how are distances worked out?

[will]

The map and tilesets are essentially 2D.

But is the actual logic underneath that works out placement and such based on alignment on this grid?  And is unit movement based on this grid?  Can more than one unit occupy a tile and such?

(Sorry that it is so much easier to just ask than to try and read the code for such a high-level strategic question)

[Omega]

Unit movement is indeed based on this grid. Units are arranged to fit the cells perfectly, and it's not possible, to, say fill half a cell. Likewise, only one unit can occupy a single cell.

[will]

thank you for a concise answer

Spherical worlds are a nice thought-experiment: http://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/6878/rts-on-a-3d-map-e-g-a-globe

[Omega]

Interesting... Abet, I wouldn't consider a literal sphere necessary, though the implication of a spear, by having the world "wrap" around, can be very cool. By that, I mean, if you walk off the left of the map, you'd appear on the right, a la RPG.

[will]

risky how these thought experiments cascade into wasted time



I was thinking about hexagonal cells, but rather in the end would favour a free placement thing but with a auto-align to adjacent buildings rather like powerpoint

[will]

Hmm, I really want to make my Glestesque planet-based RTS; there's some prototyping code sitting at https://github.com/williame/GlestTools/tree/master/icoplay

I've simply split the globe into meshes - patches they are often called in the trade - shown here randomly colour coded on a randomly-noisy planet:



Using normals for the patches its trivial to cull those that don't need to be drawn.

Where is this going?  I think there's some interesting coding problems:

• Nice terraforming - I'd want a pretty bright pristine world rather than the Glest rain mood, and that in fact suits vertex colouring as much as texturing
• Bump mapping - before colour texturing in fact
• Terraforming live to place buildings
• Path finding on a mesh world rather than a conventional board
• Ballistics
• I generally like wall building and nice integration for that part of things
• ...

[Gabbe]

Your awesome will!  does this mean that maps will be made in 3D? [extacy] 11 is starting niice!

[will]

Yes, in this new - and not yet written - engine you'd be able to play on a map made from arbitrary shapes and things.  Even multiple disjoint things like ... a solar system.

Because the basic positioning of things are not based on a 'grid'.

And this is a very fundamental thing that goes to the core of the engine.

But the early worlds to play on would usually be procedurally-generated globes - so not much need for map making, you'd be able to ask the game engine to randomly generate a map for every game.

Fairly early in this unimplemented engine's development, you'd be able to import any 3D model and use it as a map - so if you want to have a battle on a 3D model of a Volvo you could.

[Zoythrus]

Fairly early in this unimplemented engine's development, you'd be able to import any 3D model and use it as a map - so if you want to have a battle on a 3D model of a Volvo you could.

i might just have to do that! it sounds interesting!

[Gabbe]

Yes now the excitement starts! *dling ferrari 3d model and prepares to battle on it and build castles..*

[the warlord of the reich]

err, i got one thing to say right here, i hate grid based games.

nothing else worthy enough i could actually say here, goodbye!!!

[Psychedelic_hands]

err, i got one thing to say right here, i hate grid based games.

So you hate glest?

This sounds pretty cool, I kinda dislike glest's tile system, if we could make them smaller and hexagons, then that would be much better.

[Mr War]

Hi,

I'm an old time C&C modder who's worked with Will on his evils schemes many years past. Glest looks amazing, and the 3D world thing is really taking it to the next level.

How can I go about getting involved in battleset design/modeling etc?

[Gabbe]

err, i got one thing to say right here, i hate grid based games.

nothing else worthy enough i could actually say here, goodbye!!!

glest is already grid based, maybe you haven`t noticed most RTS is. + zoy.

Hir Mr War, welcome to glest!

I would suggest either to join up on a already started faction, start a new glest /mod/faction for yourself or help the developers of the different forks of the glest engine. There are two forks each with their features though they share some of them. It is MegaGlest, wich is mainly the multiplayer engine you want to use for multiplayer, then there is GAE wich offers more modability and have more features. Also, if you do not want to start right off with a whole faction or cooperating in one, you could make a tileset. Tilesets are the objects that are put into the map, wich you could use the map editor to create. I dont know but i belive that there is a map editor coming packaged with MG, im not sure about GAE but im sure you can find the map editor only download in the proper section of the forum.

[will]

Mr War, you have me wondering who you might be?

I have always thought the tech faction would suit having a WWI tank with a single forward-facing canon.  That might be a fun starting point?

[John.d.h]

Sounds interesting, I guess... if a bit strange.  To me, it seems more fitting for a campaign map -- i.e. if there were an overarching storyline of planetary conquest, so individual battles were fought on a regular Glest-style map, while your progress through the territories on the Risk-style map and interactions between nations would be tracked on the globe.  Whether these territories were conquered or "cleared" would depend largely on the type of game being played.  If the campaign was centered around a Magellan-esque explorer and his adventures around the globe, then the player would fight a battle or otherwise complete some scenario in each territory to be able to pass through it toward the campaign objective.  If it were more of a Total War game, then territories would be conquered and held against invaders, rebels, etc., and the player may have to intervene in other disturbances, such as protecting the locals from bandits or monsters.

I was thinking about hexagonal cells, but rather in the end would favour a free placement thing but with a auto-align to adjacent buildings rather like powerpoint

Using polar coordinates instead of a grid, perhaps?

[the warlord of the reich]

atleast very little grid, not a large grid, and i dont hate glest! what an abomnation...

WOW what a name! you have seen the true path! thats a good name. master of war! i hope you keep in its wake, dont forget to leave a corpse trail, glest is a forest where you can get lost, so make sure to keep your path correctly in its own

cheers!!!

[hailstone]

I'm locking this topic since the question has been answered and it's now way off topic.