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Work in Progress / Templar Quest wip Thread..

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David Gervais
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Posted: 27th Dec 2005 12:22 Edited at: 27th Dec 2005 12:23
Hello and welcome to my Work-In-Progress thread.

I'm new to DarkBasic Pro, but have been dabbling in Basic since the days of QBasic 4.5 (and before that Atari Basic in the good old days) I have also converted one of my old QBasic games to 'C' using the Dev C++ and Allergo graphics lib. So, with that said, I still consider myself a novice programmer, but there is good news,.. I'm a Professional Computer Gamming Artist, so I'll work on this game from the outside-in.. (Doing the graphics first then tackling the coding.

I Bet you are wondering how far I have progressed so far, right? Well, here are a few Mockup screens for your viewing pleasure...







Now the fun begins,.. I'm getting ready to tackle the coding end of the game. I'll be working on this in my spare time, so don't expect Daily updates, but I'll try to make a few progress reports each week.

Comments are welcome, Have a great day, Cheers!
Torrey
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Posted: 27th Dec 2005 12:35
Your artist background really shows in those screen shots. From the looks of it you have an excellent game in the making. Good luck with your project!

Wiggett
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Posted: 27th Dec 2005 13:47
was about to say how awesome this game looks, real nice artwork, but then i noticed, its all just artwork. So you haven't actually coded anything of it yet? it does look interesting though.

David Gervais
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Posted: 27th Dec 2005 16:01
Ok, as I get ready to build/define my arrays I decided it will be a simple matter to offer 2d or iso views for the game. here is a template showing the iso map area centered in the display..



FYI, I will have the iso view scroll left and right depending on the position of the player. but I will not scroll diagonally, I think it will work. I want to mimic the overhead view in that the player moves and not the background, but in iso view I'll need to move both, although the background will move in smaller jumps than the full tile.

I'm trying to build this game with 'fresh ideas' form the 'old school' which have all but been forgotten. It used to be a challenge to see what you could do within the 'fixed' limitations of the hardware, nowadays there is way too much 'bleeding edge' development where the developers bank on technology improving their game performance rather than designing for 'today's tech.

But I digress, Cheers!
zzz
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Posted: 29th Dec 2005 14:02
Wow, really nice!
Good luck with this project!

Wiggett
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Posted: 29th Dec 2005 14:26
iso, i was gonna do syndicate in the original iso view, if you can pull it off more power to ya.

IBOL
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Posted: 14th Jan 2006 22:25
i sure would like to see this progress...
your layout blows away what i would've
done with those rpg tiles...
good luck,
bob

David Gervais
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 00:25 Edited at: 10th Feb 2006 00:28
Ok, I'm going to see if I can turn this into a Community project. My time is very limited and I'd like to see something come of this game.



As you can see from the above pic the main dungeon area/view consists of 21x21 tiles. I'd like there to be a map 256x256 in size and the main view will clip from that as needed to update the main display. I'll leave it up to you coders to decide weather to scroll smoothly or tile by tile. I would also like to make the maps 'editable' A random map generator would be nice, but I'd like the game to be 'modable' in where players could build their own dungeons and challenge people to traverse it.

Feel free to post any comments and have fun making this game grow.

Have a great day, cheers!

P.S. use the 'view and download' buttons to see/get the full sized image.

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Tinkergirl
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 11:03
Hi David,

Been thinking about this on and off for the last 24 hours, and think I could have a go at trying to make a basic system this weekend (no promises though - you know what life's like).

Any chance you can post the seperate image files (i.e. the 'mask' for the map surround, the individual tile graphics (or in one large sprite page) etc) for ease of use. I realise that 20 minutes with photoshop could get me these, but I figure you already have them as layers (or equivalent). Thanks.
Sergey K
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 12:51
looking good dude. keep it up!

David Gervais
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 12:57 Edited at: 10th Feb 2006 13:02
Tinkergirl, I cut out the sprites from the above image and simply filled the background with black, which is the default transparent color in DBP I hope this helps.



Cheers!

P.S. As for the map surround, just draw a fill box over the checker display area.. Box coords are Top left= 15,80 Bottom right= 686,751
TDP Enterprises
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 14:00
lookin purty

Box World.....WIP coming soon....
Chris Franklin
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 14:55
sweet but does this mean the end of the amazing 2d stuff

Fps world of mayhem 10%

Peter H
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 18:49 Edited at: 10th Feb 2006 23:59
i think i've seen some of those character sprites before... did you get them from here?
http://molotov.nu/?page=graphics
(the "Rogue" game)
[edit] "angband"

not that it makes your project worse in any way if you did... just curious
(i got my main dude that i used in Dungeon from there and put it in the credits...)

anyway, i wish i had a fourth of your artistic skill

"We make the worst games in the universe..."
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 20:05
Those sprites are not the same as the ones that David has made. If you go to his site, you'll find many more sprites that he's created.

So no - I'm 99.99% sure he didn't half-inch them from anywhere
UFO
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 20:37
Quote: "http://molotov.nu/?page=graphics"

That place rules!!!! that is where I got the graphics for one of my games. Great website(actually page... )


Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia-Fear of long words
David Gervais
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 21:33 Edited at: 10th Feb 2006 21:41
lol, All the rpg tiles I have I made from scratch, I did notice they have some of my tiles on that site, so it's the other way around, it looks like they have 'borowed tiles from my sets, but that's ok, my rpg tiles are free. (Note: it looks like all the tiles in the Angband section are mine, but since I made them for angband it looks right. But listing them as PD, well, that's just yuk, they are not PD, they are free. And no mention of my name? what's up with that? lol)

The tiles in the section labeled "Rogue" are 16x16 and do not resembel mine.

And no, this thread does not spell the end of the 2D Atist Challenge thread. This is just an asside.

Cheers!
Chris Franklin
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 22:24
Quote: "And no, this thread does not spell the end of the 2D Atist Challenge thread. This is just an asside."


i just added my request on the thread glad to know it's still going

Theme park simulator 5% Currently making menus
Peter H
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Posted: 10th Feb 2006 23:50 Edited at: 11th Feb 2006 00:00
Quote: "The tiles in the section labeled "Rogue" are 16x16 and do not resembel mine."

yeah... i typed rogue but thought angband


anyway, i suspected that it might be the "other way around" as you said

so if you made this little dude then you made the main character for my dungeon game

(also the two knights in my game... though i edited those ones to fit the game better... making an evil one and a nice one )

--Peter

"We make the worst games in the universe..."

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Wiggett
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Posted: 11th Feb 2006 05:28 Edited at: 11th Feb 2006 05:29
I gotta say I love these sorts of games, for anyone interested, head to spiderweb software and check out the avernum/exile series. I love those games as much as syndicate. http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/

edit: OMG OMG OMG avernum 4!!!!!! its only mac , but luckily the office is full of macs!

Syndicate remastered: Corporate persuasion through urban violence.
BaZko
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Posted: 11th Feb 2006 06:06
That art looks very coool Now to code the game... ,for me its the other way around,code a game,and then scrap it since I cant find a artist. Nice work!
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 11th Feb 2006 19:57
Right - been doing a bit of work on this - unforuntately, I've never really had cause to use sprites before, so this has been a pretty steep learning experience for me.

Features:
Loads map from .bmp file - see below for key.
Player character always centred.
Fog of War - torch range change is one variable change
Collision with walls
Collision with closed doors (which opens them)
'Fake' walls with no collison (honestly - its a feature!)

Urgently to do:
Load levels from text files, which load in maps as .bmps.
Smooth scrolling between tiles
Proper timing (ugh - you don't want to see how I bodged it)
Load item positions from text file

Key:
White is dirt/ground
Red is door (closed)
Grey (128,128,128) is non-collidable wall
Black is wall

Am I on the right track, David? Guidance would be good sooner rather than later, so I can try to implement as many of the things you'd like as I can.

The code is a bit of a mess at the moment - my code usually gets tidier as I go along (honest!)

PS - I know you wanted a 256*256 level - merely replace the .bmp and change the variable 'mapsize' to 256 to create the map of your pleasing. I hope to be able to read in the map size in the text file and cater to it later. 256*256 was a pain to test - so big!

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David Gervais
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Posted: 11th Feb 2006 23:25
Wow, you work fast, the basics are there and your outline sounds good. (and 256x256 is not hardcoded, I'm flexable)

Fake walls is an excellent 'feature' it means hidden passages etc can be put in maps.

I'll give your code some closer inspection later. I hope you are having fun, your first post is way more than I expected this fast.

Cheers!
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 01:17
Yup - having fun and learning by the truckload!

I won't post the updated code yet, but on my version I've got a simple level select screen - it runs through the '.tqm' files (templar quest maps - gotta have a file format - don't worry, they're just .txt by any other name) in the maps folder, pulls out the names, sizes and appropriate .bmp filenames and lets you click on the one you want to play.

It then prints a loading screen, and then shoves you in to the appropriate map when it's done.

Only got two maps at the moment (the test one above 64*64 and a new 256*256 one) but it's completely expandable.
Never done that much work with files before - quite scary

I notice from your mockups two things:

1. I've not currently managed to support your 'empty space' style of dungeon. I'll have to add a special black or empty signifing colour in the .bmps - shame, I liked black for walls

2. Those stats for the Templar character look suspiciously D&D based. No numbers above 18 (the maximum for 3d6) and the 'best' numbers put in to Wisdom and Strength - much like for a Paladin. Am I close?

I realise you're busy, but I hope when you get a little time to post you can point me in the direction of what kind of game you were after. I can tell you've got a very good idea in your head what you're looking for

PS I don't really consider this terribly quick progress - I've seen how fast you pump out sprites!
David Gervais
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 12:31
Hello again,

I very much like the 'expandable' map option, it means that dungeons don't have to be a fixed size, they can vary.

Answers/feedback..

1) Actually the empty space could be as you say, a special tile type, like a wall or floor but impassible. I'd suggest 0,0,255 for the map color and just make a black tile for it. Eventually there should be the ability to have both indoor/outdoor settings.. Walls could become trees/mountains/water etc. So, having a 'movement-control' map like what it seems you are doing now, is good, but the map needs to be able to be edited to place different types of tiles, for 'cosmetic' dressing of the game. So there will eventually be several 'Wall' tiles, and 'Floor' Tiles.

I welcome any ideas you might have regarding this. Weather we use a 'fixed set' of wall/floor tiles (like having a wall, floor, door closed, door open, and hidden.) then I could make a bunch of 'alternate sets' and the game could randomly pick a set for the level. I like to try and keep things simple, but I also like to give some variety.

2) Similar to D&D but I see the max Attribute level going all the way to 99. (keeping it in the 2 digit format.) the initial Attributes are rolled similar to D&D but using 5D4 (5 to 20) range. 12 being your average Joe and bonuses stepping in every 2 points above that, so 14=+1, 16=+2, 18=+3 and 20=+4. Each Attribute corresponds to a player skill Str/Dmg, Int/Use Artifacts, Wis/Regen, Con/HP's, Dex/Chance 2-Hit & AC, Cha/Luck. Much of the attrib/skills will depend on the monster/object system we end up using. We'll come back to this later.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best to answer them. (lol, did I just say 'If'?? lol)

Cheers!
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 13:53
Quote: "I'd suggest 0,0,255 for the map color and just make a black tile for it."


The programmer-blue is a good option, I'll hopefully make it so that if we decide to change the map colours down the road, it'll be relatively simple to swap them around (in case of water/deepwater tiles).
As for a black tile - I can do better than that - I'll just not paste a tile there at all (background is black). Should be faster.

Quote: "So, having a 'movement-control' map like what it seems you are doing now, is good, but the map needs to be able to be edited to place different types of tiles, for 'cosmetic' dressing of the game. So there will eventually be several 'Wall' tiles, and 'Floor' Tiles."


Hmm. I can try to keep the map image as it is to a 'collision' based system, but I'm not sure what the most elegant way of supporting many different wall/floor tiles etc would be.
I suppose if I stick with the version at the moment - the colour map - and leave room for variants on each of those colours (for example 255,0,0 for a plain door, then maybe 255,0,16 for a door with a skull over it, etc) then if I (or someone else) eventually makes a graphical level editor for it, they can save the image map out. It'd be much more intuitive.

Quote: "Attributes are rolled similar to D&D but using 5D4 (5 to 20) range. "


Gotcha. 5D4 it shall be.

Quote: "Each Attribute corresponds to a player skill Str/Dmg, Int/Use Artifacts, Wis/Regen, Con/HP's, Dex/Chance 2-Hit & AC, Cha/Luck."


You've told me more in that one sentence than I think you may realise I've got a much better idea of where you see this going now.

But my main question is - you mentioned in your second post that you wanted to build this using 'fresh ideas from the old school' - if you're deviating from the norm, best let me know

Ta for the feedback - sorry if I'm being demanding - you know what coders are like. "Wah wah wah - how do baddies move... Wah wah wah - what do you mean you want your doors different..."
Wiggett
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 14:18 Edited at: 13th Feb 2006 02:38
i've probably already asked this but tinkergirl will u marry me?

Anyway, I've been working on some sprites myself, I want to make a basic gauntlety style 2d game in iso. but I think for my skills I'm best off making it 3d with 2d painted plains. or does the 2d all the way style work better?

Syndicate remastered: Corporate persuasion through urban violence.
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 14:28
2d is a lot easier than I'd imagined (but still a world away from 3d).

Do feel free to check out what I've written for David so far - it should get you able to wander around a map of your choosing. Probably still generic enough at this stage for you to tweak to your heart's content.

And sorry Wiggett - I'll have to turn down your generous offer once again
David Gervais
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 16:44 Edited at: 12th Feb 2006 16:45
By "Fresh ideas from Old School" I mean "Keep It Simple Stu***", oops, that's not aimed at you, it's a saying, you know from the old days.

One advantage of a tile for the blank space is if someone (like me) chooses to make say a lava tile or starfield tile or any other type the immagination can come up with, it is still simple but opens the realm of possibilities.. think of a 'sactuary' type level ala diablo 2.

FYI: where the map is concerned your system is allot more interesting than what I would have done, I would have made a map editor first and probably just saved a large bitmap, you know, kind of user input the size for the map (max 256x256 tiles) then place in first the wall/floor map (to define the movable areas) then 'painted' the cosmetics from a terrain file with a bunch of different wall/floor tiles. The final result would be saved. If I so chose I could go into my favorite paint program and further customize the look by simply loading the saved bitmap. there was a big problem with this idea,.. 67meg bitmap if the player made a 256x256 tiled map. O_o lol

As long as there is a way to add/change the floor/wall tiles to give different looks to the various levels of the game I'll be happy.

Cheers!
Chris Franklin
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 16:48
just out of intrest what do you make your artwork in?

also i added to the artist challenge thread again

Theme park simulator 15% Currently making object selection
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 21:34 Edited at: 12th Feb 2006 23:49
Tum te tum...
Okies, done some more to this (before my steam runs out).

New Things!:
Loads level files (.tqm) from the maps directory and lets you choose one.
Basic .tqm file format established.
Rough level selection screen (using your 'scroll' screen, David).
Very rough character creation -
Player name enterable (sorry about the backspace problem).
Character stats are currently randomised, not adjustable.
Displays name and stats on the main game HUD
Loading screen (if you can call a black screen with "Loading" written on it that).
Loads starting position for the map from the .tqm file.
Added 'void' lack of tile using blue (0,0,255). Can add background later. (Seperate tile for lava or starfield ) (See testmap for example)


Tonnes and tonnes and tonnes of comments in the code - I've prettied it up and made it readable. It's close to tutorial level code (even if I do say so myself). Couldn't abide how ugly the code was

I've done my best to keep the stat display in the same font as your mockups - I figure that it's fun to try to confuse people who check the thread later who wonder how you managed to get screenshots before you even had a working game

Learned loads about file loading (which I hadn't done much of before) and a lot more about text commands. Still fun. If I'm not careful though, I'm probably going to have to add gameplay soon...

Feedback? Shameless backpatting? Crossed arms and "Tsk"ing?

[Rather Important Edit] By the way, um, in a bit of a brain spasm, I made it so that you have to press space to actually go to the map you've chosen. That'll change. Oh - and don't try to press space before choosing a map, I think it crashes. My bad. I'll go in to the bad corner, shall I.

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Gamefreak
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Posted: 12th Feb 2006 21:50
Almost everything I need to make an RPG is sitting at my fingertips

....but I have to finish Checkers first....
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 00:21
Oops!

Heh, nothing like running your code on your other PC to find all the sneaky PC specific bugs, eh?

There was an error (crash, class A) that would bomb out if you picked the larger map AND you have a particular kind of PC. Little problem with trying to read the pixel colour of a pixel off the image. Some PC's just struggle through, others don't like it and crash.

So, I've fixed that - and added a 'button' to start the level (instead of the very unintuitive space-bar option).

All other features are as posted above.

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David Gervais
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 00:37
O,.....M,.....G,..... You are amazing, as soon as I manage to pick my jaw up off the floor I'll give you more feedback....

Off hand, try using the ",1" instead of the ",0" at the end of the loadbitmap command. The graphics are imho better this way. The scaling thing is kind of fuzzy.

would you prefer a dialogue type overlay for the 'Loading' screen? or is there a reason for doing a black screen? Personally I think everything should happen on the HUD screen, like when you load the scroll pic to do the map selection and player name. If you want to get a bit fancy, overlay the word 'Loading' on the scroll background and slowly fade the scroll pic to black then 'pop' show the map.

I have another tiny suggestion,.. one pixel 0,255,0 that allows the player to be given a starting position. Place the green pixel where you want the player to start. Or in the tqm file a field with the x,y position of the player when he starts.

Keep up the fantastic work.

Cheers!
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 01:26
*coughs* A player start point, eh?

From the .tqm file...


Is that what you were looking for? If so - it's already done

Anyhoo - must sleep. Productive weekend and all that
Wiggett
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 02:42 Edited at: 13th Feb 2006 02:43
Thanks for breakin my heart again tinker, but yeah I downloaded the program, then realized my pc at the office doesn't have db on it so I couldn't test the program. I will fix this when I can. Also David, I'd offer to help out on your game, only I'm more of a graphics and media person, which you seem to have covered, but if you want voice acting, or even real action footage (I work at a community tv group and have access to props green screens and full fledged equipment) I can do some of that for you. I've been meaning to make a medieval fantasy film for a while so I don't mind getting a knight in costume to kill some goblins infront of a green screen.


edit: infact Haydes as to wether u want it or not I'm gonna go buy a white sheet I can cut to shape and paint a red cross on.

Syndicate remastered: Corporate persuasion through urban violence.
Wiggett
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 13:33 Edited at: 13th Feb 2006 13:35
don't you hat eit when you are at the office and you make your crusader outfit, then find that your camera has no cable to connect to the computer, and the cable is at home but its too late to get public tansport there and back! luckily enough I work at a tv station, so there are plenty of cameras, only I used the shoddy one to take a mildy amusing pic that is way to bright, I photoshopped it but there wasn't much to go on, so untill i go home tomorrow and upload the camera pics, here is your templar outfit with a strapping young actor ready to smash some green screen goblins!


I used plain white material for the tabbard bit,a wierd metal looking shirt underlay for the arms, and a jumper to sew it all onto. The sewing job is very bad, but its a temp costume and it prolly wont show from a distance. The helmet is a mesh paper bin that I cut a T hole in, haven't had time to paper mache it yet, tried a few other covering methods but paper mache seems most suitable. Anyway get back to me with story issues so I can base the green screen work around it.

Syndicate remastered: Corporate persuasion through urban violence.
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 14:40
*chuckles* You've got enthusiasm, haven't you Wiggett Looking forward to what David says about this, and the story.

Wiggett
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 14:46
I've got enthusiasm coming out of the wazoo!! granted that is where it comes out..

It's like 1am, I bought teh materials back at 2pm yesterday so it took me a fair while to get the damn costume together. mind you I stopped at 4pm to go shoot some test action footage to play around with visual effects for the syndicate stuff. Then at about 5:30 I ended up lying down ontop of a pile of REAL RUBBISH in some back alleyway, have tomato sauce squirted all over me, and i mean all over me, and pretended to be a murder victim for a comedy sketch. (murder victim... comedy??) then of couse after having a shower at the uni's gym I came back and sat down to paint the big red cross. So much death and bloodshed today. (ps when I get electronic copies of my murder scene I will post it, apparently it looks funny)

Syndicate remastered: Corporate persuasion through urban violence.
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 15:07
Ok, I'll not post code yet (doesn't warrant an upload yet) but I've got the Loading screen using the Scroll image now, and it fades out smoothly after it's loaded to black, before showing you the map.

Currently when it's fading (and it doesn't take longer than a second or so) the Loading text dissapears - is that ok, or would you prefer the Loading text to fade out with the scroll image at the same speed?

Ta for the "O,.....M,.....G,..... You are amazing, as soon as I manage to pick my jaw up off the floor I'll give you more feedback...."

It keeps me contented
David Gervais
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 15:52
Laf out loud,.. Wigget, if your goatee beard was a tad longer you would make an excellent vision of the Sherif of Knottingham. (but that is another game for another time)

Tinkergirl, sounds good. If the fadeout is too fast (relitive to the loading time) you could fade the background and 'then' fade the Loading text before showing the map. Just a quick thought.

Cheers!
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 15:58
Alas, I don't know how long the loading will take for any particular level so unfortunately the loading screen stays solid for the entire loading time, then fades out at the end.

Without being able to tell how long a level will load on a particular machine, I don't know how to time it any other way :/
Wiggett
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Posted: 13th Feb 2006 15:59
hahaha! yeah im such a badarse. It used to grow longer but now it just come sout as a soft fuzz but still piratey. Anyway Yeah did you want footage done? cause I will be booking into the green screen room soon enough and I could easily act out a smashign something scene, I could also do voice acting

Syndicate remastered: Corporate persuasion through urban violence.
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 14th Feb 2006 15:05
Latest update:

New things!

-Fades the loading screen out, and has it on the 'scroll' background.
-New format for the .tqm files. Has start and ends to blocks of info.
-Loads in the positions of objects! Things like barrels and pillars.
-Displays those objects, depending on the visibility of the tile they're on.
-Did a whole new whizzy way of parsing text files using a state machine. Sounds funkier than it is

David - I'm soon going to need to know things like...

??? How do chests work? Can you walk on them? How do they open? Where do the items go?
??? Can you walk on barrels? Can you break them? Do they drop stuff?
??? Are pillars just pillars, or can you push them? Break them?
??? How do baddies move? Can you walk through them? Is there supposed to be combat text? (If so, where?)
??? Want to have levels that can link up? I.e. a door to another level? (Do you want to create a whole world with interconnected rooms, areas, zones, etc) Long term question that.

You knew I'd have questions

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Undercover Steve
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Posted: 14th Feb 2006 16:25
Wiggett you look much like I would imagine maddox

I have been re assigned. New name, new mission. Star Fleet - 5%
David Gervais
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Posted: 15th Feb 2006 04:44
David - I'm soon going to need to know things like...
Hello, Tinkergirl,..

??? How do chests work? Can you walk on them? How do they open? Where do the items go?

A: You bump into a chest like a door to open it. Once open the player can walk over it and a random item is picked up. The chest then dissapears and the item is sent to the inventory area on side panel.

??? Can you walk on barrels? Can you break them? Do they drop stuff?

A: I see the barrel as a 'movable' object. not a container. The reason behind this is that it will allow for sokoban type puzzles on some levels. (note that this means there will need to be some sort of pressure plate type tile that when an object is placed on it toggles an event. Any ideas you have on this will be aprieciated.)

??? Are pillars just pillars, or can you push them? Break them?

A: Pillars are = walls. non movable and non passible. plain and simple. wall eyecandy if you will.

??? How do baddies move? Can you walk through them? Is there supposed
to be combat text? (If so, where?)

A: You cannot walk through a baddie. bumping into a baddie will initiate an attack. the baddie will always retaliate if you bump into him. I'm not sure if the baddies need to even be 'mobile' they can become obsticles to avoid or overcome in the journey.

??? Want to have levels that can link up? I.e. a door to another level? (Do you want to create a whole world with interconnected rooms, areas, zones, etc) Long term question that.

A: As with most roguelike games, I see each level connecting to a new level. the first level might be exterior and subsequent levels underground, or visa versa if the designer decides the goal to to enter a dungeon or escape it. (I like having flexability) That said, I think the progression should be one way only,.. meaning there is not up AND down exits, just 'Next' level exits.

I hope this info helps you get a better picture of the gameplay.

Cheers!
Tinkergirl
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Posted: 15th Feb 2006 11:06
Cooool - Johnny (Number) 5 would be pleased

Did a little more last night (before I read your answers this morning) and got object collision working, and displayed the rest of the stats for the player (including placeholder values - I mean, what's a Knight's damage range unarmed??)

Also, made it so that when you bumped in to a treasure chest, it would open and give you a random (i.e. dice rolled) amount of gold - pretty much just a test to show changing stat numbers.

I can do pushing barrels, it should be relatively simple. Having a tile that will test if it has weight on it (be that the player, or a barrel) I can also do (I think) - it'll need a graphic (I can photoshop a drop shadowed square on a duplicate ground texture tile and add it to the blank spaces at the end of the sprite page, unless you have a different vision).

Having enemies be static would be as simple as pie. Having them move randomly would be fairly simple (just checking for collision). Having them patrol would be harder. Having them chase the player may be required if you want any kind of tension - depends on the pace.

I take it the bottom right hand corner is for textual information - telling you how much gold you picked up, how much damage you did/took, any hints (for example, a string saying "You feel a draft" for when you're near an illusionary wall) etc?
David Gervais
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Posted: 15th Feb 2006 12:20
A quick thought, fyi thing,.. I see this as a turn based game not a realtime. It is for this reason I think randomly placed monsters (that perhaps spawn [randomly] every x turns) is more than enough. The ability to 'place' some monsters or special NPC's would greatly enhance the fuel reserve for 'modders'.

THe bottom area on the side panel was just 'filler' for the screenshot. using it for text feedback would be great. Thanks for that suggestion/idea. I'll mod the HUD pic so that it has an inset panel for the text. Weather or not the text is static (replaced when new text is shown) or scrolls keeping a log I'll leave up to you. Hummmm, another thought just hit me,..

What if the game has some pre built 'arrays' for a narrative type description of the different events. for example.

"%name% entered the dungeon determined to cleanse it of evil.."
"%name% found a locked door." [dice check if his skill can unlock it] "%name%'s skilled hands easilly bypass the lock to open the door."
"%name% is startled by a Plague Rat and enters fierce battle with the foul beast.." [fight is played out and depending on the outcome pick a reply.] "%name% disposes of the vile scum and continues his quest."

etc etc etc.. Some stuff can just be listed at the end of the log like "%name% has accumilated %goldpieces% Gold during his valiant quest." "killed %xxx% retched scum on his journey".. I'm not sure just how many 'events' need to have a log, but it's just and idea and I have not seen anything like this in any other game. When the player dies he would be shown the "Chronicles of %name%". Anyways, this is just a wacky idea, but let me know what you think regardless.

Cheers!
Wiggett
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Posted: 15th Feb 2006 14:35 Edited at: 15th Feb 2006 14:36
again I suggest you guys cehck out the avernum game, its turn based combat with the iso style mvoement etc, could really help as it comes off a lot liek how david explains it. Also I suggest you cehck out these sweet pics:


the 1st one is me with the bin on my head and a umbrel... claymore

Syndicate remastered: Corporate persuasion through urban violence.
David Gervais
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Posted: 15th Feb 2006 16:33 Edited at: 15th Feb 2006 16:48
Tinkergirl I did some 'chopping/croping'..

..and also updated the sprites bitmap.. with a 'pressure plate' floor tile added to the end of the existing sprites..



Cheers!

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