Working on a new HTML5 GCS

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wcgcs
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Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by wcgcs »

I'm currently working on an HTML5 Game Creation System with its base being the ZZT engine and extending it with modern features. It can be viewed at http://webchars.com best viewed in Chrome. I have a few ZZT games I use for testing purposes that can be viewed by pressing the 'W' key. The editor can be launched at any time with the 'E' key and actions can be toggled with the 'A' key. Still has a long way to go but I feel decent progress has been made.

I'm also modifying the ZZT-OOP language to support variables, mathematical expressions & function calls as well as many new commands. I'm trying to make it as backwards compatible as possible, but it by no means is meant to be an emulator. DosBox and its many platform ports satisfies that need.
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by Smilymzx »

How about implenting all ZZT, SuperZZT, and MZX features into one,

Additionally, Make built-ins editable and object based, WAV and OGG Music/Sounds, Editable Fonts with True-Color, and make objects size adjustable as well, as well as a standalone version for developers not savvy on the internet versions!

I'd do that, Then it'll be considered full-featured and near-final, i'd hope!

EDIT: Also, Like to have more than 255 Chars in one set!

EDIT2: The aspect must be smaller... 8x14 should be default, SuperZZT and this uses 2x mode (40 column text in SZZT) and it sucks!

EDIT3: The Filter must be changed or disabled, I do NOT like the filter used (No offense.)
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by bitbot »

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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by Smilymzx »

I think that charts are cheap talk, (as in: they are just unreliable calculations)

Making a new GCS sorta requires some sort of inspiration, and those are the main 3, I'm tired of having no programmable or custom items/enemies/etc.

Also yes, ZZT, SZZT and MZX are seperate and outdated formats,

BUT:

if one person were to make a better, more combined GCS solution in a program, I'd be happy...

DO NOT SAY GAME MAKER, GAME FACTORY/KLIK/MMF OR SHITTY GAME CREATION SIMULATOR 4000 ;)

seriously.... don't
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by wcgcs »

Smilymzx wrote:How about implenting all ZZT, SuperZZT, and MZX features into one,

Additionally, Make built-ins editable and object based, WAV and OGG Music/Sounds, Editable Fonts with True-Color, and make objects size adjustable as well, as well as a standalone version for developers not savvy on the internet versions!

I'd do that, Then it'll be considered full-featured and near-final, i'd hope!

EDIT: Also, Like to have more than 255 Chars in one set!

EDIT2: The aspect must be smaller... 8x14 should be default, SuperZZT and this uses 2x mode (40 column text in SZZT) and it sucks!

EDIT3: The Filter must be changed or disabled, I do NOT like the filter used (No offense.)

I intend on making the enhanced oop langauge capable of creating all built-objects and actions.

I have also set the default mode back to 8x14 let me know what you think. You can toggle between the 2 modes with the 'Z' key.

Since it uses fonts rather than bitmaps it's completely unicode compatible and the #char command can reference any character within the unicode set. This is a dev tool and there are many options that can be passed to the js library such a font, char width and height, turning cloud based saving on/off etc.
For example loading the library in this way:

Code: Select all

<script src="http://webchars.com/lib/wc.js.php?font=monospace&CHARX=16&CHARY=28"></script>
would set the default font to monospace and the cell widthxheight to 16x28.
The 'F' key also allows font switching for testing purposes.

I am not sure which filter you are referring to. Can you please elaborate?
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by Smilymzx »

Website is down for now, Can't test!

Also, Could be a result of my Computer screen, Because it's specific on certain resolution types!
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by Commodore »

couldn't get it to work on my crappy laptop, but does seem to work fine on my samsung g3 mini. The FPS drops a lot between boards. And I couldn't figure out how to shoot instead of sword. Sometimes when I pressed the sword button nothing would happen, or it would take a couple of presses to make the sword happen.

Very interesting take, and it would be cool to see more.
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by wcgcs »

Commodore wrote:couldn't get it to work on my crappy laptop, but does seem to work fine on my samsung g3 mini. The FPS drops a lot between boards. And I couldn't figure out how to shoot instead of sword. Sometimes when I pressed the sword button nothing would happen, or it would take a couple of presses to make the sword happen.

Very interesting take, and it would be cool to see more.
Hey there, in order to switch actions you must push the 'A' key. It's a little awkward on mobile/touch screen right now as you must bring up the keyboard with the button beside the action button. Actions currently require a direction. So you must hold the action button with your right thumb and use the joystick with your left thumb to perform the action in that direction. The mobile interface is still being designed and switching actions will probably be moved to some type of multi-touch gesture.

Each board is really an html page and switching boards is like navigating to a new page in the web browser. There will be a delay as I'm currently hosting on my home internet and it's not the fastest.

PS: What is the browser/OS used on the laptop?
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by Commodore »

I use linux running opera. Unfortunately it's a very stripped down linux I put on my computer to save a virus crippled WinXP, and there is no utility to update my browser. So HTML 5 support on it is about two years old. (no WebGL, etc) A nice reminder that I should do something about that though...

I would consider, moving stuff like world selection and the editor into a menu, but I suppose the virtual keyboard would still be important if you use the editor. Maybe make it a little bigger, don't know what it looks like on a tablet, but it's tough to hit the right letter on a phone, granted I have a phone with a smaller than average screen.
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by wcgcs »

Commodore wrote:I use linux running opera. Unfortunately it's a very stripped down linux I put on my computer to save a virus crippled WinXP, and there is no utility to update my browser. So HTML 5 support on it is about two years old. (no WebGL, etc) A nice reminder that I should do something about that though...
Commodore wrote:I would consider, moving stuff like world selection and the editor into a menu, but I suppose the virtual keyboard would still be important if you use the editor. Maybe make it a little bigger, don't know what it looks like on a tablet, but it's tough to hit the right letter on a phone, granted I have a phone with a smaller than average screen.
The built in keyboard functions nicely on a tablet but I agree it's not very intuitive on a phone. My mobile target for testing is the iPad. As much as i disagree with many of iOS policies (locked into the App Store, no filesystem access, not allowed to interpret third party code, no external sd card) the hardware/software just cannot be beat. I may have to come up with an alternative interface for smaller screen mobile devices.

I think both Chrome and Firefox are available for Linux.

Edit:
I'll turn the keyboard button into a slide up menu similar to Android's pull down notification menu. Gracias Commodore!
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by bitbot »

is it gOING TO BE BACKWADRS COMAPTIBLE???? LoL! :zzt:


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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by Appetite4 »

Interesting platform idea. But lord almighty, is it slow. I was using Firefox with a high-end PC at 1280x1024 resolution, and the lag was horrible even when there was only prefab stuff in the board.

Maybe the resolution is part of the problem? If there is a way to reduce it, please let us know. My own project is being tested in a 640x400 window, which matches the 8x16 native resolution for ZZT 3.2.
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Performance issues

Post by Appetite4 »

Just tried it out on IE. Same issues with lag, but it did a bit better when I shrunk the browser window.

The idea of loading a new page to load a board is probably not going to work. You currently have an extremely long delay before the transition takes place (5 seconds+).

When I navigated to the hidden area in the armory in Town, the FPS dropped to 6--I kid you not. There is only a single stat in the whole board!

Are all pushables represented by status elements now? That would raise the total to about 1,000.
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Re: Working on a new HTML5 GCS

Post by wcgcs »

Appetite4 wrote:Interesting platform idea. But lord almighty, is it slow. I was using Firefox with a high-end PC at 1280x1024 resolution, and the lag was horrible even when there was only prefab stuff in the board.

Maybe the resolution is part of the problem? If there is a way to reduce it, please let us know. My own project is being tested in a 640x400 window, which matches the 8x16 native resolution for ZZT 3.2.
Yes resolution and scaling are some of the parameters that can be passed into the library.

http://webchars.com/?scale=0&rezWidth=480&rezHeight=400

That will disable scaling and set resolution to 480x400.
Let me know if that improves the framerate.
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Re: Performance issues

Post by Commodore »

Appetite4 wrote:The idea of loading a new page to load a board is probably not going to work. You currently have an extremely long delay before the transition takes place (5 seconds+).
Honestly I sort of like the idea so long as it was served faster. It invites the possibility that you could post a link to a game in medias res.
When I navigated to the hidden area in the armory in Town, the FPS dropped to 6--I kid you not. There is only a single stat in the whole board!
I did visit any dark boards, but maybe a darkness issue?
EDIT: I can't remember if that board is dark, so I went to play the original to verify, and on two computers it's flimsy's version of town instead. D:
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