Freespace: Armada
posted on January 26th, 2010, 11:10 pm
OK, so I caved. I'm back. For how long? We'll see...
A long time ago I approached an A2 modder who was giving up modding and wanted to hand off his mod to someone else to finish. I was (and always have been) passionate about the license he was working with: Freespace. I was done with the major mods I had worked on (STvsSW and SW:Fleet Command) I managed to do quite a bit of work, getting the sounds set up, importing a number of models, and fleshing out the combat system. Around this time (2004), I got married. No modding time/energy left.
Well, I just recently got the bug again, along with a slew of new ideas.
Here's the high-level breakdown:
- As many Freespace 2 ships/stations/graphics/sounds/etc. as possible
- Objective-based gameplay (think "Capture the Control Point")
- Innovative gameplay mechanics
More details to come, as I'm still trying to find all the tools I'll need to do the models, graphics, and sounds.
I also could use some help, if anyone has talent (or is developing it) and wants to assist. I'm weakest with model conversion, adding HPs, and doing anything involving animation. I'm trying to resist doing everything myself, but I won't succeed on that (or even getting the mod done period) unless I get some partners
Please feel free to post questions here. I'll update this post as new information is available. I hope to release a mini-pack with a few ships from each side with a basic/ugly version of the objective-based gameplay in place.,
Thanks for listening.
Stalker
Co-designer - ST vs SW for Armada 1 and 2
Designer - Star Wars: Fleet Command for Armada 2
A long time ago I approached an A2 modder who was giving up modding and wanted to hand off his mod to someone else to finish. I was (and always have been) passionate about the license he was working with: Freespace. I was done with the major mods I had worked on (STvsSW and SW:Fleet Command) I managed to do quite a bit of work, getting the sounds set up, importing a number of models, and fleshing out the combat system. Around this time (2004), I got married. No modding time/energy left.
Well, I just recently got the bug again, along with a slew of new ideas.
Here's the high-level breakdown:
- As many Freespace 2 ships/stations/graphics/sounds/etc. as possible
- Objective-based gameplay (think "Capture the Control Point")
- Innovative gameplay mechanics
More details to come, as I'm still trying to find all the tools I'll need to do the models, graphics, and sounds.
I also could use some help, if anyone has talent (or is developing it) and wants to assist. I'm weakest with model conversion, adding HPs, and doing anything involving animation. I'm trying to resist doing everything myself, but I won't succeed on that (or even getting the mod done period) unless I get some partners
Please feel free to post questions here. I'll update this post as new information is available. I hope to release a mini-pack with a few ships from each side with a basic/ugly version of the objective-based gameplay in place.,
Thanks for listening.
Stalker
Co-designer - ST vs SW for Armada 1 and 2
Designer - Star Wars: Fleet Command for Armada 2
posted on January 26th, 2010, 11:48 pm
posted on January 27th, 2010, 12:03 am
Thanks, Mega. I actually still have the permission email floating around from the SCP crew to use their stuff, and am already working on extracting the models
posted on January 27th, 2010, 3:03 am
ooh, I'm definitely looking forward to this. never played freespace2, but I own a copy of Freespace1, and love it. 
posted on January 27th, 2010, 3:28 am
Just wondering, is it going to be set during the FS2 campaign events, or after?
You should definitely play it, you won't be disappointed. You can get it for about $5 at gog.com, and with the SCP it's basically a modern game.
Adm. Zaxxon wrote:ooh, I'm definitely looking forward to this. never played freespace2, but I own a copy of Freespace1, and love it.
You should definitely play it, you won't be disappointed. You can get it for about $5 at gog.com, and with the SCP it's basically a modern game.
posted on January 27th, 2010, 3:46 am
The technology available will be FS2 level.
Some additional information on how the gameplay will work:
- The only structures are turrets and "area control" structures (which will also work for resource gathering)
- Your "Home base" is your initial subspace node. You can capture (blockade) additional nodes across the map. The goal is to capture all the nodes and eliminate the enemy presence. Unprotected nodes are easily captured so protect your nodes with ships and fixed defenses!
- "Research" via the Subspace Node will take the form of "Escalation". Go from a scouting expedition all the way to Major Conflict. The more your side escalates their response, the more technology (ships, special weapons) will be available to you
- Capital ships will be able to perform subspace jumps... but be warned, since all weapons use reactor energy, and a subspace jump temporarily drains the reactor, you'll be a sitting duck temporarily!
- I'm considering quite a few special powers for various ships... each power is incredibly beneficial, but also has a downside.
- Nuclear Explosion (high-tier ship power) that cause an EMP blast (which temporarily disables everything in range) as well as a standard damage explosion
Everything is still in the concept/design stage at this point. I've gone through this exercise before, and am very familiar with Armada modding (one of the first to mod Armada 1 in 1999), so the initial design/development shouldn't take long. Where I'll probably bog down is model conversion/hp mapping. There's another wrinkle involving all the new FleetOps features (nearly all of which I intend to use), so we'll see how that goes
Some additional information on how the gameplay will work:
- The only structures are turrets and "area control" structures (which will also work for resource gathering)
- Your "Home base" is your initial subspace node. You can capture (blockade) additional nodes across the map. The goal is to capture all the nodes and eliminate the enemy presence. Unprotected nodes are easily captured so protect your nodes with ships and fixed defenses!
- "Research" via the Subspace Node will take the form of "Escalation". Go from a scouting expedition all the way to Major Conflict. The more your side escalates their response, the more technology (ships, special weapons) will be available to you
- Capital ships will be able to perform subspace jumps... but be warned, since all weapons use reactor energy, and a subspace jump temporarily drains the reactor, you'll be a sitting duck temporarily!
- I'm considering quite a few special powers for various ships... each power is incredibly beneficial, but also has a downside.
- Nuclear Explosion (high-tier ship power) that cause an EMP blast (which temporarily disables everything in range) as well as a standard damage explosion
Everything is still in the concept/design stage at this point. I've gone through this exercise before, and am very familiar with Armada modding (one of the first to mod Armada 1 in 1999), so the initial design/development shouldn't take long. Where I'll probably bog down is model conversion/hp mapping. There's another wrinkle involving all the new FleetOps features (nearly all of which I intend to use), so we'll see how that goes
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