You could have an owner property just like they have in VB.
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You could have an owner property just like they have in VB.
Well, I am using the established methods of operating on objects (through their handles), so all I have to work with is a Message function, and it's parameters. When one of the buttons gets a message, it will get it's parent's handle, and send a message to it (DM_SCROLLUP or DM_SCROLLDOWN). When that parent gets that message, It will move the thumb, and use a new method I added last night, called GetExtraData(). It is a single DWORD (enough to hold one handle), that can be anything you want. At the moment, I am using it to swap the texture handles used in the close button, and now it will be a handle to the textbox. Simple, huh? =).
Z.
It looks like it's going to work that way! But, is there any way to tell what kind of extra data something holds?
Practically no-one can join your little game now...
There are too many previous posts to read :eek:
Ah ! Its possible like for a modeller. Once the design doc is done or with some talking with zaei / sastraxi it is possible ot get a general jist of whats going on and where were aiming to head with this project :D
"little" game? =).
No, Sas, there is no way to know what is actualy inside of the extra data. You have to know =).
Z.
Ok then, well Massive game
(the thread is at least :p)
That's more like it =)
Heh, Igor, what model do you think you'll start?
And HEY! He's back on the hoop(just formatted and reinstalled
-> got my internet connection back :p). I was thinking of doing the trick of creating a lizardman, but I'm not sure. I have A LOT to do, so if you hired another modeller or if we could get anymore contact with CBOMB, I would be very pleased.
Unfortunately, it seems he's lost interest....
If you did the lizardman that would be awesome.
I'm doing a complete overhaul of the site with my new best buddy, Flash 5 >=)
It'll have a blue, white and silver colour scheme, instead of the black, gold, and silver colour scheme that we currently have. It will have the top frame (navigation), and then the bottom frame. The only flash stuff will be the top navigation frame. And so far it's only 9kb (about 60% complete)!
Anyways, post your views, comments, criticism as always, this one will still be ASP, just a bit different. I'm also changing my selection of fonts from Tahoma, Tahoma, and Tahoma *grin* to Verdana and CastleTLig. There may also be some GoudyHandtooledBT in there for titles.
I'll start the look again for another modeller, Igor!
Someone good with creation and assigning textures would be great, Sas.
Well, I have the basic parts of the scroll bar working, but it wont draw them in the right place(the thumb and buttons wont draw in the correct positions). Then, all that really needs doing in the Window UI is the display box.
Z.
Here's a little view of the nav bar at the top now, I've dropped menus and I think this looks smart.
Freaking NICE! Go Sas!
Z.
Oh, and I fixed the button rendering last night. Now, I have to fix the thumb up.
Z.
Please read through :D
I wonder, Zaei. Since you know so much about DX8...The graphics part, of course.. Is there an easy explanation and overview that will make people, who is interrested of course, UNDERSTAND what they're doing whe writing code? Anywhere? Or is it necessary to buy a book or something?
And, who here is good with AI? Kamikaze is out of school at the moment, so I guess it wil be Jorj, right? I've searched around for the A* algorithm. I've read a couple of pages, but I can't really understand what it is. You have something that can clear me up? How does it work? How to use it, etc...
I have trouble installing 3ds max 4 in windows XP. That is my greatest problem right now, but I'm looking for updates/patches or anything I can find.
And Zaei, one more thing. How long have we got with the engine? Will we be able to implement models'n stuff soon?
Sas, I'm thinking of the game aspects. How similiar will the races be? Can we clear this out once and for all? Please come to MSN every once in a while. It would be nice to have real-time contact, because this forum is sort of stressing.
Thank you for reading this! :D
Most tutorials really dont do a good job of explaining the why of things. The only really sure way is to write a lot of code, and just mess around with it. When you find a bug, you try to fix it. This is where the real understanding comes in. While trying to fix a bug, you have to learn, first, why the bug occurs, and then you can figure out how to fix it. With DIrectX specifically, VB is a very frusterating platform to fix bugs in, because all you will get with DX is an Automation Error, which could mean just about anything. In C++, you will get a large number of debug messages that tell you what is going on. Many books on the subject will tell you do do something, and then actually explain it later, so a book might be good. If you would like, I could try to write something up in my spare time to put up on the web page =).
I am probably going to be doing the actual AI programming, while Jorj will be distilling the behaviors to be implemented. A* is a pathfinding algorithm that, given an area to search, will examine the start node, and find the next node that appears to be the most promising to get to the destination. This repeats, until the goal node is found, or all nodes in the area are searched and it is determined that the goal is unreachable.
The engine is coming along nicely! It is extremely stable, and memory efficient. Most everything I am writing at the moment is going straight into the UI component of the engine. In fact, mostly I am just writing components that utilize precreated objects. For example, the scroll bar is just a base window, a down button, and up button, and a thumb. Each are windows, so I just use the window creation function 4 times, and leave it. It is very effective. Models will come after I get UI clicks to transition into world space.
Sas, I just have one more thing to say about the new page... If you make the page background white, Ill hurt you =).
Z.
Ah, the races...
I envision them as being distinct enough to have non-interchangeable strategies, but no more. Anyone else on this?
Sounds fine to me Jorj.
Z.
Well, the scroll bar thumb works now =). Now I just have to implement the actual functionality of scrolling =).
Z.
When we will be able to test that game ?
Heheh... I wasn't... I was- I was just- (quickly changes #FFFFFF to #006599)Quote:
If you make the page background white, Ill hurt you =).
Well the actual BACKGROUND is that bluey colour, but the text is in a white rounded rectangle.
=). I like the bluey color.
Z.
The menu is coooool :)
DaoK, I should have the UIDemo up and running in less then 2 or 3 weeks. It will be a public demo.
Z.
COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOl so many time you work on that project !!! :)
That menu thing kicks ass. Sorry i didnt replied earlier coz mt was being a dick burger. Anyways, the UI thing sounds to be doing good Zaei :D.
I'm just afraid that we are making them too similar, both visually and technicly. If you have a large collection of so similar civs, I'm afraid it will be no wondering on which civ to choose. And if the races arre so alike, how can we create different strategies? It's all so complex, and I think we really have'nt given it enhough thought. I don't know, Sas. I'm just thinking of the best for the game.Quote:
Originally posted by Jorj
Ah, the races...
I envision them as being distinct enough to have non-interchangeable strategies, but no more. Anyone else on this?
Zaei, that would be great. The biggest problem I've got about DX is that I don't know what the model is supposed to look like. I mean, how it's built up. You probably understand what I mean. A book is not actually cheap, and I have to travel 20 km to a university in order to find myself a good book on this topic. If you could make something that is explaining alot, I would be very greatful, and if you could grant me permission to ask about anything anytime, I would be quite happy too. Another thing. You mentioned VB was not a very good debugging software. But I've also heard alot about that it is quite slow. Is this true? Or just bulls**t? I mean, it is, but is there such an enormous difference that I am advised not to code it in VB? Because if not, I will have to learn C++ in a hurry :P
I was thinking of races that would be engineered to different playing styles. Thus, they wouldn't be easy between which to choose.
When speaking of VB alone, it is slow. In fact, it is slower then DScript (the scripting language I wrote for this game). But, since DirectX is written in C++/Assembly, it is very fast to do drawing routines, etc, because you are really just calling a very fast function to do your work. It gets slow when you try to add advanced logic in between your drawing. It isnt very noticible unless you are doing some serious computations, on several objects every update, but it is there. C++ has been clocked at several hundred times as fast as VB. VB's strength is really in it's ease of GUI design, and database access.
All in all, yes, VB is slow, but I would not recommend that someone should just drop it, and move to C++.
I will try to get something written up for you in my spare time. What would you like me to explain, or should I just start from the basics like setting up a Direct3D Device? (I am assuming DX8 here, by the way =). And yes, of course you can ask me questions whenever you like =).
I have added a new option to the UI, so that we can now have flat style controls (not 3D, with a thin black border. Looks pretty nice).
Z.
Jorj: But how are you intending to do that, when you're dealing with identical units?
Zaei: Um, what I will want to know is how it's built up. I mean the 'model'. Is there a specific type of construction? And how to build the simplest engine EVER. ONLY the MOST VITAL settings. And of course: Well explained WHY the settings are there, WHAT they do and maby some background knowledge if you find it necessary.
You have an own homepage or anything where you can post what you're writing?
The model that DirectX is built on? Of a character model =)? I jsut want to clarify. I will probably post this to the web page when it is done.
We will have different types of AI, so that the behaviors will be different. One civ may rush, while another sits back and waits for the other to finish each other off. This makes the units act differently, and, with a few cosmetic changes, units can look a bit different, too.
Z.
In single-play, yes. But in multi-play...And your civ. You will have to play 'the same' civ through the whole game.
DX: What I mean with 'the model' is how the whole thing is constructed. Or more correctly: How the damn thing works! It miht be alot, but just feed me the basics at first, ok?
There will also be specific bonus and minus attributes for each race. And... don't you normally play with the same race throughout a campaign?
You won't be playing the same civilization through the entire game. You will get a chance to play each and every civilization, and each will be attempting it's own goals.
In multi player, as in single player, each unit will also have its own AI, feelings, etc. Units CAN disobey orders, retreat, break, rush headlong into battle in a frenzy, etc. It's one of the things that will make our game unique =).
As for the tutorial things, I get what you mean now. I will probably start out with some small things, comparisons with OGL, the basic model of it all, and how to set it up correctly. Then I will move on, perhaps with Vertex Buffers and Index Buffers, and the basic Drawing routines. After that, I will try to get into the basic engine tutorial. After that, who knows?
Sas, In the info section of the web site, add a "Programming: section, where I can post tutorials, as well as any info that Mod Makers will need, etc. Something like the Programming section of the Lionhead web site.
Z.
Yes... but I intend to have you play the same race throughout a campaign; I didn't like the way they had it in Total Annihilation: Kingdoms or anything like that.
You wont have to switch teams during a campaign. That would be just weird =).
Z.
I just got kinda boggled up when you said that =)Quote:
You won't be playing the same civilization through the entire game.
=). Game does not equal campaign =).
Z.
By the way, the web site is down...
Z.