The Dink Network

Just out of curiosity, what is the top things that haven't been done before that you'd like to see in a dmod?

Hmm, perhaps a different leveling up system. Not one where you choose stats (ala Okaly-d-dink) or one where you get points (ala FB3) but one that has more than just abilities, but gaining certain feats etc. Or maybe a "Make stuff" system where you combine inventory items to make new ones (eg: alchohol and cloth for a molotov cocktail or yeast and flour to make bread, etc).

Or maybe a "Make stuff" system where you combine inventory items to make new ones (eg: alchohol and cloth for a molotov cocktail or yeast and flour to make bread, etc).

To further extend to this suggestion, I would like to see a more interactive and customizable inventory system, whereas one might even implement such features as armours, shields, magically imbued trinkets (Such as rings, amulets, charms, etc., which by wearing yields you a bonus of sorts.), which in turn might even possibly stem out into a more complicated and interactive combat system. Though, if either of these suggestions prove to be impossible to pogram and implement, I can understand that. I have absolutely no experience with programming, so I am rather oblivious as to how far one might extend and improve the original game, and how much time and effort one would have to invest to do so (Pardon my ignorance ).

I have had this idea for quite a while now: a Zelda style sword.

There are bow functions that can be used to time how long you hold down the attack button. If you release the button too early (with a bow: doesn't shoot), you slash the sword normally, if you release the button after some time (with a bow: shoot the arrow), you do the circle-blade attack.

There need to be made sequences for the charging and for the circle-blade attack itself. The frames of the latter should be set special in dink.ini, with a hardness rotating around Dink to create the circling effect.

I think it can be done, but it's too much work for me to be currently doing. Maybe someone else can create it?

The bad thing is Dink wouldn't be able to move while charging his sword, while Link can. Unless there's something special in the bow script stopping Dink from moving.

so would this be kinda like runescape, cus this is an idea from runescape- u have a special meter where every time u hit an enemy ur special meter goes up and if its at full u get to use a killer move of some sort and my other thing would have a defensive agreesive and accurate hits... defensive- wont be able to hit high hitpoints but would be more defensive and wont get hit hard as much by the enemy....

accurate-u would get less zeros wen fighting an opponent

agreesive- u will be able to hit high hitpoints but will be more open to atak so that
u will get hit harder more often

but maybe we could make this a little different so we arnt stealing this idea from runescape.

Darn, you're right. activate_bow() stops Dink from moving. I had hoped sp_nocontrol() was used as in the normal swords.

Hmm... actually, there is a way that it could work. Not perfectly or that similar to how it works in Zelda games, though.

If the player is standing still (i.e. is playing the idle sequence), pressing and holding the Ctrl key would charge up a spin attack.

If the player is not standing still, hitting the Ctrl key would swing the sword normally.

That way you can conciously charge up a shot (knowing that you won't be able to move), yet still have the flexibility of movement while fighting.

I may have to try and see if that would work... perhaps another Video Tutorial.

I believe I know how to do armours, shields, and magically imbued trinkets. I was going to do them for Inventory Items, but then I realised a problem with them. And it is this: when they're equipped Dink can't use a weapon. Also there is no graphics for Dink using a shield or wearing armour that I know of. I got Dink to look like one of the knights, but I didn't really like that. Also I don't know of any inventory graphics for magical trinkets. And I have no idea how to make graphics. So I didn't but them into Inventory Items.

Your talking combat style modifiers, and belive me, runescape did not come up with them. Hell, even early versions of angband and nethack have them.... I'm not so sure about moria, but it certianly could have had it.

What I'd like to see is a dnd 3rd edition like ability score system. One were you yhave more stats, ones that also affect the game. I believe I know how to do this. I might try implement it in my dmod. I will certainly test it to see if and how it works.

You could make a second inventory screen, one for armors and shields for example. That would be a novel idea I would like.

In my upcoming DMOD, I'll remove all the savebots. The player will be able to save the game in the escape menu, in most screens(except for those that locks, or some other screens, that placing a savebot in, wouldn't be a good ideea).
Would you like such a save game system, or should I use savebots, like in other DMODs?

Savebots are grand. I like the system many emulators use as well, where F5 saves the game, F8 loads it and F6 and F7 switch save slots.

I have no idea how to create a second inventory screen.

Eh, everyone knows how to use savebots... I know I wouldn't bother to look through the readme or escape menu to check how to save the game if I didn't see a savebot.

What are you going to do about screens with enemies?

Actually, I think I may of figured out how to do a menu based one.

A menu based one has already been done before, initiation had one if I remember correctly. I think a new graphical one would be really cool.

No idea how to implement that.

I'm not sure, but it certianly should be possible to make monsters core values a function of Dink's stats, with, of course, the boss's being about 110 - 120%. Put a bit of an end to the easy boss battles.

I'm going to do Monty Python style evil rabbits for the bosses of my dmod.

Eh, everyone knows how to use savebots... I know I wouldn't bother to look through the readme or escape menu to check how to save the game if I didn't see a savebot.

What are you going to do about screens with enemies?
Ok, I'll tell about the new way of saving at the begining of the game.
About screens with enemies: I'll create a brain 37 sprite in each screen I don't want the game to be saved. The ESCAPE script will search for sprites with that brain, and if he finds one, he won't let the player save the game.

you could always ask some one else to make ur graphics

is there a way that u can have like 25 slots for ur inventory?

Why not make the script search for brains of monsters, rather than make an extra monster in each screen that has monsters?

More sub-games. I don't think these have been done enough.

Ever since I first played Super Stellar Alien Kapow in Planet of the Robots, I've loved sub-games.

The one I'd like to see in Dink is Pong.

One sprite updates its Y coord based on Dink's location (player 1's paddle). The second sprite runs its Y-coord script in a loop with a wait(something) (the wait will be required to give the computer's paddle a handicap). The third sprite, using a non-brain, will also wait/loop and update its x, y, and direction. When its X gets above or below a certain value, one of two text sprites is updated to reflect the score.

(I've implemented pong in three different languages. I shudder to think that I might do it again...)

You could always use Dink's trunk if you want more slots then usual.

Dink's Trunk lets you make armory type items.
The sample DMod has the fast boots script so Dink goes fast when it is in the active (standard) inventory and slow when the boots are in the trunk. The same may be applied to the armory item: defense+ if it is in the active inventory, and you can arm any other item.

Because the player could kill all monsters, save the game, and because of the funny way the game tacks on save-game time, the monsters could respawn when the player loads the game.

I remember poking pong into my Vic20.
mm

Well, there is Dinkanoid.

The only problem with that is that I don't know the script nessecary.

Ok, thanks, I'll look into that.

I intend to mini-games, including ones that are influenced by my new stats I'm making.

Something I'd like to see implimented in dink is paint. Where you can actually load & save images. Sure, it'd be a pita, and be slow as hell, and darn near useless, but...

I can't really build anything off that, sorry.

so would this be kinda like runescape, cus this is an idea from runescape- u have a special meter where every time u hit an enemy ur special meter goes up and if its at full u get to use a killer move of some sort...

ummmmmm, thats not how it works, and not even with every weapon. In runescape, the special meter goes up during a certain period of time, which i think is 2 or 3 minutes. On some weapons, it boosts the power of the weapon and you do more damage on a regular attack, or you have a special attack which does about 2-5 more damage then a regular hit.

For example, the dragon battle axe increases your strength by about 10-15% and you do more damage on a regular hit. Same for the scimitar

The dragon dagger, with poison or super poison has a double attack which hits ur enemy twice and can do about 6 more damage then a regular hit.

The dragon longsword has one slash that can do up to 6 more damage than a regular hit

So, every weapon has a different ability in runescape, just not every weapon has an ability.

(If you don't understand what i said and its confusing...oh well, just call me Megaman the Runescape geek)

The idea of hitting and a guage filling up ready for a special attack is in games like Final Fantasy X though.....

And as for the combat-mode stats... it goes way back before computer games... in Norse mythology there were certain substances that would induce the berserker rage... which allowed the warrior to attack recklessly without feeling pain.. the same principle of a mode that allows an increased attack at the expense of defence.

(Just my two cents)

EDIT: I just realised that it looks like I'm adding to a really old post... but only cause it appeared with a little 'new' icon on the board list... somebody must have been modifying... my apologies!

No, modifying doesn't bring up a 'new' icon. Somebody posted some French crap.(crap being that it's unreadable for someone only understanding English) Because it wasn't English it was deleted (atleast I think that's the reason since the message was perfectly on subject). So the thread appears with the 'new' icon but no new posts if you don't view deleted messages.

Besides the thread isn't that old...

It appeared in all Final Fantasy games from VII up (except X-2 and XI), not just X. As you know, it's called Overdrive in Final Fantasy X. AIn Final Fantasies VII and VIII it is called Limit Break. I can't remember what it's called in Final Fantasy IX.

He done those French ones in heaps of existsing and new posts. I found it quite fusrating since to me (and most people here I suspect) they were meaningless.

FFX was just an example... but thankyou for pointing out how limited the information I provided was Draconic Dink...

Hmmm.... exhausted I am.

Oh, sorry. I just assumed that you hadn't played the others. There are after all plenty people that fit into that category.

No need to apologise. Assumptions are hard to avoid

Indeed they are. In deed they are.

One thing I'd like very much to see changed is the save system. Those numbers mean nothing to me, and nothing tells us what they're supposed to mean, either. But worse, it's often hard to tell which savegame you want, because you can't write in info about it, to help you remember. Just those stoooopid numbers. Knowing the level number is usually not enough.

I'm sure DMOD authors probably can't fix this. It's probably part of the basic Dink engine. But aren't DMODers able to alter that engine, since rtsoft has given over absolutely everything to the public domain? Why couldn't the engine, too, be altered? Hasn't it already been altered, when people change the status bar, adding new stats and stuff?

I'd also like to see a little utility to give herb boots only. I often use a cheat, simply to get them, so I don't have to take forever to get places. It would also be nice if the herb boot utility only made him walk fast, rather than appear to be having a siezure when he's standing still.

In addition, I'd like those who make DMODs with both bawdy and no-sex versions to make the latter truly G-rated, so kids can play them without embarrassment to the adults. Sometimes they're not entirely unbawdy. Adding a password thingie to get into the bawdy version would also help. Kids love Dink.

I want to thank those DMODers who offer the more G-rated versions. As for me, I don't mind the bawdy, except when a kid walks in to watch me while I'm playing Pilgrim and I'm just about to have Dink enter the bordello...

I would extremely much like to get together with some people who want to make a Spanish translation of Dink and its DMODs. I live in Mexico, and the Huichol kids whose family lives with me love playing Dink, but miss out on a whole lot. They can't follow plots at all, but just tear around bashing monsters. I'd like to change that.

And hey, anyone want to do a Dink DMOD about a massive migration? I've got the perfect one for them to do - a whole civilization migrating over torturous terrain on foot to escape an invader.

Holly

1.08 adds the ability to change the save game information line... but the author must program this. So it could say "Goblin Village" instead of "Level 8".

Here's an herb-boots only cheat. In the dink/story directory, create key-112.c, and paste this in:

void main(void)
{
int &boots = count_item("item-bt"),
if (&boots == 0)
{
add_item("item-bt", 438, 22);
}
kill_this_task();
}

Then press the F1 key in any D-Mod, and tada, you'll have the herb boots added to your inventory if you don't already have them.

The dmod I am making has feats that make Dink move at a speed equal to the speed of the herb boots (called speed boots in my dmod), so you have two potential ways of getting that speed in my dmod.

Is how to do that mentioned DinkC.chm that comes with Dink 1.08 Release Candidate 7?

I am trying several innovative features that I hope will work well and be popular. One of the main advantages of this dmod is that Dink will be a lof more customisable in terms of stats and progression, meaning that no two plays through it could be quite different. I am even thinking of trying a way of letting the player choose "Simple System", "Medium System" and "Advanced System", letting the player choose what level of innovative features he/she is immersed in. This is on top of a feats system, a diificulty system and a armour and shield system (I hope). I might even try work in a skills system. There is also four new stats which will effect Dink's other stats. There will also be a ton of mini-games and side quests. It will only be a small dmod but because of all these features it will take quite a while to make the demo I plan to make (it'll be about 30% (about 30 minutes) of the dmod in terms of length).

I'd also like to see a little utility to give herb boots only. I often use a cheat, simply to get them, so I don't have to take forever to get places. It would also be nice if the herb boot utility only made him walk fast, rather than appear to be having a siezure when he's standing still.

I disagree. The Herb Boots are supposed to increase Dink's speed. Therefore, Dink's idle speed is also increased. However, some D-Mod authors have changed the Herb Boots script. For example, in Initiation, the Herb Boots increase the walking speed but not the attack speed. It might be a bug though, I wouldn't know.

In addition, I'd like those who make DMODs with both bawdy and no-sex versions to make the latter truly G-rated, so kids can play them without embarrassment to the adults. Sometimes they're not entirely unbawdy. Adding a password thingie to get into the bawdy version would also help. Kids love Dink.

Password, no.
Non-bawdy version, maybe. This has been done in Initiation, Lyna's story... and SimonK may decide to add one in Stone of Balance.
As for 'without embarassment to the adults'... Just have the children play Dink when you're away! Seriously, I was quite young when I played Isle of Croth, and I wasn't much offended by it. I find the violence in some D-Mods (Stone of Balance, Fiat) to be far more offending.

I want to thank those DMODers who offer the more G-rated versions. As for me, I don't mind the bawdy, except when a kid walks in to watch me while I'm playing Pilgrim and I'm just about to have Dink enter the bordello...

Uhh... faster? There already is a non-bawdy version for PQ.

And hey, anyone want to do a Dink DMOD about a massive migration? I've got the perfect one for them to do - a whole civilization migrating over torturous terrain on foot to escape an invader.

In D-Mods, you don't escape the invader. You kill the invader.

I think the issue here is that some people don't want their kids to see nudity, graphic violence, and that stuff. I don't understand this, of course, I e.g., saw the uncensored version of the movie American History X at the age of nine, and I'm sure I haven't taken any serious damage by it, and I've been playing violent games and seen violent movies since I started school (age 7).

Same goes with nudity and sex and that stuff. It's just silly to screen the kids, I think.

I think the issue here is that some people don't want their kids to see nudity, graphic violence, and that stuff

Same goes with nudity and sex and that stuff. It's just silly to screen the kids, I think.

Ditto.

1.08 adds the ability to change the save game information line... but the author must program this. So it could say "Goblin Village" instead of "Level 8".

Extreme coolness, I didn't know that. So... how is it done?

It is done through a command new to 1.08, set_save_game_info. The dandy DinkC Reference 4.0, which is naturally Dan-dy since Dan wrote it, explains this new and exciting function under the Internal Functions category.

Given its brevity, I will copy and paste the description in its entirety just for you:

Category: Game Info

Version: 1.08+

Prototype: void set_save_game_info(string info[199]);

set_save_game_info will change the save game information line to info. Note that this is not the entire save game information line, but only the portion following the amount of time the player has been playing. By default, info is "Level &level".

And it works, even if you change the save_game_info for one savefile, all the others stay in their own format:

if (&player_map == 35)
{
set_save_game_info("Dink's House. Level &level");
}
if (&player_map == 39)
{
set_save_game_info("Banana country. Level &level");
}
if (&player_map == 140)
{
set_save_game_info("Mines of Death. Level &level");
}

Saving a game on screen 35 in slot one, and then going to screen 140 and save in slot two, and then load, you'll see this:

Dink's House. Level: 1
Mines of Death. Level: 1

And that's just so cool.

Indeed

Coll, thanks. I'll use this knowledge so my dmod grants faster's request.

I agree, the extra info is great for SOB (the special edition), so far I only put in which story you were in... but I love your idea of physical location... might have to go back and work that in too...