Dune Dynasty

[dynasty]

Version 1.5.3:

• Fix crash due to missing strings (sandworm hint and Ordos end game cutscene).
• Fix song titles in jukebox when only AdLib music available.

Version 1.5.4:

• Fix crash caused by completing a level when a config file has not been created.
• Fix crash due to out-of-bound memory access in AdLib driver.
• Fix carryalls and harvesters disappearing off the map.
• Fix greyed out version of some structure icons.
• Fix announcement of the number four in French and German missile countdowns.

If you are still getting crashes in version 1.5.4, please report it with the contents of the alert box, either as a screenshot or just copy the text.

 

Download: https://sourceforge.net/projects/dunedynasty/files/

[swt83]

This is great, played a bit this morning.  Thanks for the bug fixes!

[drnovice]

Ok it no longer crashes on Win7.. ;)

Sometimes Carryall sends me 3 Harversters on unique Raffinery! :P

[Nyerguds]

That seems like a script error... those things are kinda dodgy as it is though :P

[MrFlibble]

dynasty, please tell, would it be possible to code in some enhancements into Dune Dynasty that would allow for a wider array of modding and scenario making opportunities?

For example, how easy would it be to add new victory and defeat conditions for custom scenarios? Or to increase the "hard limit" on units and structures that can be present on the map at any given moment (I'm sorry if I missed your having dealt with this particular problem already)? Or to expand a campaign beyond the usual nine missions? To add custom unit types (with hero units maybe)?

I'm asking this because if such stuff is doable, the modding community would certainly benefit from these enhancements, especially since the core of the Dune Dynasty engine is as close to the original game as possible.

[swt83]

Dynasty,

 

What do you think about putting up an empty repository on Github for us to post issues in the issue tracker?  I know I encounter minor issues here and there but don't know where is best to post them.

[dynasty]

What do you think about putting up an empty repository on Github for us to post issues in the issue tracker?  I know I encounter minor issues here and there but don't know where is best to post them.

You can just post them here or email me.

 

For example, how easy would it be to add new victory and defeat conditions for custom scenarios?

What kind of conditions did you have in mind?

• The timeout parameter was implemented at some stage by OpenDUNE. You should be able to create both survival maps and destroy-before-the-time-limit maps. (The time should be given in minutes rather than seconds in the future.)
• I also not-so-sneakily made a change so that MCV-deploys are possible. If I recall correctly, there's a 3 minute duration for you to deploy (i.e. before the mission end checks kick in). Anyway, this should be fixed using the next point.
• Blizzard "walky missions" aren't possible, since there's no check for units remaining, but that could be implemented easily enough (either a total unit count or test for a specific unit type).

 

Or to expand a campaign beyond the usual nine missions?

This is already possible in Dune II, yes? Should be easy enough anyway.

Or to increase the "hard limit" on units and structures that can be present on the map at any given moment (I'm sorry if I missed your having dealt with this particular problem already)?

I think it is possible to increase the hard limits to about 255, but I haven't tried.

• There are bits and pieces of code that depend on the index. The invisible saboteur is a notable example.
• The unit index ranges need to be reworked, otherwise you will have a lot of units that are unable to fire.
• I don't think there are behaviours tied to the index within the EMC scripts, but I need to check.

 

To add custom unit types (with hero units maybe)?

You'll just have to post your ideas here really. Random ideas I came up with:

• You can probably make copies of existing units with small stats tweaks ("hero units"), e.g. more health, damage, camouflage, etc.
• You can probably alternate firing modes based on range to target. The support for soldiers firing trooper mini-rockets in Dune 2 eXtended is a very specialised hack at the moment.
• You probably can't make a "deploy mode" for an artillery unit very easily.
• You can probably make a mobile-cannon-turret that deploys into a fixed cannon turret though.
• You probably can't make a packable MCV.

The new units would need their own bits in the EMC script, but you can base it on existing units for simple units.

This is assuming that it is possible to simply add a few entries into the unit table, and you can add the new types into the EMC scripts. I don't see why not, but again I never tested it.

[swt83]

Issues:

 

- Scrolling w/ mouse is choppy and gives the appearance that the game is lagged.  But using the keyboard seems to be smooth.

- Sometimes the music slows down and I really do think the game is lagged, but it's very minor.

- Enemy turrets can sometimes fire at my Carryalls from across the board, which is bogus.  Even normal non-missile turrets attack my Carryalls, which I didn't think was allowable.

- Carryalls get glitched out hitting the border of the map like they are hitting a wall, kind of funny looking.

- Seems like my units do not attack Worms in guard mode, but in 1.4 they did.  This makes defending Harvesters difficult.

- The "raise the unit cap" option doesn't seem to do anything, bc the game will lock my unit ques.  The Starport is the only way around this.

 

Questions:

 

- Does the Windtrap really do anything?  It seems like a waste of money, bc all the Turrets etc still function without power.  The only thing it does is power the Radar, which isn't really worth anything tactically.

- The skirmish mode maps are great.  Are they being "generated" on the fly or are they pre-built?  Also, the enemy always starts with a pre-built base and units.  Is there any logic in the game for them to start out equal with me, having only a construction yard?

 

As always, love this game.  I bet I play it the most of anyone.

[THE AQIB]

I'm happy to announce Dune Dynasty v1.5.

Dune Dynasty is a continuation of the classic real-time strategy game Dune II by Westwood Studios. It is not a remake. It builds upon the original game engine as reverse-engineered by the OpenDUNE project.

Dune Dynasty features these modern enhancements:

• Runs natively on Linux and Windows (OpenGL or Direct3D)

• High-resolution graphics, including zooming

• Multiple unit selection with control groups

• New build queue interface

• Rally points

• Multiple sound channels

Plus:

• Emulated Ad-Lib sound and music playback

• General MIDI playback

• Custom campaigns

• Fog of war option

• Smoother unit animation

• Brutal AI mode

• Skirmish mode

• Jukebox

• Bug fixes

You will need the *.PAK data files from the EU v1.07 release of Dune II.

Homepage: http://dunedynasty.sourceforge.net/

Change log: http://dunedynasty.s...et/changes.html

Download page: http://sourceforge.n...edynasty/files/

Bug tracker: https://sourceforge....ynasty/tickets/

Edit: update for version 1.5.

How did you do the modification???

[swt83]

Issue:

 

- When loading the game, I was getting an error in my Terminal saying it couldn't locate "FluidR3_GM.sf2" from the path provided in the config.  The game still payed fine, and sounded fine, but I went and downloaded that file from http://musescore.org/en/handbook/soundfont and changed the path in the config.  Now the error is gone, and a bunch of things sound different.  I guess the "synth" option is now working when it didn't before and I never noticed.

 

- Having downloaded some of the additional music packs, and going into the jukebox, I sometimes have multiple versions of the same song begin playing at the same time overlapping w/ each other.  Also, I don't think the "rcblanke_sc55" music files work on my machine at all.  The jukebox stalls for a second and moves on to a different file each time.  Maybe it's bc I'm on a mac.

[Nyerguds]

How did you do the modification???

He started from OpenDune, which recreated the source code of all of Dune II.

- Does the Windtrap really do anything?  It seems like a waste of money, bc all the Turrets etc still function without power.  The only thing it does is power the Radar, which isn't really worth anything tactically.

I think buildings decay faster when low on power.

[MrFlibble]

<p>What kind of conditions did you have in mind?

• The timeout parameter was implemented at some stage by OpenDUNE. You should be able to create both survival maps and destroy-before-the-time-limit maps. (The time should be given in minutes rather than seconds in the future.)

• I also not-so-sneakily made a change so that MCV-deploys are possible. If I recall correctly, there's a 3 minute duration for you to deploy (i.e. before the mission end checks kick in). Anyway, this should be fixed using the next point.

• Blizzard "walky missions" aren't possible, since there's no check for units remaining, but that could be implemented easily enough (either a total unit count or test for a specific unit type).

Yup, I have all those in mind, plus some stuff you can already see in Command & Conquer:

• Multiple mission objectives (C&C has a "secondary objective" type that is implemented via a trigger that prevents the mission from ending until it is executed).

• Destroy/capture a specific structure objective type.

• Build a specific structure (e.g. Palace) secondary objective.

• Rescuable units a la Blizzard.

• Some form of AI control so that if it has a fully functional base, it doesn't pump out units while the player has to do some "walky" stuff as you put it (e.g. capture an enemy base before you can build your own army).

• More precise control of where reinforcements are dropped, maybe also ground-based reinforcements that just come from the corner of a map (like in C&C).

• Events that are triggered by other in-game events (e.g. you destroy a specific structure, or your units enter a specific area on the map, and this triggers some other event like reinforcements).

• Some more control over the tech tree in each custom scenario, including the ability to disable (or enable) production for a specific unit or structure just for this mission, overriding the global tech tree dependencies for this particular side.

• Configurable AI scripts where you could specify what units exactly (and not just unit types) the AI should use, and in what quantity.

This is already possible in Dune II, yes? Should be easy enough anyway.

It is, of course, but it requires some EXE hacking. I was thinking about some more flexible way of defining how long a campaign should be, for example inside the scenario files themselves.

Also it would be nice if one could optionally disable the mission map select routine between missions.

<p>I think it is possible to increase the hard limits to about 255, but I haven't tried.

• There are bits and pieces of code that depend on the index. The invisible saboteur is a notable example.

• The unit index ranges need to be reworked, otherwise you will have a lot of units that are unable to fire.

• I don't think there are behaviours tied to the index within the EMC scripts, but I need to check.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. This stuff isn't hard to change per se, but one needs to clean up all possible consequences and "fix" the interdependencies so that the extra units behave correctly.

You'll just have to post your ideas here really. Random ideas I came up with:

• You can probably make copies of existing units with small stats tweaks ("hero units"), e.g. more health, damage, camouflage, etc.

• You can probably alternate firing modes based on range to target. The support for soldiers firing trooper mini-rockets in Dune 2 eXtended is a very specialised hack at the moment.

• You probably can't make a "deploy mode" for an artillery unit very easily.

• You can probably make a mobile-cannon-turret that deploys into a fixed cannon turret though.

• You probably can't make a packable MCV.

The new units would need their own bits in the EMC script, but you can base it on existing units for simple units.

All those ideas are along the same lines as I was thinking about this. However, my question here is, would it be possible to make these enhancements and code them in such a way that they would not have to rely on the original internal structure of the game (e.g. the EMC vs. EXE bits in unit and structure code etc.)? This is what I meant by saying those changes would be flexible, as opposed to hardcoded.

In a nutshell, my idea here is that maybe these enhancements could work in a manner similar to the INI files in later Westwood C&C games (rules.ini etc.), so that everything relevant could be easily edited by the user through these INI files. Maybe this could override (in the context of a mod) the original part of the engine that handles units, structures and scenarios that uses hardcoded EXE variables, EMC scripts and such?

I think buildings decay faster when low on power.

IIRC, the decay from low power is an independent routine as opposed to "weather" type decay. I think (although I'm not sure) that decay happens at regular intervals in both cases, but I don't know whether it happens simultaneously (meaning that on low power, buildings just lose more HP compared to weather decay only), or the timers for both events are independent as well (in which case buildings would get damaged from low power at some points, and from weather at others).

[dynasty]

- Scrolling w/ mouse is choppy and gives the appearance that the game is lagged.  But using the keyboard seems to be smooth.

I noticed you were using Allegro 5.0.8. Could you try upgrading to 5.0.9? It had some mouse fixes for OS X.

- Enemy turrets can sometimes fire at my Carryalls from across the board, which is bogus.  Even normal non-missile turrets attack my Carryalls, which I didn't think was allowable.

It's allowed but I've never seen it. Nice to have some confirmation.

 

- Carryalls get glitched out hitting the border of the map like they are hitting a wall, kind of funny looking.

I think this is a bug in the original game. I accidentally changed something in 1.5.0 to 1.5.3, which fixed it but led to the disappearing harvester bug (carryalls would take harvesters off the map).

 

- Seems like my units do not attack Worms in guard mode, but in 1.4 they did.  This makes defending Harvesters difficult.

It works for me. Are you playing as Atreides or Fremen?

 

- The "raise the unit cap" option doesn't seem to do anything, bc the game will lock my unit ques.  The Starport is the only way around this.

If you can control more than 25 units, it's working. Otherwise, you need to restart the scenario. The Starport will let you order units, but if it can't create the units when ordered, it will silently give you a refund.

 

- The skirmish mode maps are great.  Are they being "generated" on the fly or are they pre-built?  Also, the enemy always starts with a pre-built base and units.  Is there any logic in the game for them to start out equal with me, having only a construction yard?

They are generated. AI wouldn't stand a chance if they started out equal.

[drnovice]

[...] 

This is already possible in Dune II, yes? Should be easy enough anyway.

It is, of course, but it requires some EXE hacking. I was thinking about some more flexible way of defining how long a campaign should be, for example inside the scenario files themselves.

[...]

Here I explained how managed Scenario Missions over 9th.

The problem about hypothetically to set the value on INI Scenario files is to manage all cases regards how many INI files exaclty on PAK insert, then make a check about Max value to insert, and so on... therefore all management becomes too much complicated.

 

I even managed Timeout key value to set on INI files to use "reach time" victory condition. :)

[MrFlibble]

Here I explained how managed Scenario Missions over 9th.

The problem about hypothetically to set the value on INI Scenario files is to manage all cases regards how many INI files exaclty on PAK insert, then make a check about Max value to insert, and so on... therefore all management becomes too much complicated.

To be fair, campaign length is hard-coded in Command & Conquer and Red Alert, I'm not sure about Tiberian Sun or Red Alert 2 though. Still, would be nice to have free hand in campaign length decisions, like with the custom campaigns in Starcraft.

[swt83]

Issue:

- When I play on Dune2 Extended as Sardukar, my technology tree allows me to skip the Light Factory (awesome). In fact I can't even build one if I wanted to. When I play on Skirmish as Sardukar my technology is normal and requires that I build a Light Factory. For what it's worth I like the Dune2 Extended version better.

Update:

- On review, it looks like Dune2 Extended does not allow for the IX building, and thus no Sonic Tanks or Devastators. Since the Skirmish mode allows for these, I guess I prefer that. Issue withdrawn.

[drnovice]

These differences on DuneX are choices by MrFlibble (the author) because of I think that if Special are available by anyone, game was undepth (depthless). Some difference can give to player different strategies to use in gameplay.

BTW it's another 'degustibus' matter.

[Rippsblack]

Wow, Really impressed with this.

I've only one request, the ability to skip music tracks, back and forth or a screen with a track listing so you can choose your favourate tracks

 

Maybe add another button next to mentat and options, 'music'

though i guess that would probably require some additional graphics be drawn, and it could just as easily be another page in the options button

What do you think?

[Nyerguds]

That's not really possible; Dune II music is context-based. It skips to battle tracks when you're attacked and such.

[MrFlibble]

Rippsblack, your signature doesn't display properly for me. Apparently, the HTML code doesn't work in the signatures.

[Rippsblack]

Removed my sig... it was from bungie's halo...

a game sadly i can no longer play since my xbox was banned from xbox live :p

Its a shame about the music, because allot of the great tracks from dune2000 rarely get a play (at least i find this to be the case)
maybe the dynamic music could be made optional? Like in total annihilation you could choose between random, custom (dynamic) and play all (in order)

I have been playing this game allot of over the last week and i've noticed a few possible bugs.

not 100% sure what causes it but in some instances two or more units can occupy the same tile, I first noticed this when ordering a group to 'move' onto an enemy trooper.

also, somewhat less important, but still somewhat annoying, the hark mentant does not seem to be clickable like the others.

But apart from that this game is astonishingly complete and bug free, goodjob!

[Nyerguds]

not 100% sure what causes it but in some instances two or more units can occupy the same tile, I first noticed this when ordering a group to 'move' onto an enemy trooper.

That has always happened, in Dune II and all WW C&C games to ever come after it. It's not a real problem.

(by the way... "allot" is something completely different than "a lot" ;))

[MrFlibble]

Removed my sig... it was from bungie's halo...

you could've just edited it to use BBCode tags, like [url=<your URL>][img]<your image URL>[/img][/url]

a game sadly i can no longer play since my xbox was banned from xbox live :p

What? Is this some kind of DRM meddling yet again?

Its a shame about the music, because allot of the great tracks from dune2000 rarely get a play (at least i find this to be the case)

maybe the dynamic music could be made optional? Like in total annihilation you could choose between random, custom (dynamic) and play all (in order)

If you're talking about the Dune 2000 music, and not the original MIDIs, then the jukebox option does make sense.

(by the way... "allot" is something completely different than "a lot" ;))

Oh, du bist ja ein Grammatik-Polizeimeister, ja? ;)

not 100% sure what causes it but in some instances two or more units can occupy the same tile, I first noticed this when ordering a group to 'move' onto an enemy trooper.

Do you mean that units can occupy the same cell while moving only, or also when they stop too? Because normally, the latter shouldn't be happening.

[dynasty]

Thanks Rippsblack!
 
Harkonnen mentat button is clickable for me.  It really shouldn't be any different for Harkonnen.
 
To skip the current track, simply go in and out of the mentat screen.  Same as in Dune II :)
 
You can sort of disable the interactive music.  You can set the volumes of the attack music tracks to <= 0 in the volume.cfg files, so that there aren't any attack songs to play.

[Rippsblack]

Dynasty, I don't mean the button is not click-able, I meant that Mentat's face is not click-able when on the Mentat screen.  Maybe I'm doing something wrong?

I already figured out the skip trick, however was using the options menu and double clicking Music on/off button :P

 

I am aware of how BBcodes work, they were present in my signature at one point but for some reason are now missing. I care little anyway as it was only a display for my current halo sessions for which there is no longer any need.  I don't play the game any more and care little about sharing my stats :P

With regards to the music, I've been playing all night last night (massive headache now), and noticed that dune2000 music does indeed get its fair share of play time, once enabled correctly :P
(my bad)

The way i noticed the movement issue was with a siege tank and a combat tank, before entered the same tile to squish a trooper and then stopped there.
the unit underneath seemed to be protected by damage, but once both units moved again they went their separate ways.

 

Normally I'm shit hot on grammar and punctuation and things, but honestly towards the end of the day when I'm tired and stoned grammar sort of goes out of the window in favour of speed typing :P