[FVG]: Choosing an Engine: Final Poll

[Max Lobovsky]

Both Unreal 2 and 1 are being discussed in this post, I think its important to know some distinctions.

First of all, Unreal 1 is dying. There is no development to the engine and most modding has come to a halt.

Though Unreal 1 would mean that the game would almost definitley be playable on most systems, that isn't because it can go lower than Unreal 2 in terms of graphics, but because it can't go as high. It is definitley possible to use Unreal 2 with the same level of detail (texture resolution, poly count, lighting mode....) as an Unreal 1 game and achieve similar performance.

Unreal 2 has built in support for vehicles and is much more able to handle non-human moving stuff. It is much easier to script the movements neccesary for a robot. Actually, I don't think U1 would even be able to do the job at all.

[Denman]

unrealED is free with any copy of ut, i think. I have it from my original ut and i think i have it for the latest one, but i havn't actually looked, you can probably find it for download somewhere, as games companies tend to support modders now as it makes them look good etc....

[Astronouth7303]

You can actually download the runtime for Unreal2. But you can't get to the API reference w/o registering.

[Ryan M.]

Ok, so what do you say we choose the engine now?

Obviously, Unreal has the majority...
But I don't like it...

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by Texan

Ok, so what do you say we choose the engine now?

Obviously, Unreal has the majority...
But I don't like it...

We need to establish some goals. Specifically, why are we (you) doing this?

1. because some dude suggested it and someone coerced me to help
2. because I'm bored
3. Because it'd be pimp and I'd be shamed to make it bad.

The list goes on. I happen to lean towards #3; I'd prefer CS.

[Ryan M.]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

We need to establish some goals. Specifically, why?

1. because some dude suggested it and someone coerced me to help
2. because I'm bored
3. Because it'd be pimp and I'd be shamed to make it bad.

The list goes on. I happen to lean towards #3; I'd prefer CS.

Um... ok...

The main reason I'm against Unreal is because of it not being open source, and its cost... But, if we end up using it, I'll get over it.

[Nastay]

I would much prefer Crystal Space, because it is open source, free and is compatible with other OSs(Unix, Linux, MacOSX...).
Unreal is compatible with MacOSX, but its not open source, and it will not give us a stand alone game, this means that not only does our target audience have to be a FIRST addict (or someone looking into FIRST) but they would also have to own a $50 game....

Crystal Space

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

3. Because it'd be pimp and I'd be shamed to make it bad.

Does Dave think it'd be pimp?

*ducks* Sorry... couldn't resist.

[Joshua May]

Originally Posted by jgannon

Does Dave think it'd be pimp?

*ducks* Sorry... couldn't resist.

Dave would definitely think it is pimp, and so do I.

Crystal Space is the way to go, it's Open Source (which I think we would have to have for SourceForge) and we can make a standalone with it.

[Ryan M.]

Originally Posted by HHSJosh

Dave would definitely think it is pimp, and so do I.

Crystal Space is the way to go, it's Open Source (which I think we would have to have for SourceForge) and we can make a standalone with it.

So, I'm thinking that CS is our choice. Agree, Astronouth?

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by Texan

So, I'm thinking that CS is our choice. Agree, Astronouth?

I would, yes.

Unreal would be the choice if we wanted to make it look absolutely pristine, but didn't care about licensing, $$$, or ability to distribute. CrystalSpace, however, is open source, has an open license, and is pretty good on the quality.

[CJO]

Well, I wrote out a really long thread, which somehow hasn't made it up yet, so, here in a nutshell is what I said:

1. Don't bite off more than you can chew: specifically, you need to write a program that can incorporate new robots and playing fields regularly.
2. FIRST has a successful structure because it attempts to create a partnership between corporations and students.
3. Get Epic to assist in this endevour to build FVG
   1. Don't ask for too much, instead, ask for them to help you make a FVG based on the Unreal engine.
   2. This proposed FVG would not be playable as anything but FVG, and would not be moddable except to add bots.
   3. Epic would get lots of good press, and you would get a spectacular game engione
4. Finally, you would be the people not who failed to build a FIRST game, again, but who moved the paradigm of the FIRST architecture into a whole new field.

[Mike Ciance]

Originally Posted by CJO

Well, I wrote out a really long thread, which somehow hasn't made it up yet, so, here in a nutshell is what I said:

1. Don't bite off more than you can chew: specifically, you need to write a program that can incorporate new robots and playing fields regularly.
2. FIRST has a successful structure because it attempts to create a partnership between corporations and students.
3. Get Epic to assist in this endevour to build FVG
   1. Don't ask for too much, instead, ask for them to help you make a FVG based on the Unreal engine.
   2. This proposed FVG would not be playable as anything but FVG, and would not be moddable except to add bots.
   3. Epic would get lots of good press, and you would get a spectacular game engione
4. Finally, you would be the people not who failed to build a FIRST game, again, but who moved the paradigm of the FIRST architecture into a whole new field.

i'm not the expert on programming, but crystal space sounds more efficent to me. doesnt unreal cost a ton? will they be willing to fully sponsor us?

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by afflictionblade

i'm not the expert on programming, but crystal space sounds more efficent to me. doesnt unreal cost a ton? will they be willing to fully sponsor us?

That would be if we actually got the Unreal2 engine. It was been suggested to make an unreal mod or use quake. (also be epic)

If some one can get Epic to sponsor this, I am more than willing to use Unreal. But until then, I'm going to support CrystalSpace.

[Heretic121]

well... i was just looking around my UT2k4 clan site and i cam upon this... i haven't d/l'ed it, but it does seem like its a proggy where you enter in numbers, and you get a finished file/s that start you to your mod... but from what ive seen if we ever did get an unreal2 engine thingy (where we buy it or they give one to us) that it can be transfered over from there...

http://udn.epicgames.com/Two/PublicModResource