Mini Adventure

Game Play & Game Design
#121

Well, after 6 phone calls to the wonderful Blueyonder (my cable provider) I’m still no better off. So that upload might be a while off.

However, I’ve been considering a renderer change to Mini Adventure and wondered what you guys thought. An original part of Mini Adventure was to use Java2D purely so that it could be played on some low spec systems (DirectDraw only types). However, while this seems to be fine for Windows and Linux users (mostly) the Java2D implementation on MacOS is so rubbish that its not even making the 30 FPS mark.

I was considering moving the whole thing over to an OpenGL renderer but I’m not even sure whether I know how to make this fast in a tile based game. I suppose I just download all the tiles as mini-textures (or as one big one) and draw a bunch of quad in the right places.

I’d probably have to go a rewrite the GUI thats in place now aswell. That could take a fair while. Hmm…

I had considered MacOS pretty imporatant since its a games lacking system. What’d you reakon?

Should I just keep developing for a bit longer (get items and combat in) or should I port to OpenGL first?

Kev

#122

Well, personally, I think that the Mac OS is a platform in dire need of games. Anyway, I would think that going the OpenGL way would be best as it seems as though you will eventually make the switch. My one main argument regarding this, is the possible(?) hardware acceleration that users will get from the eventual release of 1.5 (which I know Ziemski is still working hard on for the Mac implementation). Does this rid the need for OpenGL based applications? I don’t know, I know very little about the new 1.5 release.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

#123

If I could get a firm idea when 1.5 for macos was coming I’d be happy to wait. Actually, as it happens I’ve decided to wait anyway. Not much point changing the graphics until I’ve got enough gameplay in heh?

Anyway, my cable company has done nothing, however my cable connection has popped back alive… so lo and behold:

http://laminos.newdawnsoftware.com

In the downloads section you’ll find the “devkit” which is basically just a dump of my working directory. The source is in a jar in there too. Now, I’m open to people playing with it, trying stuff out and generally coming up with new tools if the current ones are too crap.

I’m not quite ready to accept extra help with development in the main client/server yet, however thats not too far away.

Thanks for any interest,

Kev

#124

Well, the new plan is get items and combat in. Then a rewrite of the client (probably using LWJGL :))

The devkit now has some basic documentation over at:

http://forum.newdawnsoftware.com

If you have any ideas/opinions for Laminos or would like to help out feel free to drop by.

Kev

#125

Ok, I’m posting to my own topic again, but heh… I’ve just implemented items and server side scripting, heres a screenie:

http://laminos.newdawnsoftware.com/screenshots/050704_1.gif

I was hoping to get some feedback on the XML dialect I’m using for my bespoke server side scripting. The DTD and a couple of test examples I’m using now are here:

http://laminos.newdawnsoftware.com/tech

The scripts can be run from activating items in the world or from conversation steps. This is meant to make it as flexible as possible. The “properties” mentioned are a bit like http cookies. Scripts can get/set/remove them from the player.

I am aware of Beanshell but I not so impressed as yet. I also like to keep things carefully controlled (limited?) where scripting comes in.

a) Can you think of usecases that wouldn’t be covered by the current script?
b) Any problems forseen?
c) Better solutions?

I’m actually quite happy with it so far, it covers my two test cases well.

Finally, I’m afraid none of this is webstarted yet, soon, soon. Combat next…

EDIT: Actually, I’ve uploaded it, seemed like a good plan. So go on, complete the quest, you know ya wanna :slight_smile: Accounts have been wiped I’m afraid, need to re-register.

Thanks for any feedback/comments/questions.

Kev

#126

Easiest thing - try to express (A and (B or C)) in precondition. I’m afraid that you will end up with duplicating most possibilities of normal programming language in custom xml tags, but in a lot less clear way. Look at xslt - they have a lot of control flow/condition tags, with non-C-ish names to pretend xslt is not ‘just-another-programming-language’.

For me, xml is good for holding structured data - but not for representing algorithms. With scripting language (for preconditions/sideffects, rest can be xml), you will get a tool for any future effect you will want to achieve - without having to mantain extra xml-based programming language.

#127

You know, I’ve used that exact same argument in the past, more from my own logic than from trying it. So, I though this time since its a hobby project I’ll try it. I’ve been pretty carefuly to leave it open to being replaced later so hopefully it shouldn’t kill me.

I’m hoping in this case that in this case its more important to keep the list of things that are possible very tight and hence easy to ensure robustness.

Kev

#128

[quote]It’s CTRL-click to get a context menu on a Mac. As long as your code is using the ‘isPopupMenuTrigger()’ method or whatever it is, then it should work fine.

Keep in mind that Macs ship with a single button mouse. Though if you plug in a USB mouse with many buttons & a scroll wheel etc., it is supported.
[/quote]
Does SwingUtilties.isRightClick(ActionEvent e) return true on a CTRL-Click on a mac?

#129

It shouldn’t. But I would have to test it. If you are trying to do a popup menu you should of course just use the method designed for that case. isPopupMenuTrigger

#130

It looks like you guys have had fun with this topic. I’m surprised it just “stoped” here and that no one posted anything about all the changes that have occured to it in the last little while.

Anyhow, Ttyl!

Later,

~Me

#131

[quote]It looks like you guys have had fun with this topic. I’m surprised it just “stoped” here and that no one posted anything about all the changes that have occured to it in the last little while.

Anyhow, Ttyl!

Later,

~Me
[/quote]
Well that’s because this thread refers to Mini Adventure as it was when Kevin Glass ran the whole show. Since Then he has graciously handed it over to the community via myself. And after that he volunteered to work on it again. Man… Kevin is weirder than I am :wink:

#132

Oh, I know. I’m just surprised that the thread just stoped there and no one posted anything to sum it up or to direct it to the new location.

:slight_smile:

~Me

#133

Oh, I know. I’m just surprised that the thread just stoped there and no one posted anything to sum it up or to direct it to the new location.

:slight_smile:

~Me

#134

this game is cool but all u can do is walk around and for some reason using the keys when walking makes it more jerky than using ur cursor/ mouse