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[The Merchant Of Menace]

It seems all I can do from Github is propose changes, is there a way to do it from the Cataclysm game itself?

Download it in Linux

[Whales]

I just entered my first lab!
...
yeah, I died.

Also, can I ask in what language is this coded? I'd loved to get into modding this, so much potencial!

Also, bug: if you use, say, a lighter, but when it's asking for the direction you cancel it, it still consumes a "charge".

C++. I've been reading up on it as of late, and the fact that this was open source and in C++ was only more convenient.

I'm thinking of reading up on C++ as well. With no prior programming knowledge, how difficult would it be to pick up? I've been meaning to get into programming for, oh, the last 10 years. My father was a programmer and I've always been hardcore into computers, just always been too lazy to learn it myself.

I've got hundreds of pages of fantasy and scifi items, places, gods, my own language with its own alphabet as well, and all sorts of plot ideas as well as short stories and a pretty well-made novel series' universe, so I may as well code a damn rpg game myself or with others, as I'm too much of a perfectionist to ever actually publish my novels, due to constantly changing everything, adding new universes, gods, sub-plots, etc.

I highly recommend it.  C++ is not very hard to learn--Cataclysm is the first program I've written in it, aside from a couple very small ones.  I've learned a lot through the process of coding Cataclysm, but mostly from googling "C++ <whatever>".  If you're interested in roguelike coding, I'd recommend visiting roguebasin (google it), or joining #rgrd on the Quakenet IRC.  Also, email me so we can swap tips

Can you perhaps post a guide telling us basic way's to mod things in?

Will try to. This will take a while, as there's a lot to cover, so I welcome anyone to try to explain a bit as well.

I've started writing a couple--for those of you with the source, read the file "EDITING" in the "code_doc" folder.  Obviously it needs to be expanded upon; if any of you write a good guide, please send it my way and I'll package it with the code (and credit you).

Is all the coding done by one individual atm?

Everything by Whales, one man army.

Well, and Head, who takes care of the Windows port.

That's mostly true, though there's a few patches from other people in there, most notably Eronarn (who runs the public server).

I'm thinking to get into the coding side of this too, if only to track down that damn '@' bug. I'm certain it's an array bounds error or similar.

It's a Windows-specific error--never happens on linux.  So if you're bug-hunting, I'd suggest looking at the display functions, which is the only thing that really differs between the two versions.

I've got hundreds of pages of fantasy and scifi items, places, gods, my own language with its own alphabet as well, and all sorts of plot ideas as well as short stories and a pretty well-made novel series' universe, so I may as well code a damn rpg game myself or with others, as I'm too much of a perfectionist to ever actually publish my novels, due to constantly changing everything, adding new universes, gods, sub-plots, etc.

Short stories, why not puslish more of them instead of whole novels? They're great practice, you can publish them individually, ret-con ones that don't work, and extend the best into novels.

Making a game might be a good way to put it all together too though. This forum is a great place to get support for the coding.

I'm also highly protective of my work, lol. As I make EVERYTHING myself, my own unique names, language, etc, I HATE seeing people steal my ideas. I've had multiple ideas stolen over the years, and it pisses me off to no end when I don't have a finished project to show for.

Since I'm a hardcore Roleplayer and I LOVE RPGs, I've always wanted to make my own RPG. Just need some people to work with.

On the subject of idea theft (not to derail the thread or anything)... I'm a big proponent of open-source software, and open exchange of ideas in general.  Personally, I feel that the best thing you can do if you have a good idea is to share it with those around you, get it out there.  Allow me to quote Dan Rosenthal on the subject:

    Remember, ideas are not copyrightable, they’re not trademarkable, not trade secretable, and both difficult and prohibitively expensive to patent. You can’t protect them anyway, and you shouldn’t try — instead you should try to come up with new ones, and start working on the good ones.  Don’t freak out when you see things like Game Jams, or this course and think “Ian says I should post my work to the discussion forum, but I came up with a Great Idea(tm) and I don’t want other people to steal it.” Ideas are commonplace in games, and the value of your idea is nothing compared to the value of the implementation of that idea, your expertise and hard work in developing it into something that’s going to make you real money. But most importantly, our industry is very lateral, very tight-knit, very collaborative. You’ll find people sharing their ideas at GDC, doing collaborative projects between studios, or using inspiration from one game’s mechanics to improve another. Don’t fight it. That’s the way things work, and by embracing that open atmosphere, you’ll be far better off.

[KimeK]

It seems all I can do from Github is propose changes, is there a way to do it from the Cataclysm game itself?

Download it in Linux

wait, you need linux to mod the files?

[The Merchant Of Menace]

It's significantly less complicated and less buggy to compile it in Linux.

[Reelyanoob]

Hah, all the more reason to compile it under windows! At least for me XD

I actual have come to love tracking down and solving compiler errors. I used to hate them.

Will start looking at this once I'm underway porting another text game I promised myself to do.

[FunctionZero]

Whales, have you ever thought about "outsourcing" some of the code to files?

Granted I don't know much about IO of files, but a simple .csv file would have pretty much the same format as you use it in your item/monster definitions.

Would make the modding a bit easier.

[KimeK]

that doesn't go well with my lazyness...

wow, this was your first big project Whales? I always though that any game dev would fail hard on a dozen projects before making something this big. but people even applaud your code. you just inspired me a little...

[Whales]

Whales, have you ever thought about "outsourcing" some of the code to files?

Granted I don't know much about IO of files, but a simple .csv file would have pretty much the same format as you use it in your item/monster definitions.

Would make the modding a bit easier.

Yeah, I plan to at some point.  I think.  It'd make some stuff a little complicated, but eventually it'd be ideal.

that doesn't go well with my lazyness...

wow, this was your first big project Whales? I always though that any game dev would fail hard on a dozen projects before making something this big. but people even applaud your code. you just inspired me a little...

The reason I didn't fail hard was I started small, very small.  Cataclysm v 0.0.1 was an @ walking around a screen full of dots.  v 0.0.2 had walls--but they didn't block your view.  v 0.0.3 had walls that blocked your view, and a rock you could pick up.  And so on...
If you're interested in making a game, of any kind, my recommendation would be to start with the simplest possible version of that game (making RISK? start with an empty board that does nothing.  Making a FPS?  Start with walking around an empty box), and slowly add features individually.  It takes longer, but you won't fail and you can solve problems as they crop up.

[Reelyanoob]

Did you every try a 1kbrl whales? They're fun to code. Impossible to read though.

I might fish my one up and post it one day.

[FunctionZero]

Ohhkay, I've got a quick question for coders. It's for the guide.

What would be the best and easiest way to compile the game? (on both platforms.)

[The Merchant Of Menace]

There's a guide for compiling in Linux on the first page.
No idea about Windows.

[Whales]

Did you every try a 1kbrl whales? They're fun to code. Impossible to read though.

I might fish my one up and post it one day.

Heh, never made one.  I do like perl golfing though, and ultra-dense coding in general.  This article's pretty cool: http://countercomplex.blogspot.com/2011/06/16-byte-frontier-extreme-results-from.html

Ohhkay, I've got a quick question for coders. It's for the guide.

What would be the best and easiest way to compile the game? (on both platforms.)

Well, on linux that'd be to type "make", one-step process.

[SirAaronIII]

I just killed a zombie hulk and butchered it. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn that's a lot of pelts.

What are pelts even used for anyway?

[Bdthemag]

I just killed a zombie hulk and butchered it. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn that's a lot of pelts.

What are pelts even used for anyway?

Various Tailoring recipes.

Well now im download Ubuntu, and trying to get it to run on Virtual Box. God damnit I feel like a complete idiot when it comes to doing stuff like this.

[The Merchant Of Menace]

It's really simple. I use lubuntu myself.