Dune Legacy Networking started

[TonyD]

Ok, I have totally redesigned the ui since the last version, sandworms look like the original, I've got a data extraction tool working, I have some very basic networking working correctly now so you can expect a new version relatively soon.... If anyone cares :)

[Gobalopper]

Cool let me know when the new version is ready to go.

[nemafakei]

Sounds good. (must get a network...)

[stefanhendriks]

sounds nice! I am a complete newb in networking, so it wont probably happen for some time. I am merely interested in a cool AI. Thats my kind of chalange to seek for ;)

It would be cool if you could play with Dune Legace and my version over the network (so it doesnt matter which DUne 2 clone you have ;)).

[TonyD]

Hmm, interesting idea, difficult but possible....

Ok I'm about to put up v0.35, networking is very basic, maps with ready placed units will work ok with many clients I think, havent tested it though, although building items will not work properly. Also u now need the dune2.pak file to extract graphics and then for game to run.

Its now time based so should run same speed on all computers,

syncronisation is pretty simple too, its all handled by the server, so if a client is badly out of sync for some reason, u will see units blowing up randomly and stuff.

Its now up on my dune web page(try the www link on the left of this post)

Bug reports are welcome! :)

Also any suggestions to readme and stuff too

[stefanhendriks]

i get a 'bad archive' error with my Winace unpacker? :-

[minniat]

Me too, The archive is properly listened by when it comes to extract "broken archive" message appears.

I can't wait to see this version of Dune Legacy...

P.S. Nice to see you TonyD again! I'm Robert Szacki, the same guy which helped You on your own forum in drawing those dirty sandworms ;)

P.S 2. I've finally got a replacement for Stefan's seed files - original map generator! Its disadvantages are: troublesome random function and that there is no random spice. Write to me if you wish a source. Or I should place it on some web pages?

[Gobalopper]

You could send it in to us. I can post it to the Editing site, we don't have much in the way of Dune II stuff but that can always change. :)

[TonyD]

Ok, it must be the icq homepage uploader, because the file is fine on my end, Ill put it up again and make sure it works....

[TonyD]

The icq home page uploader adds exactly one byte to the file and this causes ace files to not work but zip files still do, so I've uploaded it as a zip file instead.

[Gobalopper]

Yep its working for me now. I will get it posted here as well.

[TonyD]

Minniatian: I Think I got that random map generator from a post you did before, Ill have a look into using for the next version. Thanks all the same though :)

[Gobalopper]

I can't seem to get the extractor to work on my .pak file. Any idea where I can find a 1.00 version of it?

[Gobalopper]

Ok I got it to work but I had to use my Super Dune II pak file. There were a few errors with the extraction but the game still seems to work.

[TonyD]

Ok I got it to work but I had to use my Super Dune II pak file. There were a few errors with the extraction but the game still seems to work.

A few errors? what do u mean?

v1.00 is with the super dune2 stuff thats right

[TonyD]

Ok, I think it's now at the stage where major tweaking is necessary, unit prices, build speeds, attack strengths, bullet effectiveness, and all that kind of stuff.

I need suggestions people...... sugestions... get to it.

[Gobalopper]

Here are the three I get, excluding that (y/n) question you mention in the readme:

Writing units2 0039.bmp

File not found - icon*.bmp

data extraction complete. Constructing Dune Legacy Graphics

C:Dune Legacy 0.35datatemp34534451Object_TrackedUnitTracks.bmp

A duplicate file name exists, or the file cannot be found.

C:Dune Legacy 0.35datatemp34534451Structure_Barracks.bmp

C:Dune Legacy 0.35datatemp34534451Object_TrackedUnitTracks.bmp

A duplicate file name exists, or the file cannot be found.

C:Dune Legacy 0.35datatemp34534451Structure_Barracks.bmp

[Gobalopper]

Here are some things I've noticed.

Ornithopters seem to kill themselves, I think they must fly into the explosion of their weapon or something.

Spots where buildings used to be seem to leave artifacts on the screen.

It would be nice to be able to see power level by clicking on the windtraps, spice level in refinery, etc.

Can you force attack? For example attack a spice bloom. The current targetting system is somewhat annoying, something similar to newer RTS games would be better.

Sometimes when I build a 2x2 concrete slab it doesn't place all the pieces.

The white text is sometimes hard to read when you things queued.

[TonyD]

Here are some things I've noticed.

Ornithopters seem to kill themselves, I think they must fly into the explosion of their weapon or something.

Spots where buildings used to be seem to leave artifacts on the screen.

It would be nice to be able to see power level by clicking on the windtraps, spice level in refinery, etc.

Can you force attack? For example attack a spice bloom. The current targetting system is somewhat annoying, something similar to newer RTS games would be better.

Sometimes when I build a 2x2 concrete slab it doesn't place all the pieces.

The white text is sometimes hard to read when you things queued.

1. Ok, im thinking of differentiating ground-air, ground-ground, air-ground attacks so bullets fire from air to ground won't hit things in air, ground to air wont hit things on ground etc - this would solve orni problem

2. "leave artifacts on the screen" what does that mean?

3. Ok will do

4. Will fix, ctrl for forced attack probly, few behavious things to fix there too

5. Ill look into that too

[Gobalopper]

It might be my video card but artifacts are things that stay on the screen that shouldn't. For example if I drive over the spot where the construction yard used to be sometimes it doesn't redraw the rock and I get an image of the unit their instead. It goes away if I move the screens focus but comes back as soon as something else crosses over those spots.

Another thing I noticed was that when you send a command using the radar screen and you then go to that spot you will see the white dot that shows up when you move something even if you sent the command 10 seconds ago or more.

Last thing is the sounds. Maybe its just me but it seems like the credit noise happens a lot more often then it did in Dune II or maybe its louder? It has been a while since I played Dune II but maybe those noises were always like that and I didn't notice. Tank firing is the same way it sorta gets annoying when you keep hearing it. :)

[TonyD]

Ok I know the problem,

I had released it with an older version of the data extractor, I'll upload a fixed version. Sorry bout that, I hope I haven't forgotten anything else.

Ok the new fixed version is up, and it works this time. I downloaded and tested it.

[stefanhendriks]

wow, this topic had a boost. Checking now! ;D

[stefanhendriks]

okay, looks neat! One thing i found; when i played a single mission i got a lot of siege tanks. I thought 'cool lets move them all'. And so i did, but when the siege tanks seemed to get to their goal the whole game just freezes! I had this problem aswell with my clone, because the units cant reach their goal (due its occupied by a unit with the same goal), maybe there is some problem there?

[TonyD]

It's because they all are trying to find a path to that point which is unreachable and they search hole map for path, I'll put a timer in so they stop looking after a while

[DukeLeto]

I have Dune2, but no "Dune2.pak" file. ???