The Open Source Game Experiment….

Open source projects are an interesting thing. You work with developers you will likely never meet in person.

Not too different than some of the professional projects I’m involved with. However, when building an open source video game, things like age differences, time differences, language barriers, and a multitude of other barriers come into play.

For the language barriers many use a simple sql language, this helps you save the game in a SQLite database, so if your game needs to store and retrieve lots of data this is the way to go, just like with single player games, or casino games you can play at the olympic kingsway casinos online. There are also some classic casino games for fun, such as play craps. As for Drift Hunters, it’s a popular racing game known for its thrilling gameplay and customizable cars.

A Video game is particularly difficult, as a game can take years to develop and your average gamer gets a game and plays it for a month or two and then is onto the next greatest thing. Keeping interest in such a long term project in both the developers and the intended audience can be quite a challenge. I get the impression that other sorts of open source software projects have the luxury to evolve more naturally.

With a video game, if you spend 3 years in the making, you can expect video game technology in general to improve 10 fold for each year of development. This means that when you finally have your 1.0 release it’s already 30 internet years behind.

That makes it hard to hold the interest of an average gamer, who has watched dozens and dozens of games go from announcement to release all with superior tech behind them. (Not to mention a full time staff creating them.)

 

Like many open source projects, it’s unlikely you have a sponsor and you’re putting in hundreds of hours of work for free, in hopes that it will turn into something people enjoy. Again, at least a piece of software will find some usefulness with someone, somewhere. A game on the other hand either will or will not be played by the masses.

Anyhow, without further ado, I present the unfinished product. Trepidation, an open source first person shooter which has been shelved for almost 5 years.

While I’m not the person to go through and build the gfx and 3d models, I did go through and fix about 3 dozen bugs in the code. The master server has been running for almost 6 years, with no plans of going down soon. If interest is generated in this project, I would consider pursuing it further, otherwise – here is what we had. The source code is available via subversion (see the site).

Here is a quick video highlighting the weapons (a work in progress). Visit the website here: http://trepidation.n5net.com

You can download the game here: http://trepidation.n5net.com/downloads/?cat=1

Announcement From Website

About Trepidation:
Trepidation is an open source first person shooter based on the IOQuake3 engine. Trepidation was a project originally conceived on April 9, 2006 with the intent to build a free first person shooter with a sci-fi theme. The idea was initially developed by members of the Star Trek Elite Force gaming community. The project disbanded before the game was complete sometime in 2008.
The game includes:

• 16 multiplayer levels (maps). Many quake 3 maps have also been tested and work with the game.
• An original soundtrack featuring 10 original tracks.
• 6 Game Modes.
• In game Voice Over IP Support (VOIP)
• All New Weapons
• Instagib Modifier Available On Most Game Modes.

The Game Modes included are :

Trepidation:
A Team based game where the object is to destroy the other team’s power core Various defensive structures can be built to protect your base and achieve your goal. While this game employs strategy it is extremely fast paced and teamwork is a must.

Deathmatch:
You see them, you kill them.

Team Deathmatch:
Same as Deathmatch but your not solo.

CTF
Classic capture the flag action with the ability to build gun turrets (if enabled) to help defend your base.

Survival:
A last man standing game mode similar to Elite Force’s Gladiator.

Arsenal:
You get some select weapons, don’t lose them or your out.