Eric: The Mysterious Stranger - RTS game(WIP)

[leopardpm]

I am getting side-tracked on my RLE blit routine... once I get some results then I will come back and look better at your code here...

RLE blit sounds interesting. I'm assuming the goal is to obtain speed?

well, kinda.... for automatically dealing with isometric layering with the 'wide sprites' issue, etc... I need more access to info than I can get through the 'custom' function of the PUT statement. The FB PUT (pset) is extremely fast, but also limited... the FB PUT(alpha) is nice, but so sloooow. I want a blit that is fast, and does some more stuff... already my basic blit(pset version) is faster in some instances compared to the FB PUT(pset), so I think my goal is achievable..

I don't mind posting code but I think it's more efficient to have the game on google drive due to its size.(and it uses images and data files)

sounds good... I will wait for your link!

I will upload my latest version as soon as I can get to work on windows. I must be doing something wrong because my game runs on linux but crashes on Windows.

weird bug... I know nothing of FB on linux, so can't help with that issue...

Combat is just a chain reaction right now. If I attack an enemy with my player that agent will fight back. If he wins he hunts down another enemy and the process starts over. Winners keep hunting new enemies until only one side is left. I plan to change this to more intelligent behavior soon.

still sounds fun to watch for a bit!

The fsm is probably the sloppiest bit of code in my game. I'm considering looking in to goap again.

I do like goap, but we didn't exactly get it down perfectly last time we endeavored to test it... but we got close! Once I get this bltting thing out of my head, I can then put effort into goap or elsewhere... even though the graphics and stuff are different from what I would do, I really like the genre and enjoy helping you in your project - I think it will be a fun little game!

[Boromir]

Combat is just a chain reaction right now. If I attack an enemy with my player that agent will fight back. If he wins he hunts down another enemy and the process starts over. Winners keep hunting new enemies until only one side is left. I plan to change this to more intelligent behavior soon.

still sounds fun to watch for a bit!

Actually, what I find really interesting to watch is 15 of more agents gathering wood. They do a fairly decent job of steering around each other and it's a nice buzzing hive of activity.

I do like goap, but we didn't exactly get it down perfectly last time we endeavored to test it... but we got close! Once I get this bltting thing out of my head, I can then put effort into goap or elsewhere... even though the graphics and stuff are different from what I would do, I really like the genre and enjoy helping you in your project - I think it will be a fun little game!

I have to thank you and BasicCoder for all the time you've put in to help me. I've learned a great deal about Freebasic and programming in general from this forum. Also, it's good to know that the game is interesting to you. RTS and sandbox are my favorite game genres. I'm going to add a touch of RPG to this game to keep it from getting too repetitive.
I'm going to look over your previous goap stuff and see if I can get into the swing of it.

[leopardpm]

Also, it's good to know that the game is interesting to you. RTS and sandbox are my favorite game genres. I'm going to add a touch of RPG to this game to keep it from getting too repetitive.

yes, RTS + RPG + sandbox + SIM is my favorite combination of game, and virtually all of my programming efforts go towards these ends in some fashion...

I'm going to look over your previous goap stuff and see if I can get into the swing of it.

I recall it was relatively 'easy', BUT had one error that got me stuck and I couldn't debug it... at least not before I got bored and frustrated... it will probably be a piece of cake to debug with fresh eyes...

[BasicCoder2]

@Boromir,
The question is do you intend to have the characters in a normal proportion and how are you going to get a working set?
The current set you are using are essentially viking hobbits. I tried some female and child versions but they really looked too cartoonish for my liking.
Have you tried Reiner's soldier character as a place value image for testing how such images would look?
The current characters have big heads and little bodies and are more like hobbit size than your regular Viking!!

The Viking lady in this game is essentially a stick figure but in proportion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hfmrf5Go0s

I liked these simple isometric characters as a good way to make templates to dress however they only show them looking along the four diagonal directions.
https://depositphotos.com/vector-images ... eople.html

I felt that this style should be easy to animate, the characters are 66 pixels high.
http://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18334

I have found it hard, particularly without background (isometric grid) cues, to draw the characters at the correct viewing hight and angle. It really makes you think of them in 3D rather than a nice 2d side view.
.

[Boromir]

@Boromir,
The question is do you intend to have the characters in a normal proportion and how are you going to get a working set?
The current set you are using are essentially viking hobbits. I tried some female and child versions but they really looked too cartoonish for my liking.
Have you tried Reiner's soldier character as a place value image for testing how such images would look?
The current characters have big heads and little bodies and are more like hobbit size than your regular Viking!!

I think recently I've been ignoring the graphical difficulties.
I'm starting to not really like the look of Reiner's pre-rendered 3d sprites, though.

The Viking lady in this game is essentially a stick figure but in proportion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hfmrf5Go0s

I've always liked the graphics in that game. She's great but I prefer the idea of a more all purpose sprite. One that is made of seperate pieces and can be put together by the game to have more different looking soldiers. You could have a set of different heads to add more variety between agents.

I felt that this style should be easy to animate, the characters are 66 pixels high.
http://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18334

Those are exactly what I have in mind! I think they would be quite difficult though.

[leopardpm]

BasicCoder, what about doing the design in MagicaVoxel? I find working in some sort of semi-3D environment, but with 'pixels' to be much easier and intuitive.... the advantage is that not only is the drawing of each frame easier.... all the rotations of each frame can be done automatically..... just a thought....

Here is a little test... I just resized a screenshot of magicavoxel down to 65 pix high... which got rid of the 'boxes'.... can be made MUCH better, just a quick test... also, the different parts (arms, torso, vest, leggings,e etc) can be made specific colors so as to easily re-color in your paint program as you wish... depends on how you want to use it and what works best for your 'workflow'...



here is resized to 150px high... more detail, no trace of 'voxels'


and after sharpened....


...and it just so happens that I have been working on my stupid IsoVox routines for a billion years and they could finally be put to use, if for nothing else than to directly convert a MagicaVoxel file into a sprite sheet with 8 (or however many you want...) rotations of each frame.... which means no, 'voxelization' at all, just pure pixel art... just a thought...

[leopardpm]

...viking hobbits...

lol! luv the idea...

[BasicCoder2]

She's great but I prefer the idea of a more all purpose sprite. One that is made of separate pieces and can be put together by the game to have more different looking soldiers. You could have a set of different heads to add more variety between agents.

That works ok for 2d images. With 3d images the limbs change shape on the 2d screen as they move through 3d space.
It is still possible to draw different faces and clothing on template characters.
.

[BasicCoder2]

I keep getting,
403 Forbidden
Access to this resource on the server is denied!

They don't even bother to explain why!!!!!!!!!

[leopardpm]

I keep getting,
403 Forbidden
Access to this resource on the server is denied!

They don't even bother to explain why!!!!!!!!!

for what? if it is for downloading MagicaVoxel...check your email from me - just sent the zip file

[Boromir]

I keep getting,
403 Forbidden
Access to this resource on the server is denied!

They don't even bother to explain why!!!!!!!!!

for what? if it is for downloading MagicaVoxel...check your email from me - just sent the zip file

I think he means the Forum is giving the message. I was getting it too.

[BasicCoder2]

BasicCoder, what about doing the design in MagicaVoxel? I find working in some sort of semi-3D environment, but with 'pixels' to be much easier and intuitive...

I did play with MagicaVoxel when you first mentioned it and had a different experience to yourself. I actually found it easier and faster to simple draw images rather than try and place hundreds of pixel sized blocks in the right place. There is also the issue of adding different types of clothes to a template image. Positioning limbs is also much harder to do compared with the stroke of a pen.

Did you draw the goblin or was it already made? I would take forever to do that cube by cube.
.

[leopardpm]

I did play with MagicaVoxel when you first mentioned it and had a different experience to yourself. I actually found it easier and faster to simple draw images rather than try and place hundreds of pixel sized blocks in the right place.

there are more efficient ways to place voxels than just block by block... I prefer using the 'sculpting' method - make one big rectangular volume and scrape away the parts not wanted... but, I am no artist.

There is also the issue of adding different types of clothes to a template image. Positioning limbs is also much harder to do compared with the stroke of a pen.

I can see how those might be easier for a 2d image... EXCEPT that you need to do it 8 times (each rotation) which means that even if it takes 7 times the time to make the model, you still save time in the long run

Did you draw the goblin or was it already made? I would take forever to do that cube by cube.

I cheated, he was an attempt to voxelize one of my 3D models... was only able to get at the base image and not at the animation frames... unfortunately.... again, I have only made a few simplistic voxel sprites as I am not a good artist in that direction.

But, I understand your position, and if you don't feel comfortable using it, then it is obviously not a good fit for you. I do like the new features of animation frames and such... I wish I knew how to use it better because it seems very powerful. I have watched some videos on using it and they seem to put together sprites pretty quickly... but I am sure that speed comes with practice and patience.

[Boromir]

Here is another 3d model attempt at a bear. What do you all think. I'm working on a walk cycle for him that should hopefully be finished soon.

[leopardpm]

Here is another 3d model attempt at a bear. What do you all think. I'm working on a walk cycle for him that should hopefully be finished soon.

He looks great... and scary!