Combining forces... (Full Version)

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murx -> Combining forces... (10/24/2003 4:14:16 PM) While reading some posts in the 'Decline of Wargaming - why' Poll I read several notes about wargames lacking severely in the graphics department. Well, I kind of agree. So I have an idea that 'might' change this. How about creating a 'database' for all those teams creating wargames. Isn't it a waste of time that every company trying to create their own database for WWII units? Is it neccessary that all of them have to dig through old archives with technical details on hardcopy instead of just using the values of a masterdatabase and just 'calculate' the values actually needed in the game? Well, usually someone maintaining such a database would like to get some license money for it, but then again maybe 'money' isn't really needed but more in a way of a moneyless 'exchange', by 'contributing' to the database. Or just a 'minimal' usage fee (and not per copy sold) - to help new and small companies create a good game (and not have them waste their time on researching...). Well - a database for simple data of WWII units (and other military equipment) doesn't help on graphics right? So why not include in this database 3d models of the equipment? So if for instance the 3d models of the vehicles of Combat Mission were already in the database a new game could use them - and instead of modeling all this units again - they could model new units, add them to the database - and Combat Mission 2 could have those models ready and focus on the game mechanics instead of modeling those new models again. Now imagine this database with lots of units in it (maybe with different 'detail levels' since not all games us the same detail level. Now imagine Steel Panthers WoW - exchange the 2d map with 3d map and the 2d units with full 3d models - while 'playing the turn' everything is normal, with 'oversized' units on the map - but at the end of turn one can replay the action and let it fluently run - in full 3d in 'realistic' size, free camera zooming in looking from the top of a tank while the action rolls on like a movie. Not the game mechanics change in any way - but the way things get displayed - and the 'replay' mechanics have to be programmed (but should be possible). I think SPWaW with the above described 'replay' would look incredible and outperform any C&C RTS and the like by parsecs... Remember old BattleIsle? I think it was Battle Isle 3 with those little 3d cutscenes each time units fired at each other. Imagine something like that for The Ardennen Offensive or Korsun Pocket - in full 3d, with the 3d models flowing in from the 'database' and only parttime by the developer for that game. I think wargames are mainly created only in 2d for two reasons - the one being that they misinterpret 3d - its just a different display and not a reason to change gamemechanics, the second (and more likely) reason - its to much work to do all that 3d engine creating AND modelling! With such database at least the modelling would get 'easier' - but maybe wargame developers (since they probably have less to worry that they lose profit due to the success of some other wargame developer) are even able to 'share' part of source code (i.e. 3d engine/display), of algorythm calculating things in wargames. I think wargame creators have no need and no reason to 'hide' their code from each other but to combine their efforts to stand ground vs those 'stupid' who clicks fastest with mostest RTS companies with BIG trademarked names on them... just a thought murx

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Les_the_Sarge_9_1 -> (10/24/2003 10:01:15 PM) Hmmm, I am sure others will say something, but I think the biggest problem issue your notion will come up against is copywrite. If I design a 3d graphic, it's mine, not yours. No one is going to put out that sort of effort, and give it away. I love Steel Panthers dearly, but it's not the future, Combat Leader is the future (of that sort of wargame). But I am fairly confident, that if you asked the guys making Combat Leader to add an option to render it simultaneously in 2d or 3d, they would possibly mutter all sorts of unfriendly comments while walking away. That is just a guess. On the subject of the database notion, hmm problem is you will have people forever arguing over the data. I know, been in to many discussions over which data is accurate.

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