Blog for James Thompson at GarageGames.com

DOM, SG and future resources

James Thompson — 2006-11-04T08:58:42+00:00

Hi everyone!

I've been very busy these past few weeks getting DawnOfMen finished, starting on my next project and doing loads of other things in between.

SphyxGames
SphyxGames has got a new logo and a new website being developed ATM and we have had an offer from a company not so far away... Anyway we accepted the offer and so we're developing a product for them.

DawnOfMen
I now have a working score system which im pleased with, its nothing major though and will be tweaked before release. DawnOfMen is now running on the final revision of TGE 1.4.2 and a port to 1.5 will take place but not until after release (for a patch).

I have taken 10 screenshots of every level and uploaded them here.

I also got the player models through from my 3d modeler and got them in:

DawnOfMen should be complete in a week or so. The demo should be up on Wednesday.

Various resources
Ill soon be uploading the following resources:
-> UAC - User Account System, register and login + memberpanels etc. (done mostly in TorqueScript)
-> UACS - Score system which works with the UAC, it saves your score so you can view them whenever you want
-> UACA - Awards system, which works with the UAC, with this you can award the player and he/she can view the awards in the member panel
-> SGSYS - Saved Game system, save and load games in Torque :)
-> UPDTCHK - Checks for updates online nd notifies the user if there is an update avaliable

All of them are a version 1 apart from the UAC which is at version 1.1

Thats all for now, bye

Progress on various things

James Thompson — 2006-10-01T17:05:35+00:00

Hey,

I've made a lot of progress on somethings, none on others and started some new projects :)

DawnOfMen
The biggie, this is currently high priority so its also the one i've made most progress on.

Im currently in the process of rolling out the latest build of DawnOfMen, cleverly named 0.9.8. This release is a major update.

Changelist

Bug fixes

* Swimming problem fix
* Many major weapon fixes
* Bows now all work
* Longbow's now actually re-load
* Health display now fixed
* Message box fixes
* Defenders now defend themselves
* Attackers wont attack teammates

Changes

* New items in the missions
* Crossbows set fire to buildings
* AI have separate datablocks to enable difficulty levels
* A few changes to the weather system
* Many minor changes to the options dialogue
* Both teams now have an equal amount of weapons
* Pulled out CG DRL in favour of GL DRL
* Implemented GL DRL

Additions

* Game difficulty levels
* New team logo's

Todo's

* Finish missions
* New screenshots for missions
* Character models
* Testing

See? Hardly any to-do's :)
Yeah! Its almost done

Photo's: www.dawnofmen.com/photo_gallery.htm

Demo should be up soon :)

Siege pack
I've got a bit done, but nothing major.

Mainly:
-> flammable interiors
-> 'destructible' interiors

When i get DawnOfMen done (3-4 weeks) this will be made top priority

Secret project
Finished

Full physx integration
No progress

Xfire integration
Stopped due to multiplatform issues

New! Advanced.fps
This is an advanced version of the fps starter kit.
More on this in the next blog

DawnOfMen & me

James Thompson — 2006-09-02T16:02:06+00:00

Hey,

I haven't blogged for ages but im back :)

Where have I been?
I've been working on a secret project and so I've been very busy these past few months.

DawnOfMen news

I finally finished the DM missions :)
sphyxgames.com/photo_gallery.htm

I've written a game mode manager for it, will post a resource soon, even though there's already one, my implementations better ;)

I wrote some AI for it well I say wrote, I just modified a resource but got carried away :)

I managed to fix some performance issues, it now has an average of 40fps on a top-end pc where as it did have 8fps

I've done a lot of bug fixes and got it stable enough for a release version

It's now just waiting on a few tweaks and some CTF/KOTH/Campaign missions

Website news

Launched www.dawnofmen.com

Created a new theme for both websites

Updated the forums

Secret news

Well im not allowed to tell you much but I can tell you this:

Its a brilliant idea, and when its released Torque owners will get the source code free!

It has a special AI system - more on that later

It has a re-written logging system

It has registration/login systems in TorqueScript

It has advanced RSS news reader

The name is:
secret :)

Thats all for now

DawnOfMen Alpha Progress

James Thompson — 2006-07-01T08:19:53+00:00

Alpha 1 was released last week, the first revision had a few minor problems but the second revision had some major problems, which didn't allow the game to start! I later found out it was due to a VS200 problem (it was, for some reason, compiling the .exe as a multithreaded dll, strange) the third revision had no reported bugs (yes in Alpha!).

All revisions did, of course have problems other than bugs:
* No AI
-> Coming in Beta 1
* Change the player model
-> Coming in Alpha 2, completed in Beta 1
* Performance issues
-> RC1 & 2 should see all performance gone
* The grass is way too bright colored for that terrain
-> the illumination settings will be tweaked for Beta 1
* Get an photoshop 2D artist for the menu systems and intro logos
-> Only C2 reported this, all the other testers liked the GUI's so I will ask your view at the end of this blog
* DRL over-illuminates the scene
-> I thought it looked nice but I will add the option to change it in the options dlg for Beta1

Most of those are to be fixed in and around Beta 2 time so what's in Alpha 2?
I have finished the Alpha 2 todo list and here it is:
* Get a DawnOfMen theme tune
* Design AI for KOTH, CTF, DM, TDM, Campaign and Multiplayer modes
* Integrate the custom shape resource (based on feedback from Alpha1)
* Integrate the Bump Mapping resource
* Add Kill Zones to missions (like in fire, etc)
* Add end-mission triggers to all campaign missions
* Lobby system for multiplayer
* Implement a check on weapon lights so there is a light if it is on the ground but not if its mounted
* Revise the CG/DRL code
* Fix some memory leeks

Is that all?
No I have already completed:
* The initial GUI's (still needs tweaking for Beta1)
* Initial campaign mode code (still needs tweaking for Beta1)
* Initial interior destruction scripts (still needs projectile feedback system for Beta1)
* Added some environment systems to "The Great Wall"
* Added timed auto-respawn for players
* Added random melee impulse
* Reduced console spam so it was easier to find warning/errors
* Changed default window size
* Added secret mission triggers

I'll post some screenshots soon

DawnOfMen Alpha Release

James Thompson — 2006-06-25T18:03:58+00:00

DawnOfMen is currently at version 0.8, build number 8750

This is the first Alpha release for DawnOfMen

So what does this release contain?

This release contains the following features:

* Swimming
* Teams
* CTF, KOTH and Deathmatch (mission only supports DeathMatch)
* Only one mission
* Team based player models
* Melee
* Team based weapons system
* All-New GUI's
* Team system
* Multiplayer support
* Environment System
* Great Sound System
* CG Shaders
* Many More features supported but not used in the mission
* DRL 2
* TLK

Known Issues:
Melee shuddering

This release will go out to only 10 testers, by the end of the week
The first 5 people who ask here will get it :)
I will send out more invitations to those who have contributed to the game

EDIT: Bug Reporter can be found here:
dawnofmen.sphyxgames.com/mantis/login_page.php

RSS

James Thompson — 2006-06-18T18:16:26+00:00

Hello,

I decided to take a break from DawnOfMen today and decided to work on an all new SphyxGames RSS feed!
There were not many examples Icould find that wernt copyrighted but I wanted to make it my own anyway so I started working on it.

XML is probably the most easiest languages I have ever dealt with, this is the source for my RSS feed:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
	<channel>
		<title>SphyxGames</title>
		<link>http://www.SphyxGames.com/</link>
		<description>SphyxGames.com provides users with tons of information on the games they are creating</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<copyright>Copyright 2006 James Thompson</copyright>
		<managingEditor>james@sphyxgames.com</managingEditor>
		<webMaster>james@sphyxgames.com</webMaster>
		<generator>SSD</generator>
		<docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
		<item>
			<link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/SphyxGames?m=1</link>
			<title>New RSS!</title>
			<description>Welcome to SphyxGames' new rss feeds!</description>
			<dc:creator>James Thompson</dc:creator>
			<dc:date>2006-06-18</dc:date>
			<guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/SphyxGames?m=1</guid>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

As you can see the language is very straight forward

All you need to do to add new RSS items is:

		<item>
			<link>http://feeds.feedburner.com/SphyxGames?m=1</link>
			<title>New RSS!</title>
			<description>Welcome to SphyxGames' new rss feeds!</description>
			<dc:creator>James Thompson</dc:creator>
			<dc:date>2006-06-18</dc:date>
			<guid>http://feeds.feedburner.com/SphyxGames?m=1</guid>
		</item>

And the result:
rss.sphyxgames.com/index.xml
Note - you have to use a browser or program that supports feeds

I think many companies/individuals can benefit from RSS feeds that are constantly updated and for those who can't understand the above code, there are WYSIWYG editors for RSS

BTW: I have a resource thats not yet approved could someone take a look and make sure it works so its all okay when it gets approved, thanks - www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=1064...

Note - Anyone is welcome to use the above code, but change the text between the tags

DawnOfMen 0.8

James Thompson — 2006-06-05T19:57:09+00:00

Hello,

My last blog on DawnOfMen was May 20, 2006!
Now maybe that doesnt seem too long ago for you but for me that is a long time so I decided to do a quick blog to let you all know how im doing on DawnOfMen.

If you have seen my new website then you will already know this, if thats the case im sorry, scroll down to the end of this blog and there is some new information there for you :)

DawnOfMen
* Completed swimming support
* Added Teams
* CTF
* Completed 10 missions
* New player models
* Swords
* Team based weapons system
* Improved startmission GUI
* Team select on start up
* Temporary change in mission handeling
* Updated GUI's
* Updated Multiplayer support
* Various bug fixes
* FX Grass
* Player sounds update
* Updated water system
* Display screenshot on mission load
* New mission desc lines to show map type
* New map types

New Information - 0.8.1.a progress
* News GUI
* New mission - canyons
* DRL
* Team based AI
* Water reflections
* New GUI's - things like playername popups
* Team based player model selection
* Enhanced melee

Heres some screenshots:

X-Fire Integration continued

James Thompson — 2006-05-29T18:53:23+00:00

X-Fire is now working in my game (at least I think it is, I have no way of testing it right now)

I can get it to compile and start missions, so I think its all good ;)

Code says it all so here goes (once I have tested it this will go up as a resource):

New File (game/net/xfire.cc)

#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN

#include <windows.h>
#include <tlhelp32.h>

#include "xfire.h"

static HMODULE g_toucan_dll = NULL;
static void HelperInit();
static HMODULE HelperGetToucanDLL();

typedef int (*XfireSetCustomGameDataWFunction)(int , const wchar_t **, const wchar_t **);

static XfireSetCustomGameDataWFunction ptr_XfireSetCustomGameDataW = NULL;

/* make sure we are going to call the ANSI version */
#ifdef MODULEENTRY32
#undef MODULEENTRY32
#endif

#ifdef Module32First
#undef Module32First
#endif

#ifdef Module32Next
#undef Module32Next
#endif 


int XfireIsLoaded()
{
	HelperInit();
	if (ptr_XfireSetCustomGameDataW)
		return 1;
	return 0;
}

int XfireSetCustomGameDataW(int num_keys, const wchar_t **keys, const wchar_t **values)
{
	HelperInit();
	if (ptr_XfireSetCustomGameDataW)
		return ptr_XfireSetCustomGameDataW(num_keys, keys, values);
	return 1;
}

/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
static void HelperInit()
{
	if (!ptr_XfireSetCustomGameDataW)
	{
		HMODULE toucan_dll = HelperGetToucanDLL();
		if (toucan_dll)
		{
			ptr_XfireSetCustomGameDataW = (XfireSetCustomGameDataWFunction)::GetProcAddress(toucan_dll, "ToucanSendGameClientDataW_V1");
	   }
	}
}


static HMODULE HelperGetToucanDLL()
{
	if (g_toucan_dll)
		return g_toucan_dll;

	/*
	** We need to enumerate the DLLs loaded to find toucan dll.
	** This is done because the toucan dll changes with each update.
	** The toucan dll has the following format. "xfire_toucan_{BUILD_NUMBER}.dll"
	** We simply try to find a dll w/ the prefix "xfire_toucan"
	*/
	HANDLE snapshot_handle = CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(TH32CS_SNAPMODULE, GetCurrentProcessId());
	if (snapshot_handle != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
	{
		MODULEENTRY32 module_entry;
		module_entry.dwSize = sizeof(MODULEENTRY32); 

		BOOL result = Module32First(snapshot_handle, &module_entry);
		char module_name[] = "xfire_toucan";
		DWORD module_name_len = sizeof(module_name)-1;
		while (result)
		{
			if (CompareStringA(LOCALE_USER_DEFAULT, NORM_IGNORECASE, module_entry.szModule, module_name_len, module_name, module_name_len) == CSTR_EQUAL)
			{
				g_toucan_dll = module_entry.hModule;
				break;
			}
			result = Module32Next(snapshot_handle, &module_entry);
		}

		CloseHandle(snapshot_handle);
	}

	return g_toucan_dll;
}

That contains some unessesary stuff i think

New File (game/net/xfire.h)

#ifndef __XFIREGAMECLIENT_H__
#define __XFIREGAMECLIENT_H__

#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C" {
#endif

/*
**  XfireIsLoaded()
**
**  returns 1 if application can talk to Xfire, 0 otherwise
*/
int XfireIsLoaded();

/*
**  XfireSetCustomGameDataA()
**
**  UNICODE version to tell xfire of custom game data
*/
int XfireSetCustomGameDataW(int num_keys, const wchar_t **keys, const wchar_t **values);

#define XfireSetCustomGameData XfireSetCustomGameDataW

#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif

#endif /* __XFIREGAMECLIENT_H__ */

That probably has some unnecessary stuff too

Now In player.cc

   //-----------------------------------------------------
   // X-Fire
   //-----------------------------------------------------
     #include "game/net/xfire.h"
   //-----------------------------------------------------
   // X-Fire
   //-----------------------------------------------------

// Anchor point compression
const F32 sAnchorMaxDistance = 32;

   //-----------------------------------------------------
   // X-Fire
   //-----------------------------------------------------
     const char *key[100],*value[100];
   //-----------------------------------------------------
   // X-Fire
   //-----------------------------------------------------

bool Player::onAdd()
{
   //-----------------------------------------------------
   // X-Fire
   //-----------------------------------------------------
key[0] = "Status";
value[0] = "Playing";
   //-----------------------------------------------------
   // X-Fire
   //-----------------------------------------------------

Theres a lot more, but that is the basic idea, like I said when I have it all together and i've tested it I will submit it as a resource

DawnOfMen

James Thompson — 2006-05-20T14:23:12+00:00

Hello,

We have been working hard (again) on DawnOfmen.

I have done some gui stuff after giving up on gui's a few weeks ago ;)
We have done 32 bug fixes (thats all of them so far)
We have got one more map started (its a big one)

And I have started looking at multiplayer
The thing is: I got it to work, had a break for 10min, came back and it wasn't working again!
So obviously more work is needed in this area :[

I am currently at version 0.7.5

We now have a DawnOfMen site up, still under construction:
dawnofmen.sphyxgames.com/
Some new screenshots:
dawnofmen.sphyxgames.com/screenshots.htm

And we are now using Torsion for our scripting :)

DawnOfMen

James Thompson — 2006-05-08T16:22:55+00:00

Hi

I've been working hard on DawnOfMen recently, the changes i've made are below:

- Water shader enhancement
- DRL 2
- Ported project to VC8
- gained 12fps from various performance improvements!
- 2mb taken off file size
- Took out Advanced camera (It was not being used)
- Cleaned up weapon scripts
- Moved all melee code to separate functions in a separate file for easier editing
- Fixed many mission lighting problems
- Added some mission lights to Syath
- Updated Forum
- Various tweaks

Changes todo this week:

- Swimming (In game)
- Make sure player cannot go below water level
- Stop camera going below terrain
- Have a look at some GUI changes maybe do some GUI work

Some Screenshots:

sphyxgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=56
sphyxgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57
sphyxgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=58
sphyxgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=59
sphyxgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=60
sphyxgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61