Will Be A Complete(!) Ufo:eu As Multiplayer?

[Elfman]

I know this would be for long time to do this, but we like the original UFO: The Enemy Unknown (1) for many reasons, not only for the turn-based action part. It is great to have the possiblity to fight as aliens against the humans, but we really missed the other parts of the UFO:EU, like bulding bases, inventing or sending interceptors, etc. to catch the UFOs.

 

 

So I was wondering, since the action part is actually already finished (when compared to the original), if you plan (in future) make the rest of game to the UFO2000, when there will be complete "story" from single player, where:

 

 

* the player for humans will not notice any change. He will play just the same as if he is playing the old UFO. All technology and weapons are there (after doing research).

 

 

* the other player will play for all aliens, so he will replace the all AI for alines (except the movements and firing possibility). There will be changes mainly in the graphic since the most of parts are already in:

 

- the player for UFO will have the first base on the Mars, where there will be some cloning factory for making the forces (the more powerful unit, the more time and energy to built it). There he can also make the ships. But there should be some limit of mass which he can send to the Earth by gates (a month, and in a one flight), especially when the first player has only terrestrial primitive weapons in the beggining.

 

- so the alien player will build the bases on the earth, which for simplification could have the same characteristics (the windows, buttons, etc.) as the base of human player at the top with all technology discovered. There will be some new things as live humans, animals to dish (I know, it's disgusting), etc.

 

- alien side must also first "apply" (this should be simply done like the purchasing the soldiers and equipment in the human player's interface) to any gonverment to have a peace to build the base. Since this could take from week to months, the first player would have time to improve his technology and the alien side has to in the meanwhile send the forces through limited gates from Mars which could take a few day for flight (there must be rule if the player will attack the UFO in the air, the alien side can't trick by sending the other UFO directly to that place for help; but he can send the help if some other UFO is already on the Earth near that place).

 

- after the base is created (it should take months, at least in the beggining of the game), the player wouldn't be limited in contructing ships, but he'll have to carry away the people and animals to make the soldiers.

 

- the alien player has to patrol over the place if he want to discover the first player base to attack it. Or capture the live soldier and "examine" him (he could tell the posion of his base if he has a lower rank). Also, since if the alien side lost, the human will get the chance to research something from the death bodies of aliens, so the alien side should be avare and don't simply send the most powerful ship that he already has (not mention for its build he has to collect a great amount of sources and so it needs the supply ships, patrol ships, and a base, which could be discovered too soon from the "rush-hour" and without the defence it could be destroyed and all materials from it taken away to the humans).

 

- for the bonus, aliens could be able to research human technology (if they win the mission), since after the first player get the Blaster, Psi-Control and the third model of alien ship Avenger, he would be undefeatable (otherwise the aliens should be able in this time build the larges battle ships like toys and be able to improve their psi skills). Also his aliens, which survives the mission, should improve their skill. In return, the first player should have some conveniences against the original UFO, since when there has to be possibility to let the alien side move, the human side could lost average 50% of mans and equipments, and this is very expensive.

 

- missions in the TB part of game will be played only if the first player will intervene in, otherwise the alien player get all of the city/town/place goods which should be saved by first player (it takes normaly a day or two when the ship will be back from this mission like in the single player UFO).

 

- there should be also improvement in the pre-mission equipment of the soldiers. The program should remember which weapon the solider had in the preview mission, so the player don't have to equip him again (except if it is his/hers first mission after somebody's death).

 

- the aliens should also have some limitation first. For example, they could build the largest ships after some research of Earth atmosphere and gravity, the psi control of humans could be only done by a few races and after they do some research for human brains. Since the most of alien species are cloned, the first psi kind of alien will appear some time after the beginning of the game.

 

 

Or there would be possibility more players will play for humans in cooperate mode against the one alien player give him corresponding increase of the gate wide or resources.

 

 

I think, since there is only 2D graphic (if we discount the globe), so it will be only a lot of computational procedures.

 

 

If this would be someday done, I would be very grateful for this...

[CopyBass]

Suggested before, MANY times. But I think it should be left up for the time being.

[Serge]

I know this would be for long time to do this, but we like the original UFO: The Enemy Unknown (1) for many reasons, not only for the turn-based action part. It is great to have the possiblity to fight as aliens against the humans, but we really missed the other parts of the UFO:EU, like bulding bases, inventing or sending interceptors, etc. to catch the UFOs.

First greetings, we are glad to see new faces here

 

About strategic part of the game, it will appear in ufo2000 and the work on it will start really soon. But my own plans include single player only mode for strategic part right now. The reason is that there are too many multiplayer games and some people want the old good single player gameplay too.

 

Suggested before, MANY times. But I think it should be left up for the time being.

I should not be left up, it should be worked on The only question remains: who would volunteer to do this work?

[Elfman]

First greetings, we are glad to see new faces here

 

About strategic part of the game, it will appear in ufo2000 and the work on it will start really soon. But my own plans include single player only mode for strategic part right now. The reason is that there are too many multiplayer games and some people want the old good single player gameplay too.

 

I should not be left up, it should be worked on The only question remains: who would volunteer to do this work?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I forgot to say hallo, sorry

 

Of course, I wouldn't dare to drivel to your work since I'm not helping it. But it seems to be easier to do the multiplayer, since there isn't AI for computer (decide how to move and when fire) necessary. But contrariwise, since the single player will be done, I think finish the MP part will be the easiest thing.

 

I asked because we found this possibility would be very good when playing the single player of UFO1 (we love to play these modified multiplayers, for example ZDOOM when one play for normal player and others play for monsters).

 

Well, not me I understand only to Free Pascal, not C. I've already tried to do this, but the hunting for UFO file formats took too long and I also couldn't get somebody to help so I ended only with UFO Graphic Viewer

[Blood Angel]

The main problem we're having is that we're trying to steer away from XCom, as it were. We've got it to the point where it's no longer necessary to have all the datafiles, but in that case you can only play on one map with fewer player skins and weapons.

[Serge]

Of course, I wouldn't dare to drivel to your work since I'm not helping it. But it seems to be easier to do the multiplayer, since there isn't AI for computer (decide how to move and when fire) necessary. But contrariwise, since the single player will be done, I think finish the MP part will be the easiest thing.

Adding some dumb AI should not be too hard, but right now there are too many unfinished tasks for me already and I don't want to start a new one before some other issues get finally resolved. That means AI will be top priority task for me only after releasing the next stable version.

 

And multiplayer geoscape is not that easy, it requires some advanced logic performed on the server side, improved reliability as even a single bug in a battle will affect not only that battle but the whole campaign. Not to mention that economics, base management, interceptions still need to be added and it also requires a lot of new code written. Also check this link: http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4216

 

So approximate roadmap is probably the following (that's my own plans only):

1. Simple AI (something like current hotseat, but with AI as opponent)

2. Simple geoscape with autocombat (it does not need AI and does not depend on 1.)

3. Simple singleplayer game with geoscape and AI controlled aliens (depends on 1. and 2.)

4. Advanced multiplayer geoscape (depends on 2. and needs improved server)

 

If we get more people work on the game, some tasks can be done out of order and much faster

[Elfman]

Also check this link: http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4216

 

So approximate roadmap is probably the following (that's my own plans only):

1. Simple AI (something like current hotseat, but with AI as opponent)

2. Simple geoscape with autocombat (it does not need AI and does not depend on 1.)

3. Simple singleplayer game with geoscape and AI controlled aliens (depends on 1. and 2.)

4. Advanced multiplayer geoscape (depends on 2. and needs improved server)

 

If we get more people work on the game, some tasks can be done out of order and much faster

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I understand perfectly. I'll wait... and I'll check that link. Thanks for hearing through my ideas anyway...