wc3 clone

[jasmin]

Has anybody tried making a clone of WC3, but with 2-dimensional/isometric graphics like WC2/SC? Since the view is predominantly top-down, there isn't such a great need for 3d graphics or perspective. The one thing we'd lose is contoured land, but we can still have cliffs, and raise land to any height we want. Let's face it, contoured land in WC3 is barely visible, and only makes the buildings lopsided, so it wouldn't be a huge loss. Another loss would be that we'd have no battlenet.

The advantages would be enormous for modding, which is what we enjoy most:

- So much easier to create/edit graphics for custom units/buildings.
- We can expand on the variety of units and buildings and races, or whole new environments.
- Ability to create new unit abilities and spells, that don't rely on built in spells.
- Ability to introduce arcane/shadow/fire/frost/holy/nature damages and resistances.
- Easier to define weaponry that the hero units can pick up and use, rather than just power-ups.
- Triggers and game events are easier to program using a BASIC style intepreter.
- Melee AI can be rewritten, geared towards/restricted to naval or air as in WC2.


If nothing like this exists, I would like for us to create it. I'd be happy to help. Most of the game is actually very simple to program, and I know pretty much how to create all of the above.

CPU usage is mostly determining unit navigation (working out how to move a unit from A to B).

Melee AI shouldn't be very complex to work out, but this something we can refine and improve upon once we have a working game.

Unfortuantely, I'm not skilled enough with C programming to write this myself. My knowledge of visual basic is about good enough, but the language doesn't have the speed to calculate unit navigation for 200-odd units in real-time.

Is anybody interested in us developing this?


Jasmine

 

[jasmin]

comments are also welcome

 

[Steel_Stallion]

1. Something like this does exist, its called Warcraft 2 and it has Battle.net

2. Why do you want to make something that exists... crappier? Warcraft 3 is already ages old and is in many bargin bins for like 10 bucks. So it being free isnt much of an incentive.

 

[jasmin]

hi steel

1. no, warcraft 2 can't be modded so easily. It doesn't have doodads, or cliffs. Graphics for buildings and trees are just background tiles. I'm thinking more like starcraft, where buildings and trees are like transparent gifs. But made to resemble WC3, which is possible albeit without perspective or rotating cameras.

I have experimented with graphics already and my results are promising.

2. My motivation is creativity, and having a product which we can feel proud of having made ourselves.

Being home baked, it's easy to modify with custom game files -- to make it much like WC3... much like Starcraft... much like Starcraft with revivable heros... much like Starcraft 2... introduce WoW elements... or whatever. It allows us to try out variations on existing games, or create whole new RTS scenarios.

but thanks for your comments

Jasmine

 

[JetFangInferno]

You could even make fighting games within warcraft =P Why don't you show us some previews and maybe that way more people would be interested.

 

[Ash]

It's called starcraft, you can get it for £5.

 

[jasmin]

It's called starcraft, you can get it for £5.

It allows us to try out variations on existing games, or create whole new RTS scenarios.

Ok. I see nobody is interested in helping me.

 

[Ash]

Sorry, I just can't see a gap in the market for a 2d RTS when you've got future RTS's coming out, and all the good old RTS' (KKnD, WC2, SC etc) are already very cheap :/

 

[Steel_Stallion]

I still dont understand. Wc3 is getting old, and is dying slowly but surely. And SC2 is coming out. And you want to make Wc2 that can be modded, when WC3 can be modded AND has 3D graphics. Anything you can change in a Homebrew Wc2, you can find a way to change in Wc3.


What about a different RTS? Make up your own? That would make it more interesting.

 

[jasmin]

Yes Steel That's the idea.

The basic game framework is the bulk of the game - and is portable - that's the whole idea. Perhaps it was wrong for me to call it 'wc3 clone'. Perhaps 'portable RTS core game engine' is more accurate?? But replicating wc3 would be the obvious test project.

Whatever blizzard has made is irrelevant -- they're commercial, I'm not ! Besides, there are features of the blizzard games we can't open up easily.We can't create revivable heros in starcraft. We can't have multiple resources. We can't fiddle with the tech trees, or define new races. (If I'm wrong on any of these, don't bother correcting me.) I know we can do these in wc3, but a lot of these hacks and tweaks are not easy or accessible. There are still many things we can't do.

So why write custom mods when you can just be happy with the campaign scenarios provided? Why bake bread when you can buy hovis? We make stuff because we enjoy it. Creativity is life.

Last word: Better or worse than wc3, this is something I want to make, for the joy of creating, but I can't do it on my own because I'm a pathetic girly who can only program in Visual Basic.

I thought I'd find like minds here... No, but that's ok.. I'll go look under some different rocks.

 

[DrazharLn]

What you're describing has the same [mostly] idea as OpenSun. It is an admirable goal, but what you hope to achieve is impossible without a dedicated team devoted to the goal.
I would probably try and help you if you could persuade a number of people to aid you, but I have no programming knowledge.
I don't want to shoot down ideas, but I'm just pointing out that similar projects have been started before. OpenSun only lasted 7 months or so [no offence to them]

Draz

 

[Gilles]

I have a good idea. Wait for SC2 were the customization will be huge, and the maps won't suck.

No one wants 2-D games anymore. They were good once upon a time, but why bother when you can play games with better graphics? I realize you want more customization, but right now with JASS, almost anything is possible. In fact a team is working on a FPS for wc3.

 

[Steel_Stallion]

Yes Steel That's the idea.

The basic game framework is the bulk of the game - and is portable - that's the whole idea. Perhaps it was wrong for me to call it 'wc3 clone'. Perhaps 'portable RTS core game engine' is more accurate?? But replicating wc3 would be the obvious test project.

Whatever blizzard has made is irrelevant -- they're commercial, I'm not ! Besides, there are features of the blizzard games we can't open up easily.We can't create revivable heros in starcraft. We can't have multiple resources. We can't fiddle with the tech trees, or define new races. (If I'm wrong on any of these, don't bother correcting me.) I know we can do these in wc3, but a lot of these hacks and tweaks are not easy or accessible. There are still many things we can't do.

So why write custom mods when you can just be happy with the campaign scenarios provided? Why bake bread when you can buy hovis? We make stuff because we enjoy it. Creativity is life.

Last word: Better or worse than wc3, this is something I want to make, for the joy of creating, but I can't do it on my own because I'm a pathetic girly who can only program in Visual Basic.

I thought I'd find like minds here... No, but that's ok.. I'll go look under some different rocks.

Basicly your saying YOU want to make it to have fun and for yourself to play really. People arent really going to help you have fun just because you want it..

And your completly wrong, defining new races or tech trees or such and such is MUCH easier to modify in warcraft 3 than make a completly new friggen game.

 

[Ash]

I think I've come up with a conclusion that'll end this, seemingly, useless thread.

2D WC3 = Bad idea, theres games like it already; WC2 for instance.

Let alone the WC 'mods' people made for SC.