Topic: Star Trek: Trader new game project

[Kenjar]

Hi all, I'd like to take this moment to thank everyone who has supported this project. The main demo has been downloaded 204 times so far, patch 0.051 52 time and 0.052 21 times, which is far, far more then I ever expected for a first alpha. Thank you all for making my life much easier though model locations, and conversions and submittions all this is very much appreshiated!

[Kenjar]

Hi all, I've started to revamp the games interface in 3D mode. I've enabled the mouse and GUI bottons for the users to click on. I've also added a battle scared, decommisioned Ambassador, these will become publically avalible for a small fortune at the beginning of the year 2376 along with a range of newer excelsior classes and the odd steamrunner, saber, centar and akira starship. All of cause will be battle scared, decommisioned ships that starfleet will sell off to help cover the resoruce cost of rebuilding the fleet.

[Kenjar]

Hi all, I've started to revamp the games interface in 3D mode. I've enabled the mouse and GUI bottons for the users to click on. I've also added a battle scared, decommisioned Ambassador, these will become publically avalible for a small fortune at the beginning of the year 2376 along with a range of newer excelsior classes and the odd steamrunner, saber, centar and akira starship. All of cause will be battle scared, decommisioned ships that starfleet will sell off to help cover the resoruce cost of rebuilding the fleet.

[Mr_Tricorder]

Needs more battle scarring
registry is backwards
and it looks like it ran into an interstellar lamp post, but other than that, I like it.

Will we be able to add our own ships to the game fairly easily?

[CMD]

Hi,

as he told me he wants to include a BC like script system to include new ships, so I think it is possible.

[Reverend]

Here's some thoughts about equipment availability, as I have been a private contractor for private and public sector.... maybe this will give you a reference to real-life procedures, giving you an excuse or a reason, however you see it, to be more free with equipment availability.
You dont have to make the military ships all messed up up and such... see, if you are good enough, and rich enough, why cant you have someplace build you a identical hull, or get the Federation shipyards to build one for you, under the premise of being a privateer, but still operating in their space under their rules... kind of like being a private contractor.
As a private contractor, you follow 'company' rules, so on, but still get a 'degree' of access to company materials (in fact oftentimes you HAVE to), its just its on your dollar... as a contractor/privateer, you have to pay for all materials/equipment, but you have to option of accepting or turning down assignments; whereas an employee doesnt pay for anything, but has no options about assignments. Should someone want full-range access to military equipment, they can sign a contract, one that bans them from sharing technology with other privateers or any other entity- a contract that forces them to 'report in', something to that nature.
Just some thoughts, don't feel as though I'm implying you're a schmo if you don't change your own plans

Really nice work, btw- I was planning to do almost the exact very same thing with DarkBasic Pro, but you've beat me to the punch.... how hard is DB to use, to learn? They swear up and down if you study some, it'll be a cinch to begin working with it.

[Kenjar]

Here's some thoughts about equipment availability, as I have been a private contractor for private and public sector.... maybe this will give you a reference to real-life procedures, giving you an excuse or a reason, however you see it, to be more free with equipment availability.
You dont have to make the military ships all messed up up and such... see, if you are good enough, and rich enough, why cant you have someplace build you a identical hull, or get the Federation shipyards to build one for you, under the premise of being a privateer, but still operating in their space under their rules... kind of like being a private contractor.
As a private contractor, you follow 'company' rules, so on, but still get a 'degree' of access to company materials (in fact oftentimes you HAVE to), its just its on your dollar... as a contractor/privateer, you have to pay for all materials/equipment, but you have to option of accepting or turning down assignments; whereas an employee doesnt pay for anything, but has no options about assignments. Should someone want full-range access to military equipment, they can sign a contract, one that bans them from sharing technology with other privateers or any other entity- a contract that forces them to 'report in', something to that nature.
Just some thoughts, don't feel as though I'm implying you're a schmo if you don't change your own plans

Really nice work, btw- I was planning to do almost the exact very same thing with DarkBasic Pro, but you've beat me to the punch.... how hard is DB to use, to learn? They swear up and down if you study some, it'll be a cinch to begin working with it.

That is of cause an option, and a very good one, the only draw back is that it would be down in the rules that you'd not be able to fly the ship outside of federation space and that you would have a first officer on board who would releave you of command and in effect sue you for all you are worth, considering that this game is starting off in TOS year 2250 it is entirely possible that some of the old 21st and 22nd style contracts might not have been completely disreguarded. I certainly get the impression that around that time things where far more chotic. I might well be worth programming this in as an option, but you will have to earn a reputation first before anything like that can take place otherwize a romulan agent would just be able to sign up, nick a starship and take it back home. Still it is a feasable route to gain a top of the line class ship, thanks for the idea.

[Kenjar]

DarkBASIC pro is much easier then DarkBASIC, the editor is much easier to use and is windows based, you can break down the program into different peices of source code, so far this game is made up of the following soruce code files:

3DInterface.dba
Camera.dba
Commands.dba
FederationShipData.dba
GameShipDataSetup.dba
ImpulseSysData.dba
MainMenu.dba
Main_Source.dba
ManuveringThrustersSysData.dba
Model Viewer 0-05.dba
Navigation.dba
ShieldSystemsData.dba
Star Trek Trader 0-06.dbpro
WarpScaleData.dba
WarpSysData.dba

But when it come to compiling the code, they are all compiled into a machine code .exe file or it can be compiled into an .exe and .pck file, and if you really want you can compress or encrypt the data so no one else can alter or nick it. Of cause this is an opensoruce program so I'll be giving all the source code away at the end of it anyway so no point in that :-)

it supports a subrotine sytle of doing things as well as the ability to make up your own commands, for instance the following code


function makebuttonblue(x,y,desc$)
   buttonpressed=0
   ink rgb(0,255,255),0 : box x-52,y-14,x+52,y+14
   ink rgb(0,0,255),0 : box x-50,y-12,x+50,y+12
   ink rgb(0,128,0),0
   myx=mousex() : myy=mousey()
   if myx>x-50 and myx<x+50
      if myy>y-12 and myy<y+12
         buttonpressed=1
      endif
   endif
   if buttonpressed=1 then ink rgb(255,255,0),0
   set text size 18 : center text x,y-8,desc$
   if mouseclick()=0 then buttonpressed=0
endfunction buttonpressed

is used to create a function or extra command, so now whenever I want to make a button in the game I just type in the line:

if makebuttonblue(60,20,"Thrusters")>0 then buttonpressed=1

so in effect the fuction makebuttonblue works in the same way the command PRINT does. The 60,20 are X,Y locations for the screen, the "Thrusters" is the name that appears in the box and if the button is pressed by the mouse's left button the value jumps over 0 and sets the value buttonpressed to 1. Another peice of code like

if buttonpressed = 1 then gosub Thruster_Submenu

calls another subroutine whcih in turn creates more buttons using the new makebuttonblue fuction command and allows you to call even more subroutines using the same or simular method. DarkBASIC also makes movement easy ,the command:

   If Downkey()=1
      PITCH OBJECT DOWN PlayerShip,MaxManuver#
   endif

basically this says, if the Down Arrow key is held, then (binary 0 for off, and 1 for on) then take object PlayerShip (which in the variable soruce code has been assigned a number) is angled down on a seperate axis from the world axis by whatever amount has been pre-defined as MaxManuver#, which means I can reuse this code over and over again no matter which ship is loaded into the game by the "Select_Ship" menu I  created eailer. So far the only really difficult bit apart from advanced effects such as bump mapping and glows has been my bloody aweful spelling :-)

The reason I love this language is because at the tender age of 6 my father brought me home an Atari 400, which of cause used BASIC which I used to make programs that insulted my brothers when I typed in run. The I migrated to the BBC Master by 1989 (I think, straining my memory a little) and fell in love with the space trading game "Elite" and didn't get on to PC's until '96 having spent my time on the Atari ST and STOS (another language very much like DarkBASIC) so BASIC is something I've known since childhood, and while visual basic is all very nice, it's not the same thing. I'm from the old school who thought DOS was the best thing ever, mainly because you had full controll over it, if it was in memory you knew about it, unlike windows these days when you just have to log onto a website to pick up a nasty bit of code. So basically, DarkBASIC is a very good language, it's logical, supports plugin's has a whole host of tools, software and code bases supporting it, and is only about £50.

Now, if you have gotten this far in my ramblings your doing well and I'd like to offer a challange. I have here two copies of DarkBASIC Pro, one of which I don't need. It is a fully legal, and boxed copy with the original packaging. I am willing to send this copy to anyone who can prove their skills in basic. What I need is a navigation program that creates a galaxy with at least 10,000 worlds in it. You can download a trial version of DarkBASIC Pro at http://www.darkbasicpro Now the rules

1) The worlds can not be random and must be generated from number seeds. If you read the Elite FAQ on http://www.frontier.co.uk you will gain an idea of how to do this. I don't need them named or discriptions given, but different colour stars would be nice (not essentual)

2) The interface must be in 3D (this is easier then it sounds trust me).

3) You must be able to click on a system and pull off a set of x,y,z location data into the values ISNavX, ISNavY, ISNavZ and save this data to a simple .txt text file called "NavCourseData".

4) You must be willing to work on this project with me for at least six months.

5) You must be willing to release your work to the general public at the end of this project.

As I say, you will get a FULL copy of DarkBASIC Pro posted to you if you win this, please submit the code to dforemanuk@gmail.com with your name. I won't ask for an address until you've won.

[Kenjar]

Hi,

as he told me he wants to include a BC like script system to include new ships, so I think it is possible.

No I beleive what I said was that I am releasing the code at the end of this project so anyone can alter it as they please. There are no current plans for a scripting system, it would take too long to develope. I will let you all know if this changes.

[Kenjar]

It's an old decommisioned ship left over from the dominion wars, it will appear around 2377 a year after the war is over. And yes I know the registry is backwards, this was a quick convert, and texture as part of a light map and bump mapping experiment which was only partly sucessful.

Needs more battle scarring
registry is backwards
and it looks like it ran into an interstellar lamp post, but other than that, I like it.

Will we be able to add our own ships to the game fairly easily?

[Kenjar]

DarkBASIC pro is much easier then DarkBASIC, the editor is much easier to use and is windows based, you can break down the program into different peices of source code, so far this game is made up of the following soruce code files:

3DInterface.dba
Camera.dba
Commands.dba
FederationShipData.dba
GameShipDataSetup.dba
ImpulseSysData.dba
MainMenu.dba
Main_Source.dba
ManuveringThrustersSysData.dba
Model Viewer 0-05.dba
Navigation.dba
ShieldSystemsData.dba
Star Trek Trader 0-06.dbpro
WarpScaleData.dba
WarpSysData.dba

But when it come to compiling the code, they are all compiled into a machine code .exe file or it can be compiled into an .exe and .pck file, and if you really want you can compress or encrypt the data so no one else can alter or nick it. Of cause this is an opensoruce program so I'll be giving all the source code away at the end of it anyway so no point in that :-)

it supports a subrotine sytle of doing things as well as the ability to make up your own commands, for instance the following code


function makebuttonblue(x,y,desc$)
   buttonpressed=0
   ink rgb(0,255,255),0 : box x-52,y-14,x+52,y+14
   ink rgb(0,0,255),0 : box x-50,y-12,x+50,y+12
   ink rgb(0,128,0),0
   myx=mousex() : myy=mousey()
   if myx>x-50 and myx<x+50
      if myy>y-12 and myy<y+12
         buttonpressed=1
      endif
   endif
   if buttonpressed=1 then ink rgb(255,255,0),0
   set text size 18 : center text x,y-8,desc$
   if mouseclick()=0 then buttonpressed=0
endfunction buttonpressed

is used to create a function or extra command, so now whenever I want to make a button in the game I just type in the line:

if makebuttonblue(60,20,"Thrusters")>0 then buttonpressed=1

so in effect the fuction makebuttonblue works in the same way the command PRINT does. The 60,20 are X,Y locations for the screen, the "Thrusters" is the name that appears in the box and if the button is pressed by the mouse's left button the value jumps over 0 and sets the value buttonpressed to 1. Another peice of code like

if buttonpressed = 1 then gosub Thruster_Submenu

calls another subroutine whcih in turn creates more buttons using the new makebuttonblue fuction command and allows you to call even more subroutines using the same or simular method. DarkBASIC also makes movement easy ,the command:

   If Downkey()=1
      PITCH OBJECT DOWN PlayerShip,MaxManuver#
   endif

basically this says, if the Down Arrow key is held, then (binary 0 for off, and 1 for on) then take object PlayerShip (which in the variable soruce code has been assigned a number) is angled down on a seperate axis from the world axis by whatever amount has been pre-defined as MaxManuver#, which means I can reuse this code over and over again no matter which ship is loaded into the game by the "Select_Ship" menu I  created eailer. So far the only really difficult bit apart from advanced effects such as bump mapping and glows has been my bloody aweful spelling :-)

The reason I love this language is because at the tender age of 6 my father brought me home an Atari 400, which of cause used BASIC which I used to make programs that insulted my brothers when I typed in run. The I migrated to the BBC Master by 1989 (I think, straining my memory a little) and fell in love with the space trading game "Elite" and didn't get on to PC's until '96 having spent my time on the Atari ST and STOS (another language very much like DarkBASIC) so BASIC is something I've known since childhood, and while visual basic is all very nice, it's not the same thing. I'm from the old school who thought DOS was the best thing ever, mainly because you had full controll over it, if it was in memory you knew about it, unlike windows these days when you just have to log onto a website to pick up a nasty bit of code. So basically, DarkBASIC is a very good language, it's logical, supports plugin's has a whole host of tools, software and code bases supporting it, and is only about £50.

Now, if you have gotten this far in my ramblings your doing well and I'd like to offer a challange. I have here two copies of DarkBASIC Pro, one of which I don't need. It is a fully legal, and boxed copy with the original packaging. I am willing to send this copy to anyone who can prove their skills in basic. What I need is a navigation program that creates a galaxy with at least 10,000 worlds in it. You can download a trial version of DarkBASIC Pro at http://www.darkbasicpro Now the rules

1) The worlds can not be random and must be generated from number seeds. If you read the Elite FAQ on http://www.frontier.co.uk you will gain an idea of how to do this. I don't need them named or discriptions given, but different colour stars would be nice (not essentual)

2) The interface must be in 3D (this is easier then it sounds trust me).

3) You must be able to click on a system and pull off a set of x,y,z location data into the values ISNavX, ISNavY, ISNavZ and save this data to a simple .txt text file called "NavCourseData".

4) You must be willing to work on this project with me for at least six months.

5) You must be willing to release your work to the general public at the end of this project.

As I say, you will get a FULL copy of DarkBASIC Pro posted to you if you win this, please submit the code to dforemanuk@gmail.com with your name. I won't ask for an address until you've won.

[Mr_Tricorder]

Do you think that someone would be able to make it possible to easily add ships while you focus on the game itself?  I have almost zero programming experience and I have no idea how this thing works, but I think it would really add to the game if we could add our own ships.  Just look at how it has increased the appeal of the SFC games.

[Kenjar]

Do you think that someone would be able to make it possible to easily add ships while you focus on the game itself?  I have almost zero programming experience and I have no idea how this thing works, but I think it would really add to the game if we could add our own ships.  Just look at how it has increased the appeal of the SFC games.

In order to do that I'd basically have to create a language within a language, and I'd have to completely scrap all the work I've already completed which is around 3000 lines of code at the moment. But I am A) programming in an easy to learn, and cheap to purchase programming language with plenty of support, and B) Releasing the soruce code at the end of it. Compaired to that you will find that modding for SFC and Bridge Commander is extreamly limited. Hell, if you wanted you could change every single aspect of the game. If that's not modding, I don't know what is. Beleive me when I say, the way the code is structoured, an intelligent person will not have any problems modifying the game. Right now I am focused on one thing, getting the combat engine ready for people to start playing with, then I am going to work on the multiplayer aspect so you lot can fight online, then I will turn to the campaign RPG aspect of the game where you will do the trading and privettering.

[Reverend]

Oh my, what an exciting idea... I think I might take you up on this, keeping in mind a) didnt know there was a trial version! and b) only thing I have scripted was some deep modding for SFC3 and SFC:OP; regardless, sounds like exactly what I was thinking, game idea-wise...
anyone else?

[Magnum357]

Well, I don't have time myself to do this project, but he has got me interested in this DarkBasic Pro.  I use a 3d engine called Truevision which really works well with Visual Basic, but I don't want to convert to VB.net just because Micosoft says I have too.  I just downloaded the trial version now and check out what Darkbasic has to offer.

[Sapharite]

Well I appreciate that anybody listen to me Ok nevermind Kenjar Atrahasis has given you a full permission to use his models in your game

[Kenjar]

Hi all, I finally have basic light mapping working, also I have added a local light source which is the sun, the sun itself now Glows as well, and you get too see the night side of planets in proper shadows.

[Kenjar]

Hi all, I finally have basic light mapping working, also I have added a local light source which is the sun, the sun itself now Glows as well, and you get too see the night side of planets in proper shadows.

[Sandman3D]

Cool, this is really shaping up!

BTW, I'm in the process of making a new ship that I think will go good in your game...a deuterium tanker. Should have some wips later.

[Kenjar]

Great tankers are good. Right now, the only way to display lights is to set sections of polygons to either a texture with Emissive value set to white or the highest value it will go too. So if you make, for instance impulse engines, have two texture one standard for the housing and the other with the Emissive value set to full. A light map would be good as well, but I've having problems with that at the moment. The only way of adding them at the moment is to use gile light mapper and export the files to DBO format.