Dune 2 eXtended Project

[drnovice]

Thanks for useful explaination.

I would create a Dune2 spin-off to redesign Scenarios where you can choose A/O/H or F/M/S factions. In every Scenario faction it's expected also some swapping levels so if you use Atreides you can use also Fremen as human in some regions and vice-versa for example.

But I think that this one needs to have TWO .exe, one for original sides and one to other sides, right?

[MrFlibble]

I would create a Dune2 spin-off to redesign Scenarios where you can choose A/O/H or F/M/S factions. In every Scenario faction it's expected also some swapping levels so if you use Atreides you can use also Fremen as human in some regions and vice-versa for example.

But I think that this one needs to have TWO .exe, one for original sides and one to other sides, right?

How are you going to switch between two different EXEs mid-game? It doesn't seem possible to me.

Other than that, a similar idea was discussed here some time ago. Theoretically, it is possible to switch between sides during a campaign without the need of an extra EXE or anything like that. You can use the same principle as with selecting a "new" faction at the campaigns start, by formally assigning a scenario to one House through the filename but actually using a different House as a human player. I didn't go in that direction because it seems like a lot of work, and I don't really have that much free time ATM to devise an intricate campaign like that. However, this method will still keep some of the drawbacks, namely, you won't have six different heralds or score screen bars, and if you used up some of the original Houses' code exceptions for the new sides (like it is in DuneX), the tech tree of the original Houses won't be the same too. You'll also need extra scenario files for duplicates during a swap sides mission, but for that you can use the space inside FINALE.PAK (it contains several files with 8-character length names that can be replaced with scenario files). If you're okay with that, feel free to experiment with that stuff, just keep posting updates on your progress here :)

[athanasios]

A loader/patch EXE wouldn't be better?

[drnovice]

How are you going to switch between two different EXEs mid-game? It doesn't seem possible to me.

Other than that, a similar idea was discussed here some time ago. Theoretically, it is possible to switch between sides during a campaign without the need of an extra EXE or anything like that. You can use the same principle as with selecting a "new" faction at the campaigns start, by formally assigning a scenario to one House through the filename but actually using a different House as a human player. I didn't go in that direction because it seems like a lot of work, and I don't really have that much free time ATM to devise an intricate campaign like that. However, this method will still keep some of the drawbacks, namely, you won't have six different heralds or score screen bars, and if you used up some of the original Houses' code exceptions for the new sides (like it is in DuneX), the tech tree of the original Houses won't be the same too. You'll also need extra scenario files for duplicates during a swap sides mission, but for that you can use the space inside FINALE.PAK (it contains several files with 8-character length names that can be replaced with scenario files). If you're okay with that, feel free to experiment with that stuff, just keep posting updates on your progress here :)

I'm thinking to do something very easy: using original .exe to choose original side (in the main choice heralds screen), but including also in original .exe the changes about Dunex tech tree (if you want play a equal rules game between original and other sides), the bug fix reguards concrete and regions map, and all about other sides Mentats usage. In the end, a Scenario.pak that contains both original + other sides, changed as well to obtain swap effect (with also Mentat changed) depending which region you choose.

For example if you start house Ordos you could be have a region level to use Mercenary as human and so swap from Ordos Mentat to Mercenary Mentat. To do this I must create a Scenario.pak that contains i.e. SCENO003.INI with Mercenary set as human (unfortunately without Ordos in that region level if we can't undestand how change AI behavior between fations different to Atreides-Fremen relationship) and so on.

Alike the other factions, start Mercenary means that i.e. SCENM003.INI is with Ordos set as human, and so on!

Let's recap:

• TWO .exe to choose how play, if original or other sides
  
• TWO Scenario.pak files that represent about the mirroring on A/F - O/M - H/S relationship
  
• All working files about six sides of Mentats to allow swapping in region levels
  
• Re-design about text and plot in game-playing to adapt the above

[Nyerguds]

Doesn't seem too hard... tons of TS mods work that way. All you need to do is rename the references to "scenario.pak" in the addon exe, so it uses its own differently-named .pak file.

[drnovice]

Yes I also would set number of sandworms from 2 to 4 using indexes 16-20 instead classic 16-18.

P.S. MrFibble maybe you should to delete some PM so I can write you at least my email! ;o)

[MrFlibble]

P.S. MrFibble maybe you should to delete some PM so I can write you at least my email! ;o)

My PM box is so clogged I stopped bothering about it a while ago. After the forum software change, all of the messages that I had deleted previously just popped up again, literally flooding the inbox, and I can't be bothered to clean it up. Just drop me an e-mail, my address is in both SD2Classic and DuneX readme files.

And BTW, I still don't get it how two EXEs are going to work in tandem. I can only say that once I observed some weird behaviour when I tested an SD2 EXE that I put into a folder with regular Dune 2, and did not change the internal EXE filename string to SUPER.EXE ('cause the game only won't load if an EXE matching the internal filename string is not found in the folder). So the weird part was that when I launched SUPER.EXE, it played the intro cinematic, although I had disabled it in the code; but the fixes for new sides worked as they should have been (meaning that it did not load the entire DUNE2.EXE instead of SUPER.EXE). When I changed the internal filename string to SUPER.EXE, it worked normally, without the intro. I did not look into this phenomenon any further as it didn't seem to have any useful potential back then though.

Yes I also would set number of sandworms from 2 to 4 using indexes 16-20 instead classic 16-18.

You should be careful with that though, there are some special properties associated with the indexes that are not well researched yet. For example, if you use the indexes normally reserved for flying units or projectiles to make ground units, it's not going to work. I've also had reports of troubles possibly associated with the fact that in the earlier versions of DuneX, the Saboteur was moved to regular ground unit indexes to remove the two-per-map limit, so I had to change this back. In short, the game might become unstable if these things are modified.

[drnovice]

Tests that I made, idexes 19 and 20 (normally unused) working about Sandworm. I could have FOUR pre-placed worms moving in map.

For Saboteurs, 19 and 20 working too, but Saboteur units in those slots (19 & 20) are invisible just like v1.0 bug.

It seems that Saboteur unit can use only 21 & 22 slots to be visible!

About .EXEs, they don't work really in tandem, simply you use to play or one or other if you would use or original sides or other sides.

[Nyerguds]

It seems that Saboteur unit can use only 21 & 22 slots to be visible!

I did mention that already, yes.

[MrFlibble]

Tests that I made, idexes 19 and 20 (normally unused) working about Sandworm. I could have FOUR pre-placed worms moving in map.

Good. I just mentioned it that there could be problems, but if it works fine, then great :) BTW, did the Sandworms spawned by the Palace superweapon during your tests (I understand you explored that possibility) spawn on rock, as Nyer suggested (thus making them unable to move), or did the game actually make some terrain compatibility check before spawning units?

For Saboteurs, 19 and 20 working too, but Saboteur units in those slots (19 & 20) are invisible just like v1.0 bug.

It seems that Saboteur unit can use only 21 & 22 slots to be visible!

Well, except using the regular 22 to 101 indexes, although the reported instability of the game that is possibly associated with this issue is still there. Honestly, I preferred to switch back to regular slots rather than look into this problem (as I've never observed that bug myself) 'cause I didn't have the time to do this kind of research. If it turns out that the Saboteurs do just fine within regular units' slots, then it means that we can have virtually unlimited Saboteurs on the map with no drawbacks :)

About .EXEs, they don't work really in tandem, simply you use to play or one or other if you would use or original sides or other sides.

Ahh, but in fact, you could do side-switching within one EXE as it was discussed in the posts that I've linked to. You could circumvent the problems with herald/score bar/whatnot limitations by either using a "generic" herald or using the original House heralds/score bar colours both for those Houses and their new allies.

[Nyerguds]

I guess the additional slots for the saboteurs are there to make sure the superweapon keeps working even if the game complains about "Unable to create more".

[MrFlibble]

I guess the additional slots for the saboteurs are there to make sure the superweapon keeps working even if the game complains about "Unable to create more".

Not only that, there also seem to be some special properties associated with the Saboteur and Sandworm slots, i.e. the Saboteur invisibility feature (which I'm not sure if it's a bug or not) in v1.0 is index-related. It is also possible that they swapped the Saboteur and Sandworm index slots in v1.07 just because of that particular issue (although swapping them in v1.0 does not make Saboteurs visible IIRC).

[MrFlibble]

Not in the least thanks to the breakthrough made by the OpenDUNE Team, and updates to Nyerguds' Dune II Editor, here comes this release :)

First off, the game no longer uses limited voice-overs for in-game announcements, and original voices are back: the Sardaukar have Frank Klepacki as the Harkonnen Mentat, and the Fremen and the Mercenaries share the Atreides female voice.

Secondly, Sardaukar Troopers can no longer be repaired like vehicles (thanks to improvements made by Nyeguds in the latest version of his editor). This also lead to the reinstating of the Repair Facility in the Sardaukar tech tree, although it had to be moved up a bit and now requires the Heavy Factory to have been built first.

Finally, the Fremen will no longer automatically attack the Sandworms, which are now assigned to the Atreides in all Fremen missions. However, the Sandworms are generally less hostile towards the Fremen.

Download Dune 2 eXtended Project v1.27

[drnovice]

One year older! But Dune 2 feelings remain the same eheh! :P

I'm happy to see that some problems are resolved but now I must do a recap of all, it has been too much time!

[MrFlibble]

Hi there drnovice! ^_^ Long time no see eh? The changes have been mostly fixes lately (or some cosmetic changes), so I guess you haven't missed that much at all. TBH, I haven't had any time to devote to the project lately, so no major changes like a different camapaign or something (although technically this could be done, even with Dune II's limitations).

[drnovice]

I know, it's normal we're all a bit busy... ;)

I read also other topic (about .exe editing) so always thanks to Segra I see a part of code to try very interesting...so maybe return to try something of points remain open (as Atreides+Fremen AI ally bilateraly working)... if someone already do it, please tell me! :P

[drnovice]

I don't see heralds in game as showed in this image:

http://imageshack.us...prodscreen.png/

Maybe I downloaded an older release?

EDITED: ok I resolved! Maybe it was dosbox release (now just installed lastest 0.74), because with Win7 yesterday doesn't work very good.

[MrFlibble]

I don't see heralds in game as showed in this image:

http://imageshack.us...prodscreen.png/

Maybe I downloaded an older release?

EDITED: ok I resolved! Maybe it was dosbox release (now just installed lastest 0.74), because with Win7 yesterday doesn't work very good.

While you fixed the problem, what exactly did it look like? Were the heralds messed up, or missing entirely? To get the heralds the way they are on the screenshot you linked to, I just made the game skip the code entirely that swaps heralds depending on the House, and also copy-pastes parts of the production screen instead of a herald if you're playing a non-playable House. That would be kind of weird if this somehow depended on the DOSBox build (unless the build is faulty for some reason I guess).

[drnovice]

Heralds in production screen (inside ConstructionYard or WOR) were missing (black block instead of drawing).

I don't know exactly because of, but I noticed that my DosBox had some problem about colours, so I thought it might be that.

[dynasty]

I found a few spots where an unlucky unit could get trapped in a tight little space.

 

SCENF015: Sardaukar refinery, due to rocket turret.

SCENF019: Ordos palace, saboteurs can be trapped due to the deviator.

SCENS002: Fremen refinery.

SCENS017: Atreides heavy factory.

SCENS022: Mercenary refinery.

 

Note that DuneMaps (r66) doesn't like loading and placing units on concrete, so it won't show the SCENF019 bug.

[MrFlibble]

Thanks for feedback! Some of them might be leftovers from the original Dune II scenario design though.

[drnovice]

'drnovice', on 06 Jun 2011 - 20:24, said:

Tests that I made, idexes 19 and 20 (normally unused) working about Sandworm. I could have FOUR pre-placed worms moving in map.

Good. I just mentioned it that there could be problems, but if it works fine, then great :) BTW, did the Sandworms spawned by the Palace superweapon during your tests (I understand you explored that possibility) spawn on rock, as Nyer suggested (thus making them unable to move), or did the game actually make some terrain compatibility check before spawning units?

 

 

'drnovice', on 06 Jun 2011 - 20:24, said:

For Saboteurs, 19 and 20 working too, but Saboteur units in those slots (19 & 20) are invisible just like v1.0 bug.

It seems that Saboteur unit can use only 21 & 22 slots to be visible!

Well, except using the regular 22 to 101 indexes, although the reported instability of the game that is possibly associated with this issue is still there. Honestly, I preferred to switch back to regular slots rather than look into this problem (as I've never observed that bug myself) 'cause I didn't have the time to do this kind of research. If it turns out that the Saboteurs do just fine within regular units' slots, then it means that we can have virtually unlimited Saboteurs on the map with no drawbacks :)

 

 

'drnovice', on 06 Jun 2011 - 20:24, said:

About .EXEs, they don't work really in tandem, simply you use to play or one or other if you would use or original sides or other sides.

Ahh, but in fact, you could do side-switching within one EXE as it was discussed in the posts that I've linked to. You could circumvent the problems with herald/score bar/whatnot limitations by either using a "generic" herald or using the original House heralds/score bar colours both for those Houses and their new allies.

Correction: original Dune 2 v1.07 Sandworms array range is 16-17, Saboteurs array range is 20-21.

My tests make me think that 16-19 range is for Sandworms (invisible/underground units, indeed any other regular ground unit in this array, not only Saboteur, is invisible) (attached 1 & 2).

 

Instead 20-101 is for ALL ground units (visible). Maybe there is possibility to go over 101 value, but I can't test so many units into range.

 

A curiosity is to see that the Sandworms created outside 16-19 array, since 20 to rise, have the cursor duplicate and decentralized (attached 3).

[MrFlibble]

Interesting findings, thanks for sharing! I do remember testing the Saboteur/Sandworm arrays between v1.0 and v1.07, and that one of the arrays had the unit invisibility thing seemingly hardcoded into it. IIRC I tried to increase the max number of Saboteurs in v1.07 back to 3, and it turned out that some of them became invisible.

The duplicate cursor may have something to do with the "shimmer" distortion pattern, but I'm not sure about that. Units in Dune II generally start to behave weirdly if they get outside their originally designated arrays, because some important unit features are linked to the array rather than to the individual unit data. For example, if you try to make a ground unit in the air unit array (0-11), it will become non-selectable, and I think it'll also gain a semi-transparent shadow (all ground units except infantry normally have a solid shadow drawn into the sprite, while air units have procedurally generated dark transparent shadows).

[drnovice]

Saved games files in first post on this topic are deprecated or another DuneX version?

 

If I try to Load game it returns following error:

 

 

Then it does Restart the Scenario.

[MrFlibble]

If I try to Load game it returns following error:

 

Dunex Saved Games Error.JPG

 

Then it does Restart the Scenario.

This is not an error, this is in fact the intended behaviour.

Dune II v1.07 will restart a mission if you try to load a saved game from v1.0. I made use of this feature for DuneX to ensure that if some changes are made to the scenarios during an update, the people who are using the savegames will get to play the latest version of the missions. Because if you make a saved game in v1.07 and then change that scenario, the changes will not be reflected when you load that saved game unless the mission is restarted.