Elxx.net Labs

Here’s a little video showcasing another new Sandbox 1.0 feature. I’m not sure exactly what to call it, we’ll say “scriptable object movement” for now:

Thanks to qwerty1869 for uploading this on YouTube.
Download Video (WMV, 5.5Mb)

Oh yes, I have some mad Vodnik parking skills. It’s actually quite simple to make things like sliding/rotating doors, and that’s pretty much the extent of my imagination. Let’s see what crazy moving contraptions people think up once 1.0 is released

First of all, congratulations to Project Reality for taking 2nd place in the ModDB 2007 Mod of the Year competition! PR is by far the most unique combat mod for BF2, and it’s great to see that their effort paid off for the second year in a row. Also, congratulations to Forgotten Hope 2 for taking 4th place. BF2 modding is still very much alive!

If you haven’t already noticed, Battleracer 1.3 was announced. We’ve been working on it for a few weeks now, and 7 new tracks have already been completed. One of our main goals is to ensure that there are at least two circuit courses on every single vanilla BF2 map, and we’re well on our way to meeting that goal. Also, thanks to some of the guys at Battleracer.de, it looks like Battleracer will soon be a part of the ESL, a huge European gaming league. It looks awesome.

One of the most exciting things I’ve been working on is drafting the new ranking system. After some talks with top Battleracer players, I’ve decided that we are probably going to start a completely new rankings ladder for 1.3 - this allows brand new players to have a chance at hitting the top of the leaderboards. This also means that I can do some slight tweaks on the existing maps and vehicles to make them even more fun for everyone. Of course, if you are a top Battleracer player right now, you’ll probably get a special emblem or something for that just to signify that you kick ass.

I’ll try to post on this blog more frequently to keep you guys updated with the latest development news. Stay tuned for info about the unlockable vehicles and new weapons!

Recently I found out that the First Strike mod team has decided to add a ranking system to their mod. This is very exciting to see - Battlefield 2142 is rather dry, and really the only people left playing it are the ones playing for ranks. I’m curious to see how they managed to do it, and whether they get a larger audience this way. Best of luck to them, I’ll certainly be trying out version 1.2 when it’s released!

On that topic, Sir. Shpox has been secretly working on a sexy new release of a beloved classic for Battlefield 2. You’ll hear about it more in the upcoming weeks, but let’s just say it has an expanded ranking/awards system as well and it’s going to totally kick ass.

As for me, I’ve been working on the next version of Modjive. The interface for Available Mods has received a small facelift, allowing you to see screenshots and watch videos of each mod before you decide on whether to download it. Some small but convenient features are there as well, like automatic resuming of downloads when the application is closed and reopened. As usual, expect a public beta here first before it’s released to the auto-updater.

Sandbox players, don’t fret - progress on 1.0 is steady, the feedback from the beta server has become more and more positive so we’re almost ready for the next stage of the test.

Well, Sir. XaliaS has created yet another awesome short film. And this one is doubly cooler because it was made with the help of Sandbox. It’s called Desktop Battlefield, and you should go watch it immediately.

In other news, the Sandbox billboard vote has now progressed to round 2, so go and vote again! We’re down to the 28 best billboards and once again you’re choosing your top 5. It’s quite a tough decision.