Want to announce my spacesim project (similar to vegastrike)

razorjack · Post by **razorjack** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:31 pm

Hello,

Some months ago I began to create an own spacesim game project called "Simerge". I'm aiming for a spacesim which should be somewhere a mixture between "X3 Reunion" and "EOC: Independance War 2" / "Vegastrike". Simerge (Merged space simulations) will be an economy and combat simulator like X3, but instead of sectors it implements a world configuration like I-War2 has.
And additionally I want to make it possible to land on planets. This would add much more freedom for the player.

Simerge is currently an experimental platform to develop my game engine. I've launched a project blog for it at the link:

http://simerge.wordpress.com/

Breakable · Post by **Breakable** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:26 pm

I would propose to ask for some advice from VS developers - you might benefit from that.
I am not a vs developer but at least I would advice:
1)Use external libraries and engines as mush as possible, of course if they fit nicely. See projects such as Ogre engine, to reduce the amount of development you would have to do.
2)Try to keep the code well documented and clean. If you will love it, it can attract more developers there.
3)When planning have 80/20 in mind. 80% of features take 20% of time. The remaining 20% take the remaining 80% of time.
4)Don't loose enthusiasm! Ever!

Regards,
Breakable

bgaskey · Post by **bgaskey** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:50 pm

Best of luck. If it turns out anything like VegaStrike, it should be awesome

razorjack · Post by **razorjack** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:57 pm

Thanks.

This project was initially started for experimental and development purposes. On this way I'm going to create a game engine and all common parts for a future game. Also due to restrictions in my financial and time resources, I've chosen to do so.
All I hope is to get successful with simerge by finding more coworkers, a small community, contributors and so on. So after that I can begin developing a real game from the skeleton of Simerge.
Simerge itself should consist of a series of small demo releases.

razorjack · Post by **razorjack** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:32 pm

As always. I'm searching for volunteer developers.
There is mostly work for programmers. If someone is interested, he can take a look at the project site.

Post by **ace123** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:59 pm

Are you going to make this into a free (as in speech) open source project?

I think a lot of the developers here are already working on jobs and education, and are doing Vega Strike in their spare time already.

I wish you luck building this spacesim... it looks like it could be interesting, with built-in planetary flight.

razorjack · Post by **razorjack** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:32 pm

Yes. It will consist of a couple of freeware releases.
But I don't plant to open the source at the moment.

Post by **hellcatv** » Thu May 08, 2008 12:36 am

to be honest either a) sell it or b) make it open source (or c both)
freeware is the worst of both worlds
not only do you not make money, but others can't use it to learn or make things better and thus folks will be less willing to contribute and it will grow slowly.

Plus if you make it open source with the GPL you can steal our code and art

bgaskey · Post by **bgaskey** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:51 am

Well said, Hellcat. I contemplated saying something similar. Open Source FTW.

Also, more developers will be willing to help if its open source, perhaps, and there are many more opportunities to incorporate others' code

razorjack · Post by **razorjack** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:39 pm

Yes. You both are right about going opensource with a project.
But I'm not excluding this option. I've said that it wasn't planed to be opensource now.