Happy Halloween,
Another brief update for you this evening that I simply had to share. For those of you that follow the twitter account to the right of this blog, you'll have seen a frenzy of excitable activity tonight including some teaser pics.
Well to elaborate on what the fuss is all about, I've finally come across a perfect spaceflight mode that allows you to either drift, or coordinate Galactic and Universal spaceflight with the TARDIS.
In principal, it's a simple mechanism; you either park her into Freeflight or Preset Flight, and then let the TARDIS do the rest.
At this stage, its all experimental; I've spent the past 3 hours drinking tea and tweaking Galactic and Universal equations to make sure the TARDIS drifts in a nice, randomised pattern.
The theory at current is that when the ship leaves a particular Galaxy, it will enter Deep Space, the empty vacuum between star systems.
A Galaxy is made up of a 3 x 3 grid, which will eventually contain the odd planetoid or celestial body, moving objects such as other spacecraft, comets etc, and fixed anaomelies; wormholes, blackholes, rifts etc. Traversing one of these grid sectors takes around 3 minutes at the moment, so each Galaxy from end to end will take approx 9 minutes.
The Universe is made up of a 10 x 10 grid and works similar to the Galaxy system, with each Galaxy dotted around the map for you to pop in and pop out of. Travelling the Universe takes around 6 minutes per sector at the moment (the timings of travel will gauged and determined in the later stages of development).
Think of this Drift Mode system as an old-school RPG style Worldmap (but with much cooler places to visit; the Mutters Spiral, the Magellanic Clouds, ...Kasterborus?)
As for being able to land on other planets, interacting with other creatures, the answer at the moment is; no.
I haven't fathomed a way for a random planet generator to work in the game engine, as there would be far too many variables, but will look into something equally randomisable that ensures you have plenty of replayability.
If you haven't already, follow the mod over at twitter (@falloutwho), and by all means, get replying below!
Its your interest that drives Spyduck and I to carry on with this!
D
N.b. (1/11/13)
Space travel is not a visualised interaction. That is to say, you can't see the planets sweeping by, and the Galaxies twirling. As pointed out by one eagle eyed follower, this would undertake a LOT of work for just two people. Instead, think of it being visualised on a grid screen on the TARDIS scanner, indicating your current Galactic/Universal coordinates. The interaction between vessels and objects comes in the form of a proximity alarm system and/or the recently mentioned Comms system. As it's a work in progress, it may morph into something more eye pleasing, but for now, this is where we're at.
17 comments:
Awesome concept, it would be so awesome, but it would be sooooo long to model etc no? You're the devs, you choose depending on how much work it would take, if not too much, I'm saying "go for it", but if it's like something that would take a LOT of time, maybe not that worth the shot.
Ah, I didn't quite explain, see the blog for an addeundum...
Odin's Beard... Wow!
I understood that the space travel will be a grid, but by huge work I meant, if you really want to make all those planets landable, with a small randomizing, it would be a huge work into programming and modeling no? Making all those zone etc
Wow, Demeggy. Just when I think you can't do any more to make the mod better - you go and do. Just...wow. You have my applause and admiration! :)
Hey Experimental, as said in the blog, theres no intention of landable planets at the moment. Agreed, it would be far too much work, even with just the 10 planets currently penned.
Thanks Archer :)
Demeggy (from the office)
So if you don't plan planets, I guess it will at least take part of a quest or something, because, even if cool, there wouldn't be any point in it, can't wait to learn more about that travel option :D
As advised above the intention is for you to interact with the game in a different fashion. At the moment, I'm looking at potential 'Choose your fate' scenarios, where upon discovering a planet, you're presented with a brief adventure synopsis and a particular decision to make, the outcome influencing that planet and your characters outcome. Along with that, you'll have dynamic objects such as alien spacecraft etc to interact with and general exploration of the known universe. It won't be to everyone's cup of tea, but for those that like the idea of just drifting through space hoping to stumble on an old relic or a fleet of Cyber Warships, then this will be the mode for them.
I like to think of it as a sort of 'Faster Than Light' visually dumbed down Who simulation.
Demeggy
He Could Use The Big Empty DlC And Use It For Different Planets
Sure is a great idea Demeggy! An idea could be that you can get trapped by a dalek spaceship or something like that, and that this ship is randomly placed, like a side quest of your mod, for fun. Just a random idea I'm throwing, but would sure make the travel even more fun (especially because and could reuse some already made models etc so it'd be easier to make than making planets)
Soooooo awesome! Sooo very very awesome!
This mod even in it's current release form I found utterly amazing, and when taken with the other New Vegas mods a much more exciting game than really another other game I have ever played. That's not an empty platitude either, but deadpan truth to me. The addition of Galactic and Universal spaceflight with the TARDIS; along with the many other additions mentioned so far... well I'm simply astounded and most gratefully. I may never get Tardis in real life, but at least I can pretend for abit when I step inside yours, and boy' you keep making it more fun lol, and you're older Dr. Who references always make me smile. When you said "'Choose your fate' scenarios, where upon discovering a planet, you're presented with a brief adventure synopsis and a particular decision to make" I actually really really enjoy this idea because it allows a wide breadth of adventures possible on those ten possible planets, and could make the pc feel involved in the greater universe that having a tardis would allow; only thing I wanted more in you Fallout 3 mod, but still there. Perks, or a companion might be cool rewards, measuring you picking things up in your travels. Regardless, I am consistently delighted, and grateful for this mod. Well I'm sorry if I talk to much, but I did not want to say it wrong at the risk of sounding insincere, thanks again anyways.
Ahh, that explains things a little better.
I saw the tweets and thought you were playing Battleships across space-time.
Will it be possible to play Battleships across space-time?
"Hit! You've sank my 14th Century!"
Hey Chris,
Loving the tweets! Here are some planet and location suggestion:
1. Skaro :DDD
2. Space Station Nerva... from the Ark in Space! :)
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Doctor_Who_planets
Keep it up! Happy Doctor Who Month :)
- P
Kris Is It Possible For You To Make A Tardis Demat Option On The Sonic Screwdriver Would Be Cool To See
Cheers Pierry! Get on Skype, need to catchup re; dev...
Demat option Matt? As in, to make it vanish?
Yes To Make It Vanish From Outside The Console With The Sonic
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