Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Work in Progress / RPG Project - Awakening

Author
Message
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 7th Dec 2006 18:52
As everyone can see in my banner, and some might have noticed in the 'Newcomers'-forum, I've started working on a RPG. I'm copying the details from there over here.

Okay, I know I'm more of an artist by trade, or a writer, but I've got one simple wish. I want to be able to actually use what I create in a game. This game would be a SP RPG. The story is worked out, I've reserved about 4 months to complete the project. I've already started working on 3D-models and have several ready, altho' the game will be using a more top-down/iso perspective, and I hope to be able to program it in such a way that it resembles Zelda a bit in gaming style (no battle screen).

Before I get flamed: I want to start simple. Really, I do not aspire creating Oblivion 2 or something. I can arrange the music, I've written a storyboard. I've got concept art for staffs and character. I'll update several of those later. For now you'll have to do with a screenshot and standard 3D-models (DarkMATTER and quick models to resemble houses and castles). I'm having a hard time keeping FPS up with these models even, so I'll need to learn .

The story is simple. As a little child, you're found to have a special spiritual force that allows you to manipulate the elements to your advantage (usually referred to as Magic). You're sent to one of the two magical schools in the game, in the hope that your life will be better there. The world is plagued by demons and monsters that had suddenly appeared, and the other magic school is held responsible for that. Alas, his luck is not to be. His homevillage is raided and his parents murdered. From there on, the player will fight towards the evil school through several environments (plan to start small, 3 environments or something: Desert, Swamp, Forest). During the game, the player is to unravel the truth about the demons.

That's the story. The setting is a semi-middle-age one. Humanity still travels by animal, but its not a knightdom. No, it's a world plagued by demons and monsters, but the normal farmer will not have the power to fight them. It's up to the mages to defeat the monsters and protect society. They've created magical barriers around cities, so that people may live safely.

The game will resolve around several magical staffs. There will be no melee combat (from the players side). Normal RPG equipment (Armor, Level ect.) are things I'd like to code, and a reputation. Staffs should each have an affinity. With leveling, you'll be able to learn new magic, which is influenced by affinity (Fire spells being strong on a Fire wand, but weak on a Water wand). I'm thinking the four elements as affinities.

All I got this far is a movement engine, the beginning of a battle engine, level loading engine and external level file loading. I'm making progress.

I'm dedicated to finishing this one. I have little time, but I'm sure I'll get through.

Thanks for your attention,
Rami Ismail

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Sven B
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Jan 2005
Location: Belgium
Posted: 7th Dec 2006 19:00
Maybe the next item would be positioning the tree outside the lake?

Good luck on this one...

It's the programmer's life:
Have a problem, solve the problem, and have a new problem to solve.
Lucifer
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Dec 2005
Location:
Posted: 7th Dec 2006 19:04
very nice, i like it



One is the lonliest number...
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 7th Dec 2006 19:30
Oh yeah, right, that tree. I've fixed that already, little mistake in the function there. Boohoo, my first WIP and then I post an error like that!

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Lucifer
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Dec 2005
Location:
Posted: 7th Dec 2006 23:07
you should post more screenshots



One is the lonliest number...
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 8th Dec 2006 12:43
As soon as I get the UI to work a bit, I'll start on serious screenshots and fraps. What you see now, basicly, is the cube on the matrix but instead of the cube a model, a externally loaded terrain as matrix, and with movement restraints, magic and buildings. And you can switch between environments (I created a tiled system for that, works quite good). Now I'm working on UI, levelling, experience and combat. First thing I want finished is basic UI.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Crazy Programmer
AGK Developer
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Lost in AGK
Posted: 8th Dec 2006 13:16
Keep at it. Good luck!


Load Programmer "Crazy Programmer",1
Vampiric
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Oct 2006
Location:
Posted: 12th Dec 2006 17:28
Cool nice storyline and the screeny looks good the no melee combat is a good idea so does that mean it'll be more of a 3rd person shooter or you just click on the enemy and it attacks

All bow down to evil
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 12th Dec 2006 19:47
I'm working at trying to have it more like a topdown-3rd-person shooter. Remember the old top-down Zelda's? That's the style I'm shooting for.

I've ran into some troubles with combat - some sort of weird thingie made all damage nullify. I'm sifting through the code in the hope of fixing it .

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Xenocythe
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th May 2005
Location: You Essay.
Posted: 14th Dec 2006 04:30
I like it, it looks nice so far, and the story sounds very complex!


Rami Ismail... sounds arabic, sorry if I'm wrong. Not to go too off topic, but what's your nationality? I get interested when I hear a name that sounds like its from my nationality

Anywyas, keep this game up, waiting for more screenies!

-Mansoor Siddiquie

tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 15th Dec 2006 21:41
Arabic indeed - To be exact, it's Egyptian - my dad is Egyptian altho' I live in the Netherlands. I fixed the 0 damage error and am starting to continue on the HUD.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 26th Dec 2006 18:04
Progress report:

Got a text console mentioning nearly every important action in the game:
- Discovery of new area.
- Quest acceptance (Quest system not working yet)
- Battle information.
- Experience - Level ups (Both not yet working).

Battle system: probably around 50%. Basic idea works.
Level/Exp system: 75% (now just get it working and balanced)
Map creator/NPC creator at resp. 100% and 25%
Intro and main menu: 50% - no main menu as yet, intro 100% complete.
Basic UI: 25% - added text console. Now working on menu.
Items: 0%.
Story: Concept 100%, integration: 5%.

Above are estimates - about how much time I think I need with them. Working slowly but making progress. Screenshots will be uploaded after I made the UI look better than a blue plain with images. Or you know what, I'll add some in 5 minutes.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 26th Dec 2006 18:15 Edited at: 26th Dec 2006 18:16
Scr02: Image showing NPC talking. Images not yet done, but text itself shows. Other interface hides upon talking.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it

Attachments

Login to view attachments
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 26th Dec 2006 18:18
Scr03: Showing combat with a cloaked demon (temporary models).

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it

Attachments

Login to view attachments
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 26th Dec 2006 18:19
Scr04: Showing an shot from the intro.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Vampiric
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Oct 2006
Location:
Posted: 27th Dec 2006 17:52 Edited at: 27th Dec 2006 17:52
The intro sounds like a book i looked at age ago. I think it was call the mages guild.

All bow down to evil
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 28th Dec 2006 11:57
Well, I don't think the story is much special, it's a standard RPG story. Innocent person gets sucked into large complot through a dramatic event. Then there's two sorts of RPG's: Straightforward ending, which means kill the boss happy end, or plottwist which means kill the boss and find out he's a good guy.

But that's on the story, any comment on the game?

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Vampiric
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Oct 2006
Location:
Posted: 28th Dec 2006 14:27
The intro looks good, the combat looks ok but can you move the camera from that position?

All bow down to evil
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 29th Dec 2006 01:57
Most likely, no. I can move it during combat or 'cut-scenes' but main camera perspective is top-down.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 6th Jan 2007 17:31
I finally got a nice combat system working. Basically said, you can give and take damage - and select various spells. I'm working now to have the health displayed visually. Experience and levelling working, stats being implemented.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 4th Feb 2007 13:00
- Health/Mana bar up and running.
- Stats including HP,MP,ATT,DEF,AGL,INT,SPD implemented.
- Levelling now changes stats (wow!)

Upcoming:
- More GUI, visual EXP-bar, visual stats-screen.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 11th Feb 2007 16:04
- Mana/HP/Stamina system running (see Game Theory)

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 11th Feb 2007 16:25
Example of current looks. Upper right values HP, Mana and Stamina (not graphical yet). Lower left simple GUI for selecting spells (f.t.t.b. Attack, Defense, Stats).

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Latch
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 21st Feb 2007 03:35
I'm glad to see that you are still working on this. Looks like it's coming along.

Enjoy your day.
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 23rd Feb 2007 00:19
Thanks, Latch. I was actually losing enthusiasm from the lack of feedback and response. However, I was dedicated to finishing this and finish it I will.

Thanks for your comments. The main point why you see so little progress is that most changes are background (variables). Visual effects ect. are just the same as at the start.

However, I've been working on a basic HUD for the top. I was actually planning on disabling all GUI visual aspects till all were done, but for one time, I'll just ignore that. Attached you'll find the top HUD. The other left/down HUD is not updated yet. As soon as the menu system is finished I'll upload that too.

Progress is slow but steady. Hope to finish the project in the planned timeframe.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Latch
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 25th Feb 2007 09:50
This is DarkBASIC Classic right?

Are you using any DLLs, or are you just sticking with DarkBASIC commands solely?

And from the Newcomers board you were starting out learning DBC. I was just curious of how you were structuring your program because it seems like you are pretty far into it. I was wondering if you had broken down all the chuncks of your program into separate sub routines that you can call, enable, or disable from a main loop of some sort. If they aren't too dependent on each other, it's very easy to turn some off and some on to test different aspects of your program. 'Can make a project much easier to handle.

Enjoy your day.
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 25th Feb 2007 23:48
Well, I just started out, yes.

Not using DLL's yet - wouldn't know how and what I've seen still seems quite complicated.

I'm using functions. I'm interested about those routines. Would disabling those routines help keeping FPS up? I'm getting quite some slowdown from my AI-code, while all it does is check whether it can see/'hear' the player and if so chase it.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Latch
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 26th Feb 2007 00:53
Functions and sub routines are very similar. Usually a function is used to return a result, a single value, after manipulating and/or calculating a value or set of values that are passed to it. Functions are good in that once they are done, the memory that was used for their local variables is released. Sub Routines are usually used to control a block of code that performs a specific action - like AI for instance, and they use and affect global variables. But the components of the AI might be broken down into smaller subroutines to be managed more easily. For example, there might be a subroutine for listening, a subroutine for seeing, a subroutine for moving, a subroutine for attacking, etc. A subroutine is set up by using a label that identifies it (label: ) then code, then ending it with a RETURN. You jump to the subroutine using GOSUB label.

Quote: "I'm interested about those routines. Would disabling those routines help keeping FPS up? I'm getting quite some slowdown from my AI-code, while all it does is check whether it can see/'hear' the player and if so chase it."


When I was talking about disabling I was thinking from a code testing perspective, but how you manage your code can speed up your FPS. If your main character is in a situation where it wouldn't be seen or heard, you should eliminate the AI check for these altogether. That will save some processing power. If objects (enemies or buildings or whatever) are not visible on the screen, you should hide them using HIDE OBJECT, or delete them altogether until they are needed. This also will save some processing power. You can manage these kinds of things with subroutines as well.

Here's an example of a few subroutines. This just shows how I'm using subroutines to setup my object and matrix, and control my object.

Control the sphere with the UP arrow and DOWN arrow. In the main loop I have a check to see if I'm hitting any key. If I hit a key, it "turns off" the _waste_time subroutine. You'll notice the dramatic increase in FPS when this subroutine is ignored. Once I release a key, this subroutine is jumped to again, and the FPS fall. For this example, I'm saying I don't need _waste_time to run while I'm moving the sphere.



Enjoy your day.
Dracula
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Aug 2006
Location: DBP Recreation of Castle Csejthe
Posted: 26th Feb 2007 01:28
looks good. Moveing the camera to a lower position might be worth trying. I think it'd look cool behind and above the character. Nice progress. I like the last screenie of the magic effect. very nice!!

D
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 26th Feb 2007 22:21
Thanks Latch, that really sped up the game. Also, I added a stats button which will show your stats in the text console. So, again, progress. Also, a new sig. Everything is starting to roll!

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it

Attachments

Login to view attachments
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 26th Feb 2007 22:23 Edited at: 26th Feb 2007 22:56
Oh, sorry for the double post, this is a sig-test.

Question: Is there a way to have shadows of matrix hills on the matrix?

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Latch
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 2nd Mar 2007 23:12
Quote: "Question: Is there a way to have shadows of matrix hills on the matrix?"


There are a couple of ways to create the illusion of an object or hill casting a shadow. One way is to create a light, either a spot or a point light, and set it's color to negative numbers - dark light -(i.e. color light,-255,-255,-255). The key in using this method is placement of the light(s) and a reduction in ambient light. Setting ambient to 0 and then illuminating the scene with a couple of point lights (not set to negative) and then using a dark light can give the desired effect.

For hills, use a point light for the massiveness and then use spot lights at angles to depict any details you want to stand out. There's a good example of a shadow effect in the DBC docs.

Another method is to use matrix normals. This won't necessarily cast shadows, but you can make the matrix responsive to light by affecting the normals directly. This can bring out the depths and grooves of a landscape and also can smooth curved surfaces. You can disperse the light evenly so changes from areas of light to less light are subtle and shadowy.

Another method is to have permanent shadows painted on textures.

You can also create a shadow shape as a texture on a black background, texture a PLAIN, and set it's black to transparent. Then you can size rotate and position the shadow. This of course works best on flat surfaces.

The most shadow like effect is using the dark light. It's really all about positioning, lighting, and atmosphere to make it passable.

Enjoy your day.
Cash Curtis II
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Apr 2005
Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 3rd Mar 2007 02:31
Advanced Terrain self lightmaps.


Come see the WIP!
Latch
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 3rd Mar 2007 07:57
Quote: "Advanced Terrain self lightmaps."


Does Dark Basic Classic support lightmaps? I didn't think that it did.

Enjoy your day.
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 3rd Mar 2007 12:29 Edited at: 3rd Mar 2007 12:33
I'm afraid I'm using Classic (didn't like Pro very much, for some reason), maybe because I'm new to the entire language.

Added damage system - you can now be hit and feel it too!

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Latch
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 3rd Mar 2007 13:32
Here's an example of two methods I described - dark light effect and changing the matrix normals. This doesn't use any media, everything is generated on the fly so the textures aren't too complex. You can access the menu by pressing "S" .

You can move the camera with the up arrow and down arrow and rotate the camera with the mouse. Before you move the mouse, try turning on and off the shadow. You'll see that the light source is generally coming from the left, and the shadow will be cast to the right. This is the only place I put a dark light, so if you move around the map, the only shadow evidence will be a result of recalculating the normals. To reset the terrain and randomize it a bit, press CTRL. You can turn fog on and off. I added it to give it a night time feel so everything seems extra shadowy. If you climb up the mountain and look over the edge, once you've recalculated the normals, you'll be able to see in detail the effect.

Enjoy your day.

Attachments

Login to view attachments
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 4th Mar 2007 10:14
Hey, that looked cool and was really fast! Do you have source or tips how to recreate that effect for me?

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
Latch
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2006
Location:
Posted: 6th Mar 2007 21:17
You can really control your atmosphere or ambience with some good lighting. But like anything with 3d, to make it look halfway decent, you have to spend a lot of time on it.

To experiment with how lighting changes shadow, the first thing I'd recommend is, make a matrix and randomize it so it's very bumpy. Then SET AMBIENT LIGHT 0. This will turn off the generic lighting of the scene.

Then I'd create a point light out of light 0 (the primary scene light)
SET POINT LIGHT 0,x,y,z

Then I'd create a sphere. You will move this sphere around using the arrow keys and maybe shift and control to move it along the y axis (up and down). Retrieve the x,y, and z positions for the sphere using x#=OBJECT POSITION x(obj) etc.

Then position the point light at the sphere's position so you can track where you are moving the light and its affect on the matrix.

SET POINT LIGHT x#,y#,z#

Try changing the color of the light using COLOR LIGHT 0,r,g,b to see the difference on the matrix.

After you are comfortable, add additional point lights and change theie colors. Set one of the point lights colors to -255,-255,-255. This will absorb any light(thus reducing any colors intensity) that is within the sphere of influence of this dark-light. Move the darklight around and see how it affects the lighting of the matrix.

Now normals are more complex, but properly controlled can give very subtle or harsh light differences. It's the normals that control how the face or vertex of a polygon are affected by light and color. Here's a brief explanation to get you started. I highly recommend researching them and learning the math for vector cross products and vetor dot products. I'll set this explanation as code so that this message isn't any more ridiculously long:



Enjoy your day.
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 7th Mar 2007 15:37
Oh, My, God. That's quite a lot. I'll research the normals, the basic idea sounds quite logic. I'll look into it - thanks!

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 25th Mar 2007 14:54
Well, I've used the last two weeks trying to get those shadows right, but I just seem to be unable to grasp the whole concept at this stage. I'll drop the idea of shadow for now, and will continue on the game itself.

Sorry for the delay.

tha_rami - the best way to predict the future is to invent it
DB PROgrammer
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Feb 2007
Location: Nowhere But Everywhere
Posted: 23rd May 2007 19:31
Looks great! Just want to know if your still doing it? If your not I might have to get madlol. Anyway I was wondering if you are you using types for you objects(enemys,npc's,ect...)?

Working on an FPS Engine.
tha_rami
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Mar 2006
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 26th May 2007 03:10
I am very sorry, but Awakening has been put on hold for an undecided time due to another, more interesting game concept - SeaDome. You'll find the site by clicking my banner, there's a WIP thread as well. We're still looking for texturing people (1), character designers (later on, though, 1 of them) and programmers (2 of them, if possible).

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-11-23 23:27:56
Your offset time is: 2024-11-23 23:27:56