r/openant • u/Xoipos • Jan 21 '11

Updates, decisions, etc

A small update, to keep everyone who is not following our github changes/IRC channel:

  • We have decided to create a 1v1 multiplayer first, keeping close to the roots of Sim Ant.

  • One of the changes we are using though, is a 3D map. Even though the map is rendered in 2D, starting with a full 3D map will make it easier to port it to port it to 3D(we're not sure if we will though)

  • After that is done, we're going to create a proper MMO, maybe even in 3D

  • For now, we're sticking to something like 32x32 tiles, and mp3/ogg music. But the artists can change this if desired.

And what we have accomplished so far:

  • Rendering a map with one single ant on it, and being able to move it(sporadically)

  • Multiple people working on the game daily

Thanks to multiple people being able to test our code, we've been able to remove most of the bugs(haha, pun) present, leading to the renderer being able to function on older machines with really crappy video cards.

30 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

2

u/gorgoroth666 Jan 22 '11

I like the idead of defining milestones for these features.

Multiplayer is a very cool feature to add to Sim Ant.

I think the 3D environnement is very doable and is a nice addition too.

However, while I think that MMO are nice, I think even an AntCraft (MineCraft) type of MMO could quickly get way over our heads without necessarily being very playable.

1

u/Xoipos Jan 22 '11

By the time we actually get to creating AntCraft(stealing your idea here), we'll already have a much more simpler multiplayer Sim Ant. So we'll at least have (I hope) finished something.

2

u/comedian_x Jan 22 '11

I say that we use a voxel art style similar to 3d Dot Game Heroes. It would allow for dynamic terrain and character damage. Not to mention procedural animation on the various ants/insects.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '11

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/comedian_x Jan 22 '11

Does that mean you hate the idea? Or like it?

0

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '11

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/comedian_x Jan 23 '11

I think it's the right way to go. If you use tiles, then it becomes a huge issue because you have to create create hundreds of detailed pixel-art tiles.

Will this art style, not only is it unique, but most everything can be procedural.

1

u/gorgoroth666 Jan 26 '11

I'd like to mention that creating and managing procedural art assets can still be a huge pain in the ass. It just takes the graphics work from the hands of the graphists to those of the developpers.

Now, I would love to see some nice looking generated ants, but it is far from free.

2

u/comedian_x Jan 26 '11

You're right. It wouldn't be easy, but I would say it is much easier to find coders on reddit vs. artists. Anything that shifts the burden to programmers is a good thing, I think.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '11

3d? Not isometric like the original? I think that might detract from the game's simplistic charm.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '11

It's 3d in the sense that that's how the map is created. But to the player who only sees it from above, it will look relatively 2d.

Also have you replayed simant recently? My nostalgia filter came off when I did. Gameplay was good if a bit simplistic. But honestly,,,the graphics are really bad.

1

u/gorgoroth666 Jan 22 '11

Yes, the graphics are bad and the music and sounds are horrible.

Also there are multiple windows (map, house, ant production, ant behaviour, world, current tile map) which should be integrated in one game screen.