ReactOS Game

The Idea

I think ReactOS should have its own game. A simple 2d game, maybe something like Xbill would be cool. The game project should be a seperate project and it should not take time away from development of ReactOS. When the game is ready it could (or could not) be included in ReactOS. But the more interesting thing here is that everyone can run the game in Windows too and if they have never heard about ReactOS, after they have played the game they may become interested in the ReactOS -project. So the motivation of the game project is to promote ReactOS. The game should give a positive impression of ReactOS, So it should not be too agressive against MS.

Motivation

The main reason for this game project is to promote ReactOS. All big companys have games that promote their products, why should ReactOS be any different. Even the US army has their own game (America's Army). EU has a game called Food-force and so on.

Project Status

DONE

Started brainstorming. Gathering ideas and contributers
Suggesting game ideas
Commenting game ideas
Voting which game idea to choose (vote here: http://reactos.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649 )

Results: ReactRacer (TuxRacer with ReactOS art) 12% [ 5 ]

ReactBubble (Frozen Bubble with ReactOS art) 10% [ 4 ]

Super Reacty. A simple side-scrolling jump'n'run game (with ReactOS art) 53% [ 21 ]

Paintball 10% [ 4 ]

ReactFighter 12% [ 5 ]

Total Votes : 39

IN PROGRESS

Week 19-20 Getting more ideas for Super Reacty. A simple side-scrolling jump'n'run game (improving the idea)

TODO

Week 21 Choosing the platform for the game (maybe getting something from another project)
Week 21 Choosing the project-manager from one of the contributers
Week 22 Starting sf.net project for the game
do some initial art work
choose chief artist
coding (if the chosen platform is good, we may not need alot of coding)
first demo (some ReactOS Art implemented to chosen platform)
...

How to Proceed

Guidelines for the game project

Positive promotion for ReactOS included in the game (not too agressive against MS)
- Includes ReactOS logo or Reacty or both (important for Windows users who do not know ReactOS)
- May also include other references to ReactOS (important for Windows users who do not know ReactOS)
Works in both Windows and ReactOS (this should be easy)
Addictive (you would want to play it forever)
GPL
Fast project, not too complex of a game (6 to 12 months?)
Should not take time from ReactOS developers (people who have no kernel skills could contribute)
Simple controls
Does not need long study before you can play it
Should appeal to casual gamers
Levels (or whatever) should be kept short to enable casual gaming. (You should be able to play the game every now and then without losing track of the game/story). Maybe even show replay of 10 last seconds since save/quit before actually letting the player play. ("Previously seen on Reacto") [crap]

Gameplay

Here is few game ideas. Add your comments for any idea or add your own suggestion for game. Later we will vote which one to choose.

Wizard of Wor, is a PacMan with guns :) not too violent, and very addictive. an arcade game, but I first played it on c64. Play it through Vice, Frodo or MAME. Here is a game info page http://www.klov.com/W/Wizard_Of_Wor.html How about making a ReactOS clone with Reacty as main character?

http://images.webmagic.com/klov.com/screens/W/xWizard_Of_Wor.png

Ballgame by RomanH
- http://www.romanhoegg.ch/Ballgame_Beta.zip
- It should include ReactOS logo or Reacty somehow (Sami)
- still needs a lot of work :-) (RomanH)
- Maybe the balls could be atoms in different colors (Harteex)
- <your comments here>

ReactRacer (TuxRacer with ReactOS art)
- Replace Tux with Reacty
- <your comments here>

ReactBubble (Frozen Bubble with ReactOS art)
- <your comments here>

Super Reacty. A simple side-scrolling jump'n'run game (with ReactOS art)
- Platform: SuperTux (http://supertux.berlios.de/)
- something like Super Mario, Giana Sisters, etc. (RomanH)
- could include Reacty as the main character (RomanH)
- enemies could be pieces of bloatware and malware (gracefully depicted and drawn, of course) (AcetoliNe)
- enemies could also be bugs in the system, which you have to destroy (AcetoliNe)
- The story
  - Reacty is lost in "OS-land" and finding his way to the net. Reacty is small and not really noticed by the larger OS's, His Mission is to find the coders that will set the world free, He must find the the core coders on the way and the coders will help him to grow bigger,(version number goes up after Reacty vists coders, coders to have familar names and tasks) and pass through different kinds of hitches (other operating systems have set up barriers and blocks on the way). Once reacty has visted all the coders he will be able to pass through the gateway and onto the net.There is also alot of evil bugs, malware and bloatware that are trying to kill Reacty. In the end Reacty will find his way into safe and familiar ReactOS -operating system and he can make ReactOS even better and more compatible by using all the information gathered on his trip. (Sami, remixed by Headstrong)
- ReactOS logo and webaddress should be included in the the end demo.
- Reacty has many tools to aid him on his trip:
  - Patch shooter: A device that emits patches and bugfixes, the patch shooter can be used to destroy bugs and patch security holes in the system. (AcetoliNe) Security holes could be large holes (or canyons) in the landscape Reacty is not able to pass. In order to get to the next stage he has to find the right patch. (dgr)
  - Antivirus pill: After consuming this pill, Reacty can successfully avoid infection with malware for a limited time (until the virus definitions expire :). (AcetoliNe)
- <your comments here>

Paintball
- A FPS shooting game using either the Crystal Space or Cube engine
- Cube engine is free/opensource and has bot AI code already
- See engine list below (http://wouter.fov120.com/cube/)
- <your comments here>

ReactFighter
- A fighting game between different OS mascots (Harteex)

ReactOS Stunt Racer
- A 3D Stunt driver game (maybe someone remember "Stunts" from 4D Sports, 1990)
- Ultimate Stunts: the source code (Win32, Linux, BSD) is availbale on sourceforge.
- TODO: and add some ReactOS artwork.
- Stunts is a 3D racing game, with simple CGA/EGA/VGA graphics and no texture or smooth shading, but because of the spectacular stunts (loopings, bridges to jump over, etc.) it was really fun to play. One of the best aspects of this game is that it had a track editor. Because of the tile-based tracks, every gamer was able to make it's own tracks.
- Stunts vs. Ultimate Stunts
  - Similarities / differences
    - UltimateStunts will be a game very similar to Stunts:
    - It is a 3D racing game
    - It is possible (and relatively simple) to build your own tracks
    - The tracks are built of large blocks, called 'tiles'
    - It is possible to play it on relatively old computers
    - The games share some VERY spectacular stunts
    - You are free to drive where you want (but you'll get penalty time for it)
  - Some of the minor differences are:
    - Platform independence: UltimateStunts is open source and it will use platform independent libraries if possible.
    - 3D sound
    - Better tracks: The track sizes (l*w*h) are variable, and multiple tiles can be placed on top of each other.
  - But there are also some major differences:
    - Better graphics (based on openGL), with texture, smooth shading, reflection etc.
    - Multiplayer: the original game allowed 1 human player and max. 1 computer opponent. UltimateStunts will be an IP-based network game, with a server and both human and AI clients
    - An expanded set of tiles and tracks. actually, you can expand your own collection of tiles and tracks with packages.
- Links: