Build a new game like LOCO

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

There are a lot of problems in LOCO,
for example, there is no automatic system to refresh the old trains with new ones.
also, it is very hard to manage the lines after there are more 100 or even 1000 lines in the map.
and etc.
since the development of LOCO is stopped, so i am thinking to make a new engine by ourselves.
or if with enough developers, we can even make the graphics and musics ourselves.

if you are interested in this program, please contact me and tell me what you can do. Even if you can't write code or draw graphics, you are also welcomed if you can give some useful advises!

my e-mail is REMOVED
later, i will post the whole plan.

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

some more descriptions:

My goal is to build an ideal transport game for myself, and also , for you guys.
Most attentions will be paid on the schedule systems and other interesting systems. Make the game more interesting to play.
Less attentions will be paid on the graphics and sounds. As a matter of fact, LOCO's graphics have already satisfied me. : )

Of course, this game will be open source. : )

maquinista · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:15 am

Maybe, You can try to start from current OpenTTD code, It would be easier than starting from zero, but the game must be licensed as GPL (free license).

For example, You can start adding a map array based on Locomotion 3D space.

Illegal_Alien · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:11 am

And your role in this masterplan is?

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

Illegal_Alien wrote:

And your role in this masterplan is?

I will be the core programmer, who is going to design the engine.
I am good at C, C#, basic at C++, though i have never learned DirectX Programming and other stuffs, but i think it is not hard to write a 2D engine myself.
I have some skills in design algorithms.
About the algorithms which control the trains and buses, i will look at the engine of OpenTTD and other source code to find out a good solutions.

I think only one programmer is not enough, so any programmer who has some skills in C, C++, C# will be welcomed, especially who have experience in design engines. ( which language will be chosen is not decided, i think C# is good at rapidly development, though it is some how slower than C/C++, it is quick enough because the CPU of nowadays are fast. The only problem is that C# programs may not run under LINUX/UNIX systems.)

Also, artists are badly needed, and suggestions about the game are important.

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

maquinista wrote:

Maybe, You can try to start from current OpenTTD code, It would be easier than starting from zero, but the game must be licensed as GPL (free license).

For example, You can start adding a map array based on Locomotion 3D space.

Thank you for your advise.
Yes ,i will have a look at the OpenTTD code, but i will not totally use them, because if something i want to do is different from the OpenTTD, it is quite hard to change.

planetmaker · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:45 am

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

maquinista wrote:

Maybe, You can try to start from current OpenTTD code, It would be easier than starting from zero, but the game must be licensed as GPL (free license).

For example, You can start adding a map array based on Locomotion 3D space.

Thank you for your advise.
Yes ,i will have a look at the OpenTTD code, but i will not totally use them, because if something i want to do is different from the OpenTTD, it is quite hard to change.

What makes you think a complete re-write from scratch is easier? :-)

Instead of starting yet another game, I'd suggest you take a look at the existing ones (e.g. besides OpenTTD, there's also the Transport Empire, see the section below, which is a 3D game, there's Simutrans, there's certainly others), and try aid development of one of them :-)

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

planetmaker wrote:

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

maquinista wrote:

Maybe, You can try to start from current OpenTTD code, It would be easier than starting from zero, but the game must be licensed as GPL (free license).

For example, You can start adding a map array based on Locomotion 3D space.

Thank you for your advise.
Yes ,i will have a look at the OpenTTD code, but i will not totally use them, because if something i want to do is different from the OpenTTD, it is quite hard to change.

What makes you think a complete re-write from scratch is easier? :-)

Instead of starting yet another game, I'd suggest you take a look at the existing ones (e.g. besides OpenTTD, there's also the Transport Empire, see the section below, which is a 3D game, there's Simutrans, there's certainly others), and try aid development of one of them :-)

I have seen the Transport Empire, but there are not a lot of documents to let me know their progress, thus i can't know quite much about it.

Of course, i know it is much difficult to make a new game than on the base of the OpenTTD, but,
first, i think if i change some core part of the OpenTTD code, there may be a lot bugs, it will take much more times to fix them, and also , will be a lot of compatibility problems.
second, i think it is kind of joy to build a new game myself. I don't know about other people, but coding is really a kind of fun to myself. : )

lawton27 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:10 pm

This seems like a reasonable project, weather or not it will go anywhere I don't know, but I would like to offer my assistance if needed. I would be most comfortable with C# since I have the most experience writing in that but I'll try my hand at some C or C++ if you need some help.

I'm often always

very busy with real life things but if you get a system sorted out drop me a pm and I'd happily have a go at a few classes for you. (If I have time :lol:

)

maquinista · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:15 pm

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

maquinista wrote:

Maybe, You can try to start from current OpenTTD code, It would be easier than starting from zero, but the game must be licensed as GPL (free license).

For example, You can start adding a map array based on Locomotion 3D space.

Thank you for your advise.
Yes ,i will have a look at the OpenTTD code, but i will not totally use them, because if something i want to do is different from the OpenTTD, it is quite hard to change.

It's more difficult to create a new game from scratch than adapt a very similar game.

Convert to 3D the OpenTTD map array.
Modify the screen rendering system to render the "voxels" from low to top.
Add a sprite loader for DAT files (first, ladscape DAT files).
Modify the tracks and roads to allow the curved pieces.
Modify the code for the vehicle movement, usage of inertia, track reservations, collisions...
Modify the bridge and tunnel code.
New code for landscape management.
Code for rendering all of the vehicle positions.
Add the code for the running sound (based on modifications of the frequency.

Maybe it could be long, but If You want to program a Locomotion from scratch, You must code the same things, and these other things:

GUI code.
Network code
A full screen rendering system.
Add code to manage the city, industries, objects, trees...
Code for manage the cargos.
Code for sounds....
Code to manage train consists.

Another advantage, is that your work will be visible from the first week. This makes your project more attractive for other developers.

The only prize is that the code must remain as GPL.

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

first, i think if i change some core part of the OpenTTD code, there may be a lot bugs, it will take much more times to fix them, and also , will be a lot of compatibility problems.
second, i think it is kind of joy to build a new game myself. I don't know about other people, but coding is really a kind of fun to myself. : )

Ok, but You must know that It will take some time until You see the first results.

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

lawton27 wrote:

This seems like a reasonable project, weather or not it will go anywhere I don't know, but I would like to offer my assistance if needed. I would be most comfortable with C# since I have the most experience writing in that but I'll try my hand at some C or C++ if you need some help.

I'm often always

very busy with real life things but if you get a system sorted out drop me a pm and I'd happily have a go at a few classes for you. (If I have time :lol:

)

thank you lawton, i will first figure out what we will do in the first phase, and then i will pm u : )

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

maquinista wrote:

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

maquinista wrote:

Maybe, You can try to start from current OpenTTD code, It would be easier than starting from zero, but the game must be licensed as GPL (free license).

For example, You can start adding a map array based on Locomotion 3D space.

Thank you for your advise.
Yes ,i will have a look at the OpenTTD code, but i will not totally use them, because if something i want to do is different from the OpenTTD, it is quite hard to change.

It's more difficult to create a new game from scratch than adapt a very similar game.

Convert to 3D the OpenTTD map array.
Modify the screen rendering system to render the "voxels" from low to top.
Add a sprite loader for DAT files (first, ladscape DAT files).
Modify the tracks and roads to allow the curved pieces.
Modify the code for the vehicle movement, usage of inertia, track reservations, collisions...
Modify the bridge and tunnel code.
New code for landscape management.
Code for rendering all of the vehicle positions.
Add the code for the running sound (based on modifications of the frequency.

Maybe it could be long, but If You want to program a Locomotion from scratch, You must code the same things, and these other things:

GUI code.
Network code
A full screen rendering system.
Add code to manage the city, industries, objects, trees...
Code for manage the cargos.
Code for sounds....
Code to manage train consists.

Another advantage, is that your work will be visible from the first week. This makes your project more attractive for other developers.

The only prize is that the code must remain as GPL.

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

first, i think if i change some core part of the OpenTTD code, there may be a lot bugs, it will take much more times to fix them, and also , will be a lot of compatibility problems.
second, i think it is kind of joy to build a new game myself. I don't know about other people, but coding is really a kind of fun to myself. : )

Ok, but You must know that It will take some time until You see the first results.

Thank you maquinista, I know there will be a lot of work to do, and it need extremely patient to make a game from scratch, your advise are very reasonable, i will look the OpenTTD code first and think over, then make a decision on wether to develop on top of the OpenTTD or from a scratch. : )

Illegal_Alien · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:47 pm

Ok well, if this project starts to roll, you can always consult me. (And maybe i will look at how to modify the current mods for Locomotion made by me to this new game.)

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

Illegal_Alien wrote:

Ok well, if this project starts to roll, you can always consult me. (And maybe i will look at how to modify the current mods for Locomotion made by me to this new game.)

Thank you so much!

Illegal_Alien · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:24 pm

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

Illegal_Alien wrote:

Ok well, if this project starts to roll, you can always consult me. (And maybe i will look at how to modify the current mods for Locomotion made by me to this new game.)

Thank you so much!

On a side note; how serious are you? For some reason i getting a bit skeptical about this. Please prove me wrong.

yizhenfei1991 · **Joined:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:56 pm **Posts:** 9

Illegal_Alien wrote:

yizhenfei1991 wrote:

Illegal_Alien wrote:

Ok well, if this project starts to roll, you can always consult me. (And maybe i will look at how to modify the current mods for Locomotion made by me to this new game.)

Thank you so much!

On a side note; how serious are you? For some reason i getting a bit skeptical about this. Please prove me wrong.

I am now developing a new algorithm for the transport of passengers, i will post the result if i succeed

cprailes44ac · **Posted:** Thu Nov 10, 2011 4:51 pm

You said in a previous post that you wanted suggestions. Well, I know a lot of people were bugged by people constantly asking "How do you make the trains so long?", so if this project makes enough headway, I'd suggest support for longer trains. Just my two bits

Zimmlock · **Posted:** Sat Nov 12, 2011 8:49 am

I have send you a pm with a small list of sugestions, allso if you need a artist for GUI parts or what ever as long as it are not vehicles, and or new sounds pm me.
Atm i am verry bussy with a secret, time consuming something for the game, but i dont think you need drawings right now, developement of a "new" game ll consume all your time :wink:

Transport Tycoon Forums

Build a new game like LOCO

Who is online