[Release] thought i might try a pokemon game

[chrisp6825]

I'm not sure if this is so much a release, than a preview...
Anyways, I just started learning lua and made this.
It's my attempt to make a pokemon remake. I know that there are a lot of these out there, but I haven't found one that lets you trade with friends yet.

This is more for personal use and for friends when I finish, but I thought I might put it up here to see what other people thought about it.

here is the link:
preview : http://chrisp6825.googlepages.com/po...me-preview.rar
preview 2 : http://chrisp6825.googlepages.com/po...e-preview2.rar


I wrote more about it and me inside it and more about what I'm trying to do with this.

I don't want people to reply with things like "oh my god, stop making pokemon games" or "this sucks/blows"
If it sucks, then tell me why. Tell me what I can do to make it better and what you think is so bad about it.



what im working on right now : maps and tile sets for maps and objects
next :

debating between fight scene or talking to npc's.
read in-game signs.
in-game menu.
own at least one pokemon.
few pokemon stats (for the owned pokemon).

then release an alpha!
(note that I do realize that these next things will take a long time)


Anyways, ya... check it out.

[waywardson]

hmm i would suggest a spritesheet for the character :]]] that will make life easier for u

[chrisp6825]

what do you mean, sprite sheet? something like this?...

http://chrisp6825.googlepages.com/dp_npcs.png

oh, actually... i think i might know what you mean. like, put all of the sprites i used on that char. on one pic then load them through coordinates?

[waywardson]

yes all sprites on one sheet :] and you could blit them like so
screen:blit(player.x,play er.y,photo name here,[x coordinate,y coordinate,with,height])
so you would only need to load one picture for your character :]

[chrisp6825]

ohhh.. i never really thought of that. that should help in the long run if i get real far in this. thanks man, ill start on that next time i get a chance.

so what did you think about it? coming from someone who started learning this stuff like.. last friday...

[waywardson]

umm well...i think it still has a long way to go of course but good job considering you have just started...:]]
collision detection would be nice though :P
EDIT: also nice coding format lol... iv never had a proper teacher for this stufff lol just the internet so if u look at anything iv made its kinda sloppy haha ...

[chrisp6825]

thanks.
um ya.. well, im learning as i go and i only worked on this for about 5 days...
i actually just learned to make my guys legs move or "walk" haha. so ya..

but im prolly gonna work on that next. im thinking i need to make the grass, house, and other objects separate from each other. and add them in as their own objects?...

i havnt looked for any yet, but if you have any tips, or links to some good tutorials on the collisions, i would really like it.

thanks though for looking at what ive gotten so far. feed back is always good.

edit - haha, ya well ive never really commented on my code, in it. in class i usually just did the program, made it work and turn it in. so i got bad grades and eventually learned to do it. i also like the tabbing and stuff cause it helps me read it. i can tell when and where a if, for and function end.

[waywardson]

hmm it would be good i think to set them as their own objects with predefined characteristics so that when they are needed multiple times u could just call that object and everything will be set already :] ...
there are some good tutorials here:
http://www.evilmana.com/tutorials/lua_tutorial_12.php
that is a tut on collision

[chrisp6825]

ohh, box collisions... that stuff gets messy when your not messing with just squares...

luckily i am. haha. this will help though, thanks.

ill update this when i finish the collisions and you or someone can tell me what you think.

thanks for your help. gotta mod a friends psp then sleep now. later

[SG57]

If your using Pokemon RPG sized sprites, it honestly won't be noticeable if the collision is off a few pixels if you use BBC. But there may be a few exceptions where BBC is very noticeable (curvey path or circular arena or something I dunno). For those you can use a function something like this

function distance(a,b)
  return math.sqrt ( (b.x-a.x)^2 + (b.y-a.y)^2 )
end

function BoundingCircles (imageA, imageB)
  -- remove the comment on the line below this for bounding ellipse
  return (distance(imageA,imageB) <= imageA.width) -- or (distance(imageA,imageB) <= imageA.height)  -- or if both ellipses don't have corresponding radii, copy and paste the same thing, just replace the <= imageA.width and height with imageB.width and imageB.height
end

Not sure if my Lua syntax is correct or not, haven't used it in forever

We all hope for the best with this, but starting relatively big never ends well But still I wish you the best.

[chrisp6825]

ya. this seems like a big project but it isnt really, at least in my mind.

heres how i see the progress will go :

show a player
show a background or grass
move player
make collisions
make pokemon battle
make tall grass for wild pokemon

thats all i need for a small functional game. and im close to it...
then i plan on this :

some npc's
catch pokemon
(maybe a small, short story. like 2 gyms)
trade pokemon with npc's
trade pokemon through internet or router.

but thats all planned to come waaay later.


i dont plan on giving up on this. its mostly a time passer when im bored or feeling creative.

[Judas]

It may not seem like a big project, but it is. Wait until you get to the game mechanics. Exp Points, Stats, Level Up, etc. And don't forget you have to plot all the Pokemon data for the Pokedex. I was going to make a Pokemon clone before, but realized that it would just be too much work to do alone.

[chrisp6825]

hmm.. ya good point. well, i still want to go as far as i can go. i might put the level and stats on that second part of the list.

for now, i just want a functioning game, that could be mistaken as a real pokemon game. then work from there.

i know it will be hard and long, but i dont plan on giving up. im not set on a certain time limit, and i do this in my spare time. so it will take a while but i dont see it as being a monster project.

[youresam]

Originally Posted by Judas

It may not seem like a big project, but it is. Wait until you get to the game mechanics. Exp Points, Stats, Level Up, etc. And don't forget you have to plot all the Pokemon data for the Pokedex. I was going to make a Pokemon clone before, but realized that it would just be too much work to do alone.

Not really, pokemon games are pretty easy to do. It's just lots of variables and a simple collision engine (I wouldn't recommend SG57's technique).
"Exp Points, Stats, Level Up, etc" can be held in a table of tables (where the parent table is the pokemon you currently have on you, and the child tables have the name, "Exp Points, Stats, Level Up, etc". Pokedex = same technique.

Seriously, simple stuff; even for new people.

[TurtlesPwn]

Took a bit of a look at your index.lua. Astounding.
It took you 41 lines to do this:

function math.round(n)
     return math.floor(n+0.5)
end

In 41 lines, you can make a simple game of space invaders.

Also, several of your other functions can be cut in size by many times. You've got the concepts of how to do things down very well, better than most pokemon games, but I'd recommend spending a few weeks just making very simple things (like space invaders - it can be done in the code of one of your functions for this) and get a feel for lua and how you can do various things before you dive into a big project. Just to show you that it really CAN be done, I made a quick space invaders concept game in 35 lines (haven't tested it yet but I doubt there are any huge flaws):

player,enemies,enemyImg,bullet,level,gameover = {x=0,y=239,w=32,h=32,img=Image.load("player.png")},{},Image.load("enemy.png"),{x=player.x+16,y=player.y,w=1,h=1,firing=false,s=10},1,false
function collision(ob1,ob2)
	return (ob1.x + ob1.w > ob2.x) and (ob1.x < ob2.x + ob2.w) and (ob1.y + ob1.h > ob2.y) and (ob1.y < ob2.y + ob2.h)
end
while not gameover do
	screen:clear()
	screen:blit(player.x,239,player.img)
	for i = 1, table.getn(enemies) do
		screen:blit(enemies[i].x,enemies[i].y,enemyImg)
		if enemies[i].y > 239 or collision(enemies[i],player) then gameover = true end
		enemies[i].y = enemies[i].y+0.02*level
		if collision(enemies[i],bullet) then table.remove(enemies,i) break end
	end
	if bullet.firing then
		bullet.y = bullet.y-bullet.s
		if bullet.y < 1 then bullet.firing = false end
	elseif pad:cross() then
		bullet.x = player.x+16
		bullet.y = player.y
		bullet.firing = true
	end
	if table.getn(enemies) < 1 then
		for i = 1,30 do table.insert(enemies,{x = (tonumber(string.sub(i-1,-1))+1)*32+48,y=math.ceil(i/10-1)*32,w=32,h=32} end
		level = level + 1
	end
	if pad:left() then
		player.x = player.x - 5
		if player.x < 0 then player.x = 0 end
	elseif pad:right() then
		player.x = player.x + 5
		if player.x > 448 then player.x = 448 end
	end
	screen.waitVblankStart()
	screen.flip()
end

[eldiablov]

damn... now thats 1337

[coolguy5678]

It will be pretty simple, provided you write and design the code well. At least, the code will be. It will take a long time to do all the pokemon, towns, story, moves, etc.

[Judas]

Originally Posted by youresam

Not really, pokemon games are pretty easy to do. It's just lots of variables and a simple collision engine (I wouldn't recommend SG57's technique).
"Exp Points, Stats, Level Up, etc" can be held in a table of tables (where the parent table is the pokemon you currently have on you, and the child tables have the name, "Exp Points, Stats, Level Up, etc". Pokedex = same technique.

Seriously, simple stuff; even for new people.

But if you want get it as close to the real game as possible, then it'll take some work. There's the stats of wild Pokemon, then there's owned Pokemon, traded Pokemon. Then, there's also six different types of experience levels. Some earn experience quicker than others, then some learn faster, but don't learn as much. Then there's also damage calculation based on the stats of both the opponent and owned Pokemon.

I'm not saying this stuff is difficult, but it's VERY VERY time consuming. Just for the original 151 Pokemon, it could take 200 hours of work to gather all the data that needs to be done.

Pokemon is a very complex RPG, and won't be finished in two months.
-= Double Post =-
I just looked at this code, and by the looks of it, you are NOT going about this the right way. There's so many things that you are doing to make things more difficult on yourself. I'm not saying their wrong, but they won't pay off in the long run. First thing you need to do, is get a basic tile engine down, because making each map a huge picture like that, will not only boost the file size, but make collision detecting a *****.

[youresam]

Originally Posted by Judas

it could take 200 hours of work to gather all the data that needs to be done.

Or just...2, if you set up your database right..

[Odd_Sam]

Originally Posted by Judas

But if you want get it as close to the real game as possible, then it'll take some work. There's the stats of wild Pokemon, then there's owned Pokemon, traded Pokemon. Then, there's also six different types of experience levels. Some earn experience quicker than others, then some learn faster, but don't learn as much. Then there's also damage calculation based on the stats of both the opponent and owned Pokemon.

I'm not saying this stuff is difficult, but it's VERY VERY time consuming. Just for the original 151 Pokemon, it could take 200 hours of work to gather all the data that needs to be done.

Pokemon is a very complex RPG, and won't be finished in two months.
-= Double Post =-
I just looked at this code, and by the looks of it, you are NOT going about this the right way. There's so many things that you are doing to make things more difficult on yourself. I'm not saying their wrong, but they won't pay off in the long run. First thing you need to do, is get a basic tile engine down, because making each map a huge picture like that, will not only boost the file size, but make collision detecting a *****.

That's a large reason you see games as complex as pokemon with hundreds of people who helped make the game in someway... I mean god sometimes it took them 1-2 years to make a new version of pokemon. I'm not trying to sound discouraging .... just doubtful that one person could get a project like this close to the original game... but anyways Good Luck

[chrisp6825]

Originally Posted by TurtlesPwn

Took a bit of a look at your index.lua. Astounding.
It took you 41 lines to do this:

function math.round(n)
     return math.floor(n+0.5)
end

well, i was having problems with some rounding function i found. plus, yours only rounds up. like, if i had put "Math.round(4.25)" then it would return 5, not 4.

but i found other that rounded up and down but for an odd reason they wernt rounding to a whole number, so i took a cheap way out cause i didnt want to bother with it then.

i went back and fixed it now to something better that works now, tho.
and, if you read my comments in the code, it says " if you want to criticize me, then read my about me" which says "I'm still learning all the functions, shortcuts, and limitations of psp lua, so I might have done some wrong things in here."

[michaelp]

He's just trying to help. And poke a little fun at you.

[chrisp6825]

Originally Posted by Judas

But if you want get it as close to the real game as possible, then it'll take some work. There's the stats of wild Pokemon, then there's owned Pokemon, traded Pokemon. Then, there's also six different types of experience levels. Some earn experience quicker than others, then some learn faster, but don't learn as much. Then there's also damage calculation based on the stats of both the opponent and owned Pokemon.

I'm not saying this stuff is difficult, but it's VERY VERY time consuming. Just for the original 151 Pokemon, it could take 200 hours of work to gather all the data that needs to be done.

Pokemon is a very complex RPG, and won't be finished in two months.
-= Double Post =-
I just looked at this code, and by the looks of it, you are NOT going about this the right way. There's so many things that you are doing to make things more difficult on yourself. I'm not saying their wrong, but they won't pay off in the long run. First thing you need to do, is get a basic tile engine down, because making each map a huge picture like that, will not only boost the file size, but make collision detecting a *****.

You make some very good points, but look...
I released this to see what some people thought of it. Like, the idea, how would they like it if i could try to do multiplayer, and how good they thought it was considering it that I just started learning this a week ago.

When I work on this, I ALWAYS have to go back and change things. Either cause I found something stupid I did (like the big map picture) or cause I found an easier, less problematic way of doing it.

The big map picture was just to see what it would look like when you moved around. I didnt want to test and see my guy walking over a black world, so i pasted a quick picture of a town to see it.

Of course im going to do tiles, duh. but I was working on getting my guy to have the "walking" animation before I did the tiles and collisions. And I also know that I could make a tile set of my guy walking instead of 20 pics in different folders and loading each of them. Im working on that too.

I uploaded this right after I found out, and finished making my guy do the walking animation. Soon, im going to learn collisions and put SMALL ones in and see how it goes.

Ill also put a list of what im going to do on this on the first post. As in, what I know how to do and what part of it im working on. right now at this moment I dont know how to do collisions but i should know about an hour from now, if i work on it tonight.


If you doubt me, good. move on, find another game to wait for and play. im not making this for other people on this site. im making it as a learning tool, and for friends around me with psp's. i thought id upload it so yall could help me, give me tips, and when its playable other people on the internet can check it out too.
But if your going to put me down, discourage me, and talk bad about it then leave. dont reply or comment on it. im not saying that you put me down, judas. but your not helping either. I know that it can be a BIG project, and theres tons to do. but baby steps.

You can have a "functioning pokemon game" without so much detail into the battles, stats, and stuff like that. it wont be so fun, but im not going to work on that right away.

I see it like this...
i make a game where you walk around. you have boundaries, objects, and "people". you cant talk to them, yet. you can go into houses, and walk in grass.
then next release or checkpoint you have random wild pokemon and a battle scene
next, talking npc's, SOME stats, few items and maybe catching.

but this is all way later, i still need collisions, and to make tile sets.
this is all spare time too, so im not worrying much about it.

i know my code is messy, "noobish", and there are way better ways to do some things, but im new. im still learning as i go.
instead of say "wow, you did way too much to do just this" or "thats a horrible way to do this" help me out. give me an example and tell me about it.

anyways, this post is turning into a book and im tired of typing. so... ya..

[slicer4ever]

usually when people said "wow, you did way too much to do just this" or "thats a horrible way to do this", from what i read on this thread they tended to give u examples as well

[chrisp6825]

Originally Posted by slicer4ever

usually when people said "wow, you did way too much to do just this" or "thats a horrible way to do this", from what i read on this thread they tended to give u examples as well

i know, i was just saying that. and i think i started getting mixed up with another place i was getting tips from where someone else was doing that. i didnt mean to put anyone off, im tired and just got home. i got on here and there a few post doubting me and saying i was doing somethings wrong.
i just wanted to let everyone im new and know that a lot of things are wrong.

no hard feelings, i hope?

[slicer4ever]

chris you'll always get doubters but if you see it through than you well have the self-satisfaction that you just one-upd those doubters

[TurtlesPwn]

Originally Posted by chrisp6825

well, i was having problems with some rounding function i found. plus, yours only rounds up. like, if i had put "Math.round(4.25)" then it would return 5, not 4.

math.floor basically cuts off the decimal point. Let me show you examples:

math.round(1)
cut the decimal off 1.5 - 1
math.round(4.25)
cut the decimal off 4.75 - 4
math.round(4.75)
cut the decimal off 5.25 - 5
math.round(1.5)
cut the decimal off 2 - 2
math.round(1.49)
cut the decimal off 1.99 - 1

It works just fine.

[Judas]

Originally Posted by youresam

Or just...2, if you set up your database right..

Maybe you have a better way than I do. I've thought about doing this before, but after realizing all the work, I knew I couldn't do it alone. As someone above me posted, the original game took hundreds of hours of work by several dozen people to create, and a clone of it won't be done it a few days. But I'm no expert, so prove me wrong.

And to the original poster, I an NOT doubting you. I hope you do come through. I'm just saying, that this project is a lot bigger than you think, and you're going to have to put a lot of time into it.

[chrisp6825]

Originally Posted by TurtlesPwn

math.floor basically cuts off the decimal point. Let me show you examples:

math.round(1)
cut the decimal off 1.5 - 1
math.round(4.25)
cut the decimal off 4.75 - 4
math.round(4.75)
cut the decimal off 5.25 - 5
math.round(1.5)
cut the decimal off 2 - 2
math.round(1.49)
cut the decimal off 1.99 - 1

It works just fine.

oh ok, i see it. so if the decimal is big enough to go up another whole number after adding .5 to it, then it would take the decimal off and return the new whole number. but if its not, then it would just cut the decimal off and return the original whole number. i see.
well i fixed my rounding function anyways today, thanks though.


i was wondering though, could anyone help me out on the player tilesets? im going to put all of the pictures of my guy onto one file, then load the whole file and assign different parts of it to variables.

like, say my guy facing right is at (20,0) of the pic and is (19,30) wide and tall.
could i make a new image that just has the part of the image from those dimensions? i know you can blit images like that, but i have to make variables like player.standing.right.wid th and player.standing.right.x when ever i blit it.

hope that makes any sense.

to judas :
ok. i know this is going to take a long while. but its just something im doing as a pass time and not worried about how long it takes at all. i do know how big this can get but im not going to let it over come me.
i have a bit of ocd and i tend to not stop on things. when i was in my comp sci class learning java, if i didnt finish a project on time i would still at least finish it. even if my teacher told me it wouldnt matter to my grade if i did or not, i just could not go on knowing that i had something unfinished. so, it will take me time, but i wont worry about how long it takes. just as long as i finish it eventually. thanks for not doubting me though.


-= Double Post =-
cool, i figured out the character sheet. i just needed to know how to blit onto images, then blit that image.

right now im making the character sheet and making the functions to make it animate again. next will come map tile sheets.
first will be grasses then some houses.
after i have 1 or 2 houses ill try out collisions.

but now, i need to sleep.

[youresam]

Originally Posted by Judas

Maybe you have a better way than I do. I've thought about doing this before, but after realizing all the work, I knew I couldn't do it alone. As someone above me posted, the original game took hundreds of hours of work by several dozen people to create, and a clone of it won't be done it a few days. But I'm no expert, so prove me wrong.

You have to put into account the fact that they have to work on the GameBoy hardware in a low-level programming language; this game is in Lua for the PSP, making it hundreds of times easier.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by chrisp6825

oh ok, i see it. so if the decimal is big enough to go up another whole number after adding .5 to it, then it would take the decimal off and return the new whole number. but if its not, then it would just cut the decimal off and return the original whole number. i see.
well i fixed my rounding function anyways today, thanks though.

Yeah, easy way to think of floor() and ceil() is that floor() goes down the the "floor" of the number, and ceil() goes up to the "ceiling" of the number.

floor(1) = 1
floor(1.1) = 1
floor(1.9) = 1
floor(2) = 2

ceil(1) = 1
ceil(1.1) = 2
ceil(1.9) = 2
ceil(2) = 2