Isn't the PC game "Resident Evil" a zombie game? (not having it, I
don't know...) I know it has something to do with undead.
On Mar 23, 2005, at 4:07 PM, cap'n bishop wrote:
This could be either a real-time game or a turn-based one...
Hmm...having trouble imagining it as turn-based game, with so many
townspeople to control.
You young'uns, grew up on Myth and Warcraft rather than Axis &
Allies. :)
But surely you've played Civilization? You just cycle through
your units, moving each one.
That would be D&D for me... (and AD&D, too) Never got into RTS until
Command & Conquer came out. That was the single biggest reason that I
like any RTS games.
Personally I think this was a major flaw in Civilization. The game
simply got too damn long as you went. Warcraft had a similar problem,
where you had few things to keep track of at first but over time it
could get a little out of control. The problem with Warcraft is that
the real-time nature could make it just plain frustrating. A good
example of a game that solved these issues (in my humble opinion) is
Conquest of the New World. At first it was all about resource
management, but when the game got big and you had many colonies to keep
track of you could automate them, and focus on your military strategy.
It'd be neat if you could 'program' the units via an RBScript! Some
default scripts could be provided to 'plug in' to a character type (the
'sheriff' or 'priest' type that seems to be going around in this
discussion), such as 'defend xxx', 'cautious attack on xxx', etc...
Then you could copy one of the scripts, and modify it to make a
'snipe on xxx' script, for example.
For example, the 'defend xxx' script might look like:
-->> Begin Code <<--
Public Sub Run()
Dim target As Integer
Dim newTargetX, newTargetY As Integer
Dim mvDir As Integer
Dim terrainType As Integer
Dim dummy As Boolean
Dim temp As Integer
Dim range As Integer
target = context.GetTargetType() // the "target" is the 'xxx' fill-in
our script needs
If target = kPerson Then
// Our character needs to defend a specific character. We need to
see if any
// enemies within range of our 'target'. If our target moved since
last time, we
// need to move closer first.
context.GetTargetLocation(newTargetX, newTargetY,
kRelativeMovementMode)
If (newTargetX <> 0) or (newTargetY <> 0) Then
// Target did move 'newTargetX' units to the left/right of its
previous position, and
// 'newTargetY' units toward/away from its previous position. We
need to try to follow
mvDir = context.EncodeDifferentialMovement2Direction(newTargetX,
newTargetY)
// See if there's anything in our way.
terrianType = context.GetTerrainAt(fCurrentX, fCurrentY, mvDir)
If terrainType = kPassable Then
context.MoveThingAtXY2NewLocation(fCurrentX, fCurrentY,
fCurrentX + newTargeX, fCurrentY + new _
TargetY)
Else
// We can't move to that square, try a different one.
Do
// Flip a coin...
// Note that we have to pass 'True' as the 3rd parameter, as
"1d3" is not a normal die.
temp = context.DiceEval("1d3-1", dummy, True)
If (temp = -1) Or (temp = 1) Then
Exit
End If
Loop
// Choose a new direction
mvDir = mvDir + temp
// Re-get the terrain type for the new direction. If we still
can't find our way, give up for
// this movement turn.
terrianType = context.GetTerrainAt(fCurrentX, fCurrentY, mvDir)
If terrainType = kPassable Then
context.MoveThingAtXY2NewLocation(fCurrentX, fCurrentY,
fCurrentX + newTargeX, fCurrentY + new _
TargetY) // Note the line continuation!!
End If
End If
End If
// End of attempt to move, or our 'target' didn't move the last
turn.
// See if there are enemies about.
// Both parameters to this call are ByRef!
context.LookForEnemies(range, mvDir)
If (range > 0) Then
// Enemies in sight - fire!
//
// If you want more sophisticated weapons handling, put the code
here...
// The call below simply uses the current default readied weapon!
//
context.IssueFireFromXYInIndicatedDirection(fCurrentX, fCurrentY,
mvDir)
End If
Else
// Our character is defending a location (home base, for example).
It doesn't
// move, so our task is simplified.
context.LookForEnemies(range, mvDir)
If (range > 0) Then
// Enemies in sight - fire!
//
// If you want more sophisticated weapons handling, put the code
here...
// The call below simply uses the current default readied weapon!
//
context.IssueFireFromXYInIndicatedDirection(fCurrentX, fCurrentY,
mvDir)
End If
End If
End Sub
While this script has obvious tactical shortcomings, it at least
provides a base level of 'command' functionality for a character when
ordered to defend a particular location or character.
You can see from the code that the context object has quite a
sophisticated API :)
Anyway few games are so bold as to have such a "scope-shift." But I
think this zombie concept would work appropriately in this manner if
you kept the shift transparent. Consider having your main hero unit,
who can convert unaware to aware etc., be the central unit you control.
All other units that you "recruit" will follow that one, unless given
a specific command. That's where the game shifts from controlling one
unit to recruit other into more of a full scale command game. When the
player feels they have enough of an army they can begin attacking the
undead by selecting individual units and giving them orders, much like
Myth. If it's going badly the player could possibly hit a retreat
button and all remaining units will ignore their commands go back to
following the hero.
But at this rate I suppose it's turning better into a mod for Myth. Of
course it does seem the nature of this zombie idea that it can be taken
into so many directions.
If the game is turned-based, then this isn't as much of
an issue -- the ultimate "Daleks" game!
Actually I think there's an excellent idea here.. Imagine a *realtime*
Daleks type game, but with zombies! Zombies move slow enough to let
the player think, but there'd be enough to keep it intense. Again the
ability to take this game into so many directions.
all you Rogue/Angband/Moria players raise your hands!
Good times! The one game that has probably claimed the single most
number of hours of my life would have to be Moria (on a Mac Classic, ah
those where the days when graphics didn't matter!).
Anyway overall I can really see this zombie idea in a Myth style 3D
game engine. I dunno, that's just how I first thought of it, looking a
lot like Myth; even in a medieval setting. But most people would
probably first think of a city.
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Make Yahoo! your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
_______________________________________________
Unsubscribe or switch delivery mode:
<http://www.realsoftware.com/support/listmanager/>
Search the archives of this list here:
<http://support.realsoftware.com/listarchives/lists.html>
William H Squires Jr
wsquires at satx dot rr dot com dot nospam <- remove the .nospam
_______________________________________________
Unsubscribe or switch delivery mode:
<http://www.realsoftware.com/support/listmanager/>
Search the archives of this list here:
<http://support.realsoftware.com/listarchives/lists.html>
|