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So, here we are. The board has been opened and discussion can begin...

First thing on the agenda would be the purpose of the engine: What is our goal?

Let's begin where it all started. A quote from 2playgames on the 3rd Age forum:

...making an open-source RTS engine in .NET. i got this idea because while modding the sage engine is fun, we often face limitations or bugs that EA won't fix just for us (because they're not a problem in the unmodded game).

And now to continue with... well, not much really. There have been words on first developing a FPS engine as a preproject. FPS engines are easier to make than RTS engines and could provide us with some useful experience.

Aside from that, there has been some discussion about which programming language we are to use. Link
And there has been some discussion about the graphical engine we are to use. Link

What is left to discuss is:
- Do we want to connect a theme to the engine, and if so, what for theme?
- The modability: Make it accessable for all (XML based), or do we make it a foundation for programmers?

That should be enough for now. To many points would make this topic a mess.

Solinx

I think it should be a game... Then allow modders to edit it. But also release the source code for others to edit and make there games from the base ofit.

What are you going to do incase someone claims the code as their own, of course you will protect it using the GNU/GPL license, but will that be sufficient, are you going to put in some catches to prove that the source is yours in case this does get taken further than a few internet arguements?

Good point. Never worked with an open source project before, so I already planned having a look at how things are done with other open source projects. Better to learn from other's mistakes if you can.

Edit:
What I would like to see is a normal game, fully featured, to attract the required attention from players and to show modders some of the capabilities of the engine.
Modding of the game should be possible using modules, similar to NWN. Each module would be mod, with in the module all the gamedata & graphics.
Also, these modules should be selectable in-game, you can all imagine the reasons.

Whenever possible, the engine should be written to keep things moddable, without having to modify the sourcecode.
The more unified the source is, the greater the 'market' for each mod.

Solinx

i too have never worked with an open-source project, and i was kinda hoping somebody with experience in that is going to join 

That would be usefull, but I still plan on learning a bit on my own

For now, that has been delayed a bit tho A new period has started and I got hit by serious bad luck. Each week a few students have to write a paper and do a presentation about it, I got in for it for the first week...

Solinx

I know a bit about the open-source protection rights, but not enough to argue someone down and take them to court.....

Unlikely anyone currently on the board does, the idea is to prevent that from ever happening by avoiding it.

Solinx

so joe, tell us what you know. i know we probably won't need it, but it would be interesting

The only thing is that the game could make the engine a bit limiting, from what I see. For example, if somebody wants to go and make a futuristic game, it'll be very hard to mod it from this engine. Take in account that this is what I think, since I don't know absolutely anything from modding.

Yes, the game could be seen as a limiting basis, but only if you decide to use the game as a starting point.

Our goals is to make the engine another possible starting point, offering a very flexible basis for any RTS game, futuristic or classic.

Solinx

indeed, we're going to make the engine as flexible as possible, with no hard-coded game content

You raise a good point, Javie. Personally, I think that Open War could have a setting with a lot of magic, and maybe a bit of technology. Darvin has posted a lot of futuristic ideas (attached buildings, build plots) that, unless consistent, require a vast difference in the factions and their respective magics. If it had a lot of magic, it would have a lot of particle effects, which would require projectile physics to a small degree. If units like Golems are present, than busy idle animations could be implemented. All of these things would benefit somebody who wanted to make a Sci-Fi game. I don't know what Darvin thinks (he seems to be the Story Lord), but this is just an idea that I have.

As for GNU/GPL, it should cover things for most of the legal stuff. You could download a very well done open source project (www.wesnoth.org for one, or www.glest.org for an example of an RTS) to see what the license is all about. I would highly recommend that you know it WELL before you use it, as code jacking would be an unpleasant end to Open War.

don't forget that OpenWar (the engine) and the Game are 2 different projects. OpenWar will always be designed with flexibility in mind

I'm certain we'll implement a jet aircraft at some point just to show that it can be done effectively and without bugs in the engine.

that'd be a nice easter egg

That would be pretty interesting, a jet fighter. I still don't know a lot about the setting, but I would assume that you would have flying units for each faction, then, or at least one, be it a summonable dragon or something else, I don't know.

we weren't think of any at the moment...why would we need them?

Let's face it, dragons are cool.  At least as a campaign only thing, they have to get in.  I don't want to see prolific flying units, however.

Neither do I. At the least, I think they should be rare units like in BFME2 (but not paper thin units).

As I see it, a flying unit that's really flying high is untouchable; arrows just can't reach it.  However, the flying unit in turn is too far away to attack back as well.  Most flying units have to swoop down, and that's where they render themselves vulnerable; to arrows, magic, and even to long-reached infantry like spearmen.

it depends. i think archers with a long range should be able to shoot those high-flying units. accuracy is another case, though

It's important not to overestimate the power of a bow, long bow or not. They would have to have some sort of magical property to reach a target of the likes of which Darvin describes. Think an Eagle soaring very high in the sky; that is, to the point where it is a speck (which is possible). No, an unenchanted long bow could NOT reach that, or hit it accurately, even a Dragon.

no, archers would not be able to hit them. but would the units fly that high?

1. it's impractical to draw a flying unit really high. the players won't see them
2. it would take too long to fly down, hit some units and fly up again

The first is a technical problem concerning recreation of the reality.
The second point depends on the units properties, weapons, tactics, etc. As long as they can use the advantage of height, they would.

Solinx

You could animate a shadow instead of the unit itself.  Now THAT would be ominous.

Diving would be relatively quick, making for surprise and speedy attackings, but climbing would take time, meaning that you'd have to be certain you can get away with it.  I think flying units as high end heroes would be acceptable.

Would it be better if they were "gunships" (Nazgul and Eagles from BFME2, a.k.a units who floated basically and then swooped into combat) or "fighters" (much more realistic, get in there, attack, and go units)? Gunships are better RTS units, but Fighters (for lack of better terminology) are more realistic.

We need to be able to support it all; remember, this is supposed to be something easily accessible for other purposes.

much more realistic, get in there, attack, and go units

i don't really understand. could you explain that some more

and of course, what darvin says

Basically we need to support a BFME styled Nazgul/Eagle flyer, a warcraft styled flyer which just hoovers in place, and a jetfighter styled flyer that must keep moving at all times and if he stops needs to start flying in circles.

i've never played warcraft. what does a flyer do there?

Essentially, they work exactly like ground units except they fly over buildings, units, trees, water, cliffs, etc.  With few exceptions they never land and simply attack by hoovering in place and spitting out projectiles.  They don't need to accelerate or continue moving, and can simply hoover in one spot indefinitely.

It will be good that units can use or "ride" (because the demo will be a bit medieval for my taste) vehicles, also that these vehicles have some kind of fuel or energy (energy in the case of an animal, etc. So you'll gotta wait 'till they have more to continue, if its fuel, then your unit will have to push it up to the base, where it can reload it on a depot, tha "gas-station"-).. Remeber that Gameplay is almost ALL in a game.

realism is ok, but sometimes you have to scrap some realism to improve gameplay

hope that AT LAST I can make it by myself... And that it won't be too hard.