Times of War Development Team

[Sastraxi]

It's been a long time since we've first set out Times of War. Many things on this post were irrelevant. Feel free to skip to the last page(s) and view what's been going on with Times of War. You're also welcome to ask any questions you like, regarding Times of War.

Remember to watch the news ticker at the bottom of my signature. That's all for now, make sure to visit the website when I say there's an update. Very soon we will have a fully automated website, which I'm sure will make it a lot easier to post news, etc.

The ToW website currently is http://www.crystal-rain.com/

[parksie]

What? Ooops...sorry, I'm a bumbling fool

[Zaei]

You didnt list Gameplay, or AI, but i guess that will fit into "Putting it all together" =).

Z.

[Sastraxi]

Yeah, there's another spot to be filled thanks to Zaei (I wonder who will sign up? )

• Gameplay, AI, interface (training units, upgrading, attacking, moving, building buildings, etc.)

[Zaei]

I already signed up =).

Z.

[anoop007]

Someone to help me put the whole thing together (programming)

Shall i do that?

[Arbiter]

Bumble bumble,

Oooh, hi guys!

Ignore me - Im just a fool bumbling around.

Well, I'm neither a member, nor (as explained) have the time to join, but I can hover around your thread as it's just next door to the Sentience thread and post comments and ideas...

That is, if you want me too. If you'd rather I didn't come back in here in case I'm practising industrial espionage then let me know....

Some thoughts - you may benefit from Behemoth and I's experience in working on Sentience.

You may want to create a manual as you're working on the game so when you post versions for testing (ala Sentience) people understand what's happening. I didn't and most people still don't understand what's supposed to be happening in the game.

Document everything and give them version numbers. It'll be tedious but will pay dividend in the long run.

Make sure everyone has a list of things they're supposed to be working on and they know exactly where they're up to at all times. If you ever hear the words 'I thought you were doing that' you know you're in trouble.

Make it as modular as possible. Make a general framework to hold the game together and then allow for the addition of modules to add functionality. We did with Sentience and although it took 8 months to build a solid framework, look at the speed we're adding functionality now.

Define all the variables at the beginning. Something we should have done. I find myself now with redundant variables and missing some I really would have wanted. Same with formulae.

OK, I'll leave you in peace now. Dunno if what I've said is of any help but good luck with it.

[Sastraxi]

Anoop007
I would love to have you on our team!
The part you are taking place in involves things such as making the menus and GUI functional, making sure the game works, fixing bugs, etc. If you find anything that needs to be done, but nobody else does it, that's your job. I am also a "Putting everything together" programmer, although I am also putting in the database -> UDT code, and Zaei seems to want to do the Gameplay and AI.

Arbiter

Those are the kinda things I want to hear! Thank you for letting our team learn from your mistakes. In the credits you will surely be there! I am making a manual right now to let people know how the game works. I will probably need some gfx first, but I don't know whether to go Diamond-Tile or Square-Tile. I'm not sure what to use....

Thank you all for your constructive ideas.

[CyberCarsten]

I have good skills in VB programming, and I'm learning Windows/DirectX programming in C++. I sure hope you can use me on your team! I have always dreamt of being a member on a game team!

[parksie]

If development is still going at mid-July then I'd love to help on any C++-related stuff

[Sastraxi]

Okay: We've got some programmers now:

• VB programmer to do main DDraw loop. - Nobody!!!
• 3D modelers (preferably with 3DSMax) to make models from 2d unit gfx (low priority) - Nobody!!!
• Gameplay, AI, interface (training units, upgrading, attacking, moving, building buildings, etc.) - Zaei
• Someone to help me put the whole thing together (programming) - Anoop007
• C Programmer to make a DLL compatible with VB that blits on the GUI. - PsyVision

We need a VB programmer to do the graphics for in the game! I also need a 3D modeller to make some graphics for the movies, such as the intro movie, the finish movie, and the defeat movie, etc.

I am also glad to announce that we will be using WarMaster's D3D engine to render all of the frames for movies and such.

So... anyone else want to sign up? (we need a full team)

Anyways, here's what I want you guys to do in the meantime:

PsyVision - I want a DLL that allows you to input an hDC/Filename to the DLL and it will blit it.
Zaei - Since you have the database, could you make a module that calculates damage? The damage is:

Health - (Random (1/2 of Attack) to (Attack))

I know it's not much to do but it will keep you occupied for about 5 minutes.

Anoop007 - I'm going to email you a database and I need you to write some MODULE ONLY code to access the database and input it into a UDT. (no controls involved.) I'll email you also the specific details.

If I didn't mention you here, ASK ME what you are supposed to do!

vb.den@gmx.co.uk

[CyberCarsten]

What should I do??

[Sastraxi]

What part did you want to take part in?

[CyberCarsten]

I would prefer AI and interface, but I'll take what ever you through at me! (if I can of course! )

[PsyVision]

Allright, if i'm correct (hehe) you require me to create a Dll in C++ that will aloow you to specify a hDC and a filename. The Dll should then open the file and blit it to the specified hDC ?

P.s Sastraxi - When oh when do you go on ICQ ?

[parksie]

Just been talking to him on MSN...you should use either that or Trillian, so you can get on ICQ, Yahoo, and MSN simultaneously.

[Sastraxi]

ICQ 84479333, but I reinstalled my computer and am not gunna get it (bugs galore!), so get me on MSN:

sastraxi@hotmail.com

[Zaei]

Eek. I have a job. Sorry, havent been on this thing all
day.

Sas, Should the "Health" part in your algo be
TOTAL health, or CURRENT? Ive used current health in a
game before, as sort of a fatigue measurement (ie, the
player or enemy could only do damage up to thier
current health). Mind, that game was on some severe
memory restrictions (30K< Sourcecode, It was a TI 83
game =), but it works. Anyway, let me know what you
want me to do, or whatever. I can probably be more
reliably contacted at either my home email(dec-
arrowflight@home.com) or k0k0_krispies@yahoo.com.
And that goes for anyone else on the team too =).

Z.

[Zaei]

Oh yeah, go with Diamond tiles. Iso engines Rock =).

Z.

[wazup guys]

ummmmmmmmm
to make a lorg story short im willing to do the visual basic part if noone has signed up for it. antways someone has to do it. but i would like to have some one work with me on this if its gets really complicated
u can reach me at my email address which is
below and probaly the only way of communicating with me ecept here, and if im excepted i will never forget this

i surf the web mostly at night and during school in comp class


oh u all forgot one thing howabout multiplayer and that kind of tihs

[Sastraxi]

Okay Zaei - These units are the TEMPLATES for units. Therefore Base Health values are the maximum health. I added the Max. Health because if some units were upgraded too much (not trained) they could become more powerful then other units.

When you create a unit in the game, they also have current health properties, X, Y, and several other state properties.

Wazup Guys
Great! If you are willing to do the VB Ddraw loop, then you are welcome to do so. As long as you have [at least some] experience on Game Development, you are welcome to join. Just note that you will need no VB skills if you are modelling the 3D images [also note that this is low-priority and is only used for the movies and such].

Multiplayer will be supported but we will only do that when we have completed single player. Also there will be a map editor, but after multiplayer. Users will be able to decide between Real-World, Fantasy, and their own (custom names for units and buildings) settings for the maps. There will also probably be a campaign editor, but note that this is all in the future, and is optional.

[Sastraxi]

Okay... Remember Warcraft I? That's about what we're going for right now, but when it's finished it should be more or less Starcraft .

[wazup guys]

ok let me know this right now witch is more important
vb ddrawloop, or the 3d images cause i dont want to waist time if u know what i mean

let me know if i understand this right that u want 3d images to be viewed as 2d

when u said that the final product will be like star craft did u mean graphics or the over game style

[Sastraxi]

I mean the whole game will be DDraw, but the Intro Movie will be rendered with DirectX (cause of all the nifty features), so that's why I need 3D models based off of 2D sprites.

2D images and the DDraw loop are more important.

[Zaei]

Sas, I read something about Multiplayer on flipcode or
gamedev.net. Pretty much the warning that I
remember went something along the lines of If you dont
design the code from the beginning with networking in
mind, you will most likely have to rewrite most of the
code to add it. It makes sense, so if we are going to
have multiplayer, we should integrate as the game
progresses, not at the end. Just my 2 cents, but i think
its good advice.

Also, while im at it, I think that we all need to see some
design docs, as soon as possible, so we all know where
we are going, and so we all share a common vision.
WIthout that, the game will be all higgldy piggldy(ahh,
what an expression that is =). Thats 4 cents for you,
there =).

Z.

[Jorj]

Sastraxi et al.,

I would be willing to work on the aforementioned manual if you so wish. I can also help with unit, building, and upgrade titles.

[PsyVision]

Sas, do u wish for the DLL to use direct x to blit (i hope so coz it will be quicker, i shall do the basic function then add some more to blit using a clear color (transparency) and to have fast blit as well)

Multiplay - Build it in as we go, but maybe comment out the parts until we have single player going, not sure there though.

Keep It O-O-P As Much As Possible

[Sastraxi]

Yes, and I also want to have it so when you add an hDC or Filename, (such as BlitBottomGameGUI Pic1.hDC) all PURE MAGENTA (255, 0, 255), that colour is transparent.

Can you do that?

[PsyVision]

ok, this is what i can do so far, u specfy a bitmap file and a direct draw surface, the height, width of the image and it creates the surface from the image.

I got a vb exmaple that does CreateSurfaceFromFile and Fast blitting, i shall stick some code together tomorrow

[PsyVision]

Right, i have called the DLL System.dll Unreal Torny Style

[PsyVision]

Direct X 7 yeah ?

[Sastraxi]

Yes it will be DX7 cuz I dont like the way that they do DDraw (pseudo-ddraw) in DX8. Another Q: How big should the tiles be? They are diamond-shaped, and the screen can be 640x480, 800x600, or 1024x768. What pixel size should the bounding-box be? (actual image size)

[wazup guys]

that manual to me sounds really nice when u get it i want a copy to help give me a starting point so i dont start at the wrong point

[Sastraxi]

Tomorrow I will be starting the manual (Jorj too) and also be making the development notes (RTF format)

[wazup guys]

let us know when ur done

[Zaei]

Was just playing around in paint, and 100x50 seems to be a good Tile BB, at 1024x768. You could scale that down for the other resolutions, as well.

Z.

[wazup guys]

i would like to know were does every body live thats working in this prog

[anoop007]

me from Trivandrum, Kerala, India

[wazup guys]

i need to know the tile size for all screen resolution or a formula i can use to determan it myself.
i also need the max number of men on the screen
i also need the max number of buildings there has to be one
this will give me some things to play with so i can get started
i have a bunch of things down on paper id like to start on
i also need a shape for the tiles

[Zaei]

Diamond tiles, 100x50 at 1024x768 resolution looks good. The max number of men on screen is the number that can fit =). My big question is why a max on the buildings? If its not on the screen, you could just not draw it (give each building a RECT bounding box, then use the intersectrect API to check it its on the screen).

Z.