Wonder if its been done

toxitalk · Post by **toxitalk** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:21 am

I had an idea for a space trading game a few months ago, but now Oolite has gone open source, I wondered how viable it would be as a mod.

The idea is really a game set a little into our future. We have only really just started going into space to live.

The game would be restricted to our solar system, with accurate mapping of our planets etc...

The weapons would be virtually non existent, maybe lasers, nukes etc.

Trading would be things like Food, Metals, toxic waste (you get paid for taking it away).

It would have almost a 'Sid Myers Pirates' in space feel.

Cheers

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:43 am

Oolite has always been open source, as far as I’m aware. As of last February, it is also “free software”.

I don’t think Oolite would really be a good base for a single-system game.

Selezen · Post by **Selezen** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:47 am

I don't really think it would be viable as a mod, given that OOlite's core engine contains the galactic maps and the standard trading engine. I don't think they can really be omitted from the game through modding. Although I might be mistaken.

Hmm. Rewriting the key commands and removing the galactic and system map shortcuts might do it.

If oolite can't handle it, why not have a go at writing it from scratch! There are plenty of free development tools out there. Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008 Express is free and there are a few free 3D graphic engines for it. Truevision 3D is the one I like (although you have to license it if you want to sell your game). You can develop in it for free as long as you don't want to charge for your game.

FSOneblin · Post by **FSOneblin** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:05 pm

Ahruman wrote:
Oolite has always been open source, as far as I’m aware. As of last February, it is also “free software”.

I don’t think Oolite would really be a good base for a single-system game.

So, oolite was shareware once? I thought it was always freeware. I would like a game like that. If you make it, could you make mac compatible, too?

Don't panic: FSOneblin

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:45 pm

FSOneblin wrote:
So, oolite was shareware once

No.

FSOneblin · Post by **FSOneblin** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:18 pm

Ok, just got confused by the

As of last February, it is also “free software”.

There is a game like this, but not ooliteish at all, and it's Shareware, It's called orbital trader, I will put up a link when I find one.

Don't panic: FSOneblin

EDIT: http://diogames.com/OrbitalTrader.html

Post by **Kaks** » Wed May 21, 2008 8:06 pm

The free in "free software" is the free as in free speech bit about using gnu GPL.

Oolite as always been free as in free beer, and open source for a very long time before adopting GPL as a licence...