Keeping the ball rolling, we finalized our plans for the next version, 0.2.0, due out at the end of January 2010:
If you're interested in development, check out the github tree at http://github.com/knowknowledge/Epiar.
With 0.1.0 behind us, we need to plan the exact features and timetables for 0.2.0. Any interested developers can join us in irc.freenode.net #epiar this Wednesday, November 18 at 8:00p Pacific time. Possible topics include:
The Epiar project has rebooted it's version numbering in response to a new development effort that includes a C++-based source tree and OpenGL graphics. We have worked hard and are releasing version 0.1.0.
Epiar 0.1.0 is not so much the original game concept as it is a technical demo: to demonstrate our new Lua-based scripting capabilities, it includes a game of tag. In future releases, this will be removed and the game will develop fully as the space trader/strategy/shooter game that we know and love.
Due to this release's mostly technical nature, we will only be making the source code available, and not any 'single click' or 'ready to go' installs; this reflects our desire to attract mostly developers, not gamers, at this point. Once the game is more mature, you can be assured we will be releasing packages for Windows, Mac OS X, Ubuntu and Fedora, as well as the source code.
We're very proud to be making this release about four years after our last release, and to promote to 'dormant' open source projects everywhere that it's not too late to keep the flame burning!
Download: Epiar 0.1.0 (source tarball, 7.4 MB)
MD5 sum: e2a88d807d37967cdb07fb9536518e80
Any interested developers can join us on Nov. 5 at 8:30p Pacific in #epiar at irc.freenode.net to discuss the current roadmap and cooperate on our plans. Proposed topics include:
To whet your appetite for our eventual next release, we are sharing some screenshot mock ups done by our artist Niros of the new HUD (heads-up display, e.g. shield status indicators) and landing dialog UI. Enjoy!
