I decided to re-open community boards. Set up SMF board, and made several categories.
Idea is to create small community where we can all discuss about browser games ideas, development, marketing, and just about any aspect as players and webmasters. I’ve created Browser Games Directory a while ago, also now made boards where you can post about development, make suggestions or ask for help. Also, there is section about marketing. If you’re game owner, you can try and find mates for link trading / exchange, or similar.

URL is HERE, so join if you like.

I wrote few thoughts yesterday about possible features engine may have, and I must say, part of them proved to be heavy to make.
Still, I write this with smile on my face, since I think I just made something new in browser based games. OK; not sure entirely, but I never saw this before, must say.

Anyway, to skip self promotion and stuff, let me in few words try to describe what I’ve done so far:

First, a screenshot:

Click on it to make it bigger (load in separate tab).

Anyway, see this one? And if you saw original one, with empty map I made and opensourced, you can notice difference. Small one, but it’s here. This one has objects. OK; trees for now, but it’s still a prototype.
So, no big deal, you say?

Well, this is actually infinite dungeon engine or endless engine, however you’d like to call it, at it’s start.
All those trees are made completely random. But, it’s not like engine creates random objects each time player moves, but it’s a bit more sophisticated than that.

Key features:

• Random object generation
• Increasable map size. (Initial size: 480×480 tiles, increases by 1 on each player signup)
  * This still needs to be developed, but coordinate function makes sure every object preserves location after world has increased
• Persistent old objects. (Once created, they stay where they are, much like, if you would explore something, by going further, you’d find things, and going back, you’d go back to previously discovered objects)
• Engine makes sure that no more than 29% of visible tiles is randomly populated with objects.
  - If you take in consideration that 480×480 map is actually 230.400 tiles, that would mean you have 66.816 various objects to discover. Maybe even too much for start, I guess.

What engine should do next: (and is about to soon)

• Use part of 29% generation rule for interactive objects, such as shrines, gold, monsters
  - I guess, around 6% of tiles would be enough.  That’s cca. 4 objects on a regular visible area (9×9), and in above example, around 14.000 interactive objects on a default map.
• It should have excellent probability methods. Rare items – pop up rarely, stronger monsters, pop up rarely.

I won’t yet write about hero screens, and stuff, since we can get there soon.

Now, besides good things, I see potential balance issues with game engine.
Still, for starters, I’d like to hear your thoughts about this so far…

Cheers

P.S.
Yeah, I managed to get myself trapped inside trees
Bugs, gotta love them…

It’s hard to maintain something you simply know will go down because of lack of time. That’s why I love small, dynamic projects, and I cannot resist from this new idea I have. I opensourced my 2D tile engine last week.
In meanwhile I got questions like, will there be map editor, or will I improve this engine… It all may happen, and most likely will.
Still, besides giving snippets and participating in long and complex project such as Heroes Of Zholtan (you’ll read about that in future, I promise ), I’d like to have a minigame. But not MINI as = few featues, but mini as – fast developed, and long lasting.

So I thought about creating another engine. Based on 2D tile engine I gave away.

Let’s call it : Infinite dungeon engine. I made this up now. Even like it.
Even more – seems to me, long night is ahead, since I have something special on my mind… Thought, just, to share this with you.
Imagine:

2D map, where you can explore it. Those of you that know I opensourced engine with 24×24 map default. Now I tested it with 7200×7200 size, and still, it works fine. What if I add:

• Adventurer screen (Where you can see stats of your hero)
• Objects (such as trees, rivers, enemies)
• Multiplayer capablilities into map (easily done)
• RANDOM world generator, similar to one you’re used in Diablo games, but somewhat persistent (trees and objects should not appear random, sure)

That’s it.
Well, along with above, I can easy create engine where world expands according to player numbers. Let’s say, we start with 4000×4000 tiles map. That would be, err, 160.000 tiles to explore. I’d say, enough for 10.000 players to interact. So, maybe, start with 500×500. OK. That would be okay even for < 500 players. With each new player, world could expand for additional 1 tiles in width and height. So, let’s say, we have 1000 players, that would play in 1000×1000 world (after 500 signups, new 500 in diameter).

Well, this is just idea now. Gotta run programming now

Tell me, though, is this something fabulous or I’m going insane?

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Here’s something perfect for your browser games

Time has come for me to give something back to you. It’s only fair – I learned all I know from Open Source communities, and after years, I think it OK for me to give something back.
I always thought that browser games need maps, especially if fantasy themed. Nowdays, you can find maps in most of games out there, but part of them are still static, and barely any game of RPG style has one.
I developed this for years, (actually, it sounds like years, since many times, project was forgotten, lying around on my PC ), and wrote several versions of it, until I got something I can use with ease.

Here it is:

“]

2D Tile map [PHP/AJAX

I won’t give any special instructions at this time to use this script. Once you download it, you can immediately run it on your local machine.
PHP 4+ is needed only to run it.
It currently does not use any DB. Though, it can be fairly easy expanded to use DB.

Few words from author (me):
This software is linkware. Only reason I’m asking link back for is that I will appreciate any links. I also run a website, you know
If you downloaded this source from any other website than www.bbgdev.com, leave a comment here on this topic.
Permission:
You can use and modify this script in commercial and non commercial projects under only 1 term: backlink.
You CANNOT sell this script as your own.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
I used Heroes of might and magic II graphics. Only because I like pixel art and old style graphics.
If you should use this map, I advise you to change graphics with your own, due to possible copyright issues.

P.S.

If you’d like to buy off complete rights for script, mail me @ romano.zagorscak [at] gmail.com

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I thought a bit these days,

perhaps I can create something I didn’t do ever before. What if this might be very interesting… I mean, I am sure deep within, that for a nice game graphics isn’t neccessary most important feature (or, that’s what I’m saying to myself, considering I can’t do nice design ), but what if we could add a little different perspective into same map, and same game…

Well, I guess DEMO [opens in new window/tab] is in order. (keep in mind, please, this is showcase of work in progress)

I myself find it very cool. Even one of my mates at work said “wow”. Still, we’re in no business of spectacular graphics, but this might add nice (hopefully better) perspective into game here.

I would really like to hear some sincerely thoughts about this map engine. It is sure, I’ll use it. Surely, with much more enhacements.

Also, I gave it a thought…
I have surprise for all of you but will keep it as a secret till next post, as a part of holiday mood, so make sure you drop by back in few days, it might be usefull to you. I just need few days to set everything up. And do some bugfix.

As knuts said in this post, all you potential web game masters can use one very nice script (too shame I suck in JS, but luckily for you, I’m not alone in programming and creative universe), perhaps I can also contribute to community with my share. But, no hurry, like I wrote, c ya in next post…