Glest forks to join forces?

[ChupaReaper]

Well I can't wait for the merge! I've always favoured GAE for all its features; effects, emanations, transports, multi-build, new normal mapping, subfactions, there's a long list! I've never bothered much with MegaGlest, mainly because I prefer to mod more than play and GAE has all the features I need for my complex project but I've always wished GAE was as stable as MG and most importantly that its multiplayer was. I haven't really been able to play my project with people I know over the net or LAN because it was far too problematic. Also there's a few features MG has that I've wanted to see in GAE, the latest one I noticed was cliffs in maps. Overall I see GAE as the feature powerhouse and MG as the stable player-ready.
Anyway, I know this topic is around 4 days old but I wanted to put my say and wish this merge the best, also I think it's best that it is a full merge, any sign of separation could split it back in two again, plus with everyone working on the same thing, we should get something pretty damn awesome!
How it's all done should be left to the coders because it's there code so they know best, so long as the major features are there, me and my project are happy .

[ultifd]

We had a nice 3 hour discussion today. 

[Ishmaru]

Missed it. Wish I could have been there to be a part of it, or at least see the discussion.

[Psychedelic_hands]

We had a nice 3 hour discussion today. 

So what's the outcomes of this discussion? and what still needs to be worked out?
I've tried to keep up with the mailing list though. If anyone wants to see it, it's here http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=AANLkTi%3DWn%2BffNTYy3hheOw83AgcL%2BJ54ZzEb_qjxGr0b%40mail.gmail.com&forum_name=glestae-devel

[softcoder]

Ok just a quick update to let people know what is going on. The GAE and Megaglest teams got together and discussed future plans for 3 hours on Friday. Overall it went very well and things look good. Here is the proposed timeline / schedule:

#1 Both teams finish up their current work and get the code as stable as possible by end of March and release a final version of GAE and MG.

#2. By mid April we will begin work on merging the code into a new project (name yet unknown, please send us your ideas).

#3. our plan is to take the best parts from both projects and make something that everyone can enjoy.

That is the quick summary for now.

[Sylexus]

will the source be publicly available for this project?

This is all really good news.

[John.d.h]

will the source be publicly available for this project?

Yes, all the Glest forks are licensed under the GNU General Public License.

[MirceaKitsune]

This is some good news! I was hoping for a continue of original Glest off GAE, but this is awesome as well. I'm very curious to see how it will all go

Also glad to hear that the Megapack factions will stay separate (or an installer without them will be available). I don't like them as much personally, and it's good to have them separate for such preferences too, if I'm correct.

I hope all of the features from GAE will be kept (MG as well). Such as the selectable colors for factions at game creation menu, movable HUD panels, selectable resources, and so on.

Also, will the Megapack stay on the same faction tree as magitech? It seems to be that way in MegaGlest. IMO, I think it would be good if magitech and megapack were two separate faction trees, so they would both be separate game types and styles, and each server / player could choose them easily and separate them.

[ElimiNator]

MG already has selectable resources.

Also If you want only tech and magic use them only, I like to play tech vs Egypt, and having tech and magic in two tech-trees will take too much space.

[MirceaKitsune]

MG already has selectable resources.

Also If you want only tech and magic use them only, I like to play tech vs Egypt, and having tech and magic in two tech-trees will take too much space.

Oh, that's good. I remember trying to click resources last night, and it didn't work. Probably missed something then. But I know it was doable in GAE as well.

As for using only Tech and Magic, sure. I just find it easier if they're a separate tech tree personally. One reason is that, factions are selected at random by default, so this can make it slightly harder to organize. Another is that, if you want to connect to a server that uses only the classic factions, it's easier to find such if they're the separate magitech tree.

But it's true this causes a new problem. You can't have a game with both magitech units and megapack units at the same time if they're separate. Unless magitech would be duplicated in both trees, which would be rather unnecessary. So this would prolly need more thought if anything.

[John.d.h]

You could actually have them in a separate tech tree without having to duplicate anything but the XML files.  Just do a search-and-replace for all the file paths and you're good to go.

[ultifd]

I think clickable resources are not in 3.4.0, but they are in SVN HEAD (development version...).

[MirceaKitsune]

I think clickable resources are not in 3.4.0, but they are in SVN HEAD (development version...).

That's correct, just tried that earlier. I like the ones in MG more than the ones in GAE, and they're less buggy here

[Omega]

I like the ones in MG more than the ones in GAE, and they're less buggy here

Hmm, what's the difference? And how are the GAE ones buggy?

[MJR]

As one who only plays the AI I think that MegaGlest 3.40 AI  is much harder to beat that Advance Glest AI. So I hope that the AI in MegaGlest 3.40 wont be hurt by this merger.

[Gabbe]

As one who only plays the AI I think that MegaGlest 3.40 AI  is much harder to beat that Advance Glest AI. So I hope that the AI in MegaGlest 3.40 wont be hurt by this merger.

I myself think the AI for MG and GAE are..almost equal, but i must say, i think that after the merge there will be GAE AI because GAE is more "Hardcoded". Correct me if im wrong, but i have always had the impression that if merged, then there is MG to be implemented into GAE and not GAE onto MG.

[MJR]

If this is true then I wont be using the merge version I will stick with MegaGlest 3.40. With two sided attack for the AI and setting of the multiplier for each faction is much harder than Glest Advance Engine. So good luck with the merger but I will be bowing out of any new versions after the merger.

[Zoythrus]

they will probably keep the ability to make the AI as hard or as easy as you'd like. MG did right there.

@Gabbe: yes, i see the merge as a MG -> GAE, but keep in mind that MG beats GAE in some areas too.

@MJR: dont leave after the merge, because the merge is going to be much better than either of the forks alone.

[MirceaKitsune]

I like the ones in MG more than the ones in GAE, and they're less buggy here

Hmm, what's the difference? And how are the GAE ones buggy?

Selectable resources in GAE flickered when dragging a selection box around them, last time I checked. Whereas the ones in MG must be clicked on to select them. I also like the ones in MG more because their selection ring is blue rather than green, which I find better to separate them from units from the first 'impulse' if you click too quickly around

[Zoythrus]

i remember the ring being orange.....hmmmmmm.....

[silnarm]

Re Selection Circles: Indeed zoy is correct, in GAE it is green for your units, blue for allies, red for enemies, and orange for resources...

Re AI: The AI in MG has been worked on much more than in GAE. In any case you all seem to be missing the point... we are merging code, taking the best of both, we are not abandoning one code base in favour of the other.

[softcoder]

+1 agree with Silnarm

[Omega]

You only play single player MJR, but prefer MegaGlest? Then the merger will be a dream come true for you. Imagine a game of Glest where you can play against a MG style AI (albeit, I cannot claim to notice a difference between the MG and GAE AI's myself. They're both pitfully weak ) with GAE's enhanced tactics, courtesy of subfactions (and an AI that supports them ), emanations, effects, pets, etc... All those things can enhance gameplay. And for fun, let's throw in some stable multiplayer.

[ultifd]

Yes, the AI is a bit more improved in MG...that's why Ultras are now 2x and megas are 3x from 5x, but they are still just as hard (or harder...). But as Silnarm said, this doesn't really matter anymore...hopefully.

[Psychedelic_hands]

If this is true then I wont be using the merge version I will stick with MegaGlest 3.40. With two sided attack for the AI and setting of the multiplier for each faction is much harder than Glest Advance Engine. So good luck with the merger but I will be bowing out of any new versions after the merger.

Man, the Glest 4 will be 100 times better than GAE or MG.
You realize that part of MG will most likey be in Glest 4?

Not to meantion after Glest 4 the A.I will converted to Lua, and the AI will be actually smart and won't just cheat like it does now.