A tiny little story of closed minded-ness (Dink authoring related)

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Author Topic:   A tiny little story of closed minded-ness (Dink authoring related)

redink1 posted 07-08- 11:35 AM CT (US)
I think in this forum a while ago, a beginning D-Mod author asked why was everybody using cruddy bitmaps to provoke a sense of darkness in D-Mods (a technique I started, though Wyndo did have something similar first in Elemental Peace). Somebody gently replied that such a thing was impossible, and using really cruddy bitmaps was the best possible solution. Me, I laughed in my head at the 'stupid' newbie, who didn't know that it was impossible. I thought, Dink has been released for YEARS. Somebody (like Paul or Simon or WC) would've figured out how to do so long ago. You can't just create darkness without bitmaps, and especially without the source code.
I was wrong, as an accidental discovery proved last night. After the source to FIAT is released, I really doubt anybody will use the old Darkness techniques...
So, remember fellow Dinkers, nothing in Dink is impossible (well, to a reasonable degree).
Just writing this, I think I may know a way to change the color pallete on the fly... oh well, I'll do experiments with that after FIAT is released :)
FF4LIFE posted 07-08- 10:49 PM CT (US)
Interesting...could this method be used to perhaps change ALL the shadows? I'd be willing to take on the task if its possible, for that would improve the look of the game a lot...how exactly does it work? Put up some screen shots or something
Nexis posted 07-09- 03:38 AM CT (US)
Just remember that changing the game pallette can be a bad thing too though since the status bar and bottom bar use the pallette too. That said, it'll be interesting to see how it turns out, and how you managed to change it for that matter.
redink1 posted 07-09- 08:47 AM CT (US)
No, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work for all the shadows in the game (though I wouldn't say impossible ;) It utilizes fade_down(); and there are about 30 or so levels of darkness I can make with the current build of the scripts. Perhaps if you could somehow make fade_down(); work on a certain polygonal area, then you could have much better shadows.
Changing the pallete would be tricky, but I think it could be done in a similar but different way than the new darkness technique. Yeah, it would be a pain for the status bars, but I could see some more limited functions for it (changing the grass colors to shades of white to create snow, and other similar things).
Beuc posted 07-14- 01:31 PM CT (US)
You must be a bit sadistic! ;)
Telling people, more exactly 'Dinkers', that they can use cool darkness, and then tell them they'll be able to use it after the release of FIAT!
Praise be to God that it's released soon...
FF4LIFE posted 07-15- 01:23 AM CT (US)
I feel a bit sheepish saying this....but what exactly is FIAT? I've heard a lot about it at the network, but i couldn't find the demo for it. And whats it stand for? Anyway, just to let ya'll know, i'm making good progress on getting to my next demo relase, but i'm still having a few problems with the supervar :(
if any of you don't know what i'm talking about go to the bladekeep forum, i posted this big thing about how i'm gonna release the demo again with my new systems implamented (spelling?)
Beuc posted 07-16- 11:20 AM CT (US)
FIAT is an acronym I don't know the meaning, or maybe just a new word :)
Anyway, it's the DMod which RedInk1 plan to release for more than one year now.
Then, the sequel will be The End of Time 2, a remake of the End of Time (v1).
Eventually, there's another title I can't remember. Go to the DN's upcoming DMods section :)
All this is "the Clone War" trilogy, if I'm right.
Any correction, RedInk1 ? :)

SuperVars, is also something done by RedInk1. It seems you already understood how this work. Tell here what problem do you have exactly, and we may brain storm.

A note for RedInk1: I don't think you can use Mana's trick on every sprite on the screen. As you change the editor sequence, this may cause some graphical little bugs, as when you attach a blue_bonca script to a brown bonca sprite.
redink1 posted 07-19- 06:26 PM CT (US)
Don't mention The Clone War ever again :) I hope you will never find the demo to that doomed project :) I don't even have it any more.
FIAT is my next D-Mod, as Beuc said. It is an acronym for From Inside A Tree. It is also an old word from another language (not sure which one, maybe Latin/Greek/Roman/??), which means to control. FIAT is also a character in the D-Mod.
It is the beginning of the Dinky Dimensions trilogy. In it, Dink is sent to the Magik Isles by King Daniel to aid the wizards in something or another. Then, Dink finds another Ancient One is coming back, and the elements have split, resulting in Elemental Monsters (i.e. Fire Pillbugs, Earth Slayers, etc.) for a total of 30 some monsters. Not to mention elemental magics and elemental weapons, plus a few hidden weapons. There is about 35-40 weapons in the game (though most are variations; 7 different swords, for example). If that wasn't enough, there are 5 hidden mini-games, each extremely different from each other. Unlike Lost in Dink v2.00, the mini-games do not interrupt the flow of the game and prevent you from completing the original adventure. And some of the so called mini-games take at least an hour to beat. Most of the info above was stated over a year ago at The Dink Network :) Luckily, it is near completion.
And, as Beuc said, Dink Smallwood & The End of Time has been remade into Dinky Dimensions Part 2: End of Time v2.00. Expect a journey parallel to the adventure in End of Time, but adding more action, and starting the adventure in Windemere. It also ends a little after EOT 1 does. While following a similar plot to the first, EOT v2.00 also progresses the plot of the Dinky Dimensions Trilogy. Surprisingly, EOT v2.00 has been done since last December, but I was waiting for FIAT to be released before releasing it. There are a couple bugs to fix and a few spells to add, but otherwise it is done.
The finale, Hidthspace Revolution, is currently being brainstormed. Current ideas are multiple characters and such, but I have no idea how it will turn out. I just know a rough plot, and how it will end.
As for SuperVars, expect an e-mail soon (or another post within the next couple days).
Beuc posted 07-21- 03:11 PM CT (US)
Thanks for all this details :)
I've never (rather read) anything about you forsaking the... mmm, this DMod-whose-name-is-forbidden. Sorry about that, I misunderstood.
Anyway.. you made me curious >;)
FF4LIFE posted 07-22- 02:24 AM CT (US)
Oh, if you want to email, don't go off of what the dink network says. They got it wrong :( ...i should really correct them....anyway, its not Okaly-DDude, its OkalyDDude@hotmail.com
Yeah, i've been messing with the supervars some more...i got them working pretty well...it does appear i almost always need a kill_this_task(), and another thing i noticed is that if i have say global &bleh split up into its didgets and i want to do it again in a different script before implamenting a kill_this_task, i need to use different variables. Shrug, don't know if this will help you, but i've needed to change all the &var's to &othervar's...

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Author	Topic: A tiny little story of closed minded-ness (Dink authoring related)
redink1	posted 07-08- 11:35 AM CT (US) I think in this forum a while ago, a beginning D-Mod author asked why was everybody using cruddy bitmaps to provoke a sense of darkness in D-Mods (a technique I started, though Wyndo did have something similar first in Elemental Peace). Somebody gently replied that such a thing was impossible, and using really cruddy bitmaps was the best possible solution. Me, I laughed in my head at the 'stupid' newbie, who didn't know that it was impossible. I thought, Dink has been released for YEARS. Somebody (like Paul or Simon or WC) would've figured out how to do so long ago. You can't just create darkness without bitmaps, and especially without the source code. I was wrong, as an accidental discovery proved last night. After the source to FIAT is released, I really doubt anybody will use the old Darkness techniques... So, remember fellow Dinkers, nothing in Dink is impossible (well, to a reasonable degree). Just writing this, I think I may know a way to change the color pallete on the fly... oh well, I'll do experiments with that after FIAT is released :)
FF4LIFE	posted 07-08- 10:49 PM CT (US) Interesting...could this method be used to perhaps change ALL the shadows? I'd be willing to take on the task if its possible, for that would improve the look of the game a lot...how exactly does it work? Put up some screen shots or something
Nexis	posted 07-09- 03:38 AM CT (US) Just remember that changing the game pallette can be a bad thing too though since the status bar and bottom bar use the pallette too. That said, it'll be interesting to see how it turns out, and how you managed to change it for that matter.
redink1	posted 07-09- 08:47 AM CT (US) No, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work for all the shadows in the game (though I wouldn't say impossible ;) It utilizes fade_down(); and there are about 30 or so levels of darkness I can make with the current build of the scripts. Perhaps if you could somehow make fade_down(); work on a certain polygonal area, then you could have much better shadows. Changing the pallete would be tricky, but I think it could be done in a similar but different way than the new darkness technique. Yeah, it would be a pain for the status bars, but I could see some more limited functions for it (changing the grass colors to shades of white to create snow, and other similar things).
Beuc	posted 07-14- 01:31 PM CT (US) You must be a bit sadistic! ;) Telling people, more exactly 'Dinkers', that they can use cool darkness, and then tell them they'll be able to use it after the release of FIAT! Praise be to God that it's released soon...
FF4LIFE	posted 07-15- 01:23 AM CT (US) I feel a bit sheepish saying this....but what exactly is FIAT? I've heard a lot about it at the network, but i couldn't find the demo for it. And whats it stand for? Anyway, just to let ya'll know, i'm making good progress on getting to my next demo relase, but i'm still having a few problems with the supervar :( if any of you don't know what i'm talking about go to the bladekeep forum, i posted this big thing about how i'm gonna release the demo again with my new systems implamented (spelling?)
Beuc	posted 07-16- 11:20 AM CT (US) FIAT is an acronym I don't know the meaning, or maybe just a new word :) Anyway, it's the DMod which RedInk1 plan to release for more than one year now. Then, the sequel will be The End of Time 2, a remake of the End of Time (v1). Eventually, there's another title I can't remember. Go to the DN's upcoming DMods section :) All this is "the Clone War" trilogy, if I'm right. Any correction, RedInk1 ? :) SuperVars, is also something done by RedInk1. It seems you already understood how this work. Tell here what problem do you have exactly, and we may brain storm. A note for RedInk1: I don't think you can use Mana's trick on every sprite on the screen. As you change the editor sequence, this may cause some graphical little bugs, as when you attach a blue_bonca script to a brown bonca sprite.
redink1	posted 07-19- 06:26 PM CT (US) Don't mention The Clone War ever again :) I hope you will never find the demo to that doomed project :) I don't even have it any more. FIAT is my next D-Mod, as Beuc said. It is an acronym for From Inside A Tree. It is also an old word from another language (not sure which one, maybe Latin/Greek/Roman/??), which means to control. FIAT is also a character in the D-Mod. It is the beginning of the Dinky Dimensions trilogy. In it, Dink is sent to the Magik Isles by King Daniel to aid the wizards in something or another. Then, Dink finds another Ancient One is coming back, and the elements have split, resulting in Elemental Monsters (i.e. Fire Pillbugs, Earth Slayers, etc.) for a total of 30 some monsters. Not to mention elemental magics and elemental weapons, plus a few hidden weapons. There is about 35-40 weapons in the game (though most are variations; 7 different swords, for example). If that wasn't enough, there are 5 hidden mini-games, each extremely different from each other. Unlike Lost in Dink v2.00, the mini-games do not interrupt the flow of the game and prevent you from completing the original adventure. And some of the so called mini-games take at least an hour to beat. Most of the info above was stated over a year ago at The Dink Network :) Luckily, it is near completion. And, as Beuc said, Dink Smallwood & The End of Time has been remade into Dinky Dimensions Part 2: End of Time v2.00. Expect a journey parallel to the adventure in End of Time, but adding more action, and starting the adventure in Windemere. It also ends a little after EOT 1 does. While following a similar plot to the first, EOT v2.00 also progresses the plot of the Dinky Dimensions Trilogy. Surprisingly, EOT v2.00 has been done since last December, but I was waiting for FIAT to be released before releasing it. There are a couple bugs to fix and a few spells to add, but otherwise it is done. The finale, Hidthspace Revolution, is currently being brainstormed. Current ideas are multiple characters and such, but I have no idea how it will turn out. I just know a rough plot, and how it will end. As for SuperVars, expect an e-mail soon (or another post within the next couple days).
Beuc	posted 07-21- 03:11 PM CT (US) Thanks for all this details :) I've never (rather read) anything about you forsaking the... mmm, this DMod-whose-name-is-forbidden. Sorry about that, I misunderstood. Anyway.. you made me curious >;)
FF4LIFE	posted 07-22- 02:24 AM CT (US) Oh, if you want to email, don't go off of what the dink network says. They got it wrong :( ...i should really correct them....anyway, its not Okaly-DDude, its OkalyDDude@hotmail.com Yeah, i've been messing with the supervars some more...i got them working pretty well...it does appear i almost always need a kill_this_task(), and another thing i noticed is that if i have say global &bleh split up into its didgets and i want to do it again in a different script before implamenting a kill_this_task, i need to use different variables. Shrug, don't know if this will help you, but i've needed to change all the &var's to &othervar's...