toolmaker

Trying to show off your design skillz... My point was: If Stefan wrote the game with a proper design in mind, add those requests should be a breeze, and he'll probably take your request...

If Stefan wrote the game with OO and re-useability in mind, I bet he can implement such a feature, without too much problems. Basicly, it means he could have several configuration schemes, where one could choose a setting they like: Classic RTS style, or a different style(A la starcraft/aoe).

I got it all working(For the map tiles that is): <img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2754/2691/320/mapedit.jpg"> Does anyone happen to know the mapformat for Dune 2: The Maker? I could have the editor load/save that kind of files aswell. Perhaps someone might use it to make new maps for D2TM, for whatever reason. Toolmaker

You're correct, it's written in C#. However, one of my pro's of doing the project like this is code re-use. My Map class needs functions to change tiles(For instance, when the spice on a tile runs out, it should be changed to sand). The function to calc the curves, needs to be used in the game aswell, for the spice fields. Using a DirtyRect var I could optimize it to only update small portions, but I can still use the same map. If there is 1 thing I completely hate it's rewriting code into 2 different classes. I could derive my Map class and overload the Render() function for my map editor so it uses GDI+, but it's still writing double code. Basicly none of the mainstrain videocard developers still release non-DX compliant cards, it's just that older computers wouldn't be able to run it. For now, I'll keep it as DX enabled map editor, but I can always change that in the future. Toolmaker

Compatibilty is not a problem, as it's a matter of loading/saving a certain format, and I can easily make changes to the editor to support the D2TM features. Only problem with the editor are the rather high requirements: - .NET framework 2.0(But then again, who doesn't have the framework installed by now) - DirectX 9, januari 2006 update - Minimum resolution of 800 * 600 Ofcourse, I can always downsize the rendering area to something smaller... And about the images: If I could load the map format that D2TM uses, the layout of the map would still the same, except I use the original graphics, but while loaded in D2TM, it uses the retouched images. But it'll work nonetheless. Toolmaker

I got overruled by my team, so I decided to develop the game on my own, and change my ambitions a bit. I wanna aim myself at developing an online playable version of Dune II. MAx of 8 players vs eachother over the net. So, last week I got busy and developed almost a completely map editor. It misses a few features which I'll develop coming week, but here it is: <img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2754/2691/1600/editor2.jpg"> I was wondering, I'm willing to add some code to load/save maps that Dune 2: The maker uses. But, is there interest for this? Toolmaker

VidiWare: You have a PM with an URL in your PM box. Lemme know when you "acquired" them. Stefan: You too, but without an URL ^_^

I have a bunch of ebooks on the subject. However, I do not have any books on Managed DirectX. If you want, I could share a part of my Managed DirectX 9 engine with you. I worked on an Asteroids clone in the past in 3D. I used models, and was working on the collision detection before I got too busy with other things, and eventually lost interest. I really need to get going on it again, but perhaps after I finished a 2D game. My 'engine' contains a few handy sub-systems: Input system, Engine to handle the device and some parts of the drawing/updating, a TaskManager(The input system is a task which gets executed every frame, and has the ability to bind keys to certain events), a GameStack(Pushing new states onto the stack changes gamestate. So in Asteroids, I push a MenuState onto it, and from within the state, I pushed a PlayState when the player selected New Game), a HighRes timer for timing, an FpsCounter, TextureManager, MeshLoader(Only .X models). I have hosted a few ebooks on C# itself, and you could always try to find Managed DirectX 9 Kickstart. It's a great book, and contains information on making 2D games with either D3DSprite or DirectDraw. I use D3DSprite(Or the Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3DX.Sprite class). Check your PM box for the URL. As for legality: School doesn't care if we borrow our images, it's for educational purposes. EA owns the IP of all the images, and the entire game concept. They could send Stefan a Cease & Desist letter anyday, but up to now, they didn't. I doubt they haven't found out about yet. I might just use the grabber, and 'steal' all the images myself from the Dune II pak file. Problem is: I then need to load the palette and save all the bitmaps as non-palette ones. Not really a job I'm looking forward too(Alternatively, I could code up a small program to do the work, but eventually, it probably takes as long as doing it manually). Toolmaker

These files are great! Well, most of them, because I seem to be missing a bunch. Stefan: I'm not sure if you would do mind to share your "enhanced" files? Because that way, I don't need to bother and extract some of the tiles from the sidebar. Plus, I'd have the sharper files, and I might finish the game completely, after the project is over. If you do might, I'll extract the files myself, and link together what I need, but it's just a bit more work. Last weekend I coughed up a map class which renders everything. Wasn't too much work. Right now, I want to come up with a easy to extend UI, perhaps a button class, etc. After that, I just need to update my existing C# Engine framework to use the mouse, instead of just the keyboard and I can focus myself on building units/buildings classes. Toolmaker

I'm actually wondering, I've seen on a few sites things about the seeds... What are these seeds used for? And more perhaps equally important, how do I used them? I already seen the map files, should be quite easy to parse, but those they only contain sand/spice? Toolmaker

MrFibble: Thanks, that's awesome! Now only to acquire the font that Stefan uses and we're set. Actually, I just stole em from his demo 3 release. Stefan: I've been programming for 7 years now, including some professional experience, so writing a Tetris clone isn't challenging anymore ;). I've did some game programming before, wrote a tetris clone, and right now, I'm making a pacman clone just to get out of C programming course(Teacher agreed to let me pass the entire course if I could write it). Also, I already have a MBO diploma(Doing a HBO study in Utrecht). We have to write the game in a team($ or 5 members), so we can divide tasks, and aim for a minimal RTS: Pre-built base with a con yard, 2 wind traps, refinery, WOR and a light factory. The player has to collect spice and build some vehicles/troops. We think we can achieve this in 10 weeks, as we made a pretty decent Gameboy Advance RPG in the past 10 weeks, especially since the learning curve for this is much easier. Next step: Find out how DirectX 9 can aid me in using the 'golden' images and alpha-blend the right color onto it. Toolmaker

I'm currently in the process of orienting myself for a upcoming school project. The project means that we have to develop a small game in a language of our own choice. I quickly thought: This could be my chance to realize one of my dreams: Cough up my own simple RTS game. As a kid, I loved Dune II, and thus, I figured, why not make my own simple clone of it. However, my main problem with it are the data files. I'm a programmer, not an artist. I could code my own PAK file reader for Dune II and use that. However: We only have 10 weeks to develop the game, so I want to focus on gameplay, and not on writing utils to extract the data. My question: Is there a simple tool to extract all the data into a readable format, or is there a very good description of how the datafile is built up? I have no use for existing code, as I want to develop my game in C#. Thanks, Toolmaker

I've been playing Dune II for quite some time now and I tried several times to extract the image files but horribly failed since the file format is quite badly documented. So, does anyone here has the original files from Dune II? I assume Stefan has them, but he has stuffed them all into the Allegro PAK file and I don't really want to spent a few days coding up an application that can reverse engineer the pak files and extract the data files. Could anyone hook me up? Toolmaker