Frequently Asked Questions

Description

Our basic objective is to create a Valkyrie simulation that is fun to play, but shows enough realism to be believable. Since these machines do not actually exist, this can be a bit tricky. However, since each Valkyrie closely resembles an actualy aircraft (VF-1 -> F-14 Tomcat, etc.), it is believable that these aircraft could fly. We could write a program to do this in a day if we did not desire some degree of realism, but we do. Since flight simulation is my research area at Georgia Tech, I believe I can make a decent simulation of the aircraft, hopefully without also making the game too complicated.

Additionally, we plan to add support for multiplayer games, large terrains, space combat, and even large (>30) team play. We are writing this game mostly for the fun of it, but also because, we want to fly a Valkyrie just like everyone else! :) We are hoping to make a really great game with loads of beautiful graphics and great game play.

Requirements:

Since the program has not been written yet, this is my current best guess of the requirements:

• Linux - Linux is available for both PC and Macintosh! Linux is our operating system of choice.  I would not suggest installing linux unless you a) know what Unix is, b) have 500+ MB of hard disk space free, and c) have time to figure out the installation. It's a great operating system. If you still want to use it, I would suggest getting the Redhat distribution. It's the easiest to install, and does almost everything automagically.
• We have not decided on a 3D engine yet, but chances are it will be freely available for Linux. We may have to come up with our own.
• Early versions of the program should run on PII class machines, but later versions will most certainly be pushing the envelope.
• Some sort of Joystick input.

Why aren't you supporting XXX Operating System?

We don't want to get into supporting every operating system under the sun. Linux is freely available and runs on both PCs and Macs. There are even some major applications available for Linux now, as well as many other great free programs. We may consider supporting other platforms, but that depends on the 3D engine we choose.

FreeBSD will be supported since that's what Jase uses and it's not much of a stretch from Linux.

Windows support is coming very soon! We've actually had it running under windows recently using MinGW.

Features (hopefully):

Dynamics:

• Realistic: (believable, based on some physics)
• Valkyrie flight model (Any time mech is not touching ground, i.e.walking)
• Wind model (probably a simple random noise model)
• Animish (convincing, but not necessarily realistic):
• Walking models for robot mode or other ground based mechs (WAY too difficult to do realistically)
• Missle dynamics (too many missles to do realistic calculations for each, may group missles)
• Hand-to-hand combat, picking up objects, throwing objects, etc.
• Counter measures, ability to shoot down missles
• Movement underwater
• Large turbulance caused by flying through another aircrafts wake (ala Top Gun)
• Weather effects

Unknown:

• Space flight (We're trying to decide how to handle space)
• Damage to mechs affecting performance

Game Engine:

• Possibility for large scale battles (i.e. more than 16 players)
• Combined Space and in Atmosphere flight possible in same mission/battle
• Database that can keep track of changes to terrain (water ripples,bomb/missle craters, footprints)
• Terrain database for earth that can be managed w/o loading entire d/b at once
• City databases (crushable buildings, capability to blow out glass)
• Collision detection
• "Living" world feel. It would be nice to have something besides just mecha moving around, maybe cars in cities.
• Explosion "dents" in space vehicles from inside explosions
• Ability to fly inside ships
• Underground bases

Eye Candy:

• Missle smoke
• Graphics for hand-to-hand combat
• Spray in water from low flying aircraft
• Engine flame
• Water ripples from craft entering/leaving
• Explosions (I've had requests for anime explosions, i.e. spheres)
• Nice textures
• Weather (fog, rain, snow, dust, etc.)
• Sunsets, Lense Flares
• Non planar clouds
• Nice looking trees
• Water reflection
• Con trails/tip vortex streams

Ear Candy:

• Sound
• Music

User Interface:

• Voice communications to other players
• Multiplayer
• Joystick

What Can I Pilot?

Here comes the list (drum roll). Note that they will not necessarily appear in this order, and some may take me quite a long time to incorporate:

• VA-3
• VB-6
• VE-1
• VF-1 (A/D/J/S)
• VF-11
• VF-17
• VF-19
• VF-22
• VF-4
• VF-5000
• VT-1
• Destriod Defender
• Destriod Tomahawk
• Destriod Monster
• Destriod Spartan
• Destriod Missile Phalanx
• Tactical Pod Glaug
• Tactical Pod Regult
• Noujadel Ger
• Queadluun Rau
• Queadluun Ouilqua

I've even had a request to be able to pilot the SDF-1. I am considering this, as it does fit in my master plan for this game, but it would definitely be one of the last things to be added.

Completion Date:

It'll be done when it's done. ;) We're working on it, just bear in mind that we are doing this for FREE and in our spare time.

Are you guys still working on this:

Absolutely. Even if updates don't appear on the site very often you can bet I'm still working on it. Progress is generally slow because it is difficult for people to find time to work on this, myself included. But since I am a major Macross fan, I will probably continue working on this project.