New Sga Project

Everything about the modern clones and remakes.

Moderator: Admin

User avatar
paul_nicholls
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:16 am
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Post by paul_nicholls »

subotai wrote:My first level editor was very simple. A TForm, a TImage and no properties. I added the TTimer component and set the keypreview of the Form to true to test the caves with the cursor keys. 99% of my game engine is based on this simple "canvas boulder dash". I used a separate unit for the game engine code, so I only had to copy this unit to the folder of the main game with smooth scrolling. My leveleditor is based on this canvas boulder dash. I removed the engine code very late.

Most elements are very easy to implement. I had the most trouble with the snakes/worms of the game Rockford. I spended more time for analyzing the game physics in an emulator than writing the code.

I recommend using a one dimensional array for the map, because this is how the original engine works. I already mentioned this in the other thread.

Code: Select all

Var cavemap:array[0..879] of byte;
Thanks for the info :)
I had already done a level editor using normal forms and GUI elements, but now I want to make the editor in-game so it can do all the animations and all the other stuff using the same game engine.

This is what is taking me more time...I can place/delete items in a level, and load + save a level, and test it so far. I have to add in the making of links for teleporters, warps, switches yet.

cheers,
Paul
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

Version 1.1
- Improved game controls (keyboard & joystick)
- Minor changes in the menus

Download link in the first post.

Have fun!
User avatar
paul_nicholls
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:16 am
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Post by paul_nicholls »

Nice :)

OT: I have now gotten the editor for The Probe so I can add in working switches, teleporters (teleports the player only), and vortices (teleports moving items like rocks, crystals, radioactive elements).

After some debugging I will upload a simple demo so you guys can try it out...it won't have a menu yet, just puts you into the game straight away.

cheers,
Paul
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

paul_nicholls wrote:I have now gotten the editor for The Probe so I can add in working switches, teleporters (teleports the player only), and vortices
Sounds very good. Can't wait to play it :D
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

Update of the cave editor (version 1.1):
- C64 import: correct cave selection table for bd1- & bd2-engine games is generated

You can download the cave editor from my homepage. It is included in the zip-archive rdcavetools.zip.

When you import a C64 memory dump of a bd1- or bd2-engine game, the correct cave selection table is generated. Remember that you can enable "full selection" in the options menu.

Note: the game frusti dash is not imported completely. It includes some nice effects that are not supported by my engine (or any other remake). So I did not spent any time trying to import the effects in the different caves.
User avatar
paul_nicholls
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:16 am
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Post by paul_nicholls »

Nice work as always! So how does one import a C64 memory dump? From a .C64 emulator file?
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

Thanks :)
paul_nicholls wrote:So how does one import a C64 memory dump?
This is explained in the chm-help file of my editor (Levelsets - Memory Dump).

You can use any emulator to create the memory dump. I will explain it for my favourite emulator WinVice:
  • Start the WinVICE emulator
    - Load the game (File - Autostart disk)
    - Go to the cave selection screen (F1 or Fire-Button)
    - Start the monitor (File - Monitor)
    - Type the following line:
    s "filename" 0 0 ffff (example: s dump 0 0 ffff)
    - press enter
    - Type the follwing line:
    exit
    - press enter
Now, the file "dump" (without file extension) is stored in the directory of the game disc (D64, T64, ...).
  • - Start the program rdcaveeditor.exe
    - Click on the load button to start the OpenDialog
    - Change the file type to "all files"
    - Open the file "dump"
    - (*1)
    - Click on the save button to store the game to the *.rde format.
(*1) If you import a bd1 engine game, go to "Settings - generic" and uncheck "Magic Wall Breakscan" before saving. Most games work without this setting.

Note that only bd1,bd2 & plck engine games are supported. But most fan games use these engines.

The converter can also handle many games with special features. But it doesn't check all parts of the memory dump. So don't expect all games to work perfect ;-) However, most games should work without any problems.
User avatar
paul_nicholls
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:16 am
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Post by paul_nicholls »

Very neat...thanks! :)
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

Update to Version 1.2
The main game, not the editor ;-)

- Optimised game controls (no more direction preferences)
- Some more changes in the game menus
- Updated included games (read games.txt in subfolder docs)

You should never say never, but this should be really the final release of the game (I hope so). We'll see. I will still work a little bit on the editor.

I totally changed the game controls (keyboard and joystick/gamepad). Before, the game controls were similar to the controls in the emulator WinVICE. Now, there are no more preferences for the direction keys when you press more than one key at the same time.

Have fun!
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

The latest release of my game can be downloaded from my homepage (revision 1.0, released in december 2011). I've changed the game title to "Secret Goaf Adventure". I've stopped the development, so there will not be any more releases.

Here are some features for importing C64 memory dumps:

Code: Select all

Bd1-engine:
import of correct cave selection table (restrictions in cave selection)
amoeba conversion bug (optional)
magic wall breakscan (optional)
detection of...
- diagonal walking (not supported in my game engine)
- glued dirt (custom element, full support)
- glued brickwall (custom element, full support)
- breakable steel wall (custom element, full support)
- glued boulder and glued diamond (custom elements, full support)
- acid (custom element, full support)
- hexpanding wall (custom element, full support)
- voodoo doll (custom element, full support)
- slime (custom element, full support)
- raster drawing routines (full support)
- some local diego effects (limited support)

Bd2-engine
import of correct cave selection table (restrictions in cave selection)
map drawing routine (full support)
draw PLCK-caves (full support)

PLCK-engine
import of correct cave selection table (restrictions in cave selection) 
global and local diego effects
detection of ...
- diagonal walking (not supported in my game engine)
- vertical growing wall (global effect, full support)
- scrolling through the wall (limited supported)

Download the "Tools package" to import C64 memory dumps.
Link: Homepage

Have fun!
User avatar
paul_nicholls
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:16 am
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Post by paul_nicholls »

Cool! I will give it a try ASAP :)
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

Thanks Paul. I hope you like it :)

Here is the changelog:
changelog wrote:- animated diamonds
- better menu navigation
- configurable values for analog stick
- exchanged some graphics
Enjoy!
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

Here are the changes for the latest version:
changelog wrote:Revision 1.1
- Bugfix: Fixed loading of the graphics after the window resolution has changed
- Some changes in the CHM-Help file
Enjoy playing!
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

A few months ago, I've started to create a new implementation of my game using OpenGL. Highscore and Replays are still missing, but it's much better than my old SDL-implementation. Please note that this is an unofficial alpha release. However it runs stable. The application is stand alone. Data will only be saved in the game directory.

Image

The changelog and documentation is in German. I'm sorry for that, but I've you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me.

It has full gamepad/joystick support for the menus, so after starting the game, you don't have to use the keyboard anymore.

Here are the default key settings:

Code: Select all

move around = arrow keys /joy keys /analog stick/hat switch;
dig = Left CTRL / button 1;
pause/escape = Esc or "P" / button 2;
warp = Tab-Key / button 3;
zoom = Space / button 4;
Hold down the warp button to speed up game speed.
Hold down the zoom button and press up to zoom in, down to zoom out and press left/right to reset the zoom.

Navigation in the menus:
Arrow keys (all directions, you can also hold down the arrow keys)
enter submenu = Enter or dig button
quit submenu = Escape or pause button

Press left/right to change settings

The most important change is that game speed is now variable. I used the formulas that cirix uses in his remake. Well, the game speed sometimes seems to be a bit slow to me. But I compared it with the original games and it seems to be o.k.. You can play the game Rockford for PC with original game speed and with mode13h aspect ratio. The game is not included. Any comments are welcome.

The levelsets of my old remake are no more supported in my new implementation. But it's possible to load these levelsets in my editor and to save them to the new file format. It's recommended to create new levelsets from the memory dump instead. PAL or NTSC timing can be set in the editor (PAL is default and recommended).

Best regards
subotai
Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:19 pm

Post by subotai »

Update to Alpha Build 274
This is still an unofficial alpha release that runs stable. But there are still some minor bugs and glitches left.

Code: Select all

TODO:
- Fix some glitches
- Error handling when loading demo files (replays)

DONE:
- Added latest version of bass.dll (sound lib)

- Support for demo-files (replays)
- highscore support
- language selection
- extended custom ini settings
- some fixes in the game and the editor
The game is almost finished. Demo/replay and highscore support is included. Well, the description is still in German (this is much easier for me). I will include an English documentation in the next beta release.

Only some minor things are missing. I will start the beta testing in a few days and will release a beta version in the next time.

The application is standalone. Nothing will be saved by default. If you want to save the data: demo-files can be saved in the subfolder "demos", highscore-files can be saved in the subfolder "score" and the settings can be stored in an inifile in the game directory.

Downloads:
Game: newsga281012.zip
Editor: newsge211012.zip

Have fun!
Post Reply