Venus RTS released
Author
Venus website: http://dfetter.no-ip.org/?s=2.
I've finally finished my game after a lot of hard work. I hope you'll try it and leave comments. The page above has the info, download link, and screenshots. Or you can use these links:
installer
screenshot
Venus is a futuristic 3D single player RTS unlike any other game. It is intended for expert RTS players and requires a lot of skill to advance to high levels. You will need good strategic sense, good economic management, multi-tasking ability, as well as FPS-style skills for bot-to-bot combat. And on top of all that, you'll have to manage your bot technology levels to keep up with the enemy's improving technology.
It was written in C++ and DirectX, with over 11,000 lines of code. It was made to demonstrate my programming ability to employers as I look for a game programming job.
[Edited by - proteal on July 7, 2005 1:32:57 PM]
Author
Quote:Original post by ursus
eh, chrashed here :(
but the screenshots look really good!
What happened? Do you have DirectX 9.0c and latest video card drivers? What's your video card?
Worked fine here (tested with both G4Ti4800SE and R9700Pro) ;-)
I just thought I should response, since none, other than proteal, has reported that the game actually works :-P
I just thought I should response, since none, other than proteal, has reported that the game actually works :-P
honestly man, i want to start by congratulating you for a playable game. its further than most people accomplish.
as a critique. the "harvesters" should be automated once you assign them.
the bots should have an automatic attack when an enemy comes in range.
with any rts the computer opponent will have an inherent advantage over the human player, because the interface is automatic for the computer.
the largest issue with your game is that the challenge is not in the game but in navigating the interface as quickly as the computer can.
minimize this by giving both the player and computer pieces some default behaviour. this will allow the player to function at a minimum competency automatically, and free him up to actually play the game instead of constantly fighting your interface.
as for the interface itself. consider using the more conventional rts method of selecting and moving units. it took a few games to figure out how to select the pieces.
as a critique. the "harvesters" should be automated once you assign them.
the bots should have an automatic attack when an enemy comes in range.
with any rts the computer opponent will have an inherent advantage over the human player, because the interface is automatic for the computer.
the largest issue with your game is that the challenge is not in the game but in navigating the interface as quickly as the computer can.
minimize this by giving both the player and computer pieces some default behaviour. this will allow the player to function at a minimum competency automatically, and free him up to actually play the game instead of constantly fighting your interface.
as for the interface itself. consider using the more conventional rts method of selecting and moving units. it took a few games to figure out how to select the pieces.
Author
Thank you very much for the feedback. I understand your perspective and know those elements are going to turn some players away. To summarize my reasoning for it, the game is intended to challenge expert RTS players. In more detail:
1) Harvesters (drones): I wanted to have the challenge of managing a map full of units that all require attention at the same time, both in economy and combat. That's one thing that exists in classic RTSs like StarCraft and Age of Empires (on a different scale) that made those games very skillful and fun. After time, it should become less frustrating after you've developed that skill.
One important thing to know is that if you build a power base right next to a generator, the generator discharges on it automatically, meaning you won't need to manage a drone at all. Thus, the drone management is most time-consuming at the beginning of the game when there is less combat, while getting simpler as the game progresses and you get more power bases (built beside generators hopefully) and more involved in combat.
2) Manual attacking: I didn't want automatic attacking in this game because I wanted combat to be skillful, like how combat in FPSs is skillful. If attacks were automatic, that would remove the skill in aiming weapons, timing, and choosing among targets.
3) Interface, selecting: My intention with this design was to make it faster to switch between and command units on different parts of the map (as required by the economy/combat). It succeeds at this, but I agree it is more cumbersome for switching between units in the same screen, and the challenge should not come from the interface. However, having spent a lot of time with it, I am able to command units very quickly and smoothly and am not challenged by it.
Of course, I can't match the computer's speed, but I can overcome it with strategy.
So that's the reasoning for my design. If those things get in the way of fun for you, I understand and respect that. I will think about how to make it more player-friendly while keeping the skill requirement, which is essential to me.
1) Harvesters (drones): I wanted to have the challenge of managing a map full of units that all require attention at the same time, both in economy and combat. That's one thing that exists in classic RTSs like StarCraft and Age of Empires (on a different scale) that made those games very skillful and fun. After time, it should become less frustrating after you've developed that skill.
One important thing to know is that if you build a power base right next to a generator, the generator discharges on it automatically, meaning you won't need to manage a drone at all. Thus, the drone management is most time-consuming at the beginning of the game when there is less combat, while getting simpler as the game progresses and you get more power bases (built beside generators hopefully) and more involved in combat.
2) Manual attacking: I didn't want automatic attacking in this game because I wanted combat to be skillful, like how combat in FPSs is skillful. If attacks were automatic, that would remove the skill in aiming weapons, timing, and choosing among targets.
3) Interface, selecting: My intention with this design was to make it faster to switch between and command units on different parts of the map (as required by the economy/combat). It succeeds at this, but I agree it is more cumbersome for switching between units in the same screen, and the challenge should not come from the interface. However, having spent a lot of time with it, I am able to command units very quickly and smoothly and am not challenged by it.
Of course, I can't match the computer's speed, but I can overcome it with strategy.
So that's the reasoning for my design. If those things get in the way of fun for you, I understand and respect that. I will think about how to make it more player-friendly while keeping the skill requirement, which is essential to me.
This topic is closed to new replies.
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