Timewarp Readme
Overview: What is Star Control: Timewarp?
Star Control TimeWarp is an open source clone/sequel to the epic cross-genre game Star Control II. Currently it includes only a combat portion, although there are some plans to expand it to include an epic adventure. The plot of such an adventure would not have anything to do with the name "TimeWarp".
Star Control: Timewarp is often affectionately called TW, and also goes by the names TWMelee and AllegroTW.
Getting Started
To learn how to download and install the game, see Downloading and Installing.
License
This release of Star Control: TimeWarp is public domain, to the maximum extent possible considering portions of it are derivative works of Star Control 1, 2, and 3.
Credits
Credits for Star Control: TimeWarp
Anyone still involved can probably be contacted on the chat board:
http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~starcontrol/boards/timewarp/
Condensed Credits:
1. The Creators of Star Control:
Fred Ford
Paul Reiche III
2. Coders:
orz
The Fly (founder of the project) (inactive)
Launchpad
S.P.Y. (inactive?)
Marcos (inactive)
Mr. Sparkle (inactive)
Richardyzo
Tau
Slag-786B
Alstar
3. Artists (graphics):
Launchpad
Kris Hauser (inactive)
Tsing (inactive)
Barak Segal (inactive)
Mangoman (inactive)
Alstar
Richardyzo
4. Artists (sound & music):
People I don't know about (inactive)
Alex Parker
Launchpad
Reddish
5. Web Page People:
The Grand Fot
Atarex
Starfox
Alstar
6. Documentation writters:
orz
Launchpad
7. Testers:
Too many to list
8. Authors of libraries we use:
Shawn Hargreaves & friends wrote ALLEGRO, a library we use a LOT.
Michael Buikin wrote AASTR, which our graphics code is based off of.
It's homepage is http://www.inp.nsk.su/~bukinm/jado/aastr/
Jeffery Guan Foo Wah wrote JGMOD, a library we use for music.
His homepage is http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/8890/
Ivan Baldo wrote the PPCOL library, which our collision code is
based upon. However, his website can no longer be found.
Long Credits:
The Creators
Fred Ford
Paul Reiche III
These two wrote Star Control II, which inspired Star Control: TimeWarp.
The Programmers
orz
The Fly (founder of the project) (inactive)
Launchpad
S.P.Y.
Marcos (inactive)
Mr. Sparkle (inactive)
Richardyzo
Alstar
orz (that's me) is currently managing the project. I've written a lot of
the code, and I integrate other peoples code when they send it to me.
The Fly did most of the code up until version 0.05, when he joined the
(Israeli) military (and started a music band?).
Launchpad wrote all of the Star Control 3 ships, many of the TimeWarp
original ships, and much of the WussieBot AI.
S.P.Y. wrote SpyAI, the old gamma correction, the old options menu, and
some bug-fixes.
Marcos wrote the smoothing zooming code.
Mr. Sparkle wrote some bugfixes and some portability stuff.
Richardyzo wrote the Zekfahan (sp?) Shocker.
Alstar wrote the original Terran Destroyer, though it's been modified since
by myself and Launchpad.
The Artists (graphics):
Launchpad
Kris Hauser (inactive)
Tsing (inactive)
Barak Segal (inactive)
Mangoman (inactive)
Richardyzo
Alstar
Launchpad: Clairconctlar, Daktaklakpak, Doog, Exquivan, Harika & Yorn,
Herald, K'tang, Lk, Owa, Ploxis, Vyro-Ingo, Xchagger, Virtao, Terran,
Phylxan, Narool, Kterbi, Kahr
Kris Hauser: Earthling, Mmrnmhrm, Mycon, Slylandro, Supox, Syreen,
Thraddash, Umgah, Utwig, Yehat, Zoq-Fot-Pik
Tsing: Chmmr, Melnorme, Kohr-Ah, Shofixti, Ilwrath
Korky: Chenjesu, Ur-Quan, Spathi, VUX
Mango: Pkunk, Druuge, Arilou, Orz, Androsynth
Richardyzo: Zekfahan
orz: Estion
Ship Panels:
Unknown: Pkunk, Yehat, Kohr-Ah
Stolen from SC2: all other SC1 & SC2 ship panels
Alstar: Narool, Virtao, Terran, Kahr, Kterbi
Starfox: Phylxan
Gob:
The 1st (Supox) Gob station image was done by Drink_Pepsi
The other two (Orz, Kohr-Ah) were done by Gueest
The Artists (sound & music):
People I don't know about (inactive)
Alex Parker
Launchpad
Reddish
Um, Launchpad did the sound effects for most of the SC3 & original ships?
Alex Parker the wrote title screen music for TW.
Reddish did the victory song for Phylxan.
The Web Page Managers:
Atarex
The Grand Fot
Starfox
Alstar
Atarex manages The Pages of Now & Forever, on which TimeWarps web page is
hosted. He used to also manage TimeWarps web page.
The Grand Fot now manages TimeWarps web page.
I think that Starfox also manages TimeWarps web page?
Alstar wrote the descriptions of the original ships in TimeWarp that appear
on the web page.
The Documentation writters:
orz
Launchpad
orz (that's me again) wrote almost all of the .txt files... like this one.
Launchpad wrote newship.txt, a guide to writting new ships, and wussie.txt,
which documents the WussieBot somewhat.
The old readme (readme.old) was written by Ultron Debugger & The Fly
Changes made in recent versions (this section is likely out of date)
Star Control: TimeWarp
ChangeLog
Pre-0.05u6 new improvements:
* Improved networking lag by a factor of 2 on Windows.
* Improved WussieBot A.I. a lot (thanks to Launchpad)
* Improved networking stability and portability.
* Networking now autodetects lag.
* Added network prediction
* Added frame interpolation (actually extrapolation)
* Added MANY MANY MANY original ships (thanks to: Launchpad, Tau,
Richardyzo, me, Slag-786B, Standard Time, ][amaraw, Forevian,
Cyhawk, Geoman, Varith, more)
* ...and all 12 ships from Star Control 3 (thanks (or blame) go to
Launchpad)
* Added new game modes, including GOB!, Asteroid Field, Hyperspace,
Deep Space, Sentient Legue Football, Eternal Arena, more.
* Code documentation improved.
* Fixed Joystick support (finally, it actually works!) (thanks to Fly)
* Added in-game chat to networking
* Networking now supports 2 players per computer. (temporarily removed)
* Fixed some bugs.
* Added a diagnostics screen, keyjamming tester, and ship info screen.
* Added command line options (-res -bpp -play -fullscreen -window
-nosound -nojoystick -nomouse -nokeyboard -noidle)
* Improved error handling, anti-aliasing, demo recording / playback
Version 0.05u5 new improvements:
* Networking (still rather limited).
* Added demo recording / playback
* Tons of bug-fixes.
* Good looking new ships (thanks to Launchpad).
* Joystick support added. (very buggy)
* Adjustable screen resolution & color depth.
* Adjustable starfield depth & planet gravity.
* Added help screen (press F1 during combat, still rather limited).
* Improved AIs, gamma corection, 256 color support, more.
Version 0.05u4 new improvements:
* Up to 8 parties can participate in combat (no networking though).
* Tons of bug-fixes.
* Once again works with old versions of Allegro.
* Added a new AI.
* Improved options menu.
Version 0.05u3 new improvements:
* The ships can be easily edited with a text editor. Just go to the ships
directory and edit the apropriate file. (andgu.ini = Androsynth Guardian,
arisk.ini = Arilouileilay Skiff, chmav.ini = Chmmr Avatar, etc.)
* Portable! The same code compiles under DOS, windows, & linux (thanks to Allegro & Mr. Sparkle)
* Lots of bug-fixes.
* Libraries other than Allegro are now optional.
Version 0.05u2 new improvements:
* Smooth Zooming (thanks to Marcos)
* Improved AIs (thanks to S.P.Y.)
* Fixed Black-Screen-Of-Death (oopsie)
* A few bug-fixes.
Version 0.05u1 new improvements:
* Added moronic AI
* Added gamma correction (thanks to S.P.Y.)
* Tons of bug-fixes.
orz
===< ChangeLog >===
Version 0.05 new features:
* All 25 Star Control 1 and 2 ships are implemented in this version, fully
functional, 3D rendered, with a few quirks here and there... (see
bugs.txt)
* Fleet selection has been integrated, and all the fleets which come with
Star Control 2 have been incorporated, in addition to a new fleet
consisting of all 25 ships. (allships.scf)
* F11 allows to save in-game action screen shots, stored in the ScrShots
directory
* Not all ship data files need be present in order for the game to work
(though at least one ship data file is required for the game to operate,
and any records of the missing ships when loading a fleet with ships
under their ID will be lost)
* Amusing anecdote about Star Control 3 (intro) has been removed
* Oh, yeah! Almost forgot... I bet no one gives a damn anyway, but full
source code (with practically non-existent commenting) has been included.
Version 0.04 new features:
* The following ships are implemented in this version, fully functional, 3D
rendered, with a few quirks here and there... (see bugs.txt)
+ Pkunk Fury
+ Spathi Eluder
+ Utwig Jugger
+ Earthling Cruiser
+ Druuge Mauler
+ Yehat Terminator
+ Arilou Skiff
+ Chenjesu Broodhome
+ Slylandro Probe
+ Vux Intruder
* Ship phase-in animation added
* Default shot explosion sprite added, with custom shot explosion
implemented for Druuge Missile and Chenjesu Crystal
* Asteroid animation and planet sprites previously ripped have been
replaced with original renders
* An intro explaining the existence of Star Control clone projects such as
this one, with music and text written by The Fly
* An interface for selecting ships, with a now updated and built-in
bronze-age technology user-hostile advanced keyboard setup section, and
music written by Ultron Debugger
* Support for 8-bit color and 15-bit color modes, as well as 16-bit color.
Animation doesn't seem to be any smoother in 8-bit color mode...
Oh, well... at least it looks ugly.
* Implemented scp.ini file to keep keyboard settings, color mode, intro
playing and music playing settings
* F1 key mutes and unmutes music during melee
* Random number generation has been fixed to actually give different
numbers each time the program runs... WOW!
* Project development is back at full pace, as long as The Fly doesn't
suddenly get transfered to a combat unit and accidentally points his M-16
at himself when it's loaded...
Version 0.03 new features:
* New ship graphics, supporting 64 angles (previously 16)
* Pkunk weapon shots added (yes, you can actually KILL your opponent!)
* Only two players now, since this version is playable. Four player option
will be available in following versions, once network support is achieved
* Since project development may be frozen for a month, we decided to release
a playable version quickly before the time it might come to a temporary
halt. So we only had time to make Pkunk ships fully functional
* The two Pkunk ships are colored differently for each player
* Automatic zooming, continuos space, and mid-point focus have been
implemented
* 16-bit color graphics. This version's animation may not be as smooth on
slower computers. In following versions we will implement support also
for 8-bit color graphics, which will look slightly less attractive, but
animation will be smoother with it
* Added stone-age technology keyboard configuration utility
Version 0.02 new features:
* 3D stars (Thanks to Fred Ford)
* Asteroids
* Collision (planet, ships, asteroids)
* Animated panels
+ Crew & Batt stats
+ Batt light, when battery is low
+ Captain animation (IT'S ALIVE!)
+ Screen off animation at death
* New .MOD (music) library JGMOD
(will probably prevent crashes caused by the the MikAlleg library used
in version 0.01)
* Improved sound effects
+ Pkunk weapon shots and profanities included
+ Arilou weapon fixed
+ Ship and asteroid collision with planet SFX
* Ship switching using F1-F4 keys
* Ship and asteroid explosions
* Victory is possible
+ when one ship stays, while others have been blown up by crashing at
the planet)
+ victory music played for ship remaining...
...the writers of this document get nostalgic at this point, weeping and
wiping our noses on our sleeves. Therefore, we must stop writing to clean
them.
Ultron Debugger & The Fly
Other Copyright Stuff
The term "Star Control" is a trademark of Accolade/Infogames.
The Star Control I & II ships & storyline are copyrighted or something by Toys For Bob, more specifically Paul Reiche and Fred Ford.
The Star Control III ships are copyrighted by Accolade and/or Legends.
Anyone is free to use Star Control: TimeWarp for any purpose. However, be carefull with the SC 1, 2, & 3 stuff, as these have extra legal complications due to the extra parties involved.
Star Control 1 was created by Toys For Bob and published by Accolade.
Star Control 2 was created by Toys For Bob and published by Accolade.
Star Control 3 was created by Legends and published by Accolade.