My 3D space combat delimma...

AJ · 2001-07-23T05:19:44

I'm having second thoughts after seeing Orion Pirates do space combat just the way I wanted to do it. OP uses 3D models with gameplay locked to a 2D plane. This link and this one illustrate. It looks good and plays well. You get a taste of arcade and tactical, plus a few NPC ships to command. But planets are disappointing. They look beautiful far off, but up close the illusion breaks down for me. Planets should be HUGE, and I'd think it'd be neat to gracefully orbit them. So I have 2 options: A) Use the Orion Pirates method, and do a special orbital mode a bit like this or this or this.. The planet would always be below, and would roll beneath the player's ship. Lighting would change to reflect day and night. Going faster would move the planet lower, slower would start re-entry. Transitions from orbit to space would require a special mode. B) Optionally, I could try to do full 3D (whimper... ). Homeworld would be a good model, but the camera controls were too much for me. I'd go with preset camera views only. I'd use Orion Pirate's padlock view idea for preselected groups. The groups would appear as tags on the screen. Clicking a tag would switch view to that group. With B, when ships were below you, your ship would appear on the top of the screen and the camera would face them. If they were above, your ship would appear at the bottom of the screen. You could roll your ship to bring different weapons to bear, but you wouldn't have to fitz with the camera. Left & right mouse moves would rotate the camera along the X axis, and forward and back rotate around the Y (up & down, with your ship always in view). Even if you zoomed, your ship would always be in view. A simple click would turn the ship along the vector you clicked on, and you could fly one way and shoot another. The only other option I can think of would be going turn-based, but that doesn't appeal to me. -------------------- Just waiting for the mothership... Edited by - Wavinator on July 19, 2001 10:01:26 PM

Game Design and Theory Game Design

Started by Wavinator July 19, 2001 08:49 PM

9 comments, last by Wavinator 23 years, 5 months ago

Sandman

2,211

July 23, 2001 05:19 AM

quote: Original post by WarMage
Wavi, Sandman,
Let''s try and get a chat going this weekend, I would like to bring you guys, and probably Dauntless, and if I could wish, Kylo and MKV, into a new project. I have finally cracked and started a raw DD and want your help!

I want to do as much design and coding as possible for a spacewar, and I think you guys are invaluable, creative resources.

---------------
-WarMage
...pleeeease? I''ll give ya a dollar

Sorry - was at my girlfriends house over the weekend (in fact I am most weekends which) and I didnt see this until this morning. I am definitely interested in helping out. Send me an email (if you havent already - Ill check tonight)

My 3D space combat delimma...

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My 3D space combat delimma...

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