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Shut down..

Started by Nique, August 06, 2011, 08:49:41 AM

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Nique

I am about to shut this project down.

Unless there people that have skills and motivation to join the team. I hope Tomkeus is still in the field?
I don't know.

I like to keep things simple. yes 3d looks awesome, but it is nearly impossible for me to develop a full 3d game like CitiesXL that looks fantastic and detailed as Simcity 4 and also a better simulation engine than SC4.

First things first. IF we continue, i suggest we stay with 2.5d graphics like Simcity 4.
In this case we have more knowledge as we have a very good example.

Secondly: Stop trying to please any OS user. If the development is more easy for Windows platforms .. then we do windows. As we are small, we can't please everyone.
third: if you have interest email: niquedegraaff@gmail.com or PM me.

Nique
Proudly developer of

WC_EEND

It's sad to see this is happening, but I do understand your point (the points you raise in your posts are very valid ones). I find it sort of a shame really, because CityMania to me, seemed like one of the few attemps to create something like SC4 from the userbase out that actually had the potential to succeed.
If I'm honest though, I sort of expected it at some point beacause I had the impression the CityMania board had gone eerily quiet.
In case you do decide to continue, I wish you all the best with this project and hope you can get it out at some time in the future (maybe in a modular form?).

Xander
RIP Adrian (adroman), you were a great friend

My LOT thread                                    

SCAG BAe146/Avro RJ Project

Gringamuyloca

Nique...
I concur with WC_EEND...

I'm not sure if you know... Buggi showed up at Simtropolis.. and has a plan... although he is planning 3D, maybe there is something in common?

QuotePosted 28 July 2011 - 09:32 AM
Hey everyone. I'm still around.

I put an immense amount of work into a new SimCity design document that I hope will be made eventually. Technology today has come a long way and part of my design is a region where cities exist on a organic basis and not a square grid. The main challenge of the entire design is the landscape and the technical hurdles that need to be jumped to get it to work. I will post more as I get the time and if there is interest.

My original hope was to present the design to Maxis and build a team to make the game, but I'm not sure the powers that be would put money into a genre that is on a major hiatus.

The one thing I would need if I pursue the design independantly are 3D modelers. I can code like a MF, but can't find my way round Max or Maya to save my life.

Thanks all.

Maybe there is a way for you to continue on??? Here is a link to his thread- Link.

Tamara

croxis

If I were to rejoin the following needs to happen

1) Use an existing cross platform engine. There is no need in 2011 to reinvent the wheel. The cross platform argument is complete rubbish for exactly that reason. With the correct engine (panda, ogre, irrlict, unity, etc) it is just as easy for one as is the other. What WAS difficult was making the simulation engine from scratch to make it "light weight." All it did was waste time trying to recreate something that already existed in the game engine we were using.

2) Frequent code updates. Code is never finished, only forgotten. Tomkeus did a lot of awesome work on the road construction code, but he never published the code to a public repository so we could never use it. This happens all the time in the FOSS world. Someone works on something great but never publishes their code because it is "poorly documented/not finished/needs cleanup/etc." If it works, push it so people can use it.

3) Release often. One of the things I noticed working with minecraft/bukkit is that the most successful plugins use a special project page. Every time new code is added to the source the page compiles a new build of the program. Devs then select specific builds that they consider stable and has the features they want to make a release. FOSS survives on releasing early and often, although with making a game there is a bit of leg work before there is the first release.

4) Keep the lead. There needs to be a single person in charge of the game design and vision. While there can be discussion about game design and features there needs to be one person in charge. Games can not be designed by committee. If that person has to leave due to real life, it should be clear who the next head person is.


My notes: I think a full 3d game is still the most viable option UNLESS you are specifically making a clone of the sc4 engine -- which isn't a bad idea in and of itself. I would still use an existing cross platform engine for that task. Doing so would give clear targets on what to develop for and, once the engine is feature complete, bug fixes and new features can be added.

The other option is, as mentioned, is look to Buggi and see what is going on there. It is better to work on one project than two.

Nique

#4
Well i still think that we must aim for a 2.5D game. We have an example for such game. The terrain is 3D, the objects upon it just 2D billboards. I think this technique is brilliant.

About the leader thing:
I think i am not the 'leader' you are looking for. I can't answer most of the programming question as i am not experienced enough.

I am even confused with the use of GIT. I would like to dive in your code and try to spice things up..
(i mean, i would like to help,) but i do not know how this GIT version control stuff works. I've read a lot about it, but it's quiet complicated if you do this for the first time.

Besides that, Python looks so messy for me, and it is hard to have code intelligence running on it. I really prefer C++.
Proudly developer of

croxis

Heh, for me it is the opposite, I think most other languages are messy for their use of ; at the end of every line, strong typed, {} everywhere. I think java is even worse imho, unfortunately that is what minecraft uses.

Git, Bazaar, Hg run under a very different principle than SVN or CVS. When you check out a copy of svn you only get a copy of the code. If you want to contribute back you either need write access on the svn server or submit a patch file. This is how openttd does it and is really messy.

For git/bazaar/hg when you "check out" a copy, you are not just getting a copy of the source, but a copy of the server itself. So when you commit code, you do not commit code to some "master repository," but your own personal local repository that was created in your git/bazaar/hg checkout. If you want to submit your changes you submit what is called a pull request to the original repository and, if accepted, your modified repository is merged with the origional. Git/bazaar/hg is more powerful than patch files for this because git/bazaar/hg keep track when changes were made, so are able to combine files much more intelligently than simple patching.

Nique

#6
I agree on the Java one ;).

Python looks more like Ruby (maybe ruby looks more python)..
I like the 'clean' way of coding, but what really frustrates me is that code intelligence is not working well (i am using Netbeans).
Thanks for explaining the GIT thing. I think i understand it.

I would prefer other names for git actions (pull, checkout .. ) because it is confusing. I mean..

a  'pull request' to submit your code :P
Proudly developer of

croxis

Ahh, so the problem is Netbeans more than the language itself ;)

Yah sometimes the command names get me too, I was going with the svn versions. For git you "clone" a repository when you create your copy of it, you "commit" code to your local repository, you "push" code to a remote one. A pull request actually does make sense. You are requesting the other person to pull your code.

logan85

For this project to continue, I believe it absolutely needs to be a clone of SC4 in 2.5D with a grid. Copy SC4 because there is such a large community following SC4. Make a game that is compatible with current sc4 custom content. Once you have a following you can find programmers who will help improve the engine, adding support for 3D buildings, etc.

The biggest thing to focus on is the simulation engine. Cities XL is lacking a good simulation engine. Lets not try to do anything revolutionary either, the project needs to appeal to SC4 players, and for the most part that means copying the same game mechanics.

Copy first, improve later.