Link-Dead progress

[Ragnaros]

• |update 06.16.2009|

the most important thing is done! his dude is running, climbing and jumping!
check out the in-game video!
http://mm.soldat.pl/?p=351#comments
from MM's blog

i think that Link-Dead came to us closer than ever for last years

LD is finally becoming reality.

MM's progress in his work is just amazing...
I wanted to know what do you guys think about it

ill keep posting the most important news here, stay tuned

ps: cant wait for LD 0.9.4 release

• |update June 27th 2009|

MM start to REWRITE (!) the network code. Goodluck Mickey.

• |June 27th 2009|

Number 1 rule if you want to ship your game. DO NOT WRITE CODE THAT ISN’T USEFUL RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW. I’ve made this sin and now I regret.

bha. ha. ha.

|June 29th 2009|

MM got his damn netcode working. Hallelujah!

|July 7th 2009|

I’ve been working on the netcode for the last few days without internet connection. It is amazing how much work you can do without the devil.

|July 13th 2009|

upgrading the Netcode

I need to test it in real conditions. I think I might release a little test version publicly soon.

|July 20th 2009|

after rewriting the part of his network (jep, again) MM write a wonderful article:

I’m a genius
I got angry at the physics code for being limited. So what I did is make Box2D (Box2D=LDTestEngine - lil remark) work with tiles collision. This means that the game is not limited now to some memory issues. Infinite maps are reality now in the Link-Dead engine. I am not using them cause they are loaded into memory (for fast loading times). I can make them load from hard drive and that would allow for gigantic maps. But I’m not doing that cause there will be a slight loading hick-up; about 100ms. Doesn’t seem like much but in a multiplayer game that is a matter of life and death.
[...]
I tested a map 15 screens by 15 screens large and it generates and loads in about 15 seconds. This is a really good score even before optimizations.

I’m really proud of myself for doing this. I want to thanks the lack of internet for pushing me to do this.

(wow )

|July 21st 2009|

NEW Physics code

It’s a lot faster; no framerate drop.

(http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/3668/stressy.gif)

|July 26th 2009|

MM start to take some part for the gameplay, the netcode is working.

I’m gonna be working on gameplay stuff now for the test release.

yes, FOR THE TEST RELEASE.

|August 6th 2009|

"I took a couple days off, been coding non-stop for more than a month." -thats unreal

|August 13th 2009|

...Job is going really good. The sleepy crisis is over and I’ve done a ton of work. Maps are now made in a Paint program.

Read this? Read again. NO MORE map editors. Maps in paint. Fantastic...
(http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/3963/drawmaps.jpg)
Believe it or not...

|August 14th 2009|

Michal made ladders climbing in LD and said to get ready for the test release.

|August 18th 2009|

"Oh! wait! i need to fix some bugs!"  goddamnit...

|August 26th, 2009|

(http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/7399/ldtr.png)
"To play with real people:
Download and install Hamachi(https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/list.asp)
Create an account or whatever it tells you to do. When you’re ready, in Hamachi click “Join an existing network…”.
Fill in the details:
Network name: link-dead
Password: funnybunny  

In the network, there should hopefully be other players. You can chat with them (click on link-dead for channel chat), setup your server or join their servers.

To start a server:Press escape. Select Game/Start Server. When it loads: Select Game/Join Localhost

To join someones server press Game/Join Address. Change the IP:Port to the players IP. Default port is 50008.

That’s all. I hope it works.

Oh yes and the download link! Grab it here:http://mm.soldat.pl/downloads/awtest06.zip

Please report if it crashes. Tell me when exactly in the game it happens, a screenshot will help.
The framerate won’t go above 30 fps, it is fixed, not slow. If it drops below 30 then tell me and mention what hardware you have."

|September 14th 2009|

I need to leave bot paths now for more contemplation. I’m changing focus to integrating the old effects for maps - lighting and fog.

finally! effects! yay

|September 20th, 2009|
Wonderful graphical update: Dust processor. It generates dust & smoke (fog lighting and some othr effects too) without any lag, as MM said.
teh video is here:
http://mm.soldat.pl/?p=555#comments
(ill keep posting the most important news here, stay tuned)

[Rook_PL]

YAY! Looks like MM did his homework on 'prince of persia'
LD looks promising, but will it reach the forecasted Best Game Ever Made? Will see.

[jrgp]

I sure hope this turns out better than Crimson Glory.

[~Niko~]

Physics are awesome

[Ragnaros]

Thread updated!
Tons of info after 2,5 months.

Sry I was offline, was entering the university. And you know, i entered The Moscow State University, the best university in this damn country (seriously) geological faculty btw im sooo happy sorry if i was too rude or smth, had alot of stress in the last year of school.

sooo there are gona be two geologists on this forum heh

*Edited 5 minutes later*
Hey! look what i found!!! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79113&id=85350122869 awesome concepts! mustsee!
awwww LOOK AT THIS! LD classes + their graphical concepts!


oh and one more thing...
check out new "awesome" Sigvatr's blog: http://sigvatr.com
(eeeh what a hell?! can someone explain this?)

[MattH]

Any know if this will be modifiable  ?

If so then, THATS TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!

[Ragnaros]

Guns? In paint. Maps? In paint. Gosteks? try to guess...

MM says that it will be all-around modifiable, more modifiable than any other modifiable modifiabness!

[Dusty]

Gameplay will be very realistic, much more slow-paced than Soldat

A massive turn-off.

[Illuminatus]

network test release!

[Ragnaros]

network test release!

tnx duh, added to the first post (with d/l links)

@Dusty: a massive turn-on

c'mon guys! lets try MM's first LD version (it is faaaaaaaaaaaaaar away from complete)

[F4||3N]

Downloading, I guess....

How did he do the paint map thing?
He should do it with Soldat! =D

[numgun]

I wonder if theres a certain color palette for maps, surely you cant just draw all the terrain and hope its gonna behave on its own.

[Illuminatus]

I wonder if theres a certain color palette for maps,

This is what I found somewhere on my HDD - I've no idea where it's from but it's afaik "Link-Dead"-related:

[demoniac93]

Wow, sorry to say this but the gosteks(Or classes, or whatever) look like crap...

[Dusty]

Wow, sorry to say this but THEY ARE FAR FROM COMPLETE LOL!

[Ragnaros]

Wow, sorry to say this but the gosteks(Or classes, or whatever) look like crap...

these are not gosteks, these are concept arts. White Nights (his art-work up there) trying to find the best visual style for link dead, it is his first attempt.

maybe you have some ideas? some pics or heroes/soldiers/units from other games? nice field for creative work, guys

[demoniac93]

Eh, I'm real lousy at drawing, and don't exactly get what kind of feel the models should have. Tell me exactly what this game is gonna be all about and I'll try.

[Ragnaros]

Eh, I'm real lousy at drawing, and don't exactly get what kind of feel the models should have. Tell me exactly what this game is gonna be all about and I'll try.

im not really sure but MM get his inspiration from metal (-core types), post-apocalyptic games... totally destroyed earth, none of those clean and tidy human bases from Terminator: Salvation. And NO LIFE ON THE GROUND left, only under ground. Maybe no humans: mutants instead(he is not rly sure right now). They are "low tek".

Their enemies are cyborgs (not humans), all kinds of robots etc. ... "Hi tek". They gona be really big-bad-asses, even worse than "low tek". (mutants or humans at least have som kinda soul)  Yes, its gotta be in futuristic style.

try this for more inspiration http://whitenights.free.fr/cpg146/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=0 its a link-dead concept artist's sketches (he work not only at link-dead, alot of junk there too), and keep in mind he (mm) told about vehicles and drivable technics in link-dead

[demoniac93]

For the mutants you should see games the likes of Abused, Halo (The Flood), and maybe The thing?

[Ragnaros]

the closest to link-dead is Abuse (partly) but i hope... no I'm sure that LD will have smth more eeerm... realistic! yeah, look at halo! is it post-apocalypse without human race? dont really think so. LD is gona be a hardcore game.

ps: I say it looking back to MM's words when LD was just a game-idea

[Ragnaros]

OMFG
MM wrote in his blog:

With a team, you would implement strategy, imagine having a sniper to scout ahead while you creep across the level, sticking to the shadows, silently knifing your enemies, while a hacker works hard opening doors and keeping robots from molesting you. You can’t achieve that in a 1 vs 1 match.

The problem with this is that it’s only your imagination. I’ve come to a point where I don’t believe this is possible in reality, simply because of the human factor. From the hundreds of hours of online team game playing I’ve had maybe 2 or 3 moments where I was really proud of my team members. Most of the time its some random douche bags. The problem with multiplayer games is that you put the entire gameplay experience into the hands of random douche bags and a normal player like you and me can’t really experience the game fully. The only solution for this is hand the entire experience or at least 50% of it to you. So you can define your own gameplay. If your style is sniping with one guy and sending a hacker out into the field with a scout, go ahead do it. Don’t wait for your retarded team mate.

this does sound like Cortex Command/Worms.

Worms is turn-based. In CC you control a body. In Link-Dead there will be a team. I would compare it more to Hidden & Dangerous 2 or to Jagged Alliance in real-time. CC doesn’t have the simple RTS feel that I am aiming for.

Ffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuucccck…I hate RTS

To cheer you up, let me say that I hate them too. I don’t play them and have no interest in them. That’s why LD will probably be something very different but I had to describe it somehow. That said I do have respect for a game like Starcraft. There is something in it. There is potential. I want to take that potential and explore it in a side-view game. LD won’t be about gathering resources and building bases. I don’t want that. I am rather thinking about the simplicity of the interface. Where you point your mouse somewhere and the soldier goes and does that. It makes you feel powerful, like a commander, not like a peasant with a stick.

The user gets to choose if he wants to play “soldat mode”, “link dead person control mode” or “link dead strategy mode”. And all other modes, created by users.

This of course will be possible. Actually I’m not planning for the first release to be in strategy mode. It will be deathmatch, but later on I want to develop into that what I described.

Just write Soldat 2 and everyone would play it.

After Link-Dead I will be refreshed so why not.

——

[homerofgods]

Oh it's on now baby!  Soldat 2 Soldat 2 Soldat 2 Soldat 2 Soldat 2 Soldat 2 Soldat 2 Soldat 2    mmmmmm yeah!
btw, enesce wrote 'Soon my pretties, soon.' in his blog, so it looks like the beta is comming soon

[croat1gamer]

Mixture of Soldat and Cortex Command?

There is god.

[Ragnaros]

LINK DEAD IS CHANGING.
MM says:
__________________________
Since I released a press note about Link-Dead 2 years ago (which you can read on http://link-dead.net) a bit has changed. And it changed a lot about 2 months ago.
Link-Dead will be a real-time team strategy game with person control elements.
Not the other way around.
Soldat CTF in realistic mode is a person control game with team strategy elements. This is the reason why I have been working hard on making bots work right. Some people were asking why so much focus on this? Because the majority of the game will be controlled by your mouse and the bot AI.
Although I haven’t decided on this entirely yet (cause there might and probably will be some deathmatch kill’em all mode), there won’t be games for 32 players or so. Games will be rather played between 2 people, each controlling his team of soldiers. I’ve thought about this for a really long time and didn’t post anything about it, cause I thought it was crazy. There is no game like this out there and it won’t work. But eventually there is 1001 reasons for making this game like this and I am so deeply convinced about the awesomness of this game that I give a f**k about anyones opinion at this point. Link-Dead is gonna kick the nuts out of your sack and squash them. I am greatly inspired by this gameplay approach and it is one of the reasons why my productivity and focus has risen 500% lately. I know exactly what I want and how I want to do it. This means I’m ditching all the stupid programming libraries which have worthless features, I’m losing all my other commitments and projects, I’m ditching everyone involved in this project and am working alone. Like in the good old days when I was making Soldat and I saw that it was the best game ever to be made and I sat on my ass and all I did was create everything by myself from scratch and I didn’t stop working until it was done and thousands and thousands of lucky people could play it. This is the mind-state I am in right now. Let Odin be my witness Link-Dead will be the Greatest.

________________________________________________

New concept of the new game.

*EDIT*
some news about the engine...
new field of view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz5spRkASHs&feature=player_embedded
new light effects:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8D4dZc-MBw&feature=player_embedded
btw there is no more Box2D engine, the new engine is heavenly optimized (refreshing L-D, right)

[Snow]

Mixture of Soldat and Cortex Command?

There is god.

You mean god as disappointment right?

[-Skykanden-]

At least it will be a vanguardistic game.
I mean it will be RTS game but it will add lot of action in which you can play. I don't have anything against it and he is right saying that like that it will be for sure tactical, but I would go for something like 4 people for team not 1v1 because maybe its like playing chess.

[pavliko]

Soldat mixed with cortex commander? Sounds cool but not the kind of the game that i was waiting . But still .no matter how cool it would be, soldat will still pwn this...

[Ragnaros]

Link-Dead world

[MattH]

Link-Dead world

Matrix much?

[Ragnaros]

Dont think so. If you want, ask MM. He uploaded this Cloverfield poster.

[Swastika von Judenbutt]

That new video looks like he's practically finished, can't wait for more.

[Tehinvader]

Can't seem to download hamachi....I have dial-up and use AOL 9.0 can anyone help?

[Hair|Trigger]

It's being released tomorrow (31st) in alpha stage. 

http://mm.soldat.pl/

[demoniac93]

It's being released tomorrow (31st) in alpha stage. 

http://mm.soldat.pl/

Why am I drooling rivers right now?

[Horve]

if you want to make link-dead co-op, make players get bonuses to skills/abilities/ scores or whatnot when close to others, saving others from something, helping around or just plain old kicking ass. This works especially well when your class has weaknesses which can be neutralised with the help of your team. I haven't tried the test version so I have no idea what I'm talking about.

[DarkCrusade]

Click.

Found this on youtube. The "Link-Dead world" seems to be ripped off or am I wrong? Video uploaded in august 2008

[Grimbad]

He uploaded this Cloverfield poster.

Click.

Found this on youtube. The "Link-Dead world" seems to be ripped off or am I wrong? Video uploaded in august 2008

[Illuminatus]

He finally got himself another pixel artist after Sigvatr left.

[fulro]

i cant play LD it give error everytime can any1 help me

[Illuminatus]

of course just try this if it doesnt work then do that

[jrgp]

i cant play LD it give error everytime can any1 help me

It'd help if you told us your system specs and exactly what error message you're getting.

[Hair|Trigger]

Don't worry too much about it, it's nothing exciting (yet).  These are just really early stages, testing a couple of basic things. 

[Decaying Soldat]

I can't play it.

I DLed, unzipped the files, started the LD origram, it starts loading, then it stops when showing the line 'link-dead breakdown' or something, then it crashed.

I'm using Vista, btw.

Anyone knows what's happening?

[demoniac93]

I can't play it.

I DLed, unzipped the files, started the LD origram, it starts loading, then it stops when showing the line 'link-dead breakdown' or something, then it crashed.

I'm using Vista, btw.

Anyone knows what's happening?

I'm getting this on XP.

[Wela]

Link-Dead Crashhed

Program says : Engine stop working etc.....

[Decaying Soldat]

Link-Dead Crashhed

Program says : Engine stop working etc.....

Exactly what happened to me. You using vista?

[Wela]

Link-Dead Crashhed

Program says : Engine stop working etc.....

Exactly what happened to me. You using vista?

Windows XP SP3 , crashes when "loading edges" text comes ..

[zyxstand]

so is link-dead just a slower, down-graded version of soldat?

[Eagles_Arrows]

so is link-dead just a slower, down-graded version of soldat?

From what I gathered from playing the deathmatch demo: Yes, yes it is.

I'm sure more stuff will appear later, but right now moving around is way too slow and clunky, inventory needs work, and how come you can't jump while holding a weapon?  What the fuck?

[Furai]

Everything is slow and clumsy comparing to soldat...

[fulro]

ok i have HP pavilion a845w windows xp2000 the game give me erro cant play no shit i really want to test it out maybe modify the game my self

[m79]

One Word "W0W !"

[Monsteri]

If MM would develope soldat as link-dead it could be one ****ing big and tasty cookie.

[demoniac93]

Looky looky, I see one tasty piece of cookie.

[Monsteri]

Looky looky, I see one tasty piece of cookie.

Now I didn't understand you.. Are you talking about me (lol it just came to my mind  ) or Link-dead or was it just random?

[RafiPZ]

Looks like the public beta is out?

[Hacktank]

Indeed it is.

http://mm.soldat.pl/news/link-dead-public-test-released

See everyone ingame.

[Fireman]

but you need to pay for it 

Hmm..


He should remake Soldat, or add to the current version, I would pay a large sum of monies if that would happen.

[demoniac93]

Looky looky, I see one tasty piece of cookie.

Now I didn't understand you.. Are you talking about me (lol it just came to my mind  ) or Link-dead or was it just random?

Talking 'bout the beta release.

[SoldatFire]

omg im realy sceptical for this game how i see this is 2d like soldat but its 10 times slower and no jetpacks , the shooting is weird and the grafix are good maybe 2 good (laaaaaag) ok but i dont now how the final work will be 

[darDar]

btw. just to keep you up to date. the project has currently being aborted (maybe not forever)

as MM is currently doing King Arthurs Gold
go here to have a look at it:
http://forums.soldat.pl/index.php?topic=40976.msg497625#msg497625