even fall to side (if you blow walls from that side) or something. Any ideas? 2. My current plan is that weapons make holes in walls. But smaller weapons should just pass or not pass through , because it would be too small hole to draw it. So, yes, like in Counterstrike, you should be able to shoot throw walls... 3. OK 4. Of course 5. This depends on a story, we`ll be back on that question later. Anyway, I hope they are not patented or something? 6. I don`t like that idea, other governments should do the same job as you , or not do anything I can`t imagine this situation: lets say that govenment of X country don`t like you, and tries to shut down any of your plane that fly over. So you would have to watch where you send your planes, and keep distance from this X country... 7. Don`t understand what are you trying to say, can you be more specific? We are doing 3D graphics, but we`ll need textures, and idea sketches (pictures with cities, aliens etc...), and you don`t need fast CPU for that... Balou: Wouldn`t you story lead to an all-out battle, and that`s exactly what we are trying to avoid? Maybe more like MIB stuff: Good/Bad aliens, most of them are just on vacation on Earth, but there are some that don`t like anything that moves Instead of attacking prisons, maybe some prisoners exchange? I like the idea that there should be two types of units: agents and soldiers. Agents should have some special abilities, and soldiers should be cheap Which reminds me of: "MI does the dying. Fleet just does the flying." When you finish template, send me, so I can start playing with kinematics, skinning, etc... And don`t expect miracles, as I have never do it before...

daishiva: No problem, pop in when ready... Balou: Psi-factor was bad example anyway, Men in Black is probably much better example... Speed is not an issue, and we won`t compete with anyone. Competition makes me nervous... I have to write these ideas somewhere, in case this forum dies or something I just created XCom .NET project at www.gotdotnet.com. Goto: http://www.gotdotnet.com/community/workspa.../directory.aspx And search for "XCom .NET" project. OR, try this link: http://www.gotdotnet.com/Community/Workspa...8c-3e5e2bf6792e We`ll still use this forum for now, as it has much more traffic, but gotdotnet is good for file sharing (at least I hope as I have never use it before )

Ok, I see there is some interes for this project, so it`s time to announce official start of project Project name: XCom .NET Started: 30.5.2003. End: unknown Type: Turn-based strategy Platform: Windows Ok, now, first phase is planning, so let start planning. Listening your ideas... Meanwhile, I`ll start same alpha coding of battlefield ASAP (whatever concept will game have, it will probably have some sort of battlefield). But first we need to know few things: 1. Will this be turn based or not? We are not making Half-Life or Quake, so it probably be turn based... 2. Will battlefield have Grid? There are actualy two possible grids: a) Movement grid - if this is turn based, it would be logicaly to have movement grid B) Map grid - if map is build from square blocks, it would be much easier to build map, and even to play, but it will be somewhat limited... I would like to use both grids (at least for start, as I usually recode my projects few times till they take its final shape , it would make it easier to code, and I have a few ideas how to implement it, so some basic version of battlefield could be done in few weeks... Generaly, idea is that map is divided into square blocks, and every block consists of four walls, and one floor. Every part (of these five) can be any 3D object, anywhere inside that block. If I recall correctly, original XCom use something similar, but 2D not 3D... Ideas please... Balou: No government. Maybe more like Psi-factor, you are the government...

You mean something like X-Files? Searching for aliens? Exploring crash sites, maybe even trying to communicate with some friendly aliens? I am planning to keep it as simple as possible, and finish this project in 4-6 months. If you are interested, drop me an E-mail, so we could start this project immediately... My E-Mail: BulmaXP@hotmail.com

daishiva: Interested in starting XCOM .NET project? ssvb: I know that C++ is more portable and I can`t argue that... But, I don`t think many people have something other than Windows either... I am not sure that more people know C++ than C#. Maybe C#, but if you code in .NET you can code in many more languages, VB.NET, C#, J#, C++managed, and even more .NET languages (Phyton, etc.). So any C++/Java/VB programmer can be used. More, you can even code in pure C++, create DLL and call it from .NET application very easily. You can use unmanaged code. There are many choices... Speed for complex calculations can be compensated with unmanaged/unsafe code and/or C++ DLLs, so that`s not issue either. C# is standardized as C++. Java for example isn`t... You don`t have Windows API source anyway, so it doesn`t make much of a difference. What is main benefit of C# is coding speed. You can do much more code in less time. And we all know that time is money... Or, one other that I heard Better average code today than perfect code tommorow. And for average developer, c# code will probably have less bugs than C++. No memory leaks, shorter code, boundary checks, much better exception support, etc...

I found out that there are some projects like Xenocide or EDF that are trying to do something similar. But it like they all want some portable code, and want to use C++/OpenGL. Well, I want to use c#/DirectX because it`s much simpler and faster to code. I don`t get what is wrong with this people, why do they care about few percent of people that have FreeBSD, Linux or some other weird OS...

I am big fan of XCom and still waiting for some good sequel of XCom, but I don`t see any... So, what about building our own XCom game? No multiplayer, card game, e-mail or some other junk, but something close to original... I have some knowledge of C++/C#, DirectX programming. Anyone interested in starting some serious-nonprofitable project? Bulma