Unknown Horizons
The computer game Unknown Horizons is a mix of business simulation and real-time strategy game. It was largely inspired by the first issues of the Anno game series, but tries to be a replica, but to bring new aspects to the game, while still maintaining good element. The presentation of the game world takes place isometric.
There are regular snapshots from the game ( last 2012.1 in April 2012). Unknown Horizons was mentioned in the Heise software collection in 2009.
The project for the Google Summer of Code has twice been accepted, namely 2011 and 2012.
History
Unknown Horizons walked out of the project " OpenAnno " shows that in 2005, planned as a clone of 1602, founded and originally sat drawn graphics as well as the C programming language. After the abandonment of the project by the first developer team it was implemented under new employees from scratch in C . After disagreements, the new team split in order to develop a 3D and a 2D version in parallel. The work on two project branches was due to lack of time and a poorly maintainable code base again to a halt and was recorded together again until the spring of 2008 by supporters of both branches. The entire previously created code was discarded, only the graphics and the name remained. It was used from then on the Python language and the Flexible Isometric Free Engine.
2009 Open Anno was renamed 'Unknown Horizons " in order to escape the one hand, any copyright claims on the part of the developer of the Anno series, Sunflowers, and also to illustrate the new focus as a rather loose system modeled on the Anno series project. In the same year also three snapshots were published. The game has reached 2009 alone on SourceForge 35,000 downloads.
In 2010, the team has decided to switch from Subversion to Git and the code base has been moved to GitHub. In the only 2010 release a multiplayer mode has been integrated into the game. In addition, large parts of the code have been revised.
The development team has published in 2011 a total of three versions. During the Google Summer of Code has worked among others on an artificial intelligence computer opponent and a simple combat system that became available with the release of 2011.3 in the game. In releases 2011.1 and 2011.2 among others, random maps, trade routes and scenarios and campaigns have been implemented. In Release 2011.3 also held the third stage of entry into the game.
On April 23, Unknown Horizons 2012.1 was published, inter alia, the first building of the stage 4, natural disasters has (for now only fires) and get the ability to save multiplayer games.
Unknown Horizons provides an official project history.
Gameplay
The player starts with a single ship at an island or group of islands and must build a settlement with limited resources. If the settlement is greater, the players are gradually new building, and the people demand more goods. Currently six of these stages are planned and four available in the game (as of April 2, 2012 snapshot ).
Gold, the player earns the tax payments of its inhabitants. Alternatively, the player can also sell goods to a free traders. Similarly, he can buy goods from the outdoor retailer if he can produce in sufficient quantity they do not own it or not.
Through the construction of new and the operation of existing buildings the player also has a cost. The costs and revenues of a settlement can be viewed in a balance sheet. Currently (as of Release 2012.1 ), the game can be continued after the sinking of the account balance to zero, even if the settlement is a negative balance.
Technical details
Unknown Horizons provides the following basic features:
- Single player mode with finished and randomly generated maps
- Multiplayer mode (LAN and Internet)
- Computer players (AI)
- Combat and diplomacy
- Detailed introduction to different languages
- Support for scenarios
To The project uses Pootle to provide translations ( uA German, Spanish and Czech).
For the description of scenarios, units, and buildings YAML used. The saved games are stored as SQLite databases and can if necessary be updated for new versions of the game. Since December 2011, this happens when loading obsolete Scores automatically.
The models of the buildings and units are created with Blender, and then rendered in different perspectives in order to be able to then 2- dimensional display in an isometric view in the game.