Re: [VANILLA-CLIENTS:104] netrek developer newbie

[Dave Ahn <ahn@vec.wfubmc.edu>]

On Mon, Aug 09, 1999 at 01:04:08PM -0700, Eugene Polonsky wrote:
> 
> 1) Paradise support.

You should look at the Paradise/TedTurner code base for this.

> 2) Multiple resolution support. Basically, by using OpenGL to do the
> graphics, I can have the user zoom in/out of the local window -- this allows
> people with low resolution to play, and also adds a zoom feature to the

I am quite adept at OpenGL, and I can tell you that the current style of
Netrek clients would not benefit from it, because OpenGL's strength is in
geometric models and 2D/3D textures.  Netrek's objects exist in 2D space
and are often too small and static to take advantage of (or even gain any
speed from) OpenGL.  With the popularity of 17" screens these days, the
low resolution problem of the past really isn't an issue.  And introducing
variable zoom to the tactical window could impact the gameplay significantly.
The reason is that there is a 1-to-1 resolution match between the galactic
grid and the tactical window.  That is, the 500x500 window represents a
500x500 area of space.  If you change the resolution of the window to a
non-multiple (say 600x600), then you will have significant distortion for
all objects shown on the screen.  This is very bad.  If you force a
resolution match (600x600 window maps to 600x600 space), then those people
with a different window size would be at an advantage/disadvantage.

> Plus, since I'm using OpenGL, 3-D support is just around the corner. If the
> game framework is there, I can't imagine it would be all too hard to take
> the game into 3D.

There was a lot of talk about this in the past.  Tom Feng had some
primitive version of 3D trek running at some point in the past.  I think
that 3D trek would be very cool, but the mechanics would be completely
different from Netrek.

-- 
Dave Ahn <ahn@vec.wfubmc.edu>        |  "When you were born, you cried and the
                                     |  world rejoiced.  Try to live your life
Virtual Endoscopy Center             |  so that when you die, you will rejoice
Wake Forest Univ. School of Medicine |  and the world will cry."  -1/2 jj^2