Zajen

NetGore logo. Copyright 2009-2010.

The next generation of vbGORE has been in development for two years and over the weekend lead developer Spodi released version 0.1.0. 

NetGore is a free, open source engine written in C# and available only for Windows.  Although not cross-platform software, NetGore’s server is compatible with Linux.  Unlike its predecessor, the utilization of a more modern programming language enhances features put forth by vbGORE.  All the basics are present and expanded upon:  player statistics, class skills, inventory and equipment management, Graphical User Interface (GUI), battle system, communication among players and NPCs (chatting), and character progression (leveling).  More advanced features will be added later on.  Post suggestions here.

One exciting aspect of NetGore is its ability to support more players online.  That’s right!  Potentially hundreds of players can interact in a bright 2D world and kill defenseless bunnies to gain levels!  Will Spodi and his team of volunteers bridge the gap between MORPGs and MMOs, rendering any differences moot?  Perhaps other developers will catch that elusive fish first!  One thing is for sure, VB6 created engines are becoming relics of the past.

Interested in lending a helping hand? Amateurs and experts alike can contribute.  Spend some free time writing code, report bugs,  write tutorials to help out new players or donate a few dollars. Documentation can be scarce in the MORPG scene, but NetGore has all bases covered.  Competitors take note, provide a comprehensive resource from the get-go.  This will encourage project growth and success.  Informative wiki.  Remember, idiots like me need a place to find answers.

Download NetGore version 0.1.0.  Be sure to read the setup guide to get started.

The fifth release feature list:

[*] Top-down support.
[*] Lots more refactoring to move components into the base engine, cleaning up the DemoGame projects.
[*] Redesigned the map editor and Installation Validator GUIs.
[*] Lots of minor improvements to the map editor.
[*] Each graphical layer can now have a depth to allow control over how objects are drawn on each layer.
[*] Skills now support having a cast and cooldown time.
[*] Over-character emoticons.
[*] Account and character creation through the client.
[*] Much better support for automatically creating animated GrhDatas.
[*] EnumHelper classes no longer need to be manually created (generated on-demand with dynamic methods instead).
[*] The SyncValue attribute has more support and uses.
[*] As always, bug fixes and performance improvements.