Risk Game

[Liazon]

Definitely add the rules. Perhaps make an external file that way it can easily get deleted when you don't need it. But definitely include a readme in the .zip file because not everyone knows how to play Risk. The first time I ever played Risk was last year.

[TStach]

I've come to the conclusion: BASIC is simply too slow. While programming my game, I ran into so many problems that I finally decided: Hey, I might as well look at Kerm Martian's game. I played Kerm Martian's game, and although the graphics were great, the gameplay was just terrible. I spent over five minutes sending it to my calc and starting a new game. It's not his fault, it's just the limitations of BASIC...

It has to be done in assembly...!
I came here to learn, so I might as well do it and take the challenge now. I take Computer Science (Java), but I can barely do anything (unless you consider reading and parsing input something special). I have the basic concepts though and hopefully that's all I'll need.

I'm going to try and learn it over the next couple of days/weeks or however long it takes. I'm guessing that I'll be able to write code in the beginning; it will just be slow and very unoptimized. However over time I'll make edits to the subroutines that I use and hopefully make somewhat of a good game.

Here are some of the problems I was fighting with:
- Fast "mouse", or lack thereof (Could not select area to place/attack quickly!)
- Graphical limitations (Could not make a large, scroll-around map!)
- Space limitations (I was already over 1k bytes already in code!)
- Speed limitations (I had to wait 5+ seconds for the graphics!)

Sadly it will slow progress down to a halt
But in the long run I think it will pay off. 8)

I don't know what tutorial I'm going to use yet as there is quite a few of them. However, I have yet to see an editor that encompasses an integrated development enviornment with a compiler (and possibly a debugger). I'm aware the the programs come seperately from different developers, but is there one that does it all?

[Liazon]

Yay the domination of Assembly! Don't worry TStach, I've only been learning ASM for about a month. I kinda decided to skip out on Basic too :biggrin:

no need to thank me:

tutorial:
ASM in 28 Days
ASMGuru
IONGuru

Compiler:
Search for "Andy" in the ticalc.org file archives and use his assembly package. Use notepad to write programs and use the package to compile.
Latenite, ask around for it. There are minor bugs though, but good IDE from what I've heard.

Just search the Ti-Calc file archives for everything. I'll try to help you understand simple stuff, but don't ask me about VAT, shifts, rotations, and more complex stuff.

But seriously, BASIC is POWERFUL! Don't throw it away right away like I did. Actually, I kinda regret it a bit. Seeing what Kevin Oulett (xlibman) has done with it has always amazed me. You should talk to him AIM:Omnimaga
It's only slow for the game you are trying to build because it deals with a rather large graphic and lots of math. Seriously, people have made great strategy games in the past with Basic. Don't underestimate it.

[bananaman]

I love BASIC with XLIB support. You can make relatively fast graphical games and even have animations. I wouldn't give up too early. In fact after the Basic contest I might consider a stab at a RISK game although I couldn't ever make an AI. You could definately help me with that. My strategy for RISK is attack untill I have Australia and then sit in the corner and build up. I rarely win. Only when I convince everyone that they should help me do I win.

[Liazon]

:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: The first time I played, I did that. I had to make a last stand though of like all troops vs all my brother's troops. We decided on a draw (too many dice battles) :biggrin:

AI are hard to make. Right now I'm just trying to learn how to make everything else. Often times, it helps if you are good at a game to figure out how to make the AI tough. I duno much about AI creation though. I just think a strategy and try to simulate it on the calc.

[TStach]

Just wanted to let everyone have an update:

The project is not dead! I'm just still learning assembly. Currently I have a mouse routine that returns the coords when the user "left-clicks" (presses any desired select key). The only problem is that it uses a sprite routine from ION and someone's direct input rountine that doesn't work properly. I know I'll be able to make my own direct input routine, but I'm still going to need to program a sprite rountine and a buffercopy routine.

And if you ask why I don't just use ION or MirageOS, it's because I think I'll get a better expierence by coding my own routines and functions in nostub.

Any comments/questions?

[DigiTan]

If it's a clipped sprite routine you're looking for, CrASH_Man wrote an extremely fast sprite routine that we're using in the sonic project. Otherwise, a homebrew routine would give you more graphics experience.

[CompWiz]

[IAmACalculator]

Wow, that looks VERY nice. I'll have to check it out. I'll have to learn ASM first though . I have seen the ASM in 28 days tutorial, but it seems to have trouble penetrating the brick walls of my head.

[elfprince13]

[Liazon]

I heard xLib is also really good for sprite based games. Haven't checked it out, but I plan to teach my calc club how to use xlib with BASIC.

[katmaster]

YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! xLIB ROCKSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's basically omnicalc on steroids. Does more, faster and its awesome. Use it!!!!!!!!

[DarkerLine]

Not much to teach, really. If you can program, all you need is the function parameters; if you can't, no amount of teaching will help (or will it?)

[Liazon]