Just over two years ago, forum user Tggtt and I began working on an open source version of Deadlock: Planetary Conquest, entitled: “OpenDeadlock”. OpenDeadlock’s first version will hopefully be arriving soon. Here is what can be said about OpenDeadlock at this stage:

1. •The world generator is pretty much complete, but has not yet been fully integrated into the main source tree.
   

1. •Maps can be imported from Deadlock II.
   

1. •It will require original data files (graphics, sound, videos) from Deadlock I and / or II.
   

1. •OpenDeadlock currently has some modding support that would allow the configuration of games with Planetary Conquest, Planetary Conquest Deluxe or Shrine Wars rulesets, with the ability to also create something entirely new.
   

1. •OpenDeadlock will have a much more robust server system with matchmaking, which will allow players to join games easily without needing to deal with LAN, Hamachi, VPN, etc.
   

1. •OpenDeadlock will target OS X, Linux and Windows first, but mobile ports will be possible further down the line.
   

1. •The GUI will be updated with a more minimal and modern look.
   

Tggtt is currently working on adding certain features and polishing the code as required for the first version. I created the world generator, which Tggtt is still integrating with the main source tree. The unintegrated world generator is mostly complete, all that is missing is ocean clustering (which is blatantly obvious). The world generator is even able to generate maps with a size of 100x100, here are some samples generated by OpenDeadlock’s world generator:

1. •Tutorial World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data / Deadlock II Map File
   

2. •Earth-like World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data
   

3. •Tropical World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data
   

4. •Martian World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data
   

5. •Icy World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data
   

6. •Dry World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data
   

7. •Volcanic World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data
   

8. •Alien World: World View - Top-down / World View - Perspective / Territory Data
   

The top-down views were generated as RAW image files, created pixel-by-pixel by the unintegrated world generator program. The unintegrated world generator has the ability to export DL2-compatible maps, a feature which may or may not be included in OpenDeadlock. Unfortunately, Deadlock II refuses to work with any map above 40x40 in size, as the game will crash before either the territory type section screen in the editor or the landing site selection screen is drawn. However, Deadlock II does support maps below 20x20 in size! Here are four maps generated by the OpenDeadlock world generator that cannot be generated by Deadlock II, but can be used by it:

1. •5x5 Map (Not playable)
   

2. •10x10 Map
   

3. •15x15 Map
   

4. •40x20 Map
   

I think these four maps were created before I updated the code to create forest territory grids more like they are created in the original game (with them being mostly dense woods). Special thanks to Tggtt and Braph for their help with the world generator’s creation.