Questions about NovaShell

[sofakng]

I'm trying to create a 2D version of Scorched Earth and I've seen this engine recommended a few times but I have a few questions...

1) Does NovaShell have any GUI support?

2) Does NovaShell have any networking/multiplayer support?
2a) If so, does it include any automaticaly synchronization? (eg. keep the projectile/player/building locations synchronized)

3) Does NovaShell include physics/collision detection?

4) How hard would it be to create a 2D terrain/landscape and then deform it? (just like in Scorched Earth or Worms)

Sorry for all of the questions!

Thanks for your help!!

[EDIT] Not that it matters, but I also own BlitzMax and Torque Game Builder (and Torque Game Engine), but I'm not really happy with either of them... (BlitzMax has a terrible "BASIC" language, and TGB requires advanced C++ to anything except specifically what it's built for...)

[Seth]

1. Novashell has basic GUI support using Clanlib's GUI system, although you sort of would need to dig into the C++ to use anything but simple message/choice boxes atm

2. No

3. Yes (play the side scrolling example)

4. A Scorched Earth type of game means you will need to get down and dirty in C++ on your PixelTerrain class, as no engine is going to include something so game-specific.

You want bombs blowing out interesting shapes and sand shifting and all that I assume?

You'll also need to do custom physics/detection for the 'terrain' as well, so any built in terrain/physics might not be that useful to you, depends I guess! Maybe a detection routine to scan the terrain top and build a poly shape and pass that into the game would work... in any case, I think you're stuck doing a good chunk of the work in C++.

If it was me, I might just start with a big CL_PixelBuffer in ClanLib itself. The extra layer of Novashell is just too RPG/tile based game oriented to be that useful.