Available at:
http://jlpo.free.fr/soundrts
The main changes since 1.1 alpha 1 are:
- probably a bit faster during a game (saving and restoring a game didn't change though)
- restored queuing for "tech" upgrades
- improved game stability: some errors won't cause the entire game simulation to freeze (other errors might still slow the game down)
- bug fixed: chaining several scout towers on the same square caused the simulation to freeze
- bug fixed: in the case of a unit upgrading to another kind of unit, the cost indicated in the menu and the effective cost didn't match
- bug fixed: when upgrading a unit to another one, the food cost was too high
- bug fixed: dark archer selection now works
- bug fixed: the cheat mode works again
- bug fixed: units unloaded from a flying machine didn't attack or flee
- bug fixed: at the beginning of a game, mutually hostile units didn't attack
- bug fixed: when controlling several units, targeting a flying machine and pressing backspace only loaded one unit in the flying machine
- bug fixed: giving a "defensive mode" command to a unit caused it to forget its other commands
- bug fixed: every unit had a menace of 0 (wrong alerts, wrong AI reactions: no fleeing, probably wrong target choosing)
- bug fixed: a peasant building a farm was reported as "repairing" a construction site
- bug fixed: an evolving unit would accept the "go" command and cancel the upgrade in progress
- bug fixed: a unit without a "go" command in the menu could have this action by default
- slightly clearer sounds for the flying machine load and unload events
- graphics: added tps (turn per second) indication when ctrl-shift-f3 is active
- graphics: added color backgrounds for squares (detected, observed, observed before, unknown)
SoundRTS 1.1 and SoundRTS 1.0 should coexist in the same machine without any problem. The settings are also stored in different folders (respectively "SoundRTS unstable" and "SoundRTS 1.0").
About multiplayer games, this version is compatible with itself. Be careful, though, if you modify the rules.txt file, you need to send it to your friends if you want to play with them or they won't find your server.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
[log] SoundRTS 1.1 alpha 1 released
Available at:
http://jlpo.free.fr/soundrts
This is an experimental release. Don't expect this version to be really playable (a little more playable than 1.1 alpha 0 though). Lots of things are probably broken. The aim is to have some feedback about the new features.
SoundRTS 1.1 and SoundRTS 1.0 should coexist in the same machine without any problem. The settings are also stored in different folders (respectively "SoundRTS unstable" and "SoundRTS 1.0").
The main changes since 1.1 alpha 0 are:
- some blocking bugs have been fixed
- most upgrades are back
- multilevel upgrades have been temporarily removed (they will be back)
- farm food is back to 8 instead of 4
- old flying machines should appear as "offensive flying machines" in existing maps; they can be trained too now
- now units descriptions not only contain the hit points but also the upgrades affecting the unit (works with enemy units too)
- not yet available elements of the menus (units, buildings, upgrades) are now included in the menus with the indication of the missing requirements; if an element is omitted, it means that it is unavailable for this map or game
- research orders can't be queued, like in Starcraft (I can reactivate easily this feature, available in Warcraft 3, but I don't know if it is that much interesting; let me know; for example, if you queue the orders, many resources will be blocked over a long time; maybe do this in a "command and conquer" way, with orders waiting for resources and yet recorded in the queue? a different design)
About multiplayer games, this version is compatible with itself, at least I hope so. Be careful, though, if you modify the rules.txt file, you need to send it to your friends if you want to play with them or they won't find your server.
http://jlpo.free.fr/soundrts
This is an experimental release. Don't expect this version to be really playable (a little more playable than 1.1 alpha 0 though). Lots of things are probably broken. The aim is to have some feedback about the new features.
SoundRTS 1.1 and SoundRTS 1.0 should coexist in the same machine without any problem. The settings are also stored in different folders (respectively "SoundRTS unstable" and "SoundRTS 1.0").
The main changes since 1.1 alpha 0 are:
- some blocking bugs have been fixed
- most upgrades are back
- multilevel upgrades have been temporarily removed (they will be back)
- farm food is back to 8 instead of 4
- old flying machines should appear as "offensive flying machines" in existing maps; they can be trained too now
- now units descriptions not only contain the hit points but also the upgrades affecting the unit (works with enemy units too)
- not yet available elements of the menus (units, buildings, upgrades) are now included in the menus with the indication of the missing requirements; if an element is omitted, it means that it is unavailable for this map or game
- research orders can't be queued, like in Starcraft (I can reactivate easily this feature, available in Warcraft 3, but I don't know if it is that much interesting; let me know; for example, if you queue the orders, many resources will be blocked over a long time; maybe do this in a "command and conquer" way, with orders waiting for resources and yet recorded in the queue? a different design)
About multiplayer games, this version is compatible with itself, at least I hope so. Be careful, though, if you modify the rules.txt file, you need to send it to your friends if you want to play with them or they won't find your server.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
the flying machine (transport)
The flying machine is now a transport unit.
To load units:
Method 1: control the unit(s) to carry, target the flying machine and press backspace.
Method 2: control the flying machine(s), target the unit to carry and press backspace.
Method 3: control the flying machine(s), target the square where the units are, select in the menu "load all the units from...", and press Enter.
To unload units: control the flying machine(s), select the action in the menu, target the destination and press Enter.
Units can't attack from a flying machine. If the transport is destroyed, the units inside are destroyed too.
To load units:
Method 1: control the unit(s) to carry, target the flying machine and press backspace.
Method 2: control the flying machine(s), target the unit to carry and press backspace.
Method 3: control the flying machine(s), target the square where the units are, select in the menu "load all the units from...", and press Enter.
To unload units: control the flying machine(s), select the action in the menu, target the destination and press Enter.
Units can't attack from a flying machine. If the transport is destroyed, the units inside are destroyed too.
Monday, August 30, 2010
towers and catapults
The peasant can build scout towers. These towers basically do nothing, but they can quickly evolve on their own (without further help of the peasant) to a more useful tower: either the guard tower (requires a sawmill) or the cannon tower (requires a blacksmith). In the early game, the scout tower is sometimes built "just in case" of a rushed attack, with a smaller investment than the cost of a fully equipped tower.
The guard tower shoots arrows, like an archer, while the cannon tower only attacks ground units. Both don't require any food nor empty space (meadow).
A counter against towers is the catapult. The catapult is very fragile and cannot even defend itself against a unit in the same square. It moves very slowly too. On the other hand, it can strike units and buildings in an adjacent square, so towers are not a problem for a catapult.
Comment: at the moment, there are only 2 kinds of "interactive" distance: in the same square (sight and attack) or in an adjacent square (no sight, no attack, except for catapults). There could be an intermediate distance where units can see an intruder but doesn't attack. This might complicate the game too much, but it might be interesting.
The guard tower shoots arrows, like an archer, while the cannon tower only attacks ground units. Both don't require any food nor empty space (meadow).
A counter against towers is the catapult. The catapult is very fragile and cannot even defend itself against a unit in the same square. It moves very slowly too. On the other hand, it can strike units and buildings in an adjacent square, so towers are not a problem for a catapult.
Comment: at the moment, there are only 2 kinds of "interactive" distance: in the same square (sight and attack) or in an adjacent square (no sight, no attack, except for catapults). There could be an intermediate distance where units can see an intruder but doesn't attack. This might complicate the game too much, but it might be interesting.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
how to create a portable version of SoundRTS
Since SoundRTS 1.0 beta 10 p, it's possible to have all the game files (log, configuration, custom maps...) in the game folder, instead of "documents and settings\user_name\application data", etc.
Install SoundRTS with the installer, then copy the "SoundRTS 1.0" (or "SoundRTS unstable") folder from "Program files" to a writable folder (the desktop, a USB key, etc). In the new SoundRTS folder, create 2 folders: "tmp" and "user". "user" can be a copy of an existing "application data\SoundRTS" folder (the version must be the same, though). To launch the program, execute "soundrts.exe".
Install SoundRTS with the installer, then copy the "SoundRTS 1.0" (or "SoundRTS unstable") folder from "Program files" to a writable folder (the desktop, a USB key, etc). In the new SoundRTS folder, create 2 folders: "tmp" and "user". "user" can be a copy of an existing "application data\SoundRTS" folder (the version must be the same, though). To launch the program, execute "soundrts.exe".
Saturday, August 28, 2010
queuing commands
Every unit has a list of commands. When the current command is complete, the unit forgets it and executes the next one.
To add a command at the end of the list, two methods:
Method 1 (using a default command): select the target, then press Shift + Backspace
Method 2 (using a command from the menu): select the command and the target, then press Shift + Enter
Here are some situations where it would be useful:
Example 1: you want a peasant to scout every starting square in the map (to know where the enemy is). Control the peasant, move the cursor to a starting square, then press Shift + Backspace. Repeat for each starting square.
Example 2: you want a peasant to exploit several resources. Target a resource, press Shift + Backspace. Repeat. When a resource is exhausted, the peasant will exploit the next one.
You can queue imperative commands too. Hold down Control + Shift instead of Shift.
To add a command at the end of the list, two methods:
Method 1 (using a default command): select the target, then press Shift + Backspace
Method 2 (using a command from the menu): select the command and the target, then press Shift + Enter
Here are some situations where it would be useful:
Example 1: you want a peasant to scout every starting square in the map (to know where the enemy is). Control the peasant, move the cursor to a starting square, then press Shift + Backspace. Repeat for each starting square.
Example 2: you want a peasant to exploit several resources. Target a resource, press Shift + Backspace. Repeat. When a resource is exhausted, the peasant will exploit the next one.
You can queue imperative commands too. Hold down Control + Shift instead of Shift.
Friday, August 27, 2010
imperative commands
Imperative commands allow the player to bypass the unit's AI and force an action.
Two methods exists:
Method 1 (using a default command): select the target, then hold Control while you press Backspace.
Method 2 (using a command from the menu): select the command and the target, then hold Control while you press Enter.
Here are some situations where it would be useful:
Example 1: you want your units to attack a specific enemy building or unit and ignore the rest. Select the target and press Control + Backspace.
Example 2: you want your units to retreat from a place and ignore the enemy units. Select another square and press Control + Backspace.
Special case: you want to get rid of one of your units, so you force an attack on it. Select the target and press Control + Backspace.
Comment: this system is quite different from Warcraft/Starcraft, where 3 command types exist:
- "imperative" goto command (right-click on an empty place)
- "imperative" attack command (right-click on a unit/building)
- "smart" attack command (press "A" and left-click on an empty place)
I am still a bit worried about the differences in SoundRTS. The reason why I chose a different behavior is because the "imperative" commands are less efficient in most cases (unless you micromanage very quickly), so they shouldn't be the default behavior.
Two methods exists:
Method 1 (using a default command): select the target, then hold Control while you press Backspace.
Method 2 (using a command from the menu): select the command and the target, then hold Control while you press Enter.
Here are some situations where it would be useful:
Example 1: you want your units to attack a specific enemy building or unit and ignore the rest. Select the target and press Control + Backspace.
Example 2: you want your units to retreat from a place and ignore the enemy units. Select another square and press Control + Backspace.
Special case: you want to get rid of one of your units, so you force an attack on it. Select the target and press Control + Backspace.
Comment: this system is quite different from Warcraft/Starcraft, where 3 command types exist:
- "imperative" goto command (right-click on an empty place)
- "imperative" attack command (right-click on a unit/building)
- "smart" attack command (press "A" and left-click on an empty place)
I am still a bit worried about the differences in SoundRTS. The reason why I chose a different behavior is because the "imperative" commands are less efficient in most cases (unless you micromanage very quickly), so they shouldn't be the default behavior.
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