Modding Multiwinia

[xander]

Now that the game is about to go into beta, and is nearing completion, I would like to know what the modding capabilities of Multiwinia will be, if the folk at IV would be so kind as to respond. I assume that we will be able to create new maps. Will Darwinia maps be more or less compatible with Multiwinia? That is, if I create a map file in Darwinia, how much tweaking will be needed to port it to Multiwinia? is this even going to be a possibility? Will we still be required to make use of text editors in a significant fashion to edit levels and objectives, or will there be a more integrated editor? How about adding new units or capabilities?

I guess, when it comes down to it, I am curious to know how extensive the modding in Multiwinia will be, and similar or dissimilar from Darwinia it will be.

Does anyone from IV wish to comment, or is this still pretty hush-hush?

xander

[martin]

And, adding to that, what are the "campaign" possibilities? Can we make series of levels that you play through like darwinia, can we even have scripted events? or are we limited to just making new maps?

[Ace Rimmer]

More importantly, will we be able to implement Ded, er, um, "Dedwinians"? Doesn't work the same, but you know, bert's dedcons for Multiwinia. And if so, then we can get rankings/stats right from the start! Hehe.

Edit: Or IV could just implement their own "official" ranking.

[RabidZombie]

I hope custom levels are possible. I can't imagine much customization beyond that unless there's some kind of unannounced scripting system.

[bert_the_turtle]

More importantly, will we be able to implement Ded, er, um, "Dedwinians"? Doesn't work the same, but you know, bert's dedcons for Multiwinia. And if so, then we can get rankings/stats right from the start! Hehe.

Edit: Or IV could just implement their own "official" ranking.

Well, I'm hoping that they're either terribly lazy or the opposite. If they're lazy, they're reusing Defcon's core network functions, along with the long reconnection times from having to play back the whole game history, maybe even the player management bits. Since DedCon already doesn't care a bit about the gameplay itself, it should be relatively easy to turn into DedWinia.
On the other end of the spectrum would be that they already supply a dedicated server. Less glory for me or others who would like to attempt their own, but also less work.

In between lie various gruesome possibilities:
- network data encryption.
- server being responsible for gamestate.
- completely different network code.

I wouldn't mind having acknowledgement of all packages sent by the client built into the basic network system

Wasn't there some chat about Lua scripting in some other thread?

[bert_the_turtle]

Yes, I did sign up, and so far refrained from pointing out my awesomely 1337 exploit finding and stumbling-onto-bugs skills (mostly, of course, because they don't exist)

[RabidZombie]

Trees catching fire has always been possible. Hasn't it? Unless I dreamt it.

[xander]

I hope custom levels are possible. I can't imagine much customization beyond that unless there's some kind of unannounced scripting system.

The fact that IV have been talking about scripting in Subversion means that there is, at least, some very, very small chance that there is some involved in Multiwinia. I am not holding my breath, but it would be cool. ;)

And yes, trees have always been inflammable.

xander

[RabidZombie]

Yes, but it wasn't that long ago it was discussed and I don't think that it looked like they had even decided on what scripting language to use yet. Extreme determination is the only way I can see a scripting system having made it in in this time!

[xander]

Yes, but it wasn't that long ago it was discussed and I don't think that it looked like they had even decided on what scripting language to use yet. Extreme determination is the only way I can see a scripting system having made it in in this time!

Hence my above post. I realize that it is a very remote possibility, but it is worth asking.

xander

[Derekristow]

Since this and Subversion are going to be such large/popular games, there may be optional add-on
packs with all of the things they didn't have ready in time. As long as they are inexpesive or free,
addons would be a great idea.

It is probably a good thing I'm beta testing. give me 5 minutes and BAM! You need a new monitor.
Ive even set a computer on fire before (accidentaly).

[Xocrates]

Since this and Subversion are going to be such large/popular games, there may be optional add-on
packs with all of the things they didn't have ready in time. As long as they are inexpesive or free,
addons would be a great idea.

This confuses me to no end. Not because I don't understand it, but simply because I don't really know how to answer
IV has launched new features to their games through patches, but in most cases that was not because "they didn't have [them] ready in time", even because the games are usually released "when they're done".

Also, 90% of additional stuff is usually community made (like mods or dedcon), so official Addons outside patches are not very likely.

It is probably a good thing I'm beta testing. give me 5 minutes and BAM! You need a new monitor.
Ive even set a computer on fire before (accidentaly).

I don't even want to know how you managed to do that. Although I kind of doubt it was due to software.

[xander]

This confuses me to no end. :? Not because I don't understand it, but simply because I don't really know how to answer
IV has launched new features to their games through patches, but in most cases that was not because "they didn't have [them] ready in time", even because the games are usually released "when they're done".

I don't know about that. Multiwinia is basically what Darwinia was supposed to be. But IV needed to release a game, and multiplayer wasn't working. Really, they just ran out of time. ;)

xander

[Derekristow]

For the addons I was talking about the scriptimg system. If you weren't going to mod, then you wouldn't need to download it. Seeing as how it most likely will not be ready at the release date and not everyone would want it, it is a prime canidate for an add-on.

The fire happened to a homemade PC. Dust had built up or something, and I overheated and crashed the videocard. Thats how I got Vista.
The screen was when I used the computer and the screen suddenly went black and never responded again. Thats how I got the screen for my current Vista PC.
Wait till you hear about the mouse.

[Xocrates]

This confuses me to no end. Not because I don't understand it, but simply because I don't really know how to answer
IV has launched new features to their games through patches, but in most cases that was not because "they didn't have [them] ready in time", even because the games are usually released "when they're done".

I don't know about that. Multiwinia is basically what Darwinia was supposed to be. But IV needed to release a game, and multiplayer wasn't working. Really, they just ran out of time.

xander

Hence, the "usually"