Iron Dignity by Jared
- Iron Dignity -
demo v0.20 (30.4.1997)
Status
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This demo is freeware, ie it may be copied freely as long as
all of its files are included and remain unaltered.
Introduction
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This is an *early* preview version of a new RiscPC game. This demo was
made for the SILIconvention demo party in Bremen on 28th March 1997.
The game has been designed as a complex campaign simulation in a
fictional world, limited to a planet surface and atmosphere. The game
will allow the players to guide their troops on the planet surface
giving orders to single units or groups of units, as well as controlling
each unit directly in first-person perspective at any time.
For a change, this game is designed for high-end Acorn hardware, so
at the time it is intended to run best on StrongARM equipped RiscPCs,
but later it may be adapted to other hardware and other platforms.
Requirements
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This demo should run on RiscPC's with about 8 MB RAM and 1 MB VRAM.
On non-StrongARM machines you should switch to 320 x 256 x 16M, lower
the detail level and switch off the texturing. You can do that by
adapting some options in the 'config' file that resides within the
application directory, see below. The preferred screen mode for
StrongARM machines is 480 x 352 x 16M, the mode definition is included
within the application directory.
Controls
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'Ctrl' + 'Esc' quits the demo.
Do not attempt to quit the demo with Alt/Break.
Config File
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Some options for running this application may be altered in the
config file contained in the application directory. The options are
XRES:/YRES:
These select the pixel resolution of the screen mode. The mode
should be a square-pixel-mode.
LOG2BPP:
Log2 of the screen mode's number of bits per pixel. 5 means
24-bit-colour, 4 means 16-bit-colour, etc. Note that not all
polygon styles are implemented in the low colour depths.
FOV:
Horizontal field-of-view angle in degrees.
BUFFERTYPE:
Type of screen buffering used. 0 is unbuffered, 1 is DRAM-
double-buffered, 2 is VRAM-double-buffered, 3 is VRAM-triple-
buffered. Triple buffering may hang the machine so far ...
LOD:
Landscape level of detail. Possible values 0..4 (minimum,
low, high, very high, maximum).
RENDERMODE:
0 is wireframe, 1 is filled, 2 is gouraud (objects textured),
3 selects textured landscape.
The file 'LowConfig' shows a configuration for slow machines. However
you'll definitely need a StrongARM to really enjoy this game.
Note that the program may choose alternative settings on its own if the
desired settings aren't possible.
Development Plans
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Of course there's still a lot to be done.
Plans for the Renderer
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Integrate static and dynamic objects into the terrain plotter.
There will be cities, forests, vehicles, planes etc. Some of
the objects will be animated (walkers, ornithopters, doors of
buildings etc.). It will be possible to enter some of the
buildings.
Some of the objects (esp. the airborne ones) will cast shadows
onto the terrain. This is kind of hard because the light source
has arbitrary angles, but absolutely necessary.
Improve the texturing - it's still quite naff so far. There will
be different tiled texture patterns on the landscape, and
texture animations on the water. The switching of textures
between detail levels will be made invisible.
Implement Z-clipping (simple).
The water will reflect landscape and objects (simple too, but
expensive - it will be optional).
Improve the sky and the fogging, add day-and-night, sun, stars,
moon, perhaps clouds, a lens flare effect, a sun-reflection-
stripe on the water.
Implement dynamic LoD scaling to achieve a more constant frame
rate.
Add triple buffering and sync the timestep procedure with a
stable base frequency.
Plans for Gameplay
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Write a world editor to edit the landscape and to place objects
on it. (So far the landscape is generated with a simple fractal
formula).
Design all the static objects, and the dynamic units. There
will be tanks, gun sites, boostcopters, gliders, two-legged
walkers, spider walkers, transporters, repair robots, ...
Implement object-object collision checking, and improve the
object-scape collision checking.
Implement a tactical map (automapping? updated by radar
stations?)
Implement interfaces for all units. An interface is the way
the unit reacts on input from player or droid logic.
Implement Droid Logics for all units. Its droid logic enables a
unit to act slightly intelligently, defend itself, flee if it
has no chance, guard an area, walk along waypoints, fight enemy
units, keep formation with other units, evade obstacles,
terrain-following flight, ...
Design and implement cockpits and instrumentation for all units.
Implement the Cyber Clusters. A cyber cluster is a relay
station from which several units are controlled, and extras
for some units can be stored and installed. Units can dock at a
cyber cluster, and that way the player/AI controlling the unit
can gain access to the units controlled from the cluster.
Implement the AIs. An AI is a virtual player capable of
controlling a set of units (by giving orders) and of
interacting with other players/AIs (by allying, declaring war
and engage, and by sending players on missions).
Implement the Clans and their individual 'cultures'. A clan is
an AI with its units and its installations.
Design different worlds and scenarios.
Add null-modem two player mode. A network option is not planned
so far.
Add loads of stereo sound effects.
Soundtrack, title music and several in-game musics. Musical
themes adapted to certain game situations (sunset theme, battle
theme...) and adapted to the different units (walker's theme,
sniper's theme...)
Several less important things that I've forgotten.
Feedback
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If you experience any problems or oddities with this program, if you
have any suggestions or feel inspired to offer your help then you may
contact the author. Especially welcome are people willing to help with
game design (bitmap graphics, scenario design, object design).
Author
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The !dignity, !dignityD applications are ⌐ Frank F÷hl, 1997.
The Iron Dignity engine uses the 'GemLib' 3d-library, which is
⌐ Frank F÷hl.
Frank F÷hl
Siemensstr. 7
71636 Ludwigsburg
Germany
foehl@rus.uni-stuttgart.de
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