Deactivating the Battle View (from the psx version)

[Deus Siddis]

I agree on all points.

It can also be noted that the open source TA Spring has a similar feature, where you can take command of any unit you have selected, drive it around, aim and shoot the crap out of anything (even the terrain, being deformable).

Never played the game 'Machines', cannot seem to find anything about it on mobygames or the-underdogs either. It must have really fallen between the cracks.

[Rman Virgil]

I agree on all points.

It can also be noted that the open source TA Spring has a similar feature, where you can take command of any unit you have selected, drive it around, aim and shoot the crap out of anything (even the terrain, being deformable).

* No chit... dang.... I haven't followed TA (big fan back in the day)... gonna have to check-out "TA: Spring" (btw, beautiful name "Spring" - all about resurrection is it not.)

Never played the game 'Machines', cannot seem to find anything about it on mobygames or the-underdogs either. It must have really fallen between the cracks.

* Fall thru the cracks it did - even worse than WZ.

* Yep... it's not been Liberated or judged "AbandonWare".

* You should see the prices some businesses are asking for a New sealed copy.... I was lucky to get a deal on it.

* Went thru Amazon Marketplace

* A detailed Review of Machines with some nice screens

* It is a trully amazing game even with its flaws (pathing for one)...

* Sad that it really died on the vine - unlike WZ or TA (goes to show what a difference a dedicated fan base can make to keeping a game vital - no matter how small their numbers... what matters is that they act & do so with savvy.)

* "Machines" was boldly innovative, ahead of its time & had a lot of promise. A real RTS gem in the rough.


- RV

[Rman Virgil]

-------------------

* "TA: Spring"........ OMG !!!!

* What an ambitious project.... what milestones achieved... what a kwel game even at this stage.... & the mods, the architecture to support them - just fabulous & smart as heck...

* So much food for thought (Project & Design-wise) on top of the sheer fun & variety of the highly immersive GPMs.

* Man I gotta seriously thank you for the heads-up - I am once again in the TA fold after a far too long absence.

- RV

[Deus Siddis]

* A detailed Review of Machines with some nice screens

Wow, this game, Warzone, Battlezone, it is almost like the rise of Action-RTS was assumed to come along with 3D-RTS as a never-to-be-separated package. And then that brilliant idea just dropped off the face of the earth and everyone made 3D-RTS that had nothing else special or evolutionary about them. What the hell was that?

* Sad that it really died on the vine - unlike WZ or TA (goes to show what a difference a dedicated fan base can make to keeping a game vital - no matter how small their numbers... what matters is that they act & do so with savvy.)

I agree whole-heartedly. That is why I am a 3D artist for another resurrection project for a truly ancient but very innovative and multisided game called Starflight. Unfortunate that I am not a programmer though, such a role seems more useful to freeware projects like these.

* What an ambitious project.... what milestones achieved... what a kwel game even at this stage.... & the mods, the architecture to support them - just fabulous & smart as heck...
* So much food for thought (Project & Design-wise) on top of the sheer fun & variety of the highly immersive GPMs.

The simulation and FPS action integration really makes it alot like the Activision Battlezones (which were never released as open source, damnit). It is a wonderful project, I just wish my computer had the necessary strength to run it, instead of crashing to a bsod.

* Man I gotta seriously thank you for the heads-up - I am once again in the TA fold after a far too long absence.

No problem, glad this information was helpful to you.

[Rman Virgil]

Wow, this game, Warzone, Battlezone, it is almost like the rise of Action-RTS was assumed to come along with 3D-RTS as a never-to-be-separated package. And then that brilliant idea just dropped off the face of the earth and everyone made 3D-RTS that had nothing else special or evolutionary about them. What the hell was that?

* From the record it looks like the major RTS developers chose one of three alternate paths: the resourceless tactical, the historical panorama (ala Civ) or the fantasy/magical with a hefty dollop of RPG.

* Personally I think they chose from already tried and successfull genres to minimize risk.

I agree whole-heartedly. That is why I am a 3D artist for another resurrection project for a truly ancient but very innovative and multisided game called Starflight. Unfortunate that I am not a programmer though, such a role seems more useful to freeware projects like these.

* Can never have enough artists.

* "Starflight" - the grandaddy of "open-ended" adventure games..... & accomplished on 2 single density floppies !! (just brilliant codeing).

The simulation and FPS action integration really makes it alot like the Activision Battlezones (which were never released as open source, damnit). It is a wonderful project, I just wish my computer had the necessary strength to run it, instead of crashing to a bsod.

* Thank goodness for "TA: Spring". I believe their RTS approach is savvy all the way round & will still influence commercial devs & RTS games to come.

* Dang nab it, that's too bad you can't run "TA: Spring"

* I believe in cross-fertilization - interdisplinary & within the same art forms. I reject insularity in any form as the root of stasis & sterility

* I think anybody into WZ should give "TA: Spring" a test drive.

* Also - BlackSab's "TWZ" had innovative RTS features. One in particular: multiple in-game cameras & multiple monitor support.. the bomb !

- RV

[Serman]

I think the best option with this feature would be something like manual aim.

I would love to drive my tanks around and actually aim at something with my mouse. and fire away.

It gives you that feeling, that you're TOTALLY in control. 

[Rman Virgil]

I think the best option with this feature would be something like manual aim.

I would love to drive my tanks around and actually aim at something with my mouse. and fire away.

It gives you that feeling, that you're TOTALLY in control. 

* Yes sir, that is the heart of it.

* I would liken it to playing Tony Hawk & thrashin on a board yourself.

* Or how about if the great film maker Ken Burns made a documentary on roller-coasters - informative, memorable, a real joyride for mind & eye. Then you went to Disney Land & got on one.

* Appealing to the mind, the senses, the imagination are all part of gaming experience.... but so is the visceral, slam-bang in your gut, take no prisoners, go for gusto, experience - like base-jumping or urban traceuse. Gut-wrenching is mighty potent and if you have GPMs that can trigger / sim it, it would be foolish to ignore, IMO.

- RV

[doom3r]

where are developers? i just want to know if you can do a mod or something with this feature. Shouldn't be too difficult, huh?

[Deus Siddis]

* "Starflight" - the grandaddy of "open-ended" adventure games..... & accomplished on 2 single density floppies !! (just brilliant codeing).

It is a very amazing piece of game history. Not yet seen a space game that is that complete either. In most space games, if you land on a planet, you get a small pre-built level to explore, at best.

[Deus Siddis]

where are developers? i just want to know if you can do a mod or something with this feature. Shouldn't be too difficult, huh?

Indeed, I too would like to get the official word on this feature's status within the WRP, whichever it be. . .

[Per]

This developer is not planning to put any effort into resurrecting that particular feature. Since none of the other developers have said anything, I presume they also have no plans to do so. I also do not think it would be as trivial as you make it sound.

[Rman Virgil]

-----------

* This one-sided discussion reminds me of a game developer who had a terrific slogan that went something like:

* "We're gamers creating games for fellow gamers..."

* Do ya feel it ? I don't.

* So in essence it's "Announcements" & "Bug Reports".... end of story.

* At work we have a saying for occassions when we confront situations that are less than appealing:

* " It is what it is. Deal with it & move on."

* Then there are a few chestnuts like:

* "Beating a dead horse into the ground ain't gonna make it run better."

* "Don't throw out the baby with the dirty bath water."

* "You can lead a horse to water but you can't force it to drink."
 
* It's probably obvious that I'm what they call a "straight shooter". I'm the same in RL even with peeps at work who are my superiors & have the power to fire me. My sole guidline is to do it with grace, courtesy, respect & pizzaz.

- RV

[doom3r]

hey we need some developer to know if they can do something. We are going nowhere we need someone to tell if this is possibile or not.

[Kayiaxo]

It probably is possible to do, but between being possible and doing it that's another story.
I don't think the developpers are going to implement this soon ... if any time.

[Per]

It probably is possible to do, but between being possible and doing it that's another story.
I don't think the developpers are going to implement this soon ... if any time.

I did actually look into it, because I visited the relevant code for other reasons, quite recently. The code to drive the car probably all still exists, but the key mappings are used for other purposes now. Worse, so many key mappings have been put to other uses, there are not many available for driving. Not that I know which keys you would drive with, if it were to be reimplemented.