Hello again,
This is the latest update to my game.
https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049 (https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049)
If you play, enjoy! (it's free/no payments anywhere)
Impressive
..very nice..every morning ill be checking what have you done, with cup of coffee..hehe
An update:
Game Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049 (https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049)
Source is included as well, you can play around with it if you wish "do what you like, within reason".
I'm playing around with the rendering of this game again.
I haven't finished my edits, but I'm doing some stuff with the vegetation and moving the camera zoom in closer to the action by default. Limiting how far you can zoom out a bit.
Also there's been some optimisations.
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM0MzIzNy5qcGc=/original/hlNBvz.jpg)(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM0MzIzNi5qcGc=/original/JE3jJf.jpg)(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM0MzIzOS5qcGc=/original/FU2Mp2.jpg)(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM0MzIzOC5qcGc=/original/%2BTR1nl.jpg)
Game link and source at https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049
Some new images:
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM3NTMzMC5qcGc=/original/Qfzlih.jpg)
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM3NTMzMS5qcGc=/original/L0mxPP.jpg)
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM3NTMyNi5qcGc=/original/YCOHmI.jpg)
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMjM3NTMyOS5qcGc=/original/odSSB4.jpg)
Hello.
If someone wanted to try my game, especially if you have a more modern PC than me, and tell me how well it runs, that would be nice.
There are two batch files, game.bat and demo.bat. they each load different config files. Game.bat is the game. Demo.bat is merely a replay of a battle, but if you comment out two lines in the demo.txt config file it will play as normal (stresstest=1 and autoplay=1)
I'd like to know what frame rate you get in demo.txt since that is more taxing on the system.
Demo.bat ran with a very fluctuating FPS of between 30 to 75 FPS (average around 42 FPS).
game.bat and the opening game ran at 75 FPS.
Win11 64Gb 12th Gen Intel i9 12900K 5.2Ghz Nvidia RTX 3070Ti 8Gb
..120FPS here at W10 with nVidia RTX 4050 GPU..its very much 'Starcraft-ish' and i like it.. I think you can make out of this some nice game..
Thanks for that both of you. Good to know it runs well. The demo.bat is expected to run worse.
Thanks again. Very helpful.
Game updated: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049
Changes include:
Optimisations.
Better foliage
F1 key for console to immediately switch on/off certain features
I'm thinking of adding at least two more units to the game.
1. Static sentry guns - buildable by infantry units as an additional 'work' action, currently infantry can build tank traps and razor wire, I'll let them also build static sentry guns that are immobile, have limited ammo (self destruct on ammo=0), high armour, low hp, high rof, low damage, high range, and not able to be pushed around on the map.
2. Defender drones - buildable by some buildings as an additional defense for buildings that stay close to their parent building, are good anti personnel measures, and are limited in the total number that can be built by a building during a battle, also with limited ammunition (Self destruct on ammo=0)
I'll create the models from a combination of 3d models I already have linking some weapon models to some flying vehicles.
A comment about the texturing and lighting methods I use in the game.
Each game element has a diffuse texture, and some also have a specular map.
I also have either a grime map, a noise map, or some other texture that gets blended with the base texture to add detail or noise.
I have a snow map for when the foliage is covered in snow.
I have a pre-rendered environment map which has some of the scene in sky and some of it in the ground that gets used to supply some lighting information to the models.
I use diffuse and specular lighting with 8 directional lights hard coded into the shaders.
I then apply an environment map lighting method which additive blends in some of the environment from a statically prerendered texture of the environment with sky and ground.
An ambient occlusion map is generated that is used in post processing to apply additional shadows to the elements on screen.
A form of global illumination is generated in post processing that samples some of the pixels near the current pixel being rendered and adds a fraction of their rgb value into the current pixel.
The ground is multitextured, with both a ground texture, a noise map, and also detail textures splatted onto the terrain and blended using a coloured map that shows where to blend things into.
The snow appears based on the y-normal of the elements being rendered, the closer it is to 1, the more snow blends through during Winter moments.
There's also a little bit of embossing that goes on in post processing as well.
And where there's explosions going on I create fake light sources in post processing that give off a yellowy light burst in their vicinity.
Shadows are merely an alpha copy of the various meshes flattened along the y axis and stretched along the x and z based on the original y value.
There is linear fog based on distance from camera, distance from the ground surface and distance from the origin of the map (centre).
..im just curious, i saw plenty of all kind of DLL's in folder that you shared (engine related)..are all those needed or you just deployed all of it to avoid missing this or that when game runs on 3rd party computer?
Those DLLs get put there when I compile c# - that's what happens when I ask to do a stand alone executable - I have no idea if they're all truly necessary but the c# SDK puts them there when I hit "compile"
Naughty Alien - I've uploaded a version without the dlls and a larger executable instead - if you...or someone can test it to see if it runs on your machine okay that would be great.
Same game, just compiled with different settings, that I know work on my machine but no idea how it goes on another's.
..is it same link? If you can share link with modified package ill try..
Yeah same link https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049
..this is how it looks like and it seems it works just fine..
(https://i.postimg.cc/R0k3M9T3/PIX.png)
Thanks Naughty Alien, glad to know that.
Thanks for trying it out for me. I'm glad a stand alone executable without all the dlls works fine. (Also glad it runs well on your PC)
..i think, you should really expand this in to some nice, complete game. It does look like StarCraft a lot..
It's a good idea, but I'm wary of "biting off more than I can chew" - it's hard enough for me to polish just this few scenarios let alone a whole game of greater length.
Level design isn't my strong point - so if I made a longer game with a campaign it wouldn't be as strong in the game play as if I simply made one level and tried to do it as best I can (which is what i'm doing here)
More updates to the game:
Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049
Youtube video:
@ Matty, why not keep the overhead view always? The simple models look best from that angle.
Personal preference, and to me they look good probably because the last 3d games I played were on the original Xbox in the early 2000s so I have no idea how advanced things have gotten.
Personally I think it dates your game when you zoom in. From above the game looks impressive, like the Command & Conquer style games that were popular (and could be again) but in true 3d.
For you Steve: ;-)
Video from above...
I made some changes to the lasers and a handful of other little things....
An updated video.
I haven't updated the screenshots yet though.
To anyone who has played the game (link https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049 ) - unless I'm mistaken it's pretty obvious how to play if you've played an RTS before: left click/drag select to select units, right click to move, move mouse to edge of screen to scroll map, click on mini map...all the inputs are as far as I can tell fairly standard for an RTS...and the options presented by the buildings are fairly limited "build units/upgrade" - so unless I'm really mistaken no one should be confused by 'how to play' -
I mean:
controls are standard.
enemies arrive after under a minute from the edge of the map.
your troops shoot them, the enemies die.
enemies shoot you, your troops/buildings die.
if all your buildings die...game over.
I can't see how that could possibly confuse anyone, especially not people who regularly play games and RTS games.
Sorry I'm just expressing mild frustration after watching a reviewer "play" the game and seemingly have no idea to move the mouse to the edge of the screen or the mini map to scroll the map, or right click to issue move orders, or left drag to select a group of units. It was almost as if the guy playing was using a touch screen input not realising it was a PC game - somehow. I just don't see how an RTS player can not know to move the mouse to the edge of the screen to move the map....you could see his mouse cursor- staying in the middle of the screen approximately the entire time. And then he labels the game "confusing"
..some folks just doesnt give a second to check 'controls' option..in case it doesnt exists at version that 'player' was using, then maybe his rant is something to understand. But if description for controls are provided, then it must be one of those, 'gimme da code' dudes..
He's an idiot lol. ;D
Probably the type that expects that there is a tutorial mode.
Yeah, I guess some people need to be spoon fed these days. In the 80's we just had to work it out for ourselves, ie use our brains.
I don't know, maybe he had something not quite right with him - I watched again and on the gui part he was randomly clicking parts that weren't even buttons as well ..
..i saw few videos like that and it turned out to be some dumb AI that supposed to provide 'review data' about game, for actual review author..
Yeah it either was an AI or someone beyond totally clueless.
Another reviewer is about to release a video in about five hours from now. I haven't seen what they say yet but here's the link:
Hopefully it's good.
My computer 2014-2025. Finally dead. Should have enough money to replace January 2026.
I can still use the PCs at the library and my phone. But no real Dev work possible. I could try porting some games to three.js on the browser if I were healthy enough.
..sigh..if you are closer, ill hand you over PC so you can do what you do as i have bunch of all kind of stuff, from SBC's up to gaming desktops..no display.. ;D
Thanks Naughty Alien. Appreciate the offer.
I've had some financial help (govt/super) so I should be able to replace sooner.
Quote from: Matty on Sep 05, 2025, 08:44 PMI've had some financial help (govt/super) so I should be able to replace sooner.
Oh my, Matty if your close to Cornwall. I have stuff i can help you with. I love your stuff! ;)
Sorry Baggey, it's a 24 hour plane trip to where I live from Heathrow airport. 8)
I bought a new PC online from here:. https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/ready-to-run-pcs/gaming-pc/119433-r2r10469 (https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/ready-to-run-pcs/gaming-pc/119433-r2r10469)
It will arrive when it's ready.
Hope to see how my game runs on a modern PC.
..that should be serious upgrade..what you should be worried is, to become 'lazy' and make your code bloated and not as efficient as you used to do, due hardware limitations ;D
Understand that Naughty Alien...that's a natural thing to occur with such an upgrade. But we'll see how we go. I'm curious to see just what framerate to expect on my games with this new PC, when it arrives (0-48 hours from now).
New PC Arrived....game was first thing tested....60fps (targetfps=60), haven't fully played around with the settings but it seems to run well on this new PC. It already ran okay on the old PC so I'm not too surprised. Smooth.
Looks like Milkshape3d doesn't like Windows 11....can't register the software...still trying to use my old registration key from 2005. I guess whatever method Milkshape uses no longer works.
..i wouldnt be surprised if it is W11 bloatware and not Milkshake at all..
Updated Game Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049 (https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049)
Updates include:
General bug fixes and some enhancements.
(Some issues that users would never have even noticed such as the grenade ammunition levels not resetting properly)
Images:
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMzEyNTIwMS5qcGc=/original/n7v8tk.jpg)
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMzEyNTIwMC5qcGc=/original/4oojE3.jpg)
(https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvMzI4MTQ1Mi8yMzEyNTIwMi5qcGc=/original/KskOWA.jpg)
I created a video of a single, full length, battle that goes for about 10 minutes. It's one of the smaller scenarios in the game that only allows you to build from a set of restricted units (just regular infantry).
Game Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049 (https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049)
You can see the full ten minute video here:
So Matty, is this game C# plus Raylib? Did you give up on Blitz3D? Maybe you could make a "lite" version with B3D for retro machines?
Hello Tom, it was a learning exercise for me to try to learn Raylib (with C#) back in January. I'm unlikely to rewrite it for B3D - if we lived 20 years ago then maybe, but unlikely at this stage of B3D's lifetime.
Matty, would you say Blitz is otherwise capable for creating such a game? Besides the obvious per pixel lighting and other modern rendering features?
Yeah it could be written in blitz even using the same animation technique (an array of static meshes of each animation frame). Only the lighting would be off. But otherwise it would be fairly easy to translate.
The source code is included in the download and doesn't use any language features that can't easily be replicated in blitz3d.
Hey @Tom, is that Blitz meaning BlitzmaxNG.
Now that would be very interesting indeed!? :D
That's if @Matty dosent mind of course! :D
@Baggey - I don't mind - blitz does things differently to raylib with rendering so there's changes you'd have to make there, but all the updateunits functionality would hardly need any changes at all.
However - the assets are paid for stock assets so you'd have to pay the various companies for a licensed to reuse those.
Thoughts if you were porting this to a blitz llanguage (b3d):
You'd have to change the rendering section, blitz does it differently.
You'd have to exclude the translation code since unless there's been some updates blitz3d won't handle displaying text in fonts that use multiple bytes per character (chinese etc)
The various 'update' functions should work as long as you alter the syntax appropriately.
The reading from files would change slightly, but generally be the same.
Models could be loaded as .obj with an importer (I've got one), but you'd be better changing them to .b3d instead as that loads faster.
Particle and similar effects you'd do with sprites.
You'd have to roll your own cross product and dot product and other vector functions, which isn't hard, but Blitz doesn't ship with these by default.
But as a general rule - it should be fairly easy to translate across, but there's a lot of lines. Change methods to simply global functions and a host of other things.
Game Analytics on itch.io so far:
(https://mattiesgames.com/art/analytics.png)
Game Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049
$32 revenue for a project that's free of charge is pretty good in my opinion. This is my best performing game on itch.io currently.
..well..im not sure whats available there (itch.io), but im sure, that your game looks like Starcraft and it does drag attention. I really think you should consider making something 'starcraftish' as a complete game, out of this..
Naughty Alien, I'll think about it.
A short video for you all:
Game Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049
I remember KKND on the PS1. That's were i started playing these type of games.
If there's anything i can do to help. :P
Kind Regards Baggey
I agree with Naughty Alien. Make it a StarCraft-ish product. You should also consider to bring it over to steam and selling it, and not sharing the source. Very few people is curious of the source, less who does anything about it. Just make it a finished product.
I am not all that willing to expand the game's objective beyond a set of last stand scenarios because I believe my level design skills aren't sufficient to do justice to a more detailed and involved game. I would end up diluting the final experience too much. Better to focus on what I can do well, and spend time making that better and better - a single style of scenario that I'm suited to creating that is not outside the scope of an individual developer.
Quote from: Matty on Sep 15, 2025, 07:56 AMI am not all that willing to expand the game's objective beyond a set of last stand scenarios because I believe my level design skills aren't sufficient to do justice to a more detailed and involved game. I would end up diluting the final experience too much. Better to focus on what I can do well, and spend time making that better and better - a single style of scenario that I'm suited to creating that is not outside the scope of an individual developer.
Matty you seriously under estimate yourself! :(
Wish i could come up with something like Conflict 3049 ;)
The only real problem I see with the game at the moment is that the characters are prone to stuck in between object where from they can't shoot, the bullets stop at the line of the objects. Is Raylib using stencil shadows?
You have scenarios that's good...maybe bump them up a bit, like double the numbers and then you can absolutely get away with not doing a long ass story based something. In the option menu you could put a lightly colored rectangle behind all (the option buttons) just like the "Time Kills" window has so you can see everything better. Same with the scenarios. Maybe the characters should be a tad smaller, or the buildings, vehicles are bigger?
Otherwise I'm really enjoying this game!
Thanks Tom,
I'll keep adding some more scenarios.
I'm not using any sort of real shadows - just alpha blended flat/stretched meshes laid against the ground plane - it's a cheating method that looks like shadows but isn't really.
Re: the units getting stuck, probably the easiest solution would be to decrease the collision radius/size for the infantry and vehicles. The tanks I know get stuck way too easily, I can fix that easily enough - if I make them a bit smaller and their collision radius smaller.
Thanks, glad you're enjoying the game.
I will keep updating it as I go.
"I'm not using any sort of real shadows - just alpha blended flat/stretched meshes laid against the ground plane"
Wow! Clever! Looked like stencil shadows... Awesome!
It needs an extra view where you see your whole map.
I've made some enhancements:
1. Snow falls when there's snow on the map.
2. There's additional ground decoration in the form of rocky outcrops with grasses in them. (Decorative only)
3. Tanks possess smoke canisters which fire when they're targeted with armour piercing rounds - this will let your tanks be more survivable especially when they often end up being targeted by enemy tanks the moment they appear from the vehicle factory.
4. There's a 'performance' and 'quality' setting in the options menu that globally changes a few settings at once in case you have a slower machine.
5. There's two new scenarios in the scenarios menu.
6. Better alpha sorting of the smoke, still not perfect, but much better.
7. Grasses are scaled up twice as big.
I think that's about it, from memory. Uploaded at the library just now.
Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049 (https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049)
I don't know if this is the case now, because I can't survive for more than fifteen-ish minutes. Probably did not figure out all I could do. Anyway! One very important thing. If you make it a "one scene" game than try to stretch it as long as logical/possible.
Make waves! Starts relaxed, with relaxed music, than battle music with first wave. Relaxed music, give some time to the player to regain power, soldiers, tanks etc. Then second wave, then relax, then third wave and so on. Have a build up with stronger and stronger waves. Give the player time to breathe, as it makes the game so much more enjoyable.
My survival rate is very inconsistent, but in the most recent change that you've got access to I lasted for 54 minutes before having my final building destroyed. That's not typical, but in the more recent changes, I'm lasting longer than I was before. In the scenarios I often can survive the 10 minutes required for victory, but in the standard main menu battle option I last anywhere from 8 minutes to 10 minutes usually, though recently have been lasting longer.
My method is usually very similar:
Beginnining:
Set everything to build, except the space port - only build fighters and bombers because the cruisers take a while to die.
Research 'build rate' first followed by the middle row of research entries.
Build riflemen.
Only upgrade 2 medics per 12 infantry, and 1-2 engineers per 12 infantry. The engineers can repair the buildings and keep your tanks and walkers alive. Medics and engineers have repair ability at the cost of losing their damage value considerably.
Most of the time I don't upgrade to sergeants or heavy support although sometimes it's useful.
Keep calling in reinforcements by air as often as possible.
Only use air strikes at certain times, if at all, because they use up your space fleet fighters and bombers to do it - if you lose your fleet you'll be bombarded from space.
Build sentry guns first, usually all in one location, or near a location. Then build tank traps in a wall around the entire base, a little way from it, and then fill the rest of the space with as much razor wire as you can.
Let the armed units move around as they choose, but respond to attacks as best you can.
If a building starts getting damaged put some engineers near it as soon as you can either by upgrading some riflemen or just moving them to it.
Use your tanks to take out enemy tanks when you can - they'll one shot them with their armour piercing round sometimes.
Mob enemy vehicles with your walkers, they're usually pretty good at taking down enemy armour.
Let the infantry hide in the trees - it gives them cover. Try not to move around too much when you're under fire, units make use of whatever cover is available (craters for example) and if you move them they lose that bonus while they move through the open.
Keep hovering over units that run out of ammo and replenishing their ammunition - units without ammo do a tonne less damage.
Melee infantry is extremely high damage, and mobile, so you can make them into medics and engineers and the damage loss from upgrading to non combat units isn't so bad.
That's typically what I do - if you can block the lines of advance of the enemy units to your base with tank traps you'll last longer usually.
Opinion: Would you be more likely to play this game if it were on itch.io (free/pay what you want) or on steam (free/$1/$2/$5/$10)?
Game is currently on itch.io at: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049
Video below:
Id never play it. If it was on steam. Don't like signing up for things! and Licenses SUCK! ::)
I think you should move it onto steam and provide a demo on itch.
See how it's doing and decide your next move depending on the result. Personally I like the easy accessibility of itch but I know steam would be more beneficial for you.
I'll leave it on itch.io exclusively for the moment for a simple reason:
On itch my game is above average quality.
on Steam my game would be below average quality.
There's also less hoops for both developers and users to jump through on itch.
Sounds good! Keep it up Matty!
Game Link: https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049 (https://matty77.itch.io/conflict-3049)
The latest download has only one minor change - collisions are detected a bit better between the units and the groups of rocks/foliage. But I grew tired of it sitting on my hard drive when I knew the version on itch.io was one build behind what I had on my PC...so they're the same now.
Here's a video of what happens when you press F5 during gameplay instead of just playing the RTS normally. I enjoy this view, it may not look as good as modern games but I still enjoy watching a battle like this:
Unfortunately, I'm stuck with the problem that no matter how hard I try it still looks like a collection of "programmer art" in terms of its style. The content may be high quality place holder art, but it still looks and feels like programmer art.
I haven't got the resources to pay a proper artist and I know not in 10,000 years will I be good enough to make the art style feel like a proper commercial quality game.