Pentagram: Progress report?

[dino]

Hi all.

Today I downloaded Pentagram for the second time... first time was exactly seven months ago! I noticed a great deal of improvements. The controls are alike to those in the original Ultima 8; the execution runs perfectly; Avatar stats show; etc.

Can a member of the Pentagram team give a little progress report and summarise the major improvements? Pentagram is looking really good and always gets nearer to the original game. I'd like to know the major steps forward that have been done in the past few months.

[gruck]

And update that main page, eh?

I mean Pentagram has got a lot to show and that sourceforge page just doesn't do you folks justice. Sell yourselves!

[SB-X]

Servus made another page/set of pages with a dark background. What happened to that?
Just make sure keep the "We have No Remorse..." slogan w/screenshots.

[wjp]

Maybe we don't want to sell ourselves just yet

Anyway, here are some Pentagram goodies on ultima@rpgdot:

http://ultima.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsac ... 053&ID=909

http://ultima.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsac ... 053&ID=910

[dino]

I've already seen those, thanks. What I'd really like is to know what has been added in the past few months as opposed to what there was before.

[wjp]

Well, the past few months we haven't done all that much. In my case that was because I was finishing my master's thesis, which was taking up rather a lot of my time

We've been busy again the last couple of week(end)s, though

[gruck]

Aww come WJP, you guys deserve it. Slut yourselves out a little...

[Colourless]

Now I'm affraid to say we have a few difference which we may never properly get right.

Firstly our map transitions are almost instantaneous. Secondly loading and saving games is also pretty damn quick too.

So I'm really sorry to all those people out there who want really really slow map transitions, saving and loading, but it's just not something we are going to implemented.

Sorry again,

Colourless Dragon.

[dino]

Awww... you aren't going to remain faithful with the original and keep the slow loading and saving times?

Keep up the good work guys!

[fliptw]

are you sure the loading times aren't relative to the computer speed?

like, is it faster if you ran pentagram on a 486?

[Dominus]

I dare you to test it. But use an OS that is not taxing a 486 too much

[gruck]

I remember running U8 through dos in a P233. The loading times were still -very- slow...

[Colourless]

Just something to stop people asking, before they've asked it. Pentagram and Ultima 8 savegames are NOT and will NOT be compatible. Converting an Ultuma 8 savgame into a fully functional Pentagram save game will NOT be possible either. Converting to a partially functional Pentagram save game is a possibility, but don't execpt such a program any time soon

-Colourless Dragon

[DreamMaster]

Great work so far guys - very impressive. Particularly your indication that the final engine will provide editting capabilities. Just the thing to allow some dedicated fan to make a Lost Vale module.

PS: I'm still waiting to find out if the Avatar will still have his inner-ear imbalance in the Pentagram engine.

[gruck]

"Just something to stop people asking, before they've asked it. Pentagram and Ultima 8 savegames are NOT and will NOT be compatible."

I would never dream of it!

[artaxerxes]

yes, but will it support multiplayer and have a 3D engine?

Artaxerxes

[Darke]

*ahem* Like the FAQ says...

--
1.5 Will Pentagram be Multiplayer/Online

HELL NO!
--

And just for reference:

--
1.10 Why isn't feature Y implemented?

It's better this way. Trust us.
--

Darke
(Always helpful!)

[SB-X]

As long as it is integrated with CABAL...

[gruck]

Oh yeah, and haven't you guys started working on full speech, the Lost Vale, a full 3D engine and U9 support yet?

[Kestral]

COME ON can't wait for the PENTAGRAM TO FINISH...OH YEAH ULTIMA 8 LOVE ...guess what i actually BOUGHT THE FULL VERSION...bad thing is the damn thing is ALSO FRENCH..

[Dominus]

Where did you buy it and receive it so fast? And how did you manage to buy a french one?

[Gradilla Dragon]

If memory serves, the U8 CD includes the game in all three languages. You are more likely to find U8 in stores as an EA Gold Classics than a french version on floppy disks. How come you bought it and it only comes with the french version?

[artaxerxes]

well, no offense guys, but I bought the french version on floppies about a decade ago. So it's possible. Maybe the dude meant he bought it a while ago too, since he seems like a fan...

Artaxerxes

[Dominus]

Artaxerxes: look at the "frozen" threads and you will notice that he hasn't bought it a while ago. That's why we are highly sceptical of his claims.