Outerra forum
Anteworld - Outerra Game => Tech demo, support, updates => Topic started by: lonewulf47 on March 19, 2012, 02:48:05 pm
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When reading through the support forum I severely miss a certain structure in the discussions/proposals. We are simultaneously nit-picking (sorry for that somewhat rude expression ...) on a certain control axis or discussing about importing models from other simulators (I hate the "game" naming ...) but on the bigger end I see that the following on the whole earth model is still missing:
- different vegetation styles, not only different trees but also meadows, acres, wheatfields etc.
- a clearly defined way of adding forests or single trees
- possibly a seasonal tool
- an import tool for OSM data
- inland water bodies with shorelines continuing under water to a certain extent to allow amphibious vehicles (cars, aircraft) to change water/land movement seamlessly
- a weather engine
So maybe a clearer structure of the forum would help to keep an overview of the whole development. Don't get me wrong: I'm a great admirer of the whole Outerra environment and I sincerely wish that it may finally become what the developers have in mind. But to achieve that it might need some clearer structures - or maybe not? :)
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You do know that all of these have been discussed many many times? We're getting multiple threads a day on these.
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You do know that all of these have been discussed many many times? We're getting multiple threads a day on these.
Now that you tell me ... :) I was expecting this discussion within the "Anteworld" forum threads. Maybe I haven't got it properly. There is Anteworld, there is Outerra game ... and some of the proposals are spread over both forum parts. At least I see that Andrej from SibWings is taking part here. That at least gives me the security that Flight Simulation is getting it's proper attention ;D
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Outerra is the Engine Name. AnteWorld is the "game" that the developers are planning to use as a testing environment and revenue generator.
Anybody in the future will be able to use the Outerra engine to develop their games. The AnteWorld game will be used to figure out bugs and features that would probably need supporting for those future games. So you can think of Anteworld as the Beta form of every game ever.. Cars, trucks, planes, AI, terrain modification, Scripted plugins, Multiplayer interaction and data sharing, Model importing, physics interactions, custom lighting, etc etc...
Once it is set up and working in AnteWorld, any mod or game maker can easily implement it in their game.
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Zeos hit the nail on the head. Outerra is just the basic engine. Anteworld will be on the engine, and enable more things to be done. By supporting the game Anteworld, you're supporting future upgrades to the engine, which developers can mold into their own designs. It's a give and take proposition.
It's very much modeled after the Minecraft alpha, which in the beginning was little more than break a block, place a block. After a few years, it became a game in its own right, with survival mode, etc. And all the upgrades provide for free, if you signed up early enough (what is it now? $15 US?).
Outerra (and Anteworld) will follow that same path. Those who get the jumpstart NOW will gain access to the free upgrades as they occur, and can experiment with things and develop their own simulators/games as the engine progresses, BECAUSE they have purchased Anteworld. Though Anteworld will be built on the engine, it's mostly a showcase to exhibit what the engine is capable of, so it's definitely worth the effort and trivial funds required.
Right now it may not look like much, but know that in a year things will be a LOT different, just as it was in Minecraft. It took 4 friends almost 2 months to get me into that game, where I didn't see a point to it. Once they finally convinced me, I became addicted to it. Outerra/Anteworld will be the same in that regard, and on that basic level. The sheer FREEDOM you have to do whatever you can imagine is unbelievable. And the more Cameni and AngryPig advance it, the better.
This release is just the tip of the iceberg. A year from now, you're going to laugh at your post :). Trust me on that one ;)
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This release is just the tip of the iceberg. A year from now, you're going to laugh at your post :). Trust me on that one ;)
And about three years from now Cameni and Angrypig will host OuterraCon in Las Vegas! :P
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Well, that all sounds reasonable and is also what I presumed. However the question remains: is there kind of a roadmap showing what implementations are due next ? Not talking about a time schedule but about rough guesses what will be the next milestone implemented - maybe water bodies? ;)
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There's no official roadmap. Apart from the fixes, just now we are working on two things: model importer (Angrypig) and displaced mesh collisions (me). Then there's a bag of things to do after these. For me - a vehicle configurator, to set up the vehicles once the importer is done. That will probably come right after, and will give people something to play with while we focus on further tasks.
Then I'm onto the lakes, rivers, biomes, clouds (not necessarily in that order). Angrypig's got 3D trees, animations, particles ...
I was considering to give people chance to vote what features should come first, but it's not that simple - many things are depending on other features, so the list cannot be reordered arbitrarily. But maybe it could serve as a hint for us, as long as people accept it as such :)
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I think general roadmap sounds fantastic. You are right, once people can import their own things, that will keep us busy for a long time. I feel that after we can import, the community will boom.
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Thanks, Cameni for the extensive answer. That gives me quite an idea what to expect and to say the least - it sounds very reasonable :) I will of course mainly be looking for aviation features and I'm sure this will keep me quite busy at least for the closer future :)
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what are displaced mesh collisions?
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what are displaced mesh collisions?
Ever drive the 8x8 up a steep mountain? You know how it falls through at some point. He is fixing that.
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Sounds like you guys need more team-members for this project, 'Wink Wink, Honk Honk' ;p
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There's no official roadmap. Apart from the fixes, just now we are working on two things: model importer (Angrypig) and displaced mesh collisions (me). Then there's a bag of things to do after these. For me - a vehicle configurator, to set up the vehicles once the importer is done. That will probably come right after, and will give people something to play with while we focus on further tasks.
Then I'm onto the lakes, rivers, biomes, clouds (not necessarily in that order). Angrypig's got 3D trees, animations, particles ...
I was considering to give people chance to vote what features should come first, but it's not that simple - many things are depending on other features, so the list cannot be reordered arbitrarily. But maybe it could serve as a hint for us, as long as people accept it as such :)
I really can't wait to see the 3D trees, rivers, clouds, and lakes (Don't forget loose rocks :) ) it'll start looking photo realistic. The model importer sounds fun as well. Do you have any development/alpha screenshots of 3D trees in progress handy?
I think once we have a model importer and the other things like clouds, vegitation, trees and such it'll really start to kick off. Will there be a way to save our 'worlds' or will they save to the server?
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There's plenty of pictures of the 3D trees in the forums.
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I was considering to give people chance to vote what features should come first, but it's not that simple - many things are depending on other features, so the list cannot be reordered arbitrarily. But maybe it could serve as a hint for us, as long as people accept it as such :)
Well, I'd personally throw in my votes for inland bodies of water and biomes. I love exploring places I find on wikipedia in Outerra, and I can't wait for the day that deserts/jungles match the real pictures as well as foresty areas currently do. =)
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I kind of agree with the OP, have you guys given any thought to a developer blog? I am in on a few other start up indie games and that seems a staple to a game at this point in its development. I dont mean to tell you how to work, that is not my intention at all. I do think though that with a regular update on how things are going people might well have even more interest on getting into the game!
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Have you given any thought to looking for a developer blog?
http://outerra.blogspot.com/ (http://outerra.blogspot.com/)
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I do apologize, I did not see that linked anywhere on the main page. Thusly I assumed it did not exist. I do not what it does when you assume and frankly I am a bit embarrassed! I will head back to my silent watch and not presume to post on these boards anymore.
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Sorry, I shouldn't have worded it that coldly. I didn't mean it like that. I haven't exactly had the best of days today. The link for it is on the contact page. Not exactly an obvious spot is it? ;D You're welcome here.