Slashdot Mirror
Warzone 2100 Source Liberated
jvm writes "The former game developer Pumpkin Studios has released the source for their 3D real-time strategy game Warzone 2100 under the GNU General Public License. (Direct link to the source archive.) Previously released just for Microsoft Windows and Sony PlayStation, this source release permits this 1999 game to be ported to other platforms, such at GNU/Linux and MacOS. You can join in the developer discussion at the RealTimeStrategies Warzone 2100 Redevelopment Project forum. Note that only the source has been released; an original copy of the game is required to obtain the other parts of the game (graphics, sounds, etc.)"
This was an amazing game that didn't get enough attention. It was one of the first full 3d real time strategy games; you could control the camera to any degree you wanted. You could make your own units, balancing against what threats you wished to. I was sorry to see it didn't get a bigger following; maybe this will help it.
Against stupidity the Gods themselves contend in vain.
List of mirrors, please don't link to individual archives!
Also, I should have clarified that the source and some game assets are included, but music and FMV are missing. Whether the game would work without these, I don't know yet. Sorry.
Curmudgeon Gamer: Not happy
The units in Total Annihilation were pretty smart on their own. They weren't foolproof, but you could set their movement style to roam, put them on patrol, and they would happily cruise around the map obliterating anything they could find. They had no concept of formation or cover, unfortunately, but flying units damaged on patrol would at least seek out a repair pad to fix themselved before returning to their patrol routes.
A lot of the 'intelligence' had to do with giving them simple automatic behaviors that would've required intense micromanagement for a player to do. For example, Solar Collectors would automatically close their panels to prevent damage if an enemy started firing on them. If a defensive battery was fired upon, it could back-calculate the trajectory and return fire automatically, even if the enemy was outside of visual range (provided it was within firing range, obviously). A construction unit on patrol would focus on repairing other units, unless you were very low on metal or energy, in which case it would instead try to recover the metal or energy left over in wreckage or rocks or trees or whatever is available.
Like you suggest, the units and buildings did each have an individual script, but I don't think it's quite the same as what you're asking for, as it was only accessible by editing the data files. Besides, the process of writing one is arcane and not very well understood.
But TA was still a fantastic game.
Random and weird software I've written.
Yeah, nobody plays old games, that's insane! Come to think of it, i'm going home and going to tear apart my chess and monopoly boards!
It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
Hi folks,p
I'm a member on RTS.net, the gaming community that fought and hoped so long for this moment.
I have just one thing to say: If you wan't to work with this source in a serious project, then join RTS.net - old NEWST folks are around at this site if you wonder where they went.
You can go to the forum with this handy link:
http://www.realtimestrategies.net/forums/index.ph
You can also get an overview of just about all webpages in warzone context by following this link:
http://wzlinkturret.1go.dk/
Some of the levels for this game was brilliant. I particularly like the one where the computer program had found the second base in the urban levels. You had to EVAC the base while at the same time defend it in order to get every last troop out of there. I remember stashing the highest ranking troops in the Airships first and leaving the newbs to defend the base. But the problem was, the newbs were the most advanced troops (if you hadn't already recycled the higher ranking ones). I love playing that level over and over again.
Amazingly, nobody on Slashdot thought it was even worthy of a mention back early this year when Slashdot featured the greatest RTS of all time. Of course TA was mentioned and Warzone 2100 never was.Those 2 games were simply the best for game playing and sheer fun.
Lets not forget the small expansion packs for Warzone 2100, they offered even more units, super troops and those huge Red Dragon Tanks which you knew you had won if you had built them. Then there was the small downloadable campaigns which featured even more unique units. Tanks with 2 gun turrets and such, so powerful they took out nearly everything with one or two shots.
It pissed me right off when I switched to the mac and this game wasn't available. I'd play it again in a heartbeat.
Jonathanjk.com