Messages

I vote for Akumayo.
You did a great job, and your system works very well.

dkh: as i wrote above, i never get your module or your compiled demo to work, so i couldnt say anything about it, sorry for that.

Unfortunatly i cant start the demo game nor test the sources.
i get this error in both cases:

Illegal exception
---------------------------
An exception 0xC0000005 occured in ACWIN.EXE at EIP = 0x0045C87F ; program pointer is -195, ACI version 2.71.894, gtags (0,0)

have others also noticed this behavior?

[WINNER - ASHEN]

Good, so lets finish this turn, cause it isn't much activity here and it make not much sense to wait until sunday.
I agree with all posts above, and im happy to anounce the merited winner.
WINNER - ASHEN

[endrews]

yuhuu, we have three entrys :-))))
thank you very much ashen, for setting up your entry.
Ok so we dont need a time extension and the voting can start now.

my subjective summary:

best documented
ashen - 1st
endrews - 2nd
akumayo - 3rd

easiest to use and extend:
ashen - 1st
akumayo - 2nd
endrews - 3rd

looks most 'finished':
akumayo - 1st
endrews - 2nd
ashen - 3rd

start from scratch:
ashen - 1st
akumayo, endrews - 2nd

most fun (for me):
endrews - 1st
akumayo - 2nd
ashen - 3rd

overall impression
all 3 entrys equal.
normally, in the meaning of this contest, i should vote for ashen,
cause when im thinking about implementing endrews or akus entry in an own game,
i guess its easier to code the whole thing again by myself, as to tweak around with this tons of mostly undocumented code. ;-)
but the closest entry for my personal preference and expectation is endrews entry.
so my vote goes to: endrews
thank you all three for the entrys. :-))))

hi ashen,
i think its better for all to have more entrys, and therefore expand the deadline a little bit.
so if nobody complains, we set the new deadline to 14th march.
so you have a few more hours to improve your entry, and release it in the condition it will be on 14th.

we have 2 entrys now, i smell a slightly feeling of a competition :-)

thx, endrews is a lot more handy now.
thx also to akumayo for your entry, cool to see different approaches so far.

one thing:
all two entries dont contain much commented code.
endrews entry has a few lines and at least a faq, which is a good thing.
whereas in akums entry isn't one comment, which makes the thing not much easier to understand.
it would be a good practice for programmers in general, to comment some codesections.
its not only for other developers as in this competition, but also for yourself - imagine yourself a year later, starring at your code and asking yourself - oh my god whats going on here.

so thanks for the entrys so far,
5 days left for entrys (ashen:)) .

great, thx endrews
the first entry :-)))

two things:

see the initial posting for -
competition rules point 2:
its great that you post your complete game, but not necessary.
for this competition it would be interesting to have some codeexamples, which are useful and easy to implement for other developers.
so i admit (only if you have enough time and you are willing to) that you make either a module or a template or one room, which contains only the fighting part of your game, with a little explanation what is going on in the code.
cause the whole game is very difficult to overlook and understand. (in the meaning of this competition)

and rules point 7:
the voting starts on 12th march, and will end one week later.
so i suggest that you let the code accessible, until 19th march or so.

thanks for your entry, i like this one very muchÃ, 

I have a game step by step strategy with elements of RPG on system: fighting turn based!
it suits for this competition?

If it suits I shall lay out the open code, it enough big on size!

hello endrews,

this suits perfect :-), it has similar mechanic to heroes of might and magic i guess.Ã,  :o
i loaded it from here -> http://www.endrewsgames.h15.ru/Page2_8.htm
cause the first two downloadlinks dont work for me.
i'm looking forward in happy anticipation to your entryÃ, 

*push*
its halftime now, and the attendance seems very low.
deadline is sunday next week.
So please coders come on, it could be real fun to assembly a little turn engine,
think about your favorite boardgames or things like that.

Akumayo and Ashen - is it going smoothly?
praying and looking forward, to at least 2 entrys.
the job as topicstarter is much more challenging, as to participate with an entry. 

thanks :-)
yes i know, as i started i didnt realize, that the limit was only 20 overlays.
it for sure can be redesigned, with the raw draw methods,
but its easier to wait until CJ increases the Overlay limit.Ã, 

[The Sources can be found here:]

Easy to use, shoot'em up module.

I build this for the coding competition - theme arcade
I havent achieved my goal 100%, cause i aimed to rebuild Space Invaders, which isnt possible with the overlay approach at the moment, and it isnt that much costumizable,
but the result isnt that bad.

screenshot demo game:


Integration:
Draw a few Sprites, mix it with a few sounds.
Build a new room,
'in player enters screen before fadein' make the initialisations (4 functions),
and it should work (hopefully with all resolutions).
please read the readme for further explanations.

AGS-Invaders (AGS Version 2.71)
Here is the demo game -> http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=689

The Sources can be found here:
AGS-Invaders Source (module included) -> AGS Invaders Source
AGS-Shoot'em Up Module only -> AGS Shoot'em Up Module

oh man, black flames is amazing.
funny thing that your are the master of turn based RPG Games.
if i had known that before, my sleep would be much better the last days.
cause i was in doubt, that in the worst case nobody will enter to this topic.
but now im sure you will enter with an great entry and also ashen will.Ã, 

That would be great, but dont focus only on the battle system.
I have realized, that most of your games have a turn based approach.
So Labyrinth is a turn based game, and a sort of module for this style of RPG would be very interesting.
Also Chess is a turn based game.
So I guess, it isnt a big deal for you, to make an entry this turnÃ, 

no limitation in this case, it must fit to the rules this is important.
so it can be a turn based fighting module, or a open source game with a turn based battle system.
annotation: I hope most to see a turn based battle system in action,
but dont think only on battle systems, theres a lot of possibilities for a turn based game,
the most board games are turn based as well. 

The straightforward way would be to build a module which supports turn based fighting,
in the way of jagged alliance, or this example -> http://gamemaker.nl/games_exe/hdtactics.zip
The other approach could be a module which supports time turn based games, where every action needs time, like this http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=679
but all is allowed, if it provide that the game stops then the player could do his actions (turn).
i hope this isnt to complicated, and passaply clear.

EDIT: Sorry for the false game link, I mean Hovendall Tactics - http://gamemaker.nl/games_exe/hdtactics.zip
and not Magical Drop which is no turn based game.

[Turn-based games]

Ok, here is the theme for the 5th round Coding Competition:

Turn-based games

This is also a wide range field.
The Goal for competitors is, to release a code snippet
which supports a turn based situation in ags games,
regardless of which way you want.

Below are very good examples of turn based games:

fighting turn based:
jagged alliance
x-com
heroes of might and magic
Hovendall Tactics (independent game) - download (englisch 2,4 mb) -> http://gamemaker.nl/games_exe/hdtactics.zip

time turn based
where in the world is carmen sandiego
they stole a million (planning part)
the clou (planning part) - download (german 3mb) -> http://www.gohai.net/clou32.exe
24 hours (AGS 1 room Game) - download -> http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=679

economic simulation games (time turn based)
vermeer - download (german 130 mb) -> http://rapidshare.de/files/13755111/VEM.rar.html http://rapidshare.de/files/13755554/VEM.r00.html
oil imperium

general
Civilization

Here are the rules:
1. Must be open-source. We can hardly inspect your coding if we cant see it.
2. Must contain instructions for how to add to an existing game, this will obviously be easier if the scripting is done as a module
3. Only use of the 3D, TCP/IP and maths plugins are allowed
4. Must provide sample game using the turn engine (obviously!)
5. Team efforts are allowed, and you're probably expected to get help for sprites, etc from elsewhere.
6. As far as possible, entries will be judged on their scripting and gameplay rather than GFX, SFX, music, etc.
7. Winner will be decided by 1 week of voting at the end.

Please, post here if you're thinking of entering.
Im looking forward to see many entries, beside Ashens. ;-)

Let the turn begin.

Thanks for votingÃ,  , and also thanks to colxfile for his entry.

I also hope for many entries next competition.
hmm great topic, great topic...

I absolutely WILL enter the next one, though, promise.

this is a word :-)
so we have at least one.Ã, 

thx akumayo,
unfortunatly, the interest in this competition == null.

i vote for colxfile, a very couraged attempt.

hopefully a few more people will also engage the voting,
cause its not much fun, when only the rulesetter and the developers
arrange it among themselves.

If you like Space Invaders, give it a try.
I build this game - module for the coding competition,
so the complete sources are available, and the module to easy adjust and integrate a shoot'em up
in your own games, as well.Ã, 

Screenie:


Get the game here -> http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=689
The Sources can be found here -> http://www.virtual-illusion.com/board/index.php?topic=8.0

Have funÃ, 

Here is my entry - AGS Invaders
a Shoot'em Up module.



Downloads:
Game: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/games.php?action=detail&id=689
GameSources and Module: http://www.virtual-illusion.com/board/index.php?topic=8.0

Was a lot of fun (and work) to build this module, thanks to Akumayo for this topic.
I havent achieved my goal 100%, cause i aimed to rebuild Space Invaders, which isnt possible with the overlay
approach at the moment, but the result isnt that bad, and i guess it can be redesigned with
the raw draw functions and with a lot more enemies. :-).
The good thing is that it is very easy to implement in other games.
Build a new room, in player enters screen before fadein make the initialisations (4 functions).
and it should work (hopefully with all resolutions).
please read the readme for further explanations.