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Software Software created for enhancing HeroScape |
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#1
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HexScape
Being able to play hex board games online and in 3D is a long lasting dream of many scapers. It is exactly what I'm trying to make happen with :
HexScape Link to the latest HexScape version Link to the User Manual Link to the latest HexScape Server version HexScape is not dedicated to Heroscape, but can be used for that. Ressource to play Heroscape on HexScape can be found there. What is it ? HexScape is a software platform that allows you to emulate hex-based board games virtually. While HexScape is currently a work in progress, the ultimate goal is to allow users to emulate any hex-based board game. You can have a map of hexagons, some decors, place and move figures on it. You can also chat, roll dice and put marker on the figures' cards. For now, HexScape is still under developement, and don't have all the requiered functions, but I'm working on it ! Some principles The most important principles are those tow : - HexScape is just like your physical hexboard, only virtual. - HexScape is intended to support any hex board game From that, HexScape won't implement any game specific rule. In real life, if you want to take a figure and move it to the other end of the map, regardless of its movement point for instance, you can. In HexScape, you can too. In real life, there no indication on the map to how far a figure may move or attack. Neither will you find it in HexScape. Moreover, the rules to calculate a figure move is game dependent, so HexScape will let you manage that yourself. If you think about it, it is fair : in a tournament, a good player may see some advantageous but odd placement a new player wouldn't see. I wouldn't want HexScape to be unfair to the skills of players by giving them game help. HexScape is able to read map files generated with the VirtualScape software. For now, it is the only mean to load a map in HexScape. All datas for a game (figures models, hex tiles textures, and so on...) are stored outside of HexScape, in a folder named "asset". One only need to add or modify data in this folder to add or modify the objets available in HexScape. The easiest way to do that is to find packaged assets for the game you want to play, in the HexScape Data (.hsd) format HexScape can read army file to load an army, in a format named HexScape Army file format (.hsa). HexScape can work either in Solo mode, or connect to a server for multiplayer. You can either use an existing server (my open server is located at hexscape.lyrgard.fr:4242) or you can download and launch your own server (for playing in LAN, without internet, for instance), it is super easy ! How is the developement going ? The first public beta has been release. A list of current functionnality is a follow :
A lot of additionnal features will make it into HexScape ! Some key futur features are :
HexScape is a Java Open Source software, and the source are avalaible on github. Contributions are welcomed. Last edited by Lyrgard; April 3rd, 2016 at 02:31 AM. |
#2
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Re: HexScape
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To your question--I have successfully made 3D models of Heroscape figures using the free 123D Catch program. There are a few tricks to get it working well, but if you decide to go that route, I can explain them. (Nothing big--just stuff you could figure out experimenting on your own). There is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. --MLK |
#3
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Re: HexScape
Thanks for your response, Xorlof.
I didn't know there was free 3D capture program out there ! That's great, and really good news for HexScape ! I would gladly hear your tricks to make it work at the best. For now, I'll concentrate on coding the software. When it'll be usable, I hope some people here could help me make 3D models for all Heroscape figures. |
#4
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Re: HexScape
In terms of graphic design I can't be much help at all, but I just wanted to poke my head in here and say what you're doing sounds awesome, and I can't wait to see where this goes. Godspeed!
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#5
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Re: HexScape
Seconded! Even though I've never made an attempt to play Heroscape online, still in full support of this.
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#6
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Re: HexScape
Some update on the progress I'm doing
It is now possible to - load a map, - load an army, - place figures on the map - move them around with drag&drop, and rotate them with the mouse wheel. - The application will also display the card of the selected figure. For now, only the figure of the MS1 RotV are included, but it is easy to add more figure. Let me explain how it works under the hood. My goal was to make a generic software, able to be used to play Heroscape, but not limited to it. Any hex based board game will be playable on HexScape. All the data are in the directory asset this directory contains 3 sub-directories, 3dObject, cards et tiles - tiles This directory contains a file nammed TileTexture.bmp This image is used to draw the terrain tiles. You can modify it to change the look of your hexagons - 3dObject This directory contains a sub directory for every 3D format supported. For now, it is only ASE format, but more will eventually come. So, in the ase directory are one sub-directory per 3D object that can be display, be it a decor piece or a figure. The name of the directory will be used as the id of the 3D object. Some of thoses id are used directly by the application (the decors), the others will be used by the cards. - cards This directory contains a sub-directory for each army card. Each of those sub-directory is the definition of a card, and contains 3 files : - Two image files, icon.jpg and card.jpg, respectively an icon to represent the card, and the card itself. To gain screen space, I used rectangular version of the cards. - A file nammed card.properties that contains : It is really easy to add new army cards : For now, I won't add more figures but concentrate on finishing a first version of this software. (Also, one of the Tarn Viking Warriors is missing because the 3D file I have is corrupted and cannot be used.) Lastly, the army files. For now, they must be hand written. Later, a module of the software will allow to create and manage armies in the software. An army file is a simple text file, with a .hsa extension (for HeroScape Army) An exemple of Army file : Code:
Test Army 2x IzumiSamurai AgentCarr 3x KravMagaAgents FinnTheVikingChampion ThorgrimTheVikingChampion ZettianGuards Empty lines are skiped Any line non empty line after the first must contain a valid army card id. By valid I mean an id that match one of thoses that are defined in the cards folder. An id can optionnaly be preceded by a number followed by an "x" and a space if the army card is used more than once in this army. I put the TestArmy.hsa army file in the new .zip, if you want to test. Link to the file Once again, it is a simple .zip file. Just decompress it somewhere, and double click on the hexScape-0.0.3.jar file to launch HexScape What I need to do now - Be able to add various markers to cards - Order markers management - Dice management - 2 players online Please feel free to give your feedbacks if you test this pre-alpha version ! Last edited by Lyrgard; May 7th, 2014 at 10:13 AM. |
#7
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Re: HexScape
Loading a map (.hsc file) did not work for me. No error, it just didn't load. I tried one of the example maps that comes with VirtualScape (latest version 1.070) in the "Exemples" folder.
Loading the TestArmy.hsa worked fine, but I couldn't do much without a map loaded. I'm on Windows 7. My Java version is up-to-date. |
#8
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Re: HexScape
Hello GaryLASQ, and thanks for trying HexScape.
As I said in the first post, HexScape only support the last version of .hsc files. (While VirtualScape support reading any version, but save only to the last version). I downloaded the last VirtualScape .zip and opened it. The map in it were not made with the last version of VirtualSCape (they are probably shipped with VirtualScape since previous versions, and were just copied to this new version), so it is normal that you didn't manage to open them with HexScape. The simplest way to upgrade a map to the last version is to open it with VirtualScape and just save it without doing any modification. Once this is done, you should be able to open the map with HexScape. Please tell me if it worked for you ! And thanks again for giving it a go ! |
#9
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Re: HexScape
First of all: Beautiful work on this project!
A couple of things I found: When I was about to place a figure, scrolling sometimes didn't turn the figure. After placing the figure it worked fine again. As it just happened sometimes I couldn't quite figure out when exactly it happened. Once a figure had already been placed there was never a problem. Another issue just occurs when you look at the map from a flat angle. When I click on a figure while there are other tiles behind it, the figure is placed on the tile behind it right away. A way to solve this problem would be to only start moving the figure once the mouse was moved a certain distance, or the mouse was clicked for a certain time. Like that, whenever I just click a figure, it only gets selected and won't be accidentally moved some place else. Something you might already be aware of: It is currently possible to place figures on spaces you can't see, for example behind a ruin, behind a glacier or below an overhang. It is also possible to place figures on spaces occupied by a glacier, a jungle tree/bush or a normal tree. Another thing you might already know: When opening a different map, any figures placed on the map that was open before remain on their spaces and are invisible. A possible solution would be to open the new map in a different window without any armies loaded in it. I'm looking forward to the next version! Keep it up Search for any Heroscape cards and create armies. Create, save and search your own custom cards. Check out HACCS (Heroscape Army Creator and Card Searcher)! |
#10
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Re: HexScape
Wow, great stuff!
Preface: I have not tried out the download yet. A suggestion: will it be possible to add custom terrain objects? Or will the software only read in whatever is in the .hsc file? Heroes of Star Wars Scape (HoSS) My Custom Repaint Figures / My Custom Terrain / My Maps & Scenarios / My Trade List Red 6 standing by! |
#11
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Re: HexScape
Thanks Spuke Boy.
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Stay tuned ! Also, HexScape will be an open source software, with source available on github. I already made the project there. For now, the sources on github are totally not up to date (I need to push a LOT of changes), but I started to use github to not the issues. The ones you posted, plus others from the french forum can be found at https://github.com/lyrgard/HexScape/issues Quote:
But I agree with you it could be super cool (and I believe C3G members would LOVE it ! Skyscrappers anyone ?) The simplest way to do it would be to make a VirtualScape map with hex tiles where the figure can land, and I could add some way in the software to add custom decors after the map is loaded. Hum... this way, it could be made quite easilly. Still, I'll first make HexScape playable before thinking about doing it. I'll note your suggestion. |
#12
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Re: HexScape
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It works with a newly created map. Cool. |
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