If you saw the title ( knowing you guys, you probably did :P ), then you have probably guessed what this is about. But you don't know all of it ( yet ), so here goes:
I began to rewrite BZPhrog about a week ago. I noticed that with the latest version of Phrogram, the program-generated 3D models/lighting was working. I hoped that the collision detection issue had also finally been fixed, but alas, it was not so. I started work anyway, knowing that I could still fix several things and even release a playable version of BZPhrog, although it would lack the terrain-climbing ( for lack of a better name ) feature I had so, er, physically envisioned.
When I say 'Rewrite', I mean both 'Start Over' and 'Improve the existing code' . So, I actually have 2 different versions: The original BZPhrog code ( BZPhrog Alpha [0.5] ), and the new BZPhrog code ( BZPhrog Beta [1.0] ). There are a few very distinct differences, which I shall now describe unto you:
ALPHA ( 0.5 ):
- Combat: Weapon firing, bullet tracking, bullet collisions, lock-on.
Beta cannot do any of those so far.
BETA ( 1.0 ):
- Navigation: Acceleration, world collision, position tracking.
Alpha does none of these.
Unfortunately, the bumper/tilt system ( AKA Terrain-Climbing ) still does not work.
Current focus: Weapon firing, Bullet tracking.
Todo:
- Navigation ( getting around )
- Combat ( oh goody, combat! )
- AI ( it's alive! )
- World maps ( this place is way too familiar... )*
- Player models ( I like this ship better )*
- Sound effects ( KABOOM! )
- Joystick support ( the fun part )
- Menu system ( A whole new project - ugh... )**
- Multi-player support ( good day to you, and you, and you, and you )***
The latter is the most confusing on my part, because I have done very little with PhrogramTalk and I'm not sure how it works yet.
So far, it's going very well. I will eventually merge the two versions into one, BZPhrog Gamma (1.5). When all is going well and multiplayer support is finally implemented, it will probably be called BZPhrog Delta (2.0), or simply BZPhrog 2. With the release of BZPhrog Epsilon (2.5 or 2.0 Upgrade), the bugs should all be hammered out and it might be ready for commercial^ release.
BZPhrog is still an open-source project and all help is welcome, especially with 3D modeling.* Sound-effect collections would also be nice. Well, I'm kinda tired right now so I may have forgotten/misspelled a few things. Good night.
*I will be assembling a set of Blender tutorials for anyone interested in 3D modeling.
**Yes, A whole new project. But I do have a few working prototypes, thankfully.
***Google just announced the addition of Group Chat ( chatroom-style yammering ) into Google Talk, so Multi-Player ( not only Dual-player ) may finally be possible with Phrogram. I'm not saying you can create a MMORPG or anything, I'm just stating the facts.
^ Other non-Phrogram people may also want to play it, don't you think? It would obviously be a free game, like BZFlag.^^
^^If you think people are going to pay money for a fan program when they can get the well-supported ( not to mention multi-platform ) BZFlag for free, the you're nuts.