Blitz Forums - Broken Search - Looking for Windows 2000 User

Community Forums/General Help/Blitz Forums - Broken Search - Looking for Windows 2000 User

Imperium(Posted 2017) [#1]
I've tried for about an hour with google to find a user on these forums. I remember he was creating a Flight simulator, but what stood out about this gentleman was his lengthy programming experience and his development machine was a Windows 2000 desktop.

At least this is according to my memory... Did he ever finish it? I've love to find the thread.


MarkG(Posted 2017) [#2]
That would be me. Unfortunately, my lengthy programming experience was, and still is, mostly in VB6. :(

Real life kinda kicked my butt the past couple of years or so (I'm about to turn 50) although mostly good stuff (school, health/fitness, marriage renaissance [going on 30 years], house construction, moving in my elderly parents, etc.).

But nothing has kicked my butt like trying to develop a 3D flight sim (even DOS-era retro) as my first game! Man, I never imagined making a game would be so freaking involved and difficult! I don't know how many times I gave up on it but it never lasted long, a passion I can't extinguish. :)

I had to quit B3D and make some simpler very amateurish 2D games (nothing close to commercial quality) and then go back to HS math (graduated '85), including being tutored in maths I didn't even take back then (not that I would remember them if I had).

But...I've returned to my F-19 redo (Win2K/Blitz3D) and I plan to post my first progress with pics by mid-year. Thanks for remembering. Yeah, I had no clue when I first started posting about it what I was getting in to (must have been 3 or 4 years ago now).


Imperium(Posted 2017) [#3]
Aww what a shame... :(

My coding skills are likely less developed than yours but I'm pretty good at doing 3d graphics, especially polys with that nostalgic look. I'm attempting to create a simulation game with Rpg elements. If you ever need help with meshes, animation, or textures I'd be willing to help.

How far did you get with it?

I really love the old Mechsim games like Earthsiege. The atmosphere is amazing and immersive!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIUrsG7Z0A4


MarkG(Posted 2017) [#4]
Well, where I left off wasn't so good.

I started with the "xfighter" sample (which first attracted me to B3D) and just kept adding a hodgepodge of spaghetti features the best I could, just to see if I could make a little bit of everything I needed to make my game. A large map area, a bitmapped cockpit with working instruments/MFD screens, an airbase and carrier with a few of aircraft and ships. Not much consistency with how I did anything, just a bunch of trial and error, was becoming a project management nightmare.

And then I was stumped with things like AI states and pathfinding, radar and missile performance, stuff I just didn't have a clue about (and I still have allot to learn, but I have some book knowledge now). This Blitz board has plenty of samples of just about everything I needed, my biggest problem was that I didn't understand most of the math, even basic geometry and trig.

Sooo...I'm about to start over from scratch and I have a much better idea now how I want to go about making my game.

Thanks for the help offer, I'll certainly ask if I get stumped on something. I know this is no longer a popular format, but I draw all of my 3D objects in AutoCAD 2000i and export to 3ds (AutoCAD is what I know best, the old versions support 3ds import and export) which really has an old-school look about it. :)


MarkG(Posted 2017) [#5]
I really love the old Mechsim games like Earthsiege. The atmosphere is amazing and immersive!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIUrsG7Z0A4


I agree, that looks *excellent!*

Going back even further, I've been playing the original Descent (GOG games), love the look of that game. Also Subwar 2050.


MarkG(Posted 2017) [#6]
On a related note...

Although I haven't searched for one lately, I have never come across a more comprehensive (as far as features) single individual developed combat flight sim as I have with this one, which seems to have been abandoned 3 years ago...

F22 raptor GAME BLITZ3D...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvNdC-DAMwg


Imperium(Posted 2017) [#7]
Funny I just found that same project the other day. I wonder if he would release the source? The clouds bug the hell outta me but other than that it looks fun even if it appears to play more an arcade game like than sim. My first real Flight Sim was Navy Fighters for Msdos then later I spent and unhealthy amount of time with Red Baron 2. Which was the first game I ever made skins for. I was so hooked on Descent when it came out but after awhile the game would creep me out! The sound effects and eerie mines with killer machines..... Not the mention the stress of not finding the exit in time...... My first deathmatch was with Descent via modem!

The 3ds format has some limitations, it is also very old but well supported. I'm actually using that format myself until I have a reason to switch. It is more than adequate for any 3d game with an old-school look.

I've managed some basic AI via a mess of If, else if, else statements. Crude but it works for now. Creating real AI that mimics a fighter pilot does seem like it be complex. You would need to code in all the classic dog-fighting maneuvers and write a large script to make the NPC react appropriately.

Luckily my game takes place in the future, with a majority of the craft having VTOL and hover capabilities this made things a lot simpler to code.