GUNS - Reloaded

[technomage]

At the moment, I'm not planning on making Guns Reloaded a networkable game.. the random deformable terrain objects simply do not support it.. also, it would open the game up to cheating unless I imposed some rigerous CRC checking on each file that is being loaded.

Random deformable terrain objects can be done over a network, provided you use Pseudo Random numbers.

You detect a hit on one client and want to deform the remote system the same way. You send the hit location and the seed value for your Pseudo random number generator that you are going to use to generate the explosion on your machine. Then both systems generate the deformation the results will be the same on both machines. Cool eh

:cylon:

[jasonf]

Well, there are a few issues surrounding networked random terrain deformation.

1. The random issue. But as you rightly say, if you use the same seed, the random number will be the same.. so for the explosion, the seed would have to be sent with the explosion message.

2. The Exact location of the explosion. Because it's networked and networks have lag, the location of the collision may be different on each client.. so one of the clients would need to overrule the other.

3. GR uses a subtraction blitting system for terrain deformation. I have a list of deform images which affect the terrain to different extents. Some cause small cracks to appear, others blow out huge chunks. The cunning cheat could change this file and make it so that each shot blows huge holes in the ground. On the Cheats' simulation, he/she would be able to venture deep into the rocks by blasting a path.. the other player would be unable to attack the cheat because on their machine, the rocks are still there.

I've been doing a lot of work using the Torque engine lately, it's got quite a nice multiplayer system so I know how complicated it get implementing a good, stable, fairly cheat proof, lag proof client server system.

For the time being, I think I'll make GR a single player only experience and set its price accordingly.
It will be possible to add multiplayer support later, but some things will need to change deep down in the CBCFoundation.. like the simulations being time based rather than cycle based. You could argue that I should make that change sooner rather than later to give smoother performance on a wider range of PC's.. and you'd probably be right..

I agree that adding names allows the player to become attached to the avatars on screen.. I don't really have a way to display the names for each tank at the moment.. perhaps I should consider adding one... I'll have a think on this.

I remember playing XCom, naming the players was a great idea.. I felt bad when one of my guys got killed.. they weren't some nameless Command & Conquour soldier.. they were my guys, especially after a few missions with them.

[jasonf]

OK, here's an update..

New Title Screen.. it's a bit more dramatic than the old rendered landscape.

I've got a Team selection screen pretty much working (just got to add the
labels)

And I've written a couple of GUI Controls.. Before, I only had button.. now
I've got Checkbox and Radio Button classes and a rudimentary Text box for the GUI...

And last but not least, a New Shield... the old one was looking a bit
tatty.. so Now I've got a 3 stage shield.. the start stage has pulses of
energy, in the middle it is mostly lightening while the shield bubble
collapses.. then the last stage is static surrounding the tank..

New Title Screen


New GUI Components


Team Selection


New Shield








The GUI Screens are still way away from being finished and the component
images need tidying up.

Comments... Suggestions welcome.

[WILL]

I remember playing XCom, naming the players was a great idea.. I felt bad when one of my guys got killed.. they weren't some nameless Command & Conquour soldier.. they were my guys, especially after a few missions with them.

Exactly! I was the same way with UFO aka X-Com. It also helped that your guys got better over time too. Improved stats as they accumulated missions. Maybe you can add something of that nature you your gun/tank guys to enhance the effect?

If they take damage (not just blow up), lose shield battery power, have special weapons like missiles, MIRVs, etc (instead of the standard shell) then you can have each guy has to equip their own inventory, etc...

Maybe you can set some of the guns to go into an 'Auto-Mode' and as you play their auto mode gets better either via their individual experience points, mimicing the player's own actions in a rule-based system or if you are a bit braver try using a NN and GA for the AI to adapt naturally to successful actions taken by the player or unsuccessful things done by the player.

[size=8px]EDIT: Sorry, but I could not post this before due to the host's 'time freeze'.[/size]

[WILL]

New title screen looks awesome.

The 'CBC' logo seems to contrast with the rest of the color scheme though. Maybe you could tin or come up with a desaturated version? [size=9px](Maybe pull a 'id Software' and make it look like the logo token was carved out of stone?)[/size] or maybe a simple pale off-white glow around it to neutralize the clashing of the colors....

:lol: Don't mind me, just my creative side getting the better of my brain.

Looks great overall. Love the menus! :thumbup:


Oh and you've gotta show me how you did the shield effect. I've been dying to learn how to do that very one. Or is it just a single sprite?

[jasonf]

Cheers Will,

I see what you're saying about the CBC logo.. I could change it to be more in line with the rest of the Gun Metal image.. I'll have a play with it.

It felt like a great accomplishment last night at 3am when I managed to get the Textbox working properly. This will be the first step towards a truly configurable team.

I hear ya with the team config too, I had originally intended to go as far as completely configurable teams (with praise/punish system too to assist the AI) with my 3D version of Guns using the Torque engine but timescales, complexity stopped me... I'll have a think about it.. I could possibly include some form of defensive capability based on increasing intelligence with more experienced units.. I'd have to turn off Friendly fire then.. 'cos they do have a habit of killing each other. either that or factor it all in.

I want to build in a rule based system so that it can learn how to play the game as the player plays. the game. I'm thinking of a large list of rules based around the sensors input around the Guns and their status. The rules would be praised or punished depending on whether the rule led to survival or defeat.. Eventually, the AI player would learn that some of the things the real player does are dangerous and will move out of danger somewhere else.. or will learn that they need to get closer, within range of their target in order to hit it.. and that hitting buildings and civilians is bad.. This needs more thought though.

The shield effect is a repeated animation made from a 3 Stage animation with 8 frames per stage.
The frames were all rendered 100% in Xara Xtreme using basic shapes and a couple of plugins.

I used Electrify from the Xenofex2 set http://www.xara.com/products/xtreme/...oduct=xenofex2
and
Marble, Gradient Glow and Jiggle from the EyeCandy 4000 set http://www.xara.com/products/xtreme/...t=eyecandy4000

The Explosion on the Title page was made using Jiggle and Corona.

Each frame is then BlitAdd'd to the scene. the whole thing looks really nice when it's animated

[tanffn]

wow, looks nice! quite a progress!
..when do you think we will be able to download the demo!? i've been waiting for it for 6 years now

what do you think about adding some rust or maybe some metal bults to your GUNS logo?

[jasonf]

Ah, but you see Tanffin, this is the Shiny New version The DelphiX version was the Old Rusty version :lol:

There'll be a demo when there's more to see Be patient my friend


..I could put bolts on the logo though, I refrained from putting them on becuase I put them on the last one and wanted this one to be a bit cleaner.

[tanffn]

heh.. I see..

The logo looks good as it is, but I don’t like clean/shiny surfaces I prefer seeing the texture unless you’ll have animation on top of the logo?

[tanffn]

Forget what I’ve said, the logo looks good! ..I sometimes get obsessed over small details..