Virtual Reality Tremulous

Many things have happened since I last blogged. STFU-Tremulous has added a new developer, StarshipTrooper, who will be handling more artwork. Champion has also finished some pretty awesome code, which allows a server to dynamically change whether it follows the new MGDev gameplay changes, or the traditional 1.1.0 Tremulous gameplay. That has yet to be integrated into the changes I made a week ago, which adds in many of the new MGDev stuff...but the framework is in place.

On a side note, I've gotten at least halfway through my VR Project. What VR Project, you ask? Well, I'm in a Virtual Reality class right now, and as it's end of term, I needed a project. I proposed to add stereoscopic vision and head-mounted display to Tremulous. That is done. I have a short video I took with my phone that shows it working - I'll try to get the format converted and get it posted in the next week or so. We'll see, it's low on the priority list. Also, I proposed adding head-tracking and hand-tracking via a flock of birds setup. That is partially done. I hit a huge snag when I couldn't cross-compile the Tremulous binary on Linux and include the flock-of-birds static library. There is probably a way around that...I don't know it right now. Instead, I went through the arduous task of creating a Microsoft Visual Studio solution file that builds Tremulous. That is, in my opinion, a huge bonus, as I never did like the 14-step mingw build instructions. So, now we have a solution file. It needs serious tweaking, but eventually that will mean that those of you who are not Linux-inclined can learn to build mods/patches/etc for Tremulous. Neat.

Also, that means packaging up STFU-Tremulous for its emminent release will be all the easier. I want an automated installer for you windows folks. Aren't I nice?

Any other news? Probably not. The OSP.ir site has patched up all the complaints I had with it before, so our project continues to center around that site. The testing server is still down - my personal homework projects come way, way before the testing server, so expect it to be up when my projects are done. That will be no later than Monday, plus a day or two for finals studying.

For now though, the whole VR thing has made me think about integrating another control scheme that I think is kinda fun - the Wiimote. I've done some wiimote work for my other VR assignments, and I don't think the integration would be terribly difficult. What are everyone's opinions - would you actually play Tremulous (STFU-Tremulous) with a wiimote/nunchuck pair, if I made it possible?

-Ender