Void Destroyer - Indie 3D space sim

[chaosavy]

Hey guys, iteration 12 has been released!Iteration 12 focused on tactical mode enhancements (the RTS portion of the game).Brief summary:In tactical mode you can select and issue direct targets to your ship's individual turrets.You can issue commands to your ships such asGo here - via simply right clicking on mapHold positionPatrol PositionTurn shipWait - timer based (+10 seconds a wait order)IdleEnhancements such as visualizations for combat in tactical mode, issuing orders to multiple selected ships and other neat stuff are in as well new ships and other features.Check out the change log for details:[url]http://www.voiddestr...c.php?f=7&t=381[/url] a new video is here highlighting the changes: you are new to the project look at the iteration 11 video for a more balanced look at what the game is about. 12 is available on the main site: [url]http://www.VoidDestroyer.com[/url]

[Pinback]

Really like the look you given the graphics in the game, very unique look.Is it some sort of cell shading?.

[chaosavy]

Thanks! From my understanding cel shading refers to using a shader to manipulate the visual to make it look "toon like" - however this isn't the case here, its just a texture that looks "toonish" - most likely down the line I'll put in a "outline" shader to give everything a neat border to amplify the effect/visual.

[NeuralKernel]

Hi, I just downloaded Iter12 last night and started playing it. Great work so far, it looks amazing! I do have some notes to offer about the controls, though. I've got a layout I've figured out over the years for these kinds of games (6 DoF spaceflight) that works well for me and doesn't seem like it would conflict with the other controls at all (just wasd with some different combos). Is there an easy way to change the keymap? An in game keyboard reference would also be handy, even if you can't re-map keys with it. It's a minor issue... but it would make the game a lot more enjoyable if I could make use of the muscle memory my left hand has developed over the years!! <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

[chaosavy]

thanks for trying and the feedback! Greatly appreciated, I'm glad you enjoyed the bits of the game <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />Sadly there's no keymapping yet (not even editing a text file) - although in iter 13 you'll be able to change mouse speed settings and flip mouse rotation (apparently that's a very important thing to some). As the iterations goa long I'll keep adding these kinds of things - and definatly before the official release. Right now the focus is more on game engine stuff, I added the mouse shenanigans since I had some "in between large ideas" time.Thanks again for trying out the game, hopefully I'll add keymapping soon <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

[chaosavy]

Updated the first post with iter 13 news -Hey guys, iteration 13 has been released!Iteration 13 added a few things: weapon recoils, debris, gate travel, enhanced ship changing and other features, enhancements and bug fixes on our way to Beta.Check out the change log for details:[url]http://www.voiddestroyer.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=387[/url] a new video is here highlighting the changes: 13 is avaiable on the main site: [url]http://www.voiddestroyer.com[/url] you enjoy and thanks for checking it out!

[Jabberwocky]

The live space scenes are looking really good. Models are cool. Background is cool. Explosions and weapon-fire are cool. From a presentation standpoint, I think the lowest hanging fruit is sound, and custom UI artwork. There's a lot of fairly cheap stock sounds out there you could probably work with - hand-made custom sounds are probably too expensive for most indie projects.

[chaosavy]

Thanks! Yeah the UI is terrible, there's some custom sounds being made now, it is not "budget" breaking since they trickle in so I can space out the cost. The UI definatly needs a total re-do, there's still features being added so I'm waiting on trying to recruit someone that has the skill and is willing to work for token wages. Once things are finalized I can take the plunge and hopefully have an adequate UI/GUI/HUD/etc <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> Get rid of some/most of the text and have it icons/graphics/etc.

[SolCommand]

The game now looks gorgeous. You've made such a huge improvement in the look and feel of the game for the past year. I sure hope this will get the attention it deserves.

[chaosavy]

Thanks!Its actually an incredibly sad story - the artist behind the majority of the look died suddenly of a heart attack. This took a huge toll on me both in personal terms and the project's terms. A friend of his took up the mantle and is now working on the art, even to the point of re-creating some of it from screen shots (we are doing everything we can to preserve what we can), and now creating his own asssets.

[SolCommand]

Indeed that is sad. I'm really sorry to hear that about the artist. RIP

[chaosavy]

Here's what I've been working on since releasing iteration 13 - First steps towards command mode goal of command mode is to give the player a more interesting control mechanism over larger ships, instead of using the mouse/joystick to maneuver, the player issues commands to turn or move to a location. While those commands are executed the player can control the ship's turrets. Hopefully this will allow for some neat elements - eg: ramming spikes/shields, rotating ship to take advantage of shielding, moving ship to enemy blind spots, finding cover, etc <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

[nevilclavain]

Hi, Downloaded iteration 14 for a little try <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//gamer1.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':gamer:' />; I have some problems with keyboard control; is the game adapted for AZERTY keyboards ? It seems that there's no way to redefine keys, am I wrong ??

[chaosavy]

Currently there is no way to re-map keys and it is set to work with QWERTY keyboards. This will be changed prior to release, hopefully in the soonish (3 or so months) early beta. There will be keymapping and other options to tweak.

[Onionman77]

Man this looks amazing, what a good idea to combine RTS and dogfighting. Was there supposed to be sound in those videos? Is there sound in game?

[chaosavy]

Hey Ensign 1 looks amazing too <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />There is sound in game, but since its of various state (eg: some I made via sfxer, some via sound cloud free sounds, and some via sound engineer) I don't feature it in the videos. Actually most game trailers tend to have some kind of music playing in the background. Eventually I'll have to add that to the vids since I know music (and sound in general) is a big part of being human.Indie space sim game dev to indie space sim game dev - what do you think of the current times? Star Citizen/Chris Roberts appearing back on the scene, interesting times.

[Onionman77]

As a gamer I'm very excited about it (Star Citizen) and think it's a bummer I'll have to wait till 2014 to play it. As a developer I am a bit bummed, my whole reason for making Ensign was that I didn't think anyone else out there would make a game where you could finally walk around carrier ships as well as fly them. Now I find out Chris Roberts is making it and he says he started the same time we announced our kickstarter a year ago. Kind of takes away the whole reason for me making my Ensign, since I can't compete with that :/ I would have just made some other game idea.

[chaosavy]

I think in similar terms. We should start a support group for indie space sim devs hehe. Nah too busy. I worry that my project won't be as unique due to Star Citizen and also an accompanying wave of other space sims (eg: look at Minecraft and its clones). I remind myself that my project will be unique due to the simple fact that I'm forced to do with less, my mindset and decisions are different than big budget titles, also I remind myself that I don't have anything to lose so I should take risks, since not taking risks would be the biggest downfall.Anyway keep your head up <img src="'[url]http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gif[/url] class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

[chaosavy]

Oh yeah forgot to menion an amusing thought on the situation:I think that me and you and other indie game devs are more similar to Chris Roberts circa Wing Commander I than present time Chris Roberts is. No offense intended.

[Onionman77]

Combining RTS with space combat is an excellent idea and I don't think you've got any competition there. I've often thought it would be a cool idea if you could take something like Sins of a Solar Empire and let players be the commanders or fighters in each of those ships, so you've got a great thing going, I wouldn't worry about that.