The Dink Network

Change the dink engine!!??

Look guys, it's been more than 20 years of that same old 8-bit graphics renderer.

Anyone willing to change it?
Something with easier scripting language to learn.

This is a sentimental 1997 obsolete. Just like 1999's "Id tech 3 engine" being modified a lot of times by Infinity Ward for their Call of Duty games. The modified engine, they dubbed it, IW Engine, 6.0 today.

Further modification of the Dink engine won't prove me wrong.
Replacement is the solution.

I agree that the engine should be improved(not changed) but i find the language pretty easy to learn.

At this point, I think you're right. What I just want is an upgrade for the graphics renderer, that supports 32 bit colors. And second, I want it to use .tga or.png. Hate .BMP so much!

you have no idea

the bitmap support sucks so hard

I'm starting to like this guy.

I wouldn't say to change it but rather extend it with new features. Both FreeDink and DinkHD provide some new stuff, but that ain't enough. We need something like how ZDoom extended modding capabilities for Doom after DeHackED appeared.

The same thing can be said to map editors.

I fully support this idea. Dink Smallwood VR or riot.

dink remake with all the planned content or riot.

and call it "smallwood" because thats what kinda naming we got these days and seth said something about not using the original name if we put dank on steam or gog.

I think replacing the engine with a modern one, especially the one which can support more than 16 million colors and can render 32 or 64 color depth,(that's insane!), and can support more than a hundred sprites, and a screen scrolling system like most modern RPG's have, will attract more gamers. You see, beautiful and complex graphics are a "must" in modern gaming. And I believe it is time to transit to the new age, "the 21st century Dink age", (modern Dink age). I mean, come on, this is outdated, and let's say sentimental.

Not offending it's original developers, Throughout the years, the Dink engine, with a lot of it's original (sentimental) code and materials have been used to make expansions for the original game however, I find that the preservation of this outdated technology is quite stubborn.

However, majority still takes the lead, and they stated that it needs improvement, not replacement. That's also a good point. How will the hundreds of dmods be supported if the engine changes too soon?

In order to absolutely confirm and prove that idea right, computer literate Dinkers must rewrite (modernize) some codes of the engine. Maybe just a bit of change for the graphics innovation, so that Dink will not look so retro in the future.

I'm not forcing, but if you want Dink to look (subjectively, according to most sources) embarrassing and retro in the future, then need not to prove that improvement is the solution.

No need for riot, guys, just suggesting an idea.

I'm still regretting my forum title, it should be "improve the dink engine".

Computer nerds and programmers must join this forum. (and disregard ducking stupid me)

Luckily the source code of the original 1.08 has been released, which led to the creation of FreeDink which uses SDL2 to recreate the game for modern systems and not being exclusive to Windows, without adding additional features besides turbo button (It's source code is also available).

However currently DinkHD seem to be surperior with a direct PNG support and features. While FreeDink lets you use it with a workaround, it does not support transparency and sadly, DinkHD is Windows exclusive and uses Seth's Proton API (Not to mistake with Valve's Proton)

@Exzcimus

Yeah... Change the engine, make new graphics, rewrite the whole damn thing. That's awful lot amount of work... For nothing.

or just let someone to make new graphics as a mod and just concentrate on extending the engine.

It worked for other source ports such as Quake2XP, Darkplaces, Doomsday etc.

Extend what? That gigantic mess that is DinkC? Not only it supports only integers, but you can't trust him to do two consequent basic math calculations without wait(1)... I've no idea how's that even possible...

In all honesty I think most new gamers are too full of shit to gravitate towards Dink. The ones who actually would are the ones who don't mind dated graphics anyway.

Besides, 'retro' is in fashion. I think more people would play a Dink game with its current 'old-school' presentation as opposed to a modern Dink, where they would just nitpick about the plot holes, absurd storyline, unresolved plot lines, simple combat, etc. etc... Some would probably forgive these issues in a 1997 game made by three people, but not in a modern game with modern graphics.

I'm sorry to sound so negative, but that's the way it is I guess. Gaming has changed a lot since when Dink came out.

Meanwhile kids are getting into Brutal Doom and don't care about the graphics because no other game lets you brutally finish your enemies off in many ways possible.

Srsly, just show this game to someone who is more into modern graphics and he'll play it anyways.

As you can see, the graphics will never be high in quality if the engine uses .bmp .ff and supports low color depths in the first place. So all your efforts in 3ds max and Photoshop are useless. Cheynj da end-jeeenn!!

DinkHD has a full PNG support, the problem is that all the map editors don't even let you use em.

try novashell

GOKUSSJ6, DinkHD isn't Windows exclusive. It's available on OSX, iOS, Android and the web. (A few other dead platforms too... WebOS anyone?)

Proton SDK works pretty much anywhere that SDL & OpenGL works, as Proton can use SDL/SDL2 as a subsystem if nothing more performant is available on that particular platform.

I'll be leaving this site temporarily.
I shall return soon, (depending on the internet connection).

Greetings! I have returned my fellow Dinkers!

I' m reviving this topic.

Now what? Change it or not?

@Exzcimus:

I think replacing the engine with a modern one, especially the one which can support more than 16 million colors and can render 32 or 64 color depth,(that's insane!), and can support more than a hundred sprites, and a screen scrolling system like most modern RPG's have, will attract more gamers. You see, beautiful and complex graphics are a "must" in modern gaming. And I believe it is time to transit to the new age, "the 21st century Dink age", (modern Dink age). I mean, come on, this is outdated, and let's say sentimental.
Human eyes cannot see the differences in 64 bit color depth.

However, majority still takes the lead, and they stated that it needs improvement, not replacement. That's also a good point. How will the hundreds of dmods be supported if the engine changes too soon?
Yes, it should be obvious that one of the Dink engine's main strengths is the high number of dmods it supports.

...the graphics will never be high in quality if the engine uses .bmp .ff and supports low color depths in the first place.
24 bit color is 24 bit color, no matter what the file type is, though I admit more use of transparency would be nice.

Now what? Change it or not?
Change it or replace it yourself. The source code for freedink is available on this site.

FreeDink's source code isn't the only thing that is available. Dink Smallwood HD's source code is also open (Along with the original).

Conclusion:

According to this forum, only 1 or 2 individuals support my suggestion.
However, the rest decided to stick with the "ancient technology".

Therefore, it seems senseless to change dink engine... for now.

So... yes of course, the ones who refused my suggestion are the victors... oh, I mean "temporary victors". You have outnumbered the people on my side, (what side?!)

Most people are right (temporarily), because so far there is no replacement for the current engine, and a handful of Dmods are exclusive for the original dink engine only.
But time will come I'm hoping that i'll be somehow right.

Solution:

Alright then, I'll persevere with this old shit by making a Dmod.
Yes, and i'm not even above 20% of completion. I'll make a hype soon!

Hell yeah my nigga Exzcimus buildin dat hype

Well, Dink HD is somewhat an update for the engine, specially with that full PNG support (along with transparency), however all the map editors can't see PNG sprites.

...by making a Dmod...

Any details?

Yeah, the story is about PortTown, (still thinking of a title), and I have a theory that it's located at the farther east, but a bit farther than Joppa isle.

Ok here's the story

After saving the world from evil forces, Dink became an explorer, seeking for new sights and locations, one time he met this guy who knows about "PortTown", (there is no such thing as PortTown in the original game), or simply some "traveler guy" in the original game who said "I was hoping I'll be able to go to PortTown". (I'm still working on those cut scenes and mapping though). My depiction about PortTown, there's not much to say about it but there's a twist; almost all inhabitants of PortTown don't know about Dink. WARNING: SPOILER CONTENT NOT INCLUDED. (just please wait for the Dmod to be released, that's all).