PocketFALLOUT. The same FALLOUT on your WM device.

Today, at 15:00 Moscow time, the first playable version of PocketFALLOUT will be released - almost a full-fledged port of the famous game.

The game engine is written in PFSL. All sounds / music / sprites are taken from the original FALLOUT2.
Further information from the official site . I collected all the useful developer posts in one place. So:

So, everything is in order. Let's start with the system requirements.
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OS (Operating System).
WinMobile 2003, WM5.x, WM6.x

Stylus.
Required.

Free memory.
from 7 MBytes (it all depends on the card that is loaded). Everything rests on the resources of the map (the abundance of various images, animations, objects, etc.)

Free space on the flash drive.
from 30 MB. In the basic delivery, game resources will “weigh” about 30 MB. Further, as the game develops, resources will be added. I highly recommend having flash cards with fast reading, because of the slowness of flash drives, the game on weak processors is rare, but slows down.
Graphic resolution.
As has been said before, the first release will support 320x240 resolution. Consequently, it should work on permissions greater than 320x240.

CPU.
Here we come to the most interesting. For owners of PDAs with a processor frequency of BELOW 400 MHz (and there are about 27% - see here) there is good news and bad.

First, how to be driven is bad news.
Original Fallout maps abound in a variety of graphic resources that you naturally draw. So, there are so many of them that on a PDA with a processor frequency of 300 MHz (assuming there is no GRAPHIC accelerator) they will issue no more than 12 frames / sec on average in more or less open locations (forest, large accumulation of units, etc.) , and up to 5 frames / sec in closed locations (caves, temples, shelters).

And now - the good news.
The speed of the Pocket FALLOUT engine depends entirely on the card that is currently loaded. If the map is optimized, there are no heaps of simultaneously displayed objects on it, then at 200 MHz it gives out 25-30 frames per second. This can be seen on the maps of the desert.
If you are immune to laziness and you know how to read the documentation CAREFULLY, then you can easily create / optimize a number of Fallout locations for your PDA with 200 MHz on board.

I'm on my iPAQ 2210 playing / testing at 400 MHz. But to calm the soul and to ensure the complete absence of brakes, when loading images (I have a slow CF card), I overclock percents to 472 MHz and enjoy life. (The author of the port)



Further, about the "legends"

1. The release, which will be held January 29, 2009 is NOT a beta test. It is fully featured. And the gameplay should not be reduced to finding bugs. Yes, there will be bugs, we are all not without sin, and you will report them in the appropriate section. And I, in turn, will rule them as far as possible.
2. Multiplayer. Multiplayer bye is not planned because of the difficult cross-platform implementation.
3. The project is not "fake". He really is and will be. But its implementation was delayed due to its complexity.

additional information
As the final beta tests show, for normal operation of non-optimized original maps, the minimum required is 16 MB of RAM.
This means that the minimum bar for free RAM is 16 MB.

About the script editor and the scripts themselves
For those who do not understand. Scripts in Pocket FALLOUT are plain text files. They can be edited with ANY text editor.
The script editor, which is the ONLY paid program in this project, serves only to speed up and optimize the developer’s work.
And to buy an editor or not is your Holy Right and I do not encroach on it.

As is clear from the latest proposals, a convenient game editor will be released. According to the latest information, this editor will cost $ 8.5 for Russian-speaking users (it is not necessary to buy it, since almost all game resources are simple text files that can be edited with any text editor).

Features of the upcoming release

Support for various video resolutions

As many have already read, in the first official release will support the following permissions:
- For the Desktop version (desktop version) all types of WINDOW permissions will be supported. Those. the game will go in the Windows window with any resolution (fullscreen mode is not supported). Although you can adjust the resolution of the window and the whole screen
- For PocketPC version (version for PDA) will support ONLY qVGA (320x240), but in full screen.

Note
Maps from the original Fallout were originally calculated ONLY for a resolution of 640x480. And on this, at high resolutions (more than 640x480), visual “crutches” will appear. For example - a piece of the mountain, on the map of the Temple, Arroyo looks like a piece of the mountain at resolutions of 640x480 and less, but at higher resolutions you can see how this mountain was built. See the screenshot, the blue square shows how the visible border of the image passes at the calculated resolutions, and the red rectangle shows how the map looks at high, not calculated resolutions. Those. the mountain actually looks like a flat “cardboard box”.
The above-described note is one of the reasons why there will be no support for higher resolutions.

Another reason is that the support of other permissions except for 320x240 is that the coordinates of the GUI objects are protected in the code. Custom windows are designed as static images. All dynamic objects are “applied” to this image inside the engine code.
Of course, I can put everything into the script, but the process of standardizing the script code (building methods, events, screwing it all to the engine) for the entire GUI takes an indefinite amount of time, and I do not intend to disclose the source code.

The source code can be bought, the cost is quite acceptable even for a small game-developing company. The cost of the source code will be discussed after the release.

Because The main priority, relative to video resolution, is qVGA (320x240), then the entire user interface (character window, inventory, start window, etc.) are 320x240 pixels in size. This is not a "bug" this is one of the few features of the first release.
To make a scalable interface is stressful, and at 640x480 resolution the windows do not look bad. All windows (with the exception of the pipboy window and the world map) are located in the center of the screen (on the PDA, everything will be in the center of the screen). see screenshot GUI.

It should be noted that the resolution of the gameplay window, in contrast to the GUI windows, is scalable. Those. if the user sets the resolution (on the Desktop version) to 640x480 pixels, then the main game window (where the Favorite walks) will have the highest possible resolution. See the screenshot “GUI”, it clearly shows what size the inventory window has, and what size the gameplay window has.

Algorithms

Based on the reaction of one of the testers, I can already assume in advance one of the controversial issues that may arise after the release. This is a question about the algorithm for calculating the shortest path or around obstacles.
The engine has a “wave” obstacle avoidance algorithm. Because it is not at all clear what algorithm was used in the Fallout games, I decided to use the simplest and in my opinion the fastest of such algorithms.
As a result, units, while moving, bypass each other and predetermined obstacles or limited zones (bypass points - you learn about them from WiKi), but they do it in a larger arc than in the case of the Fallout games.

Let me explain why:
- I did not know the original algorithm, so I took the “wave” as the basis
- The specificity of the engine contributes to its comprehensive expansion from the outside. Wave algorithm as it is impossible for the article to join this specificity without any special difficulties.
- The wave algorithm, after some optimizations, for the longest distances is now working in 4 processor cycles
And most importantly, I was able to make the EXTENSION of the obstacle avoidance algorithm using the scripting language (this is described in detail in WiKi).
Those. Anyone can independently modify the existing algorithm using the tools of the scripting language and provide it to everyone. And if this solution is really worthwhile (with respect to logic), I will be very pleased to bring this solution into the basic set of algorithms.

In addition to the traversal algorithm, a Fallout-like model of character character formation (the one which is SPECIAL) is embedded in the engine. This model practically corresponds to the original one, except for the fact that there are no bonuses in it (thug, sniper, tomb raider, etc.). However, the logic of these bonuses, if desired, can be organized at the level of scripts. In the class “MapObject”, which describes units of locations, there are a number of methods for calculating certain character parameters.

Also in the delivery of the first official release, you can find the implementation of the basic models as a set of scripts (they will be located in the \ Resource \ modules \ user game folder). This will allow any user to expand / change any of the models listed below.

Namely:
- Model fight
- Model of theft
- Model of use of things
- Model of trade
- Skill model
- Model of random locations
- Model of the formation of cities on the world map
- Model of the formation of a conversation with the characters

Naturally, the script code is readable and provided with comments in Russian.

Also, no one limits the user in creating his additional model (for example, you can make it so that you can create / improve weapons, skills, etc. from one set of equipment)

In addition to the above, the “MathModel” class will exist in the scripting language with which you can perform various complex mathematical calculations (calculating the path length, finding a point in the polygon, etc.)

In this chapter, it should be noted that in the upcoming release the combat algorithm was developed only for light weapons (fists, knives, sticks, spears, etc.). Personally, in my opinion, the presence of firearms simplifies the process of the game too much (especially for “pumped” characters). It hurts a lot in my memory there were people who loved to shoot a doggie with a sniper rifle, from a distance of a football field.
It is possible to add firearms, even through scripts. Here you have all the cards in hand.

Mod development, gameplay expansion

Pocket FALLOUT engine is initially focused on the speed of work on mobile devices, fast localization (translation of the text of the graphical interface from one language to another), convenient and fast introduction of new characters. The built-in script language PFSL (Pocket FALLOUT Script Language) is based on the Basic language (BASIC), incorporates the architectural solutions of the languages ​​Pascal (Pascal) and C #.

Speaking in normal language - if you studied basic / pascal at a school / college / university and at least once wrote a quiz yourself and got above the average score for it, then you will not have much difficulty in expanding Pocket FALLOUT!

The PFSL language will be understood not only by an adult, but even by a little tot!
Script files are plain text files. They can be edited with ANY text editor.
But it would be better if you have the PFScriptEditor script editor at your fingertips (as an advertisement for blush).

Localization (translation of GUI labels, character dialogues to another human language) happens quite quickly - you just need to translate all * .txt files that are located in the Resource folder (there will be such a folder in the new release) without changing a single line of code!

Also on our website you can download a FREE map and resource converter from Fallout 1.2. Using these tools, you can recreate the full world of Fallout on your PDA, or you can try to make your alternative to your favorite game. It all depends on you!
And remember, the phrase from the series “I'm not a programmer, but I want to do ...” regarding the capabilities of Pocket FALLOUT is not relevant. Everything can be done, just not to be lazy and be able to read the documentation, which is written in Russian.

Further development of the project and transfer to other platforms

The development of the project entirely depends on the interest of users to it. I myself would like to expand the arial of the project (not only WinMobile and Win32), but also other platforms, such as iPhone, PSP, Symbain. Moreover, I want to make a minimum, support for multiplayer (at least via Bluetooth).

However, these solutions are only possible if the project is transferred to the EDGE lib library (www.edgelib.com). This is a trade-off between port development / hemorrhoids. One problem - the cost of this library is about $ 1,800.

Additional features

In order to save space on the carrier memory, as well as for transfer to platforms where a permanent swap is not desirable (for example, PSP), the briefing history has been canceled. Speaking in normal language - there is no conversation with the character.
However, the message log of the game (you were injured, you are there, etc.) has a depth of up to 50 positions (it is stored in memory). As my poll of Fallout fans showed, 50 messages are enough to be aware of what happened.

Further, there will be no auto level cards. I removed it due to the fact that 9 out of 10 players did not use it at all and to waste time on this functionality, in my opinion, is pointless.

In order to save space and memory, the system of “floors” in the location was removed (it was in the original Fallout).
It's okay, because when moving to another floor, you can download some thread to another location.
Those. now one location = one floor.
For the same reason, the staircase animation was removed. I thought about it for a long time and nevertheless decided to remove it, because she does not bear any load, and it was necessary to hang out with her well. Now, in order to "descend" into the hatch, it is enough to set the exit point (what it will be described in the Wiki).

Further, unfortunately, I do not have time to implement dropping inventory items on the surface of the location. However, I left in the code "stubs" for the implementation of this functionality. I think if the project is popular, then this functionality will not take long to wait!
In the first release of the game, things can be taken / stolen from other people's inventory, boxes, cabinets, etc. This is quite enough for the implementation of all possible ideas.

The author of the port is a kind of maskin from Belarus, all questions to him are on the off-line forum of the project - http://www.pocketfallout.net

UPD: Already have the first mirror! The game is available for download!
Mirror №1, narod
Mirror №2, rapidshare
Mirror №3, rapidshare premium
Mirror number 4, w3bsit3-dns.com forum