Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

moki · Mar 3, 2002, 10:34 PM

We've released some desktop pictures of some of the ships from EV Nova for your desktop-adorning pleasure. There are only 10 there currently; there will be more soon (but we will not be making one for every ship in the game). Check 'em out:

http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/games/evn/desktops.html

...and enjoy!

seanyepez · Mar 3, 2002, 10:53 PM

Nice!

It says "Nice try!" when I try to access the root.

moki · Mar 3, 2002, 11:16 PM

Originally posted by seanyepez:
Nice!

It says "Nice try!" when I try to access the root.

Now who would put such an evil message in there??

seanyepez · Mar 4, 2002, 01:37 AM

Is EV3 going to be 3D like those pictures iterate? I'm not sure what to make of them. I was under the impression that EV3 was going to be another 2D game. However, if it's 3D like those renderings of the ships are, I would definitely drool.

rampant · Mar 4, 2002, 01:06 PM

It's not 3d, although I wish it was. Nova is in a 3/4 perspective (or something like that, but not from above like EVO and EV) with 3d rendered graphics but not 3d. I have no clue what program ambrosia uses to make them. There's lots of cool stuff added IIRC, like smoke contrails, little turning engines, banking when you turn, and gun firing effects.

druber · Mar 4, 2002, 01:16 PM

Lightwave for a lot of the stuff. Yeah it's still a 2D game like the first two EVs, but whew does it look slick. Rampant's right on all counts with the fx. It'll have you laughing and drooling at the same time.

moki · Mar 4, 2002, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by rampant:
It's not 3d, although I wish it was. Nova is in a 3/4 perspective (or something like that, but not from above like EVO and EV) with 3d rendered graphics but not 3d. I have no clue what program ambrosia uses to make them. There's lots of cool stuff added IIRC, like smoke contrails, little turning engines, banking when you turn, and gun firing effects.

I actually don't think EV would be as interesting of a game if it were 3D. the thing about most 3D games is that they give you a first-person perspective, which isn't particularly interesting. Games allow you to do things in a virtual world that are impossible in real life -- limiting your view to a real-world view is a little limiting for some types of games.

Certainly it could be a 3D "god view" game, but then the models wouldn't look nearly as intricate at smaller sizes as they do now. It was a conscious design decision to stick with a 2D view.

Cellery · Mar 4, 2002, 05:24 PM

Great designs, I'm really looking forward to this. No love for the TiBook owners? I guess it's back to chopping up the desktops to fit...

rampant · Mar 4, 2002, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by moki:


I actually don't think EV would be as interesting of a game if it were 3D. the thing about most 3D games is that they give you a first-person perspective, which isn't particularly interesting. Games allow you to do things in a virtual world that are impossible in real life -- limiting your view to a real-world view is a little limiting for some types of games.

Certainly it could be a 3D "god view" game, but then the models wouldn't look nearly as intricate at smaller sizes as they do now. It was a conscious design decision to stick with a 2D view.

I don't think so either, the idea of a 3d EV never apealed to me. It would take lots of it's elements away. When I said I wished it was 3d I meant I wish it was top down real time rendering, because that would make mods easier to make grphcs for, and animation would be smoother. But it would phase out a lot of its audience and probably get rid of the feel.

-CM

[ 03-04-2002: Message edited by: rampant ]

Archangel · Mar 5, 2002, 03:06 AM

Originally posted by moki:
We've released some desktop pictures of some of the ships from EV Nova for your desktop-adorning pleasure. There are only 10 there currently; there will be more soon (but we will not be making one for every ship in the game). Check 'em out:

http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/games/evn/desktops.html

...and enjoy!

I don't know if I should love you or hate you.

The only other game that has gotten me this excited is UT, and all you're doing is teasing me. "Look! Look! See how cool it is!? It's really cool, and YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!"

EDIT: I looked at all the pics, and I've decided I love you. My apologies for my earlier outburst.

P.S. The Polaris Raven kicks @$$.

[ 03-05-2002: Message edited by: Archangel ]

moki · Mar 5, 2002, 03:19 AM

Originally posted by Cellery:
Great designs, I'm really looking forward to this. No love for the TiBook owners? I guess it's back to chopping up the desktops to fit...

The best thing for people who own a TiBook or Apple Cinema Display to do is to pick the image that matches your horizontal resolution, and then crop it vertically. All you should lose is the signature/logo area at the bottom...

moki · Mar 5, 2002, 03:20 AM

Originally posted by Archangel:

P.S. The Polaris Raven kicks @$$.

[ 03-05-2002: Message edited by: Archangel ]

I agree. The unfortunate thing is that if you ever see it in game, it is likely kicking *your* ass.

moki · Mar 5, 2002, 05:05 AM

G Barnett · Mar 5, 2002, 05:35 PM

"Blurred for your protection????"

Now that's just damned sadistic, dude!

Flirt.

Tease.

Or was that a blurred shot of your implants? If THAT'S the case.... keep it blurred. PLEASE.

G Barnett

ksuther · Mar 5, 2002, 07:09 PM

That's plain evil. How about if somebody can decode ALL of the names of those systems correctly you give them a free registration? :-p
Not that i'd waste that much time doing it :-/

juanvaldes · Mar 5, 2002, 07:25 PM

Originally posted by moki:

OMG!!! Alright, now come on and release that puppy!

I got a whole spring break to wasiste and Nova Sounds like the right ticket.

Then when I get back I can show off

moki · Mar 5, 2002, 09:32 PM

Originally posted by G Barnett:
"Blurred for your protection????"

Now that's just damned sadistic, dude!

Flirt.

Tease.

muhahaha....

seanyepez · Mar 6, 2002, 02:47 AM

Would it be uninteresting in 3D? I think it would be great if EV went 3D. Are you just trying to hide the fact that you're not capable of doing any games in true 3D?

Archangel · Mar 6, 2002, 04:18 AM

I'm cursing you, Moki. My toes are curled in frustration Why the heck did you have to show us that!? I HAVE FINALS TO STUDY FOR NOT NOVA TO DREAM ABOUT!!

Yes, sadistic is a good descriptor of you.

moki · Mar 6, 2002, 04:19 AM

Originally posted by seanyepez:
Would it be uninteresting in 3D? I think it would be great if EV went 3D. Are you just trying to hide the fact that you're not capable of doing any games in true 3D?

Nope, not at all. With OpenGL, 3D games really aren't all that bad to do -- reams have been published in textbooks on how to do an amazing number of things in 3D.

I simply find most 3D games to be more about the special effect than the game, and regardless, EV isn't something that lends itself to 3D as well as some other games might, for the reasons I mentioned before.

druber · Mar 6, 2002, 07:59 AM

That's an awful lot of red systems in the middle of the screen, there. Who'd you make so angry?
If someone could decipher all the system names from that picture, they should definitely get a free registration. Of course, you'd have to get them all exactly right, and those outer-ring planets are always wacky alpha-numerics.

I think the map would look really cool in 3D, but the game definitely makes sense in 2D. Could a high-end game these days model Nova's ships in real-time to that level of detail? I don't actually know, but I'm pretty sure my old clone couldn't handle it.

moki · Mar 6, 2002, 03:34 PM

Originally posted by druber:
That's an awful lot of red systems in the middle of the screen, there. Who'd you make so angry?
If someone could decipher all the system names from that picture, they should definitely get a free registration. Of course, you'd have to get them all exactly right, and those outer-ring planets are always wacky alpha-numerics.

There are a number of governements in the game that are bitter enemies. When you start doing missions for one governments, the others tend to look none-too-kindly on it.

Originally posted by druber:
I think the map would look really cool in 3D, but the game definitely makes sense in 2D. Could a high-end game these days model Nova's ships in real-time to that level of detail? I don't actually know, but I'm pretty sure my old clone couldn't handle it.

No, the graphics would never end up being as detailed, because we did a number of special things to post-process the renderings and make them look good at the small size. The one cool thing that 3D would give you would be smoother turning animations, and I suppose you could do an Ares-style zoomable map -- but the models still wouldn't look quite as nice.

moki · Mar 7, 2002, 04:02 AM

I have it on good authority that there are some new EV Nova desktop pictures posted at:

http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/games/evn/desktops.html

...enjoy!

P · Mar 8, 2002, 04:34 AM

How large will the downloadable game be? Might be able to arrange mirrors if it's not too large and it means I get it sooner.

moki · Mar 8, 2002, 06:34 AM

Originally posted by P:
How large will the downloadable game be? Might be able to arrange mirrors if it's not too large and it means I get it sooner.

The game will be about 80mb compressed (which ends up being about 160mb uncompressed). We will be offering it on CD for a nominal cost, which is something I'd actually recommend highly to anyone without a broadband connection.

mattstoton · Mar 8, 2002, 06:38 AM

Hmm, you can see a few systems in that picture.

There's: Aria, Polaris, Urma, CPC1421.... can't really make out much else. Any of the above close?