RPGs - Map file?

Quote:

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Originally posted by HarryW
That's what I mean, use UDTs but not class modules.

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I disagree with this. When using classes, you have the advantage of methods, events as well as properties. This way, you can have all your "Player Oriented" code organized in 1 module.

Well for a newbie it would be easier to just start with UDT's, what Harry said, and i agree myself even if classes would be a better solution this time

Yes, I think it's probably a good idea to get procedural programming fairly clear before you start using class modules. From a functional point of view class modules are useful, but, well... it's like Kedaman said.

Hey, Drewski, I was looking at that Keldon game and noticed you were using a .map file. How did you create it?

I'm not drewski but i can tell you have a map file is stored...
1. You have a header with the general info, usually just some fixed length of parameters most important Width and Height of the map.Maybe you could add up map name and description, spritecount and info about other layers but that can be done in a later map version. Also if you have many parameters you can store them in a UDT
2. The map data, easy for one or two dimensioned arrays with one layer as you can just store them as you specified the size in the header. Several layers can be written in the same multidimensioned array or separate, just remember the order.
3. Sprites, scripts, game and other data that might be stored in dynamical arrays. Not nessesary to start with either.

A simple example:

Code:

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Open File for Binary as #1
    Put #1,,Width
    Put #1,,Height
    Put #1,,Map
Close #1

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Whereas declarations should be

Code:

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Private Map() as byte 'a dynamical 1 or 2 dimensioned array
Private Height as byte 'huge maps are inefficient when it comes to coordination
Private Width as byte 'therefore we store these in byte datatypes

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I cannot explain how much farther I have gotten because of this form!! I would like to say, Thank you. But... I have another question, lol! Fox, I have been looking at your animation demo and have figured out how to make a "replica" of it. Well, I changed the character... The only thing is...It won't tile. The screen looks like it isn't refreshing. How do I make the grass tile and the ugly smudge go away?

Thanks!

I think your problem is that you dont clear the buffer. In my demo I draw the grass tiles each frame, meaning I just overdraw the whole last player. Hope this helps ;)

How do I clear it?

You can use a simple Cls or if you need it faster try the FillRect API... dunno how fast they are, I don't need to clear my buffer ;)

Why don't you have to clear yours?

I think what he means is he redraws all the tiles again on the buffer, then draws the character ontop. If you're redrawing the whole background every time you don't need to clear the buffer, you can just overwrite it.

Exactly. ;)

Ok... I've spent a day trying to figure out how to overwrite it. lol it some code and is it in the animation demo?

To see a picture of the problem goto:
http://www.geocities.com/spie_12345/problem.html

Looks like the tileset is missing, or at least only two tiles are showing their precense

Um, please excuse me if I am rude in some way.. I was just suspended from a game because a Gamemaster was abusing their power, but, I tryed turning autoredraw off(just for the fun of it) and it showed the part of the form around the tile. lol I was really cool lookin'. I dunno if this has anything to do with it but...hey! :)

Spie

As I remember in my demo is only one background tile, so did you try to add more tiles? If not you probably deleted some parts of the draw sub so it doesn't draw all tiles or something..

Well, what background do you exactly need by the way? If it should be white you can use a simple clear screen before calling the draw sub...

Uh... right now I'm just trying to get the structure of the game down. Is there an easy way to add like a building or a tree?

Ah, well you could either use spites layer or a another map layer ;) Go check Fox der-zirkel engine on how to blit transparent layers.

Hey Fox I have another question...lol
I downloaded your scrolling demo (which is also a really big help) and saw a section fromthe code that may solve my problem. It is the section that randomizes the map.
( For A = 0 To MapW
For B = 0 To MapH
Map(A, B) = (picTile.Count - 1) * Rnd 'Randomize tile in map
Next
Next)
I changed the - to a + and almost the same thing happend in the demo as my game. So I tryed to put the code in my game. I defined everything but one thing. the picTile.count. Where do I define that?

picTile is the picture box (control array) where I hold my tiles in. You can replace this by the number of tiles loaded in your game to this time ;).

Replace the "picTile.count"? That is where I am getting my error.