From 0d7950a1e1d228e4c74e9633814ebceb5f88f7e1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Zed A. Shaw" Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2025 21:53:00 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] Announce move. --- README.md | 181 +----------------------------------------------------- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 180 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index dcc92aa..b830adc 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,182 +1,3 @@ # An Homage to Rogue -When I was a kid I played a game that used only text characters in a terminal called [Rogue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_(video_game). This game ran in my little MSDOS computer using only the ASCII characters the computer supported. No graphics and I think no sound but I can't remember. Despite this very low quality graphical experience the game delivered an amazing game experience. Even today the term "roguelike" denotes certain qualities that come from the original _Rogue_: - -* Dying is permanent but each time you restart you'll retain some previous skills or equipment so the next run is easier. -* However, it's only easier to the point where you previously died, as each level through the dungeon gets more and more difficult. -* A randomly generated world (dungeon) that features a new experience every time. -* A focus on mechanics rather than graphics, but creative use of the limited graphical characters to make the game playable. -* This lack of graphics weirdly makes the game _more_ imaginative because you have to fill in what's going on with your own imagination, similar to a game of Dungeons and Dragons. - -This is why I chose Rogue as the basis for my first actual game in C++. - -## A "Classical" Game Development Education - -In the world of art there's a concept of a "classical education," which means you learn to paint and -draw using old methods meant to teach a realistic style. These methods are hundreds--maybe even -thousands--of years old and work very well...assuming you have the patience. Learning to paint and -draw like this is almost an art history lesson since not many people do art using these techniques -anymore. - -I'm planning to do my study of game development in the same way by making games in historic order. -Rather than run off and start using Unreal Engine immediately I'm going to make an homage to each -kind of game I played when I was younger. Each game I make will hopefully teach me both the history -of Game Development and also a technique that's either very useful or long forgotten. - -My little Rogue game is the first entry in this series. - -## It's Not 1980 Anymore - -My goal is to maintain the constraint of "Text Only, but not Terminal Only." What I mean by this is -I'll use only text glyphs for the graphics in the game but I won't restrict myself to the textual -grid, layout, or traditional Terminal constraints. I'm rendering these characters using modern -graphics capabilities that allow me to create a more fun experience. - -For example, I code the whole UI in a Terminal UI (TUI) library named [FTXUI](https://github.com/ArthurSonzogni/FTXUI) but I render the ANSI terminal output of FTXUI into an [SFML](https://www.sfml-dev.org/) window using an [ANSI Code Parser](https://git.learnjsthehardway.com/learn-code-the-hard-way/roguish/src/branch/main/ansi_parser.rl) that renders to a [Render Pipeline](https://git.learnjsthehardway.com/learn-code-the-hard-way/roguish/src/branch/main/render.cpp). This lets me render full Text UIs at one scale while rendering the map in a different scale and allow zooming. - -I also use a full true color encoding so I can implement things like lighting effects and complex -color changes. I even have sounds, simple camera shake effects when you take damage, and other -things found in top-down games. - -In addition to that, I'm not limited to _one character per cell_. Since I'm only treating -characters as sprites I'm actually able to layer them in the same cell, so I can show weapons being -held, damage effects, and other changes using character on the player or other entities. - -## Why Not Just Use Pixel Art? - -I mean...I am...it just looks like text. An Homage doesn't mean you copy something exactly. It -means you create something that's your own, but references or takes things from another artist's -work. It's a respectful copy that doesn't really steal but instead pays respects to those who came -before while still creating something new for the future. - -In my game I'm using the constraint of "Text Only, not Terminal Only" to give me an artistic -constraint and to keep the game an homage to all the Rogues that came before. - -But also, I mean c'mon folks, it's 2025. We do have sound now. - -## Where's the LICENSE? - -You don't need a LICENSE that gives everything away to thieving corporations just to publish your -works online. Nobody makes artists, musicians, painters, photographers, or sculptors get a license -before posting online, so why do programmers need one? You worried you'll get sued? Ok, so just put -a disclaimer but why do you _also_ have to give your hard work away for anyone to steal and profit -from just so they don't sue you? - -You don't, and no matter what the OSI says, nobody can sue you if they steal your code and cause a -plane to crash. _They_ would get sued for stealing your code and putting it in a plane, not you. -Requiring _only_ programmers to release their code with a license to avoid lawsuits creates a -[Chilling Effect](https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/chilling-effect-overview) on programmer free speech and that violates the First Amendment. - -So this code isn't licensed, it's copyright by default. I'm publishing it using my free speech -rights to express myself and that means you can look at it the same as if I posted a painting or an -essay on my blog. I obviously can't sue you for just looking at it and playing the game because I -published it so you can, but _that doesn't mean you own shit._ You can't resell it, fork it, -nothing. - -Just grab the code and play it. That's it. Tell people about it. Fair use says you can even record -videos reviewing it and talking about it. - -See? That's how Free Speech works. You don't need a LICENSE. - -## Build Instructions - -On all platforms you'll need these components: - -* [Meson](https://mesonbuild.com/) -- which needs Python. -* C++ Compiler -- Tested with Clang and G++. You can use my [C++ Setup Guide](https://learncodethehardway.com/courses/learn-cpp-the-hard-way/1-the-basics/01-gearing-up/) which features an automated installer for Windows. -* [GNU make](https://www.gnu.org/software/make/) -- For the convenience Makefile. On Windows you should have this if you used my setup scripts. Otherwise `winget install ezwinports.make` will set you up. -* [git](https://git-scm.com/) -- Which should be on almost every platform, and is installed by default with my Windows setup scripts. - -### Windows Instructions - -I primarily develop in Windows using the above setup, so this should work the best. Open [Windows -Terminal](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal) and run these commands _one at a time_. Don't -copy-past bomb this: - -```shell -git clone https://git.learnjsthehardway.com/learn-code-the-hard-way/roguish.git - -cd roguish - -# ignore the errors the first time -./scripts/reset_build.ps1 - -# first compile takes a while -make - -# this copies the binary so you can run it -make run -``` - -After that the game should be running. It'll be in different states depending on how far I've -pushed it, but you should at least have two enemies, some loot that gives you a better torch, and a -room with a light in it. Go find them. - -## Linux and OSX - -Linux and OSX have the same requirements as Windows and almost the same install steps. The only -difference is that once you get your developer tools installed then you only need [Meson](https://mesonbuild.com/). Linux and OSX should have everything else you need or there's a package for it. - -Once you have that installed you can run these commands: - -```shell -git clone https://git.learnjsthehardway.com/learn-code-the-hard-way/roguish.git - -cd roguish - -# ignore the errors the first time -./scripts/reset_build.sh - -# first compile takes a while -make - -./builddir/roguish -``` - -You don't need `make run` because Linux and OSX are sane operating systems that don't lock every -damn thing a process touches. - -### Other Platforms - -No testing done on other platforms but let me know if you get it to build somewhere fun and I'll -mention it. - -## Development Guide - -You can look in the `status.txt` file for my informal TODO list of things to fix and make. I'm not -really accepting contributions from others, but if you want to follow along then that's what I'm -doing. - -If you're just starting out in C++ or programming then the project is designed to be readable by -someone who knows very little. Every file is small and should be easy to read. I don't use any -insane tricks or weird C++ idioms. I also try to avoid too many external libraries so I'll use -plain old [std::vector]() and [std::unordered_map]() rather than external libraries that might be -faster. This is done _on purpose_ so people (myself included) can learn about the basics of C++ and -the STL. - -I also don't do a lot of performance tuning or obsession over _THE CACHE_. Clean, simple, readable -code is more important than squeezing 4% performance out of the code. I do however attempt to -design things so that it doesn't do useless work because the fastest thing you can do in a computer -is nothing. If I can architect away a performance issue and not make the code too complex then I'll -do that instead. - -That means if you have a suggestion for a micro-benchmark improvement that will dramatically boost -performance, but the code is convoluted and hard to understand, then it won't work. If your -suggestion is interesting and provides a massive boost then let me know and I'll check it out. But, -I would also like statistics that show it's better, not just your word. - - -## Known Bugs - -* Map Generation isn't refined enough so sometimes it makes a map with no path out. Just start it - again. - -Look in `status.txt` for more bugs that aren't as major as this. - -## OSX Build Notes - -* Quite a bad experience. Need to install Python, cmake, meson, and ninja all which are in homebrew but if you don't use homebrew then this is a problem. -* You need to run the .command script in Application/your python that updates the SSL certs. -* You have to give iTerm access to your keystrokes...because wtf it already has them? -* This points out a problem that I'm getting the keys using FTXUI but should either get them from SFML _or_ connect FTXUI to SFML's keyboard input events instead. -* No actually this first run delay seems to be related to the security feature that blocks keyboard access on iTerm, so probably fixing that would speed it up. +Archived. Moved to https://git.zedshaw.games/games/roguish