Lashkar: A 3D Game by Ahmed Ali ( Air Force )

[BasitS]

Lashkar: A 3D Game by Ahmed Ali

Ahmed Ali, from Lahore, has developed an exciting game demo called 'Lashkar'. The game is developed single handedly by Ahmed Ali and it is indeed a great feet. This is a high quality demo and one of its kind. Must See!!

Basically this is a Apache like game which you can fly along with AI based apaches and shoot them down.

Development Status: 1 - Planning
Intended Audience: Other Audience
License: GNU General Public License (GPL)
Natural Language: English, Urdu
Programming Language: C, C++, Lua
Topic: First Person Shooters, Simulation

ScreenShots
Day Time

Evening Time, missile fired

Night Time


Download
You can download a playable demo from release files
https://developer.berlios.de/projects/lashkar/
You need to download all 3 files. Binary and dependency zip contains exe and dlls.

Installation:
The download is in 3 files because I don’t have a good net connection.
Most of you already know how to do this, otherwise you need to download 3 zip files at least, lash-binary.zip, lash-media.zip, lash-dependencies. Put all the dll files in the binary's folder so that final structure will look like this
Lashkar/ (contains exe, cfg & dll files)
Lashkar/Media ( from lash-media.zip )

Sorry for inconvinience I cannot upload big files due to net problems.

License: The code is unlicensed and free, except the hoverCraftModel.h/cpp files which are under GPL The code is no good example of how you can use Opensteer with some physics engine. Its cluttered but some might like to get peek on it. The Apache model came with Monster's OgreOde.

Extended Features:
-OpenSteer based steering
-Playstation2 controller support without feedback
-Day&Night cycle using Kencho's Caelum
-First and 3rd person and other view modes
-Simple radar system
-Simple target viewing system
-A helicopter physics model
-Integrating physics engine (Gangsta) with OpenSteer

Key shortcuts are explained in the demo's screen.
Hope you will like it, sorry for lack of sound&music.

Words of Ahmed Ali:

Random words and expressions
Ok this is how it all started. I had no intention on making this from start. I went on testing open steer in ogre using gangsta. Because of its coolness I decided to extend the demo into some kind of playable prototype of Lashkar but realized there is no structure or proper code base (I started on gangsta demo)and in haste the resultant code was bloated and unstructured. I also had to use, apply & test different techniques but I came to a point where adding new stuff is just a waste of time. So I decided to stop working and release this half-baked prototype. In the start the code was good but...

The prototype initializes with ~100 apaches doing pathfollowing, you can change their behavior.

By default your Apache will also spawn with Ai controller, Apply the key&mouse or playstation2 controller to control it.

Don’t forget to try out the FirstPerson View Mode. I have experienced that you need to keep a few feet away from monitor in FPS mode…., because the camera rolls at high angles. There is also a missile follow and investigator mode views.

If you have a Ps2 controller and a USB plug for it then you can use it too. But for first time calibrate it from control panel.

I tested various techniques for maintaining height both in chopper physics and making a terrain obstacle for open steer vehicles. I also used different methods for them. But all have some trade offs. Finally I put the height maintaining functionality in the chopper physics.

There are 3 types of height maintaining modes for all the apaches flying. 1-None, 2-MininumHeight(default), 3-FixedHeight. FixedHeight method is not compatible with opensteer. But MinimumHeight method is acceptable.

When OgreOde came out I implemented chopper physics by inspiring from GTA:ViceCity's chopper controls. But after playing Novalogic's Comanche 4, I decided to replicate(chopper physics) it. My implementation is not exact and has some inherited design flaws because of some known and unknown reasons. I will rework on it in future… But lets see, if it looks fine then its fine.

My machine is P4, 512 SDram, Gf4mx. I get around 70-100 fps. Some of the physics related code is frame rate depended. So if you are getting fps way far from mine, you may get different behavior. Hint: Use Vsync to lock fps.