Descent 3 Source Code • Hacker News Board

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#31

Post by amatecha » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 4:52 AM UTC

johnnylambada wrote: post #22

Great! Brings back memories of descent 1 & 2. I played d1 for hours over the early internet. My favorite level was Minerva and my arch enemy was named “upinya”. Amazing what the brain remembers from so long ago.

I know what you mean about remembering weird stuff from many years ago. I still remember the IP address of the server of my first website in 1995 (because it had no domain name, I had to know the IP address to show people the website). Occasionally I'll think of the name from a random IRC/AIM/etc. user I talked with 20+ years ago. :)

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#32

Post by opello » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:04 AM UTC

kevin42 wrote: post #29

mvkel wrote: post #25

I love the "version control" being comments at the top of the file with a timestamp. Simpler times! What a ton of work building a game is.

We originally used Microsoft Source Safe, which added the comments for us. I think Source Safe made us lock a file to make changes, which was a PITA. I think we made a lot of the decisions on where to break out code on a file by file basis because of that. Later, we moved to Perforce, which is good for larger binary files.

I worked with VSS for a while and remember the workflow you're describing (lock, edit, check in) and there being a culture of not bundling related changes into commits but instead tossing files in as you realized they were out of date.

It's cool that this was done, thanks!

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#33

Post by two_handfuls » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:11 AM UTC

mvdtnz wrote: post #21

jaegrqualm wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not that you asked, but there's exactly one (popular) game that utilizes the same control scheme in modern times, Outer Wilds. Although it's not a shooter, it's quite a nice adventure game. https://store.steampowered.com/app/753640/Outer_Wilds/ There is, however, an outright continuation of the subgenre, in Overload. https://store.steampowered.com/app/448850/Overload/

Other than the control scheme Outer Wilds really could not be more different to Descent.

You are correct. It’s an awesome game though.

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#34

Post by dvaun » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:13 AM UTC

Happen to have FreeSpace code? Or is that under lock and key still?

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#35

Post by robertlagrant » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:14 AM UTC

kevin42 wrote: post #29

mvkel wrote: post #25

I love the "version control" being comments at the top of the file with a timestamp. Simpler times! What a ton of work building a game is.

We originally used Microsoft Source Safe, which added the comments for us. I think Source Safe made us lock a file to make changes, which was a PITA. I think we made a lot of the decisions on where to break out code on a file by file basis because of that. Later, we moved to Perforce, which is good for larger binary files.

> I think Source Safe made us lock a file to make changes

That's right. Good times!

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#36

Post by kevin42 » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:21 AM UTC

dvaun wrote: post #34

Happen to have FreeSpace code? Or is that under lock and key still?

I don't. That was developed by Volition. Parallax was split into Outrage and Volition. I never had access to that code, and I think Mike Kulas would need to be the one to release it.

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#37

Post by dvaun » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:24 AM UTC

kevin42 wrote: post #36

dvaun wrote: post #34

Happen to have FreeSpace code? Or is that under lock and key still?

I don't. That was developed by Volition. Parallax was split into Outrage and Volition. I never had access to that code, and I think Mike Kulas would need to be the one to release it.

Was worth a shot asking :) thanks for the info! Fingers crossed it may happen someday.

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#38

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:26 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#39

Post by tanepiper » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:28 AM UTC

throwup238 wrote: post #7

If this was Interplay, any chance someone might have Hardwar's [1] source code? Total long shot, but I thought I'd ask. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardwar_(video_game)

I'd love to see this - Hardwar was such a fun game and amazing sound track.

Re: Descent 3 Source Code

#40

Post by Daz1 » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 5:29 AM UTC

shermantanktop wrote: post #3

I loved loved loved this game. Never understood why this concept didn’t become a whole genre. No actual up, 360 degree freedom, enemies that were smart and could snipe you. Wasted many hours back then and very eager to try this out.

Hellbender on PC was a good one too