Space Dementia II : mod arena
version 0.3

open-source project

by Thibaut Chevalier (moitib)
copyright 08/11/2003
Website : http://www.moitib.fr.st

E-mail : moitib@free.fr

 

1. Quick start
2. Principle of the game
3. Control modes
4. Damage / Repairing
5. Keys & commands
6. Helping Indicators
7. Future versions
8. History
9. Thanks to
10. Information

 

1. Quick start :

The program is compressed, run sd2() to launch it.
The same program works on the 3 models (89, 92+ et V200) without material (HW) or software (AMS) restrictions.
It thought that for a game with a link mode, it could be interesting to use the same program on different platforms.

At the beginning, the program proposes (use the arrows up and down) two modes : singleplayer and multiplayer.
In multiplayer mode, one should choose host and the other join. The one who host the game choose the ship's control mode and the numbers of rounds to win to win the whole game.

 

2. Principle of the game :

Space Dementia II mod arena is a multiplayer space fighting game, in real-time 3D, featuring a filled polygon display with lighting. The games works with my own 3D engine FlatSpin. For more information about the engine, see my website.
The players can choose a ship from a certain amount of ship inspired by StarWars.

The goal is to win as much rounds as specified by the hosting user.
At each round, the ships are positionned on both sides of the central building.
Then you can move your ship anywhere you want in space and fire laser-missiles to destroy your opponent.

 

3. Control modes :

Two modes are available for the control of the ships

The Arcade mode is the simpliest, you command directly the ship in 4 direction. The vertical axis is inverted, though.
The Simulation mode is harder. It simulates the use of broomstick.
See the section Keys for more details.

In singleplayer mode, the user choose his own control mode but the ennemi always plays in Arcade mode.
In multiplayer mode, the host user chooses the mode for the two calcs.

4. Dammage / Repararing :

The ships have several damages areas which the opponent must all destroy to make explode the ship and win the round.
The current states of the zones are represented in the squares in the bar at the bottom of the screen. They represent a top view of the ships. The more it is dark, the mode it is destroyed.

When you lose a round, a black square remains to show it.

The left indicator is yours whereas the right indicator is your opponent's.

NEW : The central building is now a repairing place. Stop near its center to repair your ship. After a moment one first sector will be repared, then one second, etc... When you are beeing repaired, a spanner is rotating on the up-right corner of the screen. When the opponent is beeing repaired, it appears on his ship.


5. Keys & Commands :

Commanding the ship :

Controlling the speed of the ship :
On TI-89 : Shift & Alpha
On TI-92+ : F5 & F1
On V200 : Q & A
The indicator in the down-left corner of the screen indicates the speed.

Launching missiles :
On TI-89 : 2nd
On TI-92+ : Hand
On V200 : Hand
The number of missiles flying at the same time is limited and the missiles disappear after having flown a certain amount of time.

Cockpit View / External View : 1/3 (on the numpad, 1 for first person and 3 for third person).
Back View : Diamond (maintain pressed) (When the backview is activated, you can fire backwards).

Additionnal cameras :
Opponent view : 4
Rotating cameras : 5 & 6
When you select one of theses cameras, the game continues. The return to your ship press 1 or 3.

Pause : APPS (only the calc who has paused the game can make it continue with Enter).

In the menus, use the arrows and 2nd or Enter.
In many cases, Esc allows to quit (for example when the link communication is broken).

 

6. Helping indicators

The mini-radar (on the down-right) corner of the screen :

It represents a top view of what happens in the near area of the battlefield. It is always centered on your ship. Your field of view is represented by the dark-gray lines, the small circle is your opponent and the white point is the central building. The light-gray points are the missiles. It is a vertical projection so things that are on top of view may appear just on you on the radar.

The moving tracking arrow :

If the opponent is in front of you, out of the screen, an arrow appears on one side or corner of the screen, to show its location. If it is behind you, an circle-shaded arrow appear at the top of the screen.

 

7. Future versions (To do) :

 

8. History :

v0.2 : 27/08/2003

Minimum version of the game, multiplayer only :

v0.21 : 27/09/2003

Correction of two minor graphical bugs of the TI-92+ / V200 version.

v0.3 : 08/11/2003

Added a Singleplayer mode with an artificial intelligence (Arcade command only).
Various features added :

 

9. Thanks to :

 

10. Information :

If you always fly in the direction of infinity (and leave the central area), you will be warned by a message and after a certain amount of time, your ship will explode.
The display is synchronized between the two calc, i.e. the frame rate (fps) should be always the same on the two calcs.
In external view the frame rate is not good at all so avoid this mode. Moreover, you better see what is in front of you in cockpit view.
It is not possible to play with external ships, and it seems it would be difficult to implement with the format of Space Dementia I.
The collisions between ships or between ships and the central building are not programmed at the moment.
If you have any suggestion or bug report, mail me at moitib@free.fr or from my website if you do not get any reply.

I am not responsible of damage this program may cause directly or undirectly.
You are allowed to diffuse this program by any mean you want as soon as you keep the .zip package unmodified.
The program is open-source, but if you use parts of the code (especially the engine), please mention my name and a link to my website.