Getting Started with a new game

joshupetersen
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Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:24 am

Getting Started with a new game

Post by joshupetersen »

I'm in the idea-phase of making a game... and I'm looking to start off with Stratagus... but I'm not quite sure where to start with Stratagus...
Anyone know of (or able to write) a quick start guide for beginners to stratagus?
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jarod42
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Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by jarod42 »

Creating a game is not a easy task:
The game need all kind of data (lot of graphics, sounds, musics, maps, and associated scripts + game scripts).

What I can suggest is to clone an existing project and replace each relevant parts.
Some existing projects may require some help also, so you may join one of those.
joshupetersen
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Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by joshupetersen »

Which one would you suggest is the best to start from? I've gotten the Stratagus source. What I've been trying to do is get the source for one of the others, and then compare the two. (Not compeltely sure what Stratagus supplies vs what I need to supply.) So I'd be looking for a game using stratagus that's the closest to the minimum possible work to make things have a bare minimum functioning requirement. (Which isn't wargus or stargus, since they both have additional installers to pull a lot of data).

Also, the idea I have is for a for-profit open source game. (I'm thinking a business model where there would be payments, but they'd be more for server access - I've got an idea in mind that would actually make that a viable method.) So I don't want to try to force my ideas onto an existing group that's making a great game already. Also, that gets things license-wise messy, and when I'm ready to start asking permission (basically, when I know my idea is do-able), I'd rather just limit my permission-asking to the stratagus team itself to keep complications down. Although, if the stratagus team, on the other hand, would like to hear my idea and incorporate it into the future of stratagus and invite me on the team, that could work too! :D
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jarod42
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Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by jarod42 »

Stratagus is just an engine and don't provide the minimum data to create a dummy game.
You can try some of the game listed there:Stratagus games.

Most of the game are based on wargus since it was the first playable game. stargus, war1gus are not really playable now.
wargus, stargus, war1gus need original CD to extract data.
AleonaTales needed wargus script but use free content.
Doom Wars is done by a contributor of stratagus.

I have done a project :https://code.launchpad.net/~stratagus/s ... /main-menu
which has only menus (to choose which game to play), so there is very few data (but not the minimum, and we cannot _play_).

I think it is relatively easy to remove data/script from any existing project.

And for profit open source game, note that we cannot change license of stratagus (since some copyright owner are not contactable).

Patches are welcome :-) (first step before join the team).
joshupetersen
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Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:24 am

Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by joshupetersen »

I hunkered down and dug through the license stuff....
It's GPL v2, and digging through that, it turns out you can actually make modified versions of the program and do it for-profit. The one restriction is that the program has to also be GPL v2, and the source code has to be available.

That said, since my idea doesn't require the program to be paid for (actually going with a "free to play" model), than it works great. :) And in turn, my work can turn around and help the stratagus project, and everyone wins!

That said... I'm still trying to figure out launchpad and bazaar as I haven't used them before. (Although if I'm correct in what I'm seeing, Bazaar is limited to linux, which means I'll have to get my linux drive to handle it?)

So, do I need to combine wargus and AleonaTales to get a working game out of it to learn from, or is AleonaTales stand-alone?
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Kyran
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Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by Kyran »

If you can work out Bazaar Explorer for Windows you'll be able to download a standard alone preview of Aleona's Tales. However, in the next two weeks I'll be making a proper release of the game. So, you could just wait for it.
04:27 jim4 why haven't you added wc1 support? this project sucks. i'm only going to use freecraft
05:06 jim4 finished wc1 support yet? i've been waiting for 6 years
05:10 jim4 new things scare me
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jarod42
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Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by jarod42 »

yeah, GPL2 didn't forbid for-profit usage, but all 'derived work' must be GPL2 too which may be (or not) a problem for you.
as you reply, it seems to not be a problem for you, so it is OK.

Launchpad/Bazaar is not Linux only. I use it mostly on Windows.
You just need a bazaar client to get source. (I personally use Tortoise).
joshupetersen
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Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by joshupetersen »

Cool. I'll wait till the proper release of Aleona (have a couple other projects I'm working on too). But yea, all code from my project will be GPL2'd as well. The general idea is it's going to be free-to-play, code will be open source, but have in-game goodies that can be unlocked through gameplay or bought outright in a game store (vaguely akin to Team fortress 2's current business model, but open source). Also, while in the initial design phase, anyone who wanted to hop on the project would be more than welcome. (There are so few successful open game models where the team can actually make a living off of it, I'd kind of like to change that trend).
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Kyran
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Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by Kyran »

You can now download Aleona's Tales here.
Last edited by Kyran on Fri Nov 09, 2012 8:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
04:27 jim4 why haven't you added wc1 support? this project sucks. i'm only going to use freecraft
05:06 jim4 finished wc1 support yet? i've been waiting for 6 years
05:10 jim4 new things scare me
joshupetersen
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:24 am

Re: Getting Started with a new game

Post by joshupetersen »

(Sorry it took so long for me to respond, was out of town for awhile)
Anyway, thanks for making AT available! I'm really excited for what I can learn!
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