Yesteryears: The Game

[Syf]

Yesteryears​

As you all know, Yesteryears was a Mod for Star Trek: Armada 2... Was! Well, that is no more. But rather, instead of letting our hard work go to waste, We are making Yesteryears the first MSFC Game Studios RTS game.

We have been getting emails and PM, and even MSN chats with questions about all of this. So, hopefully, I can shed some light on the matter.


In simple terms, Yesteryears has been upgraded to a new game engine owned by Us. YY will be the first RTS in Our quest to evolve into a legit Game Developer Company. That's where MSFC Games Studio came from. YY will be our first full RTS Title. It will be free none the less.

Armada and Armada 2 are great games, but let's face the facts.

1.) We don't have access to the game engine *code*.

2.) Only animations with a $7000 piece of software are possible, but even that is limited.

3.) We can not actually add desired concepts to the game. We can only work with what is already there, and that is even limited.

4.) Those games are old and out-dated.

With that in mind, here's a small example of what we want in YY that are not possible
in A1 or A2----------------

1.) Shuttle and fighter functions - To be able to launch, use, and retrieve small craft.

2.) Full animation - Everything gets animation, and can all be done with Milkshape as well as the more expensive render programs.

3.) Realistic scaling - A planet should be very big with a ship next to it.

4.) Orbits - Planets go around the stars

5.) Full galactic maps - meaning we want more than small limited range missions, The Galaxy is yours for the taking!

6.) Station add-ons - Starbases able to build attachments, like research facilities and weapons platforms

7.) Break models - We want to be able to blow the nacelles off an enemy ship.

8.) Salvage - Yeap, we want to recycle.... It's good for the Universe!

9.) Customizable Modality - We want the game to be moddable an a new level compared to A1 and A2. Everything will be scripted.

10.) Multiple LODs - Like many games today, they have LODs, or, Levels o\Of Detail. Meaning, when a model is "right in front of you", It looks full of details... Eye candy! But at the same time, using LODs to increase the number of displayable on-screen without impacting frame rates.

11.) Many other things - We are currently looking into. Several small things that work in the background and things that impact the game play, like real random debris and space "stuff".



With a private "owned" game engine, all things become possible. Now I hope this helps everyone understand what we are doing with YY. And to also simplify it, we don't have time to mod Armada 2 and develop new games at the same time.

Now, we will use this thread to discuss Yesteryears, post updates, etc.

 

[Knight]

Sounds extremely good to me!!!

Terran's with fighter and shuttle support... awesome idea, and gives that terran carrier design (the San Antonio i believe?) even more potential.

I am looking forward to this one Syf!

 

[Sqweloookle]

Don't forget using support crafts as weapons, put a couple torpedoes on a shuttle and blow it up when the enemy bring it aboard their ship

 

[Excelsiors190]

i.....i.i..i..i..i.i.i.i.i..i urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

im SPEECHLESS :Y:Y:Y

if im accepted as a voice over im gonna be buisy a game like that will have an awsom campaign so diverse so uniqe i..i think im gonna faint........(THUD)(SMASH) i has become braindead with excitement brain reboot in 30 seconds

 

[Icewolf]

Very nifty I can't wait to see the fruits of your efforts, and the engine getting it's first real workout .

 

[Syf]

Speechless is a good thing. But just wait until the game starts alpha testing and we can start spamming images right and left.

Ask Knight, we love to tease (More specifically, I do).

 

[Knight]

Ask Knight, we love to tease (More specifically, I do).

Its true. I wake up in the middle of the night screaming "no Syf, stop teasing me!". Its that traumatising.


Much like the mental image I've now scarred you all with

 

[Rodglas]

Everything else you have is right off my wishlist so what the frak...

One thing that has been bothering me about Armada lately is that its a designed for all frontal assault ships.

I'd love (for my own modding and...) for the sake of variety ships that are scripted to prefer to fight on broadsides. True Fire Arc control that actually lets me fire true broasides, or backwards without having a 360 degree arc of fire.

I'd love to see layered sheilds (like SFC) with fore, aft and side sheilds included.

Rod

 

[Syf]

You mean shields like this?

 

[Rodglas]

Pretty much, yeah.
Rod

 

[Excelsiors190]

syf i love to get teased on games n mods it makes me whant it more and it causes me to never loose interest

 

[Syf]

Never fear, you will get teased!

Rod, those items you listed are all on the agenda with this new RTS.

Everyone, feel free to add to the list of features you would like to see. We are very open-minded about it right now, as only preliminary work has been made thus far.

To give an idea of the extent of the work we are going through. That image was the sole purpose of GUI sampling. As far as models, the ones that we have from the YY Mod are now the lower end of the visual spectrum, with the average model a mere 1K-2K. The eye candy part will be 5 times that. None of that is made yet. And as said, everything will be scripted. Meaning from simple unit control, to specifics about the AI.

Also one last thing that is planned for YY. Multiplayer support of a minimum 16 player, maybe even upto 4 times that (the engine can support that). It's really a matter of should there be that many players on the same battlefield. in an RTS. I myself am content with 1-16 players. A battle could take several hours as it is.

 

[Excelsiors190]

well then thing id like to see
experiance system
refit system
Diplomatic system
mutch wider tech system
realistic shields
race coloured shields
minor races
---events---
natural Disasters e.g supernova a bad nebula forming
random accidents e.g warp core imbalance
peace
war

iv got loads more tucked in my head
thank life imagionation exsists

 

[Jasoneagle]

I can think of a few but, I am stuck on playing Star Wars Empire at War series and would love to see that type of approach to the Star Trek Genera, What I mean is the Interface system, It allows fleets to be made as well as Bases in individual systems and taken (all but bases) to Battle to gain new worlds and resources as well as a bigger pop. cap. If I understand the Game engine used for SW:EAW was made for the game but I have no Doubts that the Game Crew here could Duplicate some of they Interface.

If anyone has any Questions about what I mean you can give me a shout and I will try to explain what I mean More (In a rush right now need to get ready for work)

 

[Rodglas]

Another thing I'd like to see is MIRV style weapons.

For those who don't know MIRV stands for multiple independant kill vehicles. Basically a missile that carries several smaller missiles.

I'd like to se this expanded so that the original missile could also fire phaser/lasers as well like the bomb pumped xray laser on the missiles in the honor Harrington universe.

Rod

 

[Avon]

Diplomatic system

Agreed. Being an old 'Birth of the Federation' gamer, that was the main thing I missed with Armada.

 

[Excelsiors190]

i loved BOTF and the diplomat thing always dose it for me now id like to see the ye old ion cannon a beem not sm stupid ball maddoc made and a vertion of it seen in star trek legacy maby?

 

[Majestic]

Missles systems will be included in the game, to what extent is currently unknown but it's something we couldn't do well for A2 as the Kzinti's main weapon are missiles as thus we want them included to be as realistic as possible.

 

[Excelsiors190]

Missiles yahoo
but still id love a goodplanet management system maby make the game galactic civilizations 2 dredloord dark avatar and twilight of the arnor inspiredbut RTS not TBSthe planet diplomat research expencise ship design and trade management is superb

 

[Icewolf]

Well, here's a lost of things I wouldn't mind seeing, along with a few comments;

• "Smart" AI - AI that can learn from previous battles, mainly on "if we can't get to their base this way, lets try that way."
  
• Fixed weapon arcs - it was some what doable in Armada, but boy was it ever a pain to do.
  
• Ship refit system - This is something I've always wanted to see, and it was doable in Armada but it did have some drawbacks to it. Basically, when the player hits a certain tech level a refit of, lets say the Sabre, would be unlocked giving it improved tactical and defensive abilities. Eye candy wise it'd be nifty for some of the units to actually get a appearance change after the refit to.
  
• Separation? - To me separation was never a big thing within Armada, though with the KM mod in Bridge Commander it gave one heck of a twist for strategy. The only ship I know of that had the potential ability to separate around the TMP and TOS era was the Constitution, so it might not really apply to the game, though it'd be a fuel for some interesting maneuvers.
  
• Scanable map units - Not really like it sounds, when exploring the map have the ability to scan things such as asteroids, nebulae, ect and have a chance of getting a bonus from it, such as improved shield regeneration, more potent torpedoes, better resource income, and so on.
  
• Cloak - Within Armada the advantage of Cloak was quickly lost in the begining of the game, and when that point came it became more of a weakness than a strength. If you include cloak and cloak detection with Yesteryears, please, please, pretty please don't do like they did in Armada!
  
• Fair to the AI - The AI is always a fickle thing, with most games their ever given a bonus to compensate it. If possible, let the AI have the ability to use special features that the player can use to.
  
• Dagger behind the back - With multiplayer and singleplayer I would really love to see the ally/enemy option added, Armada I being a good example. Though I'd also love to see the AI decide on friend or foe on their own as well...especially if they can realize if you're bumming off of them or if you're cutting off support from them and planing to stab them in the back.

I am very thrilled to hear that missiles will be a part of the game, you have no idea how long I've wanted to see the Lyran's and Mirak's go at one another like they should, namely the Mirak's missiles hitting the targets that they should .

 

[DarkPhoenix]

it sounds really good guys. i can't wait until the labor of love is done and testable!

 

[Majestic]

A lot of what you mentioned there Icewolf we are planning to do in some form, as for your other suggestions we will see what we can do, and don't worry while we want the game to be an updated more current Armada 2 we won't be doing a simple copy, we want to surpass it in both gameplay, features and modability wise.

 

[Excelsiors190]

hmmm i was watching a video of spore (september 5 2008 for the EU clnt wate) and it was talking about TERAFORMING and i thought i might say it here
a lonely class-D (witch i normaly hide listining posts behind) into a busling class-M (or close) witch i buld trade ports around my build system is wierd n i stick to it but it works

at the open space in the eye of a nebula - research stations
CLASS-D - listining post
CLASS-M - Trade post
CLASS-J - Shipyard central
near wormhole-heavaly defended no hope of escape
blackhole - reaserch and ambush
no these tactics i do i would love to see the AI do
wow i went from asking if teraforming can be in it (sorta asking)
to seeing if the ai can use my tactics of something close

 

[Knight]

A lot of what you mentioned there Icewolf we are planning to do in some form, as for your other suggestions we will see what we can do, and don't worry while we want the game to be an updated more current Armada 2 we won't be doing a simple copy, we want to surpass it in both gameplay, features and modability wise.

Sounds good to me - apart from one minor detail -- its so far away

 

[Aerilon]

I could have swore (I wont as this is a family forum) that I left a comment in this thread, yet there doesn't appear to be one. I am shocked.

Anyhow, like I said (or rather, like I thought I said last time), it is a shame that this wont be avaliable for Armada II anymore, though it is great that it is going in for its own game. Means everything you've ever wanted to do, can practically be done really.

I, along with many others, shall look forward to this release.

 

[Excelsiors190]

me 2 i did see a post wid your name on it calnt remember when tho

oh heres a feature
if any one has dawn of war 40.000 dark crusaide you will know what im talking about


as a ships level increases you can level it up and you gain the option to add new systems weapons defenes shuttles deployables ect this option in DOWDC is called wargear with you add armor weapon and general upgrade for your commander i love this feature it definately add a sence of realisim to the game

 

[Syf]

I could have swore (I wont as this is a family forum) that I left a comment in this thread, yet there doesn't appear to be one. I am shocked.

Anyhow, like I said (or rather, like I thought I said last time), it is a shame that this wont be avaliable for Armada II anymore, though it is great that it is going in for its own game. Means everything you've ever wanted to do, can practically be done really.

I, along with many others, shall look forward to this release.

Either that was in another thread, or there is another issue with the server that we will have to look into.

If any other posts turn up missing, let the staff know.

Yes, the entire point is to be able to "Boldly go were a Trek RTS should".

As for a release date, we will not speculate yet, as there is much to do. It's like starting over after a HD crash with no backups made.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

I must say I am impressed, my friends

Is that picture that you posted, Syf, already in the engine or even in-game?

 

[Syf]

Engine displayed objects, yes (As in the model is ingame so to speak, but only a rendered object inside a early test version of the engine. No interaction available yet). Currently, the GUI is an edit using paintshop. But the units are rendered inside the engine. Progress is being made. I'm currently working on scripting/coding basic functions. It's still a long way away to having a "real" ingame screen shot. If all goes well, shots of the alpha version will be available by the end of this year, maybe sooner.

The Alpha version of the GUI is being prep'd, as are some of the models to play with the coding with.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Ah, I see. I understand it does take a good long time to build up an engine.

Two things that I would like to see are:
- modability (does that word even exist )
- moving turrets on ships
Maybe you see where I am going