version 1.0 /w autotiles

What’s this?

This is another recreation of the hidden tilemap script. Different is maybe that this script runs as fast on a 500×500 map as on a 50×50 map. I took a new way into producing the graphics and threw in some time consuming functions to save cpu for bigger maps. So, what does that mean?

- Works with other Resolutions

- Works with animated autotiles

- Works with priorities

- Completely Commented  :bunny:

What’s next?

What am I doing now? I am updating this script at the moment to:

- Incorporate Flash Data (and flashing as one or many sprites)

- Enable the use of the Three SingleXXX constants. Meaning less sprites thus more fps.

You can do it yourself, if you want, but let me release it – it feels like a milestone to get.

What’s new?

Ok, this script differs from others by creating a bitmap of the size BitmapRect which is in the script. By default this will be the WindowRect (viewport) size plus a buffer size, where 1 tile each way is recommended (Set by BitmapWindowOffset).

Why all this shit you might ask – well I can tell you: What I did was only drawing those tiles visible and redrawing it every step. Whoaha, but that is time consuming? Yes, therefor I only draw the NEW tiles! It saves a LOT of FPS.

Only the priority tiles and autotiles are drawn separately.

- AutotileLength determines the number of frames before an autotile get updated.

- KillOutScreenSprite kills any tile sprite outside the bitmap rect is set to true.

- EnableFlashingData enables updating the flashing data, but the methods are missing in this script

And I am working on SingleFlashingSprite, SinglePrioritySprite and SingleAutotileSprite which create one single sprite layer rather then many different. This will save CPU if you have alot of autotiles on screen or lot of priority tiles on screen. But if you don’t use a lot of [i]Animated[/i] autotiles you are better of setting this to false in the next version.

What can I do?

You can test the script, throw in the other tilemap scripts and evaluate the results. I would like to know when one is faster then the other.

Script

http://www.rmxp.org/forums/index.php?topic=58168.0

Credits

Me™ obviously and I used the autotile index array from poccil’s script – not sure who it was that created it in the first place…

Previous Tutorial: #1 Understanding the System

Today it’s is time to take your understanding just a little bit further. Sure, normally why would you care about something stupid like this – well – just because it always feels better to understand what is happening, other then simply assuming things and the way they work.

We chose our Server Structure (from now on: client-server), which was the Server as Intermediary and we are now going to try to make a simple connection. Please understand that all the code used here, returns in later paragraphs and tutorials. So first, what are we going to connect? It might be a simple question – but what is the exact answer? Well, to be honest: I’m not completely sure either. I am therefore just going to tell you what I know – nothing more.

For the sake of this tutorial, I chose to use Ruby Socket classes, but please understand that the way things work are the same in most common Object Oriented Programming Languages (OOPL’s).

An introduction

Networking in this case means TCP/IP, which is a way most machines use to communicate across the World Wide Web. The way most application in a client-server relationship work is that the client send a request to the server, which then responds. For example, a webserver sits and does nothing but listening for requests, until a browsers from on computer somewhere sends a request for a webpage on that server, after which the server responds by sending over the webpage.

Because the following things might come back a lot, and you are the kind of person who wants to understand everything, I put on some information about internet adresses, ports, sockets and socket structure. If you know all this – or some of this – skip it or the parts you already know until How does that help us?.

TCP/IP

This is the name for a group of Network Protocols, also know as Internet Protocol Suite. On WikiPedia you can find a detailed and also good explanation of the concept, the idea and things like the layers. It is not very important, but fun to know.

TCP and UDP

TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol. It is a way to send packages (data) over the network (internet) to our application (the server/client). Another way to send data is through UDP which means User Datagram Protocol, but we will not use that. The main differences between the two are that TCP is Reliable – the package is tracked and a lost is always noted, whereas with UDP you can not know whether the package got lost – and Ordered – a package will always be received in the same order as send, meaning later packages will wait for earlier packages, whereas in UDP it is not – but TCP is heavy weighted – three packets are needed to set up a connection – and streaming – data can be partially lost, whereas UDP always delivers its packages as a whole or not at all.

Because we have to always know if the user is connected, because we need to order our packages and because TCP is more simple, we don’t use UDP.

Internet Address

Otherwise referenced as IP address, is a numerical address which is to address a network interface card of a host on the internet, within the TCP/IP standard model. Otherwise said, this address is like your home address and postal code for the world wide web. You can look up your IP on WhatsMyIP.org.

Local Internet Address

Other then your Global IP found on whatsmyip.org, each computer in a local area network (LAN) has its own IP address. Why? Well your ISP (Internet Service Provider) provides you ONE IP address to be used with your Internet Connection. But what if you have multiple computers at home all using that connection? Simple: for the World Wide Web it’s all the same address – your router, that greyish or black or whatever colored box in which you plugged the phone line or other kind of cable, determines to which computer the message must be deliverered. So in short, your global Address is your Home Address and your Local Address is the name header on the letter/mail you receive. Your Local IP can be found by starting cmd.exe (on windows) [start > execute] and typing ipconfig.

Important

The Local IP and Global IP must NOT be confused. There will be some issues when installing and configuring your RMXP to work with netplay concerning the two.

Special addresses

0.0.0.0 (the whole internet)
127.0.0.1 (usually the local host address, but anything like 127.0.0.X loops back to your pc)
255.255.255.255 (submask address)
Other Private Address like 192.168.X.YYY

Port

A port is not a real object or device, but simply a door to deliver your message. Someone sends you a letter. First it is send to your Home Address (Global IP), then you get the message in your hands (Local IP) and now it is too you to decide what to do with it (Port). Sure this example doesn’t work as well as the other two but hear me out.

A port has a number between 0 and 65536 (16bit). The TCP/IP describes three ranges. The ports 0 through 1023 are the well known ports (25 SMTP, 80 WEB). The Registered Ports are those from 1024 through 49151and all the other ports are called Dynamic or Private Ports.

A port is a doorway to your program. A message to your mail server must be delivered at port 25 (don’t get smart and tell me you can run your mail server on another port) for it to enter the program. A web request must come trough port 80 and so on. This way a Computer can extract the different messages and send them to their right destination, just like your Router did to send it to the right PC.

Summary on TCP/IP, TCP, IP and Ports

TCP/IP is the internet protocol, under which TCP – our transferring protocol – is declared. Our IP is our Home Address and Ports are doors to deliver the message to.

Sockets

A socket is a or represents a single connection between two applications. Sockets normally exists between two computers, but can also be created between programs on the same computer. Most important is that Sockets are capable of two way traffic, meaning they can receive and send data [but it's up to the program to read or send].

In Ruby there are a lot of default classes for Sockets. The mother of all is the IO class. Children are BasicSocket, Socket and UnixSocket. Child of BasicSocket is IPSocket and Children of IPSocket are TCPSocket and UDPSocket. Lastly Children of TCPSocket are TCPServer and SOCKSSocket.

All these are part of the standard (and not core) library of Ruby, so a require ‘socket’ is needed if you want to use any of these.

How does that help us?

We take this very simple idea, and use it in our program. First we take a look at the server, which is the hardest part. To create a Ruby server you need two things. First you need to install Ruby and then you need to get yourself a simple text editor to edit your ruby code in. For more documentation on both, just Google ruby download or install ruby.

Now open up a new ruby file (right click on windows, new .rb file) and type in the following:

require 'socket'
myserver = TCPServer.new("127.0.0.1", 50000)
loop do
--Thread.new(myserver.accept) do |client|
----p "#{client.addr} connected"
----client.puts("Hello World!")
----p "#{client.addr} disconnected"
----client.close
--end
end

NOTE: DO NOT COPY but RETYPE (or else you will get errors)

Whoaha, that easy? Yes! Let me break it down for you.

The TCPServer class is a helper class to create a connection. It calls the getaddress methods and binds a socket to the port you specified. In short, TCPServer.new(host, port) tries to create a tcpsocketbinder on that host:port.

To learn more about threads, read this tutorial about threads but understand that for each accept (successfully bind of a client) a new thread is created. The results of socket.accept are send to the variable between the two colons.

When a client connects we print the address of the client, we send it Hello World, close the connection and print the disconnect.

To create a simple client program that connects to this new server, make a new ruby program and put this into that file:

require 'socket'
mysocket = TCPSocket.new("127.0.0.1", 50000)
data = mysocket.recv(15)
p data
mysocket.close
$stdin.gets

NOTE: DO NOT COPY but RETYPE (or else you will get errors)

Jup, that was all for now. First you created a socket layer to that host and port (what happens? In the server program you are noticed and you are accepted and data is send). Then you receive up to 15 bytes (only 12 are send) and that data is then printed, after which you close the connection on your end.

One more note on closing a connection. When you close a connection, you simply close the pipe on one end. It does not stop any ongoign data between sockets, nor does it closes on both ends. However, if one end is closed and either read or write is called from the other side, an exception is thrown, because you can’t read from something that is closed and you can’t write to something that is closed (similar to file operations, which are based on yes… IO).

In the next tutorial we will go into Using RMXP as Client Software…

Next Tutorial: #3 RMXP as a client

Until then… Cheers,

Me™, Dark-Yen

This is the first part of the many tutorials I am going to write on the online networking in an RGSS based system. The first and probably most important part is the one where you determine the structure of your online system. I will do so now.

For me, there are two main types of server-client structures and they can be described as following: One has a separate server program as intermediary; this program can not act as client, one has a client program as intermediary; this program acts as client and server at the same time. For the purpose of understanding did I made you these systematic images:

Client-Server Structure (client as intermediary)

A Client as Server…

• Can host a game whenever needed.
• Does not need a separate server program.
• Is great for low-scale games or as extra function.
• Can not elaborate on cheating by players.
• Is not controllable and does not allow systems as MySQL.

Client-Server Structure (server as intermediary)

A Separate Server…

• Can handle many players at the same time.
• Can easily use other system like MySQL, WebServer and SMTPServer.
• Can eleborate on moderating intervention.
• Can have a same persistent world for everyone
• Needs a server to be online all the time.

In these tutorials I will use the second example, where a separate server structure is used, because these online systems mainly aim on the usage by programmers that want to create an Multiplayer Online RPG. The first step thus will always be: what structure am I going to use? Sub-questions would be: Do I want to control the players? Are playing characters depending on others in the game world? Do I want to allow a great number of playing characters at the same time? Is playing online required (almost) all the time? If the answer on these questions is mostly towards yes, then a separate server will come in handy. If your game is very low-scaled and online features are just an extra option, you can manage with the client as server structure with the positive effect of not needing a server yourself that is online twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

You see? It is very important to think about these things, before you start at all! Why you might ask? Well simply due to the fact that both structures are scripted another way Not so much to do for you this tutorial, but understanding the system starts here!

Next up: #2 Simply connecting

Cheers,

Me™ – Dark-Yen

I hope I can describe everything from connecting to global events – but it will take me some time.

Stay tuned,

Me™, Dark-Yen.

Today I started on a quick side project, Epómenos Arcade – netplay for arcade games. This very basic set can be used to create online arcade games. There is off course some scripting to do for each game, but it is well and completely documented when finished. The first build will both eleborate on turn based arcade games and simultanious ones, which are harder to manage.

By default the following functions are availeble – some from epómenos and some others:

• Complete documentation
• Rewritten Ruby Server /w MySQL
• New Network protocol (somewhat)
• Admin kick, warn and ban function
• IP banning, user name banning, e-mail banning

• Multiple Chat channels
• Multiple Game Rooms
• Extensive logging system
• Turn based OR Asynchronous based arcade games
• Multiple types of High Score Lists
• Editable ranking system
• User stats (e.g. wins, lost, games, time)
• User can evolve (e.g. badges, unlock items)
• Room requirements (e.g. games played > 10)

Stats are saved into a MySQL database, so it can be called by an PHP page and be displayed on websites. You could even implement a shop system with which the user can buy specail items or unlock features for your game. You can also set room requirements by wins, losts, points, games played and more.

Keep track of your players by pulling some pre-made PHP pages which shows you their stats, their unlocks and currently online users; highscore lists and direct way to send a private message to the user or email the user about whatever you like.

Your imagination is the limit.

Cheers,

Me™, Dark-Yen

• Complete documentation
• Rewritten Ruby Server /w MySQL
• New Network protocol (somewhat)
• Multiple characters
• Global animations
• Global switches and variables
• No refresh failures (error in NPP+2)
• Admin functions /l kick, teleport, warn
• IP banning, username banning, e-mail banning
• MySQL based save system or RXDATA save system
• Multiple Chat channels
• Extensive logging system

The following functions are also included, but might not be what you want – their 100% optional

• Encryption support
• Activation by E-mail support
• Buying Licenses to play support
• E-mail sending from server support
• Visual equipment support
• Website registration, payment and Gameshop support
• Player Versus Player battle support
• Trading support
• Banking support
• Skill shop support
• Dungeon support
• Teaming support
• Player houses support

And more…

Reading this, you are most likely to come from one of the RMXP Forum Boards out there. I am Me™, also known under my real name as Derk-Jan Karrenbeld, or like on my Game Design blog by the name of Dark-Yen. I am a scripter, mainly, and script best in Ruby – the language behind the scripting in any RpgMaker XP game.

A while ago me and two friends, Muhammet (Mr. Mo / Shark Tooth) and Trebor (Trebor777) started on a module called Netplay Plus that allowed gamemaker to put their game in the next stage. The limitations are as high as our fantasy reached, RMXP games could now go Online. Now it’s already been a while since we dropped the project just before releasing the final version of Netplay Plus 2 due to the amount of stress the community was giving us, demanding from us.

Since then, not much has happened. Yes, there is Net RMXP 2, which basicy is NPP+2 with a lot of Italian Gibberish and some other not yet flourishing projects. Working on an online game the past few weeks as a job motivated me to completely rewrite netplay or well, say most functions. To keep track of this new netplay, or rather the next netplay, I put on this blog so I can easily work on this shit and you can read the progress.

The main changes that I want to make are the following two:

- The Project is completely documented, setting it up is easier then ever.
- The Project can be extended more easily and later other components can easily be installed.

The documentation will consist of a complete instruction how to set up Netplay Plus 3 and also on every functions and the way the Network Protocol works, so scriptwriters can learn and elaborate on it. If you have any questions, feel free to E-Mail me or to leave a comment.

Epomenos is Greek for Next. To summarize that it is coming after the previous netplay’s (including multi-, multi-extended and the orginal netplay) but also to make a contradiction on the fact that it is not near the previous netplay’s but totally different.

Cheers,

Me™, Dark-Yen