Kind of a long post ....

[phooey]

Ok ... I've sifted through quite a few posts from all over the forum now; and I've pretty much decided that anyone who says they are making "Uplink XYZ" is full of crap. So, imagine my surprise when I started writing this post about a project I'm going to undertake.

I'm not a diehard fan of Uplink, I've only had the game for around two weeks (although, I've beaten it several times). Having looked at the game through and through, and read the game bible with the developer notes, I think I have a rough understanding of how the code pieces together under-the-hood.

So ... yeah, I am *thinking* of working on a code base for a spinoff on Uplink. I've already written a few classes (all the really basic building blocks) and started on the sound system (which will play .wav's and mp3's). However, anyone who has undertaken a large programming project is sure to know they are very fickle, and fall apart quickly (unless, of course, you have .... deadlines).

All of what I've coded so far is in C++ (as all of the game will be). Given that graphics is not what Uplink is _all_ about, efficiency (as far as graphics processing goes) should not be too much of a concern, so no lower level language is required. I am using C++ because the code will be much easier to maintain/modify in the future (also, worst case scenario, inline assembly baby, yeah!)

So ... there's no website or anything. This is just a pet project I began around eight to ten hours ago (programmers keep weird hours .... or at least I do). I am kind of ripping the sound system out of a 2D game engine I had been working on (the design was bad so that is why I've turned back the clock for this project), so it's just a matter of fussing with that; and then sound should be blaring.

This is not commercial or anything ... it will be open source (GPL license probably), and hopefully land me a job somewhere! But, seriously .... if any of you out there have any constructive comments/critiques, I would be glad to hear them. Also, if you are good artists ... I can't really do any of that for crap. I just code.

Just for the naysayer's out there ... I've been programming for three years. Oh, and something that lifts this project above others: this will NOT BE an MMO ... I have very little experience with network code, and I am in no hurry to go back, either.

So ....... a frivolous pursuit? We'll see.

[phooey]

Well .... been a few days, no response; so you all must not believe me. That is too bad, my motivation for this project was some kind of response from the community. But as the guy in the topic above mine so eloquently said: "Been there, done that, nothing ever came of it."

Something is coming of this. I have written quite a bit of code for all the base classes; and a little code for some abstract classes. No need to go into details because of no response.

So, this is my second attempt at communicating with the community. I have never really attempted an Open Source project before (probably because subjecting your code to public scrutiny is an exercise in personal confidence), but I hope to make this one a success.

All I can really say is that I am really trying to make this happen; I have been thinking about this everyday, all day for a long time; I can't stress enough how I need some artistic help.

Granted, I won't actually _use_ the artistic help for awhile (the graphic subsystem has yet to be written), but it is needed. I am simply a failure at any attempt of artwork.

Just FYI: I am going to do the graphics using SDL; but all of the input/sound/time/etc will not utilize SDL, but will be homebrew (I've already got sound taken care of).

I am sure alot of you think I can't code, and am just making this all up. So, for them I write the following:

- The engine for the game will not be as extensible as some would like. This is because the engine is meant to run the game it was designed for, not other games that people might like to make (that is another project entirely).

- I'll post code/diary/etc if prompted.

- "Diary" above is in reference to the developers diary I am keeping .... I figure some people might dig it.

- All return values/arguments/members have a standard to which I am holding them. This allows for easy extensibility and modification at a later date (which would otherwise be very difficult w/out disrupting the public interface).

So ... yeah. The main point of this post is for you people out there who might contribute to the project to email me (even if you code, and don't do artwork). So damnit, represent for your community (your name will be in the credits).

If you think this might be your brand, email me at pwr905@yahoo.com.

[TheSCConspiracy]

Will it be free? Because if it is then keep going, I love hacking games.

[phooey]

The GPL license allows me to distribute the code for the program as long as the program is not commercial.

So, yeah. It will be free.

[NeoTheOne175]

The GPL license allows me to distribute the code for the program as long as the program is not commercial.

So, yeah. It will be free.

Well then, to you I say:

More power to you and good luck with your coding!

Let us know how things are going. I'm eager to see how this project turns out, simply because this seems like a better-planned (and better-fortuned) project than all the other Uplink-like clones that are being made out there.

[phooey]

This is going to be the last update on this forum. I don't want to really load their forum up with my own BS. I listed an email in a previous post, so you can get ahold of me that way.

Everything has been finalized; I am working on optimizing part of the sound system right now (reading sound files, parsing AIFF (and Hoffman) tables, etc). So, that will be done soon (a few days).

When that is all done, I am going to make some test proggy with all the objects that have been made so far; just to make sure I havn't missed anything, and that everything meshes perfectly. After that, it is time to start working out the graphic details, and building some kind of pseudo window manager so the game can keep the same interface we all like from Uplink (P and C; point and click).

Not a single external library has been used so far (unless you count libc and others). The only planned external library is SDL for graphics (since SDL provides a plain 2D interface, and Uplink is 2D, this should be fine ... not sure if they used SDL in the port to Linux or not).

Granted, the work that lies before me is the hardest, but the fact that I've built the basics in a week or so is damn good, I think.

It is worth noting that I am building this game on Linux; so as far as a Windows port goes .... I can't exactly be optimistic about it. I don't really code for Windows.

Anyway ... like I said, I won't post anymore on this board (probably due to the lack of interest hehe). So, email me at pwr905@yahoo.com if you are interested in progress, or want to help out.