Times of War Development Team

Awsome, Psy =). The installer rocks =).

I posted my picture a while back in ChitChat, and it went into the Picture Collage.

Z.

Ok, I have been doing a bit of thinking today, and I have tried to get a conceptual breakdown of object types. What I ahve come up with is Units, Buildings, Resources(trees, mines, or what have you), and Misc(things laying around a map, like rocks, etc). Anything else?

Z.

That seems to be good...

Bugs Fixed

Fixed Start Menu/Desktop Shortcut creation problems.

Fixed Start Menu/Desktop Removal problems.

Remaining Bugs

Not removing folders even though ive coded it to.

Not removing Start Menu folder even though its coded to

(Should be fixed later today).

hmmm, found why i cant delete folders, its setitng them to read only for some gay reason. gotta make it set them to normal first. tried it and it hasnt worked so i gotta look into it more.

Great going, Psy =).

Z.

I fixed the application folder removal.

Still having problems with the later, tho im working on a solution.

A few more minor bugs have been fixed.

You can now specify either a remote or local script to be execute via explorer, ie u can do:

tow://install:C:\here.tws

or

tow://install:http://www.tow.com/here.tws"

also, when typing an url ie sometimes is gay and adds a / to the end. this is now fixed :D

okay, i got the license working :D

Nice work, Psy =).

I got units rendering... Will do some more tomorrow (ive got a bit of time free =).

Z.

heh, this board keeps changing around. new smilies look kewl :D

I got the readme viewing working. i decided to be gay and not want to work.

Still having a small trouble removing the folder from the start menu :(

I put in a little switch that allows the program to be compiled using the external file access routines from my C++ dll or using vb methods (incase it ever needs to be changed for more C++ functionality to be added) - the wonders of #if/#end if

attached is the latest version of the installer. i want u guys to run it with the script (attached in the zip) and test it for me. install some of it. pause it and exit. run it again and see that its working. use the uninstall methods (control panel/built in) basically if u guys could do a rigorous check and lemme kno bout bugs :D / improvements.

Zaei - i havent done the image changes yet. i will work on that next week as im away this weekend at a gig in london :D wohooo

Also, someone has to get me a new icon for the Hub exe Asap pleazzzze!

I just get a "Cannot Parse Script" Error.

Z.

yea i seemed to have deleted the script lol. when it finishes the install it deletes it erm. ill post a new one when i fixed it.

Code:

---


[Script]
Type=1
Version=1.0

[Server]
Address=www.crystal-rain.com
Port=80

[Install]
Directory=${ProgramFiles}\${Company}\${Name}\
License=http://127.0.0.1:8080/Install/License.txt
Method=Internet

[Group]
Name=${Name}

[Application]
Company=Crystal Rain Entertainment
Name=Times of War
System=Windows98
Version=2.0
Size=3688030

[Files]
Count=2
/files/towhub-script.tws;${Application}\install\towhub-script.txt;1
/files/image.bmp;${Application}\install\image.bmp;2

[Registry]

---

Also told me my script debugger wasnt working, stupid #if/#end if not working properly :(

Little problem with the setup =).

Z.

Looks normal to me, where was your error ?

Oh, yeah, forgot that part... It pops up and says "Free up some space" -.-;;

=).

Z.

Hey, Sas, do you have a list of some of the units for the game? I want to start chopping them up, and figuring out what properties we are going to need for units, buildings, etc =).

Now, to all of you guys. Thanks. All of you guys have done so much work on this, and made it so fun. If I had been working alone on this, I dont doubt that I would have givin up a long time ago, but even now I can see this game emerging. I say this for myself, and I hope that it is true for all of you, but we are making a game that I WANT to play. So, a really big thanks to everyone =).

Z.

That extends from me too, to all of your support, to Zaei for his engine, to Psyvision for his networking code, to Igor and Invitro for their msuic, and lastly (but not least) to Jorj for the story.

We're really gettng going :)

I think this could be beneficial for ToW, take a look...

http://www.gamastura.com/sh...icle.php?s=1421

AHHH! YOU GOT ME!!!

Z.

Mwahaha :)

Hahahaha. Ha.

I tell you, the game is something I'd want to play too, Zaei.

A hearty thank you to everyone for everything! Keep up the good work!

Uh... units. Let me think. We'll, we've got the peasant/serf/villager whatever we're going to call it. That's the unit the others are based on. Sastraxi, I think has more on this.

hey, cheers to everyone too. I think the biggest thanks has to goto Zaei himself for the excellent engine that he has/is creating. Not forgetting the others that have kept this project going.

Should be excellent when it is finished, can't wait.

Zaei, that bug seems weird. i dont encounter it myself and will have a look through the code today and see why. it could be something to do with the script.

You're putting me on the spot Jorj :o

But, he's right, I do. Just somewhere on my messy hard disk.... Wait... I found it on the web:
http://vbden.tripod.com/base_units.html

Well, some of the fields need explaining. The mounted units have -1 as their HP because depending on their mount (light horse, war horse, dragon, etc.) their HP will change. As will their accuracy and range. I'll have to revise this soon, as it's not very helpful as it is.

Works for me, Sas. I can start breaking down units now =).

Yeah, Psy, I know what you mean. It could be just a little typo somewhere.

Z.

Script:

Code:

---


[Script]
Type=1
Version=1.0

[Server]
Address=www.crystal-rain.com
Port=80

[Install]
Directory=${ProgramFiles}\${Company}\${Name}\
License=http://127.0.0.1:8080/Install/License.txt
Method=Internet

[Group]
Name=${Name}

[Application]
Company=Crystal Rain Entertainment
Name=Times of War
System=Windows98
Version=2.0
Size=3600000

[Files]
Count=2
/files/towhub-script.tws;${Application}\install\towhub-script.txt;1
/files/image.bmp;${Application}\install\image.bmp;2

[Registry]

---

Use this new towHubInstall.exe It should fix the problem. when you click next on the directory dialog box it will give you two numbers seperated by a -, please tell me what these two numbers are.

Also, was that showing the correct amount of disk space for you (800meg) ?

Im planning a little re-shuffle and organisation of the mod system. im planning on making it so you use an url as normal.

there is the main hub, to the hub there are modules:

Game
Install

(so far)

what happens is u specify an url as before although to install a mod/patch/full u just use install. to run a game u just use game (in the url) im going to make it so its possible to add more modules (similar to a plugin system).

the installer is having a rewrite as im making it load the script up first and take action upon that as opposed to using the command line spcified in an url. as im hoping to allow people to download a script and double click it to execute it.

Ok, works now, Psy. THe numbers were 863, and 3. Oh, and yes, the amount of free space was, laughably, accurate =).

Z.

good good. dunno what the error was :s i just changed it from working from the number of bytes the app needs to megabytes.

heh, how big was the drive to start with ?

10.2GB =).

The setup works great, as well as the uninstallation. I could pause and resume the setup, simply great. GOOD JOB PSY!!

=).

Z.

Excellent!!

Im working on the plug-in system for the hub at the moment though have to do some maths work and goto bed soon :S

Im thinking that the hub may have to be done in C++ to get a good plug-in system. shall experiment in the morning.

I would do it in vb although the problem is that the installer has to be a normal exe because the DDE wont work from an active x exe/dll.

Zaei, can you use GetProcAddress() and the likes on getting a function from an exe or does it work on dll only ?

Works perfectly here too :)

Sure can. You just need your standard .def file when you build your exe, and you need to export your functions with __declspec(dllexport).

You can also use a DLL like an exe with rundll32.exe (in fact, I have been toying with that idea for a while, for TOW).

Z.

Im glad the installer is working. Im still working on this mod thing as Zaei knows.

What i ideally want is to be able to use a vb exe and call a function from that but because i cant (i dont think i can) use LoadLibrary in vb i have to do the core in C++.

It wont call the vb function though. I thought it may be that vb is COM (usual probs with vb's dll files) although its a normal exe and not an active x one.

hmmmm, coz i dont wanna make the installer in C++ coz its much more of a pain, i guess i could in the end but for the moment i want it in vb.

okay, those methods are do able from vb. im looking into it.

i guess i cant get at the vb exe coz it doesnt export the function.

hmmmmpf. im decidedly arse cheesed off with this.

the whole problem is created becuase the installer needs a DDE routine from the P&D Wizard Setup. im going to try and create a work around for this. If so all my problems are fixed.

http://www.ginstall.com

looks like a professional version of what im doing lol.

Ah, a VB exe =). In that case, no, since VB cannot export functions.

Psy, your installer is just as professional =).

Z.

Zaei, im looking myself now, but do u know how to do DDE in win32 C++ ??

Forget that, i dont need it. I got a work around sorted :D

okay, by the end of this week i should have a nice new hub and installer setup.

Psyvision - use STDCALL and if you want to call a VB function have one of the parameters accessable with an AddressOf VB function, letting you pass a function over to C++ (can you do it this way?).

Sweet. No, I dont know how to do DDE at all. It seemed a pain in the arse to learn 2 or 3 years ago, and since then I found out that it has been supplanted by OLE, which also seems a pain in the arse.

Z.

okay, heres how the new system is going to work.

there are modules to the core. lets take the game module for example.

the module is called game, it is used by doing tow://game:data

what happens is that:

1) you download the module
2) register it (regsvr32)
3) type the url in

Behind the scenes, it takes the bit between tow:// and the : (which is game) it then adds tw to the begining and .clsModule to the end to get

twGame.clsModule

i then use this to call a function called Run within the module that i pass the info to the right of the : to (in this case data) and then the Run function does whatever.

Simple.

okay, been working hard. got the main engine done for that. im working on the installer module conversion now.

Alright, I realized last night that, were all game objects to be accessible though the console, cheating would be just as easy as spelling "Hello". So, I have added an access level feature to the console. You can specify the access level required to access an object, or a function, and you can set the current access level. I will probably allow a server to access the current access level of a client, and perhaps have an option to kick any player with an access level greater then a specified value.

Z.

That sounds like a plan!! Meanwhile, on my side, I just acquired an old MultiSync 3D and a Matrox Millenium PCI Card.... do you know what that spells? Dual-monitors :) I'll also be able to test hardware that is slower. However, you don't get much slower than a Celeron/GF2mx ;)

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Sastraxi
However, you don't get much slower than a Celeron/GF2mx ;)

---

ARE YOU MOCKING ME???!!!!

=).

Dual monitors are sweet. I used to run with 2 over here.

Z.

If I get a new computer, I will have this card, and a dual-head Radeon 8500, making it 3 monitors :D:D

Ive made a pact with myself not to upgrade until I finish this game =).

Z.

Poor Zaei...

We'd better get started on some more discussion, if not for the game, then for the sake of Zaei, who will be unable to enjoy an upgrade until we do. (laughter)

Im trying to decide whether to work on the level stuff, or unit stuff. If level stuff, I need someone to work on a level editor =).

Z.

I could make a level editor (like Unreal is in C++, but UnrealEd is made in VB) but it would take some time, and I'm not that good with Direct3D.

Dont worry about anything 3D. All I want is essentially a tile map editor. Basically, the level editor is a texture mapper. I will then load the texture map, and use that to place the textures on the terrain. The heightmap will provide the landscape itself. So essentially, a tilemap editor + a heightmap editor + a unit placer.

Z.

I am working on changing the input handling system around. Since I got that idea to use objects to handle console functions, It worked so well that I am going to change it over to the input system as well =).

Z.

Ok, it is implemented on the engine end. Now to move the game input to the new system.

Z.

Zaei, your map editor. are maps going to be set sizes ? or have a maximum / minimum size although they can be anywhere between that ?

Im thinking we could do a system where there is a piccy box. and it draws a grid out on that.

For heightmap there is a simple scale down the left side of the screen with the height and the corresponding (black/white) color. and u can select these and color in small blocks on the grid (1 pixel in heightmap texture = 1 block (1 block = 5pixels on the screen) - only for example.

Then i could implement a load and save to bitmap option for the heightmap.

For the tilemap we could have an ini that has a load of tile info in. each tile has its own color. then u plot them in the same way as the heightmap.

That would be a fairly simple 2d solution. perhaps we could put a 3d viewer in with the option to see the heightmap (changes as you edit it) and the tilemap. the tilemap could be view in 3d as a flat, or with the heightmap applied ?

Whatcha guys think ?

Psy, the maps are square, but can be any size. I will be paging the terrain data, there isnt to much in memory at any one time.

Z.

Oh, and your idea sounds good, the only thing is that everything needs to be a binary file, for space. A 500x500 map would require 50,000 bytes for the heightmap data (one byte per height value), as well as 50,000 bytes for the texture data (again, one byte per terrain vertex), plus misc texture data (filename, game name).

Z.

Ok, new Input system is done (finally). It took a bit of twisting to get it to work, but it works like a charm now =).

Z.