Blog for Richard_H at GarageGames.com

Redesigned Website

Richard_H — 2007-09-15T22:00:05+00:00

Hi,
It's been a while since I last posted, but not much happened. Recently I re-designed my website at www.thejavagamer.com. I believe the new site has a more professional look to it, but I'm interested in feedback (please send it to comments@thejavagamer.com).
There's also a new version of a my Random Mission Pack which fixes a small bug in the code. To get a new version just send me an email from the address you bought it with.

-Richard Hofer

AI Wars

Richard_H — 2007-07-04T17:58:36+00:00

Recently in my spare time I have started an open-script programming game in which you program the AI of a bot compete against other players bots. I have a playable beta version ready and I'd like to see what the community thinks of it. You can download it here.

Feel free to send me (javagamer -_at_:sdf mac DOT com) art/levels/bots to include with the free game and I'll incorporate them immediately. I'm also open to any suggestions you may have.

Random Mission Pack:Done!

Richard_H — 2007-06-21T19:27:26+00:00

At last, my Random Mission Pack is completed! Sorry it took so long, setting up a website and online store wasn't as fast as I though.

The Random Mission Pack is a code pack for the Torque Gaming Engines. This code pack allows for easy implementation of a flexible random level generator in the Torque Gaming engine.

This pack is very flexible and can easily be modified by script. The pack allows for multiple stages of object placement and placement based on pre-placed objects. It comes with 2 tile-based patterns for placing objects and a working example (uses FPS Starter Kit).

At the moment the version completed comes with simple, programmer art. Later there will be a separate pack containing better art for a higher price.

Visit my site for more info or purchase it here for $20.

Enjoy and don't forget to comment!

Random Mission Pack:It's not dead!

Richard_H — 2007-05-30T11:57:46+00:00

My previous blogs can be found here(First and Second)

I doubt any of you remember, but I have been working on a code-pack for TGE (though it should work in TGEA) called the Random Mission Pack. This pack makes it easy to add random mission generating capabilities to your existing game. It consists of an additional C++ file and several script files. The only thing that remains is finishing an example of a random city. The city is made of a bunch of modular difs all stuck together by the computer. All the user has to do is input a size for the grid the city will be placed on.
Here is what I have so far:
(be warned, it's programmer art)

A view from above

A closer view

I still need to replace some of those blank places with small stores. If anyone is willing to make some art to go with this (there could be some payment), email me at j a vag ame r _at_ m ac -dot- c om (w/o the spaces).

Random Mission Pack:Road Update

Richard_H — 2007-03-14T02:10:57+00:00

Hi,
as some of you may remember, a while pack I posted a blog (www.garagegames.com/blogs/63816/12405) about a add-on pack for TGE which allows random mission creation. There have been a lot of things going on and it took me a while, but I have finally implemented a demo road system.

The system is very basic and is just included for demo purposes. At the top and right edges of the mission 3-way intersections are randomly generated. Before a road piece is placed it examines it's surroundings to determine what it will become. Due to the simplicity of this system, all roads run straight from one side to the other.

Below are some pics I took with my programmer art.

You may not be able to tell, but it also randomly selects a sky & sun pair each time a level is generated.
So, what do you think? Would this be useful? How much should I charge?

Edit:Problem with first pic, will re-upload later. (Problem fixed)

Random Mission Pack

Richard_H — 2007-02-24T20:18:45+00:00

Hi,
I've started (yet another) project, a Random Mission Pack. Basicly what this pack will do is allow for easy implementation of a random mission system giving your games infinite replayability. It takes a mission size, and divides your mission into a grid of 24 x 24 sized tiles. This would probably work best for city games.
I'm currently looking for artists. View my forum post.
Here are some pics of what I have now.

A 5x5 sized mission, yet to fill in the middle.

New Game

Richard_H — 2006-11-29T01:45:56+00:00

I think I have finaly started a project which I can complete. I decided that there could be more problem solving games so I decided to combine that with my love of FPS games to create a first-person stealth based assasination game. As far as name goes the best I can come up with is "Silent Killer".
Here are some of the planned features.

-Stealth
It is risky to show yourself (espesialy while armed or in suspisous places). It is best to stick to the shadows, kill while no one is around, with no one to here the screams or find the body. When that is not an option it must look natural, no arrows sticking out someone's back.

-Problem Solving
You will always have limited resources and it is a matter of exploring and observing. There will always be several methods to competing your goal. Whether loosen the large boulder above the path, weaken the old bridge, or slit the throat when no one's around there will be different strategies for different people.

-Physics
I have added the fast and reliable ODE physics to allow for some more interesting interactions.

-AI
I hope to add lots of Artificial Intelligence so the towns are lively and dynamic apposed to static and dull. This is what I have put most work in so that my simple pathfinding will apear much more dynamic.

-Level Editer
This may be a modded version of the default TGE level editer, but I hope to allow users to make their own levels for infinite replayability.

The game will play like this. You choose a level (that comes with the game or that you or your freind made) and while loading it will give you a brief intro to what must be done. When you enter the level you will have some supplies in your backpack and a target (or group of targets) that must be killed. Using any way that avoids suspicion you must eliminate him.

So how does this sound? And can anyone think of a better name?

Temp Resource: Script Time

Richard_H — 2006-11-09T01:57:42+00:00

Due to slow resource aproval I'm posting my resource here so I can get some feedback and spread the little C++ knowledge.

A simple way to add a console function ( getSysTime() ) for getting the time in seconds since midnight from the system clock. Note: This is my first resource and is kind of basic.

1. First you need to add the time header file (<time.h>),
open up main.cc and go to the end of the #includes and add

#include <time.h>

2. Next we need to actualy add the console function,
go down past the 2 existing time functions

ConsoleFunction( getSimTime, S32, 1, 1, "Return the current sim time in milliseconds.\n\n"
                "Sim time is time since the game started.")
{
   return Sim::getCurrentTime();
}

ConsoleFunction( getRealTime, S32, 1, 1, "Return the current real time in milliseconds.\n\n"
                "Real time is platform defined; typically time since the computer booted.")
{
   return Platform::getRealMilliseconds();
}

and add

ConsoleFunction( getSysTime, int, 1, 1, "Get the time in seconds.")
{
  time_t rawtime;
  struct tm * timeinfo;
  int temp;
  time ( &rawtime );
  timeinfo = localtime ( &rawtime );
  temp = timeinfo->tm_sec;
  temp = temp + (timeinfo->tm_min*60);
  temp = temp + (timeinfo->tm_hour*3600);
  return temp;
}

Basicly, what this does is get a tm struct and convert the hours and minutes to seconds,
then add them to the seconds then return the result.

To test if it worked just type the following in the console:

echo(getSysTime());

You should get the number of seconds since midnight.
Please comment so I can make my next resource better.