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I'm really glad you released the LUA code, I see that I can edit textures, sound, and shaders, coupled with the intense modifying of the LUA code which means we can also change the interface, storyline, missions, etc.; The only thing I think need to make this complete would be to convert the ".cm" models to an editable model format such as a wavefront ".obj" though I am aware that the ".cm" format is used for Doom 3 collision meshes.
I use 3Ds Max 2009/2012 so any format it can read will be fine via plugin or built in.
I might be wrong, but so far if we get that in it looks like we could completely make a total conversion if we wanted.
I use 3Ds Max 2009/2012 so any format it can read will be fine via plugin or built in.
I might be wrong, but so far if we get that in it looks like we could completely make a total conversion if we wanted.
I do have the MaxScript which Quazar used to export models from 3DS Max to there CM files (Its there own custom format) but Timur (Guy who was Quazar's CEO) doesn't have access to the raw Max Models anymore, which would make creating new ones harder (As the MaxScript requires certain things in the models or it would fail). I was going to wait until the next patch (1.0.6.2) before releasing them with the next SDK but i have uploaded them to Here in case they are useful to you. I hope at one stage to create my own import/export application(Most likely to/from the COLLADA format) but its not the highest priority currently.
I am not 100% sure but from what i can tell (I never made the engine, im just maintaining it, and my Lua knowledge is only what i have learned while maintaining TC/DH) you should be correct that Total Conversions should be possible as the LUA files seem to control practically everything that happens. I think it may be possible to turn TC/DH into a more open ended game like Freelancer, Quazar definitely planned originally to create a game where you could for example mine rocks(Source code has a engine_DoMineAsteroid but it has no contents other than a "This is redundant" error message if used by lua).
I am currently working on a Plugin System for 1.0.6.2, which should be fully compatible with Delphi(TC/DH are made in Delphi) and C++ DLL's. Though the initial version is likely to only expose some LUA related things (Like registering your own functions so LUA scripts can call functions in your DLL and sending LUA commands). Overtime parts of the game should be exposed directly to plugins, though to begin with you would have to go through LUA to get/set TC/DH internals(I have no clue what modders would need access to).
I am not 100% sure but from what i can tell (I never made the engine, im just maintaining it, and my Lua knowledge is only what i have learned while maintaining TC/DH) you should be correct that Total Conversions should be possible as the LUA files seem to control practically everything that happens. I think it may be possible to turn TC/DH into a more open ended game like Freelancer, Quazar definitely planned originally to create a game where you could for example mine rocks(Source code has a engine_DoMineAsteroid but it has no contents other than a "This is redundant" error message if used by lua).
I am currently working on a Plugin System for 1.0.6.2, which should be fully compatible with Delphi(TC/DH are made in Delphi) and C++ DLL's. Though the initial version is likely to only expose some LUA related things (Like registering your own functions so LUA scripts can call functions in your DLL and sending LUA commands). Overtime parts of the game should be exposed directly to plugins, though to begin with you would have to go through LUA to get/set TC/DH internals(I have no clue what modders would need access to).
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Aye, something is better than nothing and I'm glad you have the export scripts for max. It should help making an import script a bit easier. These will help, especially the syntax config for notepad++ will come in handy.
For now I'll have to fully play both games and then learn the engine limits and then the modding limits. From what I observed the LUA gives us a good free reign on things. As far as being an open ended game like freelancer or the X Series of space games we might be somewhat limited (performance wise). At this moment TC & DH feel & play much more like Freespace. But the problem is that the game isn't as advanced (feature filled) as Freespace is.
For you to find out bugs on your own and fix them is very impressive. I really want to get involved and help in this. I'm a rookie at scripting but I am very familiar with different scripting formats such as LUA, C++, C#, & Python.
I'm sorry but I am a bit confused; when you say "Plugin System" what type of system are you going to implement; what do you mean when you say that? When I hear "Plugin System" I think of things like add-ons for The Sims Series or Mod plug-ins for the Elder Scrolls Series. Are you trying to develop a system where people can enable or disable a certain modification or feature?
Do you know what things might be hard coded? For me it will be best if I start small and work my way up to harder things.
For now I'll have to fully play both games and then learn the engine limits and then the modding limits. From what I observed the LUA gives us a good free reign on things. As far as being an open ended game like freelancer or the X Series of space games we might be somewhat limited (performance wise). At this moment TC & DH feel & play much more like Freespace. But the problem is that the game isn't as advanced (feature filled) as Freespace is.
For you to find out bugs on your own and fix them is very impressive. I really want to get involved and help in this. I'm a rookie at scripting but I am very familiar with different scripting formats such as LUA, C++, C#, & Python.
I'm sorry but I am a bit confused; when you say "Plugin System" what type of system are you going to implement; what do you mean when you say that? When I hear "Plugin System" I think of things like add-ons for The Sims Series or Mod plug-ins for the Elder Scrolls Series. Are you trying to develop a system where people can enable or disable a certain modification or feature?
Do you know what things might be hard coded? For me it will be best if I start small and work my way up to harder things.
I have talked to Computica on steam but i will answer the questions he raised here in case others are interested in the answers.
Plugin system should help with that as plugins code will run faster than LUA. There are limitations currently on the amounts of objects in the game (Such as Particles), though if they were ever hit then they could be made to be dynamic instead of a statically allocated amount(I am not changing them now as i don't have a test case which makes them hit there limits).
Its proberly most similar to the Elder Scrolls.
At this stage i don't. I have up to this point only maintained Tarr Chronicles and Dark Horizon, fixing bugs in them, i have not tried to mod them, so i do not know there current limitations. Though when limitations popup i should be able to remove them.
Modding capabilities have changed since the last post.
1.0.6.2 (Which should be out either at the end of Jan or early Feb) now has basic mod support. What that means is that if you put files into a mods directory the game "should" use them instead, but its impossible to tell if everything is modable without trying everything. There are currently "limitations" to the mod system such as the profiles being saved in the normal location and loaded from the normal location.
Plugins are loaded from both the Games plugin directory as well as the current mod's. There is no way to enable/disable plugins currently.
My Example Mod:
P.S I fixed Unicode Support, so Russian can now be viewed on systems which don't use Russian ASCII. I don't speak Russian, just havn't switched back to english yet. While its not currently possible to add new languages, it will mean that in the future when you can, languages which require unicode will be viewable to all(As long as the font supports that language).
1.0.6.2 (Which should be out either at the end of Jan or early Feb) now has basic mod support. What that means is that if you put files into a mods directory the game "should" use them instead, but its impossible to tell if everything is modable without trying everything. There are currently "limitations" to the mod system such as the profiles being saved in the normal location and loaded from the normal location.
Plugins are loaded from both the Games plugin directory as well as the current mod's. There is no way to enable/disable plugins currently.
My Example Mod:
P.S I fixed Unicode Support, so Russian can now be viewed on systems which don't use Russian ASCII. I don't speak Russian, just havn't switched back to english yet. While its not currently possible to add new languages, it will mean that in the future when you can, languages which require unicode will be viewable to all(As long as the font supports that language).
I started work on an application called CMView on the 9th. The Goal is to make a model viewer which in the future has the ability to convert between COLLADA and Quazar's CM format. Currently it just renders Mesh's from CM files.
