Topic: Aliens Vs. Predator: Gold Edition (1999) (Read 5216 times)

RiverShade · « **Reply #135 on:** January 10, 2008, 07:56:00 AM »

Hoping for an update

nes6502 · « **Reply #136 on:** January 10, 2008, 01:29:00 PM »

QUOTE(RiverShade @ Jan 10 2008, 03:56 PM)

Hoping for an update

Here's an update:

I'm also currently working on a port of Aliens verses Predator Gold. I am not commiting to delivering a product, because I do not yet know the extent of the pain and misery involved in this port. I do have a good idea. I don't "think" it will be too bad.

I have been working on the port full steam for a few days now, and I have the windows build compiling with a newer version of Visual Studio. The source was intended for Visual Studio 6.0 and there LOTs of bugs/compiler issues I had to fix.

Several things I've learned. All of the DirectDraw code will have to be rewritten. I knew that, but i didn't realise that a lot of the Direct3D code will alos have to be re-written since it was written in DirectX 6 from nearly 10 years ago.

All the movies (and movies that play on the computer screens in game) can't be supported since they require the Bink SDK. I could convert these movies to xmv and add support for these movies instead, but how would I release them? Especially since the tool used to convert them is an XDK tool.

The network support wouldn't work since it used custom servers fox games used. That company no longer exists.

However, the actual "game" seems to be very "portable" with enough elbow grease. Once i completely upgrade the build to work with a newer Visual Studio, I will begin converting all the graphics code. If I complete this, it will be a MAJOR milestone for the port.

At that point I will commit to an Xbox port. I will post updates as I make them. People who want to play this game on the Xbox, may just get their wish. I am VERY interested in porting this. I already have some great ideas for the port. If I do decide not to finish the port due to lack of time, I will release my source so that someone else could pick up the project if they wanted to. If I do complete the port, I will release the updated windows version (for people who have trouble running it on XP) source and the Xbox source.

neil222 · « **Reply #137 on:** January 11, 2008, 03:44:00 AM »

AWESOME! Sounds incredible nes6502, heres hoping you succeed...
Cheers.

gilles9999 · « **Reply #138 on:** January 11, 2008, 10:22:00 AM »

waoh! you are a god NES6502!
with this man all is possible
alien versus predator is THE gam every xbox homebrew fan ever wanted to see ported!
all the homebrew comunoty is with you nes!

craze7 · « **Reply #139 on:** January 11, 2008, 11:42:00 AM »

nes6502 u are a legend!!!

Retroplay · « **Reply #140 on:** January 11, 2008, 01:04:00 PM »

This sounds absolutely fabulous nes6502.

Party Animal · « **Reply #141 on:** January 11, 2008, 05:01:00 PM »

QUOTE(nes6502 @ Jan 10 2008, 12:29 PM)

All the movies (and movies that play on the computer screens in game) can't be supported since they require the Bink SDK. I could convert these movies to xmv and add support for these movies instead, but how would I release them? Especially since the tool used to convert them is an XDK tool.

For the converted xmv movies, could you make a torrent?

Thanks again for all your hard work!

Clockface · « **Reply #142 on:** January 11, 2008, 05:19:00 PM »

QUOTE(nes6502 @ Jan 10 2008, 10:29 PM)

Here's an update:
I'm also currently working on a port of Aliens verses Predator Gold.

Yes yes YES!!!

This is brilliant news - owing to my having to spend a fortune (and counting...) over the past few months on accupuncture (the health service wouldn't pay for it, so I had to) I couldn't buy myself a 360 for Christmas, but this news makes it not matter so much (not that it mattered too much anyway, the emulators on my XBox and the fact that I can play so many great XBox games from the hard drive make me much prefer the XBox 1 over the 360 anyway, at least for now).

And if you can't work out anything for the movies, then it's no real problem, as it's the gameplay that matters. And if you can't get the network code running then that's a pity, but again it's not that important, it's the single player modes we really want.

Brilliant, brilliant, news.

By the way, accupuncture really is painless... Amazing. And it's really helped me.

VampX · « **Reply #143 on:** January 11, 2008, 07:23:00 PM »

oh my god.. nes you are a god!

and about the movies, would it not be possible to convert them to lets say XviD, and make the port support the free XviD codec?
then a small conversion tool could be supplied with the port so people could convert the movies on their own.

but again, you are a god!

enderandrew · « **Reply #144 on:** January 11, 2008, 10:03:00 PM »

I'm sure someone could set up a torrent for the video files. However if there is any legal ramifications from converting them with a tool via the XDK, obviously you couldn't post said torrent here.

I'm just saying a torrent could and would likely occur.

Clockface · « **Reply #145 on:** January 12, 2008, 04:06:00 PM »

QUOTE(enderandrew @ Jan 12 2008, 07:03 AM)

I'm sure someone could set up a torrent for the video files. However if there is any legal ramifications from converting them with a tool via the XDK, obviously you couldn't post said torrent here.

I'm just saying a torrent could and would likely occur.

Or maybe the port would play DivX, or .avi or whatever files. As long as the port's readme.txt contained the details that the movies would have to be converted to, then it could be left up to the individual XBox owner to convert using a suitable Windows program, unless the conversion needed the XBox SDK or was too difficult for the typical user to convert, in which case it might be better to forget about using the movie files at all.

Anyway, it's not a priority problem, getting the game to run acceptably well, with sound and a good frame rate, and with dated saves (will the port support game saves? I think AvP non-Gold didn't, although AvP Gold did and is better anyway), definable controls and a reversable Y-axis is far more important.

Plus like you say, if the movie files are too difficult to convert for many people, then they will be zipped up and torrented.

sirlemonhead · « **Reply #146 on:** January 13, 2008, 11:29:00 AM »

My version of the port is nearly/not far from being done

I've emailed him asking if he wants to team up

Clockface · « **Reply #147 on:** January 13, 2008, 03:04:00 PM »

QUOTE(sirlemonhead @ Jan 13 2008, 08:29 PM)

My version of the port is nearly/not far from being done

Interesting

How far along was it? Playable? With sound?

QUOTE

I've emailed him asking if he wants to team up

That might save a lot of time, but on the other hand two approaches to the same problems might yield better results in different cases. It'll be interesting to follow this.

Please let us know what happens.

sirlemonhead · « **Reply #148 on:** January 13, 2008, 03:26:00 PM »

It still exists only on the PC at the moment. It's got the D3D 8 renderer in.

Sound works, and shouldn't be an issue as it's DirectSound. I assume for the xbox it'd be pretty much ready to go? maybe minor changes? I dunno.. not looked into the xbox yet. Just waiting to have a 100% working d3d8 pc version going first.

At the moment I'm working on converting the menu to fully 3D rendered textured quads. Not 100% done yet but getting close. Then I need to fix an odd issue I have with transparency in game. Random objects in the game become transparent, and the decals are a bit funky. I'll throw up a screenshot later.

It's a bit pointless for him to start his own port though considering i've done most of the work already..

Clockface · « **Reply #149 on:** January 13, 2008, 04:29:00 PM »

QUOTE(sirlemonhead @ Jan 14 2008, 12:26 AM)

It still exists only on the PC at the moment. It's got the D3D 8 renderer in.

Sound works, and shouldn't be an issue as it's DirectSound. I assume for the xbox it'd be pretty much ready to go? maybe minor changes? I dunno.. not looked into the xbox yet. Just waiting to have a 100% working d3d8 pc version going first.

That's great, sounds like you're seventy-five percent done (although the last ten percent can sometimes take as long the previous ninety percent to complete).

QUOTE

At the moment I'm working on converting the menu to fully 3D rendered textured quads.

A quad? What's that?

QUOTE

Not 100% done yet but getting close. Then I need to fix an odd issue I have with transparency in game. Random objects in the game become transparent, and the decals are a bit funky. I'll throw up a screenshot later.

That'll be great. Will it need optimising for the speed and memory of the XBox?

Does your Windows build play the movies, in any format yet?

And do you have any ideas for the control scheme yet?

QUOTE

It's a bit pointless for him to start his own port though considering i've done most of the work already..

It would be more efficent for the two of you to work together, or at least for you both to continue from the work you've done so far, but Nes6502 might prefer to start from scratch. Hope he does start with your progress though, as it will speed things up for us!

Although from the sounds of it you had things well in hand anyway. Still two geniuses are better than one

Author Topic: Aliens Vs. Predator: Gold Edition (1999) (Read 5216 times)