A 3D Space Opera game is in development!

[Avenger Dragon]

Hello there! We are developing a 3D Master of Orion like game, and after having created a little engine capable of rendering planets, stars and so on, it is time for us to design the game.

If you also like this kind of games and would like to contribute in whatever way you can, (even by just contributing new ideas) please visit our forums .

Thanks for the attention!

Here is a screenshot:


You can see some other screenshots here (the graphics are not final).

[Kuciwalker]

[LDiCesare]

It's very nice to have a 3D engine, but what will gameplay look like?
I also have no idea on how to test whether my vid card can run shader 2.0 or not. Explaining how to test would help (I don't usually play games which are graphics-intensive so those cited as examples on your site don't help much).

[Avenger Dragon]

We are currently discussing game design ideas. But the 3D engine will not imply radical gameplay changes. For now, imagine a game where instead of having 2D planets you have beautiful 3D graphics to depict the galaxy.

You could run this small utility called AIDA32. It will tell all kind of information regarding your hardware. You just have to look in the DirectX section, under video. The shader version number will be listed there.

[LDiCesare]

We are currently discussing game design ideas. But the 3D engine will not imply radical gameplay changes. For now, imagine a game where instead of having 2D planets you have beautiful 3D graphics to depict the galaxy.

Did you check Galciv2? It provides 3D stars, planets, and ships. Everything in one plane (easier to navigate) but 3D allows to zoom more easily.

[Avenger Dragon]

Well I never particularly liked GalCiv's style. The game we are designed is more MOO2 oriented. You'll have a 2D starmap where you'll be able to click on the various solar systems. You'll then be brought to the solar system screen where you'll see all the planets rotating around the sun (remember MOO2's screen? but in 3D!). You'll be able to click on a particular planet (as the current screenshots show) to see its informations).

[Skanky Burns]

You would get more responses if you hotlinked pictures here (or attached an image to a post, at worst).

[Bkeela]

It would be hard to make worse games than Galactic Civilization and MoO3.

I am desperately hanging for a great, new space strategy game. MoOII is still sustaining me, but something fresh is needed.

[Frankychan]

Holy-friggin-cow

The graphics look pretty cool. I don't think my current comp can run it.

I think it would be pretty cool to have a big arse fleet engagement with hundreds of fighters shooting it up with their capital ships sitting back taking potshots.

A galactic democracy vs. a militaristic dictatorship vs. a monarchy...etc etc.

Looks pretty good.

[Avenger Dragon]

Thanks Frankychan!
We have some pretty good ideas for the space combat model (maybe you looked in the game design forum) that will surely make this game stand apart if done correctly. I hope that you will have a shader capable card by the time this is finished

I hope to see some you in the forums: your input would be invaluable in designing a good game.

[GeoModder]

I'll be glad to answer astronomy-related questions, it's a hobby of mine.
(as a starter, isn't the sun a tad huge on the screenshot? )

[Avenger Dragon]

Those screens are just for reference, in fact it is an optical illusion: the sun is actually few "meters" away from the Earth. You can see that from the reflection on the earth's surface.

That's great! I hope that you'll join our forums and participate in the design process. The help of kwnoledgeable persons is always welcome!

[Urban Ranger]

The textures and bump maps on the planets need work. It now looks... plasticky.

[Avenger Dragon]

I downloaded them from a website.. That's the downside of being mostly a coder: i'm not as skilled in creating textures as I'm in coding. So I hope that sooner or later some skilled texture artists and modelers will join the team

[Az]

dude, you killed my computer.