ALT: Creating a text-based RPG??

[endkiller]

Hello everyone!

I am new here and I need you to help me. Please!

So here is the problem:

Me and my friend want to create a text-based RPG. We want it to have some graphics (maps, pictures, background, buttons and so on). Can you tell me please what is the best language for this program to be created in? (Knowing that it is for PC).

[Hog]

...text-based RPG... graphics (maps, pictures, background, buttons...)...(Knowing that it is for PC).

do you think that coherence is important?

[Nick]

I would just use a simple C++ program utilizing the iostream functions (cout, cin) to create a DOS based program. You won't get graphics, but then it wouldn't be quite text based.

[JustinFic]

If you're making an RPG, the key feature you should look for is if the language is object-oriented. Object oriented languages let you define classes, which are essential for the complexity of an RPG. (Example, the flaming sword is a member of the weapon class, and you can use this same class to make many different types of weapons.)

C++, Java, Ruby and Python all come to mind. I know little about Ruby or Python except that they're object-oriented, so I don't want to compare them, but out of C++/Java, Java is the better choice. You can output text and display basic graphics very easily, while with C++ you'll probably need to learn way more to display graphics.

[Skorche]

I'd go the scripting language route. (Ruby, python, perl, etc) Way easier to learn, and no compilers to diddle with. If you're going to learn a new language, it might as well be ruby. (so says me anyway...)

Programming Ruby. (http://www.rubycentral.com/book/)

[endkiller]

thanks guys!!!
We recently discovered a book that is like a tutorial in creating exactly what we are about to. I think it is a big step for those who want to do the same thing. It is called: Games C++ - Programing RPGs with DirectX 2002. You can find it on eMule.
Thanks again!

I will let you know how it goes. I hope I will have the chance to present our finished work.

[sealfin]

BY the way, if you're using DirectX (which seems overkill for a text-role player...) you won't have the option porting it to other platforms; if you're going the C++ route, you might want to investigate SDL (http://www.libsdl.org/index.php), which will allow you to develop for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, etc from the start - if you know C++, it has a very little learning curve, and a lot of 'plug-in' libraries for loading images (http://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL_image/), loading audio (http://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL_mixer/), fonts (http://www.libsdl.org/libraries.php?order=name&category=any&completed=100&os=any&match_name=font&perpage=50), etc.

[hokan]

A slightly odd way you could do it (if your aiming for a text adventure / Myst like game) is to use webpages - doing the visual layout and media (movies and sound) rendering with html (and css), the game logic (input handling) with javascript and storering game state (save data) in the link (to bookmark = save game).

[Fenris]

Hm, Hokan... that's actually a very cool idea...

[Fenris]

Also, please notice that this is a Mac developer forum. Not that we won't help you, just keep in mind that we aren't exactly eating DirectX for breakfast around here. That, and we aren't too keen on piracy, so eMule book piracy isn't really OK around here.

That said, welcome to the hobby, and good luck!

[gatti]

For the ultimate in web/text based RPG games, you all have to check out http://www.kingdomofloathing.com/

The game is for classic gamers whom itch for a truly ubsurd and wild environment.

[Bladedancer7]

Hi i'm also trying to make a text rpg but i'm trying to learn BlitzBasic so i wanna create the game in Blitz. I have a friend who can draw me some cool stuff for backrounds so i can just scan it. Anyways to the point, I'm looking for a Tutorial to make a sample text rpg in blitz.

[B]PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU KOW OF ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sealfin]

Blitz isn't yet available for Mac, so I doubt anybody here will be able to point you to a tutorial - either check out the official Blitz forums where ever they may be located, or ask in the YakYak (http://www.yakyak.org/viewforum.php?f=20) programming forums - a bunch of Blitz coders congregate there...

[WaaMatt]

Funny, I'm trying to do a text RPG as well (though I'm making myself want to stop by wanting so much overly complex, pointless... stuff) as a first step towards eventually making a classic NES-style RPG!

My intention is to do it with Obj-C and Cocoa and even though it's all text, I might build an interface for it (an output window - which, for such things, I can never get more than one line of text to appear... That is, as separate outputs; and a button for, oh, I dunno, "Action!").

Um. Yeah... As a D&D fan, I figured I'd just take the most basic d20 rules and code them. I have a lot of it in my head as I've been brainstorming some methods/functions, but actually sitting down and programming them is a whole nother beast. Especially when you don't have access to your own computer!!! *sigh*

The big thing for me is figuring out how to work with files for data. I thought I'd just plist files, but I've been unsuccessful in finding decent documentation for working with such files. Reading from them, wiriting (usually updating specific key-value pairs), etc. (Is there an etc?!) O'Reilly's Learning Cocoa with Objective-C 2nd Edition definitely leaves something to be desired in regards to file I/O and plists. I posted in the general Mac programming section about this, but I think people see my screen name and run for the hills.

[kodex]

plist and file input/output is rather simple with cocoa. The built in documentation has a lot of infomation about them. Its pretty simple to just save any data to a file. Just take an array or whatever and write it out to the disk. Look into NSFileManager you can do a google search even if you want =).

also look at:

writeToFile:atomically:
valueForKey:

Im not really sure what kind of data you plan on working with but that should give a little bit more background on the subject of file handling.

[WaaMatt]

Ah, thanks.

[diordna]

Bladedancer17, I can help you. Email me: diordna@macintoshdevelopers.net

As for the rest of you text adventure types, also email me and if there are more than 1 of you than I will write you a custom engine in Blitz or METAL so you will just have to edit text files. If I don't have time for that I'll get you started on your own - it's easy enough.

[clanfear]

Perhaps you would like to check http://www.legendarytales.com

It is a text based game editor which even supports images and sounds and uses javascript or visual basic for scripting.

[sealfin]

From a quick glance, it appears that's only for Windows, ergo wouldn't be of much help to the majority of people here...

[clanfear]

Ooops! :p I guess I posted to the wrong forums.

[Syphon485]

hey im also making a text based rpg but i have the basics up now and i need some way of doing the members im strapped for ideas. I wud like it be less manual labor, like everyday updating because i do that now.

[IronWallaby]

Doing the members? Define what you mean.

First, I do think the one of the best ways to do a text-based RPG is a strong object-oriented approach. The is a player-object holding a sword-object and a bag-object (containing a lunch-object) in a room-object with a daemon-object and a lamp-object. Inheritance is your best friend.

If you can implement it cleanly, then you now have an elegant and robust world.

Otherwise, I would use a language with first-class functions (functions are variables; thinking C, Python, Perl, and Javascript here): have a (Perl) hash of hashes of functions, to define the various ways you can interact with objects. That would work just as well, and be simpler to implement, though it would be much simpler to implement than a full OO framework.

The parser also deserves your respect and attention; an object-oriented approach would allow you to do a better job with possessives, I think.

[gatti]

Flash MX is also another option to use as a development system for the game. Costs a student $100. The ActionScript system can give you a taste of programming. It will also allow cross-platform playability.

However, if you'd like to gain higher-end programming knowledge then I'd suggest taking the advice of the other programmers whom have chimed in.

[IronWallaby]

Why waste $100 on Flash MX if you can just use Javascript for free?

Javascript and ActionScript are the same language (ECMAScript), and web browsers are free. I mean, sure, Flash can do some great stuff, but this is a text RPG we're talking! We don't need any vector graphics.

[lightbringer]

Flash MX is also another option to use as a development system for the game. Costs a student $100. The ActionScript system can give you a taste of programming. It will also allow cross-platform playability.

However, if you'd like to gain higher-end programming knowledge then I'd suggest taking the advice of the other programmers whom have chimed in.

From what I've heard the programming in Flash is pure slapped on garbage, though, it's better then nothing.

[Syphon485]

sorry for the long time it took me to reply but heres my problem. See i have a game where you earn a certain amount of exp per day. now what i need it to do is take the exp stat and add it to a spot i have thats called total exp. it has to add that stat once a day every day on its own. The other thing i would love is if when people clicked to buy an item from the store that it wud get added to their page and money taken from their bank account Automatically without me doing anything. I know im asking for alot but if someone could point me in a direction on how to learn to make this code or w/e then i would be greatly appreciated i already have a password and username box setup that works so. But im trying to use html and javascript only because that is all i know at the moment and to put it bluntly i suck at JS.

[hangt5]

well it seems like you need to use some kind of database... if your not already. I believe javascript can connect to MYSQL (i might be wrong).

How are you currently saving information?

[IronWallaby]

well it seems like you need to use some kind of database... if your not already. I believe javascript can connect to MYSQL (i might be wrong).

How are you currently saving information?
No, Javascript can only do HTTP queries.

Database queries are what the server-side language are for.

[hangt5]

My javascript book juked me out by including a chapter on mysql/asp.

[James762]

I am new to the game making idea, I have played text based games for quite a while and I would like to make my own. I need EVERYTHING step-by-step from top to bottom to know how to make a game. My based Idea on a game will be LIKE the game link I am about to post: Clicky! so take a look at it and PLEASE tell me how to do this. All help will be thanked for:p