GLSMAC - Open-source OpenGL/SDL2 remaster of SMAC

[nj666]

More coastlines improvements, they are mostly done, except for some bugs and maybe I'll get more ideas on how to improve them. Otherwise moving to rivers, resources and then units

 

[Blake00]

Yup you've pretty much nailed it mate that is looking amazing!

I think a lot of people are waiting with baited breath to see how you go with those voxel units. I've heard plenty say they're half impossible to access and change etc.

 

[nj666]

Also added beaches yesterday (forgot to upload here)

 

[nj666]

Working on rivers, not final version yet (need to erase beaches on river exits and improve river generation algorithm).
Did some improvement to terrain textures too, but mainly focused on map controls and there wasn't much to screenshot about them (but I'll make video after finishing rivers and resource bonuses).

 

[Blake00]

I know I sound like a broken record but god that looks good.. just getting better and better

 

[nj666]

(not final version of resources probably)

 

[nj666]

 

[nj666]

Working on minimap for now, took some kungfu inside engine to make it 'screenshot' world into texture, but now it's done and can be reused for base UI and maybe something else later.
This is first version, a bit blurry and without extra details. Open to suggestions For now I'll be fixing bugs and moving to adding frame and map controls to it, later it will have extra overlays (toggleable by player) such as elevations, faction territories, ecology, etc. I'll see if there's easy way to sharpen it.

 

[nj666]

Hmm I just found out SMAC had this strange alternative minimap mode. It kinda 'zooms in' and you can scroll in minimap window same as in main viewport.
Is it useful for something? If not maybe it's better to replace these two buttons with map overlay buttons (where user can switch to see elevations, territories, ecology, maybe terraforming or something else, or return to default 'satellite' map).
Please tell me if you are/were using this alternative minimap mode actively, and for what purpose.

 

[Darsnan]

I think almost exclusively I use the World Map view, most specifically to get a God's-eye view of the planet so I could make strategic military decisions, as well as click in that window to re-center the main map to the tactical area of interest. The "Detail Map" option is kinda funky in that it re-centers where ever you click in that window, which takes a little getting used to, and is just a smaller version of the main map. And it doesn't give the player all the map info, either (such as resource bonuses, pods, etc.).

So, I do like the World Map option the way it is, but I'm not seeing a lot of use for the Detail Map option as originally implemented. As far as your thoughts on map overlay buttons, I think the displayed info would be kinda scrunched (or maybe that's just my old eyes talking? ). Also, we're getting that info already in one of the other windows (the one which displays the info wherever the active cursor is at the moment). So considering all the other work you've probably got on your plate for this mod, then I'd say maybe it'd be better to just eliminate the Detail Map option? It'd reduce the SLOC for your mod, if your familiar with that term, and you can focus on more critical things that you've identified and that I'm sure people will want/ appreciate.

HTH,

D

 

[nj666]

By minimap overlay I mean something like this (this screenshot is from Stellaris) - player toggles button and minimap gets colored with colors of corresponding factions, so he can easily see where is who's territory. Yes in SMAC it's possible to determine it by seeing colors of cities, but it's less convenient. Enemy-friend (or relations-based) overlay is similar, colors will be more greenish for friends, and more red for enemies (or those with bad attitude), so player can also get full picture and know which borders to fortify first. For eco overlay it can get colored with more intensive red or black where ecology is worse, so player will also be see where his bases are doing most eco damage (without having to click every base to check). And so on.
But yes, overlays will be done a bit later, maybe around v0.4 or v0.5. For now just trying to make sure nobody needs that 'detail map' functionality much.

 

[nj666]

Added some stuff, looks a bit less blurry when aspect ratio matches that of map. Now just need screen frame.

 

[nj666]

Minimap done (for now)

 

[nj666]

Last week I've been doing a lot of bugfixing and optimizations (improved FPS by 30-50% by removing all unneeded redraws/resizes/realigns/etc), then focused more on UI and middle section of bottombar.
This scrollbar also took a while -

But it's high quality and can be used for other UI later on. Most time still went to fixing/improving UI code to allow it and not scrollbar itself.
Now I'll add some empty info panels and then move to map editor, I decided that it must be finished before v0.2 because it's important part of map. Map editor will be last big thing before v0.2, I'll try to make it look and work in same way as in SMAC. Then also saving/loading of maps but it's already implemented, just need to add menus. Ok, maybe also landmarks but they are easy too.

 

[Blake00]

Well done mate!

 

[nj666]

Map editor UI done, one difference from SMAC is 'Cover Map' button replaced by 'Moisture' button which seems much more useful, especially for testing. Yes in SMAC there's weather algorithm and it will be implemented too at some point, but ability to edit moisture directly gives more control over map. Also, removing map cover (fog of war) selectively belongs to scenario, not map, and later there will be separate scenario editor anyway. 'Moisture' icon is loaded from same interface.pcx as all other icons, it seems to be unfinished and unused in original SMAC. Later I'll add some workaround to draw lines in it more bold way, then it won't differ from others that much.
Slightly renamed brush names to make more sense.
Texts will be multicolored and look like in SMAC later, tooltips on hover later too, now moving to actual map editing logic.

 

[nj666]

Elevations editor, first version

( it will be optimized better, dw )

 

[Blake00]

Amazing.. am trying to remember if terrain types change and become rockier when you elevate in the original? Been a few years since last played so I'm a bit rusty on that lol.

 

[Buster's Uncle]

They can. Not usually, but they can.

 

[nj666]

FPS improvements