DKC Atlas Forum

[WAZ__Up]

not to mention, DKedit was a actually just game specific hex editor with graphics, still needed to be run in an emulator. unlike this, a full recreation of DKC 1 & 2 with almost endless variations.

Do you think Rare will get mad now that they are back in the DK business? Or has their care of using SNES resources just float right by without notice?

[Markster]

WAZ__Up says its a recreation of 1 & 2, what about 3?

[Simion32]

unlike this, a full recreation of DKC 1 & 2 with almost endless variations.

DKCLB will be supporting all 3 games in the original trilogy, not just the first 2.

Do you think Rare will get mad now that they are back in the DK business?

Rare did NOT make DKCR... it was developed by Retro Studios, not Rare!
Regardless; I have no idea, and I don't think anyone should ask (lest we all get sued)...

[WAZ__Up]

DKCLB will be supporting all 3 games in the original trilogy, not just the first 2.

I know, it was just for simplicity that i said 1 & 2 (DKC3 was always my least favorite, too much machine factory robots, weird kremlins, nothing seamed 'jungley', no DK or Diddy, and KIDDY KONG! uhh...)

Rare did NOT make DKCR... it was developed by Retro Studios, not Rare!

I didnt know that actually, I quite frankly just assumed, and you know what they say about assuming...
In that case I don't think Retro Studios gives jack squat about a 14 year old Super Nintendo game that they had nothing to do with making

[Phyreburnz]

In that case I don't think Retro Studios gives jack squat about a 14 year old Super Nintendo game that they had nothing to do with making

Some of the Retro team helped create the original DKC, not all, but some. The CEO of Retro Studios worked on the original DKC.

[Master clyde super]

Hows it going?
It's been 13 days!

[Simion32]

Yeah, it's been 13 days since the start of December. So?

Keep in mind I'm the only one working on this, in my "hobby time". It's not like I have an entire team of uber-geeks at my disposal.

Progress is being made on DKCRE at the moment, go check that thread instead.

[WAZ__Up]

you should go buy some dogs and teach them how to program, that would be some cheap labor costs

[EliasYFGM]

Hello, do you know if it is compatible with Win7 x64 in anyway? I tested out the latest engine and didn't work (it freezes at "Generating level files" and caused a memory overflow), even if I put the "Windows XP SP3" compatibility mode :/

But anyways I think you've progressed a lot with both DKCRE and DKCLB Can't wait for a new release O: But keep up the great work, of course

[Master clyde super]

I wish could do this, but ROMs always stink. Like my keyboard.

[Simion32]

What the **** does that have to do with the topic?

This is the DKCLB thread, not general comments.

Please, no pointless posts like that. You should know good and well by now I get auto-notified of posts here.

[RattleBattle]

Waiting anxiously.

[Simion32]

Hello, do you know if it is compatible with Win7 x64 in anyway? I tested out the latest engine and didn't work (it freezes at "Generating level files" and caused a memory overflow), even if I put the "Windows XP SP3" compatibility mode :/

(Oops... sorry, I forgot to answer this!)

Evidence has shown that the memory overflow may occur randomly based on your system (whatever it takes to eventually provoke a crash). This has nothing to do with Win7.

That release was built back when I was using Dev-C++ for an IDE. With Dev-C++ it was extremely difficult to even detect memory errors like that. Now I'm using Code::Blocks with which I actually stand a chance at getting rid of segfaults, memory overflows/leaks, etc. Unlike Dev-C++, in Code::Blocks the debugger isn't horribly broken.

Also, my programming style has changed since then (to the way it should have been), so I've got more experience and my code is nowhere near as buggy as it was before.

Don't worry about compatibility, NitroGUI works on XP, Vista, and Win7. The next release of DELTA should run on any of them with minimal fuss.
(The only known compatibility bug is that NitroGUI crashes in 16-bit color, which I still need to fix before DKCRE gets released. It has something to do with the internal image loader.)

[WAZ__Up]

Any progress with this in the last month, Simion? I know you've been focusing alot on the DKRE also

[Simion32]

No. As I have stated, my sole efforts are focused on DKCRE v0060. Until it is released, I can/will not continue with DELTA. If I did that we wouldn't be getting a DKCRE release as fast. Switching back and forth between projects will distract me.

That's not to say that I've just been piddling away my time... no, it's just that I do have other things to do in life. I've been working on DKCRE when I can. Once DKCRE's released, DELTA will be on the same development routine.

Trust me, the DKCRE release is so close it's about to smack us in the face.

[RattleBattle]

I wonder if anything else happened. With this project.

[Simion32]

Although delays have poured in with a deluge, I have had a major idea for a new data structure that will be a key element to the DELTA Game Engine and its object handling. Expect details on this later.

I've already stated that DKCRE is my main focus at the moment. Oh, but College is in the way right now. If you don't believe my absence is valid, just look at my last several posts in the DKCRE thread:

Note: There will be a temporary lull in development.

I have been swamped with things to do other than coding DKCRE, including College programming project(s), so expect there to be roughly a week or two where little progress occurs. I have to get the stack of "trash" that has been been piling up off of my shoulders before DKCRE can continue.

THE BAD NEWS: My C: drive got corrupted on the main computer. Reformat, reinstall, the whole nine yards.

I am still, after all this time, swamped with things to do, not all of it revolving around College. But as exams approach, I now have at least 5 different projects to complete, one of which is fairly large. I cannot guarantee that development will continue anytime during the rest of the month. I'm sorry, but there has just been zero time I've had allotted to do anything beyond 'bare bones' work. As soon as I get home it's either chores, helping out my parents, or College projects. I practically expect DKCRE to be fully delayed until exams week hits.

The computer crash alone took at least two weeks for me to fully recover from.

Sorry, but this long delay was outside of my realm of control. If I could take the rest of my College assignments and just hit the Easy Button (tm), I would - but unlike the dream worlds I cannot manifest things up instantaneously or get assignments done with the snap of my fingers.

Do not expect random miracles. I have a life outside of the computer, you know.

If there are any significant updates or notices, they WILL be posted here or in the DKCRE thread.

[Simion32]

Hay guise check this out:

http://www.subwaresoft.com

I haven't got time to do anything just yet (just a few more days... argh!!) but the Delta Project now has a dedicated web domain! YAY!

You will be getting urls like "dkclb.subwaresoft.com" and "forum.subwaresoft.com" if you're wondering where DKCLB fits into this.

[Cody]

Awesome!

I've been following the DKCLB very closely, I'm glad to see it (nearly) has its own website now!

[Simion32]

And by the way: I've just grabbed http://www.dkclb.com/ as well...

...which may or may not redirect to the Subware site when this is all designed/setup and working properly. I haven't had the time, nor have I figured out, how I want the redirects to work here. But - both of these addresses are cemented and final. I'll probably have the "dkclb.com" URL go to "dkclb.subwaresoft.com" just to keep all of the hosting in one place.

When I eventually get money for the hosting, I'll be getting a dedicated server. This project really is worth that much.

[Markster]

I am very sorry about how much i posted posts here, but i just think this will be a very very good project, and i had a lot of questions about your ideas, and its been a month since its been updated, how is the project going right now?

[RattleBattle]

I can't wait. I had a dream about a DKC level.

[Simion32]

Topic has been moved to the new sub-forum.

This topic is now designated for general discussion of the DKCLB. There will be a separate topic for discussing just DELTA, but it is not required that you post there instead of here to discuss DELTA.

[WAZ__Up]

I have a question about the format of DKCLB, or more specifically, the actual DKC game itself. If the game is being recreated using modern computer programming, will it be in an .exe format or a .smc format (I'm guessing .exe)? Will the recreated DKC game be a stand-alone and be loaded by the DKCLB or will they always be togther? Feel free to elaborate as my questions may be better answered with a general response rather than specificlly answering them.

[Simion32]

DKCLB works, of cource, with an EXE and other computer files which will make up the game(s).

This is why you'll be able to make your own objects (in the form of DLLs along with graphics/animations) to plug into DKCLB for use in your levels.

Do note that some of the core behavior of DKC that is replicated will be a "hard coded" object, for example here are the first few BCs in the design document:

IBarrelCannon - Objects inheriting this interface are (lo and behold) Barrel Cannons.

• CHardcodedBarrelCannon (all 3 from the trilogy; you select a valid digit in the properties and it mimics that digit's behavior)
• CTransformationBarrel (in DKCLB has advanced behavior and can be made to shoot after the transformation)

The Barrel Cannons are one thing where mimicking the game with normal DKCLB objects is impossible (design issues) so it needs a specialized object that will mimic BCs from the games 100%. Any paths used by the CHardcodedBarrelCannon will be external files though, and can be used for other objects if desired.

[Ninni973]

Simion, will the DKC Level Buider have custom players? I want to know if you can or not.

[Simion32]

Custom player characters? Yes, of course. Custom objects will include player "Kongs" as well. But someone needs to program them obviously.

[WAZ__Up]

Adding on to his comment, can you mix and match Kongs from all 3 games? Lets say having Donkey and Dixie as a group?

[VideoViking]

Since DKCX (my hack game) has Donkey, Diddy and Dixie as playable characters, yes.

[BlueTronic]

This is still not done? Is there a beta?

[Simion32]

Dude. I released DKCRE v0.0.6.x while you were gone.

No, it's not done, not even a beta yet. Sorry, but I can't do everything at once. I'm only one person.

Right now I'm torn between DELTA and DKC3 research, but DKCRE itself is pretty much on hold now.

[edevore]

Simion, Is there anything public that you may be able to openly ask us DKC-Fans for help with the DKC3 research.?.. (If there is anything relating to DKC3 which I may be able to assist you.. Please ask me and I will do my best to help you out.) *Good Luck!

[Simion32]

Can someone help me in finding the color regarding the HDMA effects such as the dynamic water color on the overworld and some of the level maps (in DKC3)?

I can find the HDMA tables, but I do not fully understand how to retrieve the offset of the color involved (or for that matter, find if the color(s) is/are actually embedded into the HDMA table itself or not).

I'm good with tracing ASM and grabbing palettes by logging DMA's but this is starting to get outside of my experience zone.

Check the ROM hacking documentation section for an existing list of palette addresses. If you find these tough to dig up colors, I'll put you in the document's credits section for those particular palettes.

[Markster]

More questions about this upcoming editor...

1. Will it support a lot of music formats?
2. Can you easily add the DKC2/DKC3 font to DKC1?
3. How many levels will you be able to put per game?
4. Will there be a special code or action system for easy custom objects, kinda like game makers GML and D&D.
5. If you make a stand alone level in DKCLB, can you import it to a game using the stand alone level file?

[Simion32]

1. Anything that WinAMP can load using a format plugin will work. So, basically everything, including emulation sound formats like SPC, USF, etc. and then there's the normal audio formats like FLAC, OGG, WAV (MP3 if you get the plugin for it) and probably too many more to count.

2. Comes in by default as an option, since it is to be extracted with everything else (remember, it needs ALL of the graphics).

3. No limit. As many as you can manage to put onto your HDD, I guess. They could all be linked to each other via warps, too. You can even link to someone else's game levels if you desire, as long as you have the level file available to perform the linking procedure (warping and such requires the unique level identifier (plus an entrance ID) to tell DELTA where to send you upon entering, say, a bonus barrel).

4. At some point there may be such a system, but be aware it is possible that such objects designed in a scripting engine may be slower than the same object coded in C++.

5. Levels are not strictly linked to the LB "games" and are individual files anyway, so yes.

[WAZ__Up]

They could all be linked to each other via warps, too.

So would it be possible to make/import custom overworld maps with their own paths? or only go from level directly into another level?

[Simion32]

I'm thinking somewhere along the lines of both as an answer to your query.

I mean, that you can string together levels using exits/entrances similar to if it were an RPG.

You could start the entire game out on one level, and never have to even see the map until you deliberately exited a level with start-select or something.

[Markster]

More questions about DKCLB...

----------

1. Will it have all the original animal friends from all the DKC games and custom ones that you can make?
2. Will it be really easy to add quotes and text, like add more lines to cranky for an example?
3. Can you make tiles and objects do cool Mode 7 type effects?
4. Will the original DKC games be in Delta/DKCLB, so that I can edit from them?

[Simion32]

1. Yes. All originals plus capability to make more via custom objects.

2. Yeah, that will be way easier than the current ROM hacking method.

3. I'm not sure about Mode7, but HDMA effects and such (line-by-line scrolling, also vertical lines for LB, which is not possible on SNES) will be included. AFAIK DKC doesn't use Mode7.

4. Once you extract from the ROMs, yes. But there is one special limitation - you cannot overwrite the original levels/sprites/etc, you may only copy them or SaveAs a different file. This is to prevent conflicts in other people's games due to missing or modified original sprites and such, since the data that's first extracted is used as a base for all other operations - and that includes custom levels using original trilogy objects.

[Simion32]

DELTA UPDATE HERE

This post is for those who neglect to check the DELTA topic.

[aperson98]

It's niice to see that work the game engine is going smoothly, but there is one problem I forsee and it's nothing to do with the engine itself, rather missing sprites for certain actions like DK having no horizonal rope climbing sprites or Dixie and Kiddy having no swinging on rope animations.

[Cosmicman]

Hi Simion, what would you say the completion percentage is now? I think I asked this same question a few years ago and i got a really small percent number, hopefully I get a much bigger number now.

[Simion32]

I feel confident enough to say 5%, but really have no idea. Have you checked out the latest DELTA release?

[Simion32]

Notice of NOPs:
I may have decreased availability over the next few months, as I have just started university.

Development will indeed continue, but I cannot guarantee progress for any given day.
Weekends are probably still open unless I have some enormous assignment to do.

[Cosmicman]

Good luck with the university Simion. You need a small rest from this anyways, we all know how hard you have been working on this project. It will be 4 years next month or so since you started this topic; that's crazy!

[Super Luigi!]

Determination goes a long way, Cosmicman. As for you, Simion32, show that university what kind of genius they have!

[Markster]

I got some more questions about Delta.
----------
1. Can you easily import custom made palettes. (Like my Dark Blue Caves palette.)
2. Can you import videos, maybe like cut-scenes.

[Simion32]

1. Palette capability can be had through either load-time color modifiers, OR you can create separate background files or tile sets (or even edit a custom tileset) to accomplish this. Remember that LB's image formats are embedded PNG images with extra data other than the PNG itself, so you'll need to edit the image and then create the LB file from it.

2. Video playback would require some explicit built-in support. If ever done, this would be a later feature. Very, very advanced - BUT possible. Remember that DELTA is a real-time game engine, and it is more than capable of displaying video given the correct format decoding process.

[Markster]

Thanks, anyways, how much percent are you done with the university?

[Simion32]

For this semester? Well, I am nearing spring break (after next week). Probably accounts for a half of the semester roughly.