Welcome to the Creatures Wiki! Log in and join the community.

Difference between revisions of "Openc2e"

From Creatures Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(restore categorization, make a note in the article instead.)
m (move links up)
(44 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 +
{{lowercase title}}
 
__NOTOC__
 
__NOTOC__
[[Image:Openc2e_logo.png|left]]
+
[[Image:Openc2e-logo2008.png|left]]
'''openc2e''' is an in-development 'clone' of the [[Creatures Evolution Engine]]. The primary developer is [[Fuzzie]], with [[Bdonlan]] having coded various bits. [[ElasticMuffin]] is responsible for the website.
+
'''openc2e''' is an open-source [[wikipedia:Game engine|game engine]] for the Creatures games. Development on openc2e began in May 2004, was put on hiatus in 2010, and was restarted in 2020. Releases and source code are available on GitHub at [https://github.com/openc2e/openc2e openc2e/openc2e].
  
The intention is to have an engine capable of running all the games in the [[Creatures series]], allowing people to run them on unsupported operating systems (such as the Mac) and to extend the engine in ways impossible without access to the source code.  Note, however, that openc2e is ''not'' a game by itself; it needs game content from elsewhere (either official Creatures games or community-created ones) to be playable.
+
The original primary developers were [[Fuzzie]], [[Nornagon]] and [[Bdonlan]], with [[ElasticMuffin]], [[Dylan]] and others having coded various bits. [[ElasticMuffin]] was also responsible for the website and the [[Windows]] builds, and [[Pez]] for the logo. Many other members of the community participated in testing.
[[Image:Openc2e_comingsoon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Screenshot of a semi-working SkeletalCreature agent]]
 
  
==Technical Bits==
+
It is intended be an engine capable of running all the games in the [[Creatures series]], allowing people to run them on unsupported operating systems and to extend the engine in ways impossible without access to the source code.  Note, however, that openc2e is ''not'' a game by itself; it needs game content from elsewhere (either official Creatures games or community-created ones) to be playable.
openc2e is an implementation of the [[Creatures Evolution Engine]] ([[Creature Labs]] [[:Category:Employees|employees]] often abbreviated this to 'c2e', hence the name), built using [[Wikipedia:Cplusplus|C++]], [[Wikipedia:SDL|SDL]] and the [[Wikipedia:Standard Template Library|STL]].
+
[[Image:C2-vista-injector.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Creatures 2]] running in openc2e on [[Windows|Windows Vista]].]]
 +
 
 +
It was started as a project of the now-defunct [[Creatures Community Development Network]]. The original website is archived [http://web.archive.org/web/20110223210931/http://www.openc2e.org/ here].
 +
 
 +
==Status==
 +
openc2e does not currently perfectly simulate physics, nor does it completely simulate [[Creature]]s themselves. However, it manages to run most of the [[Creatures 1]], [[Creatures 2]], [[Creatures Village]], [[Creatures 3]] and [[Docking Station]] agents well apart from physics issues, and accurately simulates the creature biochemistry in those games.  Before development stalled, the primary goals were significant improvements to both Creatures 1 and 2 support (which are poorly supported or entirely nonfunctional on many platforms unlike C3 and DS).
  
It currently consists of a [[CAOS]] parser and runtime - supporting multiple versions of CAOS, to allow support for all of the [[Creatures series]] - an implementation of many of the [[CAOS]] functions, code for [[simple object|simple agents]], [[compound agent]]s and [[vehicle]]s, and some preliminary [[creature]] code.
+
Additional missing elements at present include network abilities (ie, the Docking Station warp), the majority of serialisation (world saving/loading and creature exporting/importing) and [[music]] support beyond a preliminary implementation (thanks to work done by [[GreenReaper]] while developing [[MNGPlayer]]).
  
It runs on [[Macintosh|Mac OS X]] and [[Linux]], and [[Windows]] support will no doubt be added in the future.
+
The eventual aim is to 'emulate' near-perfectly any of the Creatures [[engine]]s, and hence run all games in the [[Creatures series]]. It was also intended to be the basis for [[Freetures]] and [[Lifandi]].
 +
[[Image:Openc2e-c1-april2008.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Creatures 1]] running in openc2e on [[Windows|Windows XP]]]]
  
==Status==
+
==Technical Bits==
openc2e is currently only useful to developers, because it does not yet correctly run many Creatures [[agent]]s , nor does it correctly simulate creatures themselves.
+
openc2e is an implementation similar to the [[Creatures Evolution Engine]] (generally referred to as 'c2e', hence the name), built using [[Wikipedia:C++|C++]], [[Wikipedia:SDL|SDL]], [[Wikipedia:Qt_(Software)|Qt]], and other open-source libraries.
  
Other missing elements at present include the majority of the [[physics]] support, network abilities and [[music]] support beyond a preliminary implementation (thanks to work done by [[GreenReaper]] while developing [[MNGPlayer]]).
+
It currently consists of a [[CAOS]] parser and runtime (supporting multiple versions of CAOS, to allow support for all of the [[Creatures series]]), an implementation of the majority of the [[CAOS]] functions, code for [[simple object|simple agents]], [[compound agent]]s and [[vehicle]]s, a basic [[physics]] engine, [[genome]]/[[creature]] code, and [[sprite]], [[PRAY]], and [[MNG files|MNG]] file support.  
  
The current aim is to run the [[Creatures 3]] [[world]] successfully, with the eventual aim of being able to 'emulate' any of the Creatures [[engine]]s, and hence run all games in the [[Creatures series]]. It may eventually be the basis for [[Freetures]].
+
It is known to run on [[Windows]], [[Macintosh|macOS]] and [[Linux]].
  
 
==Tools==
 
==Tools==
The project also includes some useful tools, such as a [[PRAY]] dumping utility similar to [[REVELATION]] and the start of a genetic editor.
+
The project also includes some useful tools, such as a [[PRAY]] dumping utility similar to [[REVELATION]], a basic [[Injector|Injector Kit]], a [[Brain in a Vat]] clone, and the start of a genetic editor.
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
  
* [http://openc2e.ccdevnet.org/ Official Openc2e Website]
+
* [https://github.com/openc2e/openc2e Git repository]
* [http://openc2e.ccdevnet.org/docs.html Documentation of supported caos commands]
+
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110223210931/http://www.openc2e.org/ Archive of official website]
* [http://openc2e.ccdevnet.org/changelog.txt Changelog] - Useful for observing the latest progress on the project.
+
* [https://github.com/ccdevnet/openc2e Original Git repository (defunct)]
[[Category:Known Projects]][[Category:Unofficial Creatures games]]
+
* [https://code.google.com/archive/p/openc2e/ Google Code repository (old, does not have latest code)]
 +
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20090417225902/http://openc2e.org/docs.html Archived documentation of supported CAOS commands (possibly outdated)]
 +
* CIA activity stats/changelog (down, formerly at cia.navi.cx/stats/project/openc2e) - Useful for observing the latest progress on the project.
 +
* [https://code.google.com/archive/p/openc2e/issues Bug Tracker] - Check this list before reporting bugs!

Revision as of 19:45, 8 May 2020

Openc2e-logo2008.png

openc2e is an open-source game engine for the Creatures games. Development on openc2e began in May 2004, was put on hiatus in 2010, and was restarted in 2020. Releases and source code are available on GitHub at openc2e/openc2e.

The original primary developers were Fuzzie, Nornagon and Bdonlan, with ElasticMuffin, Dylan and others having coded various bits. ElasticMuffin was also responsible for the website and the Windows builds, and Pez for the logo. Many other members of the community participated in testing.

It is intended be an engine capable of running all the games in the Creatures series, allowing people to run them on unsupported operating systems and to extend the engine in ways impossible without access to the source code. Note, however, that openc2e is not a game by itself; it needs game content from elsewhere (either official Creatures games or community-created ones) to be playable.

Creatures 2 running in openc2e on Windows Vista.

It was started as a project of the now-defunct Creatures Community Development Network. The original website is archived here.

Status

openc2e does not currently perfectly simulate physics, nor does it completely simulate Creatures themselves. However, it manages to run most of the Creatures 1, Creatures 2, Creatures Village, Creatures 3 and Docking Station agents well apart from physics issues, and accurately simulates the creature biochemistry in those games. Before development stalled, the primary goals were significant improvements to both Creatures 1 and 2 support (which are poorly supported or entirely nonfunctional on many platforms unlike C3 and DS).

Additional missing elements at present include network abilities (ie, the Docking Station warp), the majority of serialisation (world saving/loading and creature exporting/importing) and music support beyond a preliminary implementation (thanks to work done by GreenReaper while developing MNGPlayer).

The eventual aim is to 'emulate' near-perfectly any of the Creatures engines, and hence run all games in the Creatures series. It was also intended to be the basis for Freetures and Lifandi.

Creatures 1 running in openc2e on Windows XP

Technical Bits

openc2e is an implementation similar to the Creatures Evolution Engine (generally referred to as 'c2e', hence the name), built using C++, SDL, Qt, and other open-source libraries.

It currently consists of a CAOS parser and runtime (supporting multiple versions of CAOS, to allow support for all of the Creatures series), an implementation of the majority of the CAOS functions, code for simple agents, compound agents and vehicles, a basic physics engine, genome/creature code, and sprite, PRAY, and MNG file support.

It is known to run on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Tools

The project also includes some useful tools, such as a PRAY dumping utility similar to REVELATION, a basic Injector Kit, a Brain in a Vat clone, and the start of a genetic editor.

External Links