Minikloon

I recommend using Visual Studio.

Why would you want to abstract all the damage values? You could use a simple hit(int damage) function instead. Also, you may read up on https://www.google.ca/search?q=c%2B%2B+inheritance. Monster and Player obviously have common properties, like damage values and hit points. If you put those properties into a Creature class in make Monster and Player inherit from it, you won't have the looping inclusion problem.

Indeed, source editing. But for more precision… The reason why this feature wasn't added in the core engine is that it needs too much flexibility. The are so many reasons why you'd want to change a user's sprite at certain point. Your best bet is to be more precise about what you want to do so we can give you some pointers to achieving such behaviour in your software. Cheers, Minikloon.

> But you seriously have some social problems. I understand the ungrateful lot have a lot to do with that, however, you should think about if you may be hurting someones feelings. It's a communication thing. Think about it like Java…. There's the IRobin class, which is an interface to Robin's data for his life, history and knowledge and loaded trough a method called "LoadFromFile". And there's that method called "Behave" which is meant to return a "Behaviour" object of some sort. But here's the implementations hierarchy: ``` IRobin | |-> RobinIRL : Overrides LoadFromFile so the Behave method returns a BehaviourGood. | |-> RobinGamer : Overrides LoadFromFile so the Behave method returns a BehaviourAnalytics. ---|-> RobinGamerFirst : Overrides LoadFromFile so the Behave method returns a BehaviourCrazy. | |-> RobinWeb : Overrides LoadFromFile so the Behave method returns a BehaviourBad. ---|-> RobinEclipse : Overrides LoadFromFile so the Behave method returns a BehaviourTrueBadAss. ``` If you think Java's shit, understand that Robin is playing a role. Under the hood he likes flowers, ponies and stuff. Now that's not related to the topic is it?

As far as I'm concerned this is a slow project, but it's not a failed one. This project has been running for 8 months, interrupted by 3 game projects, learning and real life. I've never tried to claim I'm a great programmer, I've never said I can do as much as you did. Why are you trying to dismiss my efforts?

Hey Eclipse! Long time no see! Some news from the front… First, I'm now back full codding time on Cloud, no more side-projects until I find the right opportunity to go indie. Second, I've designed a new client system and trashed the old Zap sources. The copy-cat code coming from Cloud Core wasn't satisfying enough. I've tought of something even better to fit with the plugin-based design and user-friendliness approach. It's first about streaming all the content from the server to the client on a need basis and cache it on the client. For example, if there's a new tile on a map, it'll be streamed to the client and ready to be used again if it's used again. This also means the client plugins creation workflow will be much nicer, because you won't need to write one for the client. Third, this thread is dirty, I'll need to rework with my PR departement on that matter. AAAnd reading this thread made me realize some stuff… http://www.touchofdeathforums.com/smf/index.php/topic,74770.0.html . Finally, please expect some results and if I don't give enough, because I'm a lazy arse, please ho please, kick my butt. :embarrassed: ^^

Hello there, For your specific router, I'd say uncheck the "Specify public IP Address" option. Change the "Network IP Address" to your local IP address, which you can find, if you're running Windows, using the ipconfig command in the command prompt (Follow this tutorial if you don't understand: http://www.wikihow.com/Find-out-Your-IP-Address) Keep the Protocol as "Any". The "Forward to port" label refers to the port you want to "open" and I'll need to see the drop-down menu options to give you specific directives, but I guess it's quite intuitive. Also keep the "Schedule" option to "Always". Good luck, if you need a detailed explanation, look up for your router model at http://www.portforward.com/ or read your router instructions booklet. PS: Make sure you follow these instructions to setup EO: http://www.touchofdeathforums.com/smf/index.php/topic,68370.0.html .

 After much work on this game, I finally find myself discouraged. The quality is really bad and I can't do much about it. I think I consider this a fail. This game is about you, gunning trough zombies forever alone, _just like how I developed it_. Download: http://www.filedropper.com/l4d Sorry, no screenshots available… :embarrassed: **Back to Cloud now, greater software.**

I'm not the only programmer around, mind you. I'm also one of the least proficient. And to answer your question, well… books, Internet, books, books, Internet.

@LemonDoggy: > - Snip - Ho my bad, I didn't look at the download link provided at the end of the original post, it's out-dated. Fixed, the download page is available at http://www.minikloon.freemmorpgmaker.com/ . There's still not much interesting stuff out there, very abstract for new users, but development continues. I suggest to create your game using Eclipse Origins for now and if you want to switch in the feature, I'll create an auto-converter. Regarding of high-level features, this is the main attraction of the plugin system and I plan to do gameplay programming on top of the lower-level plugins to provide most-wanted features. Regarding of the engine horse-power, it's still up to much testing. Current tests aren't relevant enough to have a decisive robustness insight, but I'd be ready to claim that dozens of plugins won't slow the server down more than by 10%.

Hai peeps. Just a quick notification to let you know that I'm back. I also had some computer time and thus coding time. I uploaded a new Cloud version. I'll let you guys know what's new in the following days… ;)

Hai. I've updated the download link with the new download page (And the latest versions). I'm also working on a small updater to run on post-compile so you guys always have the latest development version. I'll look into updating the second post sometime. I've mostly worked on the client, 'bout time isn't it? Most of the features are half-implemented badly enough… :embarrassed: Well, I've completed the Resource Manager, inspired from some other sources. Basically, using templates and inheritance, you can create any resources you wish to fit with your graphics library, sound engine... Resources are used by your implementation of graphics class. The Pic class (For Picture) has been created as of now and I'm trying to implement an SFMLPic. Works well, for now... All of this is because of all the blabbing around DD8 implementation in Origins. Now it will take an (~)hour to convert Zap to OpenGL, SDL, DirectDraw X, whatever! In fact, I'll probably use the same resource model for the sound system. I'm still thinking about a good Input Manager. I've read stuff and I'm not satisfied with it. There's still a lot to be done relating to the plugin API, both server-side and client-side. And there's the whole client to be done. I guess I'll hit 0.3 when those two things will be done and **only then will I start doing plugins.** Now, this is only a development release. Some may argue I'm not developing fast enough, but really, I'm doing as fast as I can. I've got things to learn, fun to enjoy, addicting forums to visit, porn to watch and even more stuff. – _Meanwhile, in Canada…_ I've bought the book Clean Code. A marvelous software engineering book that I'm madly devouring. **Oh and btw, personal life is calling, I'll be out for a month without Internet connection nor computer. Original post modified on purpose. See ya back on 2011/08/13.**

> Quick features : > Quote > > - Easy to use plugin system. > - C++ means more efficient than VB6. > - Total control over your creation without the need of editing the sources. > - Interchangeable client. > - Open Source like any Eclipse (And free, as in free beer!) > - Multi-platform, runs on Linux without trouble. First post. :P Besides, I've uploaded the latest version of the software. The sources have been revisited to include meaningful comments. The client, badly enough, has been cutted from its engine features in work because it didn't compile.

I've putted up a download link for the current version of the client (See main post). It's a simple RakNet client built onto Eclipse Cloud's code. I'll need to pack in basic engine features such as an input handler, renderer, GUI system of some sort and more in future versions, based on needs and most logical requirements. I'll probably use SFML again for the work. For once I'll ship the code first before blabbing about the current state, so stay tuned with the client advancement. – _Meanwhile, in Canada…_ Advancing bits by bits I'd say, I'm trying not to stress myself too much with my open coding projects.

Hai, really quick notifications about the client. I've been working on the client today and I'm expecting a first release sometime before the end of the month. I'm trying to get basic features working and be scalable. For example, the input manager and the graphics engine can be easily changed, that means you can change my implementation of SFML graphics on the engine to your implementation of OpenGL, for example. There will be a lot of testing to be done regarding of the plugin API, which by now isn't even attracting for me. – _Meanwhile, in Canada…_ http://www.ludumdare.com/ :cheesy:

Nao, I've completed my port of my NetworkLayer to RakNet. I still need to test it out with a RakNet client. I didn't complete the configuration system yet, it's still in building, because I quickly switched from TinyXML++ to RapidXML, the latter offering parsing nearly as fast as simply loading the file. There's still testing to be done an iteration dev. No matter completion, that created a new dilemma about configuration data and how to use them. I really want to keep configuration handling by the core, because otherwise every plugins would use their own way of handling configs and users would eventually be confused about where each configs are. XML parsing is (relatively, ~) slow compared to direct text configs. Editing XML files might be easier for the users, but it's for sure way more enjoyable programming-side. What I think would be the best solution is that all core configurations would be done within a core.xml file. The Core would basically parse all .xml files, organization dictates me to use one file by plugin, but it would really not matter. But in the case the user wants another type of config handling, such as .ini like Eclipse Origins or even a DB like MySQL, he should edit the core.xml file to indicate, in some way, the configuration type infos. The solution is quite obscure for now. I might also put the configurations on a higher level by using Boost.PropertyTree, still in study, depends of the final design decision. There would also be the solution the put the configuration handling in a single plugin, but that would give more overhead to loading plugins, unless I implement some way of having managed messages between the plugins and the Core. I'll need to test some stuff and possibilities out. Maybe increasing the plugin SDK size with some files isn't that bad… Anyway I updated the Release and Dev versions with the latest versions. * * * Work on the Core will be enough for now, I really need to spend time on my client, setting up the engine features I want before starting to finally code appropriate plugins. – _Meanwhile, in Canada…_ Woot! I reduced the development zip size from 98 mo to a mere 1 mo by deleting useless VS2010 shit no-one cares about! :embarrassed: Also, I'll post tons of screenies when I'll have something exciting to show for the end-user.

I've updated the main thread with new Mediafire links, even if after testing the links again, they are working for me. I'll find a reliable host.

Quick update. I've finished the code cleaning and started a configuration handling embryo. I've ported 90% of my SFML Network Layer to RakNet. After working with RakNet for the first time, I see how higher-level it is while staying efficient. I've updated the two download links. The release version has been name-updated, while the development version offers the latest modifications (not compilable right now, mind you). There are still several other ideas to study about the Core. The first one I had is concerning one of the issues I had with unmanaged messages. RakNet offers to create enums to describe our custom user types. I think it would be wise to create a message class and message handler for Cloud Core so plugins can create their own messages. All of that would be for the inner working of Cloud make the plugin development easier. RakNet packets aren't done the right way for now because I didn't modify the plugins yet. For now they're all in the same struct type. I want to serialize my message class into bitstreams and profit of RakNet's fixed packets structure to use the less bandwidth possible server-side, isn't it a MMORPG engine anyway? :embarrassed: – I've also thought about the client side. The client is another project, even if it follows the same plugin structure, it will give less liberty to the plugins but more power, I guess. First off a Renderer. The client engine's renderer will be a pure virtual class so you can modify the rendering/graphic engine you wish without modifying the whole sources. The base class will offer windowing and drawing using general Sprite classes. This might be non-efficient because the renderer will need to create it's one kind of sprite from the Cloud's sprite class on each frame. I'll look into that issue. Then there's a resources manager, quite simple meant to not load the same resource twice. I'll probably use a similar system as I used in the Micro Engine, with images IDs. Configuration Handler, see Cloud's one. Also there should be a GUI system of some sort. Maybe using the configuration handler to simply position stuff on screen, or any preferred idea. -- _Meanwhile, in Canada…_ Btw, I'm not looking for any particular help. This is a development thread, so I'm posting my thoughts and development logs publicly so anyone can eventually participate by giving opinion without necessarily looking in the sources. Some might think I'm questioning the community about all of the software design, be sure that's not the case, I'm thinking out loud that's it.

I first heard about the name 'Cloud' from GOS, a now-dead Linux flavor that wanted to create an entirely virtual operating system. Then I heard about 'Cloud' from EyeOS v1, offering a similar service without the OS coding part. Then I heard about 'Cloud' from VPS.NET, offering Cloud VPS services. Then I heard 'Cloud' from Microsoft and finally, now, Apple. Also, I'm the last one who cares about Apple Inc. iBuzzwords.

I've never heard of DLL Hell, probably because I've never experienced any such thing. Even after overloading Firefox and Paint.net with hundred of plugins. > No, I haven't, but I've neither seen a server that is scalable, except for the old EE server that used the IOCP DLL. And here's my problem with Eclipse: those who are creative and skilled enough, are limited by what Eclipse can. And if you are going the same way, then that be it, but it's definitely not the right way to think, in my humble opinion. I'll look into enet, its event-driven polling system looks attracting and simple. Anyway thanks for your help, I'll release a quick version of the Core tonight with code cleaning and enet. @Robin: > I love you. -image removed: bandwidth stealing-

Well Stephen, I've tested reaching more than 64 connections on my Windows x64 Laptop and it worked well. I'll try with my Ubuntu 11 x86 later. If it gets stuck over time I'll look into working with enet. Here's a screen at 63 connections : http://imgur.com/y7cKM And here's another at 67 connections : http://imgur.com/shB02 Maybe my test isn't good in some ways. If it's the case feel free to tell me why and I'll try to find a solution. I've also created a topic on SFML's forum to demystify the issue (http://www.sfml-dev.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=32791#32791). I'm aware of the scalability problem the system might show once you get to hundred of players. But tell me, have you ever seen any Eclipse game with more than 100 players online? Also, it would be possible to create a plugin that would route connections to other servers when connecting to a world, if anybody ever needs it.

I didn't know that things I suspected to be details of the presentation would cause such a polemic. I'm sorry if I, well, offended or surprised anyone with such a name. I renamed the thing to Eclipse Cloud, more representative of the plugin features with the current emergence of distributed virtual hosts and such. I also went with a more colorful design. I'll be getting a new version out of Cloud Core (v0.3) with the content and configurations features. I'll also look into Stephen's comments in regard of the maximum number of connections Windows can handle using TCP and selector using an old plugin I wrote to simulate the Micro Engine (Added to the thread for download).

Honestly I was starting to type a long counter-attack (Expression) message, but in the middle of things I suddenly felt like if it was useless to defend my point. Let's just wait to see the thing in action before arguing infinitely over things I don't even have arguments against. **Just two things.** > Your way of parsing the message pool's strings is something that troubles me as well. Your handler only seems to remove messages that are prefixed with '@E' and '@S', unless your add system never adds anything else. Hence the first issue I stated. The plugins are doing the work of cleaning up other message types. I'll also see if it removes unused messages yet and if it doesn't, I'll write something to take care of them. That's one buffer overflow exploit less. > I actually prefer SDL over SFML for various reasons. SFML is merely a simple wrapper, SDL goes a few steps farther at most things. As for networking however, they are both equally horrible. I think SFML is better for client programming, because it doesn't use a slow software renderer. Also, everything is easier with SFML. So we both get the same conclusion : > I'd like to state that this engine needs a better design, and a lot of improvements in general. That's why I'm still developing it. * * * _Meanwhile, in Canada…_ [http://www.gamedev.net/topic/603580-so-you-want-to-be-a-real-programmer/](http://www.gamedev.net/topic/603580-so-you-want-to-be-a-real-programmer/)

Well, this isn't a rewrite. I will not run into Eclipse's design problems, I'm not even aware of them precisely. C++ may not be the best or worst language around, but it surely beats VB6 in every sector except simplicity. Anyway I really really don't want to argue over languages, as I fear to loose the debate. I also only really rely on SFML, which isn't bloated at all. Think about it as an OpenGL wrapper with networking capabilities and sound, or look at the website at [http://www.sfml-dev.org/](http://www.sfml-dev.org/) Pluma is more of a necessity, and it may be strangely designed because it uses factory design, but it's easy to get used to. Otherwise I'd need to write compiler directives to keep it multi-platform. If you have any better idea for the dependencies I shall use, it's the right time to consider changing.

> Reading the thread title, I actually thought someone had died here at eclipse and you all went to a funeral for them. Ouch that would've been awful. No, really, the name is pretty random, I don't really care about names. ~~You can call me Small Klondike and I'll feel cool about it.~~ :P I will not take name suggestion tho because I don't feel like redesigning the logo/text colors… > I think this is another one of the "Eclipse is getting shut down" things. xD Ya and I'll buy Eclipse. [/sarcasm] blame stosh….