Gambas Genie Project Page!
The Gambas Genie and Piga Software Logos' are under the GNU Free Documentation License.The screenshots are pictures of GNU General Public License software and thus are under the same license.
Gambas Genie logo also available as an SVG.
What is Gambas Genie?
Gambas Genie is a project being undergone by Piga Software to create a real time strategy game engine in Gambas that mimics Ensemble Studios' Genie Engine. This engine is being created for the Free Empires project. Gambas Genie is also being developed to be simple and easy to modify to encourage others to make RTS games for the Unix-like platform (GNU, Linux, *BSD, Illumous, etc). It is abbreviated as "GG". The head programmer for Gambas Genie is Graham Lawrence Wilson. Drafts for Microsft Windows through Visual Basic .NET have also been worked on, but are at the moment discontinued.
Version 0.1
Gambas Genie version 0.1 is the version of Gambas Genie showcased in Free Empires: Chiefs and Warriors Source Release 1.0. It features very basic object rendering, interaction and selection for both domestic and environmental functions.
Download: Free Empires Source Release 1, Click Here! (Released on June 21, 2007, tested on Fedora 7-14)
Version 0.2
Gambas Genie version 0.2 is the version of Gambas Genie showcased in Free Empires: Chiefs and Warriors Source Release 2.0 which built upon and extended the basics from Source Release 1. It is the latest release of Free Empires as the project is on hold whilst the engine develops.
Download: Free Empires Source Release 2, Click Here! (Completed on October 26, 2007, released on November 9, 2007, tested on Fedora 7-14)
The Four Tech Demos
After the release of 0.1 and 0.2, development split up into various technical demos with each examining a particular aspect of real-time strategy games. The first was on mouse-based unit movement, another focused on technological research, another on resource gathering and a final one experimented with artificial intelligence and combat. The mouse movement tech demo was released on June 15, 2008 and the others were merged into the Lamp Refugee code base. Another similar project worked on improved graphical rendering but this was separate from the main effort; as has a new demo for isometric projection.
Download: Mouse Movement Tech Demo, Click Here! (Released on June 15, 2008, tested on Fedora 8-14)
Version 0.3
Version 0.3 of Gambas Genie was shown off in Lamp Refugee: an amalgamation and greatly expanded version of all previous technical demo projects. It is the first "playable" build with various domestic functions partially available such as object statistics, unit training, building construction and resource gathering on a larger scrolling map. There is even basic unit artificial intelligence; as well as some pre-rendered 3D graphics!
Download: Lamp Refugee Source Release 1, Click Here! (Released on October 26, 2009, tested on Fedora 8-14)
Version 0.4
Version 0.4 is showcased in the second Source Release of the Lamp Refugee project and features improved drawing, fuller domestic abilities, better environmental interaction and extended enemy AI. All this is built up on a cleaner and properly segmented code base with a drawing area-based render on Gambas 2 rather then the original Gambas picture box basis.
Download: Lamp Refugee Source Release 2, Click Here! (Released on May 8, 2011, tested on Fedora 12-14)
Version 0.5
Version 0.5 is going to be showcased by Lamp Refugee Source Release 3 and will hopefully have multiple maps, 2D acceleration, a terrain model, improved path-finding and AI and various features and bug updates. It is sought to be close to being a real game.Download: Lamp Refugee Source Release 3, Not Out Yet! (Tested on Fedora 12-15)
Terrain Model
A new technical demo that demonstrates terrain modelling using a form of texturing and tiling.
Download: Click Here! (Tested on Fedora 15)
Isometric Projection
The latest technical demo that demonstrates isometric projection with a variety of objects.
Download: Click Here! (Tested on Fedora 17)
Gambas Genie's Features
1. Like Genie, GG is not going to be true 3D, and retain the pre-rendered pseudo-3D look of AoE.2. GG does support a sturdy base for resource management and GUI bar displays.
3. GG does support all the trading functions of the Age of Kings (AoE II) Market.
4. GG does support the training countdown for units and objects.
5. GG does support all the functions of an AoE styled house and there is, rather ingrained, a population variable set.
6. GG does supports unit sprite adjustments based on direction.
7. Definitive multiple civilization controllers.
8. GG does support mouse left click and button and click unit movement systems.
9. Map scrolling and unexplored territory marking (the second only in unreleased builds).
10. Rendering of up to five of the same types of unit with certain units.
11. Multiple civilization controllers.
12. Limited enemy attack, build, and defend artificial intelligence.
13. A terrain model for drawing out more complex environments.
14. Support for isometric grids (like in AoE) as well as square grids (like in Warcraft).
Major Things Yet to be Done
1. Multiple map support.2. GG currently only has a precoded system for unit rendering called "The Lamp"; "The Wand" will be based on templates.
3. Improved enemy attack, defend, and build artificial intelligence (more and more each release).
4. An easy level editor for modders, and easy total conversion and modification abilities for developers.
5. More variety in game objects.
6. Support to play over a network.
Things that May be Added Later
1. Particle effects.2. OpenGL special effects.
3. CD Music (allows players to play any music in game).
Inspirations
The following are games that the Piga staff have played and serve as inspirations:Age of Empires/The Rise of Rome
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings/The Conquerors
Warcraft: Orcs and Humans
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness/Beyond the Dark Portal
Stronghold/Crusader
Rise of Nations
Black & White
Z: Steel Soldiers
Bos Wars (Battle of Survival) (GNU/Linux, free softwre)
CRAFT: The Vicious Vikings (GNU/Linux, free softwre)
Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns (GNU/Linux)
Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim/The Northen Expansion (GNU/Linux)
Theocracy (GNU/Linux)
Website last Updated 2/28/2014
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article are permitted worldwide without royalty in any medium provided this notice is preserved.