Mechanized Assault & eXploration Reloaded



#1 May 06, 2008 10:58 pm
gabba Offline
Approved Member
Registered since: May 06, 2008
Posts: 16


Subject: I really like this project!
I stumbled upon this site a few days ago, and I must say: good job! I've been waiting for a M.A.X. remake for some years now. Here are my comments/questions on the game:

- Why not use M.A.X. 2 maps and user interface? It seems to me the 3d maps were more interesting. Also, M.A.X. 2 had an easier interface for building. Other features I miss from that game are rally points for factories, and alien animals. Otherwise, M.A.X. 1 is clearly the better game.
(The music from M.A.X. 2 was pretty good, though.)

- Please stick to original M.A.X. 1 gameplay (a better interface is fine), and put additional things as options: I was not too happy to see the "Alien units factory" and the "Deep Mine", even though their graphics were well done. I mean, they may be good idea, but I think most players would prefer have original gameplay as the base, and then a list of options: * Allow alien factory, * Allow Deep Mine, and so on.
Will you put back random placement of Alien units on the map?

- An interesting option to add would be to win by destroying all enemy mining stations (instead of points, or destroying all buildings). Did anybody like the way you win in M.A.X. ? I always thought the whole point-gathering thing was not very fun, the only weak point of the game actually, because it would reward the player who concentrates completely on defense and base-building (also known as porcing).

- Given that the game is so old and Interplay is defunct, I really think you should distribute the original game data, at least while a free package is not available. The game TA Spring (spring.clan-sy.com) does it for Total Annihilation, and they get away with it.
The best would probably to have the game automatically download the needed files to the user directory after install: this way, you can package it for linux distros because the install package itself contains only free software.
Eventually, you can give people the choice to use Free art or the original data: if you get challenged, just remove the original data from your site, and the game lives on with the Free data.

- Why are you not yet on the Linux Game Tome (http://www.happypenguin.org) ? Your project clearly deserves more advertising.

- I found a french M.A.X. remake called U.M.A.X.. It's incomplete and has some very basic form of AI. Development has stopped a few years ago. However, since it's also GPL (cross-platform, written in SDL/OpenGL) some code sharing would be possible; another interesting thing is that it uses it's own graphics for the map, buildings and vehicles, so that could be a base for a free graphics packages, until someone comes up with art that matches more the original style.
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#2 May 07, 2008 4:43 am
beko beko Offline
Developer, Administrator
Registered since: Jun 04, 2004
Posts: 2,279


Subject: Re: I really like this project!
Quote by gabba:
I stumbled upon this site a few days ago, and I must say: good job! I've been waiting for a M.A.X. remake for some years now. Here are my comments/questions on the game:
Thank you very much gabba and welcome to the bbs. Your feedback means a lot to us Smiling
Quote:

- Why not use M.A.X. 2 maps and user interface? It seems to me the 3d maps were more interesting. Also, M.A.X. 2 had an easier interface for building. Other features I miss from that game are rally points for factories, and alien animals. Otherwise, M.A.X. 1 is clearly the better game.
(The music from M.A.X. 2 was pretty good, though.)
First comes first and that is a remake as close es possible with TCP/IP support. Most people here around love MAX for the way it is - including it's crude interface. Maybe we may change that in maxr 2.0.
Quote:

- Please stick to original M.A.X. 1 gameplay (a better interface is fine), and put additional things as options: I was not too happy to see the "Alien units factory" and the "Deep Mine", even though their graphics were well done. I mean, they may be good idea, but I think most players would prefer have original gameplay as the base, and then a list of options: * Allow alien factory, * Allow Deep Mine, and so on.
Will you put back random placement of Alien units on the map?
The alien stuff can be disabled and doesn't work the way it's supposed to work anyway. IIRC it's removed in the SVN version already.
Quote:

- An interesting option to add would be to win by destroying all enemy mining stations (instead of points, or destroying all buildings). Did anybody like the way you win in M.A.X. ? I always thought the whole point-gathering thing was not very fun, the only weak point of the game actually, because it would reward the player who concentrates completely on defense and base-building (also known as porcing).
I liked that way Wink Actually we never thought much about that topic for now since there's so much other work to too.
Quote:

- Given that the game is so old and Interplay is defunct, I really think you should distribute the original game data, at least while a free package is not available. The game TA Spring (spring.clan-sy.com) does it for Total Annihilation, and they get away with it.
No. We have for now such a package and it will be removed. Server and team is located in germany and that's a whole different story about licensed material.
Quote:

The best would probably to have the game automatically download the needed files to the user directory after install: this way, you can package it for linux distros because the install package itself contains only free software.
Eventually, you can give people the choice to use Free art or the original data: if you get challenged, just remove the original data from your site, and the game lives on with the Free data.
We are working on exactly this. There is a resinstaller that gets all the needed original data from the original game cd (or an install whatever you prefer) plus we know about 2 websites where you can download the original (excluded music and animations). Own alternate graphics are on our todo list but have low priority for now.
Quote:

- Why are you not yet on the Linux Game Tome (http://www.happypenguin.org) ? Your project clearly deserves more advertising.
I was until now against advertising since the source still sucks and TCP/IP doesn't work yet (we make great progess on this however and hope to release a new version having basic skirmish avaible). You're free to spread the word of course. But we'd need testers and hackers to help out, not players who would abaddon us frustrated soon since M.A.X.R. is not in a playable stat right now.
Quote:

- I found a french M.A.X. remake called U.M.A.X.. It's incomplete and has some very basic form of AI. Development has stopped a few years ago. However, since it's also GPL (cross-platform, written in SDL/OpenGL) some code sharing would be possible; another interesting thing is that it uses it's own graphics for the map, buildings and vehicles, so that could be a base for a free graphics packages, until someone comes up with art that matches more the original style.
Hey, I did not know about that. Probably because it's just on french. They are GPL and have alternate graphics? Now that are good news. Really good news. I'll dig into this project later. Perhaps we can use their graphics as alternate set bringing MAXR forward. Also their netcode could be interesting.

Please stick around Wink
Bernd Kosmahl
"Sir, we are surrounded!" - "Great - we can attack in any direction."
This post has been edited 1 times. Last edit on May 07, 2008 4:45 am by beko. ↑  ↓

#3 May 07, 2008 7:33 pm
gabba Offline
Approved Member
Registered since: May 06, 2008
Posts: 16


Subject: Re: I really like this project!
Quote by beko:

Thank you very much gabba and welcome to the bbs. Your feedback means a lot to us Smiling
Thanks for your warm welcome :).

Quote by beko:

I was until now against advertising since the source still sucks and TCP/IP doesn't work yet (we make great progess on this however and hope to release a new version having basic skirmish avaible). You're free to spread the word of course. But we'd need testers and hackers to help out, not players who would abaddon us frustrated soon since M.A.X.R. is not in a playable stat right now.
Ok, I get it: posting on happypenguin.org would probably be a waste of time, seen in that light. However, I can post some "Testers/Coders needed" threads on select development forums that I participate in.

Quote by beko:
Quote:

- I found a french M.A.X. remake called U.M.A.X.. It's incomplete and has some very basic form of AI. Development has stopped a few years ago. However, since it's also GPL (cross-platform, written in SDL/OpenGL) some code sharing would be possible; another interesting thing is that it uses it's own graphics for the map, buildings and vehicles, so that could be a base for a free graphics packages, until someone comes up with art that matches more the original style.
Hey, I did not know about that. Probably because it's just on french. They are GPL and have alternate graphics? Now that are good news. Really good news. I'll dig into this project later. Perhaps we can use their graphics as alternate set bringing MAXR forward. Also their netcode could be interesting.
Please stick around Wink

Here is a screenshot of U.M.A.X.:

Unfortunately they don't have netcode - I don't even think they had working hot-seat yet? Which could be why the project never took off. Anyways, I hope you can use the graphics.

I do intend to stick around, and possibly hack into the code! Hopefully language won't be too much of a barrier.
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#4 May 07, 2008 8:53 pm
beko beko Offline
Developer, Administrator
Registered since: Jun 04, 2004
Posts: 2,279


Subject: Re: I really like this project!
Quote:

I do intend to stick around, and possibly hack into the code! Hopefully language won't be too much of a barrier.
You're welcome. Most comments in code are now in english since I train 'em really good Wink *plays with the whip
Bernd Kosmahl
"Sir, we are surrounded!" - "Great - we can attack in any direction."
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#5 May 08, 2008 12:24 pm
Eiko Eiko Offline
Moderator, Developer
Registered since: Aug 03, 2007
Posts: 604


Subject: Re: I really like this project!
Hi gabba, welcome on the board Smiling

Don't worry, the language is much more a problem for me, than for you. Laughing Since we try to keep everything in the code in English.
We have still parts of the code with German comments but these get translated when ever we work on a part.

So, if you are able to help us, you are welcome to join the team Smiling

P.S. I removed the shield generator and the deep mine yesterday evening from the SVN. The alien factory will stay in the game for now. So we are able to test the alien units.
Place the alien units like in the original MAX should be a quite simple task in a later stage of the project.
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