Yes, that's right, an RTS game is in production for Ti-83+ and Ti-84+ calculators.  With the limited processing capabilities of the Z80 processors, and the small screen resolution, I decided to come up with a new concept entirely to make an RTS game work for the calculator, rather than trying to force the calculator to handle a typical RTS.

Rather than controlling massive armies to battle an opponent, you control a single unit. You have 9 available units to choose from. Each of the nine units has its own abilities, its own strengths, and its own weaknesses. One unit constructs buildings, another performs sneak attacks, another has absolute air-superiority, and still another is best for taking out structures with its heavy cannon.

With the ability to change your unit thoughout the game, your goal is to defeat your opponent by choosing the right unit at the right time, at the same time that you are building up your base to aid in your goal. One wrong move, one moment that you use a unit out of place, could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

S.A.D. is a featured project on UnitedTi.org.  I will be posting a lot of important information--features, stastics, screenshots, etc.--here.  However, if you want the most information possible, visit http://www.unitedti.org/forum/index.php?showforum=65 or use an IRC and join #seekanddestroy.



Features of S.A.

* 9 units, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.  During the game, you can change your unit to fit your strategy, and if your opponent kills you, you can respawn.
* 16 structures you can build
* Each unit has abilities you can research to increase its effectiveness.  Abilities include, but are not limited to, cloaking, teleportation, faster speed, and extra range
* Full maps with terrain
* Multiplayer with up to 3 AIs, and link play
* A 25-Mission Campaign, with cutscenes, several different objectives, and a full storyline
* A Map Editor, and a Campaign Editor

Here's some screenshots:

The first map: Orita Five

The Multiplayer Menu

The Main Menu

Over the next few days, once we have some balance issues worked out, I will post additional information, including information concerning the nine units and the 16 structures.  In the mean time, we are currently working on the economy and the tilemap routine.

Good to see you too, ztrumpet!  Thx for the welcome! 

darn that looks friggin awesome, especially the map. It's very Starcraft-ish, except not isometric perspective, nice job so far and welcome here

This is a very un "SAD" (lol had to to it) game

You're not the first person to use that joke    One of my friends suggested an alternative name like "B.A.D." or whatever to avoid the word sad.  I can't tell you how many times I had to say to other friends "Guys, it's not SAD.  It's S_A_D."

Here's some basic gameplay information.  If you read this, the unit and structure information I'll post in the future will make a lot more sense.

* The object of S.A.D. is to destroy all your opponent's Operation Centers.  Each player starts with one Operation Center, but more can be built for a large sum of money.
* Your source of income is Belthium Crystals.  You mine Belthium Crystals by placing refineries on top of them.  Throughout the game, you can upgrade your refineries to hold more "processing units", adding more HP and allowing faster crystal processing.  This is the same idea as adding "workers" in a typical RTS game
* The only unit (of the 9) worth mentioning right now is the Scouter.  This is your most basic and most versatile unit in the game.  Its main function is building construction, but it can also attack air and ground, has a large line-of-sight, has unlimited fuel, can travel in the air if it has to, and is one of the faster land units.  And, it's free.  You start off the game with a Scouter as your unit.
* As you go further in the game, no doubt your strategy is going to change...unless you are an expert against an absolute beginner, you are not going to win the game using only a Scouter.  So at an Operation Center or a Transformation Gateway (a much cheaper, but more vulnerable, Operation Center), you can exchange your unit for another one, at a price of course.
* There are two ways you can move a unit...you can either set a waypoint, or you can manually move the unit automatically using the arrow keys.  Attacking, however, must be done manually...in other words, there are some tactics in this game.
*You can research abilities for your units at an appropriate research facility.  There are three types of abilities, or upgrades:
    Permanent Upgrades remain with your unit all the time.  If you purchase a "Jet Pack" ability for your Scouter, you will have a Jet Pack
      every time you get a Scouter, and there is no limit as to how much you can use it.
    Refillable Upgrades are upgrades where your unit has a limited amount of uses your unit has, and then you must purchase additional amounts.
      Think of it as having to buy gas every time you use gas.
    Deteriorating Upgrades are upgrades which can potentially overheat and rip apart your ship when used, that's how powerful they are. 
       The only thing that pervents your ship from overheating is
      Sephane Gas, which you must purchase for your unit.  It's a gas that aids in your units cooling system.  Using the upgrade drains your
      sephrane gas until there is none left, then if you continue to use the upgrade, your ship will slowly lose HP and finally destroy itself
      altogether.  (Sometimes overheating is necessary to give you just that little bit more you need to win the game)  Cloak is a perfect example of
      a Deterorating upgrade.
* A unit requires fuel to operate.  At an Operation Center or Transformation Gateway, you can refuel, repair, purchase Sephrane Gas, and refill on your refillable upgrades.
* Operation Centers and Transformation Gateways allow you to teleport across the map, from one to another.  Therefore, the more you have built across the map, the more flexible you can be in terms of strategy and goals.
* Remember that the game ends when all your Operation Centers are destroyed.  Operation Centers can only be destroyed by Plasma Torpedoes, and only two units carry these weapons. By the way, Plasma Torpedoes is an example of a Refillable Upgrade. Your unit can only hold so many, after which you must purchase more.

Today I'm going to start posting information on S.A.D. units and structures.  I feel though that I should inform you about a couple of things, in case you haven't been to UnitedTI:

1. This information is not set in stone.  Testing will, no doubt, help us to discover some flaws that will require us to make some changes to the game.
2. Graphics on structures and units are oversized to help you see what they look like.  Not everything is drawn to scale.  This is especially true of ships, which I'm going to redraw to be half the size they were originally going to be.

This is definetly one of the projects that keeps me coming over and watching UTI for progress, glad you brought it over here to omnimaga and welcome!  This looks like its going to be an awesome game, can't wait to see some more progress

I'm quoting this because I'm with Builderboy on this.  I'm glad you're over here and I think you're doing a wonderful job with S.A.D.

It would be really cool if you could connect you calc to your computer which would connect via the internet to another computer with calc attached.  Of course, I doubt if that could happen. ;.;