Open Hidden & Dangarous

Hey guys,

I’m not sure if any of you may of played Hidden & Dangerous. It’s a great and very challenging WW2 squad based tactical game.

Unfortunately despite the community that still exists for it after many many years, a third instalment is not on the cards and they are dying for a new one.

As a long term project, I would like to serve them this in the form of an Open H&D.

Hopefully there are some H&D fans here on Blenderartists!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Open-Hidden-Dangerous-Project/1438875673086936

UPDATE:

I will keep the current Blend file attached to this first post and replace when ever there is an update.

I would like to make this an open game project, so please free to download, update and repost as you please!

So far:

  • 4 place holder players set up. (No movement or anything yet).
  • Use the 1-4 keys to switch between the players.

Attachments

OpenH&D.blend (468 KB)

Hey , I played 1 and 2 … great game that it deserves continued
I was there liked the atmosphere and the possibility of tactics

Hey Bishop. It certainly does deserve it! There seems to be quite an on-line community of people that are dying to see it happen!

I definitely want to keep the challenging aspect of the game. I remember playing H&D for the first time and realising how hard it was and how you HAD to use tactics otherwise you died straight away!!

I’ve thought about removing mid-game saving. When I was playing H&D the first time, I just picked the best soldiers available at the very beginning and re-loaded every time one of them died so I could use them for the rest of the game. That’s a bit cheese, and defies the point of having to look after your soldiers and save your best ones like it was intended.

The tactical map and planning definitely has to stay!

Having a look at all the mechanics of H&D, even the original is a pretty complex game. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get some help to make this a reality!

So as I think about how to incorporate all of the functionality of even the original H&D, I realise just how complex it is.

Just the ability to switch between players during the game. I’m thinking of taking an approach similar to that in the unreal engine. Your 4 in-game players will be ‘pawns’. Then have a ‘AI controller’ and a ‘Player controller’, each of which can be theoretically plugged in when necessary.

Works pretty good. Can I help in any way

Hey blenderjunkie,

I could definitely do with some advice on how to structure the logic/programming of the game. I might have to do some kind of logic plan and try and do as much pseudo code before I actually try and start getting deep in to it.

As mentioned above, despite how old the original game is, its actually pretty complex. As a rough idea, I’ll try and give an idea of the structure of the original.

So the game is split in to multiple campaigns that can be part of a larger story. In each campaign, there are different levels that are a part of that one long mission. Before you start a new campaign you can choose which soldiers and weapons to take with you. This all has to last you the whole campaign so you must pick wisely. Bearing in mind to think about saving the best soldiers to the end of the end of the game.

When you start a new level, you get to choose from your previous selection of soldiers and weapons to take with you. Only what you have remaining though! So as you play through each level in the campaign, you need to conserve your ammo and steal enemy weapons and items. You take 4 soldiers with you on each level.

At the start of each level, you have a kind of intelligence briefing. You’re shown a rough model of the map, told about suggested tactics and weapons to take, objectives etc.

In-game
So in the game, you have your normal live gameplay, but you can pause and go to a tactical map. In the tactical map, you can plot complex routes for your soldiers with way-points. You can tell them when to lie down/stand/crouch, fire at will, defensive etc etc.

You can then switch back to the live game and they will follow out your orders. The soldier you are currently in control of (You can switch in-between) will also follow its orders unless you start to move him instead.

You must use tactical manoeuvres. Your players die just as easily as the enemy AI. If you let them die, that’s it, you’ve lost them for the rest of the game. This is why the tactical map and planning is so important.

You can switch between them and go through and select their own individual items.

You can switch between 3rd and 1st person.

Of course, the soldiers have stats. Some are good sharp shooters, some are strong and can take more items etc etc. I think in the first game, the player stats didn’t change. Whereas I think in the 2nd game, you could improve your soldiers with more experience.

Umkay… I know a lot about logic structure, the buttons telling them to do different things is easy-peasy, 1st-3rd person switch is fairly simple. Stats, I can do. Switching between them and going through their inventory seems… difficult. TactManoevres is easy. Tactical map is simple, just an overlay scene and susend the game scene… We need a way to contact, my Skype is [email protected]

Unfortunately I’m a bit 3rd world when it comes to Skype, but my email is: [email protected]

I agree with the inventory, that will be pretty difficult.

I started doing a quick and rough control flow diagram for the friendly AI, just to start off …Super high-tech :smiley:

Attachments


Hi there,
nice to hear someone with skills is still interested in HD.
Are you talking about HD or HD2?

Oh and are you planning with multiplayer (especially coop?)

Sadly i don’t know much about programing, but if there something left you need help with let me know

Hey, thanks for getting in touch.

Neither of them specifically really. I would like at least the basic elements found in both games and then take it from there.

Co-op is definitely something worth looking in to. On the flip-side, I don’t think a traditional multi-player would be suitable for this type of game.

It would also be cool to allow the community to create mods for the game too.

Well, if you could give us an idea about the kind of features you would like to see from a new H&D?

Cheers

Alan

Hmm difficult to say…
Basically i want the HD2 online coop mode improved.
There should be a option to vote/set a team leader (TL) which has the possiblity to open a tactical map (like in HD2 singleplayer)
While the map has been opened, every team member can see the map and the game freezes for the time being.

The TL can now draw lines/arrows/… and discuss tactical matters with the team. Normal team members should be also able to drawn but maybe to avoid a painting orgy there, it should vanish after a few seconds.

Another problem with HD2 coop is that the steps of clients are not recognized by the AI, so sneaking is not needed which is a shame…
HD2 has following alarm types:
Close Shooting
Enemy shots
Hear steps
Action sounds (like opening door) (In a new version there should be an option to open doors silently :wink: )
Explosions
Sighted
is injured
From script
Friendly shots
Spot corpse

Needless to say a good AI is essential :wink:

Personally i don’t need a singleplayer at all, maybe it’s easier if you go for a MP game right away?

Some other points i’ve written on HD forum already.

PS: i never played HD1, started with HD2 right away so cannot say anything what shoud be implented or not of HD1… Have you played HD2 coop?

Cheers
Steffen

Hello,

Admittedly, I am one of the ones dying for a new H&D. :o

I would love to contribute to this project. Unfortunately, I do not know much about scripting/coding, though I do learn fast when it comes to this sort of thing. What I have done is texture work for H&D2 (You can find some uniforms I did here) and even a bit of model work in the past.

Let me know if my services would be of use :wink: