XCom 6 : Updates thread

[The Veteran]

Yet another new thread, this one is specifically aimed at keeping those interested parties up to date on exactly where the project is right now.

 

I'm hoping to have a lot more to put in here very soon but right now I have one good piece of news. That is the welcoming of a new member to the team.

 

Alan (AlanatXcomHQ on these forums) has recently offered his services to us and I must say I'm already extremely impressed with the fruits of his labour! Alan is working on some 2D concept art for the project and as our only artist you can be sure he's working damn hard!

 

Hopefully we'll have some images to post here soon but right now everything is staying very hush hush and the images we have so far are more classified than most military bases!

 

I'm currently waiting to hear on music, sound effects, geoscape, and 3D artists. Bulma when you drop in maybe you could give us an update on how the programming side of things are going, explain what we're programming in, what the game needs to run so far and if we have a working download somewhere we could link to that too. I even forget which version of the game we're actually on to be honest so maybe you can fill us all in!

[Bulma]

Some update...

We have our new workspace on codeplex:

https://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=Xcom

 

there you can find release v0.48I, try it out...

There is also a Issue Tracker, feel free to use it to report bugs, feature requests, etc... Of course, you can, as always, post that here on this board...

[AlanatXcomHQ]

Hey Bulma, just got an account with codeplex and I found out that there are 4 Project Roles that can be in a project.

Anonymous, Logged-In, Developer and Coordinator.

I was just wondering as to how one can go from "Logged-In" to "Developer" and/or "Coordinator"?

[The Veteran]

Right now everyone seems to be getting logged as a co-ordinator regardless... I think that should really be me and Bulma and possibly Paul if he's going to carry on contributing to the project the way he has in the past. Everyone else on the team should be a developer and anyone just admiring from afar should be anon or logged in

[Bulma]

Alan:

You need to be assigned to the project by Coordinator, which are Vet and me at the moment. I have assigned you as Developer, so you can download source and start making contributions/updates

 

Vet:

"Right now everyone seems to be getting logged as a co-ordinator regardless"

What? Really?

You and me and some guy named jsanders are coordinators (I think it is the guy that created workspace, and we should probably remove him).

Btw, you are coordinator, so you can also add people to project if I am not available (And you also have Bulma's password if you needed it, but I believe that as coordinator you can do everything on workspace).

 

This is directory structure on XCom codeplex source control:

Docs - put all documents there (word, txt files etc)

FXProjects - NVidia FX Composer project files, used for shader development/debugging

Models - Original models in .3DS format and textures in .PNG format

Release - all resource files for game release

Source - Source files

 

So, when you do changes to models/textures, you first edit model in 'Models' folder, and then export to .X/.DDS and replace/add them to Release folder. OK?

If you need some instructions on using Team explorer, ask...

All resource and source files are under source control, if you make something bad (delete file, replace with some junk), it is easy to get it back... So, don`t worry...

 

 

There is also a feature called Issue tracker (was called Bug tracker on GDN), and we are going to use it

So, go ahead and report all bugs/feature request on it... We`ll also discuss features here before actual implementation but with Issue tracker we`ll have a better tracking...

 

Edit:

JSanders kicked from the project...

[The Veteran]

For anyone who hasn't seen the News lately or, like me, has the forums set to homepage rather than the front page! Here's a link to a quick to and fro interview I recently did with Slaughter. It shows a lot of the work we've been doing lately but of course there's much more that it doesn't show! If you're reading this as a part of the team then you may need to follow the link in the interview to our new Codeplex website to re-register as a member. Alternatively if you would like to participate in the project's future then you are more than welcome to apply at the workspace! Do remember though that the workspace is not strictly for discussion or for getting an inside scoop on works in progress! Anyone wishing to join the workspace must contribute in some way. We still need artists and renderers and a few people to work on music and sound effects too. Here's the interview again. Enjoy!

[AlanatXcomHQ]

Bulma has asked for links to the StrategyCore forums on the front page of the new Codeplex website, I have added in links to the X-com: Colonisation Forums.

 

For those on the Colonisation team that have seen the issue tracker on the new Codeplex website and are confused about it, here is a slight tutorial:

 

To create a work item

1. From the project's Home page, click Issue Tracker.

2. From Issue Tracker, click New Work Item.

3. In the Summary text box, type a concise description of the work item.

A good summary captures the essence of the work item so that a reader will be able to

understand the basic idea of the work item without having to read the detailed description.

4. Using the Work Item Type list, select one of the following:

 

 

Feature: For requesting an added feature to the project (Files you want to see in the game Eg. Music or sound effects and such.)

Issue (bug): For documenting a problem with the software

Task: For assigning some other work item not related to features or issues. (This should be a much-used area for the artists on the team.)

 

5. Using the Priority list, select Low, Medium, or High.

6. From the Component list, select the component to which this work item applies. (Game, Map Editor BFC, whatever)

If no components are listed, then no component items have been added to the project.

 

7. From the Planned for Release list, select a release or leave as Unassigned.

If no release is listed, then no release has been added to the project. See Create a Release.

If desired, use the Attach File feature to include a file with the work item.

8. In the Description box, type a clear and concise description of the work item.

If the work item is an issue (bug), it is often helpful to include steps for replicating the problem.

9. Click Submit.

[Tucky]

I've just created an account with Codeplex, can someone add me to the project (PaulT)

[AlanatXcomHQ]

Tucky. Please be aware that only Veteren and / or Bulma are the only members on the team that can add other members. Please try to contact them directly and be aware that they are also been busy with life recently and your request may take time to complete.

[Bulma]

I've just created an account with Codeplex, can someone add me to the project (PaulT)

 

Sorry for a delay. I have added you to the project...

[The Veteran]

Here's a bit of a gameplay update for all the people out there watching the project. I was talking with Alan, our man in the 2D art department, and we thought a bit of a teaser could be arranged for the loyal attentive types out there!

 

Colonisation is looking to be a big game some day, that's why its taking so long to come together but we are getting there slowly! We're using land and sea based aliens along with a few flyers and the bog standard X-Com genre zombie makers. This gives us a list of over 20 alien lifeforms to play with and we've had some real fun coming up with some new ones!

 

Now the last thing I'm about to do in here is give away our new aliens so if you still haven't figured out what the alien on Alan's poster from the news thread then you're going to have to keep guessing! If however there was a certain type of alien you always loved from the other games and are hoping we'll be using it then this is your lucky day!

 

I'm not going to name all of the re-used aliens but at a snatch we'll be using two variations of the Ethereals from UFO and their Sectoid understudies as well as the Aquatoids from Terror from the Deep. No Coelecanth's or weapons platforms for this game but you will get another kind of vehicle so keep your eyes peeled for the very first Sectopod prototype at some point!

 

The alien terror weapons draw a few of the oldies with an un-evolved Reaper and a cyberdisc prototypse you may have already encountered in another XCom game. Themutons unaltered predecessors are here too and you'll get to meet a creature you already know and loathe but just can't quite put your finger on it.

 

Of course we have our big baddies and if you thought the alien brain on Mars was a bit too easy to kill you may well be just about to see how deadly it was before the splicing! The Great sleeper is also in there somewhere and you'll see another of TFTD most horrible creatures if you're unlucky but they're about five times worse than before!

 

UFO, TFTD, Interceptor and Enforcer have all lent aliens to our cause even if they don't realise it yet! As the player moves through the game they'll continue to meet both famliar and unfamiliar aliens of varying strengths and difficulties.

 

If a little peek at some of the returning cast has got you interested then why not let us know that? Its always good for us to know we have you guys behind us and I for one would love to hear some guesses at what our other aliens could be. I'm not telling but if you're very close I may hint at it!

 

Once again thankyou to everyone who's helped get the project this far and thanks to all you guys for your support. I hope its not this long again till our next update!

[Dezerin]

Chrysallids have got to be in there, though I do have have to say I loved to loathe those gits just one of them taking your squad by surprise, when you think youve won can quickly wipe the smile off your face.

 

Also those lobstermen, though not as scary as the ones I just mentioned, they are massively powerfull and unless you have powerfull weapons they can take your entire squad to pieces, if theres four or more of them coming at you I hope you have your running shoes on

 

Good news though and Im looking forward to finding out

[The Veteran]

Well you weren't far off with one of them but neither of those actual creatures are in the game themselves... I think we have a final screenshot of the creature I'm referring to so I may tease a little more with it at some point but you'll know as soon as you see it

[AlanatXcomHQ]

Hey everyone, just wanting to let you all know that I've removed a couple of files and added in a whole load to the project. Bulma especially whould definately want to have a look at these.

[The Veteran]

Sounds great, I'll get onto him next time I can do. How's everything else doing Alan? We've not had much time together lately! Now that Xmas is over I'm hoping to be able to get a bit more time to myself though so you never know we might catch up sometime!!!

[Bulma]

Ok guys , holidays are over... Lets get to work... We`ll now have to rename XCom2006 to XCom2007, and I don't want to do that one more time... 2007 is year for XCom! And this time I mean it...

[AlanatXcomHQ]

Hey guys, listen, Wednesday the 26th of Jan, my Uni class had a guy from KUJU come in and do a talk with us.

Although it was mostly about the games industry in general, we had a long Q&A session with several of us showing him the games we had been making. Although most showed him their flash games. I decided to give him a preview of our XCOM: Colonisation project. Not much, a battlescape screenshot, some sketches I had done, a couple of the models Jman has made and showed him the Codeplex site and this forum. He didn't give a thumbs up or down on it. But he said it looked good so far.

 

Well, I think that's about as good as advertising as it can get don't you all agree?

[The Veteran]

Ok guys what on earth is going on? I know I'm not exactly one to talk but I've been running a pub over Christmas and New Year! It aint easy Where is everyone, what's going on???

 

Bulma's right this has to be the year to do things. We have quite a few very simple, quick and easy jobs to do and noone's doing them.

 

Geoscape, what's happened to that? We just need a rotating globe with a zoom on it, I've already done the texture. We don't even need a background or menu functions at the moment, just a rotating sphere!!!

 

Furniture? Why do we still have nothing to populate the demo map with? We need tables, chairs, tvs, computers, desks, all sorts of things. Even things like newspapers, plantpots and vending machines! Nothing's that hard but its not getting done.

 

Our concept art section is now and has always been the most active we have, everyone take a lead from Alan and his boys! Sorry I've been so distant for so long by the way, email me or something to remind me what you're up to. I'm really keen to get that Psilord done at some point...

 

Bulma? How's coding going at the moment? Is anyone helping you out with anything? Paul came back from his family adventure a while back is he still on the scene?

 

We need to get a good web of communication going on here, names of absolutely every person involved with the project and emails for them, msn, where they live, everything.

 

Also anyone who lives around West Sussex in the UK who is or wants to be part of the project let me know. It would be really good to have some people in on this who can actually meet up as well as just work over the net!

 

Right feedback people, I want to hear from everyone who's in on this as soon as humanly possible! Email me, message me, hell come visit me I open at 3 every weekday! Free pint for everyone I see!!!

[AlanatXcomHQ]

Yo! Sorry I haven't been around much, had a lot of University work on my plate. However, after May, I'll pretty much be free for the summer to do any work.

 

Anyway, just to say that I've meet someone on the DevianArt website who does pretty good creature artwork and suggested he'd join. Here's his DA Profile https://dany-morales.deviantart.com/ so he might help out in terms of aliens.

 

Also, here's another piece of news. On Thursday the 26th of April 2007, there's an event called GamesGrad 07. Basically the event itself is near Hammersmith Tube station. If you guys want I can scan the leaflet I got and show you guys where the event is exactly.

 

Basically the event is meant for people to go and talk to games developer and publishers and even have the chance of showing off portfolios of your work and possibly getting a career in games.

 

I was just wondering, if I meet up with atari, do I have a word with them about the Colonisation game?

[Gimli]

Nope. Because Take Two Interactive owns the rights, and has owned them for two years. Didn't you see the rumour about X-COM being developed by Irrational Games on Shacknews? I would have thought you saw it there at least.

[AlanatXcomHQ]

I haven't seen that piece of news at all. Especially at that site. Never been on it.

 

Oh well, I guess I might look out for Take Two Interactive then. Who knows, maybe if I get to play it right. The rumors about Take Two Interactive making an X-COM game could very well be about Colonisation.

[XCOM1]

Ummmmm...hello? Any new updates on this? It has been like a year since the last post. Or has everyone given up?

[Bomb Bloke]

The various team members still pop their heads in from time to time, but it's a rare event.

 

The most exciting news TakeTwo have released so far is that they're "thinking" about releasing more of the old titles on Steam. Though there have been some rumours floating around that they might be doing something more worthwhile as well.

 

A few of the other projects still seem to be ticking over slowly. Dunno if you've spotted Cydonias Fall since your last visit. They're still looking for new team members, if you're interested.

[Madow]

The most exciting news TakeTwo have released so far is that they're "thinking" about releasing more of the old titles on Steam. Though there have been some rumours floating around that they might be doing something more worthwhile as well.

Right, you are!

https://www.steampowered.com/v/index.php?ar...=7760&cc=AU

Plus all the other titles, including Enforcer.

[Muton Commander]

It's been a few months since the last post, and I would like to know of any progress here. I loved the first three games, and would love to play a new adventure!

 

Also, who is Tammy? ?