Machinations

Machinations is a 3D RTS game similar to Starcraft and Total Annihilation. It features steering behavior, custom unit abilities and model animations, a shell, shared control/visibility/resources, projective shadows, view rotation/zooming/tilting, and random terrain.

Here are some key features of "Machinations":

· Up to eight people can connect using TCP/IP protocol or UDP protocol
· Reliable algorithm for accommodating UDP packet loss
· Peer-to-peer architecture
· Clients automatically try to reconnect if their connection is interrupted
· Fast, effective sychronization algorithm which eliminates discrepancies
· Decent latency (anywhere from 100 ms to 400 ms)
· Extensive custom GUI library with support for text boxes, combo boxes, and dialog boxes
· Optimized font generator and font renderer using textured quads
· Game host automatically transmits map and unit template file to clients that don't have it
· Game host can assign clients to different "teams"
· Fully functional panning and unit selection routine
· Realistic unit movement via steering behavior
· Minimap
· Sophisticated command panel
· Automatic lag calculation
· Attack, unit health, and realistic explosions!!
· World files containing unit types, missile types, and resource definitions
· Map files containing information about terrain, players, underground resource deposits, and units
· Players can administrate the game using a shell
· Fully compatible with Visual C++ and Linux (YAY!!!)
· Four fully-functional modes of aggression: Evade, Defend, Pursue, and Hold Fire
· Rapid unit selection with the SHIFT, CTRL and ALT keys
· Blueprints mark the location of planned/destroyed buildings
· Tool for testing synchronization and reporting discrepancies
· Texture manager for loading and managing a diversity of graphics and animations
· Sound!!
· Diverse text messaging system
· Groups
· Allies can share one another's units and resources
· Customizeable TA-style resources
· Custom memory manager that detects memory violations, dangling pointers, and memory leaks
· Zoom, rotate, or tilt the view
· Unit construction and production
· Synchronized timing changes during gameplay
· Synchronized terrain via a random seed number
· Game speed adjustment
· Eleven customizable unit abilities
· Limited visibility (e.g. cloaking)
· Resource extraction
· In-game help system
· The host automatically detects changes to the map or world file by an external program
· 3D models with skins!!!
· 3D terrain using spline surfaces, stratum, and adaptive meshes
· Transparent animated water
· Construction units automatically repair damaged units
· Multiple combat scripts allow a unit to engage two targets at once
· Armor classes (e.g. piercing, bashing, etc.)
· Turret script with recoil
· Trees, shrubs, etc.
· Projective shadows
· Caching of control points and maps for faster loading
· Model animations/animation scripts

What's New in This Release:

· Unit Scripts
· Help System
· Unit Models
· Automatic Repairs
· Turrets
· Armor Classes
· Terrain with spline surfaces, strata, waves, adaptive meshes, shadows, and decorations
· Perspective Projection
· Font Manager
· Texture Manager