Exult Studio Status?

[Soule]

Hi,
How's the Studio getting on now? I have a concept/story for a new game and I was wondering how I could get started with the Studio?

(epecially the dialogue trees? Is there a easier way of doing dialogue besides pure usecode?)

[drcode]

At the moment, no; you have to write it in our version of the 'usecode' language. As I've never produced a complete game myself, I'm still undecided as to whether a GUI for creating dialogs would be useful for creating an actual game.

I'm sure it would be nice for small mods, though.

ExultStudio has a lot of features, but I still wouldn't call it 'finished'. Creating a new game with all-new artwork is somewhat possible, but not at all easy.

[Soule]

What about using the available artwork? Can I just build a house just ready? Or I have to build shape by shape, object by object?

It'll be great if it has an interface somewhat like The Sims?(But it'll be difficult for you..)

Who else has interest to build a game using Exult Studio? (or mini mods)

The dialogue editor would be great..but from what I've observed, progress is on Pentagram?

[Darke]

Progress? On Pentagram? *giggle* If you call "just agreed on the 'proper' filename extensions for files" progress. *grin* I think you can classify us still in the 'design' stages.

[drcode]

Yes, doing things with the available artwork is terribly difficult. You can start with a 'chunk' that has the first story of a house, but then you have to add the other pieces by hand.

There are a couple ways to make this more convenient. First, you can put a group of objects (like the pieces of a group) into a 'combo', and then add the combo all at once. You can also select multiple objects and cut-and-paste. I'm sorry there's a lack of documentations, but the program isn't really finished yet.

[drcode]

Oops. Meant to say:

"...is NOT terribly difficult."

[Soule]

Was that a Freudian slip aka your subconscious?

[artaxerxes]

Imagine I have an idea for a game using exult studio (so it has this u7 "feeling" but absolutely no connections at all). The map _can_ be as big as the u7 one but the art obviously needs to be redone. In this case, could you answer the following questions:

1- are the graphics limited to 8 bits? (using the palette technology) or we can use more?

2- must all games produced by exult studio be world-mappable? (you go to an extremity of the map and you automatically appear on the other if you step forward)

3- how do I proceed to make my own map? how do I barf usecode?

4- interestingly, what restrictions do YOU place on a game created with exult studio, if any?

Thanks,

Artaxerxes

[Ignitus Dragon]

I don't confess to knowing that much about programming, but to my knowledge these things are true:

You'd need to use directx routines or openGL if you wanted to make efficient graphics using 16bit colour.
You can make your own map by switching chunks around.
Barf? Eat some usecode and puke it up?
If you mean compile/create it, check out the usecode sample onsite, and the usecode compiler. Also look at the limited usecode documentation.
When you sail too far, instead of in effect telling you you've hit a wall, the game simply places your position negatively in the direction you were traveling. So if you are as far west as you can get, you might be at 0 degrees. Going as far east might put you at 100 degrees, going one step more over the limit puts you at 0 again. I think I might be making something simple into something complex but anyway- if you want to have a large world map, I'm not sure that would be possible. I would see that as a future revelation but I don't know.
Ultima was(I think) created in C and in ASM and because it came out before higher graphics displays did, the programmers probably used regular C graphics libraries. Speaking a bit off topic, does anyone think U7's graphics are a bit better in a soul-stirring way than Baldurs Gate or Ultima Online 2nd Age?

[drcode]

Current answers:

1. Yes, 8-bit for now. The tough thing about going to higher depth is that U7 relies heavily on 'palette rotation' for animating the world.

2. Also true. If you don't want your world to wrap, you can put a boundary around the edges (like mountains).

3. Look at the 'island' patch for a usecode example. Also read 'u7edit' in our 'doc' directory to understand how the U7 world is built from 'chunks'.

4. Me? There's no restriction. I don't even think your (all original) game has to be GPL or even free.

[wjp]

> You'd need to use directx routines or openGL if you wanted to make efficient graphics using 16bit colour.

Exult already uses DirectX in windows. (And Jeff is working on an OpenGL renderer)

> Ultima was(I think) created in C and in ASM

Ultima 7 was mainly written in C++. I guess parts of the infamous Voodoo library (and maybe other low-level parts) were possibly written in assembly, though

[Soule]

Artaxerxes:

U interested in recruiting people for making ur game?

[artaxerxes]

I still need to iron out the idea and the plot.

I need an introduction, like, why is this guy the hero and what does he do there?
If the guy is native, why didn't he start the adventure before and if the guy is not native, where does he come from and how did he arrive here?

It's very hard to find something _original_.

Time machine, superman-type of guy, another dimension.... all those ideas are already taken.

I have the location, the time and a few plots so far but the big pictures is still blurry.

Artaxerxes

[Soule]

I am interested in working in your project.

When u have a more concrete idea..just holler..

[Ignitus Dragon]

Guy accidentally stumbles into a giant underground tunnel(rift)...gets transported into new world, realizes it wasnt just a simple mistake, he was actually brought to a new planet by a council of mages. As well as himself, other people have been transported from the rift but from different times...try that out?

[drcode]

If you guys start building a game, I'll be willing to work more on EStudio to support the effort. Let me know of any deficiencies, bugs, or ideas for improvements.

[artaxerxes]

If you could actually update the doc on how to start a game, that would be great!

Also, I was thinking of having multiple maps (like u8) but it's not really required... all depends on how easy it will be to do it.

Finally, a little explanation on how to create a item and the associated usecode to make the item do things, eg, using water with flour will empty the bucket of water, remove the flour and put instead a ball of dough, and putting the ball of dough to a certain spot will remove the ball of dough and put instead a piece of bread. I know that exists already but if I want to do something similar to another item, what will be the steps involved?


Basically, what I need the most for now is the most annoying thing from a developer: documentation!

As for the grand scheme of thing, the big idea and the big plot, I've found it! I want to finish translating serpent isle in French before investing myself in this project though. The good news is that we are very close.

If you are curious about the location/time that the story will happen, make a search on the forum about Paris in the end of the 19th century.

Artaxerxes

[drcode]

Documentation?? Argghhhhhh!!! Well, I'll try.

I found your post about 19th-century Paris, and like the idea. I was thinking of how you might handle the boundary. How about if you surround the city with fields, and we have a game option that teleports you back a screenfull whenever you get close to the actual boundary. So it will seem like you're walking through endless fields until you turn back.
(And your companions could pester you about how bored they are:-)).

[artaxerxes]

that's an awesome idea!

I was thinking of walls but yours is better

Artaxerxes

[xbow]

IIRC, this has already been done in the U7 engine. I seem to remember a tunnel in Silver Seed that did exactly this.

[wjp]

There was a tunnel near the end of the Mountains of Freedom with this effect, IIRC.

[suraimu]

A freudian slip is when you mean one thing but say your mother.

[drcode]

Yes, it's done with eggs in U7.