"Hoshikaze 2250 - Stars of Call" Adventure Project

A place to discuss mods in development and concepts for new mods.
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi George, hi all,


Now it's time to talk about my project and see what you think of it... Now that I've tested some modding and confirmed my first impression, that the Transcendence engine is indeed able to handle the task !

I've been writing a Sci-Fi universe named Hoshikaze 2250 since around 1990. Mostly short stories, a 550-pages encyclopedia and a tabletop RPG adaptation. I have assembled a team along the years, mostly of graphists and RPG writers, and we are now an Association since Jan, 2007.

From the beginning, videogames were among my primary inspiration, along with 25 years of classical novels, cartoons, series and movies ! I still remember playing Elite right on first contact with a computer, it was an Apple ][, and later writing to Origin to suggest ideas for WC sequels, back in 1990.

For years I've been yearning to make a game about privateering in the Hoshikaze 2250 universe. Develop it entirely ? I tried, but I'm not a proficient enough coder and I got no fraction of the time needed. Mod an existing game ? Until now, no existing engine was up to the task. Getting a team ? Mostly the team is no coder, but this year I have a project running with an engineering school, but the task is however very hard to be completed in only one year...

Now that I've found Transcendence, I would like to develop an Adventure that would encompass the Hoshikaze 2250 setting. As an Adventure, it would be entirely independant from the Transcendence setting. It would use such Sci-Fi-generic elements that could be common to both universes, for instance various types of stations, weapons, shields and items, but drop Transcendence-specific elements like anything related to Domina or Oracus. It also would use many Hoshikaze-specific elements as stations, ships, sovereings, items and so on.

Of course, it would be designed to run on its own as an Adventure and not break anything in the regular Transcendence, That's a question of respect of George's work and essential for me. And after all, the whole Extension-Adventure system has been made for just that, I'm just trying to push it to its limits !

The basics of the game would differ in the following points :

1/ Stellar systems in Hoshikaze are arranged in a complex jump-points network. But the ATA allows that in a very simple way, thanks to Periculi. Also, the systems themselves are fixed, the random part of the level design rather lies in generating traffic and opportunities for trade, combats and missions.

2/ Transcendence physics are realistic enough to make systems based on actual scientific data, except that I will have to greatly reduce distances of outer planets, to avoid the graphics to become crappingly slow.

3/ Control will have to be adjusted a bit and tested for a different balance and gameplay style, more commerce-oriented and sandbox, but that will come over time and there's no blatant problem.

4/ Also, if possible, an AI autopilot will have to be added, allowing to just select a planet and drive to it with acceleration-deceleration course, but I think it's possible by using scripting and events. And if it's not, I'll just stick to Transcendence gameplay here, it would be a plus, but it's no major point.

Globally, I just don't know if this will really lead to the actual Stars of Call game I've been dreaming of so long, or if it could be a kind of test bench and gameplay demo for assembling a team and making SoC upon another engine, indeed mainly adding the 3D graphics. But I know Transcendence has the potential to lead me through this project ! For what actually comes out of it, let's live it and see !

Now why do I drop this post ?

1/ To get your impressions... Possible, impossible, easy or difficult, likeable or not, backed or frowned at by George and the senior modders, seen as a misuse of Transcendence or as a synergy between two complementary projects, etc, etc, etc....

2/ To get help and support if anyone is interested, but that's up to you and to positive answers to point 1 ^-^

So thanks in advance for expressing yourselves !
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
F50
Fleet Officer
Fleet Officer
Posts: 1004
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 5:25 pm

Mutos wrote:1/ Stellar systems in Hoshikaze are arranged in a complex jump-points network. But the ATA allows that in a very simple way, thanks to Periculi. Also, the systems themselves are fixed, the random part of the level design rather lies in generating traffic and opportunities for trade, combats and missions.
Easy enough. For the missions you can have plenty of help if you ask for it.
4/ Also, if possible, an AI autopilot will have to be added, allowing to just select a planet and drive to it with acceleration-deceleration course, but I think it's possible by using scripting and events. And if it's not, I'll just stick to Transcendence gameplay here, it would be a plus, but it's no major point.
This should be possible. Is there a way to test if the player is using autopilot?
1/ To get your impressions... Possible, impossible, easy or difficult, likeable or not, backed or frowned at by George and the senior modders, seen as a misuse of Transcendence or as a synergy between two complementary projects, etc, etc, etc....
Possible. Will require a lot of work. I doubt that anyone will frown on this project. likable, it depends on how things turn out in practice.
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi F50,


Thanks for you reply and your encouragements ! I'll keep on modding and designing it ! I'll surely ask for help when a little bit of topology will be completed. Expect to see new topics like "Create and manage new sovereigns", "Acceleration autopilot" and things like that ^-^
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
schilcote
Militia Captain
Militia Captain
Posts: 726
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:22 pm

Send me the first test version you feel comfortable with.
[schilcote] It doesn't have to be good, it just has to not be "wow is that the only thing you could think of" bad
User avatar
evilbob
Militia Captain
Militia Captain
Posts: 555
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:23 pm

I could supply some graphics if you want. Not all though, since I have my own projects going
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi schilcote, hi evilbob,


Thanks for your enthusiasm. I see the community will support the project, of course within the limits of reason, and that's a great morale booster ! I'll ask you for test, graphics and support as the project goes.

What I intend to do is the following :
1/ Make some stellar systems, probably only the Central League, which is the core State of the Human Sphere, without any station but with dockable planets ("entering standard orbit, Captain !"),
2/ When I'm OK with the systems and topology, add some encounters and traffic to systems to make them alive, and make Hoshikaze-specific ships in the process,
3/ Then add commerce and items,
4/ Then add missions,
5/ Then repeat 1-4 for each other States, with added speed due to what I'll have learned in previous iterations ^-^

Do you think it would be a good plan ?
Last edited by Mutos on Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
F50
Fleet Officer
Fleet Officer
Posts: 1004
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 5:25 pm

Just a warning. I had a plan to add missions to all soverigns so that they would all be playable. However, I am *still* working on the first soverign after working on it on and off for a moths (at least since January).
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi F50, hi all,


OK, thanks for the warning. Could I know what has gone wrong ?

And btw, I would like to add a first draft of the Core League, the first State I will design :

Image

For now, only the 7 systems nearest to Sol are drafted under Transcendence. I'll locate the others in my hyperspace editor, check for known exoplanets in them and design them under Transcendence. The other named systems are 3 among the 4 First Colonies. The 4th, Sora no Shikyu, belongs to the Planetarist Alliance.
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi all,


And here is draft #2 ! I added much stars, but not all, it'll be for Draft #3 ^-^ I also fixed a bug with a star appearing at 2 different places and I switched some hyperspace links to feel better... Stars appearing in black are entered in the Adventure topology, those in red are only recorded here and on my Hyperspace Editor.

Image
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
User avatar
evilbob
Militia Captain
Militia Captain
Posts: 555
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:23 pm

woah, nice!
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi evilbob, hi all,


Thanks evilbob ! Yes, nice, but just draft for now...
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
User avatar
Periculi
Fleet Officer
Fleet Officer
Posts: 1282
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2007 7:48 pm
Location: Necroposting in a forum near you

You plan out the network much like I do, mutos. I tend to just draw circles and lines, rather than creating a nice picture for them.

Here's something I am curious about- your plan looks like a 'static' model. Will there be dynamic hyperspace links?

I visited your forum, but just to scan the content- is the game information posted there somewhere in full? I would be very interested in seeing your RPG rules and ideas. I have been an amateur game designer most of my life, and do very much enjoy looking under the hood of a game, so to speak.
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi Periculi,


Indeed the topology and systems themselves will be 100% static as for stars and orbitals, only the angles and asteroids will be random. Then there will be random traffic and debris flying around. Finally, commerce, combat and missions will be randomly generated, with multiple missions choosers everywhere.

As for the site and forum, there is much information, but it represents only a small part of the topology that will be implemented. It is mostly centered on spacegoing species and technologies rather than pure astrogation.

I'm currently translating the site in English and to Wiki format at the same time. When development is finished, every single system will be documented in the Wiki.
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi all, hi Periculi,


As to the Wiki, for now I'm writing a skeleton, then I'll upload it and open it to contributions. Anyone will be able to create an account on the Wiki and contribute to the universe. Of course, I'll be checking for consistency on a daily basis, either editing inconstitent things, or launching a discussion and fixing the page when a consensus is reached.

And here is draft #3 ! I added all stars for the Core League, and entered all of them in the Adventure topology. It works OK, I checked each and every system. But for now they're utterly empty... Indeed only a few feature a full system with planets, asteroids and such, the others are only a star (or two if binaries) and a few markers for jump points.

I also begun to add a count of planetwise and station settlements in each system. But I also should keep track of which jump tunnel goes to which system, so it's going to be quite dense. Maybe I should split it into two pages...

Image
Last edited by Mutos on Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
User avatar
Mutos
Militia Lieutenant
Militia Lieutenant
Posts: 218
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:31 am
Location: Near Paris, France
Contact:

Hi all,

WARNING : I didn't think about one thing before posting that : you MUST make a copy of your saved game before selecting the Adventure, or it will be ovewritten with one in the Adventure the first time you hyperjump.

This is not an edit, but a new post, because I just uploaded the first version of my Adventure mod ^-^ I'm happy, you know ^-^

Of course, it's just here to give an idea of the topology and has absolutely no interest to play, as it's devoid of anything living and even only 7 systems out of 28 are partially setup...

Periculi, I had to include your ATA's 2 files in the ZIP because without it my topo would not work. I credited you in the sources comments and the readme. However, if you want me to re-upload a ZIP without your files, just write me, With your permission, I would then directly include the code in my sources, with full credit of course.

From the image in the previous post, I changed 5 stars, which were grossly out of position, leading to 80-100 LY hyperspace tunnels where I set as a constraint to have most of them in the 20-60 LY range. I'll update the image asap...

The mod is available here : HK2250 - Stars of Call - Core League - Void topology

Here's a picture of what the Sol system looks like :

Image

That way, you can also tell me if there is some gross mistake I should fix at once and if the directions I'm taking seem to you valid and no dead-ends...
Last edited by Mutos on Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:52 am, edited 4 times in total.
@+

Benoît 'Mutos' ROBIN
Hoshikaze 2250 Project
Post Reply