[Developing] Square Craft [Alpha 0.1]

Welcome to this year's worst attempt at cloning minecraft/terraria.

Info:
This all started out and currently is a college assignment, the task itself was to make a working 2D video game enviroment, using Game Maker 8. At the time we started I was heavily addicted to, and still am, Minecraft.
So, I thought why not make a clone, so I googled a huge ton of tutorials and got underway. I've currently not got a mark for the work, but it should be marked in a few weeks.
So, after doing this work, I'm going to decide to attempt to take it further, make it more than just a creative engine. I'll try to make a full free game of it. I say free because it won't become marketable standards I doubt. I'm hoping to have Survival and Creative like Minecraft itself, and maybe a few more modes, and things. Adding my own mobs and NPC types. Biomes, and block types. Everything. The only similarities I hope to have are: It's a Sandbox Game, Creative and Survival, Blocks like grass, dirt, stone, sand, cobble, water, lava, TNT and Ores.

Screens:


Alpha 2 Planning:


Releases:

March 2013
Alpha 0.1
-link here-

Pointers from:
Shadowrend
GMtutorials
Mojang (orignal Minecraft)
Catman (GMK Knowledge)

Controls:
Up/Left/Right - Jump/Movement
Left Click - Destroy
Right Click - Place

Notes:
This is a basic creative clone of minecraft in a 2D format.
Not the most original idea, but hey, it's a start.

At the moment all you can do is create mode.
I plan to add a survival mode, or make a second version for just survival.
Till then, creative.

Also, for a survival ... I need help.
If anyone has experience in GMK then please, contact me on:
Facebook: Varion Bluefire
Pokecommunity: Nintendork15
Rom Hackers Online: Varion
RHO Social: Nintendork15
Googl+: Varion Bluefire
Skype: varion.bluefire

Take your pick, I'm looking for someone who can help perfect a way to have stackable inventory, day and night system, items and block collection, and mobs.

Ideas for mobs and weapons tools and materials are welcome too.

I'm starting from scratch, the college period has ended for this project, so I'm no longer limited to Game Maker, after mulling it over, and having helpful suggestions and arguments, I've decided to try this in C++.
Of course, I'm actually gonna add more RPG/Story Elements to the game;

1. You spawn in a large blocky world with nothing on you, or no clue as to why you are there.
2. After punching things you over time gain resources such as; Earth, Wood, Stone. Etc.
3. Combining Resources allows you to make armour weapons and tools, you can even use the resources for shelter.
4. Adventuring around you'll notice dungeons, where you'll find
5. Monsters and Treasure, in the end they're both worth it, monsters will give a 25% chance of loot, and Treasure will be worth it.
6. They'll be bosses, you can bet your bum that, there's always bosses.
7. After defeating the boss, the nxt dungeon opens, you can use the treasure you found to brave the dungeon, or travel round collecting more resources and preparing for the dungeon.
8. Rinse and Repeat steps 5 -7 till a time where (story dependent) happens, and the final dungeon emerges.

So, here's how it would go, quick n easy Explore -> Collect -> Craft -> Fight -> Explore.

I'll get and add more ideas over time.

Excuse the cheap concept drawing.

Interesting When this progresses more i'll try it out.

This is a really good fan made remake of Minecraft! I will certainly watch any progresses!

pokemoner2500 said:

Interesting When this progresses more i'll try it out.

Click to expand...

Thanks.

Dradier234 said:

This is a really good fan made remake of Minecraft! I will certainly watch any progresses!

Click to expand...

Thanks, glad to have a watcher!

So far it looks pretty good, but I noticed that above your sand blocks, there's a sliver of the background visible. Is this deliberate or just an oddity that will be fixed?

Java's Missingno. said:

So far it looks pretty good, but I noticed that above your sand blocks, there's a sliver of the background visible. Is this deliberate or just an oddity that will be fixed?

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2D Alpha is no longer being workd upon.

But, that is caused by Game Maker's fault. The gravity functions removes -1 pixel at the bottom of a sprite/texture, causing it to fall into another block.

tried it out. Not bad but 2 things

1. Can you ignite TNT?
2. Can you make a progress list?

Nintendork15 said:

2D Alpha is no longer being workd upon.

Click to expand...

Ah; I was unclear on that, as you were saying you were no longer limited to Game Maker, but that could've meant you were still planning to create a 2D game.

pokemoner2500 said:

tried it out. Not bad but 2 things

1. Can you ignite TNT?
2. Can you make a progress list?

Click to expand...

Beta 1 is currently at 0%.
Since I'm still learning coding.

Java's Missingno. said:

Ah; I was unclear on that, as you were saying you were no longer limited to Game Maker, but that could've meant you were still planning to create a 2D game.

Click to expand...

I was gonna, but I feel 3D would be nicer. <3

Wait, so since you are doing this in 3d, are you going to make this game in first person?

Dradier234 said:

Wait, so since you are doing this in 3d, are you going to make this game in first person?

Click to expand...

Possibly like Minecraft, First person with the choice of Third as well.

Nintendork15 said:

I'm starting from scratch, the college period has ended for this project, so I'm no longer limited to Game Maker, after mulling it over, and having helpful suggestions and arguments, I've decided to try this in C++.

Click to expand...

That's a really bad idea. You can't learn C++ while making a game. C++ is one of the hardest languages and has many features that need to be learned to make an efficient game. If you told me you sucked at GameMaker 4 months ago, what makes you think that you can make a game using an even harder language?

GameMaker Studio 1.2 is supposed to come out within a month or two, and the source will be compiled to C++. It'll also come with shaders for making nice 3D effects. You should reconsider. You can even make 3D and online games in the free version.

DaSpirit said:

That's a really bad idea. You can't learn C++ while making a game. C++ is one of the hardest languages and has many features that need to be learned to make an efficient game. If you told me you sucked at GameMaker 4 months ago, what makes you think that you can make a game using an even harder language?

GameMaker Studio 1.2 is supposed to come out within a month or two, and the source will be compiled to C++. It'll also come with shaders for making nice 3D effects. You should reconsider. You can even make 3D and online games in the free version.

Click to expand...

From what I see, I'm getting the hang of C++. It's not too hard.

Ive been learning bits at college, and putting them into action at home.
A nice steady space, and patience and I'll get to where I want with my games.

I'm not being mean, but Game Maker or Game Maker Studio do not suit my fancy.

Nintendork15 said:

From what I see, I'm getting the hang of C++. It's not too hard.

Ive been learning bits at college, and putting them into action at home.
A nice steady space, and patience and I'll get to where I want with my games.

I'm not being mean, but Game Maker or Game Maker Studio do not suit my fancy.

Click to expand...

Why not? In C++: Have you mastered template meta-programming? Pointer arithmetic? Matrix algebra? Do you know how to compile and use libraries? Do you know how to tweak your compiler's settings. I mean, it's not impossible, but it's difficult. I'll be very impressed if you can make this in C++. I program in C++, but for games, I'd rather use GameMaker (although I can make games in C++). It's just not very practical.

I'm not trying to be mean. Just real. I've attempted moving onto C++ to make games, but I've never gotten past drawing rotated cubes. Making a good and optimized framework is very difficult.

DaSpirit said:

Why not? In C++: Have you mastered template meta-programming? Pointer arithmetic? Matrix algebra? Do you know how to compile and use libraries? Do you know how to tweak your compiler's settings. I mean, it's not impossible, but it's difficult. I'll be very impressed if you can make this in C++. I program in C++, but for games, I'd rather use GameMaker (although I can make games in C++). It's just not very practical.

I'm not trying to be mean. Just real. I've attempted moving onto C++ to make games, but I've never gotten past drawing rotated cubes. Making a good and optimized framework is very difficult.

Click to expand...

Like I said, I'm still learning.
So far I've moved from Game Maker, to Java, and now to C++
By suggestion of everyone who knows coding in each of those languages, it's not an offence to you, or me mad at you, but I'm not changing coding again, because something thinks I'll find it easier, or because someone says it's a dead language.

But hey, if it ''does'' get too difficult, I'll consider GM Studio.

I appreciate your comment, thank you for taking the time to read through this.

GameMaker is cancer along with VB.net, move on to c++ my friend, leave the evil behind and let .net purge your soul.

oxysoft said:

GameMaker is cancer along with VB.net, move on to c++ my friend, leave the evil behind and let .net purge your soul.

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It's everywhere I go, isn't it. -_-

I'm jumping between languages, seeing which is better.

Nintendork15 said:

It's everywhere I go, isn't it. -_-

I'm jumping between languages, seeing which is better.

Click to expand...

Only the insane use GameMaker games. GameMaker more of a toy I consider it.
If you're looking for a good language for game development, C++ is definitely a winner. C# is really good aswell and I love the features C# has.

There is some competition going on between C# and Java. I would not recommend Java for game programming as C# can do everything java can and can't do. The only things I really like about java that C# doesn't implement so well is live debugging (code hotswapping, in C# you gotta pause and resume rather) and cross-platform capabilities (C# has mono though which is starting to look quite nice from what I heard, never used it though)

However, there are many reasons why C# just beats Java on so many levels which I will be discussing here. Java new updates always bring so many libraries and so little language features. Java 7 has brought very little actual language features that are actually useful. Diamond operators are there just to save time, strings in switch statement could be done with if statements and is fairly slow from benchmarks I have seen online, try with resource saves time, etc.

On the other hand, C# has brought really useful features in every updates, features that Java is lacking. One of the bigger features that are really useful and that Java should of had a really long time ago are the following

1. Structs
Java not having them is actually a pretty big deal. Let's say in every iterations of your game loop, every entities have complex Vector2 calculations involving many Vector2 objects being created at every ticks. When the garbage collector goes off, there will be many Vector2 objects to get rid of and it will lag the game for a split second every time it is ran depending on how many Vector2 objects you are creating.

2. Events
Java has a really ****** workaround using Interfaces that is tedious and annoying I find. In C#, event dispatching is easily done using the Event keyword

3. Delegates
Java has a really non elegant way of doing this using Runnable, pretty stupid.

I could rent about how C# is better than Java for days but I guess you get the point. If you think Java is better than C#, then please, I would be interested in hearing what you have to say.

tl;dr C++ is best for game programming when you want to squeeze every bits of speed you want, C# is good too, C# ****s on Java

This is starting to get off-topic. It's supposed to be a game thread.