Currently Unnamed DM Clone

[Lord_BoNes]

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***         LAST UPDATE - 5th Mar 2010         ***
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Download Link
Download file "Tech Demo V1.0.rar" from this shared OneDrive in the Clones folder.
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I've been messing around with the idea of creating my own Dungeon Master clone... well, here it is! It is written in Blitzmax, using OpenGL, so your graphics card needs to be able to run OpenGL. Blitzmax is crossplatform compatible, but I haven't had the opportunity to test it on anything other than Windows XP (that's one reason why I'm getting it out there now).

This demo is currently just the Hall of Champions level of the original Dungeon Master, bare walls with no objects (IN PROGRESS). Please, keep it in mind that this is just a "tech-demo", I'm just getting this out there, so peoples can give me some feedback (I have completely written the engine myself, so I want to see how it performs on other PCs).

There are 3 control sets available:
The first set being W,A,S,D for moving and Q,E for turning...
The arrow keys work as DM did, with the left and right arrows turning the camera...
Then there's also the numpad, 8,4,5,6 for moving and 7,9 for turning. Just make sure numlock is on.

DEBUG KEYS: Currently you can traverse to other levels of the dungeon by using the plus and minus on the numpad (with plus being downwards). Also, space turns wireframe mode on... so it's there if you want it.

NOTE: I have only had the chance to run this on my PC, so I don't know if I have any dependant DLLs in my WinXP folder. However, feel free to let me know of any compatibility issues.

- BoNes

[beowuuf]

I've put an alternate link on the dm.com webspace. Got to update a certain game and eat food before I can have a look at this though!

[Lord_BoNes]

It's just a 3D Dungeon Master, hasn't got any shaders yet... it also lacks actual objects However, the dungeon is loaded from the RTC DM dungeon TXT file. I'm building it so that it can load RTC formated TXT files. Further down the track I'll have it so that if you clone a given object type, and give it a certain id, then it will trigger engine mechanics.

[Gambit37]

My PC is ancient with an ancient GFX card. Any particular requirements on that front?

[Lord_BoNes]

No idea. It isn't that "cool looking" yet. So I don't see why not...

[Gambit37]

Works for me. Looks cool, love the fiery cursor

[beowuuf]

However, the dungeon is loaded from the RTC DM dungeon TXT file. I'm building it so that it can load RTC formated TXT files.

I have a funny feeling I should have known that. Very cool.

[Lord_BoNes]

I hereby invite ANYONE to download this and try it out. It's only a fairly basic framework at the moment.
I started this particular version, from scratch, on January 19th (only 2 months ago). So I haven't built a masterpiece yet...
I honestly just want feedback on how it performs on particular setups (EG: run task manager in the background to track CPU usage, keep an eye on GPU temperatures, etc). So posting specs, FPS, etc. would be most appreciated.

[Lord_BoNes]

@Gambit: Thanx. Hold down the left mouse button to make it go blue flame.

[beowuuf]

Hmm, I'm getting kicked to the windows screen again a moment into it. No fiery cursor, though I do get to see the dungeon environment

Windows 7 issue?

[beowuuf]

The FPS counter gets to between 21 and 27 frames and then freezes, and the mouse pointer seemes to disappear from view if I move it anywhere but the centre of the screen

None of the keys work, not even space for wireframe

Sorry!

Ran it in compatibility mode with winXP service pack 2, no joy

[Beastman666]

Hi there. Demo starts. I get the dungeon view with flame cursor, then immedaitely normal mouse cursor (from windows), although flame can still be seen on the spot before i moved mouse. Screen freezes. FrameCount showing 193 (!)Pressing ESC-two times returns me to windos with demo automatically being closed. here is windows's event entry (running windows 7 32 bit ultimate, 4 Gb RAM, Nvidia 9600GT Intel Core 2 Duo T6400):

Name der fehlerhaften Anwendung: Demo.exe, Version: 0.0.0.0, Zeitstempel: 0x4b8fde26
Name des fehlerhaften Moduls: ntdll.dll, Version: 6.1.7600.16385, Zeitstempel: 0x4a5bdadb
Ausnahmecode: 0xc0000005
Fehleroffset: 0x00051ffe
ID des fehlerhaften Prozesses: 0xf78
Startzeit der fehlerhaften Anwendung: 0x01cabbd4a3d96185
Pfad der fehlerhaften Anwendung: D:\Downloads\DM Clones\Unnamed Lord BoNEs\Demo.exe
Pfad des fehlerhaften Moduls: C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
Berichtskennung: e29a2f0f-27c7-11df-a4ec-00a0d1ae26da

[Sophia]

I tried it and it ran fine with nothing interesting to report.

Windows XP, 2.5ghz c2d, GeForce 8800GT 512mb.

[RAF68]

Hello Lord_BoNes I have to test your demonstration and I find her(it) of very maid to qualiter to continue like that you go surement to make best DM 3d ,The demonstration works very indeed to me my computer is:intel core 2CPU, 2,40GHZ, 2go RAM, NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 280 = 1024MB,WINDOWS XP

[Bit]

Runs on Win98II, AMD 2Ghz, Nvidia Geforce4 MX 420. 52-59 FPS.
But it seems that I have some vsync or whatever problem, a shade runs vertically like two frequencies are close together.

[zoom]

does not work. static dungeon screen comes with a white dot. mouse is still windows mouse cursor. when I click, prog closes
win7- problem , like beowuuf?

[Erik Bauer]

Downloaded and tested!
Fully working on my Atholon Dual core, ATI 3870, 2Gb of RAM and XPSP.2

I Love the wallset and Ceiling, the floorset can be better (the tiles are a bit small).
The flame effect of the cursor is very good too, I hope you will use it for the lit torches.

[Lord_BoNes]

It would appear that I have a Windows 7 compatibility issue... I'm currently unsure of how to fix it

@RAF: Thanx for your kind comments.

@Bit: Where v-sync is concerned, this demo has an FPS limit of about 200. So I'm gonna have to assume that you have a forced v-sync, and that'll cause screen tearing to occur (the "visible band" that you described). I'd recommend disabling that option in your GFX card settings.

@Erik Bauer: Thank you for the response! Always like hearing positive feedback. Look forward to hearing more.



I'm hoping to release another version soon, so keep an eye out.

[DSE]

New day, new clone :O) Good work, keep it up !

Works perfect on my pc at 200 fps. Good luck with your gfx assets matey. If you find a repository for (creature) models then please post up. Are you planing on smooth animation for creatures or are you sticking to the original dm style ?

[Bit]

vsync on/off has no effect on the "visible band".
There are a lot of profile for the card for a lot of games. Have checked them out. Doesn't change anything.
But I do have mysterious problems with this card in games like 'Guild Wars' too, so don't worry.
It just would be nice if it can handle even the crappiest card, but those are dreams, i know

[RAF68]

I dreams to see one day a dungeon master in 3d which make him tribute qu 'il deserve Malheuresement, in the purest dungeon style master 1, my knowledge in programming is too weak so that I my dungeon on RTC " DUNGEON master FOREVER " pour for a dungeon of very big can conceive it a me even, me m 'éfforce d 'améliorer qualiter, who will please you, me supports you Lord_BoNes and DSE and all those which would like this throwing in one such plans, I am with you

[Bit]

RAF, you already made it to the bravest mascot ever

[Lord_BoNes]

Sorry for the lack of communication here... after I released this version, I discovered that Blitzmax actually leaked local variables, so I've had to swap my engine over to C++. This isn't the easiest of changes, so it's taking a bit of time.

I'll make sure I keep all you guys (or gals) informed...

- BoNes

[Bit]

You started not in C++? tsktsktsk...

[Lord_BoNes]

I only started in Blitzmax because it's more user friendly... until it starts stuttering severely because it's cleaning up its own leaking
But, yeah, I should've started outright in C++... you know what they say: "20/20 hind-sight"

[Hajo]

You sure wanted to say "I should have started with Java and OpenGL"

[Lord_BoNes]

LOL
Can't say I like the idea of switching again... so... um... Yeah, I'm staying with C++
However, it is still OpenGL. So that's at least one thing.

[Hajo]

C++is fine, but when I got more tinot Java I found it suits me much better. I like the garbage collection and the fact that I get full stack traces for all kinds of exceptions without a debugger needed. Also, that Java application can be made robust very easily, so that they just keep going even in case of mistakes.

C++ now has auto pointers and I think there are now also garbage collectors available, so I could have that too in C++

C++ should be good for the task though, and with OpenGL you can make the code portable, too, which is good also.

[Rasmus]

@Bones: Beastman666 had the same nt problem with my DMT2, I solved it by changing the way my program was handeling the memory. It seems like "realloc, alloc" and those kindes of c commands made it imposible for windows 7 users to run my program. What I did was deleting those commands and replacing them with new or delete. That solved the problem!
I know that you are moving the codes into c++, but just a heads up just in case

By the way, I seems to have a simular problem when running your Demo. I can see the dungeon, but then it frezzes. No cursor...

[Bit]

Is that of interest?
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en
Have no idea if it is time limited or whatever, just found a note about in our C++-forum.