Sky of Verdun 3d - Windows client

[Brainsaw]

Hi,

I've been working on a browser-based multiplayer air combat game called "Sky of Verdun" for some time now. You fly airplanes in World War I style, red planed fighting against blue planes. The original version is completely written in JavaScript, with a server running on node.js, using cannon.js for dynamics and websockets for communication (see http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/forum/v ... =3&t=48781).

Now I have written a native Windows client for that game. It is included in the standard download package you can find on http://dustbin-online.de/index.php?section=30. The windows client is not yet finished. It will get a dialog when starting the program to set all parameters (at the moment the resolution is at 1280x800 windowed) that you need to pass by commandline at the moment:

SkyOfVerdun3d.exe [server IP] [server port] [username] [optional -rift]

The windows version uses Irrlicht for rendering, Irrklang for sound and a self-written websocket client for communication. It does also support the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset (using "-rift" as fourth parameter will start that mode), but there are still some things missing (e.g. the names over the other airplanes).

Controls are quite easy. At the moment there are fixed keyboard controls, I will expand this to controls the user can configure:

Cursor up / down: pitch
Cursor left / right: roll
A / D: yaw
W / S: power +/-
Space: fire
R: Reset Oculus orientation

To get the server running you need to install node.js (download from http://nodejs.org/). The necessary JavaScript modules are in the package (cannon.js, websockets).

Here are some screenshots:

Normal mode (chase camera):





Normal mode (nose camera):




Rift mode (cockpit camera .. only available in Rift mode):






At the moment I am also thinking about the text for the official release, something like this:

"Searching for the thrill of World War I air combat with a hyper-realistic flight model, a detailed damage model and next-gen graphics? All of these and many more state-of-the-art features can

not be found here. But if you are looking for an easy to play action multiplayer air combat game that almost looks like WW-I, with graphics that are state of the art (for a 1998 game), a game that can even be played in Webbrowsers then continue reading."

Have fun with it

[chronologicaldot]

Good work! Reminds me of a P-51 game I used to play in the 90's - a game that was on floppy disk.
Kinda funny how the control panel just sort of hangs in mid-air (in the last few pictures).
Question:
Does gravity affect you?

[Brainsaw]

Thanks. Yes, gravity does affect you, but as long as you keep going the (almost) hyper-realistic aerodynamics of the simulated airplane keep you flying .

[Brainsaw]

I have added a configuration dialog to the Windows client of "Sky of Verdun 3d" that allows you to run the game without bothering about the command line. I also fixed an issue with the "select plane" UI element in Rift mode.

[Brainsaw]

This time I added the possibility to configure the controls of the planes (including using a joystick / joypad) and added the Windows executable of Node.js and a batch file to start a server to the package so that Windows users don't have to worry about installing node.js.

[chronologicaldot]

Thanks. Yes, gravity does affect you, but as long as you keep going the (almost) hyper-realistic aerodynamics of the simulated airplane keep you flying .

"hyper-realistic" - lol
The reason I ask is because it'd be fun to do back flips without stalling. It would also be slightly less annoying in combat, but not everything in life can be easy.

[Brainsaw]

If you fly your plane upside down you'll have to keep the nose of the plane up a little bit, but not that much. Most of the uplift is created by the plane's body (at least in this "simulation"). Once I get the "play replay" function included into the windows client I'll create a video of a few nice battles I had.

[Brainsaw]

This time it's a little update. I removed the jitter of the plane in Oculus Rift mode, and I replaced the crosshair in that mode so that it's easier to aim.

[kazymjir]

Check this out
http://www.adityaravishankar.com/projec ... d-conquer/

[Brainsaw]

Damn, this is cool. I guess this will keep me from adding features to my game (I hope not).

[kazymjir]

Brainsaw, this should be an inspiration!

[hendu]

Um, why would you use a slow JS hack inside a browser, when the original game is freeware & runs on current OSes?

[kazymjir]

Um, why would you use a slow JS hack inside a browser, when the original game is freeware & runs on current OSes?

Because... it's possible!

It's not about if its fast or slow, has great graphics or not. The technology moves forward. People creating such things are pushing web further, to the higher leves. I bet when people saw pong, they thought the same - "why would use a slow and big machine to play pong, when it runs on every flat table?"

[Brainsaw]

That's true. And the cool thing about my HTML5 game is that I can test it at work (yes, we have breaks) although I work on a Linux machine. Some of the others use the windows client though.

[hendu]

C&C runs great in Wine.