It doesn't look that bad, but it still looks era's behind what spring currently is... The only thing I notice that I really like that spring doesn't do is a nice LOS system (which would basically just require graphical changes to spring's current LOS system) and the fact that apparently maps can emit entities aside from the static model features we currently use in spring.
It's not as if those aren't already MTR so it's not worth saying much about it though
We don`t want to make Spring 2 or something like that. Our goal is full-compatible TA engine in full 3D using original TA resources. It should be compatible with any OTA mods and units.
After release you`ll get:
1. All the OTA campaign in full 3D with nice visual effects
2. All the OTA maps of any sizes
3. Multiplayer support for 8 and more players
4. Full OTA mod support
That`s what we are trying to do!
1. It would be less work to build with the current spring scripting engine then to build a new engine for full campaign play
2. Why? They are 2D maps, they neither look or play good in full 3D. They can be effortlessly ported to spring but all the spring mappers will balk at you for not fixing all the ugly mistakes and problems that come from using a map designed to only ever be seen in 2D in 3D.
3. Spring has 16 player multiplayer support currently
4. From what I understand the things breaking direct OTA mod support for spring are mostly bug fixes that allow new features to be used.
Ok, that's a little harsh, but realize you are advertising on our forums, and understand that this at one time was a project with the goal of recreating TA in full 3D, and for the last 2 years we've basically been suffering the ill consequences of going beyond that point and not having left enough room to grow because we've been using old TA tech that is frankly just behind the times in terms of general game development. No one here will argue that TA wasn't a fun game, but most of us here know all to well the perils of assuming that because the game was fun the engine was perfectly designed. While you'll probably find some here that still just kind of go "Wow, TA in 3D, that's revolutionary" the majority of us here had that moment a long while back and since then have been very profoundly effected by the realization of what being a spring mod/engine developer means in relation to how backwards and old the gut technology that made the original TA run works as a 3D incarnation.
Based on the experiences many of us have had here it's hard for us to hear "hey, I'm making a 3D incarnation of the TA engine" and not think to our selfs "wow, what a waste of time" because here more then anywhere else in the world, we have already done that, and we know from our own experience that it is a pretty non satisfying final result when it's done.
I like those screenshots. A bit of competition can't hurt. But most importantly, if Babax enjoys more making his own engine, then, by all means, that's not a waste of time!
Well, I`m not a developer, our lead-programmer don`t like Spring engine, don`t know why, so he decided to create it`s own. Well, what is about for me, I don`t like Spring, I prefer SupCom instead.
What is for beauty - yes, Spring is much more pretty, than TA 3D can be, but we don`t want new Super Mega RTS, we just want dear-old TA in 3D, so there are bad sides, and we can`t fix them (like back side of hills in OTA maps), but even now it looks very good even relying on TA-resources. Let`s see what it will look like in a half of a year.
not satisfying result? the spring engine is my fav RTS engine of all time. and I enjoy the spring mods more than any other RTS... I wouldnt call it unsatisfying. I would say that TA3D is just some people who want to make their own spring several years after one already exists
Is the terrain there being artificially made much taller than it actually is? Direct TA map conversions to spring show a very poor height setup and make lots of flaws apparent, one such being terrible backs of hills and an almost depthless heightmap.