Gambas Genie Project Page!

The Gambas Genie and Piga Software Logo's are under the GNU Free Documentation License.
The screenshots are pictures of GNU General Public License software and thus are under the same license.

What is Gambas Genie?

Gambas Genie is a project being undergone by Piga Software to create a real time strategy game engine in Gambas that mimics Ensemble Studios' Genie Engine. This engine is being created for the Free Empires project. Gambas Genie is also being developed to be simple and easy to modify to encourage others to make RTS games for the Unix-like platform (GNU, Linux, *BSD, Solaris, etc). It is abbreviated as "GG". The head programmer for Gambas Genie is Graham Lawrence Wilson.

What is GG version 0.1?

Gambas Genie version 0.1 is the version of Gambas Genie showcased in Free Empires: Chiefs and Warriors Source Release 1.0.

What is GG version 0.2?

Gambas Genie version 0.2 is the version of Gambas Genie showcased in Free Empires: Chiefs and Warriors Source Release 2.0.
It is the latest release of FE and the last full release of GG, though it far more primitive compared to current builds.

What is going to be 0.3?

Gambas Genie 0.3 is going to be the "engine release"; featuring functional object rendering, module levels, and texturing.

The Three Tech Demos

These various experiments and attempts (Lamp Refugee being the most important by far) showcase many elements that are going to be in GG 0.3.

Unit Movement

This example draws a Genie unit that may be moved with a mouse or button just like in most real time strategy games.
Download: Click Here! (Released on June 15 2008, tested on Fedora 8 onwards)

Resource Gathering

This example draws a Genie unit that may gather magic from a mine and drop it in a storage pit, and then repeat.
Download: Superseded by Lamp Refugee

Technological Research

This example draws a building that you may research technologies from in a similar vein as most RTS games.
Download: Superseded by Lamp Refugee

Attack

This example draws a Free Empires (0.2 style) Spearman, Priest, Archer, and Chief for both the "Blue" and "Red" sides. This tech demo attempted to showcase attacking code and enemy AI.
Download: Superseded by Lamp Refugee

Lamp Refugee

An amalgamation and greatly expanded version of all previous technical demo projects. It is all too variously updated to describe here, so check the wiki article.
Download: Source Release 1.0, Click Here! (Released on October 26, 2009, tested on Fedora 8)

Gambas Genie's Features

1. Like Genie, GG is not going to be true 3D but has shots of 3D models on top of a 2D renderer, to keep it simple.
2. GG does support a sturdy base for resource management and GUI bar displays.
3. GG does support all the trading functions of the Age of Kings (AoE II) Market.
4. GG does support the training countdown for units and objects.
5. GG does support all the functions of an AoE styled house and there is a population variable set.
6. GG does supports unit sprite adjustments based on direction.
7. GG does support mouse left click and button and click unit movement systems.
8. Map scrolling and unexplored territory marking (the later only in unreleased builds).
9. Rendering of up to five of the same types of unit with certain units.
10. Multiple civilization controllers.
11. Limited enemy attack, build, and defend artificial intelligence.

Major Things Yet to be Done

1. Multiple map support (intended to be in 0.3).
2. GG does not yet have a very reliable object drawing system (to be included in 0.3).
3. Definitive multiple civilization controllers. (0.3 or 0.4 possibly).
4. Improved enemy attack, defend, and build artificial intelligence (some in 0.3 or 0.4).
5. Support for isometric grids (like in AoE) (0.4?) as well as square grids (like in Warcraft and as in GG now).
6. An easy level editor for modders, and easy total conversion and modification abilities for developers.
7. Support to play over a network. (0.5 maybe?)

Things that May be Added Later

1. SDL particle effects.
2. OpenGL special effects.
3. CD Music (allows players to play any music in game).

Inspirations

The following are games that the Piga staff have played and serve as inspirations:
Age of Empires/The Rise of Rome
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings/The Conquerors
Warcraft: Orcs and Humans
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness/Beyond the Dark Portal
Stronghold/Crusader
Rise of Nations
Black & White
Z: Steel Soldiers
Bos Wars (Battle of Survival) (GNU/Linux, free softwre)
CRAFT: The Vicious Vikings (GNU/Linux, free softwre)
Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns (GNU/Linux)
Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim/The Northen Expansion (GNU/Linux)
Theocracy (GNU/Linux)


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Website last Updated 11/27/2009

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