High Octane software developing a decent-like game?

{OSS}Paedric · Post by **{OSS}Paedric** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 10:41 am

Does anybody know if this is still happening. All the website has is ....

"We are currently uploading a new site.
We appreciate your patience during this time.
The site will be back up shortly.

Start Date: 5/17/2004 23:40 GMT
Stop Date: 5/20/2004 00:00 GMT "

Been 3 months now.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 10:43 am

AFAWK, it's still going.

Vlider · Post by **Vlider** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:04 pm

again the little things. like fighting under water in d2, not really under water but those that played the game no what im talking about. or even under lava like in Speed Racer for d2 or the waterfall texture.

*JBOMB* · Post by ***JBOMB*** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:06 pm

yer talking about DwnUndr's "The Wet Spot" ...right?

Vlider · Post by **Vlider** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 3:11 pm

hahha the wet spot! that sounds so nasty and cool. err hahaha.

No go make that website mr.bombs

Nexus_One · Post by **Nexus_One** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 1:21 am

I'm betting no pics, if any, for at least a few more months. If the game's been in development for over 2 years, there's gotta be something to show for it.
So far all I've seen (as a skeptic and cynic) is a web page that I could have designed that says that the site is down (for 4 months), and will be up soon.

Hate to be the a$$hole voice, but, someone's gotta do it.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:24 am

I think he's talkng about D2 level 5 where it was mainly green textures with lotsa of water.

Testiculese · Post by **Testiculese** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 8:32 am

Mobi, hate to say it but most (if not all) of your suggestions in your post are terrible. Not every FPS has to have instaflip. They're flying ships, not running on the ground. People will learn to trichord on their own. They don't need to be made into momma's boys. A simple passage in the manual about trichording would be sufficient.

WarAdvocat · Post by **WarAdvocat** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 8:57 am

another voice of sanity! hooray!

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 9:47 am

Sirius wrote:DCrazy - how exactly does permissible client/server speed up the netcode?

It doesn't. In fact it slows it down. But it reducing cheaters and increases the chances that what you thought you were shooting at is actually what you were shooting at.

Wasn't there a bit on trichording in the D3 manual?

*JBOMB* · Post by ***JBOMB*** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 1:47 pm

I think I'll stick with my original statement:

I wrote:Does highoctane think for a second that anyone believes they can make a cool video game if they cant even make a somewhat decent temporary home page? I certainly dont.

But you guys keep throwing them giant d4 wish lists k..

Or wait...maybe that home page is part of their "7 point marketing plan"... *yawn*

zbriggs · Post by **zbriggs** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 4:59 pm

Hey JBOMB you ever gonna respond to that email so I can run this screen shot down your thoat?

Zach

AceCombat · Post by **AceCombat** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:10 pm

hey Zach, nice to have met and talk with you @ CHILAN, i hope that looking at the actuall game gives you a tremendous boost in what D3 is all about.

*PS* i cant wait to test the new DEV and Editing tools

hope you enjoyed watching the SP mode and the Video you never had a chance to see yet.

*JBOMB* · Post by ***JBOMB*** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:23 pm

lol...no i didnt see the email...
heh... maybe i jumped the gun on my last post...
lemme go get it...

[edit] i no longer have the email listed in my profile...sorry.. I would love to see a screenshot though... jbomb@battlelounge.com [/edit]

Trackball · Post by **Trackball** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 10:43 pm

Could I get the screenshot as well?

jonmaxrou@hotmail.com

Nexus_One · Post by **Nexus_One** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 11:27 pm

I'd also love to see a screeny.

zbriggs · Post by **zbriggs** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 11:40 pm

This is a sneak peak for a select few that are helping with the project. We will be releasing an official screen shot shortly.

Thank You,
Zachary Briggs, Executive Producer
HighOctane Software

MD-1224 · Post by **MD-1224** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 11:52 pm

I have some suggestions. I was reading the above messages about how the game should be, but Mobius's ideas would make the game feel anything other than Descent. A "mouseflip" would make the game feel like anything other than Descent. Of course, the mouse sensitivity should not be based on how low your frames are (i.e., the lower your frames, the faster the mouse moves), and there should be an option, like D3's, for maximum mouse sensitivity. Real Peer-to-peer should be an option (unlike D3's Peer-to-peer, but like D1/D2's), because some players like to play one vs. one (I'm one of those few). Afterburner should be included in the ship (an improvement over D2, when you are in danger of getting killed because you have no afterburner to get away with until you pick one up).

Primary weapons should not reflect the weak primary weapons of D3. They should be more like D1 or D2. Stronger primary weapons keep missiles from dominating the game. You can also keep one weapon from clearly dominating the game (The MD in D3 is a good example of how often this weapon is used). Here are some ideas that I got from tests: D1 Quad laser 4 does 52 points of damage per shot (D3 quad superlaser does 36 on a GL; the D3 quads also fired a bit more slowly to "show" how powerful they were and how DEVASTATING the damage was. They make it look powerful, but it truly wasn't powerful. D3 quads used to fire the same rate as the non-quaded lasers, but that was when the first D3 playable demo was out. That all changed when the second playable demo came out and the quads fired slightly slower. In all the D3 demos, including the full version, the quads used up twice the amount of energy as the non-quaded kind. If you do include any quads in the game, make sure the quad laser fire rate is the same as the non-quaded laser fire rate. Superlaser upgrades should consume just as much energy as the standard kind, like in D1 and D2. By the way, in D1 and D2, if you picked up the quads, it takes away the same amount of energy as lasers without quads do). You also started D1 with a pair of non-quaded level 1 lasers that did 20 per shot (D3's lasers did 15 on a GL ship, whereas the superlaser did 18 on a GL in D3, while D2's laser level 1 did 18, [these D3 lasers DID travel about as fast as the D1 spreadfire, so they were faster than D1 and D2's]). I've been doing tests with D1 and D2 weapons on and off. Just ask me. You can get info on D2 weapon damage on http://www.weenie.com .

Fusion does 60 per shot uncharged in D1 (D3's did 25 on a GL from a GL), and that meant that you hardly needed to charge it up, which is good. They should retain the famous D1 fusion bug, which allows you to charge the fusion, and while doing so, switch to another weapon before the fusion is allowed to fire. Then you switch back to the fusion and you can tap the trigger to fire a fully charged fusion shot. IMO this is realistic, because all the power is "stored" in the gun, with it "cocked, locked and loaded" (they got rid of this bug in D1x and in D3; I thought this "bug" was a great thing, for it allowed instant kills in the tunnels with a fully charged fusion shot simply by tapping the trigger of the stored power). If you simply charged the fusion, and before firing it, switched to another weapon, and switched back, where would the energy go? Where would the "stored" energy go? To have all the energy disappear after switching back is not realistic to me. You also waste energy if when you swtich back to the fusion; you're not able to use it anymore, because it isn't "stored."

About the engine...I liked D3's engine when it came to room structure. You could make trangular shapes (which the old Descent Engines wouldn't let you do; I liked the system for how you could make rooms in D3, but D1/D2-type engine is fine too).
Homing missiles should not stick like glue because you have a high amount of frames per second. They should be dodgible, even at the high framerates.

Also, the D1 spreadfire flew faster than any other energy-based weapon in D1, but in D2, the spreadfire flew the slowest out of all the energy weapons (helix flew as fast as D2 spread, which is probably a good thing, since it would clearly dominate the game).

The omega should not base its damage per frame.

Oh, and the Phoenix cannon should be included.

The Phoenix's energy consumption is the greatest out of all of D2's weapons, therefore balancing its ability to bounce shots. No need to make it so that it kills your own ship if it bounces back and hits you in the face. It would be very cool if this weapon was improved so that you can't kill yourself with it, though it does clearly contradict realism. I mean, when you shoot a laser into a forcefield in D2, it bounces back at you and goes through you. Shouldn't the Phoenix do the same thing?

---MD-1224

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 4:59 am

Some good points there MD-1224, and in theory I agree with you... however in practice I can't, because of one little problem with it; a lot of those points seem to assume we're looking at another Descent game with the familiar weapons, but that won't be the case. Asking the dev team to fix weapons... well, at the best that would give feedback as to what not to do with what's in there.

About the game engine, it'd -have- to be at least as good as Descent 3's to have a chance of selling. Cube-based architecture was fine ten years ago, but not now.

On the other hand I sincerely hope the editor is nicer than D3Edit to make levels with. It's no wonder there has never been a third-party single-player series released for Descent 3 (or at least nothing notable) when each level can take two months to finish.

Testiculese · Post by **Testiculese** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 8:06 am

" If you do include any quads in the game, make sure the quad laser fire rate is the same as the non-quaded laser fire rate. Superlaser upgrades should consume just as much energy as the standard kind, like in D1 and D2. By the way, in D1 and D2, if you picked up the quads, it takes away the same amount of energy as lasers without quads do). You also started D1 with a pair of non-quaded level 1 lasers that did 20 per shot (D3's lasers did 15 on a GL ship, whereas the superlaser did 18 on a GL in D3, while D2's laser level 1 did 18, [these D3 lasers DID travel about as fast as the D1 spreadfire, so they were faster than D1 and D2's]). I've been doing tests with D1 and D2 weapons on and off. Just ask me. You can get info on D2 weapon damage on http://www.weenie.com .

Fusion does 60 per shot uncharged in D1 (D3's did 25 on a GL from a GL), and that meant that you hardly needed to charge it up, which is good. They should retain the famous D1 fusion bug, which allows you to charge the fusion, and while doing so, switch to another weapon before the fusion is allowed to fire. Then you switch back to the fusion and you can tap the trigger to fire a fully charged fusion shot. IMO this is realistic, because all the power is "stored" in the gun, with it "cocked, locked and loaded" (they got rid of this bug in D1x and in D3; I thought this "bug" was a great thing, for it allowed instant kills in the tunnels with a fully charged fusion shot simply by tapping the trigger of the stored powe"

More bad ideas. Quads that fire same rate as non-quad, are you kidding me?! And you want to keep that lame-ass fusion bug with these tanks runnign around? Good lord. D3's primaries are well balanced, except the fusion and md. (MD should need 4 hits, I think) Enough super-wowie-zowie weapons, we're not 10 years old.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:33 am

Testi, have you ever played D1 or D2?

"They should retain the famous D1 fusion bug, which allows you to charge the fusion, and while doing so, switch to another weapon before the fusion is allowed to fire"

MD-1224, D1x killed this bug and d1 became better because of it.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:45 am

Hehehe.... I see your Super-Wowie-Zowie Weapons and raise you a Mega-Wowie-Zowie.

/sadly, forgot all the D2 cheat codes except for GOWINGNUT, HELPVISHNU, and DELSHIFTB

Trackball · Post by **Trackball** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 1:00 pm

Releasing an official screenshot to the public would significantly boost enthusiasm for the game. I am very curious to see what the engine looks like.

thwart · Post by **thwart** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 1:20 pm

Trackball wrote:Releasing an official screenshot to the public would significantly boost enthusiasm for the game. I am very curious to see what the engine looks like.

Maybe they are still "polishing" the eye candy. I kind of like the suspense.

snoopy · Post by **snoopy** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 2:21 pm

zbriggs wrote:This is a sneak peak for a select few that are helping with the project. We will be releasing an official screen shot shortly.

Thank You,
Zachary Briggs, Executive Producer
HighOctane Software

Hehe- I didn't realize J was actually helping- I thought he was just being a pain in the butt. But, oh well, if that's what gets him attention, it's all good.

*JBOMB* · Post by ***JBOMB*** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 3:42 pm

well...yes this is how i get attention but...aside from that.

The deal started out as me trying to call out High Octane cause i thought the home page sucked.
Then i questioned the validity of the project.

But its rapidly turning into. "Put this in your JPipe and smoke it."Which would actually be win win for everyone.

Zbriggs would get to put it back in my face thus shutting me right the hell up.

The community would would get hyped as it would appear these guys are actually serious.

And how i could not offer to help in any way with as much s*it as i have talked

so i guess thats win win win.

*JBOMB* · Post by ***JBOMB*** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 4:15 pm

one last thing. This is a portion of a reply email i just sent to zbriggs so everyone knows im not trying to duck my rant by going email instead of here:

my email wrote: Sorry i trashed your company on the dbb.
This email...and your constant demeanor has made me a believer.
I will immediately cease all hostile activities toward high octane software on the dbb.

I can wait like everyone else for the "official" sceen shot.

Now that you have brought me around let me offer to please help you.
As punishment for my aplorable behavior on the dbb i demand i make you something cool for your site.

*more email here that you dont care about*

Anyway thanks zack for taking my abuse. I look forward to repaying your cool and calm demeanor by helping "fix" all that i thought was wrong.

-JBOMB

one more note to ferno..sorry for riding your thread like a 2 dollar hooker.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:26 pm

Dude everyone rides me.. why do you think i have such a thick skin?

*JBOMB* · Post by ***JBOMB*** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:43 pm

cause yer canadian?

zbriggs · Post by **zbriggs** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:23 pm

Special Thanks are extended from the entire HighOctane Software team to JBOMB for the new look on the homepage.

http://www.highoctanesoftware.com

Sincerely,
Zachary Briggs, Executive Producer
HighOctane Software

ReadyMan · Post by **ReadyMan** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:57 pm

very nice.

I've got a new 3dpro all ready to go and as far as testing this game...well, let's just say I'm Ready, Man.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 8:12 pm

from one to ten on the insult meter JB.. that rates a two.

Trackball · Post by **Trackball** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 8:20 pm

Nah, more like a 0. That insult, like many popular insults has no meaning at all.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 8:37 pm

yea..

anyways, back on topic.

Suncho · Post by **Suncho** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:16 pm

Thanks JBOMB!

[FoF]Draegos · Post by **[FoF]Draegos** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 12:16 pm

So do you have a website yet. I see a screenshot of a website...sort of...but nothing really of any substance. I'd be happy to put something like this on my portfolio, so let me know if you need something done. I know how to use Photoshop, After Effects, Flash, and other imagine programs. I also know PHP, MYSQL, JAVA, HTML (of course), and some other languages. Here are some sites I've done (none of which quite show all I can do):

www.firesoffaith.com
www.invisiodesign.com
www.curtdesign.com
d3shiva.dnsalias.org/oow/
www.loads4usa.com
www.eyeopeningproductions.com
and some others if you want to see them...

Also, here are some effects or images I've done:
http://www.curtdesign.com/curtiskirkhoff/

They're in that folder.

If you have any questions, let me know!

Peace,
Curt aka Draegos

*JBOMB* · Post by ***JBOMB*** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:02 pm

yer FOF site is real nice draegos...nice work..

Mr. Perfect · Post by **Mr. Perfect** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:55 am

Yay, a better looking temp page.

snoopy · Post by **snoopy** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 6:46 am

yeah, Dreagos has some nice work out there.

zbriggs · Post by **zbriggs** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 9:25 am

Websites> Yes they are very nice.

High Octane software developing a decent-like game?

JBOMB

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