OPEN SOURCE SEIV Grass Roots Movement

tesco samoa · #1 January 27th, 2003, 01:46 AM

I would like to start a grass roots movement here for SEIV to be open sourced... when Arron decides that it is time to move on to SEV....

One reason for this is that I would personaly like to fix the combat system...

And make it work.... As I am sick of one sided battles... It is slowly and surely making me want to stop playing the game, as it is no fun to win a one sided victory or to lose one.

Now I really do not know how to approach Arron on this... so I am looking for suggestions and a group of people who are willing to push for this as well....

I think it will extend the life of the product a few extra years as we can really mod the game

couslee · #2 January 27th, 2003, 01:52 AM

Anopen source would be good for those that know programming. i don't, so it's not really an issue for me but i like the idea. problem is, if they open it, and every jumps in to fix this and fix that, is that same customer base going to buy SEV? or are they going to play the game they tweaked. I can understan both sides of the issue of open sourcing old games. And talk about a MP nightmare. that part would be gone. (tho i am sure others will disagree)

Fyron · #3 January 27th, 2003, 02:09 AM

It would not be open sourced immediately when SE5 is released. And besides, SE5 will be fundamentally different that SE4, just like SE4 was different from SE3. You couldn't really take the source code of SE3 and build SE4 out of it. You would not be able to do the same with making SE5 out of SE4.

Well... not without rewriting everything, and essentially writing a new game from scratch.

[ January 27, 2003, 00:10: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Instar · #4 January 27th, 2003, 02:39 AM

I do not think that MM will open source SEIV. He hasn't open sourced SEI, and I think he'd open source the earlier Versions first.

tesco samoa · #5 January 27th, 2003, 02:46 AM

Now I really do not know how to approach Arron on this... so I am looking for suggestions and a group of people who are willing to push for this as well....

SEIV has a solid group of people here who like to play with the game...

These core players will also purchase sev... and play it...

But SEIV needs to be finished... If it is to survive...

It is a great game... And this would be a great way to extend the life of the game and get additional people involved in the SE world... As this will increase its popularity....

Desdinova · #6 January 27th, 2003, 03:11 AM

semi off topic. i would like to learn programming for video games. i know there are several books out there dealing with this, and i have bought several of them, but they dont use games that i like playing (most use first person shooters or arcade type games and i want to see more on strategy). it would be nice to see how a game that i like is designed. if nothing else maybe a howto book can be made using the SE source code (in any of its generations I-IV). i know it would take a lot of time and effort to do something like this but i would be willing to pay for something like this.

[ January 27, 2003, 01:12: Message edited by: desdinova ]

Kamog · #7 January 27th, 2003, 03:34 AM

Do you know what language Aaron uses to program his games?

Baron Munchausen · #8 January 27th, 2003, 04:03 AM

Sorry folks. Aaron has quit his 'regular' job to work on games full time. He's not going to throw away his 'capital' in the form of source code. It would put a huge dent in the possible market for future Versions of SE precisely because people could just do what they want and wouldn't need to buy his product.

And, FYI, he uses Delphi. I'm not sure what Version he's on now. There seems to be a new one every year.

I'm not sure he needs to upgrade every time, and personally I wouldn't upgrade every time.

PvK · #9 January 27th, 2003, 05:34 AM

The one "one-sided battles" issue mentioned as a reason for wanting the source, can be modded out. Proportions greatly reduces this, and it could be done to a greater degree. Just divide down the amount of the to-hit modifiers in all ways - sensors, ECM, training, armor, culture, and racial abilities. And perhaps, increase the structure and shield strengths compared to damage amounts, and perhaps reduce the turn length, if you want more battles that don't end in complete destruction.

PvK

Instar · #10 January 27th, 2003, 05:56 AM

desdinova:
If you want to learn game programming, learn C first. I would reccomend reading an easy C book (like C for dummies 1 and 2) and then possibly getting a C++ book (C++ for dummies is decent, but I wasnt as impressed as C for dummies)
I tried to jump right into advanced programming too quickly and I did not learn a thing. I got lost so quickly.
As for the dummies books, don't let the titles fool you! They are not overly made stupid, but they are easy to read and easy to understand. (I am a CompSci student, and I have a C++ book that costs twice as much but teaches so much less it seems)