Overwatch (Half-Life 2 Mod)

[Show picture list]

Project: Overwatch (Half-Life 2 Mod)

Team Development Time: ~2 Years

Personal Development Time: 1.5 Years

Current Status: PUBLIC RELEASE

Tools Used: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/2010, SVN, Mantis Bugtracker

Language: C++

SDK: Valve Source SDK

Download: Overwatch @ ModDB (Requires Steam and any product using the Source Engine)



Project Description:

This project is a hybrid FPS/RTS game created using the Source Engine and SDK. The core gameplay mechanics pit a coopertive team of players in a first-person perspective versus a single player controlling the game world / units from an birds-eye RTS perspective.

I joined this team about eight months into the projects development timeline. My major contributions to the current version of the game include but are not limited to:

  • Upgrades and modifications to the player revival feature such as GUI elements as auto-revival
  • Development of new minimap systems for the Overwatch and Rebel player which display player, npc, and objective locations
  • Development NPC special ability system similar to the “Smartcasting” feature found in Starcraft 2 utilizing client/server systems as well as dynamic GUI feedback
  • Development of a multi-threaded in-game system which interfaces with an external game updating utility using Win32 API
  • Porting various elements from the Half-Life 2 singleplayer codebase and ensuring they are functional in a networked multiplayer environment
  • Implementing various custom networked entities
  • Designing and implementing various new GUI elements using VGUI

Within the coming months, my focus will be shifting to a large scale overhaul of the AI system as the current system does not behave in a way that compliments an RTS style of gameplay as well as we would like. We follow a development process that is very much based around SCRUM methodology in terms of iterative development and sprints, and currently are predominately focussed with gameplay mechanics over aesthetics.

*As this is a team project source code is not available at this time.

Accolades:

  • Current rating of 9/10 on moddb.com (As of 10/30/2010)
  • Featured on the November 2010 issue of PC Gamer UK cover disk
  • Ranked #1 in the Top 10 downloads section of the December 2010 issue of PC Gamer UK with accompanying article

    PC Gamer UK Dec 2010 - #1 Download

    PC Gamer UK Dec 2010 – #1 Download

Videos: