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Take On Mars (Simulator)


Dram

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Hello everyone,

 

I've been away for quite some time, specifically completing Carrier command Gaea Mission, after that I started a mars rover mod for it, which has since become a game - Take On Mars. Since I am the project lead for it, I don't want to state how good it is as I would be biased, thus, I would let everyone make their own opinion, and will happily answer any questions regarding it.

 

Here is its website:

http://takeonthegame.com/take-on-mars

 

Here is a short trailer composed of ingame footage:

 

Take care guys, and sorry for randomly popping in like this. I've been extremely busy with work, thus no time for anything else.

Martin

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This looks quite cool.

 

One question, though: Is this a simulator? If so, do the player control the rover *directly* or in a way that emulates controlling it from earth (so with some time delay, etc...).

FM's: Builder Roads, Old Habits, Old Habits Rebuild

Mapping and Scripting: Apples and Peaches

Sculptris Models and Tutorials: Obsttortes Models

My wiki articles: Obstipedia

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Thanks guys.

 

One question, though: Is this a simulator? If so, do the player control the rover *directly* or in a way that emulates controlling it from earth (so with some time delay, etc...).

 

It is a simulator in most factors (gravity, atmospheric density, pressure, temperatures, etc) but controlling rovers diverges somewhat.

At present you control the rovers directly. The one way light time delay was planned but we decided not to do it due to time restrictions (it is a 10 euro title, so quite small) - it would involve writing a whole sequencer etc, which would take up at least a month or two, and seeing as I wrote most of the functionality, we could not afford the delay. Had we done it it would have been optional.

I actually had a couple of NASA engineers stop by at E3, so their feedback has also been very interesting.

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Regarding the delay: It would just have been an interesting feature. I guess most people wouldn't use it anyways. (I'm not sure but I think the delay is several minutes, so not very entertaining ;) ).

 

I actually had a couple of NASA engineers stop by at E3, so their feedback has also been very interesting.

I guess you can take this as a compliment :smile: What did they say?

 

Another question: Will there be any need for an online account or similar, or can it just be installed as in the good old days? (I guess devs don't like this question, but ... well).

FM's: Builder Roads, Old Habits, Old Habits Rebuild

Mapping and Scripting: Apples and Peaches

Sculptris Models and Tutorials: Obsttortes Models

My wiki articles: Obstipedia

Texture Blending in DR: DR ASE Blend Exporter

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Looks cool! From the site it says "..-unlocking the secrets of Mars' distant past", is that from a scientific point of view, or is this like a "Myst" themed game? And is the landscape based on the real Mars surface (If there is such a thing yet from satellites)?

Edited by Kvorning
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Had a feeling this was going to have something to do with BIS from the topic title, and I was right! You work at BIS now? Congrats dude! Ever talked to Dean Hall?

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Regarding the delay: It would just have been an interesting feature. I guess most people wouldn't use it anyways. (I'm not sure but I think the delay is several minutes, so not very entertaining ;) ).

 

 

I guess you can take this as a compliment :smile: What did they say?

 

Another question: Will there be any need for an online account or similar, or can it just be installed as in the good old days? (I guess devs don't like this question, but ... well).

They liked how we kept as close to reality as possible with regards to the vehicles and the terrain, even the sky crane sequence (apparently I got it right, which is nice to know :) ).

You'll need steam, but that's about it.

 

Looks cool! From the site it says "..-unlocking the secrets of Mars' distant past", is that from a scientific point of view, or is this like a "Myst" themed game? And is the landscape based on the real Mars surface (If there is such a thing yet from satellites)?

More of a scientific point of view, it does not involve sci-fi elements. Yes, the landscape (3 locations, each 4x4km) are based on real satellite data. They include Victoria Crater, Gale Crater and Kaiser Crater. The satellite data is actually ridiculously detailed (most of the time it is 0.5m per pixel).

 

Had a feeling this was going to have something to do with BIS from the topic title, and I was right! You work at BIS now? Congrats dude! Ever talked to Dean Hall?

I've actually been working at BIS for about 4 or 5 years now :) Yeah, Dean is a colleague, he was at E3 with us as well.

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I think it looks really cool. I'm a sim fan(atic) though... I like Orbiter and IL2 and Euro Truck Driver and Ship Sim... I like the purity of them, and I like when a game lets you feel like your exploring the real universe and discovering something about it. So I like everything I see here. Congrats. =)

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What do you see when you turn out the light? I can't tell you but I know that it's mine.

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the time delay between earth and the current rovers on mars is something between 15 minutes and 25 minutes depending on the distance between earth and mars, and when the sun is in the way then there's no comunication.

 

the sun is 8 light minutes away, so it takes 8 minutes for light from the sun to get here.

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I think it looks really cool. I'm a sim fan(atic) though... I like Orbiter and IL2 and Euro Truck Driver and Ship Sim... I like the purity of them, and I like when a game lets you feel like your exploring the real universe and discovering something about it. So I like everything I see here. Congrats. =)

 

ever tryed KSP?

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No, but I'm a big Orbiter junkie so I thought it might just be about the same thing just less realistic... I mean that's a good thing for a game, but I only have so much time to play games and I've already got over the insane learning curve for Orbiter, so I'm happy sticking with it. I might try KSP some day though.

What do you see when you turn out the light? I can't tell you but I know that it's mine.

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Thats really awsome, i was acually gonna come in here and say how much i like BIS (there support of the community and modding for arma ect ect), so i had high hopes for this game, and after learning that one of the team members worked on the dark mod i gotta say i like them a little more now even.

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ever tryed KSP?

I'm planning on getting it soon on Steam for Linux. It looks like a lot of fun. I tried another one recently called Pioneer. It's in early development, but reminds me a lot of the old Tandy BASIC game "Taipan", but in space.

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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Kerbal Space Program really brings me back to my teenage years when I spent a lot of time building multi-stage model rockets, and my very young years playing Microsoft Space Simulator on a 486 computer.

 

The fact that I can go to the moon in KSP is just an enormous plus. Exploring mars, now, would be something really cool.

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yay seuss crease touss dome in ouss nose tair

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No, but I'm a big Orbiter junkie so I thought it might just be about the same thing just less realistic... I mean that's a good thing for a game, but I only have so much time to play games and I've already got over the insane learning curve for Orbiter, so I'm happy sticking with it. I might try KSP some day though.

 

Yeah Orbiter is epic. I actually started making this game back in 2004 on D3, around the time when Opportunity drove by Victoria Crater. Never got time to really do much with it, so getting to do it now is a great opportunity. At that time I wanted to make it specifically because Orbiter was not really made for surface driving, prior to the orulex terrain addon.

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[quote name='PranQster' timestamp='1372058304' post='314034']
The full game can be purchased and installed in Steam with the early access option. Though they clearly state that is in active development.
[url="http://store.steampowered.com/app/220200/?snr=1_7_15__13"]http://store.steampo...?snr=1_7_15__13[/url]
[/quote]

I do, however, recommend to watch some Let's Plays of the game. It is a very unique kind of game. I certainly have it on my radar, but I will definitely wait for the final version to decide if it's really my kind of game. Edited by 7upMan

My Eigenvalue is bigger than your Eigenvalue.

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I played the KSP demo for quite a while last night. I'm going to get the full version, but might wait a bit before I do.

It took a bit of a learning curve at first to build and properly launch a proper rocket, beyond a capsule sitting directly atop a solid booster. I ended up making a big 6-stage, 12-engine rocket and rather quickly put the little green dude over 300km up.

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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I like that moment when you're done in the assembly building and you press "Launch". I am always looking in the bottom corner to see the dude's expression as he sits upon the rocket you built. One I built last night sent him beyond 1500Km. He was in sheer terror from the launchpad until I sent him on a spacewalk at 1500 kilometers or so. Then he calmed down. Though I did accidentally make him release hold of the command capsule and drift apart from it.

Poor little dude...floating out there...drifting away from home at 1600m/sec with only the space suit to sustain him.

post-3285-0-09845900-1372302641_thumb.jpg

post-3285-0-92832800-1372302642_thumb.jpg

Edited by PranQster

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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