Announcing OpenFire - A strategy-artilery W.I.P.

[Binky]

• OpenFire is an artillery-strategy game, possibly including risk-like mechanics when choosing levels to play (alternatively, choose a route for you offensive, get penalized for stopping and re-planning - suggestions?)
  
• Written with SDL
  
• Network multiplayer might happen at some point in the future
  
• It attempts to be mostly realistic
  
• Both arena and campaign modes
  
• The above picture is a mockup, as the game engine cannot yet handle all the various objects required.
  
• It is designed to be highly expandable, with bucketloads of XML defined stuff (including graphical menu system)
  
• Unfortunately the programmer (RRGreen) is rather busy at the moment, and it is unlikely that a presentable version will be ready for the rebirth compo
  
• A good proportion of the graphics required are already in place.
  
• Ideally, it should be completely GPL compatible
  
• Music and sound effects are missing, contributions / helpful people are welcome
  
• No public release yet, as the game is unplayable, and the source is kludgetastic, but I can email people the graphics if they are interested.
  

Its not unambitious, but how do you eat an elephant? One byte at a time!" (I wouldn't make a good comedian would I?)

 

[fusion_power]

Mockup looks interesting. Destructable landscape, Parallax Scrolling?


Never played Artillery games but I always had much fun with Worms, there you were able to bomb your opponents with grenades in some evil manner.

 

[gruso]

Looks and sounds interesting.


(Moved to dev general, as the software news forum is just for releases.)

 

[Binky]

Soil is destructible. bedrock isn't.


Probably parallax scrolling


Might add the ability to fire flares, triggering air strikes too.

 

[double7]

It does look nice, but i don't get the point of this announcement. What is it for?

 

[RRGreen]

It does look nice, but i don't get the point of this announcement. What is it for?

Since we've announced this game, we can now take suggestions for features from the community. Feel free to suggest some features for the game.

 

[Binky]

It does look nice, but i don't get the point of this announcement. What is it for?

Since we've announced this game, we can now take suggestions for features from the community. Feel free to suggest some features for the game.

This could also attract another dev/artist or two - there is a good amount of stuff already in place, but a public release would be pointless as it is completely unplayable. Contact RRGreen or myself if you want to see what we've got.

 

[TitanUranus]

Beware of making weapons too powerful - meganukes and superzappers killed the fun of Scorched Tanks. I'd say that Scorched Tanks is a great place to look for what makes this kind of game so addictive though.

 

[Binky]

Beware of making weapons too powerful - meganukes and superzappers killed the fun of Scorched Tanks. I'd say that Scorched Tanks is a great place to look for what makes this kind of game so addictive though.

As weapons will be found in captured forts, frequency of occurrence will be a function of level difficulty and weapon power. So very high powered weapons will occur very occasionally when you have beaten all the easier levels.


Perhaps a nuke should destroy the entire level, taking your tank with it?


---


Since the current focus has been on making things work, there has so far been little work done on:

• weapon types (damage, multistageing properties)
  
• tank types (size, power, speed, armor, launcher mounting(s))
  
• launcher types (type of gun/cannon)
  

Suggestions?

 

[fusion_power]

Well, in "World of Tanks" I usualy play Tank Destroyers, besides Artillery. I don't know if this fits in this game here but maybe some direct fireing "Sniper Tanks" with high Damage could make the gameplay more complex? They must be set in the right position to hit the enemy directly but then they can take them out pretty fast.


...or something like that... ^^"

 

[Binky]

Well, in "World of Tanks" I usualy play Tank Destroyers, besides Artillery. I don't know if this fits in this game here but maybe some direct fireing "Sniper Tanks" with high Damage could make the gameplay more complex? They must be set in the right position to hit the enemy directly but then they can take them out pretty fast.


...or something like that... ^^"

So:


launcher type:

• sniper cannon
  

Projectile type:

• very high muzzle velocity penetrating rounds
  

 

[Zucadragon]

I'll throw in my two scents. Different kinds of stages would be interesting, or conditions changing in certain stages. So if you were on the moon for instance, shots would have to be fired more carefully, because they otherwise just fly off.


As for weapons, I always like the digger shot. Basically it's a bullet that digs a triangle strip of dirt ouf of the ground in a downward direction. Thus trapping the tank there in that crevice.

 

[Binky]

You mean 'cents' there


Here's a question:


How can (vaguely) realistic weapons be made exiting/interesting?


My thoughts:

• laser pulse (fires in a straight line)
  
• earthquake bomb (smooths surface above underground detonation)
  
• mine thrower (showers armed mines around impact site)
  
• heat-seeking volley (automatically adjusts course for enemy tank (within limits, you still have to aim it) hits enemy repeatedly, forming a deep crater)
  
• firebomb (burns along grass, damages trees, tanks, sets off mines)
  
• flare (signals bombing raid on landing)
  
• grenade (rolls for a while)
  
• flare grenade (rolls, then signals bombers)
  
• zone call (click/touch to indicate target, random projectiles hit there from all directions (only once every few levels though))
  

 

[Binky]

Also, what style of music do people think would be appropriate? How complex should it be?

 

[fusion_power]

Also, what style of music do people think would be appropriate? How complex should it be?

I guess music is the last thing you should add, just make a nice game and focus on that, I guess nobody really needs music in such a game.


Oh, I would add some nice Cluster Bombs if not already planed. Evil area bombing 'n stuff. ^^^

 

[Binky]

• laser pulse (fires in a straight line)
  
• earthquake bomb (smooths surface above underground detonation)
  
• heat-seeking rocket
  
• heat-seeking volley (automatically adjusts course for enemy tank (within limits, you still have to aim it) hits enemy repeatedly, forming a deep crater)
  
• firebomb (burns along grass, damages trees, tanks, sets off mines)
  
• flare (signals bombing raid on landing)
  
• grenade (rolls for a while)
  
• flare grenade (rolls, then signals bombers)
  
• zone call (click/touch to indicate target, random projectiles hit there from all directions (only once every few levels though))
  
• cluster grenade (bomblets roll for a while)
  
• cluster bomb
  
• incendiary cluster (bomblets set fire to grass)
  
• aerial cluster (detonates above target)
  

 

[jottt]

How about some kind of Rain-Weapon?


if you want it realistic:


Shooting Silveroxide into one of the clouds makes it rain. if they would move this would give the idea a nice little unpredictable extra-touch


Otherwise: Shooting a blob of water somewhere directly.


---


Rain/Water could cause


Slippery slopes making tanks slide down (maybe onto a mine, like in Worms *hurrhurr*)


wet area could slow down a crossing tank (if they are movable and if time is an issue)


maybe you could let water form a lake forming an impassable area (for a certain amount of time).

 

[Binky]

Good idea, can't be implemented very soon because there is no liquids support yet (and RRGreen is revising for exams)


Short term inclusion

• laser pulse (fires in a straight line)
  
• earthquake bomb (smooths surface above underground detonation)
  
• heat-seeking rocket
  
• heat-seeking volley (automatically adjusts course for enemy tank (within limits, you still have to aim it) hits enemy repeatedly, forming a deep crater)
  
• firebomb (burns along grass, damages trees, tanks, sets off mines)
  
• grenade (rolls for a while)
  
• zone call (click/touch to indicate target, random projectiles hit there from all directions (only once every few levels though))
  
• cluster grenade (bomblets roll for a while)
  
• cluster bomb
  
• incendiary cluster (bomblets set fire to grass)
  
• aerial cluster (detonates above target)
  

long term inclusion

• Silver oxide burst
  
• flare grenade (rolls, then signals bombers)
  
• flare (signals bombing raid on landing)
  
• earthquake bomb (smooths surface above underground detonation)
  

I really should learn my way around SDL sometime, maybe once the code has been dekludged for OF 0.4