Future direction of OTTD graphics

mdhowe · Post by **mdhowe** » 29 Nov 2004 01:28

A quick question for the devs:

How do you see the future implementation of new graphics in OTTD?

What I basically want to know is if there is any point in drawing new TTD style graphics? or will the 3d type graphics be implemented only? (if and when they are finished of course)

IMO we should have both and allow a choice, but what do you all plan on doing?

MeusH · Post by **MeusH** » 29 Nov 2004 12:08

Vehicle models and Alltaken's graphics for landscape and routes.

Check those threads:
Alltaken's graphics: http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php? ... &start=160
OpenGL: http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php? ... highlight=

Archonix · Post by **Archonix** » 29 Nov 2004 12:46

I was under the impression that new high res graphics were being developed somewhere along the line, which need not necessarily be "3d-style."

Born Acorn · Post by **Born Acorn** » 29 Nov 2004 13:40

there should be more than one gfx mode.

Then I can choose whether to play in ttd style (requires you owning ttdx to keep it legal) or in alltakens new gfx

Archonix · Post by **Archonix** » 29 Nov 2004 14:27

If that were the case it'd probably require some sort of fiddle to get around missing graphics in one res or the other. Say there's a diesel engine in the ttd-style graphics, but that engine has no image in the new alltaken-style graphics. If it had some sort of basic definition as a "diesel" in its config then the graphic set without the image for it could pull up a generic looking diesel and use that instead. Personally It hink that would solve a lot of the problems people keep bringing up about the different graphics engine ideas.

oboka · Post by **oboka** » 29 Nov 2004 15:41

IMO, OTTD should have some kind of "server", an engine that runs all the game, separated from the user inteface. This way the same game could have different "skins", or interfaces to play. This way people wanting to keep the old graphics could still have the old interface, and people, wanting to advance forward, still would have an option. In addition, other devices than PC, could be enabled to play the game (celular phones, pda, playstations, etc...).

Obviously, this means to rework almost the whole game...

Archonix · Post by **Archonix** » 29 Nov 2004 15:59

oboka wrote:IMO, OTTD should have some kind of "server", an engine that runs all the game, separated from the user inteface. This way the same game could have different "skins", or interfaces to play. This way people wanting to keep the old graphics could still have the old interface, and people, wanting to advance forward, still would have an option. In addition, other devices than PC, could be enabled to play the game (celular phones, pda, playstations, etc...).

Obviously, this means to rework almost the whole game...

Yeah, I think that's kind of the problem with the suggestions for 3d graphics that are floating around. I have to add a disclaimer: I'm not a c programmer. That said, from what I can tell, the graphics engine is tied so deeply with the rest of the game that re-writing it in to a server/client model would mean effectively writing a whole new game. I'm not sure the devs want to do that right now.

Joker · Post by **Joker** » 29 Nov 2004 16:28

I think that a separate game engine and user interface is a way to go.
It would make the game graphics more flexible and different graphics system e.g. for mobile phones would also be possible.
Now there's a question about how difficult it is to achieve.

MeusH · Post by **MeusH** » 29 Nov 2004 16:36

*playing TT on mobile*

Is it a sarcasm? I think it is pretty stupid to play such a game on mobile!
And yes, install big maps on your mobile, that would be soo great!

oboka · Post by **oboka** » 29 Nov 2004 16:38

MeusH wrote:*playing TT on mobile*

Is it a sarcasm? I think it is pretty stupid to play such a game on mobile!
And yes, install big maps on your mobile, that would be soo great!

how old is your mobile????

Archonix · Post by **Archonix** » 29 Nov 2004 17:09

MeusH wrote:*playing TT on mobile*

Is it a sarcasm? I think it is pretty stupid to play such a game on mobile!
And yes, install big maps on your mobile, that would be soo great!

Keep up with the times, man. People have been playing all kinds of games on mobile phones for the last two years. They play games like tombraider and doom. Even quake, I think. Compared to that OTT has an incredibly small footprint and would work on a phone brilliantly, even with some version of bigmap support. There's already a pocketPC port of the game. A mobile isn't that different.

MeusH · Post by **MeusH** » 29 Nov 2004 18:56

How do you imagine moving mouse, making presignals, complex bridges etc?

There is a difference between mario, quake and age of empires, tycoon

Hadez · Post by **Hadez** » 29 Nov 2004 19:58

MeusH wrote:How do you imagine moving mouse, making presignals, complex bridges etc?

There is a difference between mario, quake and age of empires, tycoon

I think I saw someone playing the Ages...
Moving a mouse - well, it´s more difficult but there exist games which use cursors. Presignals would IMO need other way to make them but it isn´t undoneable, bridges too...

oboka · Post by **oboka** » 29 Nov 2004 20:14

Some PDAs run Windows CE without mouse, and people has no problems...

MeusH · Post by **MeusH** » 30 Nov 2004 15:11

But I'm talking about mobile, not PDA

oboka · Post by **oboka** » 30 Nov 2004 16:24

Palm One Treo is a mobile, with PalmOS 5.2.1...

Archonix · Post by **Archonix** » 30 Nov 2004 16:52

There's very little difference in general between mobile phones and PDAs these days. Most phones run sybian, linux, palmOS and soemtimes a version of windows for mobiles. All of them have a fairly similar interface. Once you're in to specific programs you can pretty much navigate as you would on a normal computer, the only difference being that if the program uses a cursor you'll move it with a joypad-style device instead of a mouse, or at a pinch usie the numerical keys as "arrow" keys. Even my crappy little nokia has the necessary bits for that. Granted, The OTTD interface would have to change an awful lot to work on a mobile, but it's probably not that difficult.

mdhowe · Post by **mdhowe** » 30 Nov 2004 23:58

mdhowe wrote:A quick question for the devs:

How do you see the future implementation of new graphics in OTTD?

What I basically want to know is if there is any point in drawing new TTD style graphics? or will the 3d type graphics be implemented only? (if and when they are finished of course)

IMO we should have both and allow a choice, but what do you all plan on doing?

As clearly stated above, this was a question for the developers. Of course people can state their opinions on the topic but WTF does PalmOS and mobile phones have to do with the question.

Anyway, are the devs out there? Have you read this? An answer would be nice, or at the very least some recognition that a question has been asked.

Archonix · Post by **Archonix** » 01 Dec 2004 00:57

Did you actually read the thread, or just the last few posts? People were discussing means and ways for the game to be ported to portables like mobile phones and PDAs, which require seperating the game and graphics engines. That in turn affects what kind of graphics are to be drawn for the game, since a server/client style graphics and game engine would mean that several different types of graphics are needed.

DaleStan · Post by **DaleStan** » 01 Dec 2004 02:35

Archonix wrote:Did you actually read the thread, or just the last few posts?

What is the antecedent of "you" here? In case you hadn't noticed, Archonix, this thread was started by mdhowe.

mdhowe wrote:An answer would be nice, or at the very least some recognition that a question has been asked.

Seconded.

I'm sorely tempted to go plug this thread in the Map Rewrite thread, offtopic or not.

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