Fallout tactics mod in Unity3D

N

Nugent

First time out of the vault
For some time now, I'm working on importing tactics' assets in unity3D to support more modding than available with the original engine.
Today I have enough stuff done to show a very basic idea of that it looks like and explain what I want at the end.

What is working:
- Loading all asset formats (maps, tiles, animated sprites, menues) and displaying it in unity.
- Fallout 2 asset formats support (for tiles and characters) but not used anymore (only FoT assets used).
- Moving around in a map (no pathfinding yet), almost correct display order (player in front/behind wall when needed and so on).
- Basic server with players position replicated and map data sent accross network (very simple NPCs).
- Basically not a game, more an asset browser where you can load any campain map and change your skin to any character/critter/robot.

What I want to do at the end on the tech side (that can't be done in original engine I think):
- Massive map size without exit grid/world map transitions, loaded around you on the fly (this is the core idea).
- 'MMO' style game, with persistent server (a lot like FOnline engine).
- Some aspects of destructible world: destroy walls with rocket launcher, run over trees with hummer.
- A kind of in-game editor allowing players to build stuff (houses/bases) by spawning walls and other stuff.

I attached screens showing editor view, engine view and bursting ghouls with minigun.

I'm very interested in what you guys think of this and if you have any advice or suggestion about the current state or the planned features.
I will of course post any progress here to keep you updated.
 

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What? Really? WOW!!! I am sooooo interested in that! That could be awesome to be able to convert my mod into a MMO version, even if it is time consuming. A lot of People ask me often (specially non-gamer type) if they will be able to "play with other people" in my game... That sometime makes me think I choose the wrong game to mod. But if there is actually a plan to make it MMO, that is INCREDIBLE.

Some questions...

1. Do you plan on converting FT triggers into your unity based FT?
2. Do you plan on converting campaign data, get rid of worldmap or make the worldmap different?
3. Will you accept people in your programming team?

My suggestions? Sorry if the list is HUGE. It's just that I fantasize a bit!!! (a lot)

1. Randomly created maps and randomly placed objects (rocks, plants, scrap yard items, etc.)
2. Programming a "object modification" option with a "use" button in the inventory, based on multi-selection. You select both matches and firewood, click use and both are transformed into a fire. You select only a bottle of nuka-cola, click "use" or double-click and it is transformed into a empty bottle and consumed. Select only a empty bottle, click "use" an it transform into a full bottle if you are near a water source.
3. Change the way entities are created and used. It should be, instead of entities types, only a series of checkboxes like "NPC, item, consumable, armor, barter, gamble, etc". For example, an item could be an "armor & ammo & weapon", or a "lockpick kit & weapon", or a "consumable & alarm", or, more strange, a "NPC & portable item & can barter" or "drone that moves and attack when on the ground." So much more modding possibilities...!!!
4. Some objects in the inventory that can contain objects (drag and drop), like in Fallout 1 & 2.
5. Better mapper than phoenix engine with automatic recognition of the tiles that fits.
6. DIALOGUE TREE!!!!
7. A extra equipment slot for a helmet or something you can put on your neck, on your head or on your back, or an extra slot for boots.
8. Customizable triggers that can be applied to the whole game.
9. Like in wasteland 2 (if you keep the worldmap), have some worldmap dangers (programming a character modifier related to worldmap movements.
10. Something to calculate time, like in fallout 1, when you have 180 days to do a quest.
 
What he said!
:lol:

nadeauhugo is right, and I think it is long overdue that Tactics has needed a fresh approach to modding. Extremely good job here Nugent. Good luck with it and keep us posted on your progression.
 
I'm glad you find it interesting. I will try to answer all your question below:

1. Do you plan on converting FT triggers into your unity based FT?
The .mis file format is not documented anywhere, except for the "map data" part (the tile positions) that I only found described in the freeFT project (big thanks to the author BTW).
So the triggers I cannot unpack for now, and might not use them if too complicated. But I didn't try yet so it's not impossible.

2. Do you plan on converting campaign data, get rid of worldmap or make the worldmap different?
The plan is to get rid of worldmap, have one single massive map streamed around you (the camera will lock if moved too far from the player).
This map will probably use some of the campaign/random encounter maps to reduce mapping workload.

3. Will you accept people in your programming team?
It is too early for now. I consider the code in a "ugly but working" state, a lot is missing, and what is not missing will probably change.
But I'm not against the idea for the long run, I need to see where it goes.

1. Randomly created maps and randomly placed objects (rocks, plants, scrap yard items, etc.)
This would imply a new editor I suppose. It is something that would help me for the "big open world" idea but it's a lot of work so not anytime soon.

2. Programming a "object modification" option with a "use" button in the inventory, based on multi-selection. You select both matches and firewood, click use and both are transformed into a fire. You select only a bottle of nuka-cola, click "use" or double-click and it is transformed into a empty bottle and consumed. Select only a empty bottle, click "use" an it transform into a full bottle if you are near a water source.
3. Change the way entities are created and used. It should be, instead of entities types, only a series of checkboxes like "NPC, item, consumable, armor, barter, gamble, etc". For example, an item could be an "armor & ammo & weapon", or a "lockpick kit & weapon", or a "consumable & alarm", or, more strange, a "NPC & portable item & can barter" or "drone that moves and attack when on the ground." So much more modding possibilities...!!!
4. Some objects in the inventory that can contain objects (drag and drop), like in Fallout 1 & 2.
Thi is advanced topics, to defer until after I have anything approching an inventory (but I can shape the inventory with theses ideas in mind for easier integration later).

5. Better mapper than phoenix engine with automatic recognition of the tiles that fits.
Same as point 1 for me, would be nice but lower prio than building the engine. I'll keep to hand-made maps and FT maps reuse for some time.

6. DIALOGUE TREE!!!!
I wouldn't build a RPG game without it :d. Also it needs to be usable by non-programmers so I need a "quest engine" or something like that.

7. A extra equipment slot for a helmet or something you can put on your neck, on your head or on your back, or an extra slot for boots.
Probably not at the start because balance will be hard enough with just armours and weapons (I'm talking PvP balance here, because the game is meant to have it).

8. Customizable triggers that can be applied to the whole game.
I don't understand the idea. Do you mean like day/night cycle for critters and stuff like that?

9. Like in wasteland 2 (if you keep the worldmap), have some worldmap dangers (programming a character modifier related to worldmap movements.
I don't keep the world map. Still the concept of random encounter needs to be present (group of enemies on your way between 2 cities, maybe caves with critters inside).

10. Something to calculate time, like in fallout 1, when you have 180 days to do a quest.
Seems quite easy to do, especially with a server and permanent world.

I'm currently putting together a demo with the engine and a local server to show the map streamed on the fly.
I still don't have real collision or pathfinding and it's the next big thing to add before working on inventory and other interactions.
 
I just put together a demo build.
Because I get the error "Post denied. New posts are limited by number of URLs it may contain and checked if it doesn't contain forbidden words." everytime I try to put a link in my post, I put it in my sign.

It's a zip file that you need to unpack inside tactics folder so that "demo.exe" is next to "BOS.exe".
Just run the exe, click the "Offline" button and you should spawn in a map with a tent and desert around it.
If you run around, you will never reach the map border, because more desert will be loaded around you (always the same map repeated).

You can change your skin and move around, nothing more yet.

If you encounter crash/not working or anything strange I'll try to fix it. I only tested it on my PC.
Also I'm very interested about performances on low-end machines compared to tactics itself.

EDIT By RobertHouse:

Link: http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=44252489621117737708
 
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From your screenshots, it looks like you have the Brahmin Wood map from Mission 1. Just curious, were you able to import it complete from FOT? When you said "assets" I just thought "tiles, sprites, etc".

Dialogue tree! Awesome.

What about Turn Based play? I recall timed events never worked well since they were intended for real-time.
 
Vault Maker said:
From your screenshots, it looks like you have the Brahmin Wood map from Mission 1. Just curious, were you able to import it complete from FOT? When you said "assets" I just thought "tiles, sprites, etc".

Dialogue tree! Awesome.

What about Turn Based play? I recall timed events never worked well since they were intended for real-time.
Click to expand...

It is indeed the map from the campaign, loaded from the .mis file directly. I am only able to load the tiles from the mission file, not the dialogs/items/quests/triggers.
But it is enough for me because all these I will do differently.

About turn based, I will not have it because it would not work for my mod (it will be multiplayer eventually).
 
Hello again!


I tried the demo and really like the progress you show in your project from now! The infinite map works perfectly and we really feel the continuous desert all around us. It is very fast and quick to load the elements and skins (except the first loading time just after seeing Unity logo, but this is really not a problem) The idea of putting a lot of independent windows on the screen is similar to Fallout tactics game engine and will work well for you final mod, as you can add any number of boxes with buttons or key shorcut to open/close them.


I think it could be easier for you, if you want to understand the triggers of the original game to import them, that you analyse the trigger files you can export from fttools.exe. The triggers only are saved in a file with the extention .trg. You could even use ONLY .trg files in your unity 3D mod as it is easy to export them from any .mis file. Same for dialog files, they have their independant export file with the extention : .spe


Will you eventually add an easy chatbox to your program? A "pipboy radio" screen that is included and part of the story, like the radio in FOnline2238 would be GREAT. You just press a button to open a window, choose a channel and then VOILÀ!


For my earlier idea about extra equipment slot for a helmet... That could eventually be arranged like fallout 3 engine, which could be very easier to program for you. You keep in mind different types of objects and then you simply check the items in the inventory to wear them, including the weapons and ammo. You can then set up an unlimited amount of object types as new types like helmet, boots, armor, gloves, weapon, googles, etc. Each of them is considered as "wearable" and you can only have 1 item of each type on you at a time (1 pair of gloves, 1 pants, 1 armor, etc.), each time you check one, the others uncheck. This help you simulate any object worn without the need of creating a special interface for them. You just change the char sheet with certain effect (like Armor Class + 8 or RadResistance + 30%) when an item is checked.


And finally, with "Customizable triggers that can be applied to the whole game", I simply meant you can program something that can happen anywhere in every .mis file, not just in a specific .mis file. Like "If you have less than 25% hitpoints at ANYWHERE, any .mis file", then you add a certain effect to the game. At this time with Phoenix engine, if I want to do that, I must apply a trigger to each and every .mis file. OUCH! BAD!


That it! Keep on good work!!! I will follow all your moves with much excitement!
 
Hello again,

I'm still working on this mod, and I made some progress as you can see in the video in my sign (still have this issue with "Post denied. New posts are limited by number of URLs...").

The new features since last time:
-roof hidding when in a building
-pathfinding around obstacles
-zoom in and out
-basic inventory with pickup from/drop to ground
-equip armor from inventory
-chat
-unicode support
-multiplayer supported for all the above features
-nice performances (60 fps on both games, while recording in full HD)

This is still mainly low level engine stuff so no dialog tree or quest editor just yet...
Animations and network sync still have some issues as can be seen in the vid.
 
Fabulous progress! Keep on going! I really like the zoom in and out option, that is really missing in the original game!!
 
The game is still laggy,frankly I know a few unity games that had succes.I hope you have.
Animations are bad.

Try to add dialogs and currency(like in Fallout 3)
Also add a map of the open-world.
 
AbullSinCara said:
The game is still laggy
Click to expand...

Do you mean laggy as in sync between clients or laggy as in bad perf?
Because the perf are way better than tactics currently (on my machine anyway).
In the video I have 2 games running while also recording in HD, and both games have solid 60 FPS (VSync active) even when zoomed out.

For the few sync issues, it's not lag obviously, because the server is local (0 latency). It's bugs in my code that need fixing.
 
No,I run on Xp 7gb ram where 6.83 usable, a Intel processor 3ghz,and 1gb vram 64 bit winxp

FUBAR what's your rig frodo
 
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Ol' Deep Thought here's a Dell XP model DE051, she gots three flash drives boostin' 'er 'pacity by 'bout 30gb total, all nonEssential software disabled, and she don't let her lackin' hardwares stop her from running programs she ain't got the specs for. :ugly:

Honestly it's just one step down from your machine, the proverbial last year's model; I got what I payed for.
 
Hi,


Great work! I've downloaded the demo and aside from some clipping issues, it works like a charm! I've always been fascinated about the prospect of altering FoT, for me the biggest missing feature would be an active-pause & command queuing.
Incidentally I've started, on my spare time, to make a unity based fallout game engine. While it's been frozen for some time, seeing your approach rekindled my interest :)


Here is a link a (very) early presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgnKxHEcQmw
Since then I've been working on tools a lot, a quick overview of things now present (and mostly working) are:


- weapons, except for explosives are around 80% implemented
- inventory system is pretty much implemented
- character creation complete with stats, xp, perks and whatnot are mostly implemented
- pathfinding is implemented using A* (it currently uses hexes, but it should be no problem to switch to tiles)
- dialogue tree + editor are implemented and mostly working, complete with requirement constraints
- a home-made c# parser complete with intellisense that I use for scripting/modding; I've used this to code all perks and could eventually be used to drive the entire game
+ a bunch of other stuff that I cannot remember right now


So much for the sales pitch, now on to the proposal. I really like your approach to doing this and would love to see these two projects married together. If you are interested (and I really hope that you are) give me a shout at rotsin[dot]ro[at]gmail[dot]com and let's make this thing happen :)
 
I have an interesting idea for ya it while creating character:
Make height-like in character creation where height is affected by strength or endurance.
Also weight who affects agility(running).
FOR EXample if have 8 str you got like 6 feet 3 in. something like that...

Do you think you could handle those variables?
 
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