return of Civiliza

[dexter4dxm]

This thread is for the updates and discussion of my new Alternative Civ, still named "civiliza". The original concept I had for the game was lost within the first two demos, because I didn't know enough at the time to construct a mutiplayer engine around the game. I was hoping I could go back and add multiplayer after I got close to finishing the game, but that was just wishfull thinking

The most basic general concepts of Civiliza will be kept (more like resurrected, but whatever), including:
- Simplicity in general.
- Unit Turns instead of Player turns, and Cities on Timers
- Quick-action interface (the less clicking necessary, the better)

This game is being developed using Microsoft Visual C++ 6 with DirectX 7
Currently, the only available bit depth is 8 (256 colors, which is all this game needs..), and available resolutions of 320x240, 640x480, 1024x768, 1280x960, and 1600x1200. Also, this time you can run it in windowed mode, and resize it to whatever size you would like, as seen in the following screen shot

[dexter4dxm]

i'm getting rid of this stupid name dexter4dxm, it has been obsolete for about 4 years, just never came up with anything else

[neonext]

Offical Lists, no longer updated (as of 9/19/02) (wait for beta!)

REVISIONS:
- Added DirectDraw and DirectPlay systems.
- Added DirectInput and DirectSound systems.
- Added windowed mode (resizable).
- Added basic lobby system. *ok
- Added terrain drawing and terrain clipping.
- Added multiple resolution support (fullscreen only).
- Added basic map editor.
- Added map loading (local only).
- Added unit drawing.
- Added unit moving. *ok
- Added unit move restrictions (terrain ocean).
- Fixed clipping for units.
- Added auto-centering of units off-screen or near screen edge.
- Added auto-selecting of ready units.
- Added drawing of selected unit cursor. *
- Added city drawing.
- Added ability for users to build cities. *ok
- Added unit coloring.
- Added city coloring.
- Added movement points.
- Added city unit production. *ok
- Added city unit select.
- Added unit move countdown timers, based on how many units you control.
- Added ability for units to attack each other. *ok
- Added mouse support and ability to control city unit selection with the mouse.
- Added drawing of roads.
- Added road movement modifiers.
- Added ability for settlers to build roads.*ok
- Added unit hit points. *
- Added piece sliding for moving and attacking.*
- Added AI players, and ability to select which civs you want to be controlled by the AI. The host computer will run all AI activities.*ok
- Added AI's ability to build cities.*ok
- Added land ownership.*
- Added build city restrictions for AIs and users.
- Added political map drawing.
- Added grid drawing.
- Added A* pathfinding system.
- Added AI's ability for settlers find new city spots.*ok
- Added AI's ability for move unit goto's.*ok
- Added AI's ability to select new city unit to build.
- Revised combat system to be back and forth until a unit dies (no random hits yet however)
- Added beach drawing.
- Added AI's ability to build roads between cities.*ok
- Adjusted pathfinding system to account for roads.
- Added grid and political map as togglable options.
- Added in-game help menu.
- Added hitpoint display.*ok
- Added AI's ability to attack with its units.*ok
- Added ability for both users and AI players to take cities (will raze if no spots left).*
- Added random hits to combat system (will revert to civ2 standards eventually).
- Added shroud for each player.
- Added city name, city work project, and city size display.
- Added goto command, including path drawing with step numbers.
- Changed blinking for selected unit cursor (won't blink if unit is engaged in combat).
- Updated AI unit selections.
- Revised A* pathfinding algorithm to make better use of roads.

TO DO (short term):
- Multiplayer setup/start screen.*
- game setup
- player setup (done)
- chat inteface (done)
- Multiplayer teams. + option for locked at game start
- Victory conditions. (including team victory)
- End of game stats screen.
- Start location loading.
- Terrain movement costs.
- User messaging (in-game chat). *
- Stacked unit counter.
- Terrain-based shroud removal.*
- Join game resitrictions.*
- Defense bonuses (city/terrain/fortify).
- Techs/Research. (will add as needed)
- City improvements. (will add as needed)
- Sound effects.
- Focus on battles happening when no units selected.
- Mouse-look mode.
- Map swapping.
- omg there is so much to do!

* = Specific multiplayer message coding still needed.
*ok = Multiplayer OK'd (finished and tested)

TO DO (long term):
- Music.
- Sea units. (user and ai support)
- Air units. (user and ai support)
- Nuke system.
- Wonders.

REQUIREMENTS:
- Windows 98, ME, XP
- Color depth of 16 bits per pixel
- DirectX 7 and above.
- DirectPlay 6 and above.

BUG LIST:
- Colors do not convert in windowed mode when desktop is set to higher than 16bpp
- Unit control is a little too sensitive.
- Units are drawn over each other, including move countdown timers.
- Click positions are not calculated correctly when in windowed mode and the window is stretched.

[Mark_Everson]

Hi neonext...

Just in case you don't know, double logins can get you in trouble. So if you haven't already, you should look into what it takes to change the name. (I am assuming you're doing DL since the old posts still show as the old dex name).

Best of Luck getting Civiliza going again!

[neonext]

i guess i didn't look hard enough.
thanks mark, i'll take care of it

[neonext]

i have a few screens to show the progress of the new civiliza so far.

[neonext]

here is the right side of the multiplayer setup screen, where it lists the players in the game. at the bottom is a text box for you to change what name you want to use.

[neonext]

and here is what it is like testing the multiplayer functionality on my system.

i had the shrink this image down to 25% of its size, so it is all blurry, but you get the idea

thank god for windowed mode and 1600x1200 desktop resolution, it makes things MUCH easier

[neonext]

i plan on having game setup information in the area to the left of the player list, and the rest of the screen will be like a chat room, so the players can discuss settings.

oh and you can't see the mouse cursor in the first screen shot because this is my first game to you the actual windows cursor, and it doesn't show up from a print-screen. you can use either the mouse or the keyboard to make your unit selections for your cities. it is a standard right-click interface similar to civ3.

in the pursuit of making things simple, i think i am going to do away with the city screen entirely. with such a strong focus on multiplayer, it doesn't fit into the streamlined gameplay i have planned. in fact, since the game is essentially real-time, i should probably incorporate all the menus and advisor screens into some kind of side bar that could be placed over part of the map.

as you can see, i have yet to design most of the game. i could use some help in that area.

[neonext]

u know the whole reason i'm making this is to get a programming job in the game industry, and i have to say that even if firaxis offered me a job i doubt i would take it because i am losing all respect for that backwards company. from beta testing to PR to missing features that are a standard in today's game industry.. it really has me wondering what they were thinking.

[Straybow]

Their problem isn't programmers it is designers. BR left the company and Sid was occupied with that fool Dinosaurs project.

Who, then, was at the wheel? Dan M?

[neonext]

hmm what about the slow downs between turns (obviously because of AI routines)? are the designers at fault there also? or are the programmers?

perhaps they just didnt care. they just wanted to quickly write a routine that works, and that's it. it makes sense because they were too lazy to write multiple resolution support (what the heck are they paying these guys? do u know how much time they had?!)

[neonext]

lots of progress being made. i will post new screens soon.

on a side note, it gets kinda hectic playing civ2 in semi-real-time with 8 players total on a tiny map, especially when all you can build is units. as with the last civiliza, i can watch the ai players play out a whole game, and it is very interesting to say the least. right now it's almost impossible to see all the battles that happen on the map, as there can be up to 8 actual fights going on at any time. the only exception so far is when you run the game in 1600x1200, at which almost the whole map can be fit on-screen.

[neonext]

at this time there are still many systems yet to be put in, such as technologies/research, food/resources/improvements, and many interface issues, options, and features, however; the game is already fully playable with AI opponents. i have yet to get someone to join me for some network team-play action (sorry, only in-house testing for now), but i have tested the multiplay on my system and it appears to work fine.

overall, when it first comes out, the new civiliza will put ALL of my previous demos to shame.

as to when it will come out, well let's just say that there will be no 'demos' this time around. work will continue to progress rapidly as always, and an announcement regarding the first beta release will be made when internal alpha testing starts.

stick around, i will be discussing important gameplay factors as the game is developed, along with showing an occasional screen shot. this project is going to tie in with civ2 much more than the previous one, but there will still be changes and improvements.

[neonext]

some issues with the screenshots have come up. i'll try to get one of the multiplayer game setup screen when it is ready...