DnD by Daniel Lawrence

[sandyrepope]

Many years ago I played a game on a VAX computer. It was DnD by Daniel Lawrence. I've been playing other versions of it ever since. I don't know if anyone else still plays this type of game but I still like it.

I've been trying to write a version of this in thinbasic for quite a while now. Not having very good luck at it. I'm having trouble figuring out some of the formulas used in the program. Some of the things in the game I still haven't figured out yet. I think it will take me a while to do that.

I've searched the web for other programmers who are interested in writing this type of game but, so far, haven't found any. I'm afraid that I'm the only one who wants to write a version of DnD.

Does anyone still play this type of game (except me)?

Are there any programmers out there that have projects for this game?

Thanks
Sandy

[Michael Hartlef]

Hi Sandy,

is DnD = Dungeons & Dragons?

Michael

[Michael Clease]

Sandy try this http://www.danddgame.com/

What were you thinking a textbased version or a graphical version?

doing the screen is not a problem (well some good art could be)

its the logic thats the problem but even that is getting more simple the more I think about it.

why not take an old game like magic the gathering (I remember that from when I was at school) and recreate it.

heres some maps and character sheets http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4arch/ag why not contact some people and tell them what you are doing and ask to use their graphics.

[Petr Schreiber]

I did found something on DND on its fansite (http://members.tripod.com/~rancourt/default-frameset.html).
From the site it is still a bit difficult to get if this DND is really Dungeons&Dragons :), but it seems it is RPG so probably yes :)


Bye,
Petr

[Michael Hartlef]

Ok, it is Dungeons&Dragons. I played the paper roleplaying game by Gary Gygax in the 80's so much. Man that were good times.

Ok, if you need help are really up to getting a game done, then I would like to join you. I can work basically in every area. Music, 2D 3D coding.

What are your intensions? A text based game only, 2D or 3D?

Cheers
Michael

[sandyrepope]

I guess it would be called a roll playing game (RPG). In the program there is a character that you guide around a dungeon hunting monsters and treasures. It uses a dungeon that has 20 levels and each level is 20 x 20 locations.

Right now my version is text based. I thought that making it text based it would be easier so that I could spend most of the time working on the functions and getting them going. The display part is really just a 9 x 9 square that shows what is at the characters location and the 8 surrounding locations.


why not take an old game like magic the gathering (I remember that from when I was at school) and recreate it.
I've never heard of magic the gathering but I'll check it out.

Right now, I'll keep working on what I've got and see if I can get a working version going.

Thanks
Sandy

[kryton9]

Sandy, for text based you will probably want to check into Catventures project. He has in incredibly rich text based and now with graphics based engine for such games.
http://tab.thinbasic.com/

[sandyrepope]

At the moment, I'm not having trouble with handling the text. What I am having trouble with are things like:

How to figure levels and hit points for monsters based on the current dungeon level.

Thanks
Sandy

[Michael Hartlef]

Do you mean how to store these datas?

[ErosOlmi]

Sandy,

I think the way is using data types, otherwise called UDT.
With UDT you can create complex data structure able to solve many different problems of data storing.
UDT can also be stored on disk in bynary files and being able to be retrieve for later script running. UDT can be stored in linked list or other dynamic memory structures for better and more fast data handling.

If you download thinBasic bonus pack from http://www.thinbasic.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=23&Itemid=66 you will see in many of them, especially the more complex, how data handling is managed by UDT.

Ciao
Eros

[catventure]

Hi Sandy,

There is interesting forum about some dungeon games here:

http://www.dungeon-master.com/forum/

Regards,
catventure.

[sandyrepope]

Do you mean how to store these datas?

No, what I'm having trouble with is finding out what the data is. Once I find out what the data is I can store it and write routines to use the data. There is some variation in how the level and hit points are computed so I think there are some randomness built in and that the data is just a starting point.

I've managed to download a source in c that should help. I'll have to study it as I don't know c.

Thanks
Sandy

[Michael Hartlef]

Ah, ok. I'm not sure if you did this, but maybe you can purchase some old D&D manuals if you want to recreate the orginal game play. Or get current role playing rules, there are so many these days so it is not to hard to find.

In these books you will find all the rules for that specific RPG. Compter role playing games are more or less a visual representation of rules/story and what the Game Master would normally tell you with his own words. These rules take care of how far something can move, how to fight, which spells a mage cna use, etc etc.

Generally I would create a dungeon map for a text version of D&D inside an array. Each array cell can hold a room. If it is not equal zero, the this array will hold an index to a UDT. That UDT holds datas about the enviroment/room description, The conect rooms, the opponents you will have to fight and all the stuff. Just like the player, opponents(NPCs) will have a class (warrior/mage/etc) that will describe their values. Each character class could be described inside a UDT too. An RPG is a perfect playground to use databases and UDT's.

[Petr Schreiber]

Sandy,

I played for some time paper version of something similar to D&D.
There was a "game master" or "monster manual" book, which listed all those monsters and their characteristics.
Wouldnt it be easier to get this, and do your code from it, than to struggle with C code?

Also there are multiple DnD releases, I think last was 3.5.


Bye,
Petr

P.S. Hmm, as I think of it I am afraid that book was pretty expensive :(


EDIT: Mike was faster :D

[Michael Hartlef]

Taadaaaaaa :D

http://www.rpgnow.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=44&filters=0_0_0

You can get the old rule books as a PDF for very cheap. ;D

Here is the direct link to the rule sets I played.

http://www.rpgnow.com/index.php?cPath=2057_2060

But under the first link you will even find the real first edition.

http://www.rpgnow.com/index.php?cPath=3938