[DEVELOPMENT] Campaign 4 Development Thread

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Where we release a couple of missions at a time, then do updates to add more? I don't think it's off the wall. One of the issues I foresee is since it isn't something we get paid for doing, the releases would be sporadic and not on a fixed development cycle.

As much as I would love to be a multi-millionaire and fund the project myself and PAY everyone a regular salary who works so hard on Warzone 2100 (deservedly so, I might add) and thus making it a full-time job (which I'm sure more than one of us could really use), the reality is that we have other commitments. And not to sell the game, either (because we can't legally do that), but to take care of those who take care of the game & its' continued development.

So, yes, we could do installment releases but they would be sporadic without paid staff and developers to work on it.

That's my line of thought anyway.

[Rman Virgil]

Where we release a couple of missions at a time, then do updates to add more? I don't think it's off the wall. One of the issues I foresee is since it isn't something we get paid for doing, the releases would be sporadic and not on a fixed development cycle.

...............

Yea, like that. Sporadic is understandable & would be fine. I think there would be many benefits over waiting an indefinite, very long time, before releasing the totality. And there are many precedents in various art forms from literary to cinematic.

Something to seriously consider, I would posit.

- Rman.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Sure, I'd be open to that.

[Rman Virgil]

Sure, I'd be open to that.

K.

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[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Any thoughts on the latest changes to the dialogue, Rman? Or the Missions?

[Rman Virgil]

Any thoughts on the latest changes to the dialogue, Rman? Or the Missions?

Not yet my friend but for sure over the weekend.
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[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Not a problem. I need a break anyway. I plan to spend the day working on my new addiction -- modeling stuff in Blender.

Way easier than I thought, especially using 2.49b. The import/export scripts are very helpful indeed. I already have a prototype Mobile Command Center turret and the beginnings of a new body! Much easier than I first supposed, and the Blender tutorials make it a snap.

[milo christiansen]

I repackaged my dev copy of the cam today to upload it here. This should not be looked at as a test copy because I did not recompile the maps so some are 2-3 revisions old Also I didn't get any testing done on some of the scripts so the might have small errors I missed.

The mission one scripts are more or less finished mission 2 is roughed out.

Also included is a set of template scripts. These scripts have a few variables, triggers, and events that will be in most every mission. Anyone who wants to experiment with mission scripting, these will give you a leg up (they'll make it quicker to rough out a new mission for me too ).

This version is still for 2.3.x but I'll go ahead and make a 3.0 version when I get home.

I have been thinking about packaging the maps/wrfs/lev file, 3.0/2.3 specific data files, and the scripts in three separate downloads. That way I can easily support two versions (3.0/2.3) for testing and such .

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Very good. I await your upload with baited breath.

[milo christiansen]

Oops Forgot it

cam4.wz

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Runtime error in 2.3.7. caused by a missing semicolon in AI-3.slo. I fixed it and proceeded.

Mission 1 works great. Now we just add the event dialogue and the red beacons on the ground where we need to be, and span out the victory event to wait until we're back at the fallback position before we proceed to the next mission.

Looks like Mission 2 needs its' scroll limits fixed again. You gave us a heads up about that already. Attempting to run M3 results in a spec-TACULAR crash.

Good stuff so far, Milo.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Oh, I should probably post the fixed AI-3.slo. Drop this into cam4.wz/script/4-1/ using 7-zip or your favourite archive manager.

AI-3.slo

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

I'm spending this weekend making the maps "come alive". This means adding features and "happy little things" (as Bob Ross would put it) to make it organic. Along with that are fixes to mis-aligned tiles (which I'm sure are noticeable). Major mission-related stuff is all in place and will not be altered in any way. This is purely aesthetic.

Will recompile the map.gam's to reflect this -- as well as fix a nasty glitch that has things "duplicating" when advancing to the next mission. I think I understand *how* the Pumpkins were handling things in that regard now.

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Hey Milo, go ahead and start working on M3. I've got M2 working ... mostly. Can't get the ReconUnit to move where I want them to. Care to check my code?

Code: Select all

// Script for cam4-2 AI-3: Player 3, NEXUS Recon Force -- nicked from mission 1 since it works so well 

// NOTE -- We're not gonna spawn the Recon Force in now. They'll simply be placed on the map and given orders from there. Can't get the code working right to spawn them AND Team 2 in on the same mission.

// General Values
public			int				ScavBasePlayer;
public			int				EnemyPlayer;
public			int				TransportLoc[2];

// Function Parameters
private			int				TileCoords;

// Unit Spawn List
public			int				List2ULCorner[2];
public			int				List2LRCorner[2];
public			bool				List2Active[20];
public			TEMPLATE		List2UnitTemp[20];
public			int				List2UnitX[20];
public			int				List2UnitY[20];
private			DROID			CurrentDroid;
private			GROUP			EnemyGroup;
private			int				CountSpawn;

function int ToWorld(int TileCoords);

//event ReconSeesPlayerUnits;

//Begin=Events===============================================================

event GameInit(CALL_GAMEINIT)
{
	// Init
	createAlliance(EnemyPlayer, ScavBasePlayer);
	groupAddArea(EnemyGroup, EnemyPlayer, ToWorld(List2ULCorner[0]), ToWorld(List2ULCorner[1]), ToWorld(List2LRCorner[0]), ToWorld(List2LRCorner[1]));
	wait, 600; // 60 seconds to actually move, since the Commander is slow
	orderGroupLoc(EnemyGroup, DORDER_MOVE, ToWorld(TransportLoc[0]), ToWorld(TransportLoc[1]));	// move to fallback location - modded to work here
	setEventTrigger(GameInit, inactive);
}

// I havn't the foggiest how to impliment this, so I won't ... For now. -- I'll check it - Goth.
//event ReconSeesPlayerUnits(inactive)
//{
//}

//Begin=Functions=============================================================

function int ToWorld(int TileCoords)
{
	return (TileCoords * 128);
}

[Rman Virgil]

.

Went through the last update over the weekend. Tons of work you've done in several distinct disciplines; all done well. The Sgt. Gibbs dialogues are noticeably tighter and that greater concision makes for a more natural, & aptly paced, flow that was needed over the 1st cut set.

I'll start re-recording this week and proceed in sequence till completed.

After that I'd like to start experimenting with the Machinima component of the FMVs.

Even in its present primitive state of camera control I've gotten good results in past efforts because of the sheer amount of time spent learning ways to manipulate the staging of the scenes along with post production editing techniques, etc. (unlike others who have expressed opinions on the proposition based on zero efforts). And I specifically did a Tank Transport shot upon, set afire in flight which then followed a crash glide path trailing plumes of smoking flames (for my War School project a few years ago) so I may be able to get some usable footage that can then be inter-cut with other CGI generated techniques.

Looks like Jorzi has textured his cool New Transport so that it's close to ready for an in-game .pie and I'd naturally be using that (I already know what can be done so using the old transport in these experiments would be a waste of time for me).

BTW Goth: Do you have an overall title for Campaign 4 ?

The one I worked on back in the NEWST days (that was never completed or released) was called -

"Triumph in the Balance: The Mission R.A.C.E."...

Cheers, Rman.
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