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What is free SMAC? A hypothetical project, in the same vein as FreeCiv, devout fans of SMAC (initially from Apolyton-AC) would get together and make a new, free version of SMAC, exactly how they want it.
(Of course, the SMAC name probably couldn’t be used, or at least the SM part, so the name could be ‘FreeAC’)
<small>Great! I'm in, take me to the signup thread</small>
Could it be done?
Should it be done?
How should it be done?
Some thoughts.
There are about a dozen ‘Free Civ’ style projects going on, but I can’t recall even a whisper concerning making a ‘FreeAC’. Which doesn’t seem right.
Undoubtedly, the SMAC community lacks none of the skills, talent and creativity required for a ‘Free SMAC’ project (of those, the most likely to be absent is the skills, the Creation and Fiction forums show plenty of talent and creativity of the same caliber
as in the game itself).
So, is the only thing missing motivation?
Motivation: There is no guarantee, perhaps even possibility, of Firaxis making a ‘SMAC2’. Meanwhile, there have been plenty of threads regarding SMAC2, or just plain old SMAC, and the failings of SMAC are pretty well known now. There are plenty of ideas about what should be added to SMAC.
So, if we want a perfect SMAC, the best way would be to make it ourselves.
Of course, it would not be easy, and would require plenty of dedication from a group of players with a wide range of skills.
It would have to be done right, starting with what we like from SMAC, and adding features that build on that. All the time following good software engineering practices (like OO design – this is to ensure it does not end up rubbish).
And, it would have to be better than SMAC, (at least strategically), aiming to make a poor cousin would be pointless.
Some Design (brief)
Map
It would have to have a 3D or pseudo 3D map. The graphics don’t have to be spectacular, but they do have to be functional, and the map needs to be at least as complex as the SMAC one (variable heights, rainfall, rockiness, a couple of Terraforming layers, etc).
This would require work from:
Designers: To get the design right.
Coders: To code it (Not too difficult, there are many free graphics/game libraries around which would make the task easier)
Artists: Several dozens basic tiles would have to be made. A good 3D renderer could make the task quite easy. (that is, an external program to render the tiles, not an internal 3D renderer – although full 3D would be possible it would also have higher hardware requirements and be more complicated to program).
This part would not be that hard. Isometric tile based games are common. A number use the same isometric variable height tiles as SMAC. I think the map would look best with stronger coloring and shading than in SMAC. A nice addition would be to make it possible to rotate the map (if such an addition could be justified).
Stuff such as climate model and so on is a bit harder, but it would be quite possible to start with a very simple model.
UI / GUI:
A shatload of work for the coders – and difficult to get right. One of the hardest parts. The GUI would presumably be more minimal than the SMAC one, of course this allows more of the map to be on-screen at once. (Although the little quick-stats box is very cool, and wouldn’t be too hard to program). Most of the UI would probably be through keyboard shortcuts and the mouse, although a context sensitive right-click menu cant be ruled out.
A lot of thought has to go into the GUI, making information accessible and minimizing the amount of steps required to do what you want.
Units:
Graphics: The easiest way to do this is sprite-based units, like in Civ2. With a good third party library support could be built in for animated units – but this is a lot more work for the artists.
Design: Obviously, the unit workshop has to be kept. The way of drawing the units on the map may have to be different to make life easier for the artists, but it could easily be done so the Chassis/Weapon/Special abilities could be determined visually.
Combat: Stacked movement and combat – this probably does mean out with the ‘armor’ attribute of units. This would be replaced with ‘range’ and a number of special abilities.
Of course, this is entirely a good thing, the archaic throwbacks to Civ2 should be eliminated as a matter of principle.
Bases:
Basically the same as in SMAC, much consideration has to go into areas such as population model, facilities, Wonders, production, research, etc, etc.
Social Engineering:
Something similar to the SMAC SE.
Tech Tree:
Either the tried and true Civ method, or a more complicated model, many of which have been designed for various other free Civ type projects.
AI:
Quite possibly the hardest part.
What made SMAC great
Mostly, this is stuff like Book of Planet, the council, and just the factions.
Certainty, it would need SMAC style factions, and preferably lots of them, and preferably a nice faction design wizard.
And the ability to play with more than 7 factions would be a must.
Sound:
Sound will almost certainty be at a level way below SMAC, initially it will be quite minimal. Sound is no challenge to program, but it would be a lot of effort to make something equivalent to all the voiceovers etc from SMAC. So it could easily be limited to simple sounds (like unit move blip) and background midi music. Unless we get someone really dedicated to this area (iow, if it’s up to the coders, it’ll be blips and midi music)
Miscellaneous stuff:
Language: C++ making use of (free) third party graphics/game libraries. Every effort should be made to make the game cross platform, so it can run on Windows, Mac and Linux boxes. This is made easy by the use of libraries designed to be cross platform.
(My choice of game library would be Allegro, which is a mature game library which does pretty much everything and is free (both monetarily, and in allowing you to do whatever you want with the final product)).
The design will be very modular, to make it easier to make additions, fix bugs, etc
In short : Who / What we would need:
Coders (Programmers). They do the hardcore technical stuff.
Artists. People who are good at graphics a lot of work here, terrain, Terraforming, units, mug shots and a million and one miscellaneous graphics. Some of these could also be found on the internet or other sources.
Writers. Plot, blurbs, factions. Heaps of potential work here. Heaps of talent in AC-Fiction.
Designers. People without technical skills, but can do high level design and perhaps tell the coders what to do.
Beta Testers: It would help to be pedantic for this job. Ofc, others, especially the Coders are by default beta testers, but it helps to have those outside the design process play the game – coders are often blind to their own failings.
Suggestions. Would always be welcome.
I’ve started a signup thread in AC-Creation – it’s by no means binding, if you think you might be able to help just post and say what you can do, and maybe how much time can be spared. If there is not enough support, we can just forget it. (I would rate “not enough support” as just me in a otherwise empty thread
)
take me to the signup thread!
If you just have gerneral comments, suggestions or words of encouragement, post it here in this thread.
(Of course, the SMAC name probably couldn’t be used, or at least the SM part, so the name could be ‘FreeAC’)
<small>Great! I'm in, take me to the signup thread</small>
Could it be done?
Should it be done?
How should it be done?
Some thoughts.
There are about a dozen ‘Free Civ’ style projects going on, but I can’t recall even a whisper concerning making a ‘FreeAC’. Which doesn’t seem right.
Undoubtedly, the SMAC community lacks none of the skills, talent and creativity required for a ‘Free SMAC’ project (of those, the most likely to be absent is the skills, the Creation and Fiction forums show plenty of talent and creativity of the same caliber
as in the game itself).
So, is the only thing missing motivation?
Motivation: There is no guarantee, perhaps even possibility, of Firaxis making a ‘SMAC2’. Meanwhile, there have been plenty of threads regarding SMAC2, or just plain old SMAC, and the failings of SMAC are pretty well known now. There are plenty of ideas about what should be added to SMAC.
So, if we want a perfect SMAC, the best way would be to make it ourselves.
Of course, it would not be easy, and would require plenty of dedication from a group of players with a wide range of skills.
It would have to be done right, starting with what we like from SMAC, and adding features that build on that. All the time following good software engineering practices (like OO design – this is to ensure it does not end up rubbish).
And, it would have to be better than SMAC, (at least strategically), aiming to make a poor cousin would be pointless.
Some Design (brief)
Map
It would have to have a 3D or pseudo 3D map. The graphics don’t have to be spectacular, but they do have to be functional, and the map needs to be at least as complex as the SMAC one (variable heights, rainfall, rockiness, a couple of Terraforming layers, etc).
This would require work from:
Designers: To get the design right.
Coders: To code it (Not too difficult, there are many free graphics/game libraries around which would make the task easier)
Artists: Several dozens basic tiles would have to be made. A good 3D renderer could make the task quite easy. (that is, an external program to render the tiles, not an internal 3D renderer – although full 3D would be possible it would also have higher hardware requirements and be more complicated to program).
This part would not be that hard. Isometric tile based games are common. A number use the same isometric variable height tiles as SMAC. I think the map would look best with stronger coloring and shading than in SMAC. A nice addition would be to make it possible to rotate the map (if such an addition could be justified).
Stuff such as climate model and so on is a bit harder, but it would be quite possible to start with a very simple model.
UI / GUI:
A shatload of work for the coders – and difficult to get right. One of the hardest parts. The GUI would presumably be more minimal than the SMAC one, of course this allows more of the map to be on-screen at once. (Although the little quick-stats box is very cool, and wouldn’t be too hard to program). Most of the UI would probably be through keyboard shortcuts and the mouse, although a context sensitive right-click menu cant be ruled out.
A lot of thought has to go into the GUI, making information accessible and minimizing the amount of steps required to do what you want.
Units:
Graphics: The easiest way to do this is sprite-based units, like in Civ2. With a good third party library support could be built in for animated units – but this is a lot more work for the artists.
Design: Obviously, the unit workshop has to be kept. The way of drawing the units on the map may have to be different to make life easier for the artists, but it could easily be done so the Chassis/Weapon/Special abilities could be determined visually.
Combat: Stacked movement and combat – this probably does mean out with the ‘armor’ attribute of units. This would be replaced with ‘range’ and a number of special abilities.
Of course, this is entirely a good thing, the archaic throwbacks to Civ2 should be eliminated as a matter of principle.
Bases:
Basically the same as in SMAC, much consideration has to go into areas such as population model, facilities, Wonders, production, research, etc, etc.
Social Engineering:
Something similar to the SMAC SE.
Tech Tree:
Either the tried and true Civ method, or a more complicated model, many of which have been designed for various other free Civ type projects.
AI:
Quite possibly the hardest part.
What made SMAC great
Mostly, this is stuff like Book of Planet, the council, and just the factions.
Certainty, it would need SMAC style factions, and preferably lots of them, and preferably a nice faction design wizard.
And the ability to play with more than 7 factions would be a must.
Sound:
Sound will almost certainty be at a level way below SMAC, initially it will be quite minimal. Sound is no challenge to program, but it would be a lot of effort to make something equivalent to all the voiceovers etc from SMAC. So it could easily be limited to simple sounds (like unit move blip) and background midi music. Unless we get someone really dedicated to this area (iow, if it’s up to the coders, it’ll be blips and midi music)
Miscellaneous stuff:
Language: C++ making use of (free) third party graphics/game libraries. Every effort should be made to make the game cross platform, so it can run on Windows, Mac and Linux boxes. This is made easy by the use of libraries designed to be cross platform.
(My choice of game library would be Allegro, which is a mature game library which does pretty much everything and is free (both monetarily, and in allowing you to do whatever you want with the final product)).
The design will be very modular, to make it easier to make additions, fix bugs, etc
In short : Who / What we would need:
Coders (Programmers). They do the hardcore technical stuff.
Artists. People who are good at graphics a lot of work here, terrain, Terraforming, units, mug shots and a million and one miscellaneous graphics. Some of these could also be found on the internet or other sources.
Writers. Plot, blurbs, factions. Heaps of potential work here. Heaps of talent in AC-Fiction.
Designers. People without technical skills, but can do high level design and perhaps tell the coders what to do.
Beta Testers: It would help to be pedantic for this job. Ofc, others, especially the Coders are by default beta testers, but it helps to have those outside the design process play the game – coders are often blind to their own failings.
Suggestions. Would always be welcome.
I’ve started a signup thread in AC-Creation – it’s by no means binding, if you think you might be able to help just post and say what you can do, and maybe how much time can be spared. If there is not enough support, we can just forget it. (I would rate “not enough support” as just me in a otherwise empty thread
)take me to the signup thread!If you just have gerneral comments, suggestions or words of encouragement, post it here in this thread.
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