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MotorWings: A Post-Apocalyptic, Crimson Skies Like KSP


Moach

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eae84d_6461e96784234ec2b66f10521f94f33a~

New build just uploaded! (Mk.1e1)

 

 

 

---------- original OP -------------

So, I'm making this game:

eae84d_54de0090b624491cb1a30ee6e03203c5~

 

As the thread title says, the concept is basically what would happen if you took the stylish ambience of Crimson Skiesthen put it together with the assemble-and-physics of KSP in an open world elite-like environment.   

It's a concept I've been sitting on for a very long time.

 

Anyways - since I have a production budget of just about what loose pennies I can find under my seat cushions, this is an early-access release.  

Here we have a very first playable preview of what will gradually build up into the full game - It's free for now, as getting people involved with the project is currently the most important thing. Eventually there'll be a pre-order option and things should follow pretty much in the same lines as the sales method used for KSP.  

It's all about the player community, as we all know so well. 

 

Anyways, enjoy!    Updates should come up very frequently in this early stage, so make sure to keep an eye on it! :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Moach
New video about propellers
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I gave it a go.

It's quite rough, isn't it?

The plane I made (think classic WWII fighter design) flew on my first attempt (after I figured out how to position the camera behind the plane).

My thoughts:

Building is rudimentary. I'd expect to be able to rotate the parts myself (not how the game thinks they should be rotated) and adjust angles. I wanted to place the wings a bit dihedral, but couldn't.

Automatic mirroring is fine I suppose, but a bit confusing to figure out when it does and when it doesn't happen.

Controls are a bit too rough. It's way too easy to overcompensate roll.

My plane kept pitching down, so some kind of trim should be available.

Camera should follow the plane in the turn, not just point in a fixed direction.

 

All in all, you've still got quite a bit more work to do. Keep at it.

Oh, I don't like the black silhouette for parts in the hangar. It's hard to see what's it supposed to be. Why not proper image?

 

Edited by Shpaget
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19 hours ago, Shpaget said:

I gave it a go.

It's quite rough, isn't it?

The plane I made (think classic WWII fighter design) flew on my first attempt (after I figured out how to position the camera behind the plane).

My thoughts:

Building is rudimentary. I'd expect to be able to rotate the parts myself (not how the game thinks they should be rotated) and adjust angles. I wanted to place the wings a bit dihedral, but couldn't.

Automatic mirroring is fine I suppose, but a bit confusing to figure out when it does and when it doesn't happen.

Controls are a bit too rough. It's way too easy to overcompensate roll.

My plane kept pitching down, so some kind of trim should be available.

Camera should follow the plane in the turn, not just point in a fixed direction.

 

All in all, you've still got quite a bit more work to do. Keep at it.

Oh, I don't like the black silhouette for parts in the hangar. It's hard to see what's it supposed to be. Why not proper image?

 

 

It is quite rough indeed  - This is the first time it's been actually made playable and everything in it right now is placeholder. 

Anyways, rotating parts is indeed one of the top things on the to-do list at the moment, it is quite limiting to be without it

The auto-symmetry feature is also just so we could have ANY symmetry whatsoever until I finish working out the interface for it, there will be buttons to lock and override symmetry modes soon

I've had the same gripe with the camera not following turns as you describe, so nice to know my own perception matches that of players at least on one count. That will also be fixed soon (remember, work in progress)

as for your plane pitching down, there is pitch trim, try the W and S keys - or move the wings a little bit more forward to stop it doing so (mind that this balance will change across different airspeeds due to airflow interactions between wings and tail)

Roll controls are especially sensitive due to the fact that all wing sections are configured to use their trailing edge flaps as ailerons - that will be more workable with the planned Tweakables system to allow one to choose what each section does in response to controls

and finally:  the black silhouettes are just placeholder icons for the parts, since I haven't had time to make proper icons yet. See, unlike KSP, MotorWings only loads each part to memory when you actually select it (or load it with a saved plane). This is to prevent extremely long loading times when modding support is done and ppl start stacking up tonnes of parts

 

Anyways, thanks for the feedback - It's nice to have some sense of player priorities when deciding what to tackle next.  Ain't easy working as a one-man team (the other half of our "studio" has computer problems and can't help at all right now)

But from what I recall, KSP in its first public releases actually started out with somewhat less polish than even this - that only shows how far these things can come in so short a time once a good strong player community builds up around it.

 

Make sure to keep an eye on the live devLog page, where I make a habit of holding often lively conversations with myself as I work on the game - That's where any relevant thoughts that come to mind while I develop will appear for the world to see.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Moach
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I loved Crimson Skies on the Xbox, so I'll be keeping an eye on this.  I get about one frame per two seconds in the flight scene despite a beefy rig, so I didn't get to fly. For the development stage it's at, the editor bears a lot of promise, though. I think you can build something real effective and intuitive off that foundation.

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On 4/13/2020 at 6:48 AM, Moach said:

So, I'm making this game:

eae84d_54de0090b624491cb1a30ee6e03203c5~

 

As the thread title says, the concept is basically what would happen if you took the stylish ambience of Crimson Skiesthen put it together with the assemble-and-physics of KSP in an open world elite-like environment.   

It's a concept I've been sitting on for a very long time.

 

Anyways - since I have a production budget of just about what loose pennies I can find under my seat cushions, this is an early-access release.  

Here we have a very first playable preview of what will gradually build up into the full game - It's free for now, as getting people involved with the project is currently the most important thing. Eventually there'll be a pre-order option and things should follow pretty much in the same lines as the sales method used for KSP.  

It's all about the player community, as we all know so well. 

 

Anyways, enjoy!    Updates should come up very frequently in this early stage, so make sure to keep an eye on it! :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where can I get this? It looks awesome!

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11 hours ago, SeanJames2323 said:

I get about one frame per two seconds in the flight scene despite a beefy rig...

Aha! Thanks for confirming this also happens on good PCs (I couldn't tell if my baseline rig here was having problems that others wouldn't)

Anyways, don't be discouraged - there is a known issue with the terrain generator in its present implementation that makes it quite slow for about a minute or so when you first switch from hangar to flight. Once the terrain blocks around you are done generating, it gets pretty smooth, even on my below-state-of-the-art machine.  Then it only stutters briefly, although quite annoyingly, whenever you travel the 5km required for the terrain to start generating new areas. Yet then it doesn't have to generate as much area as on that first run, and you shouldn't have such a big issue with it.

Be aware, anyways, this has nothing to do with your GPU specs, as it is a CPU bottleneck intrinsic to the underlying terrain system. That system is bound to be replaced with it's upcoming new 2.0 version (should be available by now, I hope) and that claims to be capable of generating the same terrain independently of output resolution - That is, we can have the far out blocks made at lower res and increase gradually closer to the camera. Thus making it possible  to have a vastly wider visibility radius whilst also reducing the hiccups significantly.

 

As for pre orders - I'll be sure to start offering that option as soon as I can have it set up.  I'm very glad to hear I'm not the only one who's been wanting to play this game for quite some time now... I Wanted it badly enough even to go ahead and make it from scratch :rolleyes:

The plan for the near future is to be able to physically setup shop, and have "BoolDog Games" be a proper development studio dedicated to MotorWings. That will require investment of a kind I have no means to afford by myself at present. So either we build up to that by pre-orders in a crowd-funding like manner, or find someone with a deep enough wallet willing to jump in for shares while the opportunity is up for grabs... Ether way works for me, though the latter would probably make things happen that much faster.

1 hour ago, mabdi36 said:

Where can I get this? It looks awesome!

Just click the picture on the OP, it'll link you to MotorWings.net,where you can hit the "Start Flying" button and get it from there.

 

 

 

Edited by Moach
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New build Mk1b2 is now available!

 

Change log for build Mk.1b2:

Camera follows aircraft heading.

Reduced excessive propwash effects, making aircraft less jumpy in response to controls

Fix for strangely violent wheel caster shimmy with steering unlocked.

Added fallback NT build as an alternative for those having too much trouble with terrain-gen induced lag.

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I like the flight model, it feels like a decent compromise between realistic and arcadey. I often get bouts of about 20 to 30 seconds of the classic (not responding) + windows blue circle kind of loading while flying. I'm not sure if that's terrain related though, I certainly didn't feel like I was 5km from the runway. Let me know if you'd like to test if any performance-related bugs persist on stronger hardware.

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10 hours ago, SeanJames2323 said:

I like the flight model, it feels like a decent compromise between realistic and arcadey. I often get bouts of about 20 to 30 seconds of the classic (not responding) + windows blue circle kind of loading while flying. I'm not sure if that's terrain related though, I certainly didn't feel like I was 5km from the runway. Let me know if you'd like to test if any performance-related bugs persist on stronger hardware.

It's definitely terrain related - It'll be fixed once I upgrade to the 2.0 version of the third party terrain system, but its release seems to have been delayed (probably because of the virus problem in some loosely related way) and it hasn't come up on the Unity asset store yet....  Shouldn't be too long I hope.

If you find it gets unplayable for it, try the "NT" build (lower down on the download page) - That has the auto-gen feature disabled so that only the nearby chunks of terrain are available. This version will not hang or freeze much at all, though it offers somewhat more limited country to explore...  (not that there's anywhere special to go out there anyways, that's gonna be implemented once terrain 2.0 is up, else I'd have to do it all over again anyways)

 

 

Cheers!

 

Edited by Moach
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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm now working on the world map for the game. And I've come up with a only handful of fictional place names that I'm generally satisfied with so far.

So in order to make this easier, I've set up a forum thread where I'm collecting suggestions for naming destinations which will be eventually featured in the game.

This is the known world, roughly:

The World of MotorWings

 

You can click the image above and it'll take you to the forum thread where your suggestions are welcome.  This is a unique chance to make your mark in the game. 

Mind that this map covers an area of about 1000km², so there's a lot of ground to explore and much room for imagination

 

Cheers!

 

 

Edit:

Btw:  New build Mk1c is now available. This one has explosions!

See changes here

 

 

 

Edited by Moach
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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

New build (Mk.1d) Just Uploaded!

Here's the news:

  • Updated Map Generator; Performance improvements, better position tracking for detail.
  • Improved Terrain Texturing and Elevation Generators.
  • Added Tweakable System to Parts.
  • Added Part Selection Highlighting and Preview Effects.
  • Added Part Reshaping Capability, aka: AeroMorphing  (a complex, yet very flexible system, meant to be addon-friendly)
  • Wing Sections may now be reshaped via Tweakables Interface when selected.
  • Wing Section shape changes affect their flight characteristics.
  • Wing Sections can now have their control surfaces assigned as Ailerons, Flaps or Disabled.
  • Added Flap Controls. (defaults F: Raise, V: Lower)
  • Drag Model Overhauled, More realistic handling across various airspeeds.
  • Added Crash Camera behavior for much improved crashing experience and explosion appreciation.
  • Crash and Stress Damage (fatigue) tolerances readjusted.
  • Engines May now be turned on and off. (press I key)
  • Wing Sections form into grouped spans, sharing tweakable values across several parts.
  • Span Sections Can be Set to Straight or Break, allowing tweak discontinuities at any selected part.
  • Hold Ctrl while attaching a Wing Section to install it as a separate span group for independent tweaking.
  • Control Surfaces now affect Wing Section Drag according to their angle of deflection. (realistically causes adverse yaw)
  • Open Attachment Points proportionally increase part drag according to each point's drag coverage value.
  • Reworked default controls to a WSAD-and-Mouse friendly configuration
  • Mouse Back thumb button causes main flight controls to operate respective trims.
  • Mouse Forward thumb button prevents main flight controls recentering to trimmed position until released.
  • Made lots of unseen progress on the soon-to-come user addon SDK.
  • Added Ctrl+Z (undo) Functionality to Hangar
  • Added Ctrl+Y (redo) Functionality to Hangar for undoing inadvertent undos
  • Hangar deck (floor) now fades out smoothly as camera crosses underneath.
  • Parts can no longer mode below Hangar Deck while camera is positioned above it.
  • Parts attached to tweakable parts should move in response to aeromorph displacement of their attachment points.
  • Wingtip Vortices and Downwash logic improved.
  • Various other small tweaks and assorted bug fixes.
  • Added Splash Screen Logo and Program Icon.
  • Free undiscovered bugs. (let me know in the forums if you find anything new and weird)

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey, everyone!


New build today! :clap: :dance: :D :clap: :)


Now you can use your joystick(s) to fly your glorious/infamous creations around!

eae84d_565bf078bf3a4e80b03bf6bb3889fe72~


It also includes the plane in the picture above, the Hellcaster Sovereign

And I've fixed a bunch of weird bugs that were making the drag model act all weird (basically, induced drag was acting backwards - it's correct now)



Get it while it's hot!

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  • 2 months later...

New stuff!

Image
Image]

see https://www.motorwings.net/updates for details and download link!


Also, now the game has its own original soundtrack too! I composed it myself, and found that writing orchestral music isn't really difficult, the problem is just getting them all to fit in your room... :D (J/K, it's MIDI and samplers alright)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Huge Crimson Skies fan (Original 2000 PC version)! I spent hours building planes and fine-tuning hardpoints and guns and missiles what a blast! Even played the campaign with a Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro, what a rush! One day I even came across a Chuck E. Cheese's version and gave it a shot. This game really captured a huge part of my childhood and the characters where so fun to listen to. Microsoft Game Studios published a lot of great titles but this one took the cake.
 I wasn't a fan of the xbox sequel as it wouldn't let you build planes but it gave you the ability to use stunts to fix that perpetual arcade dogfight looping problem. I'll certainly be on a lookout for this awesome project and will spread the word! :)


On a random side note

On 4/15/2020 at 1:19 PM, linuxgurugamer said:

Crimson Skies is one of my all-time favorites, very sad when they made it X-box only

If you haven't played the original PC version, I urge you to do so! It's a lot better than the X-box version if you ask me. They have it here since it's considered abandonware at this point.
 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'll confirm that Crimson Skies does indeed run on Windows 10 (there's a patch, use XP compatibility mode) - I have it installed on two computers and it runs perfectly fine. Only the startup MS logo plays weird and the initial loading screen gets mangled a bit, but everything else runs quite well and at super-smooth framerates unthinkable  back when it was a hot new title. 

I've never played ther xbox sequel, perhaps mostly due to me never having owned an xbox....

 

Anyways, a few more parts added today:

Image
Image

Also gave the old runway a good revamp, with an overlay arrangement for much sharper textures
Image
 

This should be in the next build, but for now there isn't enough new stuff to be worth doing a whole release just yet.
Gonna make some more new parts first :think:
 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

God almighty this is the best thing that's happened to my sense of hype since KSP 0.13 included fun!

 

Immediate questions:

  • Floats? / Flying boat hulls? (with respective costs to fuel economy, weight and boons to structure strength/armor)
  • I will want to build the following aircraft, please accommodate my whims:
    • Dornier Do-X
    • Savoia S.66
    • The Tiger Moth from Laputa
    • Flapters from Laputa
    • Mehve from Nausicaa
    • A functioning general computer when the inevitable logic gates analogue gets included (no matter what you call it - robotics update, honey blocks, wiregun, etc) - that also flies
    • A washing machine so that Jim Lovell could land it
    • P-1112 Aigaion flying carrier

 

Edited by starcaptain
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18 hours ago, starcaptain said:

God almighty this is the best thing that's happened to my sense of hype since KSP 0.13 included fun!

 

Immediate questions:

  • Floats? / Flying boat hulls? (with respective costs to fuel economy, weight and boons to structure strength/armor)
  • I will want to build the following aircraft, please accommodate my whims:
    • Dornier Do-X
    • Savoia S.66
    • The Tiger Moth from Laputa
    • Flapters from Laputa
    • Mehve from Nausicaa
    • A functioning general computer when the inevitable logic gates analogue gets included (no matter what you call it - robotics update, honey blocks, wiregun, etc) - that also flies
    • A washing machine so that Jim Lovell could land it
    • P-1112 Aigaion flying carrier

 

Aye, mate, most of this is in the plans in a way, at some point or other along development.  Flying boats especially, given the nature of Outlandish* infrastructure.  Not sure about the computer, though - It's a bit of a stretch from the central concept, but definitely a modding possibility I'll make sure to provide for. 

*The world of MotorWings is called "The Outlands"  - It's a very fragmentary frontier land, where every homestead  and it's outhouse may claim itself a sovereign kingdom at a whim's notice.  The state of public transportation facilities in such a place is pretty much what you'd expect from any arrangement so cross-purposed and unwieldy. 

 

Now, I'm not sure if physics would play along with Flapters, Where does the engine(s?) even go on those things?

But it raises a good point: I hadn't actually thought of ornithopter-type designs up until now - So that's one to mull over a bit....

Washing machines could also be possible, but they might disappoint in their washing capabilities... Also, they might fly once  but not do as well on a second try.  As a general rule, I find that most things are thus;  By unspoken convention, most categorize the exceptions of any artifacts that do fly more than once, under the overall heading of "aircraft"

 

Flying carriers are a big part of the design concept already - Those big airships you see should all have internal hangars, Just like in Crimson Skies. (not yet implemented)

 

And gliders, those can be built even now, though there's still not much one  can do to tow them aloft at this time.  Nevertheless I had already given some thought as to how best to implement tow planes and glider operations - This is kind of a tricky one, for it requires AI assistance or Multiplayer cooperation, since flying more than one airplane at a same time is hardly what you'd call a user-friendly endeavor.

 

I short, most of the things you wanna build should eventually become possible, be it by design or by modding as it may.  There'll be a fully capable SDK out sometime soon. (basically as comprehensive a set of tools as that provided for KSP)

 

 

Edited by Moach
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  • 3 weeks later...

Now with constant-speed propellers!

https://www.motorwings.net/updates

 

Still free for now!  Only cost is please tell everyone who will listen (or can be held in place with rope or something) about it so that we can build up a proper playerbase.

 

Enjoy!

 

Now hear this:

I will grant players who make videos showcasing the game, it's concept and potential, the title "Media Partner" and with it, a free copy with all updates and future expansion packs when it becomes a commercial product.

This offer stands as long as it takes to make it popular.

The MotorWings theme music is free to use in any videos of the game. (or in videos of other stuff too, as long as you mention where it came from (I wrote it myself))

Edited by Moach
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