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DarkBASIC Professional Discussion / DarkBASIC Professional 6.0 Suggestions

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Advancement Games
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2005 17:15
I think that there should be more built-in math functions and conversions. I am making a fuzzy logic system for my game right now that includes the enemy gettting frightened when the player is in his periferal vision, and I have a formula using radians. I also am using heavy calculus for the game, and I am going to need built-in math functions to make it much easier.
Jess T
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2005 18:11
Gamedev, you do realize that all math functions are made up of '+', '-', '/' and '*', right?

I mean, you can do everything with them, no matter what you're trying to acheive.

If you have lots of radian functions to work with, just make a function that converts from radians to degree's ( It's not hard at all )...

Team EOD :: All-Round Nice Guy
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re faze
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Posted: 23rd Oct 2005 20:11
should be a ghost sprite command for alpha BLENDING for options like brightness and that sort of thing similar to how ghost object brightens the view behind it. and as for the arrays, i enjoy it, the last digit can be parity,or a cache or something.

you dont beat the system. the system beats you.
Advancement Games
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Posted: 24th Oct 2005 00:58
I know, but it is annoying sometimes. You know what? I think I am going to make a dll. One that will do all of the advanced math functions for you. And I will release it for free.
FlydOg
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Posted: 24th Oct 2005 02:14
unbugged
"save/load user type array","make memblock from array/array from memblock" and directly "save/load Memblock" would be great time-saver and every game must-have features. it would greatly increase the value of DBP.


AMD Duron1800+, 256 ddr ram, Gforce2 MX 32mb, 120gb, Windows 2000 advanced server. DBPro1.05. "Sorry for my english" "New to Programming, Anything basic I missed??"
re faze
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Posted: 24th Oct 2005 03:16
i think some sort of fixed length strings should be adopted.

you dont beat the system. the system beats you.
Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 24th Oct 2005 05:39 Edited at: 24th Oct 2005 05:40
Quote: "i think some sort of fixed length strings should be adopted."


That's what I want too (to help with binary file writing).

Like this: Name as string * 30

30 Characters for a player name.

Quickbasic had exact strings in their UDT's... and that was made 14 years ago.
Kenjar
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Posted: 26th Oct 2005 01:52
why does TGC have no control over the IDE out of interest. To state that the software programmers have no control seems both illogical and unlikely.


Run before you can walk, always raise the stakes higher, always keep moving, because you never know who's catching up.
David iz cool
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Posted: 26th Oct 2005 02:32 Edited at: 26th Oct 2005 02:33
Quote: "Sprite Transparency:

Set Sprite Alpha

Works like a charm

use what jrowe said for Objects.

I use C++, and I can't say I've ever used an array that didn't start at 0...
Hell, I've also used PHP, C, and Java... Never once have I used one

David,
Ground Height for X files... Work it out yourself, it's easy... There's lots of tutes around dealing with this, such as making Memblock Matrixes, and terrains etc.

Distance formula in 2D:
d = sqrt((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2)
in 3D:
d = sqrt((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2 + (z2 - z1)^2)
"


thanks,i tried the alpha command-works great.didnt know about this.
someone helped me with walking on an xfile,but i still think this is too hard to do in dbp & should be simplified.--id like a command that automatically handles collisions(moving on top of an xfile command some day.

thanks 4 the distance command also.

off topic: but is there anywhere we can look to see what will be implemented into future versions of dbp??
Jess T
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Posted: 26th Oct 2005 12:31
Kenjar,
The developer of the IDE who was employed by TGC made it entirely closed source, and at one point he totally disapeared ( Personal issues ), and as a result, the source went with him.

The IDE is perfectly usable, and always has been, so there has been no need to update anything. But recently, alot of alternatives have come onto the scene, so it is becoming an increasing issue.

David,
For automatic collissions and the like, get NGC.
There isn't anywhere where we can see what's going to be in U6. Just wait and be surprised

Cheers,
Jess.

Team EOD :: All-Round Nice Guy
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re faze
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Posted: 26th Oct 2005 16:39
will someone please dissassemble that ide!

you dont beat the system. the system beats you.
Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 26th Oct 2005 20:53
Quote: "will someone please dissassemble that ide!"


It's easier to build one from scratch than to do that.
Tallun
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Posted: 27th Oct 2005 03:44
Allow for references of constants in the same include file in which they are declared. My problem in this thread caused me to put down DBP for a while because the (non-existent) solution to this problem was vital to my project.

http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=58281&b=1

Current Projects: The Dark Jewel and SolScript/SolEngine
Black Programmer
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Posted: 27th Oct 2005 03:46
I hope in 6.0 the backspace problem will be fixed
Kenjar
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Posted: 27th Oct 2005 03:56
Then they should build a new one from scratch and make darn sure they manage the code correctly. Allowing that programmer to vanish screams of ameturish management.

And there are problems with the IDE, random crashes are not unknown, I've had files suddanly turn blank for no good reason. It's very vexing to produce a project with more then 20 source code files, click on the "save all" option, load them up the next day and end up hoping to hell that the backups worked and that you didn't loose all the old stuff and end up making it from scrach. (Yes, I know you should aways backup project manually just incase they get screwed up, but the IDE shouldn't save blank files either).

The find utility and goto utility isn't exactly brilliant either. When you get a compile error of "object not found at line 2000" and the goto line number option won't search beyond he file that you have opened on screen, which is not more then 500 lines, it's not very useful.

I'd like to see an option that allows the program lines to run in sequence across multiple files. So for instance, file 1.dba could have 500 lines, then 2.dba could start at 501 and go onto 1000, etc. Everytime one of them is updated then it's taken into account so if 1.dba had code added and is now 600 lines then 2.dba should start at 601 it's either that or produce better errors like "error at line 250 in file 1.dba" which agreed is more of a compiler issue, but it's all part and part of the same thing. Simply abandoning the IDE simply because they can't manage their own personell isn't really acceptable for a company trying to push a professional programming language.

If the IDE was everything everybody wanted then no one would bother making alternative IDE's would they?


Run before you can walk, always raise the stakes higher, always keep moving, because you never know who's catching up.
Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 27th Oct 2005 05:05
Quote: "Allow for references of constants in the same include file in which they are declared. My problem in this thread caused me to put down DBP for a while because the (non-existent) solution to this problem was vital to my project."


It looks to me like you just need to use "array insert" not make anything constant. Of course I may be wrong in what your looking for.

Advancement Games
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Posted: 31st Oct 2005 21:43
\bump. Anything else?
Tallun
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Posted: 31st Oct 2005 23:34
Quote: "It looks to me like you just need to use "array insert" not make anything constant. Of course I may be wrong in what your looking for."


Of course there are workarounds, but my coding style and the way the included files were linked together (as well as a few factors that I could remember at the time but can't remember now) dictated that I should use constants as parameters, and in the file in which I tried to put them.

I don't remember enough exact details about the incident to give you any more than that, and I've scrapped what code I had anyway to code it in C++. I haven't given up on DBP, though. I still use it occassionally, and plan to pick it up again fully for a different purpose later.

Current Projects: The Dark Jewel and SolScript/SolEngine
Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 1st Nov 2005 08:26 Edited at: 1st Nov 2005 08:29
Quote: "bump. Anything else? "



I know I heard this on the forums from somebody but I don't remember who... i've slept since then.

They said that we will "soon" have the ability to write strings to memblocks. I know through my experiments it can be done by converting each character in the string to bytes... but are we really going to get that command to make it easier (as in on one line rather than a for/next loop writing each character in the string)?... and is it going to be in the next update?
Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 1st Nov 2005 08:46
Quote: "I don't remember enough exact details about the incident to give you any more than that, and I've scrapped what code I had anyway to code it in C++. I haven't given up on DBP, though. I still use it occassionally, and plan to pick it up again fully for a different purpose later."


It's ok... as long as you haven't totally given up on Darkbasic.
mousequik
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Posted: 1st Nov 2005 14:36
hi

is it possible to have a new command for DBpro please ?

SET MATRIX RANGE matrix number,near value,far value

bye
Advancement Games
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Posted: 1st Nov 2005 21:31
Cya
Matt Rock
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Posted: 1st Nov 2005 23:17
Ten things that would make DBP a better meal...

1) ICONS - No matter how much we talk about it this problem hasn't gone away. We shouldn't need to use external solutions for an internal problem. Icons should have a native solution that's responsive and doesn't mess up colors and whatnot. Black & White icons don't work for every project!

2) Shaders - It's already been said but "eh"

3) Faster compiling

4) Smaller EXE's

5) Better Collision Detection

6) Better Multiplayer - It's buggy and problems shouldn't need to be fixed using DLL's. Well, some problems anyway.

7) More responsive text handling - make a scrolling credits screen to see exactly what I'm talking about

8) Fuzzy Dice

9) Cupholder

10) Spoiler

"Hell is an Irish Pub where it's St. Patrick's Day all of the time." ~ Christopher, *The Soprano's*
Hell Dragon
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Posted: 1st Nov 2005 23:23
The only thing I want in DBP 6.0 is Better 2D support/commands!!!

SirFire
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 03:30
I'd like to see in 6.0:
-error messages that actually tell you something.
-a help system documenting in detail all parameters of all commands, and more specific examples.
-an IDE that doesn't randomly wipe files.
-a functioning debugger.
-ability to pass data to/from dll's byRef.
-tcp/ip commands. directplay has too many limitations.
-absence of current bugs

David iz cool
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Location: somewhere lol :P
Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 04:50 Edited at: 2nd Nov 2005 04:52

i really think dbp needs a distance command to check the distance between 2 objects.

i know i can use:

(note: ex,ey,ez = object 1 x,y,z

ox#=ex#-object position x(6)`6 is the 2nd object...
oy#=ey#-object position y(6)`ex is x position of player
oz#=ez#-object position z(6)

distance = sqrt((ox#*ox#)+(oy#*oy#)+(oz#*oz#))


if distance<20
do whatever
endif

but i dont like typing all this for each & every object i want to check the distance for..

i use checking for distances alot in the games i make,especially for enemys..

& a command like this would really make my life easier!

if distance(object1,object2)< 3 then do whatever

please include this,i really want this.
Oneka
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 05:02
BLeh the only thing that I want is

ICONS to be fixed everything else iam good with

for example I used Blueide to change the icon worked fine but when the exe is viewed standalone the icon is distorted...but when you run it..in the top bar it looks fine...so I dunno what to think...

Making better games everday!
Oh yeah and just so you know its Oh-nek-a not One-ka!
CJB
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 06:20
How about some really fast bitwise shift and rotate commands? - Or maybe the ability to code assembly in-line!

Lost in Thought
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 07:46
@David iz cool Have a look at vectors and make a function to call for checking the distances like Get_Dist(obj1, obj2) with a return value for the distance. Then all you have to do is call that each time.

David iz cool
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 09:24
Quote: "@David iz cool Have a look at vectors and make a function to call for checking the distances like Get_Dist(obj1, obj2) with a return value for the distance. Then all you have to do is call that each time.
"


well, i still dont understand how that would work.lets say i wanted to check the distance between my player 'object 1' and a table in room 58,'object 1150'. how would the function be coded to work??

what i mean is how do u tell dbp which objects to check the distance for???
Lost in Thought
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 10:21
@David iz cool : This is untested, but is based on a code posted by spooky so it should work.



Kenjar
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 11:19
A Voxel engine of some kind that allows for the generation of destructable landscapes would be great.


Run before you can walk, always raise the stakes higher, always keep moving, because you never know who's catching up.
CJB
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 12:17
You could use CSG to destruct your landscapes - bit processor hungry though.

Kenjar
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 12:58
Exactly, but voxel is a more processor friendly method. The fact is voxel is relitively light on processing, but because GPU's are pretty much designed around polygon tech it's squeesed better technologies out of the market. Check out the voxel thread on the board, there's links there to voxel game engines, while the graphics a blocky it runs extreamly smoothly even when you are blasting chunks of land part. I did not notice a single stutter or shudder that is pretty much the norm with polygons. It would also provide something that no one else does. Blitz basic certainly doesn't have voxel technology, and it would help keep DBP on top.


Run before you can walk, always raise the stakes higher, always keep moving, because you never know who's catching up.
ThomasFN
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 14:27
Quote: "* It would be nice to have a serial object for RS232/Serial communication support.
"

can't you do that with multiplayer commands?

e.g

Do a checklist for connections, and find one thats direct play serial provider something?

If you go to start\run and put dxdiag then goto direct play tab you will find serial provider in the list

Shogun Blackbrunei
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 14:59 Edited at: 2nd Nov 2005 15:00
Hmm I remember I once wanted to use the intersect object command on a .x model I used as a map... Works just fine until you rescale the map, maybe this can be improved (more accurate)

Kenjar
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 15:19
A 64-bit compiler and upgrading 6.0 to run on the upcomming 64-bit Operating systems.


Run before you can walk, always raise the stakes higher, always keep moving, because you never know who's catching up.
re faze
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 15:45
Quote: "i really think dbp needs a distance command to check the distance between 2 objects."

*cough* user function *cough*



David iz cool
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 18:30
thankyou lost in thought & greed!

im going to try & include that function into my game.


why does every suggestion i come up with for dbp get shot down??? lol :p

is it because i dont know what dbp is already capable of???
Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 2nd Nov 2005 20:28 Edited at: 2nd Nov 2005 20:33
Quote: "why does every suggestion i come up with for dbp get shot down??? lol :p

is it because i dont know what dbp is already capable of??? "


I'm with you man.

A quote of myself (the entire message is two pages back):
Quote: "I propose 3 commands and 1 command add-on:

open as binary filenumber,filename$
^ This allows reading or writing in a file without the need to close the file

read binary filenumber,variable (usually UDT),bytes to start
^ This reads all the data at once if it's a UDT... the bytes to start is optional... if it's not there Darkbasic assumes start at byte 1

write binary filenumber,variable (usually UDT),bytes to start
^ Same syntax but for writing data

PlayerName as string * 25
^ This tells Darkbasic that the string PlayerName is 25 characters. This is vital for read/write binary to work properly. There is no need to write code to take the string down/up to 25 characters. No matter what you say PlayerName equals it automatically add spaces or removes characters till it's 25 characters only."


When I got shot down I was told memblocks do everything I want. So fair enough... I switched my experiments to working with memblocks. When I looked at the help files for memblocks it looked great but it's basically the same problem... granted it does allow reading/writing at the same time so that's a plus. And I love how fast it is at writing huge files within mere seconds.

But if I have a UDT that's 80 different variables I still have to have 80 lines of code to write the data and 80 more lines of code to read that data from the memblock... so it's the same "hard way" just in a different form. My suggestions could reduce reading/writing a chunk of data based on the UDT to one single line... no matter how many variables are in the UDT.

After working with memblocks for just a few minutes I noticed the inability to write strings to memblocks. I eventually discovered that it's possible but only by writing each character in the string as a byte. The best way to do that is a for/next loop to get each character and write the asc() of that character into the memblock.

So the grand solution to my problem solves one thing, keeps it the same on another annoyance, and requires that I write even more code because there is no "write memblock string" command. As a result I stick with my original request for 3 new commands and 1 add-on... but I am dealing with it until TGC decide to make it easier for all of us.
Morcilla
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Posted: 4th Nov 2005 12:38
To tell the truth I missed the other day a command like

SET VECTOR3 TO OBJECT ORIENTATION

But there's always workarounds. Maybe I didn't had enough
Hell Dragon
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Posted: 4th Nov 2005 14:45
Quote: "SET PIXELPERFECTCOLLISION, SPRITE"


Kenjar
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Posted: 4th Nov 2005 20:38
It's something that's never likely to happen given how dependant DBP is on Direct X, but I'd love to see DBP go multiplatform. I've just been reading about the Torque game engine, it's only drawback is that it relys on C Script rather then BASIC. But if DarkBASIC Pro went over to OpenGL and OpenAL, it opens up support for the Apple Mac Market, Linux and Windows. It could even open the market up for some games consoles as well. The GPX2 is a linux based platform that looks quite cool.

So OpenGL + OpenAL support with compilers for Mac, Linux and Windows.


Run before you can walk, always raise the stakes higher, always keep moving, because you never know who's catching up.
2D Analyst
AGK Developer
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Posted: 4th Nov 2005 20:47
Dark Basic Pro shouuld have a better intellisense such as microsoft visual studio!!!!!!!!

eatfishy
Hell Dragon
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Posted: 5th Nov 2005 04:14 Edited at: 5th Nov 2005 19:38
DB 6.0 also needs:

New/better IDE
Icon Changer
Better Documentations
More Tutorials
More commands



Advancement Games
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Posted: 5th Nov 2005 18:33
Icon Changer
Full Physics/Collision system
New Model Types support
New IDE
New Help System
Object Oriented Support
Tutorials that matter
Zotoaster
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Posted: 7th Nov 2005 22:28
Maybe something like in C++, where you can load up the command set that you use. Would speed up the program alot

Oh, and get rid of the work 'basic', makes it sound like a toy


Advancement Games
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Posted: 7th Nov 2005 22:44
I think that the product should be renamed. I think it should also be more cscriptish with the same easy to use functions, but much more advanced ones that include everything you will need.
Zotoaster
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Posted: 7th Nov 2005 22:49
oh, and maybe, syntax highlight any commands that call functions.. speaking of which, maybe be able to have spaces in the function name, i.e. not custom_function(), but custom function()


David iz cool
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Posted: 9th Nov 2005 17:47
ok,i currently just want one small command:

get ground height for an xfile.

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