BOTF 2?

[Borg]

So is BOTF 2 still kicking then? I thort they stopped working on BOTF 2,
or its got broken up in to mods? I just need some help to know what whats here, is BOTF 2 coming out one day or is the game just a mod? becouse a long time I have been waltting for BOTF2 to come out, but now I don't know is there is going to be a BOTF2.

[Malvoisin]

In a nutshell, there is one project called "Star Trek Supremacy" which aims to be an inofficial botf2 all with trek content and stuff. But it's still far from being completed coding-wise since Mike hasn't got that much free time with his job.

Then there is Birth of the Empires (BotE) which is much more complete, also carries a lot of similarities to BotF but features no trek content. Such a content would need to be modded in and I guess that is only going to happen if people like the game mechanics and gameplay. You need to find that out for yourself then .

A new BotE version with no more copyrighted graphics or other content (took ages and like a hundred emails to artists around the globe to accomplish that) is due in about a week or 2. We are right now polishing it up and testing the latest features.

I'm posting links and screenshots in here once jig has gotten it and uploaded it to his site. If you want to look at the code, it's open-source: http://bote.codeplex.com/

[Spocks-cuddly-tribble]

Looking at BotE screenshots, I always think the drabness/techno style of the GUI is the main problem (aside of no-trek / german main forum) for its seek to become popular. Major importance for a turn based game.
I don't mean high-end graphics (details & modules are OK) but just the base layout (main issue -> colors). For example take a look at the fed UDM3 GUI. You don't need that much color/gloss, but any kind of dreariness has to be prevented.

But please don’t get me wrong it’s a great project.

[Malvoisin]

we once had colorful UI screens, problem was they were partly from BotF or LCARS. Well, the project lives from its contributors and fan base so if people receive it well, some might be able to help on that area and create shiny and colorful menus. It's not much more difficult than in BotF. Anyone with GIMP or Photoshop or whatever can modify the png's and jpg's inside /graphics/backgrounds/ folder.

But we have design ideas to do it differently. For example an unfinished idea for the Omegan race (kind of Dominion type of race):



It's like always about time and personal effort the artist puts into the project. Since he doesn't get paid, things can get stuck for a while .

btw. there are english forums over here: botf2.star-trek-games.com

[Gh0st]

Hello everybody,

I played "Birth of the Empire" a long time before the contet has been changed into non-trek story-line. I always like the great advancements of the game-play. For example intel, etc. I realy dislike the content-change, but I understand the reasons. Often, I thinking about how great it would be if the different projects can be merged. There are a lot of good & motivated fans inside of the differend projects.

If someone asking me the supremacy project is totaly paralyzed and stucked. The only news you can see are the images-upgrades.

Sorry for my bad english, I'm only a dump german. :-O

[@Malle: Huhu, Zulnak hier! Bzw., es gibt bereits einen Star Trek Mod von der "noch" aktuellen Version. Weiß nicht, ob es so schnell eine zur neuen Version geben wird, aber ich bin optimisitisch. Puste sagte was von Mitte November, nachdem der Release-Termin Ende Oktober nicht eingehalten werden konnte.]

[Malvoisin]

totally paralyzed is something different, there are still regular code updates on supremacy.codeplex.com but granted they are touching rather minor issues of the game than the big ones like the AI but I know it takes a lot of time.

[JeanNYGUARD]

In a nutshell, there is one project called "Star Trek Supremacy" which aims to be an inofficial botf2 all with trek content and stuff. But it's still far from being completed coding-wise since Mike hasn't got that much free time with his job.

Then there is Birth of the Empires (BotE) which is much more complete, also carries a lot of similarities to BotF but features no trek content. Such a content would need to be modded in and I guess that is only going to happen if people like the game mechanics and gameplay. You need to find that out for yourself then .

A new BotE version with no more copyrighted graphics or other content (took ages and like a hundred emails to artists around the globe to accomplish that) is due in about a week or 2. We are right now polishing it up and testing the latest features.

I'm posting links and screenshots in here once jig has gotten it and uploaded it to his site. If you want to look at the code, it's open-source: http://bote.codeplex.com/

Hey Mal does BOTE have a AI?

Cant wait to see the update.

[JeanNYGUARD]

NEWS just in

My contact at CBS whos in charge of Star Trek gaming informed me they are not planning on a BOTF 2 sequel. Its all in the hands of Mike and Mal.

Good luck guys. I wish I had a million bucks ... I would spend it all for BOTF2

Sorry for the bad news.

[Malvoisin]

it has one, a tougher one without most cheats known from botf AI.

It doesn't surprise me what CBS told you. The last PC game was released three years ago and it was a different genre. PC gaming is apparently not quite existent at their agenda.

All we still need for the future of BotE is someone having time and able to code a working piece of 3D engine in C++.

[JeanNYGUARD]

it has one, a tougher one without most cheats known from botf AI.

It doesn't surprise me what CBS told you. The last PC game was released three years ago and it was a different genre. PC gaming is apparently not quite existent at their agenda.

All we still need for the future of BotE is someone having time and able to code a working piece of 3D engine in C++.

I really dont need a 3D tactical engine. Just need a automatic calculator ( Similar to hearts of iron 2 and 3) http://www.heartsofirongame.com/ .

All I need is BOTF2 with a Smart AI and working features.

I wish there was someway we could get that by Christmas. It would mean the world to me and every Trek fan.

[Dewbacca]

I "am" a Star Trek fan... but lets be honest, its not realistic enough for a sim game. Too many leaps of faith from the canon to reality/simulation.

I am actually glad to hear the ST content has been replaced in BotE and will certainly give it a look over.

[RazorsEdge]

Well, if we have to leave it in Mike and Mal's hands, it's in GOOD hands. Patience, grasshopper.

[Malvoisin]

we've released our new Alpha 5 version of Birth of the Empires, the German one at first, but the English one isn't much far away.

Here's the link: BotE Download at jigalypuff's star-trek-games.com site

And please, all comments about the game should be posted on jigalypuff's star-trek-games.com site (this web link is also to be found in the web links section on afc) or for german feedback on http://bote-forum.square7.ch/ .

It has gotten open-source so with a little understanding of C++ you can see and modify whatever you want at code level. http://bote.codeplex.com is the repository where you can download the code.

A new set of screenshots will arrive as soon as the german version is translated into english!

[ruthlessferengi]

malvoisin, i haven't kept up with bote, so pls forgive my ignorance...
so now it has fully functioning AI, except tactical (all battles are resolved automatically), right?
also, is trek mod available over the main non-trek engine?

[JeanNYGUARD]

I read Flocke's posts and the debates we have are not about frozen pizzas. I don't know why you got the impression?

well, no one's perfect. You need to be a bit more precise about what you find so annoying that you think you waste your time with playing BotE. The sound volume can be set lower (bote.ini file), music can be exchanged (just simply overwrite the ogg file with something else), for copyright reasons we can't use other work than we have right now because that's what contributors made for our game and I think it's quite good for that.

why's gameplay not easy? I played botf for ages and compared to it, bote isn't much more difficult, not for the advanced player. I invite you to play the game a little more than one day. You might find out over time that is's getting easier.

BotE is much better with regards to the AI compared to BotF. You can actually lose against it and not because of cheat-spawned additional ships. With BotF I had never that gameplay on single-player. The AI lives by the same rules as you do and that gives you a much smoother empires' development. Have I mentioned it's stable as hell and runs on all kinds of operating systems, also in multiplayer? If you see the bad things, you should also see the positive ones before judging the game as a whole.

mouse control can be seen a little inferior to botf, granted.

okay, with 1024 it's a bit of a pain to play bote. But he he, there's the majorraces.data again, where you can individually set fonts and font sizes for all kinds of text in-game. The last number in the 6-number-row is for example the standard small text, the third last is for the headings. I can explain it in german to you (is a bit easier for me too I think) if you want.

Mal

Cant believe you got a incredible AI like that. Cant wait to play the english version with The Star Trek mod.

I wish there was some way of you and Mike working together on 1 BOTF2 project either Supremacy of BOTE and doubling the progress of the project. Heck maybe by next year we can have a full BOTF 2.

In any case I wish all the best to you and BOTE.

Great Work.