Need ideas for Space Orbinomics II

[ar81]

Indeed the previous version was non-full screen.
And it had different screens that had different size.
One of the challenges I had was to determine what size screen should have.
Then I decided " WTH, any possible screen will be smaller than 1024x768, so let's go fullscreen".
The next problem I had was... how do I make it full screen if users have different resolution.
Problem is now solved.
Right now I am facing other challenges.

About the immersion factor, the intensive use of artwork, instead of a conventional Windows tool form with standard
buttons, was something that caught the attention in the past version of Space Orbinomics.  I decided to preserve the
idea and push it a bit more.  Right now as it looks now, I think I got to improve the GUI.  You will see, once it is ready
in some months...

My current challenge now is non GUI, but programming logic.
Fortunately this time code is far more organized than before, but the code listings is becoming longer because the
program enhanced the way to process things internally.
From a user point of view it may look very simple, and the idea is to make user to be concerned about living there and
focusing in being a small entrepreneur.  Or at least that's the goal.

[James.Denholm]

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry for the bump, but I had an idea: custom-made complex missions.

What I mean by this is a system allowing users to create very, very complex missions (think allong the lines of: Fly to
Saturn, do fly-bys of this, this and this moon, then go and land on one of Neptune's moons... all before breakfast!) through
a .txt file system, and have them randomly apear in the main game, perhaps as well as being able to be manualy started
(through another menu or something).

Sorry if I don't make any sense.

[Galelio]

Perhaps we could do a feed-back ATC real-time on the internet with us (Provided each of us have got a headset) with the player on Space Orbinomics II.

P.S.: Can I be a beta tester?

[ar81]

I am indeed stuck in the "planning" of missions.

I made the navigation (take off and land) screen, but as you land it should read the current scenario.
So I asked myself a question.  What do I need to read?
I should read the current state, not only of my vessel, but also other relevant objects.
How do I define what is a relevant object?
The answer will be given by "what is the current mission?".

If it was only a matter of automating the old Space Orbinomics, I would have had lots of progress, but the old model
was not good for it did not adapt to the gameplay I wanted.

So James, I am doing some research on what kind of situations I might find, and figuring out a good way to make this
model to work...  It is somehow challenging, for now I have to handle more stuff than before, and consider any
possibility within the scope of the game and my future plans.

As for being a beta tester, when a beta is ready, it would be posted at OH.
Right now it is quite raw and unfinished.  I am stuck with that model, so if you come with more detailed ideas, that
would be helpful...

The interesting thing is that in the previous version Badream designed the rules, and I adapted and made them a bit more complex (for computers allow more complexity, unlike board games).



Post Edited ( 03-04-08 13:52 )

[ar81]

I think that in order to figure out how to design this mission thingy, I might need you to describe me specific
examples, as many as you can, of what kind of things you should be able to do.  Notice that Space orbinomics II will
be supporting DGIV but I might like to have support for other craft in the future (but it is just in the plan, not really
implemented).  However design should leave some room for that kind of implementation.

What do I need from you?

Tell me about your imaginary missions, what you do, basically tell me about your experiences in that imaginary Orbiter
world.  Be specific and detailed.  I will do my best to design something that attempts to fit that description.

[James.Denholm]

ar81, I do fear that you have mis-understood me. What I meant was a system allowing the general public to
make "missions", if you will.

I personaly belive that if the built-in content for a game is somewhat lacking, the people who made the game should
create a simple way for the general public to make more user-made content. And that's what you can do.

[ar81]

Yes, indeed I was thinking about allowing people to make custom missions.  Yesterday I started to figure out about  
general conditions for mission start and objective complete.  However I still need to figure out how to implement this
and what kind of situations I could face in the process.

I also made some wallpapers, just for fun.  Notice that those wallpapers are just "advertising" made for fun, so to
speak, and not game content.  I just tried to imagine myself as a movie director, making a movie with it.

[ar81]

I have some news.
Finally I figured out how to implement missions.
I started at the design stage, and by now I have a somehow clear idea of how the mission script might look.
I just started to write some sample scripts to use as test data, but I haven't yet coded the script hadling code.
But at least I now have made some progress.

I played Privateer remake, which is a mod of Vega Strike
http://wcuniverse.sourceforge.net/
I realized that if you docked without fulfilling a mission, it is likely that mission objects are gone.
As I tried to think about scripting design, I realized why it could happen.
So hopefully it may not happen with my game.