The Ur-Quan Masters, a multi-platform opensource port of the 3DO version of Star Control 2, made its first release today. Its a good 140-odd megs and is apparently almost fully playable.
Toys For Bob, the original developers of SC2, are managing the project. These guys are what all software developers should strive towards, in my book.
wrote:The Ur-Quan Masters, a multi-platform opensource port of the 3DO version of Star Control 2,...
Very good news here. I was afraid that this was going to take a couple of years to make. This kind of source-port/release is what every classic deserves, but rarely ever gets.
oOOOOooo! *jubulent excitement* =)
Yes, it’s my fault.
After some quick checking, yes it's an alpha, but looking very good so far. Hearing the MOD music play properly alone is a major step up. Good thing there's an "conversation accelerator" as text doesn't keep up with the digitized voices (after a while this can get a little annoying). [EDIT] Probably the least likable aspect is the console-based save system and it's console based control system. Kind of awkward for those used to the PC version (this is why it took me a while to find the save system).
Still, as alpha's go, this one is king.
Totally concur. I posted a message on their forum about the whole text synch thing. Since nobody really likes sitting and synching text to speech (trust me, I do fansubs) the thought was that you would have a 'distributed subtitling project' where the user would hit a key to mark where the next text should start, and then after they quit that information would be sent to a server where it could be averaged in with all the other users' times.
There are a few graphic anomalies I noticed, such as text overlaying other text and/or being in the wrong place (like with the encounter in the Rigel system), and sprites that sometimes appear...hmm, how to say this?... as 'squares' instead of within the bounds they're supposed to be, like the encounter with the alien on Pluto. I also am hoping that some musicians will step up and make remixes for the other things that weren't remixed by 3DO, since frankly, the 3DO music is fabulous but the MODs are rather crappy (at least, in comparison).
Yes, it’s my fault.
wrote:Since nobody really likes sitting and synching text to speech...
They could take the easy way out and insert a pause (wait for key-press, that is) for each "group" of text and speech.
There are a few graphic anomalies I noticed, such as text overlaying other text and/or being in the wrong place
The most noticeable visual element problem for me is the missing planet image (the rotating planet image when in orbit). My Lander appears to be jumping into a black hole (sometimes with garbage text on the right side).
...hoping that some musicians will step up and make remixes for the other things that weren't remixed by 3DO, since frankly, the 3DO music is fabulous but the MODs are rather crappy (at least, in comparison).
True, didn't realize that I was getting the 3D0 remixes by default. I checked the mods and they're OK, but yeah, the remixes are much better (just glad they didn't go for AdLib FM on the original like everyone else at the time).
Actually, no, they couldn't do it by group, because they'd still have to mark where one sentence ended and the next began, which would defeat the purpose of not timing it.
God help me, this game is sucking up all of my time, and then some. Not to mention I can't harvest from a ton of places because of all the [fire|earthquakes|lightning] and I haven't found any upgrades for my lander yet. Guch.
Yes, it’s my fault.
Ugh. Morals suck.
I'm playing this game, a bunch of crew get killed when I'm on the planet, I think "that's okay, the resources I collected will more than make up for them" but then I think "but those are people. what about their families?" and... wow.
I am in need for some weed (or something).
Mindless non-sensical violence doesn't bug me, for whatever reason (usually because I'm the Good Guy and am killing Bad Guys/Aliens/Thingies) but, y'know, geeeeeze!
Yes, it’s my fault.
wrote:...a bunch of crew get killed when I'm on the planet, I think "that's okay, the resources I collected will more than make up for them" but then I think "but those are people. what about their families?" and... wow.
It is rather annoying isn't it. The "people" on the shuttle are treated as "disposable commodities". It wouldn't be so annoying if you weren't almost guaranteed death EVERY time you go hunting for resources. I can understand risk, but whiff! A better idea would be to make it an unmanned (robotic) vessel and change the counter from a "crew" number to a "shield" number (IE: run out of shielding, BOOM).
It would indeed be unethical in reality, because nobody in their right mind would send people out to harvest minerals knowing that some would die every time they were sent.
FWIW, apparently the key to upgrading the harvesting ships is contacting the Melnorme Traders. They can be found near any supergiant star. The word-of-warning for these critters is their greediness. Just ask one why the room he's in has turned purple to find out how bad they are about it.
I know. I've finally managed to get the technology upgrades for the landers after a bunch of other useless (to me, anyway) technologies. After only finding bio data, and then finding a rainbow planet, I was rather pleased to learn they give 500 credits for information on each of the rainbow planets.
My thought was to use "drones" or "bots" instead of "crew". But then, eh, I dunno, I guess that would kinda break other things -- like, for example, why would you have drones or bots controlling the flagship? I suppose it makes some sense, but I still don't like it.
Yes, it’s my fault.
Just a reminder to the 3DO-fans to be keeping an eye on this:
http://www.freedo.org/
"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen
Stiletto
Just let me know when it's actually working. I have a few 3D0 CD's to test with it (including "Star Control II").
Just a little note. If you look into their forums you'll see a new game executable that someone compiled for Win32. It fixes the O'scope for voices, the missing planets when in orbit, and a Spathi problem as well.
Of course, it's completely unofficial (and causes new problems as well), but still...very nice.
The console interface is starting to grow on me. I don't like the way I can't name game saves, but I like the way it reads out all your stats when you highlight a game save position.
Which interface is that? and, linkie, linkie!
Yes, it’s my fault.
Originally posted by Snover Which interface is that?
Heh. The one you use throughout the game. Everything is done by "joystick", so you can't give names to your save positions, etc,...
BTW, I forgot to mention that the planets "swoop" onto the screen, unlike the PC version where they just appear. A nice touch.
... linkie, linkie!
*grumble* You could just check their forums, but here it is (for the moment):
EDIT: Oops. Let's try that again:
EDIT2: Ok. They no likey linkie.
Just go their forums and search for "alpha patch"
http://uqm.stack.nl/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl
Really?
test:http://uqm.stack.nl/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?boar … 9541182;start=0
Hey, it's Vbulletin's fault in parsing it. Even if you use the url, /url tags. VBulletin breaks it in the middle of start=0 by adding a BR html tag.
It should be: uqm.stack.nl/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Gendiscuss;action=display;num=1039541182;start=0
And then read the full thread.
"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen
Stiletto
Um, or you could link like
[url=http://uqm.stack.nl/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Gendiscuss;action=display;num=1039541182;start=0]this[/url]
. Ineffective, but it works. Uh, kinda. How is such a mature version of vBulletin still so buggy?!!
[EDIT] Now it works. Colin put a space in the URL betweeen YaBB.pl? and board=... (Stiletto)
[EDIT AGAIN] Nope. VBulletin did that, too. *sigh* 🙁 (Stiletto)
Yes, it’s my fault.
Bump because 0.2 is out. Same URL. Huge change log available there.