Battlezone 1

Has anyone considered overhauling Battlezone, I have played the game for about 10 years and still love it. What I mean by "Overhaul" is take the old graphics and some of the artificial intelligence and replace them with more up to date stuff, but not changing how the game is played. So we keep the user interface; the menus and controls, and the shape and colors of the vehicles and buildings, but add more detail to them such as round out the gun barrels, bigger texture sizes.... I am a 3d CG artist and would like to help out the effort if this goes anywhere.

If this project needs help there are lots of open source programs and people out there who are looking to contribute to a project but I'd rather keep this were people have a passion for this game. This probably would not take much effort or people just a couple of programmers and a one or two cg artists myself being one of them could get this done. if any one knows how the game as it is is made or updated I.E. coding language art programs used 3d or 2d (textures and user interface) file formats used, could post that here that would be helpful. Thanks

It's already happening

Ken Miller, one of the programmers for BZ, is working on a 1.5 patch. You can look at the fixes and beta test the experimental builds from the link below.

ken-miller-s-1-5-patch-f23.html

So does that mean an update in graphics? I run windows 7 pro so the 1.5 is the only thing that works on my machine so I am aware of 1.5. The main reason I ask is because I'd like to see the game move into the 21st century.

I see very few complain about Battlezone's graphics, and those that do complain still haven't specified what is wrong with the current graphics.
Only 5 units in the game have sketchy AI, and there is already a solution to that, we just need Ken Miller to post the files in the common files topic for it to be in the 1.5b installer.

Technically, yes...but nothing insane for 1.5. It had already been updated from its native DX3 to DX9. The goal of 1.5 is to make it compatible with modern computers, and to correct many issues (MDM bug, E-W bug, Silo-Ally bug etc).

there is no complaint here I just thought it would be cool to sharpen the textures up (make the uv image larger, maybe add a few details). I guess you guys have got it all under control.

Thanks

I saw others saying that they can make more detailed models for BZ, but none of them have ever posted their models, only pictures of them. Kind of hard to see how a model looks in-game without the needed files. No offense, but every time I see a topic like this, it goes absolutely nowhere.

You've played Battlezone for 10 years? I don't know what name(s) you use online then. You register here and your first posts are about "renovating" BZ, and I'm just thinking... "what?".

Anyway, welcome to BZ.

I could have waited to do this on my second post if that would have made you happier

what I should have asked is are you willing to accept new models if they are posted.

but to implement them in game you would need all of them wouldn't you?

if I were to post my models in either .x or .fbx would it be a waist of my time or could i eventually see them in the game.


I don't think I ever used the same name twice until now, if anybody runs Battlezone 1.5 I should be under the same name as I am here "Tyan".



Thanks

I just read this thread: optional-custom-grizzly-model-from-bz98-t1367.html

should have found it earlier, looks like there is a passion here for keeping the game in its original state

I'm sorry to waist your time in answering previous posts

thanks again

Do you mean simply re creating the original models with a higher resolution? (which would satisfy anyone wanting to keep the game original I think this would be good but pretty pointless on its own.
In order to truly "renovate" bz surely would we not need to upgrade the lighting system and other things as well in order to avoid models and textures looking too good in contrast to other aspects of the graphics?
Im not sure though if anyone has the means/knowledge here to modify the engine to such an extent but that would be good.
Next on the wishlist : Linux or PS3 ports!

HA!

I think I could imagine this game being played on the Wii.

It's not that I am necessarily "against" better looking models, but until I actually see modelers converting their models and getting them into the game, the idea won't really excite me much.

I agree That would be a joke

I also would now say that I have to be the worst "trying to get my point across" person on this forum. kickback999 stated pretty close to what I wanted That is pretty close to what I wanted but maybe add a layer of multiresolution (smoothing the model out) and doubling texture sizes. I dont know how hard it would be to change things like lighting in whatever game engine is used. but doing gravity, lighting, and AI over again would be redundant. I used to do a little programming with OGRE, ODE, and CEGUI and updating/making stuff like this wasn't that hard, but I only mad one mission with 3 types of units.

there are good ways to do that if what you mean by "other aspects of the graphics" you mean the ground, GIMP has some cool tools that would make it look good in about 20 min. one more thing I did not think about when I started this thread is the amount of cooperation the people involved, this would be hard for a small volunteer group to have. I have experience there

being as I now have been put back in my place is there a good way to get custom models into battlzone 1.5 from either Blender 2.54 or 3DS Max 2011?

BZ 1.5EB ran fine on my Ubuntu installation last year via WINE. Haven't tested it on any Linux distro this year at all since Ubuntu started giving me grey hair.

Actually, that thread is meaningless. It is cut of part from Bz1.5 installer discussion where Bz2 dummy was insisting on fixing hud of the model that won't be in the installer at all.

If any, this is a thread for you - http://www.battlezone1.org/models-from-intro-video-t1117.html, but I seriously doubt we'll see any new model in the game (too hard to please old BZ'rs), or even in a test game (you don't seem to be done).