| dxgame |
Posted - Apr 12 2004 : 1:39:19 PM
We're in the finishing stages of our new (2D+) game engine and we've thrown just about everything we can think of into this thing, while keeping it extremely high level and easy to use. If anyone has some ideas that they would like to see in our engine please detail your suggestions here, thank you. |
| masterbooda |
Posted - Apr 25 2004 : 4:43:40 PM
The gui, in essence is a good idea, but it would have to be done right, or the programmer would be limited on what type of game they can make..... Basically, more control should be given to the programmer... sometimes the simplest designs are the better ones... all the engine really needs to control is the basic elements, for example the mapping system, sprites...etc... |
| sdw |
Posted - Apr 24 2004 : 1:36:37 PM
Yup, easy-to-use fullscreen completely customizable gui system for force people to download the engine and at least check it out. You could even make tool for positioning 'controls' on the screen via drag and drop, just like the VB IDE. |
| dxgame |
Posted - Apr 23 2004 : 03:11:46 AM
You're 100% right about the GUI stuff, that IS on the harder scale of things to do. We have bounced this one around in discussions. Thanks for the heads up on it. |
| sdw |
Posted - Apr 22 2004 : 6:56:59 PM
Some gui stuff woul be cool |
| sdw |
Posted - Apr 22 2004 : 6:55:05 PM
Add more things that actually handle common game events, like ur lil sprite system. Also maybe add some kind of scripting or something to allow the user to customize things. |
| dxgame |
Posted - Apr 22 2004 : 3:39:37 PM
"why not add more of these types of features instead of drawing routines that DX already has built in?"
?? Could you please explain (in detail) what you mean by that? Thanks... |
| sdw |
Posted - Apr 22 2004 : 2:42:10 PM
lol, that engine has a lot more to it than just an item system or inventory system. And personally I would never spend money on any gaming engine, that sucks the fun out of making the game. From what I understand you already have a sprite managing system, why not add more of these types of features instead of drawing routines that DX already has built in? |
| dxgame |
Posted - Apr 22 2004 : 01:11:48 AM
SDW,
Those are features that would fall under "construction set engine" category. For instance if someone was developing an "RPG engine/construction set" I would expect those features. And quite frankly, the last MORPG engine I researched cost several thousand dollars to license. Hey, there's an engine available right now that has all those features you asked for and more, and it's only $150,000 dollars! ;)
Check it out here: http://www.evilgamers.net |
| sdw |
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 11:56:11 PM
In that case, I would like to see a multi blitted character/sprite that will show off what types of items they are wearing, just like in diablo 2. Also, a questing system, speech system, item system, stat system, speech system, inventory system, and it goes on forever. |
| cbx |
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 11:33:38 PM
Dude, you just posted 6 seconds after I did! Cool.
I was trying to figure out what the heck there was a post doing after mine and I glanced at the time ... |
| dxgame |
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 11:30:19 PM
SDW,
This thread was not meant to be a plug for our engine (or anyone else's for that matter). We just wanted to see what ideas the typical 2D game coder might have in mind. Listing all of the features of the engine and then asking "what is missing" would just promote "out of the air" suggestions. Some of you might even reply with overly technical suggestions just for the cerebral exercise. ;)
When we get closer to releasing the engine ofcourse we will list every feature then. But until then, think of your own programmer experiences, what would you like to see automated, or handled automatically by a 2D engine? Think of something that really was difficult to code, something you saw in another game somewhere, etc,etc. |
| cbx |
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 11:30:13 PM
quote:
Originally posted by dxgame
And congrats on taking VB.net head on. Most of the shareware development community is not jumping on the .net experience just yet. ;)
Early adoption is my curse. I can't help it. I like riding on the leading edge of tech. Heck I tracked down and downloaded a leaked beta of managed DX9 like 2 months before it was even released officially by microsoft. And a soon as VB.NET and the .NET framework was released I purchased my MSDN Professional subscription and compleatly stopped working on all my vb6 projects I had going at the time, and put all my focus on vb.net only.
Yah, it's that bad. |
| sdw |
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 11:03:56 PM
This is exactly my reason why you should have posted a list of features the engine already has |
| dxgame |
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 10:05:20 PM
Hi CBX,
Good post! Everything you mention is either in our new engine or is on the "todo" list. :) Thanks!
And congrats on taking VB.net head on. Most of the shareware development community is not jumping on the .net experience just yet. ;) |
| cbx |
Posted - Apr 21 2004 : 4:26:46 PM
Some more benifits of using 3D to simulate 2D ...
- Ablility to do zooming, panning, and scaling, quick and easy just by manipulating a matrix.
- You can still use the same code logic for determining what tiles are visible, and where they are located on screen.
- Allows you to have multi textured tiles.
- You can use 3D geometry and render over top of an area to simulate lighting effects or even shadow effects.
- Because the game uses 3D to render 2D tiles you will already be prepared to add and incorperate more 3D oriented features to the game engine in the future.
- You could use a 3D mesh of a rotating diamond rather then having a texture or series of textures of a diamond rotating.
- Allows you to use professional apps like gMAX or 3DS Max for creating your game levels and characters etc. Saving you from having to create your own and all the problems/hardwork that goes with it.
- Alows you to have multi textured tiles.
- Allows you to do multi layered platform games like this...
http://www.videogamedc.com/Pixeled_Parodies/Rise_Of_The_Mushroom_Kingdom/rise_of_the_mushroom_kingdom.html
Pay attention to the scene at the beggining when mario comes out of the castle and starts doing excersies, then jumps into the pipe to the left of the scene. (The next sequence is what I am talking about when I say people should consider using 3D geometry to simulate 2D tiles games.) The camera then zooms back and starts to show another layer with 2 pipes on it then zooms back even more and you see a whole new layer that mario begins to run around on.
You would be somwhat hard pressed to implement these type of game features using a traditional 2D base tile engine.
Again I realize that it is too late in the game to go back and redesign your engine, I am just posting more ideas for people to think about. |
