The first thing I wanted to make was a modular on the fly image loading text system. The Otherworld used an array hopper and did a first in first out system.
Example
"line 1"
"line 2"
"line 3"
This new system instead of using a hopper instead does pointers.
Example
tag 1 "line 1" -> points to tag 2
tag 2 "line 2" -> points to tag 3
tag 3 "end" -> points to end
The advantage is that we can go to any tag whether its text or EVENT! So that means we can do Text -> event (change screen) -> text -> event (add item) -> text with no visible change to the user.
Also it is modular in 2 different ways. The first its can be taken to a completely stand alone version. The link below is the exact system no changes needed that I use in the game. But running stand alone for debugging!
Text System
The other way its modular is that when you open the file you see that it has 1 books.xml that then opens up the 2 story.xml and story2.xml. This means if I want to write an entire new story or chapters i can do them individually in different files and just have to update books.xml with the file name. Makes for much easier organization and will bring us to tomorrows main topic witch is modding.
Daisy
Soooooo does this mean you've stopped really developing Otherworld, orrrrr what exactly?
ReplyDeleteWhile I use an entirely different language, I would almost certainly recommend the xml version. I use resource files when I program in VB and it allows my writer / editor to edit the files with little or no programming knowledge. It sounds like the XML idea you have is similar in that regard. Even if you are the only one editing that xml file(s) sometimes you don't want to dig through a bunch of code to do so and simply want to make quick changes on the fly...that's just my two cents :)
ReplyDeleteYour project looks interesting, I can't wait to see more of it.
A game based on Rance, I love it already.
ReplyDeletePlease give Rance a guest appearance in it
Synergies between Otherworld and OW : Conquest
ReplyDeleteDear Daisy,
(This is a copy of a forum post I made today, as I'm not sure if you have time to read the forums)
as you announced yesterday, you started a new game called OW : Conquest, but do not want to stop working on Otherworld. Since you like very broad games with lots of features (therefore lots of work) I would like to suggest two approaches to realizing your ideas:
1) Write modular code. Try to create modules that accomplish a certain task, e.g. displaying text on the screen, and do not rely on code outside of the module to function. Todays blogpost shows me that you are already heading in this direction. That's great! Please continue.
2) Do not get lost in broadness. Do not try to write every feature at once. Concentrate on core features and develep them to an enjoyable (not just testable) state before you start working on new features. That way you can play an enjoyable game sooner and have fewer problems with finding bugs because fewer parts of the game are altered between versions.
On top of that, both OW : Conquest and Otherworld consist of several largely independent parts. As I see it these are:
OW : Conquest
* slave training / stat raising
* turn-based strategy
* possibly combat between armies?
Otherworld
* slave training / stat raising
* exploration / dungeon crawl
* combat between people
You need code that can handle a stat raising slave training game for both projects. Finish this first. The other parts can be handled with very simple makeshift solution. Combat? Automatic resolution! Just calculate the outcome and display a text message to the player telling him he won or lost. Turn based strategy? Just have an ingame character whom the player can tell if he wants to invade other cities, develop his own lands, recruit new troops. Results of player actions can be displayed with text messages. That way, all you need to flesh out is the slave training game and you'll have an enjoyable game MUCH sooner.
Finally, thanks for all your efforts!
My two cents,
Rudi
def love the idea of a rance style game
ReplyDeletewhile i have only played the frist rance game i must say i loved it
keep up the good work
will wait for trial to come out of ow conquest
I was just curious if you're going to use this blog for both projects or create a new one for the other project and update them both accordingly.
ReplyDelete