Difference between revisions of "Source Code Project"
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Fortunately, there's light at the end of the tunnel. | Fortunately, there's light at the end of the tunnel. | ||
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== A Brief History Lesson == | == A Brief History Lesson == | ||
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The individual programmers who were making enhancements to the original code soon organized themselves into the FreeSpace Source Code Project (FSSCP) and kept on working. Glow mapping, shine mapping, DirectX 8.0 support, a new multiplayer network system and dozens of new SEXPs have followed over the years. | The individual programmers who were making enhancements to the original code soon organized themselves into the FreeSpace Source Code Project (FSSCP) and kept on working. Glow mapping, shine mapping, DirectX 8.0 support, a new multiplayer network system and dozens of new SEXPs have followed over the years. | ||
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== But I Just Want to Play! == | == But I Just Want to Play! == | ||
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If you would like to know more about the project, and what it means for you as a FreeSpace fan, or how you can contribute, then please read on. | If you would like to know more about the project, and what it means for you as a FreeSpace fan, or how you can contribute, then please read on. | ||
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== An Brief Introduction to the FSSCP == | == An Brief Introduction to the FSSCP == | ||
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As project leaders they keep the team organized and working towards set goals. They will request a 'code freeze' before a major release, when programmers aren't supposed to add new features, and instead focus on cleaning up existing bugs. When the team is not preparing for a release, individual programmers are given a lot of leeway in what they can work on. | As project leaders they keep the team organized and working towards set goals. They will request a 'code freeze' before a major release, when programmers aren't supposed to add new features, and instead focus on cleaning up existing bugs. When the team is not preparing for a release, individual programmers are given a lot of leeway in what they can work on. | ||
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== What Does all of This Mean for You? == | == What Does all of This Mean for You? == | ||
Revision as of 17:31, 15 March 2009
With all the snazzy new games and flashy graphics popping up in the gaming market, and you've gotten jealous. Because, as everyone knows, there is no FreeSpace 3, and there never will be. So now you're stuck in your parents' basement, with only your vintage 1998 Space Sim of the Year to keep you company.
Fortunately, there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Contents
A Brief History Lesson
In 2002, Dave Baranec (one of the individuals who worked on FreeSpace 2), released the FreeSpace 2 source on the now-defunct Volition Watch.
Although the code was missing major components (such as the PXO multiplayer code and the ability to play movies), new features, such as glowpoints, were quickly added. Ship class limits were bumped, causing FreeSpace 2 modders around the world to rejoice.
The individual programmers who were making enhancements to the original code soon organized themselves into the FreeSpace Source Code Project (FSSCP) and kept on working. Glow mapping, shine mapping, DirectX 8.0 support, a new multiplayer network system and dozens of new SEXPs have followed over the years.
But I Just Want to Play!
If that's the case, head back to the Getting Started(Main) Guide.
If you would like to know more about the project, and what it means for you as a FreeSpace fan, or how you can contribute, then please read on.
An Brief Introduction to the FSSCP
The FSSCP is headed up by Goober5000 and Taylor, with help from the original project coordinator, Inquisitor.
As project leaders they keep the team organized and working towards set goals. They will request a 'code freeze' before a major release, when programmers aren't supposed to add new features, and instead focus on cleaning up existing bugs. When the team is not preparing for a release, individual programmers are given a lot of leeway in what they can work on.
What Does all of This Mean for You?
Not only do you get to experience all of the visual and gameplay enhancements that have been added thanks to the FSSCP, but there is an entire community and tools at your fingertips to create your own missions, campaigns, and stand alone games. The FSSCP allows mod development teams, campaign builders, and individual mission makers to add features that will enhance their work. The whole community benefits from being able to use all of the new features that are implemented to improve past, present, and future work.
Established projects that need features and who are involved in the community will usually have their requested features added first, but if you have any great ideas, please post them in the FSSCP Forum on the Hard-Light Productions Forums (Be sure to do a search first so you're not reposting ideas).
How you can Help out
While the developers are hard at work implementing new features, a critical area that you can help in is reporting bugs and helping coders to track them down. The place to do all of this bug tracking is using Mantis, the bug-reporting tool currently used by the FSSCP team. To learn more, please check out the article covering Bug Reporting.
And Most importantly, get involved in the community that shares a mutual obsession with everything Freespace!
