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dulsi
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 76
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 Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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Having someone providing graphics is a big motivator so don't underestimate your help. Some credit also goes to the person on the WLUG who said that the linux cross-compiler is next to useless and I should just use windows. I hate it when people tell me something is impossible which shouldn't be.
This weekend, I've started preparing for maps larger/smaller than 22x22. Also added in support for detect secret doors spell. Looked at phase door but that's going to take a bit more work to implement. Fixed roster scrolling.
If people need a particular functionality for their game, let me know and I'll try to get that done first. Otherwise it is whatever I feel like working on.
I'd like to add sound and animation but that will cause even more problems for generating a windows build. Probably should consider what to do about an editor at some point. |
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dulsi
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 76
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| Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 4:06 am Post subject: |
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| New version of Bt Builder is available. It adds in some of the images Methuselas has done. Phase door has been implemented. The darkness special has been implemented. It now support setting every x dungeon tiles to a different image. BTCS does every 4th I think so that you can tell when you are moving down a long corridors. So you would have a torch or something on those walls. At the moment the functionality is not used but hopefully having the feature will cause Methuselas to make some images. |
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Methuselas
Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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It would be nice if Combat had the "Use These Commands? Yes/No" option, so if you made a mistake you could go back. Critical Hit for Hunters and Rogues would be nice, as well as Hide in Shadows for Rogues. It would also be nice if we had the option of male or female characters in the character creation. Lastly, damage by level spell would be nice to create a spell to help the characters, while testing. I always hated how the BTCS did fighter combat, by not multiplying the hits together.
Don't know if it's a bug or not, but Magi's spell points do not go up, during character advancement in the review guild. I edited the Roster.xml to add experience to test dungeons and when I leveled my mages, their spell points didn't go up.
I've got plenty of wall tiles already made for additional walls, but I didn't quite get your notes on editing the xml file. I kept breaking it. XD I *THOUGHT* I was doing it right, but apparently not. XD
Wilderness tiles should be done in a day or two. I had to start over, once again.
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Methuselas
Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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Two screenshots of the wilderness tiles. They're done, but I just want to tweak a few of the door tiles more.
I'm sending an email to Dulsi, to find out why I keep borking the wall.xml file. Hopefully we'll have some animated screenshots soon.
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"Using No Way as Way; Having No Limitation As Limitation". - Bruce Lee. |
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Methuselas
Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:27 am Post subject: |
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Good news! Thanks to Dulsi, I figured out what was going on with the Wall.XML file, so now we no longer have repeating walls. The Sewers are done (until I decide I want to do something better XD), the Dungeon is done and the Wilderness is currently usable.
Just thought I'd give everyone a quick update.
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"Using No Way as Way; Having No Limitation As Limitation". - Bruce Lee. |
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Chaney
Joined: 27 Jun 2006
Posts: 96
Location: California
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:28 am Post subject: |
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Very Sweet Looking!!
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Methuselas
Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:11 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, but I really wish the game was 640x400, instead of 320x200. There's a lot of quality loss in the images, due to them being 448x352, initially. I start out big and then reduce quality, to match the game engine. I originally intended them to be twice the size, but they're actually bigger than they should be. I'm probably going to start doing larger sized images in the event that Dulsi gets BT builder to a point where BTCS is no longer needed, or used.
And he is right, an editor at some point would be nice. I'm getting itchy to play with this more than just alpha testing. =D
I'll get off my ass and post some animated images or something, ASAP. I'm kinda wanting to rework the mainscreen more.
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"Using No Way as Way; Having No Limitation As Limitation". - Bruce Lee. |
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Chaney
Joined: 27 Jun 2006
Posts: 96
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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Lovin the images so far.
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ZeroZero
Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 197
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:16 am Post subject: BT Builde |
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Having thought that the BT Builder is dead (as I wrote in another topic), I now read that it is still alive. I wonder if and why and how it uses BTCS?
As you can see in other topics here, Darendor, Twoflower and me already deciphered a large part of how the original BT1 and BT2 engines worked, as well a bit of how BT3 worked (which engine was by far slower on the C64, but the advantage was that it was fully "script-driven").
So if you guys decide to move away from BTCS and start BT Builder to be an engine on its own, independantly from BTCS, I am willing to join the coding team. Just let me know |
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dulsi
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 76
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| Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| Methuselas wrote: | | It would be nice if Combat had the "Use These Commands? Yes/No" option, so if you made a mistake you could go back. |
Escape can be used to go back but that doesn't help for the last character.
| Methuselas wrote: | | Lastly, damage by level spell would be nice to create a spell to help the characters, while testing. I always hated how the BTCS did fighter combat, by not multiplying the hits together. |
I've begun the work to add damage by level spells. Should be done soon. I thought I had already fixed the fighter multiple hits but I guess I haven't. (Might not be able to form the sentance with the text provided for a weapon but I'll look into it when I get a chance.) Critical hits for rangers shouldn't be hard but haven't done it yet. Hide in Shadows is harder so I'll probably hold off on that longer.
| Methuselas wrote: | | Don't know if it's a bug or not, but Magi's spell points do not go up, during character advancement in the review guild. |
Bug. Fix will be in the next release.
| ZeroZero wrote: | | So if you guys decide to move away from BTCS and start BT Builder to be an engine on its own, independantly from BTCS, I am willing to join the coding team. |
Since I haven't created an editor, implementing BTCS is convenient as content can be created easily. In some ways it is already beyond BTCS. It can use a large display and truetype fonts. Unfortunately BTCS content would then look odd. The classes are defined in an xml file so you can create your own. (Can't quite create geomancer or chronomancer yet as non-spellcasters can't change class and you don't lose non-chronomancer spells.) The max party size is currently a define set to 7 but all other code supports up to 9. Eventually that will be a config file setting. |
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Methuselas
Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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| dulsi wrote: |
Escape can be used to go back but that doesn't help for the last character. |
This, I did not know. Still, it would be nice to have that command again. I don't know how many times in the original game, I just did the "Attack, Attack, Attack, Defend, Defend, Defend" only to hit "y" and then get killed by dragon breath or something else similar.
| dulsi wrote: |
I've begun the work to add damage by level spells. Should be done soon. I thought I had already fixed the fighter multiple hits but I guess I haven't. (Might not be able to form the sentance with the text provided for a weapon but I'll look into it when I get a chance.) Critical hits for rangers shouldn't be hard but haven't done it yet. Hide in Shadows is harder so I'll probably hold off on that longer. |
Yeah, when I was testing, the fighters are still using multiple attacks against several targets, instead of one. I figured it was something that you hadn't coded yet.
The only reason I wanted a damage by level spell is to give something to monsters to test with. I'm not sure if they can actually use it, but I assumed they could, as could player casters. Summoning gets old after a while and it's typically useless when you have a full party.
| dulsi wrote: |
Bug. Fix will be in the next release. |
Glad to be of help. ;P
| ZeroZero wrote: | | So if you guys decide to move away from BTCS and start BT Builder to be an engine on its own, independantly from BTCS, I am willing to join the coding team. |
| dulsi wrote: | | Since I haven't created an editor, implementing BTCS is convenient as content can be created easily. In some ways it is already beyond BTCS. It can use a large display and truetype fonts. Unfortunately BTCS content would then look odd. The classes are defined in an xml file so you can create your own. (Can't quite create geomancer or chronomancer yet as non-spellcasters can't change class and you don't lose non-chronomancer spells.) The max party size is currently a define set to 7 but all other code supports up to 9. Eventually that will be a config file setting. |
I had a feeling that new classes and races were that simple to implement, when I saw them in the XML file, but I never played with it. I thought about it, but it seemed rather pointless, when all you can do is add attacks and probably spells. Still, it was something I considered toying around with, just for fun. One thing that would be rather cool to see implemented (but not a part of the original game) would be to have "specialty" mages. For example, you could have a class called a Blade Singer for Elves or something, that gave multiple attacks (maybe every 6 levels up to 4), but could use (and *ONLY* use) Conjurer spells. Spell level limits would be a nice feature, as well. I noticed in the XML files that it would be possible to create an "UBER" class, by giving them AC lowering, multiple attacks and spells.
I haven't started yet, but I'm going to eventually get around to changing the Display XML file to work at 640x400, so I can make new images at that size, for a base. Realistically, there's no way to increase the image size, without adding more pictures for various sizes (320x200, 640x400, 800x600 etc.), but that increases the file archive. I'd like to think that eventually 640x400 will be standard. If not, we could always make a separate download for larger images. =D
I like the idea of having 9 characters, but wouldn't that require a new main screen of sorts? =/ 9, though, does seem to be a bit of an over kill. 5 fighters and 4 rear-guard??
I apologize for not sending anything recently. I just moved, again (apartment living sucks) and I've been sucked into Icewind Dale II, which I never did play and finish (I was anti 3rd Edition rules forever, until Neverwinter Nights came out). If you want to add the wilderness tileset to your next release, let me know and I'll email you what I have. They work. There's no second wall tile and I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to do any sort of secret doors yet, but they're fully functional.
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"Using No Way as Way; Having No Limitation As Limitation". - Bruce Lee. |
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ZeroZero
Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 197
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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| ZeroZero wrote: | | So if you guys decide to move away from BTCS and start BT Builder to be an engine on its own, independantly from BTCS, I am willing to join the coding team. |
| dulsi wrote: | | Since I haven't created an editor, implementing BTCS is convenient as content can be created easily. In some ways it is already beyond BTCS. It can use a large display and truetype fonts. Unfortunately BTCS content would then look odd. The classes are defined in an xml file so you can create your own. (Can't quite create geomancer or chronomancer yet as non-spellcasters can't change class and you don't lose non-chronomancer spells.) The max party size is currently a define set to 7 but all other code supports up to 9. Eventually that will be a config file setting. |
Ok. I am not the worlds biggest XML coder (nor fan, lol), but I can offer to create some editors. Just need to know the format needed for in- and output. Also need help with the symbols to be used, in particular for map editing, since I am a lousy graphician. I created a BT1 level editor, that is coded in VB6 and reads and writes D64 images directly. The symbols however suck... |
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Methuselas
Joined: 28 Apr 2009
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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| ZeroZero wrote: |
Ok. I am not the worlds biggest XML coder (nor fan, lol), but I can offer to create some editors. Just need to know the format needed for in- and output. Also need help with the symbols to be used, in particular for map editing, since I am a lousy graphician. I created a BT1 level editor, that is coded in VB6 and reads and writes D64 images directly. The symbols however suck... |
I've been wondering about the GUI interface myself. If it's based off static images, using code as markers, I can provide that. I helped design the GUI for Siege of Avalon, even though the game was beautiful, gameplay was horrible, so the company folded.
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"Using No Way as Way; Having No Limitation As Limitation". - Bruce Lee. |
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dulsi
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 76
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| Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:21 am Post subject: |
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| Methuselas wrote: |
The only reason I wanted a damage by level spell is to give something to monsters to test with. I'm not sure if they can actually use it, but I assumed they could, as could player casters. Summoning gets old after a while and it's typically useless when you have a full party. |
Well I hadn't implemented special attacks for monsters. Since you wanted that, I've added magic casting to monsters. They still don't do "Physical: 1 Foe" and "Physical: Group" attacks. Damage by level spells are available. Critical hits for hunters are implemented. No Hide in Shadows or Yes/No confirmation before combat yet.
| Methuselas wrote: | | I noticed in the XML files that it would be possible to create an "UBER" class, by giving them AC lowering, multiple attacks and spells. |
While it is easy with XML files, it isn't hard to create an "UBER" character even without an xml class file. Nothing stops you from modifying save files to have high hit points, spell points, etc. in any BT. You could add a sanity check to determine if it is possible to have rolled that many hitpoints but I don't see much points. With an open source app you could just remove the checks.
| Methuselas wrote: | | I like the idea of having 9 characters, but wouldn't that require a new main screen of sorts? =/ 9, though, does seem to be a bit of an over kill. 5 fighters and 4 rear-guard?? |
Yeah it is probably overkill and you would need a new main screen. But you could also create a game that allows only 4 characters or maybe a game with 6 characters but 3 have to be monsters. I want bt builder to be able to create whatever the designer imagines (within the limitations of a BT like game).
| Methuselas wrote: | | If you want to add the wilderness tileset to your next release, let me know and I'll email you what I have. They work. There's no second wall tile and I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to do any sort of secret doors yet, but they're fully functional. |
Sure send it over. I'm thinking of putting out a new release soon.
| ZeroZero wrote: | | Ok. I am not the worlds biggest XML coder (nor fan, lol), but I can offer to create some editors. Just need to know the format needed for in- and output. Also need help with the symbols to be used, in particular for map editing, since I am a lousy graphician. I created a BT1 level editor, that is coded in VB6 and reads and writes D64 images directly. The symbols however suck... |
XML has the advantage of existing loaders, editable by hand, and is easier to add new fields than a binary file. Once the format is stable a binary reader/writer could be swapped in for the xml loader without a problem. I'm not sure it is worth doing that but it is a possibility. At the moment the only map file format supported in the BTCS map file. Bt Builder will need its own at some point but I'm not sure what I want to do for that. Should it continue with the BTCS scripting format or use an embedded language like lua or python. Any editor needs to support linux for me to be interested. Ideally it should reuse the bt builder map loading code so that we don't need to update two different source codes when making changes. |
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ZeroZero
Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 197
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:12 am Post subject: |
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| dulsi wrote: | | XML has the advantage of existing loaders, editable by hand, and is easier to add new fields than a binary file. Once the format is stable a binary reader/writer could be swapped in for the xml loader without a problem. I'm not sure it is worth doing that but it is a possibility. At the moment the only map file format supported in the BTCS map file. Bt Builder will need its own at some point but I'm not sure what I want to do for that. Should it continue with the BTCS scripting format or use an embedded language like lua or python. Any editor needs to support linux for me to be interested. Ideally it should reuse the bt builder map loading code so that we don't need to update two different source codes when making changes. |
With BTCS it would NOT be possible, afaik, to rebuild BT1 to BT3. You cannot create some spells used in BT1, maps are restricted to 22 x 22 unless you create several maps with a "teleport" in each field you want to connect them, so a map of Skara Brae would be very hard to create with BTCS, etc etc...
So sticking to BTCS file format also means sticking to BTCS adventure abilities with which you cannot really recreate the three BT episodes. Instead, if you (we?) can evaluate the whole BT system (character creation with modifiers, fight engine with modifiers etc etc) we can make another open source BTCS that has a) not the restrictions of BTCS and b) has extra options to recreate any spell/item/monster we like, so that ANY scenario based on ANY of the 3 BT engines can be created/rebuilt. |
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