BCC Game Development Class Project:
1/30/2005
Pending approval from remaining team member, I would like the game to involve the same type of racing-shooting type
of gameplay, yet in space (easier physics, art,etc)
The gameplay would revolve around the player as a smuggler of contraband speeding to make pick ups of shady goods and
make delivery before he is shot down/caught.
The game will be loosely based of the gameHallway class, as it is in true 3D unlike gameRacer which I initially
intended to use.
Goals:
* Make the player show up as the correct ship model (will use a TIE fighter MD2 as a temp model untill proper is
created)
* Create a proper space 'box' or 'level'. Currently the user is inside a gigantic cube.. Perhaps a textured sphere or
boundless universe would be a better method. Perhaps a Universe that moves around the player, not the player within
the universe.
* Create a Correct Set of Controls/Listeners: WSAD To control Pitch/Yaw and up/left/down/right to control throttle
and rudder.
* Starfield: Current Idea is to create a randomized sphere of stars X distance away from the player, that are
continously displayed exactly X distance away yet at relative position x/y/z to the player allowing for a feel of
movement without tacky textured boxes.
* Create Asteroid Critters, have them drift in three dimensions.
* Create Enemy Critters, Goal object (contraband).
* HUD elements such as crosshair, hull(armor) energy (shields/weapon) and goal/score/time information.
* Weapons. Plan is to have a default machinegun then allow for a member cPlayerSpecialWeapon class that could be
added to a player each with its own specific functions.
* Health/Energy: Health would be armor strength and would be depleted once shields were gone. Shields would slowly
regenerate in the form of energy, which would be also used by perhaps special weapons and 'afterburners' --allowing
a bit of strategy in what tools to employ and when.
* Enemy AI: Have the enemy attempt to aim by leading the target, taking into account bullet velocity and players
current direction/etc. Have enemy strafe at player, match speed when following from behind, etc.
* Bind enemy AI to same restrictions as players. Allow AI to change its direction no faster than the player and be
constrained to the same momentums as the player.
* 'Power ups' such as energy tanks, special weapons, ammunition, etc.
* Music and Sounds... Perhaps a community track from OCREMIX.
Notes:
Found some excellent FREEWARE .max models for use with the game. Searching for an appropriate converter to MD2 or
perhaps library code to display .MAX models in OpenGL.
Pitfalls:
Experienced alot of graphical 'tearing' around border edges when rotating quickly
When trying to texture the border using a LARGE area, very strange effects occured such as 'moving' textures,
etc.
When using LARGE (6,000,000-600,000 units) levels, the player sprite behaves erratically.
Game Coordinates are setup in 2d style, with Y direction being Up/down. This needs to be fixed.
When Setting ambient lights only, walls do display correctly but
critters are unlit... Need to correctly light the world and the objects
within.