Glest engine support for rpg games

[anonymousjim]

Hi everyone! 

I'm an avid modder and coder and I've been modding with Glest for some time.  It's a very nice engine and the GAE is even better.  However, I thought of an suggestion which could increase the capabilities of the engine.
If the GAE team were to include scripting possibilities of a camera that follows a unit and a requirement to always have a unit selected (not necessarily have these features always on, but as a Boolean that can be accessed from some XML s)  Then it would allow for the creation of RPG games similar to Sacred or knights of the old republic.  Like I mentioned before, it could potentially raise the amount of things possible with the engine.

e.g. you could play as a swordsman and move around in a large map with two opposing factions on it.  You would be the only person on your team but you could be allies with a present tech faction.  There could also be upgrades and you could even advance your character's appearance (using a morph command)

Like I said, it's merely a suggestion and there may be some reason why it is impossible.  However, I hope that you'll consider this seriously.

by the way, is it possible to obtain the Glest source code?

[Omega]

by the way, is it possible to obtain the Glest source code?

Sourceforge Page.

[softcoder]

Scenarios are actually the best way to handle an RPG type game and yes it would be fairly easy to add this kind of functionality to the code so that it could be controlled via XML / LUA. I would stick to GAE or MEga-Glest as they have many improvements and have a supported structure for compiling and help. (see their pages on the glest wiki or the forums dedicated to both)

[ChupaReaper]

It would work but the problem is it would need to be bigger than that for a full RPG. There would have to be no more map selection and when starting a new game a character creation page should come up instead. Maps would have to be very different and much bigger or multiple maps joined together. NPCs would have to be placed, talked to, quests an inventory, dungeons are good for RPGs and control options to directly move the character (up arrow to move forwards for instance). At the minute Glest loads factions chosen by the player and spawns then at their starting point, the map has randomly chosen trees spawn on tree spots, etc. This would work for an RPG where you start your character over and over again and it would be a good multiplayer game but for a long detailed RPG much more map and unit control would be needed. Also different weapons and armour would have to display on the character (well not have to but most RPGs do it these days).

[anonymousjim]

It would work but the problem is it would need to be bigger than that for a full RPG. There would have to be no more map selection and when starting a new game a character creation page should come up instead. Maps would have to be very different and much bigger or multiple maps joined together. NPCs would have to be placed, talked to, quests an inventory, dungeons are good for RPGs and control options to directly move the character (up arrow to move forwards for instance). At the minute Glest loads factions chosen by the player and spawns then at their starting point, the map has randomly chosen trees spawn on tree spots, etc. This would work for an RPG where you start your character over and over again and it would be a good multiplayer game but for a long detailed RPG much more map and unit control would be needed. Also different weapons and armour would have to display on the character (well not have to but most RPGs do it these days).

Like I said, the various weapons and armour could be obtained by using morph commands.
e.g.
Character is holding a sword, you click "change weapon" and he morphs into the same person holding a bow and arrow.  The bow and arrow guy also has a morph command back and the morph animation is him pulling a different weapon out of his bag.

By the way, that multiplayer would be an awesome idea.  I might try that sometime.

[ChupaReaper]

It would need a lot of different morphs, a proper inventory with an equipment feature would be nice (equip head, chest, legs, arms, left hand, right hand, etc separately). More map control would still be necessary too, but you could make a nice mini RPG game.

[Psychedelic_hands]

Chupa, all we would need is a few more Lua triggers or something.... Age of Empires II had many RPGs made from their scenario editor.

But that change weapon stuff could be cool for a war 2100 like mod...

[Omega]

Chupa, all we would need is a few more Lua triggers or something....

Such as?

[ChupaReaper]

It would need a lot though but the maps are the main problem, you'd need a new map system also instances/dungeons or even going into houses, etc would all help for an advanced RPG game.

[Psychedelic_hands]

Hmmm, it seems you guys are meaning a much deeper rpg game.... I'm just saying you could create a very basic one without adding much more.
It's been awhile since I played AOEs II.... But it had things like:
(I have no idea if these are already possible.)

Effects:
-Give Resource
-Take Resource
-Change Team
-Move camera
-Morph unit
Triggers:
-Send unit to area
-Select unit

Even with those few you could create a nice little one, say you needed to deliver 5 carts to a building inorder to earn enough gold to buy a sword, so you can defeat a monster near your house.... or something....

[Omega]

-Give Resource
-Take Resource
-Change Team
-Move camera
-Morph unit
Triggers:
-Send unit to area
-Select unit

-Possible
-Perhaps with a negative value? Never tested.
-Impossible
-Possible (and better now too!)
-Possible (at least, I think...never tried a morph yet)
Triggers:
-Possible (as long as the unit was created by the script so you know its id)
-Impossible (the point of it???)

[ChupaReaper]

I see what you mean a basic RPG game can be made out of GAE, but it would be better to have something deeper but that's just me lol.

[Gabbe]

I dont think i like RPG games with glest. I think there are other things that needs more attention.

[Psychedelic_hands]

-Possible
-Perhaps with a negative value? Never tested.
-Impossible
-Possible (and better now too!)
-Possible (at least, I think...never tried a morph yet)
Triggers:
-Possible (as long as the unit was created by the script so you know its id)
-Impossible (the point of it???)

Well the move camera isn't that necessary, but the a trigger based on selection would be extremely helpful. Say there were two weapon racks and the player was told he could choose either one. If he selects the left one he becomes an archer, if he selects the right one he becomes a Swordsmen.

 

I see what you mean a basic RPG game can be made out of GAE, but it would be better to have something deeper but that's just me lol.

Yeah something deeper would be awesome.... though I'm not sure if it could be done....
Though if it can, I'm all for it! go! hehe.

I dont think i like RPG games with glest. I think there are other things that needs more attention.

Well, the more capabilities the Engine has the better right? plus, more people might get interested if this happens.
And think, what other open source game is can be an RPG or RTS? It gives Glest a slight edge.

[Gabbe]

I dont think i like RPG games with glest. I think there are other things that needs more attention. Smile

Well, the more capabilities the Engine has the better right? plus, more people might get interested if this happens.
And think, what other open source game is can be an RPG or RTS? It gives Glest a slight edge.

I dont think current glest engine would benefit so huge, I think that it`ll  just be a waste of time with making a whole new system, lus maybe some new bugs..maybe..

[John.d.h]

Yeah, you'd be much better off using a different engine if you want an RPG.  The best GAE should be able to do is something like DotA.

[Psychedelic_hands]

I still think making the GAE as flexible as possible is a good thing. The more things possible the better.

[Gabbe]

go ahead and code it if you want.

[Psychedelic_hands]

Hehe, I guess that shut me up.

[Gabbe]

My point is made, and victory is secure, i return to my troll-cave