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Open source strategy game Unknown Horizons is in need of developers

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Unknown Horizons, an open source strategy game that has been around for quite some time is currently in need of help.

A developer emailed me to request an article about it, and I'm always happy to help an open source game.

They need Python Developers for the game and c/c++ coders for the engine. If you're looking for a project to help with in your spare time this could be your gig.

About the game
Unknown Horizons: is a 2D realtime strategy simulation with an emphasis on economy and city building. Expand your small settlement to a strong and wealthy colony, collect taxes and supply your inhabitants with valuable goods. Increase your power with a well balanced economy and with strategic trade and diplomacy.

You can find the game on github here, and the game engine they use here. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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12 comments
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cRaZy-bisCuiT Jun 20, 2016
It's not the only one. If you see all the issues that affect the performance of 0a.d. (don't get me wrong: I love that game!) you see they could need some support as well. Not exactly my branche.
Xpander Jun 20, 2016
Ohh, i hope he finds some skilled people. this game is amazing, but the multiplayer has been broken for ages with going out of sync when moving ships around.

really like the game, but i have zero coding skills
Inspector_Gidget Jun 20, 2016
I wish I had the chops to help them out.
GustyGhost Jun 20, 2016
This really would be ideal for me to further develop my Python and maybe C++ but I'm afraid my admittedly newbish contributions would be rejected.
gr0g Jun 20, 2016
I might have a look and see if there's anything in my skill area I can work on.

Quoting: AnxiousInfusionThis really would be ideal for me to further develop my Python and maybe C++ but I'm afraid my admittedly newbish contributions would be rejected.
Even if you feel like you're crap the worst you can get is criticism and rejection. I am admittedly not that great at C++, but I've contributed to Falltergeist and my contributions were usually accepted and well received.
seven Jun 20, 2016
if only i could, i would...
MayeulC Jun 20, 2016
Why not; if I have time to, but that will be a bit later this year in any case.
Sooo many projects to work on... :/
Andrei B. Jun 21, 2016
My opinion is that people are not contributing because it's not straightforward to implement stuff.

The fundamental problem is that each open source game has it's own engine.
WHY ??
There are TONS of open source engines out there, why reinvent the wheel each time?

I've tried to contribute to 3 open source games: Unknown horizons, VCMI and 0Ad. I have abandoned each one of them because of the difficulty to learn each underlying engine.
Engine optimisation problems actually stop 0AD from becoming well-known and actually playable RTS.

I think something has to change in the open source landscape for projects to be successful.
We're spreading too thin..

I challage you to name 3 open source games that use the same engine (excluding forks).


Last edited by Andrei B. on 21 June 2016 at 10:36 am UTC
LinuxDonald Jun 21, 2016
@Andrei B. what do you think would be an good engine for UH?

UH is an really old project. We started with an lot of people on UH als of them was students and that is now the problem.
They dont are students anymore they have now jobs and not the time to code for UH or the Engine. Because they maybe must code at work.

When some people would come an say hey lets port UH to an other engine we would say okay lets do it.

@AnxiousInfusion we dont reject patches. When the patch is not good we say you what is wrong with that.
Than you can fix the patch and it will find his way into our code :)

Sorry guys for my english ist not really the best.


@liamdawe thank you very much for your post here :)
Andrei B. Jun 21, 2016
@LinuxDonald Personally, I think Godot looks very good and it's well supported. I don't know how you would manage the problem of Python. Either by an interface or by reimplementing it in C++.
If not, there's Panda3D, which supports python and seems to have a small footprint.

I don't see the project getting too far in its current state. Even if you manage to reach a 1.0 version, it still has to be maintained. You will always need developers. Removing the need to maintain and learn an engine would prove beneficial.

UH has unfortunately been stagnating since 2013. I personally thought it was dead.

I know that most of the open source games start with one guy that wants to learn how to code a game engine. It's also hard to hear that you have to replace half of your code or reimplement it, but in order for the project to live on, you will have to make sacrifices.
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