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[GAME DEV] Project ASCOS, all interested can join!

Started by nitrogenfingers, 17 August 2012 - 03:23 AM
nitrogenfingers #1
Posted 17 August 2012 - 05:23 AM
A conversation that got way out of hand on the IRC has led to the starting of a new project. If you have some experience, especially with developing games or ASCII art, and you have some free time to kill why not join in?


Project ASCOS

- Sledger721: Networks Programmer
- NitrogenFingers: Lead Games Programmer

Goal: Develop a multiplayer, real-time ASCII overhead shooting game in CC, and maybe make a CC game development studio in the process :(/>/>

Do you want to join in?
- Do you like making games?
- Do you have your own cool ideas about what would make a great game?
- Are you interested in learning a bit more about the process of making games?
- Do you have some time to kill and feel like doing something somewhat productive?

If more than sqrt(2) of these options apply to you then send myself or Sledger an email or post here and we'll find a job for you!


Currently on the To-Do list:
Figure out what the game actually is, plan gameplay, features, etc.
Get a baseline infastructure for the network running
Create a component-based framework
Pharap #2
Posted 17 August 2012 - 05:29 AM
What do you mean by overhead shooting?
An FPS or something like battleships?

I am interested, but whether I decide to join or not depends entirely on the game being made.
nitrogenfingers #3
Posted 17 August 2012 - 05:37 AM
Still extremely in the air (am attempting to refine it down as much as possible as we speak!) Games I've cited as possible inspiration include:
- CrimsonLand: http://www.crimsonland.com/
- Alien Breed 3: http://www.gog.com/gamecard/alien_breed_tower_assault
- Robotron 2048:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotron:_2084
ZeroLRS #4
Posted 17 August 2012 - 06:17 AM
I for sure am interested! I am fairly new to CC and Lua, but I have a fair amount of experience in other languages.
I would love to sign up as whatever you see fit, it's all up to what you need, as long as it is not art, that would be disastrous….

BTW, I love your videos, I am currently working on replicating your Email system without looking at any of your posted code and just going by what I see in the video.
D3matt #5
Posted 17 August 2012 - 06:43 AM
Make a CC RTS or TTS and I'm in.
nitrogenfingers #6
Posted 17 August 2012 - 07:48 AM
No reason we can't work on more than one problem at once. RTS's are haaard though.
Welcome aboard chaps! Will email soon with more details
ardera #7
Posted 17 August 2012 - 08:03 AM
I think the rendering will be very hard…
I only have some ideas for the networking: session using, and spam filter
(and a cheat protection)
BigSHinyToys #8
Posted 17 August 2012 - 08:25 AM
GTA Computer Craft stories edition
you wake up as neo. A strange girl with white rabbit tattoo asks you to go clubbing…..

While i don't think i would be of help with such complex programing I can appreciate the scope of your endeavorer
Good luck and I will be keeping an eye on this for sure

Random
SpoilerI was thinking abort something like a FPS in CC using lines to define walls and displaying 2D character cutouts where players are. Think doom but lower grade graphics.
nitrogenfingers #9
Posted 17 August 2012 - 08:54 AM
If you want to help out BigShinyToys, and you have your own ideas you're really welcome to- I must admit although I've specified a fairly broad outline for just one game, I like the idea of getting together a lot of people in ComputerCraft interested in game dev- and making a little studio. Having a few projects on the go at once, with different people working in different areas and seeing where it all takes us. It can be as serious or as casual as we want it to be.
So yeah even just little stuff, input or ideas, every bit is appreciate. And every bit that isn't can be filtered!
ciba43 #10
Posted 17 August 2012 - 09:51 AM
Looks good.
Pinkishu #11
Posted 17 August 2012 - 12:28 PM
Well I'm interested :(/>/> Just not sure how much time i'd have or how useful I'd be heh
Mostly cause I don't have too many realizable ideas for games :3
Sxw #12
Posted 17 August 2012 - 02:37 PM
I want to help! I can also help with networking. Also with bug testing, btw, if anyone has minecraft pocket edition, I found a vanish glitch, dont tell mojang. Just fly/build so you are above the max map heigth. And then everbody knows about creative multiplayer…
nitrogenfingers #13
Posted 17 August 2012 - 03:14 PM
Fantastic- I'll send out an email with more detail soon, and we'll figure it out.
I think people work best when they're left to their own creativity so yeah, expect a lot of freedom, and maybe a little collaboration if you join up.
Skiouros #14
Posted 17 August 2012 - 05:28 PM
I'd like to help, not sure if I have a whole lot of time for this though.
KaoS #15
Posted 17 August 2012 - 05:49 PM
oh yes, this is my kind of thing, i've made something similar before, trust me you are gonna be having a lot of maths in here and if you manage to include the mouse it would be awesome, I'm so in
Pharap #16
Posted 17 August 2012 - 07:57 PM
I think a roguelike or battleships would be good as a start project since it would be a simple project that would make it easy for the less experienced to get to grips with the standard game loop structure.

RTS would be complicated even if this wasn't limited to ascii graphics.

I probably won't help out if the project's an FPS though. For many reasons, main one being I'm not a huge fan of FPS games.

I reckon an RPG or Fighting Game

By fighting game, the only games I can think of as an example that other people are likely to know are dead or alive or I think mortal combat.

I've only played the DoA dimensions demo, and I've never played mortal combat, but from what I can tell, it's the style I'm thinking of. (If you've ever played sonic the fighters, you'll know what I mean). Though that's a bit more complicated than the RPG idea (since all the RPG data can be stored and coordinated on a host server computer)
Pinkishu #17
Posted 17 August 2012 - 07:59 PM
oh yes, this is my kind of thing, i've made something similar before, trust me you are gonna be having a lot of maths in here and if you manage to include the mouse it would be awesome, I'm so in

No mouse in CC though?
KaoS #18
Posted 17 August 2012 - 08:04 PM
yeah, it sux…. i guess it'll be moving in wasd and firing with numkeys for direction or always firing in the current direction
Pharap #19
Posted 17 August 2012 - 09:34 PM
yeah, it sux…. i guess it'll be moving in wasd and firing with numkeys for direction or always firing in the current direction

Hopefully players will be able to set the keys they use.
If you can't change the default keys from wasd, I'm going to go even more insane than I already am.
MysticT #20
Posted 17 August 2012 - 09:41 PM
Sounds interesting. I made a game engine for CC a while ago (pretty basic and unfinished) so I could help with that. Not sure how much time I'll have to work on it though.
KaoS #21
Posted 17 August 2012 - 10:08 PM
a key change is simple enough to add, I did it for a menu function before
Pharap #22
Posted 17 August 2012 - 10:11 PM
Sounds interesting. I made a game engine for CC a while ago (pretty basic and unfinished) so I could help with that. Not sure how much time I'll have to work on it though.

Complain to the forums for misspelling Sensei on your title lol

a key change is simple enough to add, I did it for a menu function before

Well yeah, it's all just numbers, but I despair of computer games that don't allow it.
nitrogenfingers #23
Posted 18 August 2012 - 02:06 AM
I think a roguelike or battleships would be good as a start project since it would be a simple project that would make it easy for the less experienced to get to grips with the standard game loop structure.

RTS would be complicated even if this wasn't limited to ascii graphics.

I probably won't help out if the project's an FPS though. For many reasons, main one being I'm not a huge fan of FPS games.

I reckon an RPG or Fighting Game

By fighting game, the only games I can think of as an example that other people are likely to know are dead or alive or I think mortal combat.

I've only played the DoA dimensions demo, and I've never played mortal combat, but from what I can tell, it's the style I'm thinking of. (If you've ever played sonic the fighters, you'll know what I mean). Though that's a bit more complicated than the RPG idea (since all the RPG data can be stored and coordinated on a host server computer)

I've had a crack at an RPG for CC, I was pretty happy at how it turned out but it remains painfully unfinished:
http://www.computercraft.info/forums2/index.php?/topic/1586-wip-ultima-style-rpg/
BigSHinyToys #24
Posted 18 August 2012 - 04:14 AM
I have never developed a game before and only have been working with a lua since JAN this year. Seeing your RPG example I now understand the roll a scripting language plays in a game. I can see why PSP GTA vice City is full of lua scripts.

I don't think I would be of any assistance in your making games but what the hell I'm in.
ETHANATOR360 #25
Posted 18 August 2012 - 04:21 AM
im intrested in joining im a semi noob but i think i could help
Pharap #26
Posted 18 August 2012 - 04:34 AM
I think a roguelike or battleships would be good as a start project since it would be a simple project that would make it easy for the less experienced to get to grips with the standard game loop structure.

RTS would be complicated even if this wasn't limited to ascii graphics.

I probably won't help out if the project's an FPS though. For many reasons, main one being I'm not a huge fan of FPS games.

I reckon an RPG or Fighting Game

By fighting game, the only games I can think of as an example that other people are likely to know are dead or alive or I think mortal combat.

I've only played the DoA dimensions demo, and I've never played mortal combat, but from what I can tell, it's the style I'm thinking of. (If you've ever played sonic the fighters, you'll know what I mean). Though that's a bit more complicated than the RPG idea (since all the RPG data can be stored and coordinated on a host server computer)

I've had a crack at an RPG for CC, I was pretty happy at how it turned out but it remains painfully unfinished:
http://www.computerc...tima-style-rpg/

Nice. I'd like to make something like this but lack the patience and my mind tends to wander.
I might get round to it someday.
Cranium #27
Posted 20 August 2012 - 03:15 PM
I've already made some small ASCII games myself, wo why not? I'll give it a shot.
nolongerexistant #28
Posted 25 August 2012 - 11:47 AM
Sounds like a cool idea
Bandicoot802 #29
Posted 08 September 2012 - 08:26 PM
Well I'm still learning lua but if you want to include me that would be great.
HellaLit #30
Posted 09 September 2012 - 08:40 PM
I know the basics of lua and some other stuff and I want to join but I don't know what use I would be.
Moopington #31
Posted 12 September 2012 - 02:50 AM
Nitro, how's ASCOS going? I never get a chance to talk to you guys now that school started. ):
jag #32
Posted 02 October 2012 - 03:37 PM
Well I got a interenting idea for a ASCII game:
Dwarfs fortress!
It's actually just to port the real game, but think of how cool to play Dwarfs fortress in Minecraft!

So (just for fun) if you got a virtual computer on your "real" computer, this will be:
A game, that's in a computer, that's in a game, that's in a computer, that's in another computer!
(Dwarfs fortress ↔ ComputerCraft ↔ Minecraft ↔ Virtual Computer ↔ Computer)