@darth_vader, on Aug 22 2007, 06:57 PM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

If there were some kind of Open Source project that had all of that, I would get 100% behind it, though I don't see much likelyhood of something like that happening on a large scale, either in this community or really any other.

If I weren't already working on a TC, I might consider taking a shot at it, at least for the basics. I have a fair bit of experience with OpenGL, so the know-how is there; it would just be a matter of taking the time and getting someone on-board who's familiar with the particular problems of a resource-extensible program.

Of course, any such venture would have to be cleared with Ambrosia, at least unofficially.

One thing which could set any such project apart is a focus on in-depth AIs. Essentially, expand the pers resource to be much more important. While some generic ships may still be necessary due to sheer numbers, I'd love it if most of the ships in-game were distinct personalities flying around, and remained such even if you took (or hired) them as escorts---for instance, defecting if you don't pay them enough on a particularly dangerous job, or refusing to fight you if you develop a sufficiently fearsome reputation. You could even have them start feuds with each other under some circumstances. Some could be so loyal that they'll take missiles meant for you at a word, while others might jump out at the first sign of trouble.

This post has been edited by Lindley : 23 August 2007 - 07:24 AM

@cosmic_nusiance, on Aug 15 2007, 07:44 PM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

I just checked, and Aleph One does use Lua, but most people (from what I've heard) prefer to use XML, which would also be great for scripting in EV.

Yes, Aleph One now uses both Lua and XML (called MML for Marathon Markup Language). They're not interchangeable; they control different things. More static things, like changing the label "plasma pistol" to "laser rifle," or swapping in a high-res wall texture, or changing the colors used with infravision powerups, are changed with mml. More dynamic things are controlled with Lua. For instance, I've used Lua to create interesting new effects like jumppads, earthquakes, quasi-true-3D bridges, and most ambitiously, a drivable hoverbike (that required integration of the Lua, MML, map, and physics).

I'm one of the biggest proponents of the addition of Lua to Aleph One, because giving the designer control over very basic things, like the player's position and velocity, gives them enormous freedom to carry out their big ideas. It opens doors that were locked with just Forge and Anvil at one's disposal (though for kicks, I've made Forge-based jumppads too).

So I definitely see the potential for a scripting language to do similar things for a game like Escape Velocity. At the same time, I see the unlikelihood of Escape Velocity 4 being made. Lastly, I see the opportunity for an open source game to at least partly satisfy people's desires, probably more than most people <cryptic grin>.

What do you mean "jumppads"? Do you mean like a teleporter? Isn't that built into forge? I'm pretty sure you can set a polygon to "Change Level" or something to switch levels. There's also an "Automatic Exit" thing that will change levels even when you haven't fulfilled the mission requirements. I have used MML to get great results. I made some awesome cheats. I also don't care about what colors infravision comes in, because it looks gosh-darn ugly.

What about the people happy with a trilogy?

@jeremiah, on Aug 23 2007, 03:06 PM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

What about the people happy with a trilogy?

??

@cosmic_nusiance, on Aug 23 2007, 03:30 PM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

??

EV. EVO. EVN. 3 games = trilogy. A fourth would make it a quartet.

Aah. I thought we were talking about Marathon. Oops. :rolleyes:

This post has been edited by Cosmic_Nusiance : 23 August 2007 - 06:00 PM

Well, there are three Marathon games too.

@orcaloverbri9, on Aug 23 2007, 09:07 PM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

EV. EVO. EVN. 3 games = trilogy. A fourth would make it a quartet.

Nah, it could be like the 5-book Hitchhiker's Trilogy.

Another, very basic, wish for the hypothetical EV4. A "pursuit" mission type. For once, let someone else do the running away.

This post has been edited by Lindley : 23 August 2007 - 08:28 PM

Imagine a painting of a horse, a marvellous white stallion. This stallion happens to be lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, dead. And members of this board are standing around it in a semicircle, beating the horse with various blunt objects. The painting is titled "Escape Velocity 4".

@cosmic_nusiance, on Aug 23 2007, 05:05 PM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

What do you mean "jumppads"? Do you mean like a teleporter? Isn't that built into forge? I'm pretty sure you can set a polygon to "Change Level" or something to switch levels. There's also an "Automatic Exit" thing that will change levels even when you haven't fulfilled the mission requirements. I have used MML to get great results. I made some awesome cheats. I also don't care about what colors infravision comes in, because it looks gosh-darn ugly.

Ah, I see your confusion. Marathon's terminals often refer to teleportation with things like " JUMPPAD INITIALIZATION START. But if I had meant teleporters or automatic exits, I would have used those terms. I mean a polygon you step onto, and it launches you into the air. The lua code tells the game to check which polygon the player's on, and if he's on polygon x, it adds to his horizontal and vertical velocities. It's actually the same way I do bridges (I can elaborate if anyone's interested).

@orcaloverbri9, on Aug 23 2007, 09:07 PM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

EV. EVO. EVN. 3 games = trilogy. A fourth would make it a quartet.

Ta very much

@gray-shirt-ninja, on Aug 24 2007, 05:25 AM, said in EV4: How it should be built.:

Imagine a painting of a horse, a marvellous white stallion. This stallion happens to be lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, dead. And members of this board are standing around it in a semicircle, beating the horse with various blunt objects. The painting is titled "Escape Velocity 4".

++

Oh, we're quite aware that EV4 isn't on the horizon from Ambrosia.

But, in the event some sort of open source thing did come together, can't hurt to have ideas lying around.

Dream on.

Open Source? Ya right.

So many ideas, so few programmers. There are enough ideas floating now for EV5 and possible EV6!!! ^_^ :laugh:

We can dream, can't we? I think it would be cool to customize escort's outfits and maybe trade ships with escorts in your fleet when you land. Is that so wrong?

I want that too CN. I wouldn't mind an AI chooser for each ship so that I can play them to what their role will be in battle, in the game. Sorta like an Outfit, "Training." Or choose a delay for when they will jump into a system with me, or triggers.

I think writing a basic EV-like game might be a fun challenge at some point. In the event I ever try it, I'll put the source code up so that others can expand on it if they wish.