I'm just thinking, if we do this, it will require both VB6 and .Net dependancies (which equal about 30mb together, I think). We should probably just stick with VB6 and C++ this time around, like Unreal did.
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I'm just thinking, if we do this, it will require both VB6 and .Net dependancies (which equal about 30mb together, I think). We should probably just stick with VB6 and C++ this time around, like Unreal did.
Once i have more space on my computer, or once i have got my new harddrive ill get Visual Basic 6 back on it and then get going again on everything.
Exams are all over now :):)
That's good to hear! I'll be "out of the race" for a while on my own business as well, but I'll check in once a day at least (probably won't post).
Alrighty...now that we are scripting, I want to know how much you guys want to script, what to script, and where to script. For now I am just using it for media loading, but we could do whatever you guys would like. Give me a good list =).
Basically, I am going to use whatever you guys give me, and do a quick restructuring of the game based around that. Once that is done, we are in good shape =).
Z.
We'll need scripts for the units that come out of the houses, for training units in stuff like an Archery Range, Jousting Field, etc. Remember that units are 'born' at a (more or less) constant rate from each house (as long as it's inhabited). Then, they are trained to be whatever you want.
Ok, but where do you want me to execute scripts. For instance, right now I am thinking that when maps are loaded, ended, triggers, and game start. Im planning to use them to load templates for units, load media (textures, meshes, sounds at some point), set up the user interface, etc. However, all of this relies on getting access to various parts of the code, so Im going to try and restructure so that it is more script friendly. I just want to know the other things you guys might want to script so that I can get everything ready to go.
Z.
In my opinion, I think what you've got going on should be fine. The maps will just have to look up what they inherit from, and what their mod inherits from, etc. If we put in true inheritance, we can simply override the subroutines and functions with the ones in the mod, so that a function that returns the objective can change (ex. 1 mod can be team games, another can be deathmatch), what colours are available, what it's called, etc.
I think that as much as possible should be scripted so that it can be easily changed by us to create new mods and/or change parts of the game, as well as for other people to create mods.
Sounds Good!Quote:
I am thinking that when maps are loaded, ended, triggers, and game start. Im planning to use them to load templates for units, load media (textures, meshes, sounds at some point), set up the user interface
Well, basically all of the C++ code is done, minus the networking, if you haven't submitted that to Zaei (I forget if you have :o). Basically:
Game Engine <-> Mod Scripts <- User Interaction
oooo jeez, dunno where that is actually. i think its on one of my old cds. ill dig it out!
Sound also hasnt been touched yet. Havent done animated meshes yet, either. However, most everything else is scripting.
Z.
What do you think of using FMOD for the sound? I asked, and the developers say that it's free if the product it's used in is free. It doesn't even matter if it's distributed for free on a disc (that you'd have to pay for S&H for). So, I thought it would be a good idea to use this one ;).
I've had personal experience with it and it's great; you can have WinMM out, DirectSound out, and a variety of other methods (I think). Also supports linux, StrongARM/ARM compatible, etc (not that we'd ever need these, but anyway...)
Go there to see what it's like if you want to... Anyway, this is my suggestion, as it can play OGG, a free lossy music implementation.
And we're going to need all the 'free' we can get.
I was pretty much planning on it =).
Z.
Yea, i wasnt sure if it was in the last version of the networking module but i used the free HawkNL library as the lowest layer with the module on top.
Okies. Looks like this rewrite is going to be a bit more intensive then I thought (testing code is nasty... something to remember for future projects ;) ). However, we should have a lot more power at the end of it =).
Z.
That's good. Are you going to start needing the interface pics?
Not right yet, though if you wouldnt mind coming up with a list of UI widgets we might want to use in the game, that would be great.
Z.
Working on finalizing the terrain, so we can have as many terrain types as we want. Going ok so far, getting the foundations in place, and then I just need to modify the way the terrain geometry is generated, and finally the way it is drawn (internally). I think I have a good method planned, so we shall see =).
Implemented some more script stuff, so mappers can define what units are used on a particular map, and I can create units from script now. Lots more planned soon, so stay tuned =).
Z.
I've been busy and just stopped in (you may have seen me post a few things and been online a lot... only because this is my home page and I'm addicted to posting ;)). Anyway, I thought I'd direct you to these two projects:
cortona.sf.net - Image Library
audiere.sf.net - Sound Library
Audiere and corona are great little libraries. Both are quite small and very fast/stable. A few developers I know who are writing open source engines switched over to audiere from mikmod recently and got a big improvement in framerates.
Corona does a great job of loading images, and a pretty good job of saving PNGs too.
They both have extremely clean and simple syntax, too... With corona for example you can load and then resave an image in 2 lines of OO C++ code.
Glad to see ToW is still going well, keep up the good work! (feel free to drop me an email or post here if you need any coding help; I should have more time pretty soon)
im working away slowly.
been a busy week with varous things.
keep your eyes on www.psyvision.co.uk over the next week. will be turning into a site about all my programming things. including a times of war page, along with my long on going solo project Talisman (3D Engine)
Looking good there Psy ;). I have been busy but that's pretty much over... you know how it is, building computers, installing, upgrading, etc. for other people :).
Sounds like hell :DQuote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
Looking good there Psy ;). I have been busy but that's pretty much over... you know how it is, building computers, installing, upgrading, etc. for other people :).
School just started up again this week, so im gonna be a bit busy for a while... however, ive got my terrain renderin method down on paper, ill eventually get it all figured out, and coded in.
Z.
Did Zaei just use a non-text smiley? :eek:
Yep... the =) isnt expressive enough at times... I mean, I could do this...Quote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
Did Zaei just use a non-text smiley? :eek:
=) =) =)
or this
=)))...
But its just easier the other way =).
Z.
Alrighty then. Finally took the time to finish up the terrain rendering code today. Havent tested it fully yet (ie, only used one texture so far), but we will see how it goes.
Z.
Success =). I am rather pleased with myself =).
Z.
Terrain rendering finished... Zaei you seem to have outdone yourself (of course, we don't have any proof now do we... ;)).
Good job!
I can give you quite a nice shot of a single textured terrain =P.Quote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
Terrain rendering finished... Zaei you seem to have outdone yourself (of course, we don't have any proof now do we... ;)).
Good job!
I had to write a vb program to spit out 78*78 0s into a file... then to test multiple textures, I edited the file in binary mode and added some ones ;).
The two textures/triangle rule still holds... but that shouldnt be a big deal =).
Z.
No, because we'll most likely only be using 1 texture/triangle (because of the texture gen I mentioned before, the transition from tile type -> tile type will be done when it's synthesized).
One more thing has come to my mind via. the new technologies I am getting :)
Today, I ordered (along with the rest of my new computer), an ATi Radeon 9500 Pro. It supports a variety of DX8/9 features, but the most prominent is the N-Patches, or Truform system of ATi cards.
My question is what kind of work does it require to get adaptive hardware n-patches going? In the ATi demo, you could get n-patches with a LOD, that it tesselates less as it gets farther away from the "camera". I would really like to see something like this if it's not too much work, Z :)
Ill be getting a new computer in a few months, so it wont be until then (since my card doesnt support n patches). Ill probably also wait for the next generation of graphics chips to get to laptop form before buying, so that might lengthen that amount of time a tad =).
Z.
Does not the reference rasteriser support n-patches (just to see if you coded them right)?
Ill promise nothing, but Ill see what I can do =).Quote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
Does not the reference rasteriser support n-patches (just to see if you coded them right)?
Z.
:D
And now the terrain is shadowed again =). I disabled it to implement the new stuff, and now its back in action, and looking pretty slick. Moved ALL texture loading to the map init script, and you can now set the terrain textures from script.
Z.
Everything is sounding very good guys. Two thumbs up.
/me continues to move large chunks of code from native code to scripts =)
Z.
I'm happy to say that it is possibly tomorrow that I get my new computer :D
:thumb: Sounds great to me!Quote:
Originally posted by Sastraxi
I'm happy to say that it is possibly tomorrow that I get my new computer :D
Z.