BZ for Game Console

Sir Lance-A-Lot · Post by **Sir Lance-A-Lot** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:44 am

Yo.
BZFlag is awsome.
The new graphics are sweet, but I tend to drift to my entertainment system, simply because of its easy interface, and complete compatablity.
Im just curious.
would BZ b popular on the console?

Memnarch · Post by **Memnarch** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:16 pm

I think there are already BZFlag games for other consoles... I think there was one for X-Box?

Rebel Chik0rita · Post by **Rebel Chik0rita** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:47 pm

*snicka*

no i think that was someones' april fool's joke ;P

it would be kinda kewl tho if it was for real .

Post by **blast** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:10 pm

At one point there was a real project that was going to port BZFlag to consoles, but I don't think it ever got anywhere.

Saturos · Post by **Saturos** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:05 pm

Maybe you heard about the Nintendo DS. bzflag would be perfect for this system. It has two screens (one for radar, one for gameplay), graphic-power like the Nintendo64 (should be enough) and built in wireless-gaming-ability.
It would be wonderful to see bzflag ported to this system. *dreaming*

Sir Lance-A-Lot · Post by **Sir Lance-A-Lot** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:06 pm

lol.
April fools indeed.

I wish itd b on console.

Post by **blast** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:36 am

BZFlag Console Edition (it was discontinued due to lack of interest)

|tim| · Post by **|tim|** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:05 am

I think it'd be nice to have it on x-box, but a hassle for me, I don't got the cash for x-box live. And I don't want to sit and play bots all day

RPG · Post by **RPG** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 3:02 am

it'd be nice, but i think there would have to be a massive operation to convert the c++ code to the console code, am i right? if that's true, updates would be a dredge and the project would probably die (like it already did). I like dreaming too, and BZ for console would be great, but sometimes i have to think of reality.

Memnarch · Post by **Memnarch** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:11 pm

Wait a minute! April Fools joke?!?!? Man, I feel kinda stupid right now.... Anyway, if it was on a console, it would have to be bots only, but code would have to change to make them smarter. And the whole server ideas would be gone, since there is no connection with those. If you think, "Man, wouldn't it be cool to play on my server on a console!", forget about it. I just don't think it would be as good as having it on computer.

Post by **blast** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:06 pm

The main problem with releasing a console version is the fact that it would probably be a commercial release (on CDs). This would make it nearly impossible to update the software. Unless it would be run on linux for the PS2 and XBox. The Linux kit for the PS2 isn't even sold in the USA anymore, because they stopped producing them.

Memnarch wrote:Anyway, if it was on a console, it would have to be bots only, but code would have to change to make them smarter. And the whole server ideas would be gone, since there is no connection with those. If you think, "Man, wouldn't it be cool to play on my server on a console!", forget about it. I just don't think it would be as good as having it on computer.

The PS2 and XBox both have the ability to play games over a network/internet connection. I'm not sure about the Gamecube.

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 4:34 pm

there could also be 4 player split screen.

The bigest hurdle would be redoing the graphic system to run native on the console. None of the existing openGL code would be able to run on a native console.

There is also the fact that it costs several thousand dollars to get a dev license from the console manufactures before you can even legaly produce a console game. You have to liscense your game thru the company, since they provide you with the security keys to make your game run on an unmodified console. This is why normal consoles just can't run a game put on a regular CD/DVD there is a signed key that only allows official disks to run. This is most likely outside the scope of what the development comunity can do now. The only other thing would be to make a version that only runs on "moded" consoles, or consoles that have had their security codes removed or disabled. This is generaly frowned upon by the console companys, and would require all users to modify their systems just to play the game.

Sir Lance-A-Lot · Post by **Sir Lance-A-Lot** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 12:07 am

yeah i thought about that....
The software's liscenses and all.
*dreaming*
If there realy was BZ for the consoles, i'd be satisfied with just AI players. I know itd take yrs of programming.
The DS would be realy cool.

(one for radar, one for gameplay)

Perfect screen setup.
Guess its all dreams....

nurdc0re · Post by **nurdc0re** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 12:57 am

Maybe I am just asking stupid questions, but why can't you just get an Xbox (or whatever console you like), install Linux, and just try running BZFlag? Depending on hardware support it may not be the greatest performace, but shouldn't it work?

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:20 am

yeah it woudl work but you'd have to 1) mod your x-box and 2) live with poor hardware support since they don't have it fiully hardware accellerated.

You can do the same on a PS2 with the linux kit, but it's not something that we can distribute as "build" that anyone could slap into a console and play. I think that's the point of this post, making a native port of the thing to a console that would work for anyone.

Official forums for BZFlag.org

BZ for Game Console

BZ on Game Consoles.

BZ for Game Console