The Probe

[Jonax]

The screenshots look much better than the ascii-levels IMHO

[paul_nicholls]

Thanks Jonax

cheers,
Paul

[code_glitch]

I must say I do do one thing very differently in terms of maps. I have a tendency to go towards developing a layered format which stores data in 2d csv array between meta style tags. Each array corresponds to each layer. Then there is a LOT of tags that define 'objects' so whereas floor, terrain, rocks, caves, walls and etc are defined as tiles in the 2d arrays, an object might be a person, chair, TV and others you can interact with. Also, each object has a script file so it can edit X,Y positions, the shown image and etc. The map itself also has a script file in case you want it to change dynamically. Quite a bit more complicated which I guess is why I have a right job in making editors to work with it all. Especially the 20th odd revision of this format. This map editor is indeed proving exceptionally tricky.

I like the touch where you store data as T, 0,1,W and etc... I might start doing that to replace my Integer tile codes once I get the latest revision optimised. It only does 35 odd fps when drawing a total 7,000 elements at 800x600 32bpp whereas earlier formats reached 175fps in equal element counts. Darn. Opengl Should give that a right change I hope.

[paul_nicholls]

I must say I do do one thing very differently in terms of maps. I have a tendency to go towards developing a layered format which stores data in 2d csv array between meta style tags. Each array corresponds to each layer. Then there is a LOT of tags that define 'objects' so whereas floor, terrain, rocks, caves, walls and etc are defined as tiles in the 2d arrays, an object might be a person, chair, TV and others you can interact with. Also, each object has a script file so it can edit X,Y positions, the shown image and etc. The map itself also has a script file in case you want it to change dynamically. Quite a bit more complicated which I guess is why I have a right job in making editors to work with it all. Especially the 20th odd revision of this format. This map editor is indeed proving exceptionally tricky.

I like the touch where you store data as T, 0,1,W and etc... I might start doing that to replace my Integer tile codes once I get the latest revision optimised. It only does 35 odd fps when drawing a total 7,000 elements at 800x600 32bpp whereas earlier formats reached 175fps in equal element counts. Darn. Opengl Should give that a right change I hope.

Hey code_glitch, you do realise that I'm not actually going to use ASCII characters as levels in my final game? I am going to use my level editor that I wrote for The Probe earlier on...it uses binary files to load/save levels.

Good luck with your level editor dude

cheers,
Paul

[code_glitch]

Ah, that does explain things a lot, guess you have some mighty small map files then since the engine seems to handle it all. I might have to give that a go to try and improve performance on mine. Good luck on the probe, looks like you made a lot of ground with this one.

[paul_nicholls]

My level map files in The Probe are just simple 2d arrays of a TEngineObject record, one array for each layer in the map...

  TEngineObject = record
    Enabled: Boolean;
    Health: Single;
    Moving: Byte;
    OfsX: Single;
    OfsY: Single;
    case Integer of
      0: (Id,Attrib,Scanned,Stationary: Byte);
      1: (Value: LongWord);
  end;

Here is my load/save code I am now using in The Probe prototype (levels are binary files):

procedure TTheProbeEngine.SaveToStream(const aStream: TStream);
var
  w,h,L: Word;
  Layer,x,y: Word;
begin
  w := FWidth;
  h := FHeight;
  L := FLayerCount;

  aStream.Write(w,SizeOf(w));
  aStream.Write(h,SizeOf(h));
  aStream.Write(L,SizeOf(L));
  aStream.Write(FUpdateCount,SizeOf(FUpdateCount));

  for Layer := 0 to FLayerCount - 1 do
    for y := 0 to FHeight - 1 do
    begin
      for x := 0 to FWidth - 1 do
      begin
        aStream.Write(FLayers[Layer][y,x],SizeOf(TEngineObject));
      end;
    end;
end;

procedure TTheProbeEngine.LoadFromStream(const aStream: TStream);
var
  w,h,L: Word;
  Layer,x,y: Word;
begin
  aStream.Read(w,SizeOf(w));
  aStream.Read(h,SizeOf(h));
  aStream.Read(L,SizeOf(L));
  aStream.Read(FUpdateCount,SizeOf(FUpdateCount));

  SetBounds(L,w,h);

  for Layer := 0 to FLayerCount - 1 do
    for y := 0 to FHeight - 1 do
    begin
      for x := 0 to FWidth - 1 do
      begin
        aStream.Read(FLayers[Layer][y,x],SizeOf(TEngineObject));
      end;
    end;
end;

procedure TTheProbeEngine.LoadFromFile(const aFileName: AnsiString);
var
  fs: TFileStream;
begin
  fs := TFileStream.Create(aFileName,fmOpenRead or fmShareDenyWrite);
  try
    LoadFromStream(fs);
  finally
    fs.Free;
  end;
end;

procedure TTheProbeEngine.SaveToFile(const aFileName: AnsiString);
var
  fs: TFileStream;
begin
  fs := TFileStream.Create(aFileName,fmCreate or fmShareDenyWrite);
  try
    SaveToStream(fs);
  finally
    fs.Free;
  end;
end;

Maybe this will help you?

cheers,
Paul

[paul_nicholls]

Hey all,
I have now started sending updates via my Twitter account (http://twitter.com/theprobegame)

So feel free to follow me there too

cheers,
Paul