Java RPG

[DarkerLine]

C and C++ are all immensely better. Haven't ever tried C#.
Java is more portable though.

[elfprince13]

Java is slower, because it runs on a VM, however its also compile once, run anywhere (theoretically). Since I use Mac, the lack of cross-platformness in the universe ticks me off, and so Java, and Python ar my languages of choice.

[threefingeredguy]

I convert PC C source to Cocoa, it works ok with some tweaking. But only small things, I couldn't convert Half Life or something, it would take forever.

[kermmartian]

Lookin' good elfprince! I'd be happy to do any tiles or sprites.

[Tyler]

Depending on what you want to do with it. For working directly with the Windows API/DirectX, I would imagine that C++ is better. C++ is compiled code that is, techincally speaking, not able to run on any computer.

However, if you're programming a general utility or anything to do with networking, Java is better because of its portability. It, however, has performance issues because of its on-the-fly virtual machine (similar to the TI-BASIC parser)

[Arcane Wizard]

Wrong topic?

edit: I guess not.

I have the feeling he's already decided on using Java.

[elfprince13]

[threefingeredguy]

So I was explaining some of my java code to my teacher today, and I stumbled across a quick sprite drawing solution, if you are dissatisfied with your current method, I could show you what I came up with and you could see if you like it. You might be doing it this way already, since it seems obvious to me, but then again it was not obvious to me until now.

[elfprince13]

could you post the code?

[elfprince13]

I just though Id let you know im still working on this, given the interest it generated (3 pages...) Anyway, ve decided not to do a scripting language for it, and Ive come up with a completely new design for keeping the engine intact, while allowing new games to be created. I'll create a library with the engine, and abstract tile/character/item classes which when extended can be passed as parameters using Java's inheritance mechanism Im also starting on a map editor tomorrow

[threefingeredguy]

Sorry, I only have UTI access at home and my tile program is at school. I will bring it home on monday and post/send it.

[elfprince13]

[attachment=410:attachment]

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Ive got a semblance of an editor going.............Next Ill add the ability to add items/characters



Ive also begun separating generix stuff out into a library, and Ive updated it so it doesnt use any deprecated methods

[axcho]

Are you going to use any dithering to make the maps looks less tiled? Civilization II does that, where certain pixels at each edge of the tile are exchanged with pixels from the adjacent tile. That way the transitions between tiles are soft rather than sharp.

[elfprince13]

I might.....at the moment Im just using a two dimensional array of numbers and a 1d array of ImageIcon's and the numbers refer to which tile should be drawn.

[threefingeredguy]

Mine uses an Image (or maybe a buffered image, I might change it) that contains all the sprites you are going to use. You can always add height and width and whatnot, it's completely dynamic. It reads your 2d array and returns an Image of whatever size you needed (matrix dimensions * tile dimensions) ready for you to g.drawImage( to the screen. You are backbuffering this, right? And you aren't saying x++ on key typed, but dir=0 and movement = true, aren't you? Else this would be quite a choppy game.

[elfprince13]

ImageIcon constructor doesnt return until fully loaded into RAM I dont have to worry about buffering at all :)


EDIT:
===
you never emailed me that code....

[threefingeredguy]

That's cause I only got it home today. It includes an example program, cause the implementation is kinda... wierd.

You MUST use a buffer, fool! Hahaha, I don't mean fool, really. I just mean that writing to the screen without the buffer causes flicker, especially when you start executing game actions.

So my scroller supports smooth scrolling (that may or may not be why I delayed sending it to you :ninja:) and my awesome example program includes a simpler-than-hell implementation. When I comment it I will send it to you.

[elfprince13]

[threefingeredguy]

If you want, just leave the comments in the class and I'm fine.

Um, I will give it to you tomorrow, the example has embarassingly bad sprites.