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DarkBASIC Discussion / I'm making a stratagy game, and I have a question

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Gowmars
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 05:46
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I’m making a real time strategy game. Id like to do it in 3D, but I was wondering if doing it in 3D would greatly reduce the speed of the game. Since there will be tons of units on the screen at once fighting and what not, will I be better off doing it in 2D? Of course the Units will be very small since it is a strategy game, and there won’t be a whole lot of detail on the models due to this. If it is possible to do it in 3D and make it run a decent speed, any suggestions on how I should go about making the models for the units. Should I make them as small as I want it, or will it not make a difference if I just resize them, if they are made big? Id appreciate any advice.

Thanks in advance

Gowmars
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Gowmars
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 05:47
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Yeah, i just realized i spelled strategy wrong in the title of this post >.<
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zenassem
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 06:33
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To get a little more speed out of DBC, you could always make it pseudo 3d. What I mean is make the units in a 3d program, and then take snapshots of the 3d models at different key frames for animation and direction. Now use these keyframe images as sprites.

If you dare - you can venture into ISO or ISOhex tile-maps as well. I have some sample code with handling that that may be of help. Think, Command & Conquer Red Alert II. I will also be including that type of layout in my 2d principles tutorial after I cover straight-down tile-maps. My computer with the ISO code on it is at work, so the earliest that I will be able to post it will be on Monday.

Sincerely
~zenassem


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Gowmars
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 08:29
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ok thanks alot. Its definatly something I will try out. Im glad you suggested it, cause i hadn't thought of that.

But if I were to make them as ture 3D would it have a big affect on the speed do you think? Well my guess is that it would all depend on the specs of the PC running it I guess. But im gonna try your suggestion.

Thanks

Gowmars
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zenassem
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 08:43
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I would say with dbpro, you wouldn't have any problem, and perhaps not with DBC depending on how it was coded. I believe "firewall: Your computers first defense" was written in DBC. Check it out on the W.I.P. board. Perhaps ask the author what method he used and if it was in fact DBC. Unless you have hundreds of units on the screen at once, I don't think it will be a problem.

But the keyframe method, can look wuite convincing as well.

~zen


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Arkheii
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 08:58
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In DBC, scrap those 2D sprites. You're better off with actual 3D sprites (plains/billboards that always face the camera) textured with your unit textures, and for the tiles you can use a matrix (Slow, performance-wise, but easy to manipulate), or a "tileset" of mesh models that you sew together to form your map. Your map models can be 3D, but keep the polycount fairly low and make sure to hide any objects that are not in the screen. As a rule, 3D is much faster than 2D when using DBC.

Of course, sprites may be pretty easy to get into, but I wouldn't stick with them for too long. Good luck.

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zenassem
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 10:33 Edited at: 11th Jul 2004 10:34
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True. in fact 2D doesn't take advantage of hardware 3d accelration prior to directX 8, from DX8+ 2d sprites are actually part of direct3d and hence take advantage of 3d hardware acceleration. So DBC would handle 3d objects better than sprites, since it makes call to the directx7 interface.

I have a long history in 2d, and am very comfortable with it, which is the reason I tend to stick to giving advice on 2D games, Sometimes I stick my neck out -- usually to have lopped off by someone who is more familiar with 3D. Arkheii 's suggestion sounds solid to me. I still like keyframe animation, but that's just because I must be getting old. Time to move onto 3D or get left in the wind. Hopefully people like arkheii will help to make my leap somewaht respectable.

(in Dbpro 2D is accelerated making sprites more useful. So I guess I can hang on to them a bit longer. Crutch...)


~Sincerely,
Zenassem


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Gowmars
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 12:08
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ok thanks for your advice. I know 3D well, but I never learned to make 2D games, thats why I was prefering to do it in 3D, to save me the trouble of learning to make games in 2D witch im sure would not be too hard. anyway its good to know I can make it in 3D with out to much worry about slowing down. So thats what im gonna do.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 12:19
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Quote: ". I believe "firewall: Your computers first defense" was written in DBC. "

yeah, and it was real slow too. You can do a quick test to see if you should use 2d or 3d. Load your map area with as many cubes as characters you plan on having. If you can handle cubes, try a model next. If it's too intensive with simple cubes, go 2d.

"eureka" - Archimedes
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Jess T
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Posted: 11th Jul 2004 13:21
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Phaelax,
I found Firewall to be quite efficient for all the special effects that go on at once on-screen.

But, as has already been said, 2D is not very fasy in DBC.

If you can, make really low polygon models, then make some really nice textures, and it should look nice with the minimum amount of polygons on-screen at once

If you come across some problems with regard to speed, have a look at the stickied thread "How Do I speed Up My Game" up the top of this board.
[/Shameless Self-Promotion]

Jess.


Team EOD :: Programmer/Logical Engineer/All-Round Nice Guy
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