I'm back.
Anyway those made up people who read my blog might be intereasted to know that I'm attempting to recode Project Darkness in c++/allegro which is proving to be a gargantuan task.
My first goal is to find/create a replacement for the GPathfinding Lib.
Second goal will be coding a movement algorithm (should be easier to code it from scratch than it is to code in a "flawed" system).
Goals after that are shaky and unplanned (the aformentioned tasks are big enough already).
I also need to put a video in this blog (if possible).

So now I have two main obstacle well and truly deafeated and a third lying twitching in the dirt I am now working on gathering resource into the game as well as adding a file loading system and a unit loading system.

So far I have a basic example to show for my work (although it far outstrips anything on the GMC (Game Maker Community or Gay Mutant Communists depending on whether or not your aren't a noob)).

The pictures are below.

So now I had two major obstacle dead in bloody mess behind me I then moved on to my next one.

The movement algorithm/system.

After hours upon hours of coding I still haven't got it right but I will.

Anyway it took alot of time.

And while not exactly bug free it does work.

The code below is pretty much all related to the movement algorithm.

And then I needed an efficient Pathfinding System which was able to handle hundreds of instances easily whilst allowing effective, complex cost based pathfinding.

After countless minutes of my precious time wasted on the internet I finally found exaclty what I was looking for in the gpathfinding.dll developed by Paul Weijtens.

What I also found however was that this dll was too hard to incorporate into GM with modifying and packing it into an extension.

So after a full night of using a poorly coded Extension Maker(aptly named Extension Maker shown below) to package it.

Basically I started by implementing a map loading system which was extremely primitive at first (it read map tile pixel from a screen instead of a buffer).

However I then discover the surface_get_pixel (shown in the code segment below) function in Game Maker which mimics the draw_get_pixel function except it works on a buffer (which Mark "The Evil Delphi Heretic" Overmars seems to refer to as a surface) as opposed to the screen.

I also discovered that my computer was unable to handle a double for loop in for building the map and thus had to create a step based loop as opposed to a cycle based loop.

So now my code looks like this.

Recently I have been inforemed by my SDI teacher that I am required to provide proof of my work.
I must now recap on what I have done so far.

Generic Blog Update 001

My progress on Project Darkness has slowed to a fairly large degree.
Due to technical limitations (Or rather the fact that Game Maker is programmed in Delphi as oppossed to a competant language) the frame rate on my computer has slowed down to 8.
Not that big a suprise considering that my computer has a 64mb video card and slows down when playing counter strike (Down to a number close to 8, what a coincidence).
Anyway I must sign off now as I have a Student Directed Inquiry.

I am still working on my RTS and it is going well.
I have a cost-based A Algorithm working almost perfectly and an external map retreival system working equally as good.
Just got to get the unit system up and running and ,to use an archaic and somewhat creepy expression, bob's your uncle (but he's actually not).
After the unit system it is basically down to creating resources (not at all difficult for me) and creating units based around said system.
The horizon of completion is visible but to far to touch.
Anyway I must sign off now as I have another SDI class.

I've got SDI class today, at least I'll have some progress to report.
More importantly I haven't changed project since last time which I am impressed with.
I have to be quite honest, it is something of a stretch to update this Twitter/Blog bulls**t.
Any way time to sign off.

I have changed project to a Platform Action Game due to the fact that an RTS takes, quite frankly, too much time and energy to build.
Also my SDI class isn't on today when it should be.
This means time to update my blog as well as get some work done.

Why I am not going well

Still working on video game.

Unluckily my laptop has come up with an error and will not boot windows.

It use white writing and a blue background (never a good sign).

My SDI class appears to be non existent for the second lesson in a row.

My game is not going well.

Ahh well at least I'm keeping up with my blogs so can get a decent mark.

Time to sign off I think.

The computer of the designed

My computer is virused for the umpteenth time making work impossible.

I am so going to fail.

Oh well I guess I'll be homeless for the rest of my life ;) LOL

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