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Its ready when its ready, but.....


Supreme Cmdr
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hmmm, I'd say about 85% complete. Whats left is mostly content, tweaking and testing related. I plan on releasing the first non-dev Beta (Beta 4), to the crew sometime in late May or early June as I originally planned.

Here is a short list of work-in-progress items.

  • surface structures such as buildings, bases etc. All threat vehicles are already done.

  • frontend art. Due to the number of controllable ships, surface vehicles and marines, I've had to design a lot of clean screen HUDs and did away with the original bitmap ones.

  • Pilots are done and Gio is working on Officers and other NPCs right now.

  • Jason's working on re-designing the last of the transports

  • Several speed and tweak related rendering issues. I did away with Glide support and focused on kick-ass D3D. The OpenGL renderer has fallen behind slightly and may not ship out of the box, but later as a patch. Glide was completely ripped out, almost a year ago.

  • AI needs a bit more tweaking

  • Gound and air/space flight dynamics (you're gonna love this) needs some tweaking and Peter still needs to write a new ground dynamics model for the controllable vehicles such as the CAB. The ATV one will be modified slightly and enhanced to meet this criteria.

  • I have yet to write an ACM storyline, let alone script it!. BCM is heavily multiplayer but I don't want to ship it without a single-player component, so I still have to do a 25 mission ACM scenario. I will be including the current ACM scenario for a total of 50 missions across 2 campaigns. This will give you guys a chance to play those scenarios in multiplayer with your friends. Yes, every single player mission can be played in multiplayer.

  • The specialfx engine is constantly being tweaked and if you thought you've seen great graphics, heh, just wait. I have a reason for not releasing any more early in-game screen shots. You're gonna be shell shocked. Sure, great graphics don't make up for lack of gameplay, but this time around, we're catching up with the graphics to keep it in line with the gameplay. The recipe for a winner - I hope.

  • The multiplayer engine is coming along quite nicely and one of my guys over at MIT and I are already tweaking some compression stuff. MP is my primary focus in BCM and until it is near-perfect, I won't release this game. Still waiting for the Gamespy Arcade (www.gamespyarcade.com) SDK from those folks, but so far, they have not released it. I don't particularly want to develop a server browser and chat interface. So, I may go with HEAT for that. They've been lobbying me to support it and already sent the SDK (which I'm looking at) and contract. I just haven't commited yet. I was planning on hosting on Zone, but I changed my mind, especially with all those space sims that are going to be on there. It will be a mad house. I am developing GCO (Galactic Command Online) in tandem with BCM, due to the fact that they share components, because I don't particularly want to start from scratch.

  • Bugs, bugs, bugs, lots of them - but, they'll all be squashed.

So far, testing has been restricted to internal dev teams because it is less distracting and I don't want to give them [the ext beta team] the temptation of coming up with wish list items. They alwaysdo that. biggrin.gif

At any rate, it looks like we're on track for the late Summer release, all things being equal. Worse case scenario, even if it slips, I will have a demo with multiplayer support, out by then, to tide you guys over.

So, Be patient. Its coming. And you're going to freak out.

[This message has been edited by Supreme Cmdr (edited 04-20-2000).]

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end of May?

My degree is finished on the 22nd!

smile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

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Cmdr. Ben Zwycky

GCV Svoboda, ISS08

Adjutant to the Fleet Commander

ISS Fleet Recruiting Officer

Director, CIOPS Directorate of Training and Administration

Initiate - Order of Jade Dragon

ISS Fleet Homepage

GCV Svoboda Homepage

"Nakonec pravda vitezi" (in the end the truth wins)

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I know for a fact that neither one of you is on my ext beta testing team, so how were you planning on getting your hands on that release? Storm my office? biggrin.gif

The game is still targeted for a late Summer release and if it slips, we're talking September.

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Well SC i'm really happy at how things are comeing smile.gif maybe i'll go preorder all the games comming out right now

I hope all goes well for june

------------------

COMMANDER BOSCH

ORION FLEET

TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP

GCV - OBENBONE

ICQ:24625094

"For Orion Home and Soul we guard you"

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It's nice to know that everything seems to be on schedule. now for that release date...... biggrin.gif

------------------

Cmdr. Antilles

Spectre Fleet

Spectre Starstation

ICV- Eclipse

Chief Security Officer

Learning is not compulsory... Neither is survival.

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hmmm... playing the ACM's online sounds like a blast!!!

Not to mention all the other goodies smile.gif

looks like I'm gonna need a bigger drool bucket biggrin.gif

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Cmdr. Andergum

Spectre Fleet

Pre. comm. Cmdr. New America StarStation

ICV Gummy 1

Official tester of BC3K the series...

Long live the Insurgency!

ICQ # 215323

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What a cool thing. SC can't wat till MP.

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Commander J.Smith

GCV-ROSETTA

*3rd squadron, Marauder Wing

Stationed, Starbase Fenrir

ICQ#67121847 EST

"choose your allies wisely, for they may turn against you."

=WRAITH FLEET=

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hehe, the ext Beta guys (spcfx, Andergum & co), will get hands-on first and access to a dedicated server. Once all the critical issues are sorted out, its demo time!!

The architecture of the game does not differentiate between a single or multiplayer scenario. As long as there are player slots available, you can join, whether it is Free Flight (a non-mission based ACM btw), or a scripted ACM scenario.

At this point, only multiplayer will cause the slip, nothing else. But, we are talking about a retail slip. The 40 odd ext testers, plus some of the die-hards here (who will probably get invited to join, based on geographical location), will already be playing and won't care about a retail release - because what they are playing won't be much different, except for bug fixes. I was planning on doing a global open Beta, but I'm not sure yet about that. I don't particularly want to attract the wrong crowd and dilute my niche audience in the process.

Besides, by the time BCM is out, Starlancer, Tachyon and Terminus (heh), will be out and battling it. We're probably going up against I-War 2 (announced today for a Winter release) and Freelancer (scheduled for Winter, but looks a lot like 2001). Everything else is fodder. I'm not even worried about any of the above titles because they all target a different audience. With the massive options in BCM, this is one title that they're going to be hard pressed to beat.

Believe me, the first time you launch as a marine, hear a warning klaxxon, look up in the sky and see an OTS weapon coming from someone that looks a lot like Parias, you'll know how awesome this game is. Dive for cover or go find that STO vehicle or STO platform

Just wait....

[This message has been edited by Supreme Cmdr (edited 04-20-2000).]

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quote:

Besides, by the time BCM is out, Starlancer, Tachyon and Terminus (heh), will be out and battling it. We're probably going up against I-War 2 (announced today for a Winter release) and Freelancer (scheduled for Winter, but looks a lot like 2001). Everything else is fodder. I'm not even worried about any of the above titles because they all target a different audience. With the massive options in BCM, this is one title that they're going to be hard pressed to beat.


People, start digging them trenches.

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Guest Ron Wallin

Damn, I thought Counter-Strike (Half-Life mod) was going to fill my summer months of MP... Not now. I'll be that marine on the ground, not, you can expect a few OTS's from the Nevermore!!!

I do like sniping, though... smile.gif

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Akira

Spectre

ICV-Nevermore

Official Tester

Battlecruiser Series

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Oh yeah, now I'm begining to think that my upcomming birthday this May isnt gonna be so depressing after all. Not only am I gonna be doing somthing I've been dreaming about for the last 15 years, but the BETA gets a goin over. Well, hopefully.

27 not all that bad after all. smile.gif

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F.C KARL 'BLADES' SAVAGE

ORION FLEET

TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP

GCV - TSUNAMI Ôäó

www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk

'For Queen and country'

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Man, more and more with each passing day, my mouth just waters......I can't wait til that Box is in my hand, and On my machine!

biggrin.gif

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CMDR GREG MILLER (GMAN)

ORION FLEET

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP

GCV - SARK

ICQ 64202480

www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk

'The righteous care about justice for all,

but the wicked have no such concern.'

[email protected]

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quote:

So far, testing has been restricted to internal dev teams because it is less distracting and I don't want to give them [the ext beta team] the temptation of coming up with wish list items. They always do that.

I won't say a word. I promise. [looks at ceiling and whistles softly]

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Commander Chavik

Spectre Fleet

ICV Phoenix

Official BC3K Tester

"We Shall Arise From The Ashes"

[This message has been edited by Charles Lindsey (edited 04-21-2000).]

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btw, one of the reasons I was asking for those fleet structures is because any fleet official (commander, procurement, jester etc) that is on it, will be part of the ext beta team, as will the active members. From my scan, it looks like pretty much everyone here (the active community), whether your a fleet official or not, will get to barge in on the external Beta biggrin.gif

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*rubs eyes, and rereads post, looks at Fleet structure, and faints*

smile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gifbiggrin.gif

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Cmdr. Antilles

Spectre Fleet

Spectre Starstation

ICV- Eclipse

Chief Security Officer

Learning is not compulsory... Neither is survival.

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quote:

From my scan, it looks like pretty much everyone here (the active community), whether your a fleet official or not, will get to barge in on the external Beta


*Cough, Weeze* (sorry, Pajars(sp, appolgies) for stealing you line smile.gif).

Beta->SpacePhish??? OMG!! Yes!!

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Guest Remo Williams

Awesome news!! [slaps himself several times to make sure its not a dream!!] OMG I'm awake! biggrin.gif

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Cmdr. Remo Williams

GCV-Lexington

Prime Fleet

Gamma Wing

1st Squadron, (The Guarddogs)

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All I can say is

biggrin.gif

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Cmdr. Ben Zwycky

GCV Svoboda, ISS08

Adjutant to the Fleet Commander

ISS Fleet Recruiting Officer

Director, CIOPS Directorate of Training and Administration

Initiate - Order of Jade Dragon

ISS Fleet Homepage

GCV Svoboda Homepage

"Nakonec pravda vitezi" (in the end the truth wins)

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