Ctp2 Source Code To Be Released

st_swithin · July 26, 2003, 18:28

ATVI EP confirms that source code for Call To Power II will be available as open source.

No dates yet, but this is STRAIGHT from the horse's mouth (and the lead programmer, the network programmer, the gamestate programmer).

LET US REJOICE!! OPEN SOURCE FOR ALL!!!

Ewww, GUI open source. Don't look there; I wrote some HORRIBLE code.

'I'm a lover, not a programmer.'

Asher · July 26, 2003, 18:29

Anyone interested in forming a group to make CTP2 a playable game?

st_swithin · July 26, 2003, 18:36

All we need is one BILLION DOLLARS and we WON'T BLOW UP THE WORLD WITH OUR FRICKIN' SHARKS WITH LASERS ON THEIR HEADS!!!! Muahahahahaha!

mrmitchell · July 26, 2003, 18:46

just in time to coincide with Poly's fifth birthday!

(well, it will be a belated present...)

Frozzy · July 26, 2003, 18:48

Very, very good news.

Locutus · July 26, 2003, 18:49

Excellent news, St Swithin

Of course, this was already more-or-less public knowledge (it's been a topic of discussion in the CtP2 forums for some time now), but your confirmation makes it even more official

Can we look forward to some more of your colourful comments?

yaroslav · July 26, 2003, 18:54

Good news

Peter Triggs · July 26, 2003, 19:15

Great news!

Quote:

Anyone interested in forming a group to make CTP2 a playable game?

Hope you're serious about this.

OneFootInTheGrave · July 26, 2003, 19:20

Activision gets another cookie, after releasing Wolf ET for free

Mercator · July 26, 2003, 19:26

Excellent!

I think we need to go start something for civ2 as well.

st_swithin · July 26, 2003, 19:29

Heh, I believe we're stripping out a bunch of references to people whom we'd prefer not to upset.

Some of us were, well, somewhat verbose in our usage of comments in releasing anger and pent-up frustrations. (Not like that isn't apparent if you've seen some of the SLIC scripts - sorry kids!)

Anyway, source code sans slagging is a good thing.

I'm no longer making any games. I purposely do not go to the CTP2 forums or any other game-specific forum.

1.5 years ago, I was 'laid off' for the final time by Treyarch (aka Activision), and I have been gainfully unemployed ever since.

I was told by EALA, Vivendi Universal, Black Ops, and Rockstar that I am 'too immature,' 'unprofessional' and 'not ready to work for companies of the caliber of EA'.

Oh well. At least I got to work with some of the greatest programmers in the world (and you know who you are, MrOgre, Pyaray, MBR, Richard, Frustum, Paul, MD, JBare, Chaos, and I'm sure I'm missing some, but y'all know who you are). I had a good run, and you guys taught me everything I know (well, almost everything - I forgot to mention THE greatest programmer in the world: My Dad).

I always rejoice at the release of open source. It's what real programmers are made of!

Joe, you're still a grammar nazi.

Peter Triggs · July 26, 2003, 19:32

Quote:

'I'm a lover, not a programmer.'

Promises, promises.

st_swithin · July 26, 2003, 19:39

Oh yeah? Wait til you see some of the crap I wrote. It'll be PAINFULLY apparent then. Thank God for silent, tacit code review by my superiors

Frozzy · July 26, 2003, 19:41

What's your workaround face again?

stankarp · July 26, 2003, 19:42

God save and praise Activision.:-)

Frozzy · July 26, 2003, 19:43

Quote:

Originally posted by stankarp
God save and praise Activision.:-)

Idiot.

st_swithin · July 26, 2003, 19:46

I don't like your attitude, stanky.

And ok, ha ha, obviously some people in here saw some of the stuff I should have taken out of the script code.

I really DIDN'T think anyone would look at it, especially not on purpose, and if I offended anyone, I assure you the insult was intended towards either the senior producer or Tom Cruise. Or maybe Rush Limbaugh.

Workaround face:

>:·®

stankarp · July 26, 2003, 19:48

And all who sailed in her.

Locutus · July 26, 2003, 19:52

Nah, you just gave us all a good laugh

A pity we can't see the rest of those comments

Frozzy · July 26, 2003, 19:54

Truth be told: Activision gave it to the CtP2 communty for free. they deserve credit for that in itself. Okay, so the humour of the comments are gone, but Activision is a floated company and can't afford to make comments at other compnaes who would probably sue them to hell.

Good on you, Activision

Dale · July 26, 2003, 19:55

st_swithin:

Yeah, we some of us (especially those of us who got seriously into SLIC to rewrite/add a lot into the game) saw all those comments. My personal favourite was tut2.slc.

"More workarounds than you can shake a lemur poo at"

Thanks to you and all the other programmers who made such an open script language.

As a programmer I'm looking forward to the source code.

BTW, did you know that the lemur has become Apolyton's mascot for CTP2?

Peter Triggs · July 26, 2003, 19:57

IIRC, there was only one commented out error in tut2_main.slc. BTW, was this you or JBR:

Quote:

Bad function, bad!

Internal failure (not your fault, don't feel bad)

I've always been disapointed that I've never got that second error message.

Gramphos · July 26, 2003, 19:58

This might be a good time to start interest myself in CtP2.

st_swithin · July 26, 2003, 19:59

You really shouldn't. Too many exact names mentioned, and far too many of them that had absolutely NOTHING to do with the code.

We don't want anyone to think we're embittered cyber vigilantes with an axe to grind. (Already sharp

I don't like to make too many generalisations about any one company, but why is Activision in a handbasket, and where is it going?

Oh heck, I'll say it anyway: FVCK (most of) ACTIVISION AND THE UGLY NAG SHE RODE IN ON.

And no, I don't mean Angelica Huston. I've never met her, and I would never say an unwarranted, unkind word about her. Although her house did fall in the middle of Venice, and I haven't yet located her ruby slippers.

Alfonso · July 26, 2003, 20:02

Viva CTP!!

FrustratedPoet · July 26, 2003, 20:09

Quote:

Originally posted by st_swithin

I was told by EALA, Vivendi Universal, Black Ops, and Rockstar that I am 'too immature,' 'unprofessional' and 'not ready to work for companies of the caliber of EA'.

We'd never have guessed.

It's nice to know that programmers are real people too and not just faceless drones churning out flawed games. (kidding...

)

@ the release of the source code. Great news!

(I echo want Gramphos said. I have a copy of CTP2 but have never go into it properly)

st_swithin · July 26, 2003, 20:18

Hey, at least they were honest with me.

Same reason I come here to 'talk' - you guys never pull any punches. And I know when someone is doing that because they smell like a fvcking *****. Or they agree all the time. Or they apologise for being honest.

That's how you can tell who your real friends are - they'll tell the Emperor (you) that he's butt-a55 nekkid in front of all the King's men (sycophants), despite the threat of severe a55-kicking or even death.

I've never received that courtesy from Activision even ONCE, so I have incalculably more respect for EALA, Vivendi, Black Ops, and Rockstar for at least giving me their 'onnest' assessment of my abilities.

My dad (Buddah rest his amazing and wonderful Soul) never 'let' me at a single goddam game EVER. Tennis, volleyball, Doom, Civ, Go, chess, checkers, poker, ANYTHING.

I used to get so frustrated with myself for being a dumba55, but I've always loved my dad for never 'letting me' win, not even ONCE.

If anyone has a dictionary, the entry next to the words 'real man' is a pic and bio of my dad.

stankarp · July 26, 2003, 20:22

I was typing this in an email when the news about the source code came through.

"What I always liked about CTP2 is, apart from the variety, is the playability. Accessible menus that are easy to read that give you nearly everything you need to know with a few clicks, auto cycling of units, right click to group and un group armies. After playing CTP2, I go to a much later game like MTW(Mediec\val Total War) and is is positively a pain and bloody booring after a while because it lacks these basic things. I made the comment on the MTW forum it is like buying a new car and after you drive out the shop you find it has no power steering, air con, radio/sterio and has a wood bench for the front seat. CTP2 is in a class of its own from a playability point of view. Take one aspect, fortifying a unit. Not only does it fortify, it does not autocycle and if a enemy unit moves in its vision range then the screen flashes to it. The people who designed the flow of CTP2 need a medal, they are in a class of their own. I guess I came to appreciate it in on line competiton play. You yanks get bored if someone takes more than 60 seconds for a move and you could play CTP2 with 20 cities fighting on 2 or more fronts in under 2 minute turns. Fan bloody tastic."

Take a bow anyone who was on the design team

FrustratedPoet · July 26, 2003, 20:29

Quote:

Originally posted by st_swithin
My dad (Buddah rest his amazing and wonderful Soul) never 'let' me at a single goddam game EVER. Tennis, volleyball, Doom, Civ, Go, chess, checkers, poker, ANYTHING.

I used to get so frustrated with myself for being a dumba55, but I've always loved my dad for never 'letting me' win, not even ONCE.

mrmitchell · July 26, 2003, 20:41

Quote:

My dad (Buddah rest his amazing and wonderful Soul) never 'let' me at a single goddam game EVER. Tennis, volleyball, Doom, Civ, Go, chess, checkers, poker, ANYTHING.

Your parents raised you very well. If you are just as you are in the forums, then their work is complete.