Spring (computer game)

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Spring
Developer(s)	Swedish Yankspankers
Publisher(s)	N/A
Engine	Spring engine
Latest version	0.74b3
Release date(s)	January 22, 2007
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy
Mode(s)	Multiplayer
Rating(s)	N/A
Platform(s)	Windows, Linux
Media	Downloadable
Input	Keyboard and Mouse

Spring (formerly known as TA Spring or Total Annihilation: Spring), is a full 3D open source RTS engine originally created by the Swedish Yankspankers,^[1] intended to bring the gameplay experience of Total Annihilation into three dimensions. The core game engine is licensed under the GPL; however, the prepackaged mod that comes with the standard installation requires that one own a copy of TA to legally play it. There is, however, an official release which uses fully free content, and there are a number of mods, both in development and released, that are also completely free to use.

Spring is being developed by the Swedish Yankspankers and the Spring community. The initial goal was to have the game run the mods and 3rd party units from Total Annihilation. This goal is now mostly complete, and the project has moved on to including additional features. The game is mainly focused around multiplayer games over the Internet or a LAN connection. There are currently no single player campaigns or missions, although there is some basic support for this through Lua scripting. There are also many skirmish AIs under development, allowing for offline play or extra players in an online game. Two skirmish AIs ship in the game package.

Contents 1 The source code 2 Multiplayer support 3 Features 4 Gameplay 4.1 Units 4.2 Buildings 4.3 Resources 5 Mods 6 References 7 External links

[edit] The source code

Spring's source code, licenced under the GNU General Public License, is primarily written in the C++ programming language with the exception of the lobby which is written in Delphi, and the LAN game server which is written in Java. The C++ code structure is written in an object-oriented manner and is documented to some extent using doxygen standards. However most of the code has no proper documentation yet. The official source code package includes project files for various IDEs and building tools, including SCons, KDevelop, Microsoft Visual C++ 7.0/8.0, and XCode.

[edit] Multiplayer support

Spring is designed to be used for online multiplayer matches. It uses a deterministic game simulation which is executed on all game clients. Only the user commands are sent to other players, which prevents any active cheating. AMD-64 and i386 platforms are supported for multiplayer on Linux, and i386 on windows.

The game is unusual in that it uses an IRC-like lobby.

[edit] Features

Some of the defining features of this game are:

• Large battles, with support for up to 5000 units per player. (How playable this is depends on the CPU power of the computers that are running the game.)
• Allows the user to control select units in an FPS style.
• Ability to handle "large" maps.
• Fully 3D camera view, allowing for complete freedom of movement.
• Easily interchangeable AI and Mods.
• Realistic 3D trajectories for projectile and missile weapons
• Fully 3D air combat.
• Detailed terrain. Some maps are directly exported from terrain rendering tools such as L3DT and Terragen.
• Deformable terrain (example)
• Compatible with unit files from Total Annihilation, allowing 3rd party units to easily be moved into Spring.
• Up to max 16 players online.

[edit] Gameplay

This section describes the gameplay of TA-based mods; other mods generally will play very differently. Information on non-TA based mods should be obtained from that mod's entry on the Spring Wiki.

The gameplay was originally based on Total Annihilation, however there exist several notable differences in specific areas.

Combat takes place on a three-dimensional map. There are numerous maps, with varying size, terrain, features, and resources. Units are constructed at special factories and new structures are built by constructor units equipped with "nanolathes", a green nanorobot spray. While each constructor can only begin the construction of certain types of unit or building, all constructors (except factories and the minelayer) can use their nanolathe to assist the construction of another building or unit.

The game emphasizes good macromanagement, with included AI scripts capable of automating many mundane tasks. Due to the nature of resources, map control is often essential, and turtling is generally not recommended.

[edit] Units

The Commander is the starting unit, and is pivotal to the game. Commanders are equipped with a powerful nanolathe which allows them to build items quickly. They can build most of the basic structures required early game. The commander is armed with a medium-power laser and a Disintegrator Gun (abbreviated D-Gun or DGun), which, while short ranged, can kill any unit or building in the game with one hit, and goes through multiple units. (However, players can elect to restrict D-Gun usage to the respective team's starting locations.) When killed, the commander detonates a nuclear explosion. Depending on the host's settings, loss of the commander can result in instant defeat for the player.

Besides the Commander, there are many units which fall into five specific classes:

• KBots (or Kbots) are bipedal (except for the spider units) mechs. They can climb steep slopes, and have average stats. The KBots are the most diverse of the unit classes, with many different units for different roles.

• Vehicles include tracked and wheeled combat and non-combat vehicles. While they cannot ascend steep slopes, they are generally faster, better armed, and/or more durable than their KBot counterparts. Some vehicles are amphibious, and can travel underwater (although they cannot fire when submerged).

• Aircraft include fighters, bombers, spy planes, gunships, and air transports. Aircraft tend to be slow and energy-consuming to build, and have relatively thin armor. However, they can be very effective if used properly. All aircraft are VTOL.

• Ships consist of surface vessels and submarines. Naval vessels tend to have very high firepower, armor, costs and build times compared to other units. They range in size from light gunboats and corvettes to dreadnaughts and aircraft carriers. Surface ships are vulnerable to submarines, torpedo bombers and land-based artillery.

• Hovercraft are a special class of unit, a blend between ships and vehicles. They have great difficulty moving up hills and are generally less cost-effective than equivalent vehicles. However, the ability to transverse both land and sea can be invaluable.

[edit] Buildings

Factories are central to unit manufacturing. They are divided into two tech levels (three for KBots, and one for hovercraft). Each tech level contains its own units, and factories can only build units of their class and tech level (i.e. a T2 vehicle factory cannot build KBots or T1 units).

Defense structures are numerous and varied. SAM sites and flak cannons are used to defeat air raids. Laser-based defenses range from light towers to immensely powerful and long-ranging tachyon beam cannons. Plasma cannons function as stationary artillery, and the largest can usually fire across the whole map. Nominally classified as defensive structures, nuclear missile silos can launch ICBMs at targets anywhere on the map, but can be intercepted by anti-missile launchers. Radar allows the player to detect units from a distance, with sonar allowing similar detection of underwater units. Dragon's teeth and land mines can be used to seal off areas.

Resource structures are explained in detail in the following section.

[edit] Resources

Resources exist in two forms, metal and energy, both of which are needed for all manufacturing and construction. Energy is also required to operate buildings, and to fire some weapons.

Both resources are infinitely renewable, and while shortfalls can occur if demand outstrips supply (resulting in all production being slowed to the ratio between income and expenditure), they cannot be depleted unless all resource gathering/production units have been destroyed. Excess resources can be stockpiled, but only up to a certain point, beyond which excess income is wasted. Storage buildings can be constructed to hold additional resources, or the surplus can be shared with allies.

Resources can be obtained by several methods:

• Metal extractors collect metal from the ground. They must be built over an area with metal.
• Metal makers convert energy to metal They can be built anywhere.
• Wreckage from destroyed units and buildings can be recycled by construction units.
• Solar collectors generate a constant amount of energy, and are fairly cheap and durable.
• Windmills are very cheap and quick to build, and can produce energy more efficiently than solar panels. However, their power output varies with the wind strength (which in turn varies randomly depending on the map), which can cause power shortages if the wind dies out. They are also very vulnerable.
• Geothermal power plants produce a fairly high amount of energy, but can only be built over geothermal vents. They explode quite violently when destroyed.
• Tidal generators are similar to solar collectors, but are built on water.
• Fusion reactors, the most advanced energy production building, have a very high output. However, they take a long time to build and explode when destroyed.
• Landcape features such as Trees and Rocks can be reclaimed by construction units to provide a one-off amount of energy or metal.

[edit] Mods

Spring has numerous mods in various stages of development. While most are based upon the original TA, including the most widely played mods, there are many original mods such as Expand & Exterminate, a strategic mod inspired by Earth 2150, and Kernel Panic, a Darwinia-esque mod emphasizing simplicity.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Spring homepage.
• Spring forums.
• Spring on BerliOS.
• IRC Channel: #sy on irc.quakenet.org
• Unknown Files - The main resource for new content such as maps