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[The Dark Bunny]

Given that DF's graphical system is already based on standard VT100 console characters and dimensions, how hard would it be to have a 'remote control' feature that allows you to play DF from the other end of a network connection?  Or even a client/server version?

[Reasonableman]

OoooOOOoooh! A most interesting idea. This could be the answer to my prayers for a DWAAARF FORTRESS for the DS!

[Derakon]

Use SSH. It's more secure.

[Draco18s]

And the point would be...?

[Lord Nightmare]

At the current time, this is not possible. Originally, DF WAS a curses app and could probably have been run over serial or via telnet to an ansi capable terminal or terminal app, but at the moment it has a complicated opengl renderer.

Features which would be lost if shifting back to curses:
* no more 'simple' 3d visualize option (it is a little buggy anyway, especially with fullscreen though)
* no more multihue gradients on the embark selection screen. some of those sub-screens use some colors which cannot appear on cga/ansi.
* no more consistent font on machines whcih do not default to codepage 437. This was the main reason for switching to opengl in the first place, as non-us machines would display non-standard glyphs for extended characters.

LN

[Fieari]

DF is moving AWAY from VT100 and SSH, not towards.  After the army arc will be the presentation arc, and we'll be seeing more graphics, not less.  DF isn't ASCII because of some sense of purism or desire to run it over telnet, DF is ASCII because it's easier to code the backend when you don't have to worry about the front end.

[Skizelo]

OoooOOOoooh! A most interesting idea. This could be the answer to my prayers for a DWAAARF FORTRESS for the DS!

Anybody got a D.F. control scheme using four face-buttons and two shoulder-buttons?
Well, you could use the lower-screen to hold the menus and then use the stylus, but still, it'd be tricky.

[Shades]

Anybody got a D.F. control scheme using four face-buttons and two shoulder-buttons?
Well, you could use the lower-screen to hold the menus and then use the stylus, but still, it'd be tricky.

Actually it would be fairly easy, the touch area is easily big enough for the menus we currently have. I'm not sure the DS has enough cpu power to run DF though, not at the 100fps a lot of us enjoy playing at anyway, and there would certainly be memory issues on a direct port.

Still I'd love to have df on the ds, I was looking at getting an atom notebook just for that

[Omega2]

I think the game would have to be scaled down to fit on a DS (no pun intended).

- maximum 100 dwarves.
- 3x3 playing area.
- stactic "small" overworld.
- simplified clothing and armour. Only one layer for each part: head, torso, arms and legs.
- simplified temperature system. Frozen, cold, normal, hot, boiling.
- simplified weather system.

All that, running on an optimized platform, should work more or less fine on something like a DS.

[Granite26]

you're missing the point... if there's telnet support, you could run it on the PC server and play it on the DS connected.

Although, to beat a dead horse, an interface API would let you do this yourself.

[Draco18s]

Although, to beat a dead horse, an interface API would let you do this yourself.

Grab the open source code for Kobold Quest and do it, then come back and suggest it.  They use the same engine; the KQ Mac port is how DF went Mac.

[Footkerchief]

I think the game would have to be scaled down to fit on a DS (no pun intended).

- maximum 100 dwarves.
- 3x3 playing area.
- stactic "small" overworld.
- simplified clothing and armour. Only one layer for each part: head, torso, arms and legs.
- simplified temperature system. Frozen, cold, normal, hot, boiling.
- simplified weather system.

All that, running on an optimized platform, should work more or less fine on something like a DS.

Ha, are you kidding?  Check this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS#Technical_specifications

One 67 MHz processor for 3D, one 33 MHz for 2D, 4 MB of RAM.

It is never, ever going to happen.  A handheld console is probably the worst platform possible for a game like DF.

[Omega2]

As I said, "scaled down" and "optimized".

Which means it would probably look and feel like a hybrid of Final Fantasy Tactics and SimCity in weird ASCII.

It's just a thought experiment. DF is too awesome for consoles, handheld or not. 

[Draco18s]

It wouldn't work.  Ever.

[Reasonableman]

It wouldn't work.  Ever.

Not a chance.

And that isn't at all what I was talking about. What I was saying is you could use a system whereby the game and all the associated calculations are run on a computer and 'beamed' to the DS, which basically acts as an input device with a screen. It's been done with web browsers and even a remote desktop dealy, so it's perfectly feasable.