Programmers:

• Chris Mabee: Sound, Game Engine, Project Coordination, Administrator of Punishment
• Eric Harter: Graphical Interface, Sprite Animation, Humor
• Jim Moawad: Network, Computer AI, Costume Design
• Kim Odum: Intro, Statistics Processing, Counterintelligence

Game Overview:

With new 3D games pushing the envelope of your computer’s powers, and complex algorithms chewing up processing time, too many games try to substitute flashy graphics for their lack of gameplay. A good plot and solid, user-friendly gameplay help to capture a user’s interests and create memorable games. In the games of days past, few rival The Legend of Zelda in plot, gameplay and overall enjoyment. The graphical capabilities of Zelda are now more advanced than ever. Just imagine the same, thought-capturing plot combined with the graphic capabilities of today. In Link’s Lost Quest, we have combined these elements into one explosive action –adventure RPG.

In Link’s Lost Quest, we will take the game format from Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda, and expand it using the knowledge we have gained from ECE 291. The game will incorporate 320*200 graphics using 256 colors, utilizing parallax scrolling, sprite animation, palette effects, and PCX imaging. Midi sound and digital effects will add to the experience of gameplay, while Enemy AI, and Multiplayer options will create an intense action environment.

Screen Shots:

Here are a couple screen shots from our finalized game:

         

Implementation:

The game will be entered using a batch file that installs Midpak before entering the game. The user will be greeted by a brief introduction, and will become acquainted with the story line through a brief cut-scene. From then the user is taken to the main game menu, where he or she will be able to choose from a variety of options including single-player, networked multi-player, settings, and instructions. The menu will also include load and save features to continue previous games. If the player chooses to enter a game he/she will be transported into Link’s world to fight the bad-guys and triumph for good. From here there are three basic ways that a user can exit the game. The player can win the game, get killed by enemies, or leave voluntarily. Winning the game or dying pitifully displays the appropriate sequence. Leaving voluntarily will cause the user to be prompted by the computer with yet another menu. From this menu the user can select to save, load, or exit the game. As the game exits the user will be treated to the credits as our names scroll off of the screen.

Variables, Segments, and the Such…

Segments:

VIDSEG: Video segment, 0A00h used to output video data to screen

MIDISEG: Holds MIDI file data for use by Midpak

SBSEG: Screen buffer holding video data to go to the screen

TEXTSEG: Holds the textures for the current map

SCRSEG: Scratch segment used in several applications

Variables:

PaletteArr: Holds the next palette to be transferred

ScPaleArr: Used for palettes that need to be altered

CmpPalAr: Holds palette array for comparisons

SavArr: Saved video data used in sprite animation

RedVal: Red Value of selected palette entry

BlueVal: Blue Value of selected palette entry

GreenVal: Green Value of selected palette entry

MidiSize: Size of current MIDI file

RandVal: Original seed for random value generator

Exit_Flag: Set if ESC is pressed

UpButton: Set if up arrow is pressed

DownButton: Set if down arrow is pressed

LeftButton: Set if left arrow is pressed

RightButton: Set if right arrow is pressed

AttackButton: Set if CTRL button is pressed

MenuButton: Set if F1 is pressed

Player_X: X coordinate of player

Player_Y: Y coordinate of player

Facing: Direction the character is facing

Health: Amount of player health

Rupees: Money player has in possetion

Item1: Item in inventory 1

Item2: Item in inventory 2

Armor_Power: Current strength of Armor

Weapon_Power: Current Strength of weapon

MapData: Offset of map array data

MapSize: Current Size of Map

Map#Size: Size of map at #

Map#Start: starting coordinates for Link in map #

Next_X: Prospective X and Y positions of player after next move

Next_Y:

Monster_X: X and Y coordinates of selected monster

Monster_Y:

Lookup Tables:

TextNumLook: Lookup table for map texture offset

MenuLookup: Offsets for Menu PCX file

Procedures:

Main Loop: Programmer - Chris Mabee

• Calls Intro Sequence
• Calls Menu
• Sets up game data for first map
• Executes main game loop logic
• Calls Exit Sequence
• Exits to DOS

WaitVrt – Written by Chris Mabee

• Waits for the vertical refresh to finish
• No inputs or outputs
• Calls Nothing
• Notes: Reduces Screen Flicker and "Snow"

GetPalette – Written by Chris Mabee

• Moves the Palette into a specified array
• Inputs:
• DX = Offset of Array to read palette into
• PaletteArr = array the palette is loaded into from load PCX
• Outputs:
• The selected array with the new palette data written into it
• Calls Nothing

SetPalette – Written by Chris Mabee

• Fills the Palette with the palette information in Parray
• Inputs:
• PaletteArr = palette to be moved to computer palette
• Outputs:
• Palette
• Calls Nothing

Fade(Black/Red/White)

• Fades the Palette to red black or white
• Input:
• ScPaleArr = palette to be changed while fading
• Output:
• Palette
• Calls: SetPalette

FadeToPCX

• Fades to the given PCX palette
• Inputs:
• Palette
• CmpPalAr = Palette to fade to
• Outputs:
• Palette
• Calls: SetPalette

LoadPCX

• loads the PCX data into the a given buffer and the palette information into PaletteArr
• Inputs:
• DX = offset of PCX file in memory
• AX = Segment to write to
• Outputs:
• Buffer with uncompressed data
• PaletteArr with palette information
• Calls Nothing

ShowScreenBuffer

• Outputs the contents of ScreenBuffer to the VIDSEG
• Inputs
• ScreenBuffer
• Outputs
• Graphics to screen
• Calls: Nothing

DrawSprite

• Draws a Sprite to a location on ScreenBuffer
• Inputs:
• AX = which sprite to draw
• DX = location at which to draw the sprite
• Outputs:
• ScreenBuffer with sprite added
• Calls: Nothing

 GetUnderSprit

• Gets the video data under where the sprite is going to be placed, used in animation
• Inputs:
• DX = Location where the sprite is to be drawn
• Outputs
• SaveArr = array to keep saved data
• Calls Nothing

UpdateScreen – Programmer Kim Odum

• Updates statistics on screen
• Inputs:
• Rupees
• Health
• Item1
• Item2
• Outputs:
• Changes screen to reflect the interactions of the game
• Calls: ShowScreenBuffer

IntroSeq – Programmer Kim Odum

• Plays the Intro sequence
• Inputs:
• None
• Outputs:
• Sequence
• Calls: All fade palette routines, LoadPCX, ShowScreenBuffer, GetPalette, SetPalette

EndingSeg – Programmer Kim Odum

• Plays a selected ending Sequence
• Inputs:
• AX = number of sequence to play
• Outputs:
• Selected sequence
• Calls: All fade palette routines, LoadPCX, ShowScreenBuffer, GetPalette, SetPalette

Game Engine Functions: Main Programmer – Chris Mabee

AnimLayer

• Responsible for animation of several layers for parallax scrolling
• Inputs:
• Buffers Holding Layers
• Layer Speed Information
• Outputs:
• Layers animated according to speed
• Calls: ShowScreenBuffer

SetUpGameData: Programmer - Kim Odum

• Loads Maps, sets variables for Player position, loads needed PCX files
• Inputs:
• Map#Size
• Map#Start
• Outputs:
• Player_X, Player_Y
• MapSize
• MapData
• Buffers containing PCX files
• Calls: LoadPCX

LoadGame

• Loads a saved game from selected file
• Inputs:
• AX = # of Saved game to load
• Save Game Files
• Outputs:
• Updated Game Statistics
• Calls: SetupGameData

SaveGame

• Saves a game to file
• Inputs:
• AX = # of game to save to
• Outputs:
• Game file with save data
• Calls: nothing

CalculateMovement

• Updates the character movement, direction, actions
• Inputs:
• Keystrokes
• Player_X
• Player_Y
• Facing
• Outputs:
• Player_X
• Player_Y
• Facing
• Calls: ProcessMovement

ProcessMovement

• Checks if a move is valid
• Inputs:
• Next_X
• Next_Y
• Outputs:
• AX = 1 if valid, 0 if not
• Calls: WorldValue

InstKey/NewKey/DeKey

• Installs and de-installs our new keyboard interrupt, scans for keypresses
• Inputs:
• Scan Codes
• Outputs:
• Updated movement Variables

WorldValue

• Gets the value of the MapArray at the X,Y position
• Inputs:
• Next_X,Next_Y = position in array to be checked
• Outputs
• AX = value at Next_X, Next_Y

Monster Functions: Main Programmer Jim Moawad

Converge

• Converges the monsters on the player
• Inputs:
• Player_X
• Player_Y
• Outputs:
• Monster_X
• Monster_Y

Idle

• Causes monsters to walk around aimlessly
• Inputs: None
• Outputs:
• Monster_X
• Monster_Y
• Calls: Random

Diverge

• Causes monsters to diverge from the players position
• Inputs:
• Player_X
• Player_Y
• Outputs:
• Monster_X
• Monster_Y

Attack

• Forces the monster to employ it’s attack
• Inputs:
• Player_X
• Player_Y
• Outputs:
• Attacking monster

ProbabilityFunction

• Calculates the probability of a monster performing one of the four above tasks, based on several variables including distance from player, monster facing, etc.
• Inputs:
• Player_X
• Player_Y
• Monster_X
• Monster_Y
• Outputs:
• The monsters behavior pattern
• Calls Attack, Diverge, Idle, Converge

SoundFunctions – Main Programmer Chris Mabee

LoadXMI

• Loads a XMI file into memory to be read by Midpak
• Inputs:
• DX = offset of file name in memory
• Outputs:
• MidiSeg = segment with midi data
• Calls: Nothing

RegisterMidi

• Registers a MIDI file with Midpak
• Inputs:
• MidiSize
• MidiSeg
• Outputs:
• File registered with Midpak

StartMidi

• Starts the loaded and registered MIDI file playing
• Inputs
• Registered MIDI file
• Outputs
• Audio

StopMidi

• Stops the currently playing MIDI file
• Outputs
• Dead Silence

PlayDigi

• Plays a digital source file, used for effects
• Inputs
• Digital file
• Outputs
• Sound Effect

Network Procedures – Main Programmer – Jim Moawad

GetOtherPlayerData

• obtains position and vital statistics of other player
• Inputs:
• None
• Outputs
• Other Player’s Data

SynchonizeGame

• synchronizes the game
• Outputs
• A synchronized game

SetMode

• Sets cooperative or deathmatch mode settings
• Inputs:
• Player choices
• Outputs:
• A cooperative or deathmatch game