Game and Unit development

Development < Game and Unit development

Game development

This information is meant to help newcomers learn how to develop their own games for the Spring Engine.

General

• Development Tools
• Game structure
  
• Game specification
  
• Q&A Site for the Spring Engine
• Porting TA content to Spring

Resources

• Free Assets
• Spring Tutorial Game - (attempt to create) a "template game" for new projects.

Reference

• UnitDefs (.fbi, .lua)
  • UnitDefs - define the attributes of units
  • Unit_Categories - define which weapon type aim at which targets
  • Unit Collision Volumes - collision detection
• WeaponDefs (.tdf, .lua)*
  • Weapon Variables : This is the most up to date
  • Units:WeaponMainDir
  • Weapons:Antinukes: All about antinukes.
• MoveDefs*
  • Units:MoveTypes
• FeatureDefs (objects on the map, wrecks of destroyed units)
  • Units-FeatureDefs
• Global game variables (modrules.lua)*
  • Modrules.lua
• CEG Explosions (.tdf, .lua)*
  • CEG-Calls
  • CEG-Format
  • CEG-Classes
  • CEG-Operators
  • CEG-Miscellaneous
  • CEG-OldInfo
• Misc*
  • VirtualFileSystem
  • MouseCursors
  • Units:Textures
  • Units:Buildpics
  • Sidedata.lua
  • Units:FlankingBonus
  • Game Development:Armor
  • Game Development:Archives
  • Game Development:Sidepics
  • Game Development:Custom unit icons

Unit Scripting/Animations (.cob, .bos, .lua)

• Differences of .lua and .cob unit scripts

Lua Animations

To edit .lua files you need a text editor.

• Animation-LuaScripting
  • Animation-LuaCallins
  • Animation-LuaCallouts
  • Animation-CobLuaDifferences

COB Animations

The binary '.cob' file format is obsolete and some '.cob' files might be copyrighed by cavedog. A '.cob' file can be decompiled to see what it is doing or if you have the source, that is a '.bos' file, you can compile it into a '.cob' file.

To edit .bos files you need a program/compiler. The most famous one is Scriptor

• Animation-CobOverview
  • Animation-CobExamples
  • Animation-CobAnimation
  • Animation-CobCallins
  • Animation-CobConstants
  • Animation-CobThreads
  • Animation-CobHitByWeaponID
• Units:LuaCOB - how to interface COB with LUA
• Game Development:Calling basic CEGs from COB
• GPL-compliant sourcecode, scripting code examples, and other things.

Modeling

Spring supports different 3d representations: '.s3o' and '.3do'. The biggest difference between both formats is the workflow to create a new unit. There are exporter plugins for 'blender' and '3ds-max' so that texturing and modeling can be done using these. In contrast: when you model an '.3do' you have to use upspring currently.

The animation with can either be done using 'lua' or 'COB/BOS' is does not depend on either, see rigging/animation. For new units use 'lua' scripting.

Engine Related

• Download_Testing - Test the compatibility of your game on upcoming versions of the Spring engine.

Tutorials

Game Development Tutorials

• Simple Game Tutorial
• The Complete Guide To Making A Spring Game - A fairly comprehensive getting started tutorial.
• Porting TA content to Spring

Modeling Tutorials

• Wings UV Mapping Tutorial
• Saving polygons in Wings3d Tutorial
• Runecrafter's 3DS Max UV Mapping Tutorial

Texture Tutorials

• DDS Textures: How To
• Greeble Tutorial 1
• Greeble Tutorial 2