Dungeon Director DEMO !!!!!

[JHibbins]

For those who are interested the fist beta demo and new screen shots of dungeon director is now available at :

http://www.dungeondirector.com/



Best Regards

Jon

[andyboy_uk]

downloading now

[andyboy_uk]

Sweet, it works ok (even if it does have a bit of a switching paddy between video modes when starting up).

The movement is smooth and the draw spell is a great idea. I got walking around by casting spells.

It is a little dark on my monitor. Is there a spell for light or is there a chance you could put a gamma option onthere

also a text file that says what has been implemented and what hasnt would help a load as well.

I couldnt open the doors but I could click on the buttons.

Nice work so far.

[Gambit37]

Looking very promising -- I love the smooth movement (although maybe it's a little fast?) and the Draw Your Spell feature looks like that could be very interesting indeed -- keep up the good work!

On another note, I wonder if you might consider dropping the Dungeon Master messageboards on your Forums? It's taken us nearly four years to consolidate all the various dungeon master forums into this one place. Previously, things became very fragmented with people not knowing where to go for their Dungeon Master information. This was solved by getting everyone who ran the different forums to agree to combine it all into one big one -- this one here.

Obviously they are you forums, and if you wish to keep them, that's fiine. I just have a concern that the community that has been building up here will get fragmented again.

[Lunever]

I agree with Gambit's invitation: If you would like to join with your forum here, you're welcome!

[JHibbins]

http://www.dungeondirector.com/

I have taken the other Dungeon Master etc forums off the dungeon director website as requested

In answer to the questions,

* The video mode switching will be improved as I go on
* I too like the spell Idea, i`m working on improving the code but so far it does a great job and is quick to calculate
* I will add gama, options etc i`m working hard on the main engine and look/feel first, I wanted to put money where mouth is and get a demo up so people can see its not another lame effort but a real project they can get interested in
* I also need to finalize the default dungeon look, I have not got a texture artist yet, I almost have a 3d artist but am still looking
* Doors are not working (yet..) its high on my todo list, I want them to be super smooth and animated from 3d file
* I have sound and music engine from my previous game (http://www.squigs3.com) so progress should be very quick (also looking for sound effect person)

I`m realy interested in building a comunity arround Dungeon Director and pushing the game to be playable and ultimatly one of the best, if you think you can or want to help... Please do

Jon

[andyboy_uk]

If you send me the format of the dungeon files I might be able to adapt Chaos Forge to export to DD format as well.

If not I have the basis for an editor well under way.

You can email me at the address in the profile for my MSN Messenger. I check that in the evenings.

A

[JHibbins]

I do have the beginings of an editor, I have also built the engine to support different art sets, i`m intending to build on the editor, i`m still forming the editor format and i`m intending to build scripting availablity into the engine (anything setting off a script.. ie Enter square, push button, leave square etc)

I`m interested in advice and support for this feature

Best Regards

Jon

[andyboy_uk]

Personally I would have a base class of object and have events on them that request information from various objects, i.e.

Code: Select all

OBJECT
  Id
  Name
  Type (item, npc, monster, static_item)
  events[] (array of EVENT objects)
  properties[] (array of PROPERTY objects)

EVENT
  Id 
  Script[] (array of strings)

PROPERTY
  Id 
  Type (int, char, bool)
  Value

as a quick note an IS_CONTAINER property is something the engine could look for but does not have to be hard coded as part of the object type. It makes it more flexible (also covered later in the basic commands.)

Then break down the events per object type.

Have a basic floor_trigger that has the events (i.e.)

Code: Select all

ON_ENTER 
   ( type = monster/party/item/anything else/
     direction entered from = n/s/e/w
     objectReference 
   )

ON_LEAVE (like above)

A wall trigger that should be positioned on a wall tile and have a facing (much like RTC) but with definable zones that can be interacted with.

Code: Select all

wall_trigger
   x, y, level
   zones[] (array of ZONES)
  
ZONE
   x1,y1,x2,y2
   sprite[] or pic[]

Events would be like

Code: Select all

ON_MOUSECLICK
  (button 1=left 2=right 3=middle,  
   itemRef  if an item is in the hand that clicked, 
   playerRef the player that "clicked" the wall,
   zoneRef for the Zone
  )

ON_MOUSEENTER  (params as above)
ON_MOUSELEAVE  (params as above)

As for the scripting engine, some basic commands could be

Code: Select all

MOVE_PARTY x, y, level, face
MOVE_ITEM itemRef, x, y, level, position
MOVE_ITEM_LIMBO itemRef
MOVE_ITEM_CONTAINER itemRef, containerItemRef

CHANGE_PROPERTY itemRef, propertyName, [newVal for anything but bool]


The property bit comes in so that people can have their own counters on objects and things and it can just add them on, but your engine can use internal properties stored the same way.

Im thinking to define objects you would do something like

Code: Select all

Item 001 "Alcove Wall" (x, y, level)
{
   visible (bool) = false
   visible2 (bool) = true
}

Now VISIBLE could be a property that your engine looks for when you are near that object and deal with it but VISIBLE2 is one of mine (as a dungeon author) and makes no ends. But it stores them in the same way

Now all you have to do is have a method that checks each of the engine assigned properties (like VISIBLE for instance to decide whether to draw them or not) and you have the basis for a quite flexible system.

Before I continue too much, is this what you were after? Or am I ranting for no reason

[JHibbins]

This is exactley the plan, I`m planning on keeping an xml file for each object containing its properties and scripting values, also each square on the map has a set of properties, with this system and object can be given a set of true properties from

<BREAKABLE>TRUE</BREAKABLE>
<WEIGHT>14</WEIGHT>

Etc Etc Etc

Also propertie led square and object management would be amazingly powerfull (too so)

I`m painfully aware i`m building an 'engine' that would be capable of a lot, but I don't think I wan't to build a 'dungeon creator' so much as a Very Very good dungeon game

I also intend to make the game .. NEVER ENDING!!!

Like the old elite, levels / objects / Monsters would download from my primary server as they are reached...!!! if its not made then a que would appear so another level would need preparing, the people just started would have a long way to go !! but the core would have the opertunity to have multiple saves and partys etc to buy their time..

I also would like many hidden features and bonuses

I wan't to include a lot of ideas from Diablo 1/2 with the objects so object can be matched etc... many good ideas in my head

I also have network code for multiplayer... i`m not that interested in this at the moment but ... you never know....

I need to give the engine enough brains to make interesting/clever puzzles than make the game fun to play, also sub puzzles to keep people busy and interested

Many Many Many plans, I`m intending to introduce them as the game grows, so level 1 may not have functionality etc but level 2 would, makeing everyone wait for level 2 to be complete before being able to play it, they would then download the level (patching the game) and carry on playing... all neet stuff !!

Best Regards

Jon

[Gambit37]

Oooh, it all sounds very exciting and it's especially nice to see a demo so early in development! (Hint, hint, Madmunky & Wishbone....)

[Tymaul]

When dungeon maker does come out - soon. i dont think you will be dissapointed.

Tymaul has been helping with dungeon-maker too!!

[andyboy_uk]

Im looking forward to them both to be honest. Good luck to you both.

[MadMunky]

Poor tymaul

The thing with Dungeon Maker is Wishbone has been working on it for so long (on and off for around 2 years i think) with a big stop in the middle we just want to make sure all the good stuff is added before a release so people arnt disapointed and we keep coming up with new ideas which keeps delaying a release, but we have decided to stop now, just getting in the last basics to make it playable and fun to play (i.e. finishing monster stats and items etc..) which should be finished shorty and we can get a release out. We want to release we as much as im sure you want to play it

[Jardice]

I wouldn't worry about that Madmunky...usually the longer it takes the better the project is( At least most of the time it is from what I've seen).

So to both you and JB take as much time as you need...Just knowing that it's not dead is all I like to hear.. I can bear to wait a few more years.

Oh that reminds me....

*goes to trying to finish up some abanoned projects*