From:	Sean Timarco Baggaley <stbaggaley AT hotmail DOT com>
Newsgroups:	rec.games.programmer,comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject:	Re: Time to rock and roll!
Date:	Sun, 1 Mar 1998 02:32:42 +0000
Organization:	The Mafia (UK) plc. "A song, a smile and a concrete boot!"
Lines:	63
Message-ID:	<YA6ETFAKjM+0Ew6Q@dial.pipex.com>
References:	<34F8924F DOT 1DC5A231 AT wans DOT net>
NNTP-Posting-Host:	ad105.du.pipex.com
Mime-Version:	1.0
To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway:	from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp

[Yeah, okay, I'm back. So sue me...]

In article <34F8924F DOT 1DC5A231 AT wans DOT net>, Badman <asalter AT wans DOT net>
writes
>This is my first post to these newsgroups.  Please, be gentle.
>
>I'm writing an rpg.  Yeah, who isn't these days.  But I've actually got
>both the plot and combat system ready, and I happen to think that they
>are quite good.  I just need an engine so I can do a mockup.  I'm
>familiar with DJGPP and Allegro, and I've written several small
>"gamelets" using this system.  But now it's time to get serious.  I'm
>really wanting to do the game in 3D, using an isometric rotating
>perspective a la Syndicate Wars and Dungeon Keeper.  (You know, the one
>Ultima IX was going to use until they revamped it.)

>Yes, I know, there's scads of tutorials out there about creating 3D
>systems, including ones specifically written for DJGPP/Allegro.  But
>these tutorials don't go much past modelling shapes in 3D, and they
>certainly don't come close to describing how I might put together a
>WORLD model.  I'm pretty sure I'll get it worked out.  But if anyone out
>there has done anything like this and has any info or advice for me,
>hey, I won't smack them around for offering to help.

I'm not sure if this is the right approach.

Believe me, I speak from experience: one of my first major programming
projects was converting an RPG game to a computer-based one. Even with
the simpler computers available to me at the time (1991-92; Atari ST),
it took me over seven weeks just to draw all the graphics, icons,
pointers -- even the damned fonts! (And all in 16 colours, with only
'Art Studio' to call my friend...)

On top of that, I had to spend an incredible chunk of time on the map
editor, level editor and other tools.

It all adds up, so the more rapid your apparent progress, the less
tedious it all becomes. Using only a simplified prototype display engine
will give you a major psychological boost, as you'll be able to see your
game taking shape far more quickly than would otherwise be the case.

When you get your gameplay up and running to the point of perfection (or
near as dammit), you can unplug the prototype display code and slot in
the final one.

(As a side-note: use the editor(s) and other corollary programs as test-
beds for any fancy 3D code you want to try out. Once you've got a
satisfactory engine in your tools, you can transfer it into the game in
place of the prototyping code without that nagging sensation of going
back to square one.)

Most importantly: make *damned* sure that your gameplay code is as
separated from your display code as possible. Insert an abstraction
layer (or two) as required, so replacing the display engine with a
better one is as painless as possible. Ideally, your gameplay source
files won't need *any* changes to accommodate the new display code.

HTH.
-- 
Sean Timarco Baggaley

<mailto:stimarco AT cix DOT co DOT uk>

E&OE

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