OpenRA

[Blade]

 

OpenRA was originally developed along these lines, and this is where the name originated.  We chose to abandon original-rule compatibility in ~2010 and migrate to our current actor/trait system because we (the developers at the time) were more interested in exploring ideas relating to RTS game design than at creating a bit-compatible recreation of somebody else's game.

 

The key-value system of rule definitions used by the original games was too restrictive for what we wanted (and in any case, it would have been infeasible to remain rule-compatible with multiple games at the same time), and so we adopted a modular system strongly inspired by the 3D-era C&C games.  This split has increased further over time as we have generalized parts of the engine to support multiple file formats (we can use sprites from Dune 2 through to RA2), multiple tiles sizes (24x24 px for TD/RA, 32x32 px D2K, 48x24 px for TS), multiple perspectives (rectangular vs isometric for TS), voxels, dynamic palette changes (for the arbitrary player colors), etc, etc...

 

Time has shown this to be the right choice, because OpenRA is still alive (with a larger player and developer base than we have ever had), while all the "pure" RA/C&C clones have died out from lack of developer interest.

 

This is all fine, I get that the dev team wanted to make their own thing rather than reimplement something else accurately and you've done a good job at that, but evangelists complaining that those who like the nostaligic experience should "get with the times" are not doing themselves or openra as a whole any favours by making out like it still is a recreation of the old engines when it isn't. Personally I find it dissapointing that none of the real reimplementations ever got close to being accurate, but trying to do things the old way I guess isn't as exciting. I disagree that it's the right choice for the users because had an accurate clone got to the point it was playable, the playerbase may well have formed around those too, but history is written by the winners.

[Myg]

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[Nyerguds]

A lot of the 'pure' C&C clones have died because they got less followers than the actual game themselves, and because the originals were free anyway (well they are now).

That, and a lot of remakes are motivated by by the fact the original games have trouble running on newer hardware / operating systems. Which this community pretty much prevented in the first place, by patching the games.

 

Harvesting speed, build speeds (both as cost multipliers or override values), etc, are all defined in the actor rules. They can be changed as easily as anything else.

 

Projectile inaccuracy is implemented in OpenRA by adding a random offset to the target position.  The maximum-offset at maximum-range is set in the weapon definition, and the game will choose a value within this limit by sampling a triangular probability density function (so the inaccuracy is more likely to be small than large). I suspect that the original game probably uses an unbiased sample (flat PDF) instead, which would give a different feel.

 

I wouldn't be opposed to adding a "classic inaccuracy" option, but I would need to know the details of the original calculation, and know that it would actually be used by someone (either our own mods -- we aren't opposed to making things more like the original if it makes sense), or by other mods.

Eh, problem is... we don't have those details for the original games. :-\

[Myg]

Don't you dare disclose them either (if they fall into your hands).

[Iran]

How come Myg isn't banned yet here? All he posts is random garbage, same on IRC.

[Myg]

Because its not random garbage, read it with a bit of intellect and you will see something worthwhile.

 

Iran, you really need to take a break from hacking/etc.

 

It would be good for you.

 

I am serious.

[brandonvortex]

belived me Old RTS are began to fading away slowly,RA,TD,TS were pretty much still alive thanks to people who wanted to keep the classic game alive much. OpenRA is something new, a fresh game, playing classic game with some changes on it

 

[Nyerguds]

How come Myg isn't banned yet here? All he posts is random garbage, same on IRC.

Basically, because he invented CnCNet. Beyond that, not a clue.

[Myg]

I am keeping an eye on you lot.

 

I used to infest the Irc channel, but when it split, attitudes went south real fast.

 

Iran, hifi and funky would do well with more attention (thus recognition).

 

I am to blame.

[Retired]

tried openra a few weeks ago. worst gaming experience ever. it was a modernized hud with horrible bastardized red alert changes and red alert to me is already dead and crap. they need to modernize the gameplay a lot more. shit was terrible. is rather play real normal red alert 1 than that.

[Nyerguds]

tried openra a few weeks ago. worst gaming experience ever. it was a modernized hud with horrible bastardized red alert changes and red alert to me is already dead and crap. they need to modernize the gameplay a lot more. shit was terrible. is rather play real normal red alert 1 than that.

The main problem is, you shouldn't try playing OpenRA expecting Red Alert. You'll obviously get a shitty experience, since, it's simply not Red Alert. It might be a decent RTS in its own right, but by using the RA name and graphics it's setting up expectations it can't meet.

[Matt]

I can't help, but I guess it is the opposite. The game-play is not that different. When you watch matches https://plus.google.com/100332364931123881367/posts you will notice that it still kinda boils down to some kind of amassing units. It is just that they are not just solely heavy tanks anymore as the unit roles are differentiated to give them purpose. Maybe the artillery/scouting gives the game a little more depth, but otherwise it is gentle modernization not comparable to major innovations Generals added to the game in terms of special unit abilities and one-click support powers.

[Kilkakon]

The main problem is, you shouldn't try playing OpenRA expecting Red Alert. You'll obviously get a shitty experience, since, it's simply not Red Alert. It might be a decent RTS in its own right, but by using the RA name and graphics it's setting up expectations it can't meet.

This probably sums up my experience in a nutshell.

[Matt]

We already thought about emphasizing that stronger on the website: https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRAWeb/issues/51

[Kilkakon]

Yeah seems good. I personally can't play it--not that it's a bad product. Every single possible unit doesn't work the way I'm used to.

 

The best way to say it is that it's great for people who don't already play the game regularly.

[Matt]

I also get the feeling that the target groups of RA95 and OpenRA are completely different.

[Kilkakon]

Exactly, it changes the game to make it accessible to a newer generation of folks.