DescentBB

I'm glad your area wasn't hit as badly.


Sure, how about a box you drop that transforms into stationary ai sentry?

Interesting idea. Do you have a limited number of them (item pickups?), and pick them up after they've deployed?
I'll see about that, I really like it.

Thrown up some sketches and other ideas and now have this: The AI turret folds for storage in the Pyro GX's limited bomb bay. It can be deployed by pressing F6, where it is released, and a few second later unfolds ready to shoot. It can be used to guard doors, act as some added firepower (plasma? any ideas for what it fires?) in a full on big room battle or be used as a remote surveillance drone. (flown by pilot) It has enormous shield and it recharges it's energy from the Pyro's main supply. So it must be returned to the ship every 10 minutes or so, otherwise you may have to go pick it up.

Any ideas to supplement this? Or dislikes?

Descent3 has a laser turret called a "Gunboy". It targets nearby enemies and fires upon them.

It looks like a round ball and when deployed it splits open and a small turret is revealed in the center of it.

Yeah, I heard/seen of those, but have never played D3, and have no idea of their effectiveness or exactly what they do.
I'm anticipating this being stationary when in AI mode, only a turret. It will only move when piloted by the player or the pyro picks it up and drops it elsewhere.

Yeah, they are stationary as well.... floating rather, but they don't pack much of a punch as far as fire power goes.

So this Descent clone is starting to become a mixture of Descent and Descent3 features?

Hahha. I didn't realize d3 had one already. I really never played too much of it.

Perhaps this version could change what it's used for. Just a thought:

This new version of the gunboy could be very hard to kill and pack a real punch. However, it runs out of ammo then dies.

My reasoning is, most multilayer levels are structured using a basic figure eight or several overlapping figure eights. Being able to temporarily and completely close one route can add a new element of strategy. A single strong turret could provide that. However, that means there should only be one in play at any given time.

I definetly agree that there should be only one per player at a given time. Otherwise you could just drop them everywhere and annoy everyone.
1)So you could have 1 of them, and it has a huge shield, and average firepower. But it can only be fired a limited number of times before you need to recharge from the main ship's energy bank (or an energy center).
2)The other alternative is to make these a replacement for the smart mine, so you would have lots of them, but they have only 1 shield (any shot kills them) but they are very rapid fire when you get close. If you do this then they can be enemies as well as weapons.

The drone now has enough AI to pick an enemy (closest) and shoot at it. It has issues occasionally, and the turret rotates differently to the body....
Images: When following the player it is like this, and can go through walls (oops), at least it means he never gets lost.
This is when deployed. you can shove him around with the ship, but you might get hit by his bullets if you're not careful

Oh man! That's cool!

I've been working on adding in an afterburner, in the same style as D2 (separate energy bank, that recharges off the ships supply).
I have also fixed an issue with the AI turret: The turret know longer rotates independently from the body along the wrong axis.

Some screenies of the afterburner: This is normal operation And if you are going backwards when you hit afterburner..... I am hoping to fix this soon.
---edit:---
I fixed it!!! It no longer happens
---end edit---

Many apologies for the break since the last post, real life interfered

This game is to be Keys Only, and unless I find a more experienced programmer at the blender forums (I'm hoping to) I will not have mouse support, joystick support, and the key setup will be fixed
Until I find that person, what key combination should I use?

The current setup is:
W/S ------------Forwards/Backwards
R/F-------------Up/Down
A/D-------------Left/Right
Tab-------------Afterburner

Arrows---------Tilt Up/Down and turn Left/Right
Q/E-------------Bank Left and Right

Space---------Shoot Primary
Left Ctrl-------Shoot Secondary
1-9 -------------Weapon select

F1---------------Help
F4---------------Drop red marker (no camera view, and there are unlimited markers)
F5---------------Drop green marker (no camera view)
`-----------------Pause Irreversibly (used for screen-shots of bullets moving)

Anyone recommend any changes, or better, completely different setups?

I have finally got an EXE that works. So, the following link is to a fairly recent version (I have done a few changes to the control system, to stop you sliding until you use the axis and it uses shifts to bank).
I also just remembered that the version there doesn't have the menu. I think I'll re-upload it tomorrow....

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B27awt ... y=CLvnyZsP

Anyone who wants to test it can, and the more feedback the better.

Just re-uploaded it to the same link. I have also put the link on the first page.
It now has all the updates, including a re-textured pyro (baked AO) and a menu, and Q/E to bank.

Testers please...

Actually, I should show you the new Pyro:

I think those logos can be used for desktop background.

sdfgeoff wrote:I have finally got an EXE that works. So, the following link is to a fairly recent version (I have done a few changes to the control system, to stop you sliding until you use the axis and it uses shifts to bank).
I also just remembered that the version there doesn't have the menu. I think I'll re-upload it tomorrow....

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B27awt ... y=CLvnyZsP

Anyone who wants to test it can, and the more feedback the better.

Runs fine under wine. I just get lost when I start trying to fly around! The level is huuuuuge.

Oh yes, it sure is enormous.

I have deleted that level and am making a proper one currently.

It's called Water Processing Facility( ?) And consists of a few passages around a big central area. (water tank)

The purpose of the big room is for testing the AI in a different environment, as well as testing lighting etc. It is much smaller, so I should finish the new level by the end of the week. (I have done the mesh, and am now texturing again....)
Until I have the new level at a decent stage you will be stuck with the current maze.

Screen shot:

Looking good. I'm glad it runs on wine (I hadn't tried it yet)

If you want to know, the text that it comes up with is from the script I am using to locate the closest enemy (for the turret). If there is no enemy then it gives an error.

I suppose I should tell you what I have been doing.
I have done very little on the actual game, and have only added a few more robots. The main thing I have been doing is reorginising the files.
As a result, when I get it ported to an EXE you won't have to re-download the whole thing again, only the updated parts.
The file system is as follows:



I really hope to have a revised EXE soon, but I have been plagued by real world work....

I can't see the image. And if I try to go to direct image URL I get a 403 (forbiden) error.

Anyway, good news. Be sure also to show us some of the new robots.

Oh darn, I'll try something else then: You may not find it too interesting, but this arrangement of files, and the files linking to each other keeps everything nicely organized, and able to be worked on by a whole bunch of people at the same time.
As mentioned earlier, it means I don't have to re-upload everything every time I do an update.

There have been several large changes since I last gave you guys an update.

1) A new ship, the Bat Speeder, designed by MetalBeast. You can change between them at startup. The Bat Speeder is faster, but slower to turn than the pyro.
2) A website for the project. Head over to the activity tab if you want every gory detail on what I'm working on.
3) Loading Screen. As the game gets bigger it takes longer to load. It is still only about 1/2 second, but adding a loading screen lets you know it hasn't frozen
4) Python Movement. No real noticeable difference, except that the frame rate might have improved some.
5) Missiles. Started on missiles as well as primary weapons, but this is far from complete.

Please keep the good work on this!

I will help where I can

greetings,

MB

Hey MB, good to see that you have some spare time again ...

Yep, MetalBeast is being a big help.

Is he? That is cool. He had once promised to finish some stuff for D2X-XL when he had time again ... a man, a word.

sdfgeoff wrote:Yep, MetalBeast is being a big help.

yeah, so far everything looks great and I've already been able to play your game. I can't wait to see how far this goes.

Thanks Isaac. I've been trying to port a new version recently, but have run into some unexpected errors. I am hoping to have them resolved really soon.

For those who want to know, I started up an IRC channel on my website. I offer no guarantees as to when I will be there, but if you have something you wish to mention you can try there.
Web address is:
http://sdfgeoff.webs.com/irc.htm

New space ship

Only an example texturing job. I'm hoping to recruit a texturer sometime to redo the textures. But he is yet to be found

Shield powerup

Designed by Cluly (Oki)
Shield is green, energy is blue. (or will be, only shield actually is implemented)

errr... I'm seeing dead links for those images...

I keep forgetting about it sometimes working and sometimes not.
I can see them, but I'll try again Do those work?

Oh yes! And they look nice!

x2! I like!

Thanks guys.

Oh, and I will almost defiantly be able to port a new .exe on Monday, so wait until then.....

New EXE!!!!!
I hope it works for you guys.

Changes:
Ship selector
If when you start it, and select start from the menu, and you see a picture of the pyro (yes, wrong aspect ratio) this is the selector.
Once you have chosen, press enter to start the game.
Level (unless you downloaded the version that didn't work)
New Enemies (ripper, rocket priest, punky, etc)
Insignificant changes to the way it is programmed (movement and weapon collision detection)

What I haven't done:
Coyote robot (having issues with him aiming at you)
the XF64 is not yet one if the choices

Known Bugs:
Doors can be driven through
Touching the floor may mean weapon collisions don't work
Saw may not continuously take off health, even if it stays touching you
Camera going through walls
Changing ships does not change weapon positions

If you find other bugs, please let me know


Can be downloaded here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17630723/Defender-exe.zip

Made up some images of the player ships, with the stats around them. They can be found here

Updated lots......
Many things have broken since last time, due to a major reworking of the way I am managing things, but they should be fixed soon.
Go to the updates thread for downloads.

Changes:
New menu system
Changed to python for weapons control etc

Broken things:
Afterburner never runs out of energy, no graphics for it either
Energy meter doesn't work, but you can still run out of energy

Seems like not a lot has been done, but it is slow going.

Fixed some of the afore mentioned problems. Energy fixed, shield broken (changing that in the same way as the energy, should be fixed really soon)
Afterburner partially fixed.
Deaths broken, but not for long. (I know the problem)