Starshatter

[bentmick]

Hi

Anyone played the demo? Thoughts? I didn't know anyone was making another Space Sim. Looks interesting.

Where do you guys normally find news of new games? which are the best game sites with outstanding news, previews and reviews.

I noticed Space-combat.net has not been updated for a while. Is it dead?

[Zamboni]

Hmm... The screens on Gamespot seem kinda blocky... And the textures look about as pretty as Tie-fighter. I don't think this is the next revolutionary sci-fi game we've been waiting for...

Space is dead...

[Parias]

Originally posted by Zamboni
Hmm... The screens on Gamespot seem kinda blocky... And the textures look about as pretty as Tie-fighter. I don't think this is the next revolutionary sci-fi game we've been waiting for...

Milod weeps :(

[jessica00]

yeah, the main, only coder posts here sometimes.

its not a bad game for a game by one person :)

[sauron1]

Yeah, it looks good to me. I tried signing up for the beta, but he didn't get back to me *weeps openly*. I guess it must be full.

[bentmick]

Yeah, a mate (that's friend for you non-Aussies) played the Demo and he thought it was pretty cool. It's meant to have an arcade mode and a sim mode kinda like I-War (Deluxe Edition).

Guess I'll try the demo.

I don't think this is the next revolutionary sci-fi game we've been waiting for...

I'm not after revolutionary.......just something with space Combat that's interesting, exciting and fun......anything.....please

[Rurouni Storm]

He may not have the greatest graphics engine (understandably), but the gameplay from the earlier demos seemed quite solid.

[Zamboni]

Originally posted by Rurouni Storm
He may not have the greatest graphics engine (understandably), but the gameplay from the earlier demos seemed quite solid.

Hmm... Like the prequels vs. the originals? I don't care! I won't settle for anything less than IWar II!!! (or at the very least, Freespace II).

[Nanoprobe]

Yeah, space-combat.net is effectively dead. We haven't forgot about it, but real life concerns got in the way. :)

Besides, the admin backend has been borked for about a year now, which means updates have to be posted blind. *shudders*

[Cougaris]

There's that word again. "borked" :)

I thought Starshatter demo was pretty good for what it is. Not the next big thing, but a solid space sim with some interesting features (Couldn't get my head around the capital ship combat though :bulb: )

[sauron1]

Originally posted by Cougaris
There's that word again. "borked" :)

Actually, I think it's spelt 'b0rked'. As in 'Hey the teams are unfair and I'm lagged and teh server is b0rked plzkthxbye'. :p

[Mehrunes]

Originally posted by Zamboni
I won't settle for anything less than IWar II!!! (or at the very least, Freespace II).

Then break out your checkbook, 'cause no one else is.

[milod]

Originally posted by Cougaris
I thought Starshatter demo was pretty good for what it is. Not the next big thing, but a solid space sim with some interesting features (Couldn't get my head around the capital ship combat though)
Thanks, I do the best I can.

EDIT
By the way, what would constitute the "next big thing" in your eyes? I've been trying to achieve some novel gameplay moments while maintaining a link to familiar genre conventions. I want the game to have a fresh and original feel.
/EDIT


What in particular gave you a hard time with the starship combat model? Was it just the overall strategy of how to approach a given scenario, or some specific feature that your found confusing?

Thanks again for your feedback.

[Cougaris]

Perhaps it was just the way that the capital ship handled - more like slow cumbersome fighters rather then "all men to battlestations" cap ship. Perhaps a more immersive UI for when your commanding a capital class ship? I did love the scope for fleet tactics via the map, which I thought was neat. I was never confused though (:up: ), just not my impression of how cap ship combat would work.

You should perhaps be told that I have alot of love for 19th century sea battles (as in Master and Commander, and the books written by Patrick O'Brian) so I like to feel like a commander, and not like a pilot/gunner wrapped up into one.

The fighter simulation is sweet and easy to get to grips with (:up: ) and the planetside missions are a nice dimension. I was secretly hoping for the ability to move from atmosphere to space and vice versa - but I'd imagine that might blast your sanity.:bulb:

Being a programmer myself and having dabbled with some graphics tid bits in my past, I have alot of admiration for what you have accomplished.

Actually, in hindsight, my jump to the assertion that it's not the next big thing was somewhat rushed - there are some interesting genre crossovers present alright.

[milod]

I see. Well, if you still have the 3.9.0 demo installed, here are some things for you to try (if you haven't already):

* Hit F3 to go into "orbit cam". This gives you a Homeworld-style 3rd person camera that can focus on any ship for which you have a solid sensor contact. You can cycle the focus through your contacts by repeatedly pressing F3, or you can drag a selection rectangle around one or more ships and middle-click to focus on a single ship or a group.

* You can double-click the left mouse to point your helm at any point on the screen (just like in EVE). Or you can steer the helm pointer using the keyboard. Note that once you have the helm pointer aimed at where you want to go, you can stop steering. The ship will get turned to that heading eventually, even if it takes ten or twenty seconds for it to do so.

* You can right-click on any allied ship under you in the chain of command and issue orders to them, again using Homeworld mouse conventions. For example, you may want to order all of the ships in your formation to go EMCON 1 (silent), except for one ship at EMCON 3 that you can use as a decoy.

* Press "W" to display the weapons console. This gives you a HUD overlay so that you can set firing orders for up to four different banks of weapons.

* If you really want to detach yourself from the chores of piloting your own ship, press "Shift+M" to ask your XO to take the conn. You can then issue orders to your own ship using the right-click menu, just like all the other allied ships.

If you have something else in mind, please let me know. It's probably too late to add anything else to this release, but there is always the possibility for an expansion pack or a sequel...

[Parias]

Originally posted by milod
By the way, what would constitute the "next big thing" in your eyes?

Something like this (http://members.shaw.ca/alvandyk/FS2Beamrape7.jpg), except better.

:cool:

[Hot4Darmat]

I'd really love to get the 3.9 demo, but my dialup just hates the filesize, and keeps losing track. Is there any way to order it on disk?

Speaking of which, how will the final Starshatter be distributed? I'm assuming internet orders via your site will be the main mode of selling it, but do you have a distributor or publisher handling it? Can I pre-order a copy, or is the final product full game still several months away from being completely finished?

[milod]

Originally posted by Parias
Something like this (http://members.shaw.ca/alvandyk/FS2Beamrape7.jpg), except better.
Yeah, well unfortunately I don't have that license, you know? Is this where Mehrunes is supposed to jump in with one of his awesome Freespace-mod-for-Starshatter screenshots?

[milod]

Originally posted by Hot4Darmat
I'd really love to get the 3.9 demo, but my dialup just hates the filesize, and keeps losing track. Is there any way to order it on disk?

Speaking of which, how will the final Starshatter be distributed?
Sorry, but no, I don't have a way to print custom CDs of the demo at the moment.

As far as the final 4.0 version is concerned, I am in negotiations with a couple of different small publishers at the moment. I will probably end up going with one or the other of them. In any case, I will be sure to let you know as soon as a deal has been reached.

[Parias]

Originally posted by milod
Yeah, well unfortunately I don't have that license, you know? Is this where Mehrunes is supposed to jump in with one of his awesome Freespace-mod-for-Starshatter screenshots?

Actually, yes, it is. *Pokes MJ12*

[Mehrunes]

I did not post this.

I was not here.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Mehrunes/demonvsdeimos0.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Mehrunes/demonvsdeimos0a.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Mehrunes/demonvsdeimos1.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Mehrunes/demonvsdeimos2.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Mehrunes/demonvsdeimos3.jpg

[Nightwatch]

Originally posted by Parias
Something like this (http://members.shaw.ca/alvandyk/FS2Beamrape7.jpg), except better.

:cool:

Nothing like Collosus Diplomacy, eh? :D

What freespace mod for starshatter?? GIMMEEEEE!!!!

On a slightly different topic, can someone explain why the really good original titles sell like Saddams latest novel?

I bring evidence:
Ground Control. The low sales figures on that one are a crime against humanity

Hostile waters. Great game, shoddy sales figures.

Total Annihalation. It wasn't C&C therefore it didn't top the lists

The Freespace games. Enuf said

Startopia. Now THAT should have sold.. hell it should have sold.

Back to Starshatter. I have the demo and I'm playing through it. I have to say the main problem I'm having is the lack of documentation in the game. However I have found that I'm a starship captain NOT a fighter pilot. Hopefully in the full game there will be an option to start as a frigate captian and work your way from there.

*Edit, My spelling comes from outer space*

[GrandpaTrout]

I did not post this.

Nice beam effects! The impact points look like molten metal scattering. The thruster glows are great. It reminds me more of the movie at the start of Freespace2 than the game itself.

The last shot where the Diemos is a shadow shape against it's own thrusters is really nice. Those red beams look like they are about to punch right through the hull!


Are the green glows missiles or fighters?

[milod]

Thanks GT! I tried to get as much oomph out of DX7 as I could.

---

Sorry Nigh****ch, but the full game doesn't really have that option. You need to gain command rank (Lt. Commander) to command a starship squadron in the campaign.

However, the single missions do not have that restriction, and career points earned playing single missions count towards your rank in the campaign. So it isn't that hard to buff your character with a few practice missions before you tackle the dynamic campaign series. I'll try to ensure that there are enough starship scenarios in the single missions for you. Or you could just create your own.

Heck, Mehrunes actually outranks me because he spends so much time blowing up Sathanases in his own mod... ;)

[Cougaris]

Hmm, needs more beam cannons. :D

Nice pics!

[Zamboni]

Was that FS one or two? The textures look a bit fuzzy... And that fighter figure looked like a Hercules (sp?) which was mostly used in one... I think.

I own pretty much every title on that list... And I hate C&C series! TA forever!!! Muhahahahaha!!!

[Parias]

Originally posted by Zamboni
Was that FS one or two?

You mean this (http://members.shaw.ca/alvandyk/FS2Beamrape7.jpg)? The original Freespace didn't have beam cannons. *Poke*

Sexellent job on those shots, Mehrunes.

[Rurouni Storm]

Originally posted by Nigh****ch
Total Annihalation. It wasn't C&C therefore it didn't top the lists


Or a Blizzard game. Their fanboys scare me.

Ground Control 2 looks to be shaping up nicely, though.

[Mehrunes]

Originally posted by GrandpaTrout
Nice beam effects! The impact points look like molten metal scattering. The thruster glows are great. It reminds me more of the movie at the start of Freespace2 than the game itself.

The last shot where the Diemos is a shadow shape against it's own thrusters is really nice. Those red beams look like they are about to punch right through the hull!

By that point I was almost dead and spinning out of control, that happened very shortly afterwards. My ship is actually sliding backwards in the last few shots, which is why the smoke and other particles appear to be heading towards the front of the ship.

Are the green glows missiles or fighters?

Those are ordinary laser turret shots. I was trying to make a movie of a Deimos getting creamed by a Demon with no other ships around, but I couldn't get any reasonable framerate with FRAPs recording. So I just posted some screenshots instead.

[jessica00]

fraps needs low res to record best.

another list of games that never sold well

battlezone 1 and 2
interstate 76.
X-wing alliance
earth 2150
the starsiege mech game,

[Parias]

Originally posted by Mehrunes
Those are ordinary laser turret shots. I was trying to make a movie of a Deimos getting creamed by a Demon with no other ships around, but I couldn't get any reasonable framerate with FRAPs recording. So I just posted some screenshots instead.

This is an annoying issue I've noticed with a variety of different games that I've been unable to trace (and is also why I've never made a Hostile Waters music video). It just seems like with some games, FRAPS will play nice and let you openly record footage, while with others, it'll drop the speed to about 1-2 FPS and run in an incredibly crappy manner while recording. I have no idea why this is, and no amount of resolution/detail/FRAPS configuration tweaking will resolve it.

[Red_Hex]

ta sold well. especially for an rts.

talking about "games that didnt sell well" is a bit subjective and also very old ground...

[milod]

Originally posted by jessica00
X-wing alliance
Actually, XWA sold pretty well. It was the last space sim to break 200,000 units in the US. In fact, it seems to have sold better than FS1 and FS2 combined, according to the numbers I have.

[GrandpaTrout]

Those are ordinary laser turret shots. Nice! Those are an improvement over Fs2. Do the laser turret shots cause the same explosion effects as the beam? Or is that just residual smoke and plasma? (second screen show down).

Looking forward to this mod. :up:

[arrrse]

speaking of xwing alliance, what was that website with the way better ship models?
I still appear to not have bookmarked it :/

[Parias]

http://www.xwaupgrade.com/

Google is your friend.

[arrrse]

yadayada actually I did google it :o

[sauron1]

Enough yadayada and get downloading, that is one high-quality mod. Enjoy. :D

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Originally posted by Zamboni
Hmm... The screens on Gamespot seem kinda blocky... And the textures look about as pretty as Tie-fighter. I don't think this is the next revolutionary sci-fi game we've been waiting for...

Space is dead...

don't diss TIE-fighter! Still one of the best space-games around

[Hot4Darmat]

I finally succeeded in dl-ing the SS 3.9 demo last night and gave it a cursory run. So far, I really like it. I looks incredibly flexible and highly customizeable. It'll take me some time to work out the controls and configure my joystick, but so far, I really like this game. The first training mission has you launching and shooting up a bunch of target drones. I love the HUD, good sounds and standard (non-arcade) flight model. The explosions were OK but the dispersing sparkling debris particles after the blast moved in a perfectly symmetrical outwardly spiralling pattern. Is this a display glitch on my end or is this how its supposed to look?

[milod]

Hmmn. The particle generator uses a simple pseudo-random dispersion pattern. I could try using a lookup table to make the pattern more clumpy. Hadn't really thought about it before...

EDIT -
OK, I made some changes to the explosion parameters for target drones. I think it will make the debris cloud look a little more spread out, and less symetric.

Thanks for the feedback.

[jessica00]

milo, ever watch cowboy bebop? :)
it has some pretty good space/atmospheric fighter and ship to ship combat.
might be a decent reference if you want more "style" in the game :) (not that its lacking) :)

[Mehrunes]

Originally posted by Parias
It just seems like with some games, FRAPS will play nice and let you openly record footage, while with others, it'll drop the speed to about 1-2 FPS and run in an incredibly crappy manner while recording. I have no idea why this is, and no amount of resolution/detail/FRAPS configuration tweaking will resolve it.

I guess some games just don't like to share CPU time.

Originally posted by GrandpaTrout
Do the laser turret shots cause the same explosion effects as the beam? Or is that just residual smoke and plasma? (second screen show down).

That's the effect of lasers hitting. They cause a large flash and some particles. Beams just cause a constant spray of particles. Both are lights, which is why I picked this area, because everything there would be pitch black without the weapons fire/impacts.