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RogueDeus
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 Posted: September 18th, 2010 Post subject: Development Questions |
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I am an aspiring indi dev in the process of teaching myself to program full games (top to bottom) and not just scripting someone elses engine. (which I have done a lot of) And ASCIISector is the first ASCII game that has really caught my imagination (seconded by Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup). SO I was wondering if I might ask you a few questions regarding the effort and practices you used to make this great game. Also, anything you are currently doing with it. (How often, using what, etc...)
My goal is to pick your brain till my curiosity is sated, or until you get to annoyed to reply. 
At the moment I am neck deep in learning Java (and then C#) and my eventual goal is to make an ASCII based rogue like space exploration game utilizing procedural generation for 95% or more of all game content. I know it is a big goal, but I am sure that what I learn while doing it, will only help me move into bigger and better things in the future.
Basically I am a do it yourself-er to the core and prefer to learn everything, I choose to pursue, from the ground up, rather then by building on work others have done. This way I have fewer handicaps. Knowing what you did/do will hopefully help me know what to expect and where to turn should I find myself stuck.
If you decide to reply, (anyone that does this for a living, not just CK) do not be surprised if I keep asking questions... Some no-brainers too, as I am a stream of consciousness kind of thinker.
Thanks in advance.
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Christian Knudsen
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| Posted: September 18th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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Ask away! But keep in mind that my programming practises are probably not ideal...
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 18th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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Thanks for the quick reply!
Well, I know from experience that my productivity is impacting most directly by the tools I use to code and create content. I have often moved to 3rd party utilities and IDE's to take the edge off. Like right now I am using Eclipse IDE for my Java learning... I was determined to stick to NetBeans... But Eclips has a MUCH better code completion (Intelisense like) function that makes it a lot easier to know if I am using the correct class/methods for what I want to accomplish. Plus it just feels more polished...
#1:
You are making ASCIISector in Pascal. right? ... If so, I was wondering, what kind of IDE are you using (if you are using one) to code in? Which of its functions (or whichever utility you use) do you make the most use of?
#2:
How long did it take you to get your first releasable version of ASCIISector? Did you have to start over (or re-write large pieces) many times?
#3:
Have you made any personal tools that you use to create content for ASCIISector? If so, what are they and how easy did you find it/them to make? Which was the first? Which is the most useful?
#4:
How does a typical feature addition occur with you? Where do you start and how do you debug it?
These are just the first 4 questions that popped into my head, so I will wait before thinking of more. 
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Christian Knudsen
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| Posted: September 19th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| RogueDeus wrote: | #1:
You are making ASCIISector in Pascal. right? ... If so, I was wondering, what kind of IDE are you using (if you are using one) to code in? Which of its functions (or whichever utility you use) do you make the most use of? |
Just the default Free Pascal IDE. I started programming in Pascal with Borland Pascal back in the mid nineties and got used to their IDE. The Free Pascal IDE is pretty much a copy of that.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #2:
How long did it take you to get your first releasable version of ASCIISector? Did you have to start over (or re-write large pieces) many times? |
The first public mention I made of the game was in January 2007 and I'd been working on the game for 4-5 months prior to that. v0.1 of the game was released in September 2007, so it was probably around a year from when I started work on it to when the first version was released.
I've never started completely over with anything, but parts of the code have been rewritten or altered a bit. Mostly related to how variables are stored and what kind of variables. The first versions of the game were for DOS only, so I've also had to make some changes when moving from DOS to the cross-platform Windows/Mac/Linux versions.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #3:
Have you made any personal tools that you use to create content for ASCIISector? If so, what are they and how easy did you find it/them to make? Which was the first? Which is the most useful? |
Nope. I guess the only thing that would really be considered a tool is the Quest Image Maker. Otherwise it's just been small programs that for example convert coordinate values and stuff like that. But that's mostly just calculator stuff that I've automated to save a bit of time.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #4:
How does a typical feature addition occur with you? Where do you start and how do you debug it? |
I always start with building the data structure for the new feature and as soon as I have the basic structure, I start programming the most basic working version of that feature. That way I have something up and running very early which is both a great motivator and then just allows me to build "organically" onto that base.
With the new fleets for v0.7, for example, I first programmed in the basic data structure that would store information about each fleet (which system it is in and at what coordinates and what faction it belongs to and what order it has...) and within that structure also information about each ship in the fleet. After that, I did the procedure that would place a fleet whenever a system was loaded. And then the procedure for moving a fleet, and then attacking another fleet, and so on.
The debugging more or less happens naturally when I implement and test each new step. I just program in some new stuff, compile, and run the game. It'll then either work entirely as intended, do something weird because the logic was a bit off, or crash with an error message that tells me what went wrong and where (which kind of runtime error and on what line and in which file).
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 19th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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Thanks again.
#5:
Do you keep a version history with bullet points? Or is the Old Development Updates section the only thing?
(Basically, I am wondering how you keep yourself on track, and how 'complete' v1.0 was compared to v0.6+)
I found this... http://www.crius.net/zone/showthread.php?t=21179 was this the first public mention?
#6:
Can you guestimate how many hours it took you to get v0.1 completed in that year? What was the first finished piece of the whole? The next?
#7:
How many hours a week would you say you spend working on ASCIISector now compared to when you where pre-public? How are those hours usually spent? Coding? Planning? Testing? Debugging?
#8:
As #7 but regarding the latest feature addition. How many hours have you spent and expect to spend yet, in adding fleets?
#9:
How long have you been coding? Why did you start? Was pascal your first language? (all the same question really)
More to come!
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Christian Knudsen
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| Posted: September 19th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| RogueDeus wrote: | #5:
Do you keep a version history with bullet points? Or is the Old Development Updates section the only thing?
(Basically, I am wondering how you keep yourself on track, and how 'complete' v1.0 was compared to v0.6+)
I found this... http://www.crius.net/zone/showthread.php?t=21179 was this the first public mention? |
There's the history.txt file in the game folder that has a bullet point list of the stuff added for each version. Each major version had an overall arc of features I wanted to add. v0.2 added wingmen, 0.3 added ground combat, 0.4 added quest scripting, 0.5 added the ability to walk around on your own ship, and 0.6 added disabling and boarding of other ships. v0.7 is focused on fleets and persistent ships. You can see the plans for the future versions here: http://asciisector.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=398
Did you mean v0.1 compared to 0.6? If you go back through the version histories, you can get a good idea of all the stuff that wasn't in v0.1. That's a lot!
Yep, that link is the first public mention.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #6:
Can you guestimate how many hours it took you to get v0.1 completed in that year? What was the first finished piece of the whole? The next? |
I really have no idea. I was still studying at the university, so the time spent on programming the game would change a lot from week to week. Sometimes weeks would even go by without me touching the code and then I'd suddenly get a whole bunch of stuff done during a few days of intense coding. This has never been a full time thing for me, so it's always been dependent on how much free time I had, which has varied a lot.
The first finished piece of the whole was probably just having a relatively large star system to fly around in and having the background scroll indefinitely. After that I think it was figuring out how to control the spaceship itself. It took me quite a while before I came up with the idea of having a '+' indicate the direction that ships are moving.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #7:
How many hours a week would you say you spend working on ASCIISector now compared to when you where pre-public? How are those hours usually spent? Coding? Planning? Testing? Debugging? |
Again, it's really difficult to say since it varies a lot. Overall, it's probably about the same. Today, I've spent pretty much all day programming, but I've also just spent the past six weeks on a course that has taken up a bit of time and left less free time for programming.
It's probably 85% coding, 4% planning, 4% testing and 7% debugging. The 7% debugging is fixing bugs that have been reported, but there's of course also a lot of debugging involved in the 85% coding. 4% planning may seem a bit low, but that's because I haven't for example included time spent thinking and planning the game while I'm sitting on the bus or turning it over in my head before falling asleep. I haven't written any kind of design document, for example, as I feel I have a very clear picture in my mind of what the finished game should be like. When I start working on the story, I'll of course have to write a script and design missions and stuff, and then it'll probably be 85% planning and 4% coding instead.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #8:
As #7 but regarding the latest feature addition. How many hours have you spent and expect to spend yet, in adding fleets? |
Hours I don't know. But I think I'll have finished the stuff I want in the first v0.7 release within a few weeks and can then focus on testing it and ironing out the final bugs.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #9:
How long have you been coding? Why did you start? Was pascal your first language? (all the same question really) |
I started with QBasic back in he beginning of the 90's, I guess. I got a 386 IBM PC for my confirmation and that quickly got me hooked on computers and tinkering around with them. Programming was just a natural extension of that interest. There was a period from '97 to '03 when I didn't do any programming, but then picked it up again and slowly started relearning all the stuff I'd forgotten, which then set me on the path to do this game.
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Lexus
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| Posted: September 19th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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I have a bit of experience with C# so I might be able to help you....
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Cthulhu
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| Posted: September 20th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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@RogueDeus: Excellent questions.
@CK: Interesting answers.
This summer I just started developing my own game, but I wont get very far until next summer I guess. I just learned SDL, and basic game structure, so I have a vague idea of how Asciisector was programmed. What I still can't wrap my head around is how you did the quest scripting language.
(I'm borrowing your numbering RogueDeus, hope it's OK)
#10
How did you learn, and realize what needed to be done to write a quest language, and a compiler?
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 20th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Lexus wrote: | | I have a bit of experience with C# so I might be able to help you.... |
Thanks for the offer. Here you go!
- Do you use MS Visual Studio for your C# work? If so which version and why?
- Do you use .Net &&|| XNA libraries in your work? Either way, what do you think of them?
- Why C#? Did you start with C++?
- When did you start programing and which was your first language?
_________________
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 20th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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Thanks again CK. I have always documented my games long before I ever tried to code anything, simply because my mind is always turning over new ideas and if I don't write something down I run the risk of losing it. I have several old pads of paper, some small, some large, full of pencil scratch notes and even full blown design documents... I recently filled a whole 100 page wide ruled pad with a design document for a Dragon Age module that I started making, and stopped right about the time that I decided I didn't want to script my life away on someone elses game, when I could be making my own... :p (Before that it was NWN2)
At the moment I can only think of one question I would like to ask you.
#11:
Where did you get the ASCII patterns you use for your graphics? Trial and Error? Have you ever intended someone to replace the ASCII symbols with 2D art? Like many have done with Dwarf Fortress?
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 20th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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AH! I have another question...
#12:
Having never player the privateer games, I am not familiar with its GUI or original game play. So I was wondering, are you keeping to some kind of rigid re-creation, or are you at liberty to add features and usability that was absent the original? If so, can you experiment with different font sizes for the ASCII graphics? How difficult would that be for you, now that the game is resembling complete, to do so?
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Christian Knudsen
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| Posted: September 20th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Cthulhu wrote: | #10
How did you learn, and realize what needed to be done to write a quest language, and a compiler? |
I guess I just dived into it. Sat down and figured out what was needed. The game code has a bunch of variables that store information about quest related stuff. If you're not running a quest, these variables are all empty. When the game reads a quest file, these variables are filled with the data designated in the quest file. The 'compiler' actually just replaces the scene names and stuff in the quest file with numbers instead of names and removes any unnecessary spaces and tabs, and then just encodes the quest file. So it's actually not compiled in the true sense of the word.
When a quest file is loaded, the file is decoded and the game code reads the relevant scene line by line. When it for example comes to a line that says SHIP, it'll know that it's now in a ship block, so when it comes to another line that says NAME: MILLENNIUM FALCON, it'll just set the relevant ship name variable to that name:
QuestShip[X].Name := InputString; (Where InputString holds everything after the ":" on the line of the quest file.)
Whenever a system is loaded in the game, it first checks if a quest is running. If so, it then checks if any quest ships are set to be spawned in that system and places them at the coordinates designated in the quest file.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #11:
Where did you get the ASCII patterns you use for your graphics? Trial and Error? Have you ever intended someone to replace the ASCII symbols with 2D art? Like many have done with Dwarf Fortress? |
Do you mean the font maps in the /graphics folder of the game directory? Those were just made by having a simple program output the 256 ASCII characters to the terminal and then taking a screenshot of that output.
I have no plans about replacing the ASCII art with 2D art, but I do have plans about making a graphical version of Ascii Sector. There was an announcement about this recently that you can find in the Announcements forum.
| RogueDeus wrote: | #12:
Having never player the privateer games, I am not familiar with its GUI or original game play. So I was wondering, are you keeping to some kind of rigid re-creation, or are you at liberty to add features and usability that was absent the original? If so, can you experiment with different font sizes for the ASCII graphics? How difficult would that be for you, now that the game is resembling complete, to do so? |
You can do a lot more in Ascii Sector than you could in the original Privateer. Disabling, boarding and character combat was for example not part of the original Privateer. I have been somewhat restrained by the existing Wing Commander/Privateer universe, which is one of the reasons for leaving this universe behind and doing my own thing (explained in some more detail in the recent announcement).
There are already different font sizes in the game. 3 to be exact: 8x8, 12x12 and 16x16 pixels in size. When you change the resolution of the game, the correct font size is chosen. Is this what you meant?
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Lexus
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| Posted: September 21st, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| RogueDeus wrote: | | Lexus wrote: | | I have a bit of experience with C# so I might be able to help you.... |
Thanks for the offer. Here you go!
- Do you use MS Visual Studio for your C# work? If so which version and why?
- Do you use .Net &&|| XNA libraries in your work? Either way, what do you think of them?
- Why C#? Did you start with C++?
- When did you start programing and which was your first language? |
-Yep... 2008 Standard Edition. A uncle of mine is far up into the programming hierarchy, so he let me borrow some of his old books and Visual Studio... 2008 is more than anyone needs... Hell 2005 is more than anyone needs... You could program a full on word application with 2008 Express Edition. Just remember to register (free), to go past the 30 day trial....
-.Net is handier than XNA IMHO (VERY IMHO)
-My goal (like almost everyone on this forum) was to be a indie game programmer.... I know .00001% C++... Just enough to make a console 'Hello World' App... Oh.. the reason I started, was only that I guess I didn't have to pay for visual studio materials and such (see above)
-Lastly, I started programming about 3 1/2 years ago (when I was 12)... From that, you can guess my age  ... And I started in Visual Basic.... For some strange reason, got hooked on C#....
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 21st, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Christian Knudsen wrote: |
Do you mean the font maps in the /graphics folder of the game directory? Those were just made by having a simple program output the 256 ASCII characters to the terminal and then taking a screenshot of that
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Actually I was referring more to the way you used them. Like the ship/station/colony designs. Star map, system map, etc...
| Christian Knudsen wrote: |
There are already different font sizes in the game. 3 to be exact: 8x8, 12x12 and 16x16 pixels in size. When you change the resolution of the game, the correct font size is chosen. Is this what you meant? |
I didn't do so well in how I worded my questions did I? 
I suppose what I meant was, can you place different resolution ASCII on the same window? Like if you wanted to make a more detailed mini map in the corner, using symbols that where significantly smaller then the main view. Or Embed smaller symbols in larger ones, like more detailed planets? Or is that limited by the grid size you choose for the main render frame?
_________________
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Win7 Home Prem x64 (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)|Core i7 CPU 930 @ 2.80GHz|6144MB RAM|DirectX 11|GeForce GTX 480M 4062 MB|1920 x 1200(59Hz)Driver 8.17.0012.5896|Realtek HD Audio RTKVHD64.sys Driver 6.00.0001.5898
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 21st, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Lexus wrote: |
-Yep... 2008 Standard Edition. A uncle of mine is far up into the programming hierarchy, so he let me borrow some of his old books and Visual Studio... 2008 is more than anyone needs... Hell 2005 is more than anyone needs... You could program a full on word application with 2008 Express Edition. Just remember to register (free), to go past the 30 day trial....
-.Net is handier than XNA IMHO (VERY IMHO)
-My goal (like almost everyone on this forum) was to be a indie game programmer.... I know .00001% C++... Just enough to make a console 'Hello World' App... Oh.. the reason I started, was only that I guess I didn't have to pay for visual studio materials and such (see above)
-Lastly, I started programming about 3 1/2 years ago (when I was 12)... From that, you can guess my age ... And I started in Visual Basic.... For some strange reason, got hooked on C#.... |
I have much the same story... Only mine started about the time you where born! 
I loved computers and spent as much time around then as I could, growing up. Till my family got a, hand me down, 386 33MHz PC from my Step Fathers mother... (She was rich, we where dirt poor) I tried for weeks to get my Gold Box D&D Game "Secret of The Silver Blades" to work on the damn thing to no avail. We needed more RAM and a 256 color VGA monitor... So I saved my pennies (literally) till I could afford a new monitor, and my parents more then doubled the ram to 640K... Heh, those where the days.
I bought myself a used book on QBasic, but the book was worth more used as toilet paper. (now that I can compare it to stuff I use today) So I decided that programming was not for me... Besides I was dyslexic anyway and figured most of the reason it was so hard to learn was me... (Boy was I WRONG).
I actually started to learn to code with Never Winter Nights, NWN2, and Dragon Age. Their C like scripting language was enough like real programing that I read online C tutorials and taught myself to write my own scripts. I took to it so well, that I shocked myself. Now I am in the middle of teaching myself Java. (Because the book I found is wonderful and I needed an easy explanation of object orientation.)
Now I am just learning as much as I can, to prepare myself for the plunge. I have been designing games (pen and paper, board game, and RPG (nwn, etc) ) since I was 11, so that is second nature. Full on programming is new for me, so here I am.
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Cthulhu
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| Posted: September 21st, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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@RogueDeus
I would think twice before going into C#. Why use a closed propriety format by Microsoft when you can use C++ for free, that is much more widely used, and much more popular?
I would advise you to use either C++ or Java, because those are the most popular and versatile languages, especially in the game development community (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
I's also like to promote Python, which is platform independent, and extremely popular (it's the next "java"), and the language is free/open source, so it sees constant improvement, where modules get added all the time. Python is without a doubt the easiest language to learn (takes days/hours rather than months/years to learn the basics), and there is a special module called PyGame that is tailored at making games (think SDL).
http://www.pygame.org/news.html
But if you plan on making a really big game or resource demanding, then I'd advise C++. There is an absolute amazing tutorial on SDL and game development in C++ at this site:
http://www.lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/
Some thoughts:
http://xkcd.com/353/
http://xkcd.com/409/
http://xkcd.com/413/
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Christian Knudsen
Administrator
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| Posted: September 21st, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| RogueDeus wrote: | | Christian Knudsen wrote: |
Do you mean the font maps in the /graphics folder of the game directory? Those were just made by having a simple program output the 256 ASCII characters to the terminal and then taking a screenshot of that
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Actually I was referring more to the way you used them. Like the ship/station/colony designs. Star map, system map, etc... |
Oh, those I just "draw" in the IDE itself and then print each line of the "drawing" to the screen.
| RogueDeus wrote: | | Christian Knudsen wrote: |
There are already different font sizes in the game. 3 to be exact: 8x8, 12x12 and 16x16 pixels in size. When you change the resolution of the game, the correct font size is chosen. Is this what you meant? |
I didn't do so well in how I worded my questions did I?
I suppose what I meant was, can you place different resolution ASCII on the same window? Like if you wanted to make a more detailed mini map in the corner, using symbols that where significantly smaller then the main view. Or Embed smaller symbols in larger ones, like more detailed planets? Or is that limited by the grid size you choose for the main render frame? |
Yeah, that's limited by the 80x50 grid size that the game runs in. I wouldn't really want different resolutions anyway. I feel that if you start moving beyond the ASCII look that much, you might as well just make it completely graphical instead.
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 21st, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Cthulhu wrote: | @RogueDeus
I would think twice before going into C#. Why use a closed propriety format by Microsoft when you can use C++ for free, that is much more widely used, and much more popular?
I would advise you to use either C++ or Java, because those are the most popular and versatile languages, especially in the game development community (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
I's also like to promote Python, which is platform independent, and extremely popular (it's the next "java"), and the language is free/open source, so it sees constant improvement, where modules get added all the time. Python is without a doubt the easiest language to learn (takes days/hours rather than months/years to learn the basics), and there is a special module called PyGame that is tailored at making games (think SDL).
http://www.pygame.org/news.html
But if you plan on making a really big game or resource demanding, then I'd advise C++. There is an absolute amazing tutorial on SDL and game development in C++ at this site:
http://www.lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/
Some thoughts:
http://xkcd.com/353/
http://xkcd.com/409/
http://xkcd.com/413/ |
Thanks for the advise Cthulhu. Do you code?
I had considered C++ for a long time, but every indication I get from eyeballing the industry is that the next generation high level languages are where its at because CPU speeds are progressing at a rate that is leaving the coding world behind... (People cant write programs fast enough to keep up with what the CPU's can push out) so higher and higher level languages are being utilized. Granted, the code isn't as memory friendly, but when the average laptop (let alone a desktop) has 3GB and High End systems 6+ (@ x64 OS) with 4+ CPU cores and 2GB+ Video Ram, who can blame them?
Also, from what I have read, C# is as open to use as any other language (if anyone knows different please tell me). MS is making money from its advanced IDE (VS2010, etc) licensing (productivity savings) to developers, not in actual fascist control of individual coders. After all VS2008 is free, and so is .Net and XNA (if you utilize them). I think the biggest mistake Oracle made was not letting MS get in on Java. The lawsuit that kicked MS out of Java is what gave birth to C# anyway. 
_________________
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Win7 Home Prem x64 (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)|Core i7 CPU 930 @ 2.80GHz|6144MB RAM|DirectX 11|GeForce GTX 480M 4062 MB|1920 x 1200(59Hz)Driver 8.17.0012.5896|Realtek HD Audio RTKVHD64.sys Driver 6.00.0001.5898
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RogueDeus
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| Posted: September 21st, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Christian Knudsen wrote: | | RogueDeus wrote: | | Christian Knudsen wrote: |
Do you mean the font maps in the /graphics folder of the game directory? Those were just made by having a simple program output the 256 ASCII characters to the terminal and then taking a screenshot of that
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Actually I was referring more to the way you used them. Like the ship/station/colony designs. Star map, system map, etc... |
Oh, those I just "draw" in the IDE itself and then print each line of the "drawing" to the screen.
| RogueDeus wrote: | | Christian Knudsen wrote: |
There are already different font sizes in the game. 3 to be exact: 8x8, 12x12 and 16x16 pixels in size. When you change the resolution of the game, the correct font size is chosen. Is this what you meant? |
I didn't do so well in how I worded my questions did I?
I suppose what I meant was, can you place different resolution ASCII on the same window? Like if you wanted to make a more detailed mini map in the corner, using symbols that where significantly smaller then the main view. Or Embed smaller symbols in larger ones, like more detailed planets? Or is that limited by the grid size you choose for the main render frame? |
Yeah, that's limited by the 80x50 grid size that the game runs in. I wouldn't really want different resolutions anyway. I feel that if you start moving beyond the ASCII look that much, you might as well just make it completely graphical instead. |
Interesting. Thanks again.
I was wondering... If a game world is big enough, would it be possible to multi-thread the program so that each zone of the world is running independent of each other, but communicating through scheduled updates to a shared database?
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Cthulhu
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| Posted: September 22nd, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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@RogueDeus
Yes, I do code, and I'll admit not knowing much about C#, other than it being a spawn of Microsoft, and that is enough to keep me away from it. As far as I know only Microsoft uses it, much in the same way that Mac uses Objective C.
About the resources, I understand your thinking, but I must watch myself now, for this is a topic I can go on endless rantings. Just because a computer has 4 GB Ram, doesn't make it OK for Vista/Win7 to use that. IMO it's insane for an OS to use that much. My OS uses 190 Mb, and I think that's much. My 486 had 4 Mb, and that was enough. What does MS use the other 3996 MB for? It blows my mind.)
With the programs I've written in C++ I've run out of both memory (4GB) and CPU (2.5GHz). (Once I had to run my program on 20 computers (using 100% CPU) for more than a week; but that wasn't a game, but a computer simulation, so it's not the same thing I guess, but it goes to show that resources should not be wasted, because we still need them.)
If you know/learn Java, than C++ is very similar.
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RogueDeus
Rookie
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| Posted: September 22nd, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Cthulhu wrote: | @RogueDeus
Yes, I do code, and I'll admit not knowing much about C#, other than it being a spawn of Microsoft, and that is enough to keep me away from it. As far as I know only Microsoft uses it, much in the same way that Mac uses Objective C.
About the resources, I understand your thinking, but I must watch myself now, for this is a topic I can go on endless rantings. Just because a computer has 4 GB Ram, doesn't make it OK for Vista/Win7 to use that. IMO it's insane for an OS to use that much. My OS uses 190 Mb, and I think that's much. My 486 had 4 Mb, and that was enough. What does MS use the other 3996 MB for? It blows my mind.)
With the programs I've written in C++ I've run out of both memory (4GB) and CPU (2.5GHz). (Once I had to run my program on 20 computers (using 100% CPU) for more than a week; but that wasn't a game, but a computer simulation, so it's not the same thing I guess, but it goes to show that resources should not be wasted, because we still need them.)
If you know/learn Java, than C++ is very similar. |
Hehe, you and me both. I tend to avoid all things 'owned' by a single company. It is just that I have seen so many sweet things being made with C# these days, and the ease with which it was done, not to mention that Windows is run on nearly every PC on the planet. (Even the MACs using virtual machines) that I can see the benefits outweighing the detriments. But I am choosing to learn OOP with Java, so I hope that proves something.
The author of the book I am learning Java with says the same thing. Only he says that learning Java and then learning C++ is easier then the other way around. (in his Opinion of course)
How long have you been coding with C++? Can you point me to a good reference book or Teach Yourself book?
Like these...
C#: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0072222611
Java: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0672330768
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Cthulhu
Ace
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| Posted: September 23rd, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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I'm just 1.5 years old in C++. But it's been what I've spent my entire days with for a large part of that time. I learned from a simple little book on 90 pages or so, but it wasn't in English. The main site for me is this one:
http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/
This is where I go when I need to check something fast.
C++ Primer by Lippman 4th ed. is very popular, but I find those 1000 pages books a bit heavy. (Note that there is another "C++ Primer" by another author, that is not as well liked by reviewers).
I heard it's easier to first learn C++ and then Java. I guess it depends on who you ask.
As for my reply to the rest of your post, I ended up in a ranting, that I moved to here:
http://asciisector.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=11536#11536
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RogueDeus
Rookie
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| Posted: September 23rd, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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| Cthulhu wrote: | I'm just 1.5 years old in C++. But it's been what I've spent my entire days with for a large part of that time. I learned from a simple little book on 90 pages or so, but it wasn't in English. The main site for me is this one:
http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/
This is where I go when I need to check something fast.
C++ Primer by Lippman 4th ed. is very popular, but I find those 1000 pages books a bit heavy. (Note that there is another "C++ Primer" by another author, that is not as well liked by reviewers).
I heard it's easier to first learn C++ and then Java. I guess it depends on who you ask.
As for my reply to the rest of your post, I ended up in a ranting, that I moved to here:
http://asciisector.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=11536#11536 |
Just picked these up at Amazon.com
Python: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321680561
C++: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0672326973
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RogueDeus
Rookie
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| Posted: September 24th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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Got a few more questions for ya CK, if you have time.
#13:
Did you use other existing ASCII games as inspiration for the way you utilized the ASCII characters in the graphics? Like using certain letters for certain things?
#14:
What made you decide on the 80X50 grid for the render window? Why not 96X60 or some other variant of 8:5 or 12:10?
#15:
I know that ship position impacts which shield is hit, but what about the armor and ship systems? Is damage to those systems positional as well? Or random?
#16:
Did you code your AI using any source references? What differing levels of AI have you implemented?
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RogueDeus
Rookie
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| Posted: September 26th, 2010 Post subject: Re: Development Questions |
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#17:
What color bit depth did you choose? VGA 8bit 256 colors? EGA 4bit 16/64 colors?
#18:
Did you choose a specific ASCII font? True Type? VGA? EGA?
(Looks like ASCII VGA in game, but EGA in the graphics folder)
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