#85940 - Raventyr - Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:30 am
For anyone that doesn't know, Chaos was a strategy game on the ZX Spectrum, and although it was released in the 80's, it is still one of the best games ever. Julian Gollop went on to create many other games you might be familiar with, such as laser squad, and the X-com ufo series. There is a remake for the GBA, but I was wondering if anyone is going to try their hand at a DS remake ? The GBA remake has source available here : http://www.geocities.com/quirky_2k1/games/chaos/
The original rules and game can be seen here:
http://www.alt-tab.net/games/chaos/
There are numerous remakes for others systems, but I think the touchscreen, and multiplayer capabilities of the DS would make this golden oldie shine like never before.
#85947 - HtheB - Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:55 am
| Raventyr wrote: |
For anyone that doesn't know, Chaos was a strategy game on the ZX Spectrum, and although it was released in the 80's, it is still one of the best games ever. Julian Gollop went on to create many other games you might be familiar with, such as laser squad, and the X-com ufo series. There is a remake for the GBA, but I was wondering if anyone is going to try their hand at a DS remake ? The GBA remake has source available here : http://www.geocities.com/quirky_2k1/games/chaos/
The original rules and game can be seen here:
http://www.alt-tab.net/games/chaos/
There are numerous remakes for others systems, but I think the touchscreen, and multiplayer capabilities of the DS would make this golden oldie shine like never before. |
Yeah :) cool game :) good old days XD
#86157 - STAKED - Sun Jun 04, 2006 10:22 pm
CHAOS would make an amazing wifi game for the DS. This must be done!
#86174 - spacepirate - Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:16 am
Chaos is an awesome game. I'm no expert, but it looks like the source was written for Windows and GBA, with the Windows version having some networking (read: internet) functionality included. The code could probably be slimmed down a bit just by cutting out all of the Windows-related code. This seems like it could be fun to tool around with. Anyone interested?
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#86178 - The 9th Sage - Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:45 am
| STAKED wrote: |
| CHAOS would make an amazing wifi game for the DS. This must be done! |
You know, that would be pretty fun to play online. I used to play the GBA version quite a bit.
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#86236 - STAKED - Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:04 pm
Well even as a LAN style game rather than online it would be great. A room full of people playing CHAOS with each other via wifi would definitely be fun. ;)
#86249 - daninski - Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:56 pm
how many players do you think you could get up to online? maybe you could take the rules and apply them to a MMORPG on the ds with those basic graphic and lovely gameplay values. it'd take a tight old bit of design mind.
#86356 - Raventyr - Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:36 pm
The original version supports up to 8 players, computer controlled, or human. I think any more than that and games could go on for hours, har. Although it is one of my all time favourite games, there was one thing I didn't like about it, even though it couldn't be avoided... When playing against friends you would have to hide which keys you were pressing when asked "Illusion y/n ?", otherwise they would easily know which of your monsters were fakes and dispell them. The idea of playing against friends on seperate DS's, in the same room, or half way across the world is awesome.
I'm no programmer but I would love to do something to help this happen.
#86596 - spacepirate - Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:45 am
Any relatively capable programmers interested in this? I'm trying to build this with devkitARM but I am having some issues. PM me if you're interested in helping me or working on this a bit.
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#87750 - Raventyr - Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:04 pm
SpacePirate, are you still working on this ? Is anyone else interested ?
#87872 - spacepirate - Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:27 am
I'm not, I'm not capable enough, but I got a pm from a guy who might be interested.
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#88523 - bob_fossil - Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:20 pm
Hi,
OK, I downloaded Quirky's source for Chaos Advance and set about getting it to compile on the DS. I've got a version that runs on the DS in the loosest sense of the word. There's quite a bit I still need to do but it's recognisable. :)
http://i6.tinypic.com/14xcxn8.gif
This is my first go at writing code for the DS, so bear with me. Hopefully have something demonstrable soon.
Adam
#88582 - Raventyr - Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:28 pm
Nice work ! I know it's early days, but I wonder how difficult it would be to add touchscreen support and possibly wireless multiplayer.
#88589 - spacepirate - Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:07 pm
What did you have to do to make it compile for DS?
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#88626 - bob_fossil - Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:11 pm
@Raventyr
Yes, I'd like to use the touch screen for selecting things and maybe a virtual keyboard so you can enter wizards names as well. This should be do-able. No idea about implementing wireless multiplayer - the Windows version has code to do this but I don't know if the equivalent functions exist on the DS.
I'm looking to get the ChaosAdvance code running as well on the DS as it currently does on the GBA before adding the new stuff.
@spacepirate
Long story short, I took out all the GBA specific calls and wrote replacement routines that used the DS equivalents. I had to adopt the standard libnds makefile to build the ChaosAdvance source and link in the .pcx files for the graphics. It was a bit of a nightmare but I got there in the end. PM me if you need the gory details.
#88874 - bob_fossil - Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:53 pm
OK, I've put together a fairly stable version of my port of Quirky's Chaos Advance. Tested with Dualis and (eventually....) on an actual DS - only tried with an M3SD. Had to use START to run it from the M3 menu.
You can find it at http://home.clara.net/adamhodson/chaosds.zip .
Issues:
There may be a couple of graphical glitches - magic fire doesn't seem to be drawn or updated in the game.
Some of the sounds don't seem to play either.
Some of text in the game is drawn with a default colour of white, rather than the real colour. Let me know if you spot any of these.
Options dialog hasn't been fully tested or implemented yet.
That said though, the bigger screen on the DS means you don't need to scroll the board around anymore. :)
Cheers,
Adam
#88928 - Suiz - Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:02 am
Thanks, Adam - i'll test it in a minute.
May I also commend you on your taste in usernames. Cheese is a kind of meat; a tasty yellow beef!
#88990 - Raventyr - Thu Jun 22, 2006 6:45 pm
I can confirm that it works on supercard SD. I've only had a small test but so far almost everything is in order. Besides the things you pointed out I noticed that the attack/death sequences are not quite working, much like the fire. Awesome work, keep it up !
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#89608 - bob_fossil - Sun Jun 25, 2006 7:39 pm
Updated version at http://home.clara.net/adamhodson/chaosds-250606.zip
New:
- Implemented spell casting/fire/weapon drawing. Colours not right yet though.
- Use touch screen to:
- move cursor in examine board
- move cursor / select creatures in game
- highlight/select spells
- select options in the game menu
- OK messages
- Enter your name on player screen.
- Fixed some more text colours.
- Fixed Magic Knife graphic.
- Options screen shouldn't crash DS anymore.
- Fixed entering text for wizard's name.
- Fixed missing sounds.
- You can now change the wizard colour in the player screen.
- Current wizard selection wasn't shown on player screen.
Still broken:
- Sleep mode option doesn't work.
- Some text still not drawn in the correct colour - text drawn in white by default.
- Wizard death routine.
- End game / game drawn messages.
Touch screen is a bit flakey still - runs fine on the emulator but behaves differently on the DS. To highlight a spell / move the cursor just tap the stylus To select a spell or select the content of the cursor, hold the stylus down.
Adam
#89629 - Darkflame - Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:26 pm
Pretty darn fun already :)
I never played it before, odd how addictive it is.
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#89639 - Raventyr - Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:14 pm
In the spell select menu there is a bug with the text on the right side. If you scroll down the spells it will keep repeating the last spell on the right, until you reach the end of the list on the left. Touch screen is a little squiffy like you said, but really cool to have working. Keep it up bob, this is great stuff :uD
There seems to be a couple of spells missing, but i'm not sure if they were in the GBA version. I've played a lot and noticed 'gooey blob' or 'magic woods' haven't shown up in my spell list. I don't know how the game randomizes the spell lists, maybe i just haven't come across them yet. Do you know if they are in there ?
#89804 - Quirky - Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:28 pm
They're in the original remake ;-)
Well done on the port, BTW. I'm far too lazy to set up a DS coding environment, but if I can help out with anything give me a shout.
#89836 - bob_fossil - Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:35 pm
@Raventyr
I fixed that bug in the spell select screen. Forgot to check the d-pad controls still worked once I'd implemented spell selection via the touchscreen. As for the missing spells, well I have seen shadow wood, magic woods, magic fire and gooey blob on my travels. I'll check the random number code.
@Quirky
Well done to you for porting the z80 assembly to C. :) Ah, if you could see the state of your source code, you'd weep. :)
#89912 - Raventyr - Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:57 am
Thanks for releasing the source for your work quirky, this wouldn't be possible without it, at least not without coding from scratch. I'm really enjoying chaos on the ds, the touchscreen adds a new dimension of playability.
You and bob_fossil should join forces and do laser squad when chaos is finished ;u)
#90296 - diabolus - Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:51 am
Oh yes, Laser Squad with wifi multiplayer option would be the best!!
#91990 - bob_fossil - Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:45 pm
Small update at
http://home.clara.net/adamhodson/chaosds100706.zip
New:
- Up / down / right d-pad buttons now do the right thing in the spell select menu.
- Fixed some more text colours.
- Hopefully, touch screen input is a little bit more relible.
- Touch screen - works in 'DISMOUNT WIZARD' message.
- works in player select screen
- Fixed end game colour cycling.
- Cursor could go out of bounds if you tapped across the bottom of the screen.
Still broken: :)
- Creatures aren't highlighted at start of movement round.
- Sleep mode option doesn't work.
- Wizard death routine.
#92389 - Raventyr - Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:07 am
Coming along nicely bob. If anyone out there hasn't tried this yet, you need to !
#135147 - banjo_oz - Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:30 pm
Hi!
I know this is an OLD topic, but I'm hoping that Bob hasn't given up on this great port of a great game! I still love playing it, and am thankful to be able to do so now on my DS!
Here's hoping development continues on this port!
Cheers,
Banjo
#135192 - Quirky - Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:40 pm
I ported my own GBA code to the DS. Download it from here.
It implements everything from the GBA version, plus adds touch screen controls. Look out for a new version soon (or compile the svn code if you're impatient ;)) which makes use of both screens, adds a few new-old spells (new in the sense that they were not there before, old in the sense that they are the infamous unimplemented spells from Speccy Chaos) and "improves" the touch screen controls, adding another mode that requires less touches.
#135241 - banjo_oz - Sat Jul 21, 2007 6:42 am
Yay, Quirky! You're a hero! I'm off to download it now... and will eagerly await the upcoming next release! Thanks for doing this! :)