Example of Using a Mapping System to Make a Text Game (2nd Revision) By Professor X-Man (Eric Blanding) Program compiled on July 4, 1994. ***************************************************************************** This code is in the Public Domain, which means you may do with it as you wish. I only ask that you please don't make any modifications to these files and redistribute without my consent. Also, this code is distrinuted AS IS, and I make no guarantees it'll work flawlessly on yer system. This code will work with ALL flavors of MS-BASIC: QBASIC, QuickBASIC, PDS, and VBDOS. (Will NOT work with GW-BASIC tho... Guess why? ;)) TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- 0) REVISION HISTORY 1) CONTACTS 2) ABOUT NUBIANWARE/PROXMAN SOFTWARE 3) THE MAPPING EXAMPLE *************************************************************************** REVISION HISTORY =========================================================================== 7/4/94 - Just realized that you CAN access the subscripts in the 2nd dimension of a 2D array using UBOUND(Array%,[NumOfDims]). Erased all occurances of MaxYVal%. Still works flawlessly! Sorry bout that folks... 6/25/94 - First release of the code example. *************************************************************************** CONTACTS =========================================================================== I can be reached the following ways: FIDONET: Quik_Bas, PDS71/Basic7 Echos RIMENET: QBasic, Programming, Game Design, Apogee, WinBas(Visual Basic) Echos PRODIGY: SDDB49B BBSES (if yer in the area): Brodmann's Place -- (301) 843-5732 PainFrame -- (301) 649-3906 Programmer's Corner (node 1) -- (301) 621-3424 Please be sure to address E-Mail "Eric Blanding" on these boards. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for improvement, gripes, etc, please feel free to drop me a line! ************************************************************************** ABOUT NubianWare(TM)/ProXman Software(TM) ========================================================================== ProXman Software(TM) is the gaming division of NubianWare Productions, which are currently run by one person, and involves only one person: Professor X-Man. NubianWare Productions(TM) is the full company name, and it deals with computer software ranging from Games to business apps, to custom software development for private companies. NubianWare Productions also hopes to expand from the computer medium into something like T-shirts or music productions. Anyone can be down with NubianWare, and will be happy to publish anyone's computer programs. However, Professor X-Man is not set up to do that as of yet. In the near future he will send out applications so that you can either 1) Join the programming team of ProXman Software or 2) Publish whatever you have under NubianWare Productions. Stay tuned for more. ProXman Software, as I said before, is the Gaming division. This includes game development tools, AS WELL AS the games themselves. -=Works created under ProXmans Software so far:=- Gwynn Park Hell: The Freshman Year -- FreeWare. You're an insecure kid who's just starting high school, and yer having a serious identity crisis! DOS version only. Created in 1992. The Sadist's Shooting Gallery -- ShareWare (discontinued). You need to blow some steam? Load a picture (BMP) of your worst enemy and blast a big hole in em, as they try to dodge your fire! WINDOWS version only. Created in 1993. Please note that those two are DISCONTINUED and will not be dist- ributed or updated in any way. If you happen to find any of these items feel free to play them. However, don't try to register or contact me about one of those games. The follwoing games, however, WILL be release at some point in time. -=Works that will be released by ProXman Software=- (These are just a couple I've mentioned. There are more however.) The Freaky MisAdventures of Brian McHoppit -- You are Brian McHoppit, a bad ass rabbit from the rowhouses of 100 Woodland St. in East Germantown Philadelphia. You and your friend Freddy witness a murder and overhear a plot to tear down most of East philly and turn it into a metropolis. You must stop the evil Mr. Big Bucks of B.B. Development Corp! Requires VGA 256c. Sound Blaster Optional. DOS 5.x or later needed. Arnold Hadenuff Goes to College -- You are a socially oppresed individual who's having a hard time adjusting to the perils of college life. You finally decide to get back at all your "enemies" by plotting to blow the college up! What's gonna happen now?!!? WINDOWS 3.1 or later needed, running in Std or Ench mode, and VGA 16c or VGA 256c. ****************************************************************************** THE MAPPING EXAMPLE ============================================================================== The reason why I put out this example is because i've heard time and time again, "How do I go about tracking a character on a map?" or "How do I map out the universe?" Hopefully this example code will help those out there who wish to accomplish the following: Make a text game, Make one of those 'Zelda' top-down view map games, or a 3D game. There are other uses for this kind of system, but these are the most common. Now. Don't let the size of the code fool you; most of it are comments. With all the comments stripped it's about 20k or less. Most of what you need to know is in the code itself, so for your learning experience, it's best to go look at the code now. Be sure to run the EXE first so you know how the map system can work for you. One note: I didn't use error trapping so there may be a few quirks here or there. I wanted to make this as compact as possible. (Ex. You can drop items on the people! Not something you'd want to do in a REAL game!) Like I said before, you can use the SUBS/FUNCTIONS in this example ANY way ya want! Of course, if you DO plan to use this, you'll soon realize that maintaining it can be a bear, depending on how big your map is going to be (Here comes the plug!). However, in few months, I will release my new game design software, which will include a map maker. With the map maker, you can make as many maps as you want, and as big as you want (up to about 2000,2000 if you have enuff memory). This is the 2D mode. In 3D mode, you will be able to create maps that can also simulate depth. This will be essential for people who wish to take on the popular 3D type games (you'll need to track your player in the array). This example you have is only for a 2D map. If yer experienced, you can probably modify it for 3D. This Example code will be changed later on, and included as an example with my new game design software. I'll also include examples on how to use this kind of system for a 'Zelda' type game, a side-scrolling platform game, a vertical scrolling game (like Apogee's Raptor), and a 3D game. So you see I have my hands full at the moment. Also, a LIB of all useful game functions will be available. Enough of this. Go look at the code example already. If you have any questions or whatever, be sure to contact ASAP! Have fun! -Professor X-Man