Paradroidz - "new model army"

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#1

Hi.

Paradroidz will get rid of the spheres used as droid models in the next version. Here’s how this will look like:

http://www.jpct.net/paradroidz/pics/newmodels.jpg

A preview version is available here: http://www.jpct.net/paratest/test.jnlp This version should work as expected, but it isn’t complete which is why it isn’t an “official” release and it may still contain some bugs.

However, i’m in need of feedback about a particular problem that arises from the use of the new models. In former versions, the spheres were colored to reflect their classes (i.e. 2xx was pink, 6xx green etc.). This is now done by using a different model for each class, so no problems here.
But: The actual droid type (i.e. 302 or 329 for the 3xx class of droids) was shown by the droid’s number written into the texture. This was hard to read sometimes but at least it was possible to distinguish a 302 from a 329. That’s not possible anymore, because there is no space to add the numbers to the textures anymore. I’ve had a look at Paradroid90 for a solution…there is none. Paradroid90 simply limits the number of droids to one per class, which is something that i don’t want to do. So the basic question is: Does anybody have an idea how to make it possible to distinguish between different droid models of the same class and sharing the same basic model? I have some ideas, but i’m not totally satisfied with them, so i would like to hear others’ opinions.

BTW: Models were made by Juri Unt (http://www.sj3d.com) for a very reasonable price. So if you are in need of some artwork…i can really recommend his work.

#2

Looks really good!

Some ideas for distinguishing between types:

  • An overlay with small labels with the type numbers above the droids
  • A radar in the hud which will show the number
  • a hotkey which will change the display to something more abstract; something like how the droid ‘sees’ the world around it in a ‘Terminator’ kind of way. Everything in shades of green, with flashing wireframe spheres around a droid and labels with the number, all flashy and ‘techy’ looking, maybe even with the techno mumbo-jumbo scrolling on the side of the screen. I think you could make this look really cool and functional too, especially if the other view would sound different too. Maybe this affects gameplay somehow though, I dunno…
#3

its looking great and plays great too, much better than before

#4

Great!
I love the “line of sight” view. Becomes even more clear in 3d compared to the good old 2d original (where the objects just disappeared when they left the player’s line of sight).

#5

Nice models, nice work!

Kev

#6

That looks awesome. Too bad I have no idea how to play :slight_smile: Don’t worry, I will learn.

#7

That’s what i thought too, but i think i’ll not go for the numbers but use colored dots instead (green for lowest of a class, yellow for mid-level, red for highest) or something similar. You don’t really need to see the numbers, just that the droids are different IMHO.

Nice idea and easy to do…but maybe it’s a bit too distracting from the actual game play. I’ll give it a try if the former solution doesn’t work well.

Sounds cool, may look cool, but hurts the game IMO. However, it’s a nice idea for a kind of “secret mode”…but there are other things to do before i can think about this stuff…

#8

From the screen shot (Which looks awesome by the way!!!) ther are parts of the models that have a color that could change. Like the red on top of those two in the pick could change to another color depending on the specific model. That would be prettier than just having a dot float above them, IMO.

#9

Agreed. That’s what i had in mind first, but it isn’t true for all models. Some textures/models have such a spot, some don’t… :-\

#10

Uploaded an improved(?) preview that adds a colored spot in front of each enemy droid to identify the level within a class, i.e. a 247 has a green spot, a 249 a yellow spot and a 296 a red spot. Not sure if i really like it that way… ???

Edit: I think i do…at least it’s better than without it…

#11

I tried to play “preview” : http://www.jpct.net/paratest/test.jnlp
But seems that thare is corrupted JAR file at http://www.jpct.net/para3d2/Naroth.jar…


JNLPException[category: Download Error : Exception: java.util.zip.ZipException: error in opening zip file : LaunchDesc: null ]
	at com.sun.javaws.cache.DownloadProtocol.doDownload(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.cache.DownloadProtocol.getResource(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.LaunchDownload.downloadJarFiles(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.LaunchDownload.downloadEagerorAll(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.downloadResources(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.handleApplicationDesc(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.handleLaunchFile(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
#12

Hmm…i’m getting that too on my work machine. Strange, because i haven’t changed anything for a about month. Maybe it’s caused by timeouts…the server seems to be incredibly slow ATM. You may try to download the zipped version instead or use the version from JGF. I’ll try to sort it out, when i’m back home.

Edit: The jar is fine. Must have been a problem with the server’s connection. Sometimes, even my pings timed out. Should be ok again now…i hope…

#13

Added a tutorial mode to Paradroidz. You can enable it by pressing F1 during the game. It doesn’t cover all aspects of the game, but it may help some people who haven’t played the classic game to understand what’s actually going on.

Here’s a screen shot:

http://www.jpct.net/paradroidz/pics/tutorial.jpg

#14

Replaced the former path finding (it wasn’t really path finding + it had a huge bug in it) with a modified A* algorithm, so that the enemy droids should act more clever now.

#15

I’ve uploaded a new version which should faster on most machines and has light-/shadowmaps to offer (created with gile[s] and a lack of talent on my side…).
This is the URL (as usual): http://www.jpct.net/paradroidz and here’s how it looks like:

http://www.jpct.net/paradroidz/pics/lightmaps_small.jpg

#16

Great fun and adds an interesting aspect to the game. I played the cr*p outta the original on the C64… :slight_smile:

#17 
Loading configuration...failed!
java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no lwjgl in java.library.path
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.System.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
	at org.lwjgl.Sys.<clinit>(Sys.java:61)
	at org.lwjgl.opengl.Display.<clinit>(Display.java:96)
	at java.lang.Class.forName0(Native Method)
	at java.lang.Class.forName(Unknown Source)
	at naroth.start.StartFrame.init(StartFrame.java:73)
	at naroth.start.StartFrame.<init>(StartFrame.java:54)
	at naroth.start.StartFrame.main(StartFrame.java:50)
	at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
	at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.executeApplication(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.executeMainClass(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.doLaunchApp(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.run(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
#### Java Web Start Error:
#### null

:frowning:

#18

:frowning:


Caused by: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no lwjgl in java.library.path
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Unknown Source)
	at java.lang.System.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
	at org.lwjgl.Sys.<clinit>(Sys.java:61)
	at org.lwjgl.opengl.Display.<clinit>(Display.java:96)
	at java.lang.Class.forName0(Native Method)
	at java.lang.Class.forName(Unknown Source)
	at naroth.start.StartFrame.init(StartFrame.java:73)
	at naroth.start.StartFrame.<init>(StartFrame.java:54)
	at naroth.start.StartFrame.main(StartFrame.java:50)

DP

#19

??? ??? ??? What setup is that? Windows? I haven’t made a change to the jnlp or the lwjgl-files for months…well, i’ve uploaded the files again now just to be sure (albeit they haven’t changed…). Please try again after removing Paradroidz from webstart and let me know…

#20

Windows with Java 6 b71