Author Topic: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release  (Read 24290 times)

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Offline Starman01

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NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Hello Battletech Fans !!!

It's time for our next update, and as promised, this time it's a big one :) Magic has prepared his newest version of his Mechcommander 2.5 code, which is now being officially assimilated as the Mechcommander Omnitech Alpha build. Right at the start, I want to thank Magic for his outstanding work, and his agreement to join into our project here.

Here is the list of features which made it into the alpha build :

- ca. 75 different mechs (more than 90, if you take Clan variants into account). Retail Editor had only 29.
- ca. 70 vehicles (including variants) featuring different chopters, powered armor types or the vehicle probs movable. Retail had 34
- a different purchase system (different from what we plan, so this one is obsolete/outdated)
- Skill try for sensors and jumping based on current sensor and jumping skill value.
- Fall when failed jump skill.
- New resolution 1920x1080.
- Sensor specialty skill and Jump specialty skill are now obsolete.
- 4 existing sensor levels are based on sensor skill value.
- Jump distance reduced for heavier mechs, more tons - lesser jump distance.
- Unit roster is no longer sorted; you can change as you wish. That way you can shift damaged units back in formation and put undamaged in front.
- 6 formations available for now. Formation key is "K", press to cycle through formations.
- Mechs are free of object2.pak (object numbers start is at 1200).
- Number of polygons limit tripled.
- A modification of rollins message box implemented.
- All vehicles are free from object2.pak (object numbers start is at 2000).
- All buildings can be free from object2 (object numbers start is at 2500, original buildings will be left in object2)
- Set of Rollins buildings and some other buildings (i.e. a Mechhangar like in MW4)
- 5 new mechs (Fafnir and Lupus by Karl, Intruder and Thug by magic and MsdCat MkII by MCO team)?
- Number of potential abl commands doubled (was 256, now 512).
- Modified Mech purchase screen. New mech purchase simplified to the maximum, no memory consumption at all.
- Modified rollins message box added and accessible as abl command (for use in main mission abl file):
Code: [Select]
setTextMsg(0,"PROBE",10);
first parameter can be 0 or 1.
0 - instant message for the duration of number of seconds (10),
1 - rollins message box with press enter to continue, in this case third parameter should be 0.
Second parameter is text message. It should have no limit because it passes a pointer to string to underlying function.
Third is a number of seconds to display a message in case first is set to 0.

What's NEW in editor:
- Fixed many errors: dynamic memory allocation version conflict.
- New load for mechs, vehicles and buildings. It will load old MC2 way as well.
- Rollins resize bug fix implemented.
- Fixed 600 objects limit for buildings.[/i]

Note : Since it's based on the Source release, there are no videos being played, and no multiplayer is possible.

Campaigns included :

Magic's Exodus Campaign (vers.2.0)
A rebalanced version (a little harder) of the old Carver 5 campaign which uses the new units.
MW2 Mercs as a fully playable campaign with the duration to the end of Solaris games.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
You will need Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 redistributable
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=A7B7A05E-6DE6-4D3A-A423-37BF0912DB84)
 and
XNA build for the editor (extract xna build and don't dbl click XNABuildSetup.exe. Dbl click XNA Build System.msi. It will install and report an error in the end about something missing. Just finish the install and it will be OK.
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=868fe562-5ded-4bb1-8648-708d3481bda3&displaylang=en)

Downloadlink (click image) :



Have fun !


Also, we are happy to annouce the launch of our own Moddb Site. Since we currently have no website (and I don't see this as prioritiy atm) I decided that moddb could be a good place, since it allows us to publish downloads, videos and an image gallery. Speaking of which, you should really go and check out the sweet images being uploaded there, which will give you an impression what the new look will be.

Here is an example, what you can find over there and what we are planing for the new game :



(Click to enlarge the images)

You can find the Moddb-Page right here: http://www.moddb.com/mods/mechcommander-omnitech If you have an account there, be sure to sign up as watcher of this project :)

Also, the download link is placed there atm. Sorry, I know filefront is not the best and fastest, but we needed a public server. If anyone wants to mirror the files, he/she would be welcome. Sofar, the download can be found here : >insert moddb download link<

Karl and Magic also worked hard and brought 5 complete new mechs to the game, more to follow. These mechs are still made in the current art style, but are definitly looking great ! Click the image for a larger view.



The last info for today is regarding our lod-system. First, I hoped that we will be able to implement a good working LOD-System into the code. After searching around a little, I noticed a few lod models from the old retail release, and some tries turned out,that the engine already has a pretty good lod system. Of course there is always room for improvement, but this system will allow us to continue the higher polygon model style that we already started and that are shown in the pics of the moddb gallery. In time, we will recreate everything, starting from small stuff over buildings and then the mechs themself. Still, no 30 K polygon mechs for you ;), but the look will enhance a lot so that you can choose with a near zoom and high detail play, or rather zoom out more for the strategic gameplay.

So, that's enough for today. Be sure to check out our recruiting post as well (see our forum stickies). We can always use coders (you can never have enough of those people around  :D ) and UV-Mappers ( the last mostly, because I suck at creating good UV-Maps in Truespace for spherical objects) and 2D Artists. If you think you can provide some skills, send me your "batchall"

Cheers
Starman
« Last Edit: February 04, 2011, 05:53:16 am by Starman01 »
MECHCOMMANDER OMNITECH

9 out of 10 voices in my head always tell me that I'm not insane. The 10th is only humming the melody of TETRIS.

 
Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Question: Is there anything that you can not include in the build due to legal issues, and if yes, can you still get those things if you have the CD?

 

Offline GReaper

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
No, generally there're no restrictions. Everything will be included!

 

Offline Starman01

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Eh, not completly :)

As I understand the source Eula, it says this :

The code is completly free. We can change it, reuse it and even sell the result. That doesn't seem to be equal to all art included in MC2, as I understand it, this is still property of MS and protected with the eula. Since it's free in the release, we should have no problem as long as we give everything away for free too. However, if the project evolves as I hope, there will be nothing left from the original art in the end, so everything is fine :)

As I said, the video code and multiplayer code from the game has been removed or disabled, most certainly to prevent legal issues. So it would not be wise for us, to simply reactivate it if even possible, so we will have to look for a new one. That depends, how our coding departure will develop. We will have to find a compromise here in the future. The videocode is IMO much more important than multiplayer, thought that's just my opinion, because I never play anything multiplayer like :) I will certainly not block any attempt in bringing back MP

But GReaper is certainly one of the persons who I will poke to create these things :D
MECHCOMMANDER OMNITECH

9 out of 10 voices in my head always tell me that I'm not insane. The 10th is only humming the melody of TETRIS.

 

Offline Shade

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
What is the name of the font used in the download image? For the life of me, I cannot remember it even though I remember using that font (or at least one extremely similar to it) at times in the past :p And since I've built a new computer since then and forgot to copy over my font library before reformatting the old one, I can't just dig through the fonts until I find the right one either.
Report FS_Open bugs with Mantis  |  Find the latest FS_Open builds Here  |  Interested in FRED? Check out the Wiki's FRED Portal | Diaspora: Website / Forums
"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh ****ing great. 2200 references to entry->index and no idea which is the one that ****ed up" - Karajorma
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct." - Niels Bohr
<Cobra|> You play this mission too intelligently.

 

Offline Starman01

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
It's called "Ethnocentric", found it somewhere on a free font page. :)

MECHCOMMANDER OMNITECH

9 out of 10 voices in my head always tell me that I'm not insane. The 10th is only humming the melody of TETRIS.

 

Offline Shade

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Thanks :)
Report FS_Open bugs with Mantis  |  Find the latest FS_Open builds Here  |  Interested in FRED? Check out the Wiki's FRED Portal | Diaspora: Website / Forums
"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh ****ing great. 2200 references to entry->index and no idea which is the one that ****ed up" - Karajorma
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct." - Niels Bohr
<Cobra|> You play this mission too intelligently.

 

Offline Stormkeeper

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Yay! I finally get to match the Fafnir against an Atlas! I worship the ground you walk, and glorify the air you breath!!
Ancient-Shivan War|Interview Board

Member of the Scooby Doo Fanclub. And we're not talking a cartoon dog here people!!

 

Offline Timerlane

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Just checking(I realize there may be instructions in the download itself, but I'm not downloading it until I get to the computer I'd be using it on), and I figure it may come up anyway:

This is completely stand-alone, correct?

Meaning, that if one has retail MC2 already installed, one should not attempt to place/install this in the same folder/directory as retail MC2?

In other news: MKII? Jumping dual-gauss and all? :D

EDIT: Then again, since I don't need a CD, there's really no reason I couldn't put it on my netbook... :P
« Last Edit: February 03, 2011, 03:21:26 pm by Timerlane »

 

Offline Starman01

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
It is completly standalone :) However, it has no video and multiplayer support because of this. Copying it over retail will not work. While the retail art and models are compatible, the code is no longer I'm afraid. But on the other side, those videos weren't so special anyway, so **** it :) I rather hope that we will brake many code limites and then create ****ing awesome render videos ourself  :p
MECHCOMMANDER OMNITECH

9 out of 10 voices in my head always tell me that I'm not insane. The 10th is only humming the melody of TETRIS.

 

Offline Timerlane

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Only played a couple of missions so far, but I'm pretty impressed.

It seems to run buttery-smooth with all the options on, even on my integrated video card(which I can't say for retail MC2).

The AI is dynamic now(no more click-drag-and-massacre-the-single-minded-bots); the AI even uses jump jets to follow you, and seemingly even to control range if needed. I think I've even seen mostly-chewed up 'Mechs try to flee(like the Starslayer in the first mission). This only on Regular, so far.

Lots of new toys, including premade canon variants that can include parts you can't otherwise purchase yet(like the BSW-X1 and its ER Large Laser).

Jump jet skill is interesting; the occasional tumble hasn't proved costly yet, but it gives you something to think about. I don't think you take any damage from the fall itself.

Pilots are somewhat limited(for now, this means there's a hard limit to how many 'Mechs you can take/salvage at once(for those veterans who tend to hoard their RPs to salvage as many free 'Mechs as possible :P ), and some of your favorite/usual MC2 pilots might not be here); I presume this is because a little bit of extra work is probably needed to fully assemble the revised personas. Interesting that there must have been all those unused messages included in the original VA files.

I see you guys kept the same plaintext save system(the FIT files), so the potential to easily edit our saves to play with pilot stats or drop in more advanced toys to play with is still there. :D

 

Offline Starman01

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Glad you like it :)

Yes, the purchase files for the Carver 5 could use a little overhaul, but mostly they work pretty good. The only thing I would change, is that you get two more additional pilots in the end. And with all the new pilots, you have enough to pick from :)  Also since the new logistic is alpha, each object can only be bought once.
MECHCOMMANDER OMNITECH

9 out of 10 voices in my head always tell me that I'm not insane. The 10th is only humming the melody of TETRIS.

 

Offline asyikarea51

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Just started playing around with it, looks good so far. Was looking for a way to play the original campaign with any mod pack that basically threw in a whole new set of Mechs and guns and stuff (Are the MCG pilots in this mod?). I tried wolfman's MCX and MC2X releases but I gave up after countless reinstalls and uninstalls... and wow damn his custom campaigns were really hard. (For that matter MCX sorta worked with Carver V but things definitely did not look or play right...)

Haven't played Exodus yet but I guess I have to expect the same fate of most fan work for anything being all-around harder than any defaults...

Something minor, what's with the two Cougar entries? Was one supposed to be an MS default and the other a new one (as with the Mad Cat/Timber Wolf)? Both looked the same in the Encyclopedia... also the Mechs in the vehicles tab? This maybe related to some hard limit in the game or something? (I don't know much about the Mechcommander games, so apologies.)

In any case I'm envious of MC2X, sure not everything fits the CBT universe, but look at the mechs and equipment available to the player on that mod, maybe I'm wrong but it felt like something was missing playing OmniTech.

But then again, you guys have the Fafnir... and the RAIL GUN :lol:

Sorry if it felt like I was drawing comparisons. Guess I got carried away. Either way, off to play OmniTech for now...

Quote from: Timerlane
I see you guys kept the same plaintext save system(the FIT files), so the potential to easily edit our saves to play with pilot stats or drop in more advanced toys to play with is still there. :D

YEY :lol: XD :D
Inferno plz
The Power of Nightmares
TheHound: "Nice idea, but I have a thing against announcing campaigns before having them already finished."
G5K: "The flipside of that is that if you don't announce your campaign, yet take too long to finish it, other people may independently come up with some of the same ideas."

 

Offline magic

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
asyikarea51,

Thank you for downloading.

One Cougar is original model, the other one is my (in my opinion improved) design.
I dont care abaout encyclopedia so I havent created any encyclopedia entrys...

All those mech and vehicle models "from MC2X" are my design plus 5 more. Just a little more Btech.

  

Offline asyikarea51

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
All those mech and vehicle models "from MC2X" are my design plus 5 more. Just a little more Btech.

Yeah I was looking around Dropshipcommand earlier this week finding solutions, stumbled around here and there so I'm aware of this. Cheers. :)

Ah great now the Cougars bother me even though it's so minor. XD... Oh wait they do look visibly different in the editor, and the mech/vehicle sorting is all correct. Are encyclopedia entries directly tied to the units (like in FS Open), or not, or is there more to it?

Just curious since I'm not familiar with the MC2 engine.
Inferno plz
The Power of Nightmares
TheHound: "Nice idea, but I have a thing against announcing campaigns before having them already finished."
G5K: "The flipside of that is that if you don't announce your campaign, yet take too long to finish it, other people may independently come up with some of the same ideas."

 

Offline Arcalane

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Looking good so far! Could do with more resolution support and maybe windowed mode, but otherwise it works well on Vista, which I can't say for MC2 'classic'. There's some weird cursor flickering though.

Also; reducing the mission tonnage below initial levels is a potentially quite exploitable way to get a lot of 'free money' early on.
Don't think, Mechwarrior. Find out.

 

Offline Timerlane

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Also; reducing the mission tonnage below initial levels is a potentially quite exploitable way to get a lot of 'free money' early on.
On the third mission, I will be entering with two Hunchbacks(one 4G, one 4H), a Bushwhacker, and Jenner(with a Valkyrie still in storage). If the intent was to keep the players in nearly all light Mechs for a while(ala MC1), that probably won't work.

The ability to up your tonnage at a penalty is definitely a cool idea, though. Always annoying when the force you wanted to take was 5 tons over(admittedly more due to the limited choices in scout/sensor 'Mechs in retail); the Liao mission where you need an ECM 'Mech to drop the two sensor towers undetected springs to mind(you could bring two Catapults to fill the rest of the 160T limit if not for the Raven putting you 5T over).
« Last Edit: February 04, 2011, 09:07:55 am by Timerlane »

 

Offline Starman01

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Quote
Are encyclopedia entries directly tied to the units (like in FS Open), or not, or is there more to it?

AFAIK it's in the mc2res.dll, so it  can only be changed from a coder (yet)

Quote
Also; reducing the mission tonnage below initial levels is a potentially quite exploitable way to get a lot of 'free money' early on.

Yep, known Issue :) But it will not bring you that much, because you are still limited in mechs and pilots ;)  But as said, the logistic will change anyway and this exploit will be removed :) Regarding the cursor flickering, I have that one too. I hope it will be gone once the GUI will get a higher resolution.
MECHCOMMANDER OMNITECH

9 out of 10 voices in my head always tell me that I'm not insane. The 10th is only humming the melody of TETRIS.

 

Offline magic

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
Also; reducing the mission tonnage below initial levels is a potentially quite exploitable way to get a lot of 'free money' early on.

Try my Exodus on elite (designed and tested for elite) and see for yourself how much you can gain from lowering dropweight. ;7

 

Offline Droid803

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Re: NEWS : Alpha-Build Release
I'm getting "The program can't start because MSVCR100.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem."
:nervous:

Did I do something bad?
(´・ω・`)
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