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Overview
Each adventure for Egoboo is called a module ( .MOD ), and they are all contained in the MODULES directory. Tucked away inside the .MOD directory is an OBJECTS directory that has lots of .OBJ subdirectories. These are object profiles. Each object profile defines a certain type of character for the game to use, and the game can create several characters from the same profile. Characters may be items, vehicles, people, monsters, spells, whatever... And they are all treated in very much the same way. Each object has several components. There is a 3D triangle model, TRIS.MD2. There are up to four skins, TRIS?.BMP. Each skin should also have a matching icon, ICON?.BMP. There are up to eight sounds, SOUND?.WAV. There is an AI script, a general data file, a random name file, and a message file. Finally, there are as many as four particle templates, which are the primary means of making spells.

Making A New Object

Don't try. Instead, change an old object to fit your needs. Start with the closest thing you can find and go from there. Objects that can be carried from module to module should only have one 32x32 skin, to save texture memory. Use the BASICDAT\NULLICON.BMP file as a starting point in making the icon. If your object is a stackable item ( a potion for example ), then it should have unique IDSZ's to prevent items that are kinda similar from being stacked with it. Each object needs a slot number, so make one up. Egoboo will quit if 2 objects in the same module have the same slot, so check BASICDAT\SLOTUSED.TXT to find a good one. If the module allows imports, slots 0 to 35 are reserved. Start at 36.

Making A New Module

Again, don't try. Just take an existing module and change it around. For example, copy MOD to MOD and hack away at it. Use CARTMAN to edit the map, and PAINT and PUT to edit the TILE?.BMP files ( used for background ). Make sure object slot 127 is used by OBJ, otherwise spells will get all messed up. When working with CARTMAN, do the lighting last, as that data isn't saved with the map. Most of the monsters and items that I made can be taken from module to module with little hassle. Most. Some are rigged to open passages and do other funky stuff, so be careful ( BOSS*.OBJ always need tweaking, but others might too ). Edit TXT to place monsters and items. In RTS modules, use ATEAM, BTEAM, CTEAM, DTEAM, ETEAM, FTEAM, GTEAM, and HTEAM for the players. Units on those teams are poofed if there isn't a player playing 'em...

Changing the Source Code

Egoboo was written using Visual C++ 5.0, and the source code is included, so feel free to change it any way you please. Hopefully, most changes can be made by simply changing data, but there are some things I just didn't have time for... Egoboo's AI needs a working FindPath? algorithm. This would improve the AI 100%, but alas, I'm lazy. Egoboo needs a random level generator. I tried to standardize most of the tile sets, so it shouldn't be too difficult to do... The vertex usage for the background mesh is poorly implemented, as it takes about 4x as much memory as necessary ( redundant vertices ). The "enchant adds" get screwy at times because of the limits ( can't have -intelligence ). Egoboo should recompute the entire thing instead of undoing the last add, but it doesn't seem to be a major problem. Egoboo needs an OpenGL? conversion. My 3D card doesn't support GL, despite what the box says, so that's why I used Direct3D. Please don't hate me.

All About Particles

Particles are the little 2 dimensional images that are used for arrows, coins, explosions and a good deal of other things. The BASICDAT/PARTICLE.BMP file shows all 256 images, while the PART?.TXT files determine how a particle behaves. Please don't draw new images, because that will make things less portable. Hopefully, most of the entries in the PART?.TXT files will be straight forward, but here are some tips: 0) Always start at zero. 1> A colon is needed before each entry, just follow the format and it'll be okay. 2> Don't rearrange the entries. 3> Use "Force Spawn" for particles that do damage, but not for effect particles ( smoke, blood ) 4> Speed limit affects the Up/Down velocity, and is used to make feathers fall slowly and smoke rise. 5> Use "Facing Rate" to rotate the subspawn facing. Useful for swirly effects, but stay clear of it until you know what you're doing. I think the potions use this... 6> "Time Before End" becomes "Animation Cycles Before End" when "End After Last Frame" is TRUE. Makes sense, huh? 7> If several dynamic light particles are spawned by some other particle, only the first one is really a light. 8> Some objects have attached particles ( such as the torch ). When the torch is relit, it's called reaffirming attached particles. 9) Don't start from scratch, copy the closest thing that I already made and go from there.

When It Breaks...

Egoboo will break. When it does, it usually logs the error somewhere in the BASICDAT directory. TXT is for general errors, TXT for scripting errors ( usually typos ), and TXT for network errors.

-- BoogeR - 24 Jan 2004

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Revision r1.1 - 24 Jan 2004 - 06:19 GMT - BoogeR
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