[Freeciv-Dev] Re: [OpenGL client (was Re: Re: Project)]

[* <spurius@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Franck Guillaud <f.guillaud@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>                Hello World,
> 
> On Tue, 25 Jan 2000, Jules Bean wrote:
> ->Hi Rob!
> ->
> ->Exciting ideas!
> ->
> ->> > I, and (potentially) 4 others, plan to be making an opengl interface
for 
> ->> > freeciv as a final project for a graphics course at Rose-Hulman
> ->> > Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, Indiana).
> ->
> ->Someone else was working on an opengl interface once - they posted here a
> ->couple of months ago. Maybe they'll speak up again, or maybe they can be
> ->found in the archives.
> 
>       It's me. I wanted to post a screenshot on a web site, but my ISP ftp
> server don't accept my files !? Sorry about that. I can send a 19K jpeg
here
> or to anyone asking for.
> 
>       What you'll see is only the geometry data, with different colors for
> each tile type. The map is an array of heightfields. Each "smoothed" tile
> (mountains, hills and their neighbors, rivers, and also beachs) 
> has heightfield data. Other tiles are 'flat' and drawn as simple quads.
> 
>       Actually, the code is a patch to the 1.9.0 gkt client and uses the
gtk
> GLArea widget. It works on my P133 and a voodoo2 card, GNU/Linux OS.
Another
> option would be to use the SDL libs (because work on BeOS,
Win32,Unix,Mac...). 
> The patch doesn't alter the server, but it only works with an existing game
: 
> you need to create a game, save it and load it with the client.
> 
>       Autoconf stuff is done, also basic terrain generation and texture
> loading with Imlib. My plans are first to make this code clean and
efficient.
>  I then plan to add script and/or plugins capabilities to allow themes.
After 
> that, I need to handle textures & textures masks rendering, with also 
> plugins and/or script. I think it will be complex, but the existing code 
> will help.
> 
>       To handle units & cities, I think a good 3D object loader (.3DS,
> .lwo,...) is needed. If it is efficient, it would handle most of the work.
> 
>       I must say that this work is my first attempt to be involved in a
> free software project. So I spend must of my time learning how to program
> and use GNU tools under Linux. But I enjoy a lot. I do it on my spare time,
> and urgency is low.
> 
>       What are your plans Rob ? Maybe we could merge our efforts. My
> code is actually too bad to be shared but I hope it will change, sooner 
> or later ;-).
> 
> 
> 
> 
>                                       Franck.

Heya Franck.

Ok, 2 people didn't join, but with your help, and the possible help of another
of my friends, I think we'll have enough manpower, especially considering that
our side is motivated by a grade  ;)

Ok, the first thing we'll need to decide is on a toolkit to use.  In class
we've been using GLUT.  It is multiplatform, but from what I understand it is
rather limited in functionality (all I've used of it so far is an idle loop,
redraw and reshape fn's, and mouse and keyboard fns, and I know it also has
menu support).  But beyond that, I don't think it has much.  What is SDL like?
 Can you meet online sometime this weekend (icq, talk, even just an active
email presence) while we meet in rl?  If so, that'd be great  :)  Just drop me
a line when you'll be avaliable (and give the time zone, heh)

 - Rob

____________________________________________________________________
Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at 
http://webmail.netscape.com.