IB (pc only, testbed) Development updates

[Dorateen]

IB Beta v191 released - no liabilities, no warranties, use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k75jsr58xo9mu ... 1.zip?dl=0

- new module property: allEffectsUseFullSizeIcons (this returns all effects on pc/creatures to old full size)
- new effect property: thisEffectUsesFullSizeIcon (this can be used to make a selected effect drawn full size in any case)
- both new properties only refer to the icons on pc/creatures, the portraits always show small effect icons

This is great, thank you very much. I have already downloaded and started working with 191. I hope it wasn't too much trouble. We have both worked with IceBlink for a long time, and for me, sometimes I grow comfortable with the engine. Again, personal preference for the larger effects.

edit: Unfortunately, I tested it on a normal sized creature, and the effect is still showing as the smaller icon. See the attached with an orc hit by a sleep spell. In the toolset, I flagged the module property to True, and also these individual spells: Sleep, Hold, and Web, set to True.

Was this change only for large sized creatures? I have not tested that yet, but I will. Ideally, I'd like those debuffs to cover the entire actor on the combat map, regardless of token size.

[youngneil1]

Thank you for the heads up , Dorateen - I certainly botched there, it is intented to work for all creature sizes. I will look into fixing this in the next days .

[youngneil1]

IB Beta v192 released - no liabilities, no warranties, use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jfb28uhec27ny ... 2.zip?dl=0

- fixed bug concerning full size effect icons on actors in combat (many thanks to Dorateen)
- began implementing code chnages for widescreen/ultra-widerscreen support: this will be iterative over many releases, please keep me updated if you encounter bugs/glitches introduced by this on your resolutions/displays; it's very easy to break stuff here, I fear

[Dorateen]

IB Beta v192 released - no liabilities, no warranties, use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jfb28uhec27ny ... 2.zip?dl=0

- fixed bug concerning full size effect icons on actors in combat (many thanks to Dorateen)

Got it, thanks. Effects working perfectly on normal sized creatures.

[youngneil1]

Happy to hear, Dorateen . I really should do better debugging before releasing updates .

Currently, while commuting and only having the small notebook screen at hand (ie no work on widescreen support), I am looking into giving layer 4 of world map a new functionality: dynamic overgrowth/cover that is only removed when the party is near it, later on based on skill values for radius of removal. It might add mystery/danger of getting lost to exploring deep forests or foggy mountains.

Layer 5 is supposed to be drawn over party in any cases (illusion of party passing underneath structures/landscape parts).

[youngneil1]

Overgrowth is so much fun! I am currently doing it in a regrowing way around the party, with transparency higher the nearer a tile is to the party. It looks very cool when the party moves through a dense jungle this way and the the jungle seems to swallow the party. Lost in the woods comes to mind. Same will work for cloudy mountains, foggy swamps, vulcanic smoke or deep waters (diving, vertical levels).

I am looking into tying this to the skill system now. Are your existing modules currently using layer 4 or 5? Then I will add some code to make this optional.

[Dorateen]

Are your existing modules currently using layer 4 or 5? Then I will add some code to make this optional.

I am mostly working with layers 1 and 2, maybe had to use layer 3, but rarely. I don't think I've touched 4 and 5.

[youngneil1]

I am mostly working with layers 1 and 2, maybe had to use layer 3, but rarely. I don't think I've touched 4 and 5.

Thank you for the swift feedback - the first iteration will then change layer 4 to dynamic overgrowth (removing itself when party gets closer, but also creeping back as party moves on), while layer 5 will be onTop layer. This onTop layer will turn 50% transparent when party is on same square and is always drawn on top of party.

Speaking of this:

IB Beta v193 released - no liabilities, no warranties, use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjxrlzeahtnqi ... 9.zip?dl=0

- dynamic overgrowth and onTop layer added, replacing layer 4 and 5 (see above)
- new properties added to area properties for 1) autofilling layer 4 of all tiles on this map with a specific tile graphic, 2) strength of overgrowth effect (stronger = more opaque) and 3) trait of tag that helps making overgrowth transparent (always using party leader's value)

[youngneil1]

IB Beta v194 released - no liabilities, no warranties, use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rliwakckq9kh5 ... 4.zip?dl=0

- improved the way the dynamic overgrowth (former layer 4) is scrolled/changes its transparency

[youngneil1]

Brainstorming on next tasks:

- continue work on widescreen support (when coding at big screen)
- fix little bug on rightvscreen side when scrolling (main map)
- right mouse scrolling in combat
- player animations in combat (idle, breath)
- voice over option for Npc/narrator text
- mouse cursor shape change, ideally context sensitive
- replayability system (see above)
- animated full screen, voice over for intro/cuscenes
- options menu (key bindings, sound and music volume, maybe a few of the toggles in here, user set resolution)
- push block smoothly scrolling, too
- little graphic effect for jump action
- toolset: improve sorting/filtering of tiles
- extend script engine to work with all the new properties

[slowdive]

That is an exciting and impressive list of tasks there

[zach_holbrook]

Hey there! I've downloaded the most recent version, and I can't get it to work -- maybe because I use layers 4 & 5 in all my maps.

[Dorateen]

Quick question. Something I noticed after the switch to v192, please see the screenshots below.

On the right side of the screen, notice how the spacing between the character portraits has been increased so that the sixth character's portrait now overlaps the compressed movement pad in the bottom corner. It is also this way in v193

Heark20427.jpg (20.35 KiB) Viewed 77881 times

Back in v184, the portraits were spaced much closer together and there was no overlap with the movement pad.

Heark200427.jpg (18.94 KiB) Viewed 77882 times

Is this something that can be adjusted on the builder's side, in a config file possibly?

edit: OK, maybe the movement pad (before being expanded) isn't smaller on the combat screen. But it does appear that the positioning of the portraits is higher than on the Adventure Screen, so there is no overlap. Is it something in a config file that changed the UI layout?

[youngneil1]

Hey, glad you noticed that one, Dorateen. It's related to the widescreen adjustments. I will look into it. Which resolution are you running?

I am a bit out of the loop currently, as RL is really busy here. We move appartments soon and there's so much to do/organize, sigh... I hope it will get better mid June the latest .

[youngneil1]

Hey there! I've downloaded the most recent version, and I can't get it to work -- maybe because I use layers 4 & 5 in all my maps.

Hey Zach, oops - that's not good. I will give it a test run with the latest version of Malkin I can dig up here...

[Dorateen]

Hey, glad you noticed that one, Dorateen. It's related to the widescreen adjustments. I will look into it. Which resolution are you running?

Hi youngneil1, great to hear from you. Very understandable with the transition. The screens I posted above were running the game in 1440 x 900 resolution.

[slowdive]

I too have been unusually busy with RL due to virus, teleworking, and family stuff. Plus I’m going through my brother’s old 4track tapes and converting them to digital which I have been avoiding for years, too painful.

[zach_holbrook]

Hey Karl, glad to hear everything's good (though hectic). Thanks for looking into it -- but no rush! I can easily use 192 for now. If you want the most recent version let me know.

Slowdive -- working remotely is way more time-consuming than I thought it would be, are you finding it the same?

[youngneil1]

I feel you, Jer.

@Zach: I made overgrowth and dynamic overlay in layers 4 and 5 optional now (incoming module setting). I hope next version will fix the issue for you. I did not have Malkin crashing though, it was more that some graphics became transparent when I moved closer (likely because they had been placed in layer4). We will see, keep fingers crossed.

@Dorateen: I found this entry here in the MainUILayout file (in data folder):

"tag": "btnToggleArrows",
"ImgFilename": "btn_small",
"ImgOffFilename": "btn_small_off",
"ImgOnFilename": "btn_small_on",
"Img2Filename": "btnarrows",
"Img2OffFilename": "",
"Img3Filename": "",
"GlowFilename": "btn_small_glow",
"btnState": "Normal",
"btnNotificationOn": false,
"glowOn": false,
"Text": "",
"Quantity": "",
"HotKey": "",
"X": 9,
"Y": 920,
"IBScript": "none",
"Width": 100,
"Height": 100,
"scaler": 0.8,
"playedHoverSound": false,
"show": true

Specifically the "y: 920" entry is responsible for setting the height/y position of the arrow panel button (higher means lower on screen) . Is yours set to 920, too? If not, adjustign it might fix a part of the issue.

Regardless of this, I see quite a few bugs during my testing, too (like hp/sp numbers not aligning with portriats correctly anymore, the blended in arrow panel's arrow buttons are also a bit mispalced...) Lots of work ahead ...

[Dorateen]

Specifically the "y: 920" entry is responsible for setting the height/y position of the arrow panel button (higher means lower on screen) . Is yours set to 920, too? If not, adjustign it might fix a part of the issue.

Thanks for looking into it. Yes, I'm showing the same coordinates in the MainUILayout file, x: 9, y:920. There might be something there with the other configuration settings, but I have not tested yet.

[slowdive]

Slowdive -- working remotely is way more time-consuming than I thought it would be, are you finding it the same?

definitely has been more time-consuming than I had expected and the fuzzy separation between work and my family has been challenging for my kiddos. I work in the main bedroom so I can close the door, but they still forget and come in to ask me random questions

[zach_holbrook]

@Zach: I made overgrowth and dynamic overlay in layers 4 and 5 optional now (incoming module setting). I hope next version will fix the issue for you. I did not have Malkin crashing though, it was more that some graphics became transparent when I moved closer (likely because they had been placed in layer4). We will see, keep fingers crossed.

Ah, awesome! Thanks very much. Curious that it isn't a problem with the older version of Malkin. I tried again with 194 and the current version and copied the first part of the error message I get when loading the first area:

Code: Select all

See the end of this message for details on invoking 
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection.
Parameter name: index
   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentOutOfRangeException(ExceptionArgument argument, ExceptionResource resource)
   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1.get_Item(Int32 index)
   at IceBlink2.ScreenMainMap.drawOvergrowth(Single elapsed)
   at IceBlink2.ScreenMainMap.redrawMain(Single elapsed)
   at IceBlink2.GameView.Render(Single elapsed)
   at IceBlink2.GameView.gameTimer_Tick(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.OnTick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.TimerNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

Slowdive -- working remotely is way more time-consuming than I thought it would be, are you finding it the same?

definitely has been more time-consuming than I had expected and the fuzzy separation between work and my family has been challenging for my kiddos. I work in the main bedroom so I can close the door, but they still forget and come in to ask me random questions

For me it's the fuzzy separation between work, strange new inclination for baking, making and playing games, and cat...

[youngneil1]

Cat is definetly on my mix, too . Playing and making games has less space than I would wish for these days, instead I am turning into an ebay power seller of little life pieces while we prepare for the move. In the days of yore I would have readied my fire axe when hordes of masked strangers would have entered my home, now I trade coin for embodied memory with them . Ah, I eat a lot more, sigh .

While strenous it feels actually really good to get rid of so many things I havent touched in years. Just the process of sorting the stuff, thinking about it is troubling. At the end I will certainly a less is more type of man (minus the belly fat thingie though ).

[youngneil1]

IB Beta v195 released, no liabilities, no warranties - use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjritvizko7ft ... 5.zip?dl=0

Many thanks to Dorateen and Zach for recent feedback!

- added new module property in toolset: "useLayers4And5AsNormalLayers", if set to true, layers 4 and 5 work as beforehand
- added potential crash fix related to drawing overgrowth
- fixed ui glitches related to placement of portraits and arrow panel toggle as well as text on portraits

Please try deleting the UI config files for main and combat from your module's UI folder (make copy beforehand) - this will cause the engine to use the default files for UI which I have updated with this release (from the default module's data folder). This might fix a few ui quirks you may have seen.

[youngneil1]

I think I am gonna try to use the overgrowth code for a simplified light and darkness model for areas in utter darkness (eg dungeons).

Simplicity will be key here - it will only use squares (not the triangle shape approach I currently have), no colored light, no halos and will have no light flickering.

What I want to keep is darkness creeping back, torch on/off mechanic, line of sight rules (no lights through walls), and party independent light sources (stationary and on moving props).

Alright, onwards ...

[youngneil1]

Torch system as well as LoS are up and running within the new lighting approach. Darkness is creeping back. Now for integrating prop lights, stationary and moving...

[zach_holbrook]

Awesome, many thanks! I just downloaded 195 and adjusted the settings successfully. I played a few minutes of Malkin and everything looked normal and didn't crash.

[youngneil1]

That's great to hear, Zack. I am relieved that it works out again. It's so easy to break stuff and without you guys' feedback I would easily get lost on the tricky way forward.

[Dorateen]

hi youngneil1,

I deleted the MainUI file on the module folder, reverting back to the default UI. This now displays at the top of the screen the different traits for use such as Strongman, Investigator, Sage, etc. Also, on the old UI, there used to be an EXIT button next to the save icon at the bottom of the screen. Is there a way to change elements of the default UI? For example, since Hearkenwold is not using the trait systems for exploring the main map, I'd like to not show them.

Heark20519.jpg (287.32 KiB) Viewed 60755 times

[youngneil1]

IB Beta v196 released - use at your own risk, no liabilities, no warranties:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fboepvjhg4cgi ... 6.zip?dl=0

- based on Dorateen's feedback (many thanks!) I double checked whether the trait property showOnMainMap (found for reach trait in the trait editor of the toolset) is working as intended and found a bug; with v196 it should now do what it is supposed to do: if you set it to false the a trait will not be shown in the main map interface, if set to true the trait and its value appear in the top right corner (value can depend on current party leader, best in party, etc... depending on the corresponding set up for this trait)

I deliberately removed the old exit button to declutter the ui. Pressing ESC key will do the same now. Also, in the disk menu there is a return to main menu option.

[youngneil1]

I have (tried to, must verify on large screen) fixed particle/sprite speeds, mostly relevant for weather effects, so that speed is adjusted to the size of a single square on the player's monitor.

Furthermore, I figured out a way to display light/blend out overgrowth very smoothly. This uses a delayed transparency/fade approach. This way, eg a sight blocked square that wasnt sight blocked last turn does not turn instantly black, but smoothly fades into darkness. Same for the edges of the lit area around the party.

Finally I normalized the speed of blending out fog of war, so that it takes the same time, regardless of frame rate.

[youngneil1]

Right now, I am just putting down a crazy idea here (you know the ordeal ):

What if we would draw squares with more than 1 height level difference to current party height level (1 level difference or same height are exempt for clearly readbale ramps/stairs/connections) larger (if higher, ideally gradually changing based on height difference) or smaller (if lower, ideally gradually changing based on height difference)? This would include anything on such squares (all layers, props, fog of war, height shadows, edit: for height shadows we might actually only scale how broad a shadow is, but not how long). In my head I see a top down look on a minecrafty world with 2d flat sprites/objects/props. Imagine a camera with always the same distance to the party, hovering above the party. If the party climbs up, so does the camerea, etc. The current height shadow system emulates that already, adding dimensional scaling to it might enhance this effect big time.. or look plain ugly/broken .

As our camera perspective for topography is strict, straight down, we may not need any occlusion system. This should make it much more simple (still crazy) than any other kind of perspective.

One technical hurdle will be the way we use x/y offset for determining in which boundaries to render/scroll/draw fog of war/etc... with large parts of ground below the party (eg party on top of mountain, valley below) a dynamic component will need to be added. Basically, with such a setup you would actually be able to get a view from a mountain, showing much more of the surrounding lands (albeit very small) as when standing down in the valley. Ah, and I fear this is just the tip of of the issues iceberg... still, I am intruiged.

[slowdive]

Sounds interesting, but I’m not sure how it would work out in the end. I guess I would need to see a mock up drawing of what it would look like, but the possibilities could be interesting in the end.

[youngneil1]

Yeah, I am still figuring out myself if this is viable at all. We might need to treat our tiles as cuboids (layer 1 as base texture for all sides) for it to make sense, have a perspectuve flight point right underneath the party, top down camera above party that climbs/descents with the party and draw cuboids size based on height difference to current party height.

Just an interesting bookmark:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/272 ... harpdx-api

[youngneil1]

Dear IBlers, I am so sorry for vanishing from the forum for such a long time. RL was a stressful, especially due to moving into a new appartement. After the longer break I was a bit ashamed which in turn made my disappearance last even longer. Whimsical me .

I am very happy to be back. Please give me some time to catch up with you fine guys .

P.S .: I did continue to code for IB in the background though (a bit, new lighting engine for dark areas).

[Dorateen]

Hi youngneil1, good to see you back! I hope everything is going well with the move.

Look forward to any new developments to the IceBlink engine.

[zach_holbrook]

Hey Karl. Yay! Glad to see you back too! The move sounds tough, and I'm hoping you're happily settled or getting happily settled. As the veteran of countless moves, I know how long it can take to get to that point.

[slowdive]

A well deserved break (moving isn't really a break ) and glad to have you back coding IB (although you have been posting commits to GitHub this whole time). Looking forward to what is coming up in the next years (IB additions, with Malkin and Hearkenwold). I hope to be back on IB Basic in a month or two

[youngneil1]

Thank you very much for the kind words, guys .

Feels like this forum stays a home unaffected by moving home in RL which is a very comforting thought .

I will post a new IB Beta version soon with a few bug fixes (and many new bugs, too, I guess ).

This will also contain the new lighting system for dark areas (optional as always). Maybe I can get a video on this done as I think it would be nice to see it in action. Features include:

1. much better support for scrolling and smooth movement (changed system to illumination of full tiles instead of the hexagonal shapes used beforehand; these will still be used for normal night time though),
2. works cross seamlessly connected areas without restrictions,
3. calculates illumination based on topography (walls/height levels block the light),
4. flexible light radius (max. 4 squares),
5. six light colors for halo on light source square and color tint of illuminated squares,
6. colors can mix if a tile is hit by different light sources,
7. pulsating shadows to simulate flickering light,
8. moving light sources possible (eg patrolling creatures with torches),
9. party light via torch on/off (via "t" key or mouse click on torch icon, has a nice fade in/fade out effect),
10. diiffculty of trait checks and encounter modifiers can be affected by darkness
11. dynamic recalculation of all illumination, no pre-baking of light maps (therefore light scripts can turn on/off all lights at any time).

Please note that there is no fog of war in areas using the new light system. Instead, only illuminated squares are visible (but they are visible regardless of having been uncovered beforehand).

[youngneil1]

IB Beta v197 released - no warranties, no liabilities, use at your own risk:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rzfjsnin7qyql ... 7.zip?dl=0

- new light engine for dark areas (see post above, video and explanation on usage will follow)
- smoother blending in/out of overgrowth (layer4, think eg tree canopy)
- bug fixes (ia animation of player characters on main map, normalized particle speeds regardless of computer's performance/resolution)

[slowdive]

Awesome! I updated my visual studio to the latest and also all the Xamarin nugets. I then pulled version 196 so I can continue with IBx (I’ll need to pull v197 now). I did play a little of Blackwinter on IBbasic, but had a party wipe trying to take on too many cultists even after being warned

[zach_holbrook]

Hey Karl! Great update. I've played a little of 197 and have encountered only one issue so far. During combat, projectile animations now fly through their targets instead of ending on them. I don't think I've seen this behavior before, and I've been playtesting combat pretty extensively. I wondered if it was related to the targeting bug, but whether or not I had the targeting issue during a certain combat projectiles behaved this way.

[youngneil1]

Hey fellow IBlers,

I know - too much time has passed since my last post here. My sincere apologies for that. I think I still feel a bit guilty for taking time off the project and trying out new stuff (with the Unreal Engine).

I wish all of you and your beloved ones a wonderful, happy and healthy Christmas time! 2020 is about to pass and I think we all look forward to the world taking a more positive spin in 2021.

I will continue to develop games in 2021 and maybe even double down on my efforts. This may result in picking up full speed with IB again or pursuing the Unreal project route further, hard to say at this point. Regardless, I commit myself to being more present here. If not for IB at the monent, then for you fine guys!

All the best and read you soon ,
Karl

[slowdive]

No need to feel bad at all of course. IB will always be here and will progress as we have time and energy permit. We have no boss pressuring us

I also wish everyone a happy end to the year and look forward to a better year in 2021 (it couldn't be worse, right?). I have been playing through The Elderin Stone in IBbasic to refresh myself with the engine and any outstanding bugs. I'm thinking of how to make IBbasic more intuitive, user friendly, and with more varied and tactical combat, etc.

[youngneil1]

Here is to no boss pressure !

For year's end incoming I did a little video with a quick look into IB v197 (just the village from the tutorial adventure, so you likely know most of the content):

https://youtu.be/FehInPy78EI

[Dorateen]

Very cool to see all the systems and effects in action.

[slowdive]

For year's end incoming I did a little video with a quick look into IB v197 (just the village from the tutorial adventure, so you likely know most of the content):

https://youtu.be/FehInPy78EI

Excellent video! Thank you for putting this together and showing off some of the features in IB and detailing what is to come in the next update. The lighting (including torches), animations, an living world features are really cool.