Considering that the topic considering the BABS 2 alpha release was completely ignored, I thought that perhaps posting some screenshots will help wake the community up a bit.
Time will tell :).
Progress goes faster than lightning these days. Here’s a small overview of what’s been added (forgive any omissions):
Overall:
- Configurable settings file for game options (called settings.cfg).
- Configurable settings files for map entities (called (mapname).entityfile: With this file you’re now easily able to program your own entities on the map and have a limited degree of control over their statistics.
SMEE:
- A few interface tweaks
- Transparent color in the color selection
- Added land effect editor. It is disguised as the ‘land type’ option to improve intuitivity ;). Land effect does not do anything yet, but that will change soon.
- Left the map format unedited. In the very least the new SMEE will be backwards compatible, and perhaps the old SMEE 1.0 is even forwards compatible. Haven’t tried yet really :).
Game / BABS 2:
- Added a real entity system, where you can put multiple sprites on a single map.
- Added a turn sequence, along with very simple battle menu’s and attack animation placeholders.
- Set up and implemented a statistics system. Characters deal damage, receive damage, gain exp, gain levels (yes, monsters too!) and die honorably in combat ;).
- Improved the controls to make them a bit more faithful to regular emulators.
- No AI yet. The intention is to make BABS 2 hot seat multiplayer only :).
- Added a few extra sprites and tiles. Most came from Ty & Newt’s Shining Online project (thanks guys!).
Technically I *could* release a demo, but if anyone could help out with an attack animation or two, I’d be very happy! A demo is so much cooler with graphics :P.
Well, with all the disappointing news on the SEGA front I felt it was time to get started on some serious work. Most of the entity stuff is going pretty well and today I set up most of the statistics system that I’ll be using.
The whole code is still a mess but I figure that it’ll clean itself up over time ;). Still, adding functionality is still do-able, and that’s what matters most.
I updated the progress page, so feel free to take a look at it here.
It’s been a fatally bloody while, but finally I can report _some_ amount of progress on SSC again :).
The past bunch of days I’ve largely busy with setting up an entity and sprite system, and basically the turn based movement -in its simplest form- is done. Instead of making a full game right away, my first intention is to set up a hot seat multiplayer battle engine. Of course it’s bloody easy, but I’m missing it a little in existing projects.
I might call it BABS 2, I might not. Heck, I might die tomorrow!
On a more inviting note: if there are any severely bored souls out there, feel free to contribute the project with a few tiles and sprites. You can easily use the existing SMEE 1.0 (and the PNG export option inside it) for the tiles, and a sprite template should be in that distribution as well ;).
And if you’re truly lazy: send your old crap over! I’m sure I’ll find a useful purpose for it :D.
Yes. It’s true. The admin team got their heads together last night, and we have thought of a way to release this game quite soon.
Of course, the game will not be completed, the world will continue to undergo expansion during this release period. But what we plan to give is a taste of the game to all those eager to try it.
We are currently working on the finalising of monster statistics, the construction of the entirity of south grans island, and the starting location. a few other matters need discussing also, but these will be ironed out soon I hope.
As this project continues to grow, i will also add any updates to the TRAP through devlyn.
With luck, this project will be released soon. i refuse to give a date, as there are many issues still under discussion.
That’s it for now.
