The Dink Network

Skeleton

Description
Includes all of the files you need to create a D-Mod.
Released:August 19th, 1998
File Size:188.00 KB
Downloads:64
Release Notes:B
July 12th, 2002
B
Score : 9.0 exceptional
fish.gif
This Skeleton B might be one of the most important development files in DMOD history. Along with the official dmod FAQ, both files are indeed the most important contribution that Mike Snyder gave the Dink community. Although many of Mike Snyder's other dmods might be just average or even subpar using today's standard, this Skeleton is still one of the most downloaded (and used) files right now.

Before the Skeleton file's release, people needed to do quite a few boring annoying procedures to start a dmod: create a new folder and a few new sub-directories (story, sound, graphics, tiles) in that folder, copy some necessary files (Dink.ini, hard.dat, main.c, start*.c,...), and then modify them to fit your need. With Skeleton, all you need to do is to unzip it like you did for a dmod to the new folder under main Dink dir. Then you can start your project right away!

In addition to all the necessary files and folders, Mike Snyder even added some high quality graphics (new buttons) for you to use. If you cannot create high quality graphics, at least you can have a different (and good) set of buttons instead of sticking with the original ones. Also, a group of different tiles were provided in one tile set, mainly for the use of indoor floor. Although some of them might not be extremely good or seamless or lack of variety for any type of tiles (most of them are 100x100), you can find quite a lot of use for many of the tiles and you can bring in some new flavor to the old Dink tiles even without the ability to make a new tile by yourself. The title and dmod.diz templates are just fine.

Not only did Mike Snyder put all necessary files all together, but also he made some effort in improving them. He modified Dink.ini and those starting scripts so that most of the unnessary lines and stuffs that only original Dink used were removed. Although he could do a better job in clear up and sort out Dink.ini file, basically he did what was necessary and removed most of the messy stuffs.

Originally I thought this Skeleton might be as good as it can get until recently that I sorted out most of the myth (if not all) about tile hardness. It turned out that Skeleton B messed up the hard.dat more than it fixed. In original Dink's hard.dat, Seth used 637 of possible 799 indexes on tiles. You have only 57 spare indexes that you can reassign for your new tiles. Original Dink's wasted more than 110 indexes on places that you don't need to assign any hardness (grass, floor, black empty, water or mountain interior...). The way DinkEdit works: you cannot remove tile hardness index once you assigned it. (At least that is what I believe so far.) So you can have at most 57 indexes to use if you use the hard.dat from original Dink. Since there are quite a few small hardness errors in the original hard.dat, Mike Snyder probably tried to fix some of those problems. However he probably did not know what he has done, but accidentally Mike Snyder waste another 40+ tile indexes mainly on not necessary place. (He probably did not even know by then.) Consequently, you only have less than 20 spare indexes left for you to do things for your new tiles. If you want to add some new tiles that reqire tile hardness, you might not have enough indexes to use! And Mike did not fix all the problems that were in the original hard.dat.

Because of that discovery, I decided to do an updated Skeleton. Unlike the other Skeleton "update", the basic structure of my Skeleton would be exactly the same as Mike Snyder's, but I will reassign all the hardness index from ground up. Currently I have already finished all tile hardness index and their drawing. Unfortunately, I still accidently wasted 2 hardness indexes. But since I have already overwritten my previous data, I am NOT going to do it again just because the 2 wasted indexes. (Comparing with the number of the wasted indexes in original Dink -- 110+ or in Skeleton B -- 150+). I then will go through Dink.ini to clear up the remaining mess and define all sprite's hardboxes and depth dots.

Right now, if you want to start a dmod, Skeleton B would be still the best choice. And if you are going to modify some of the tile hardness or even add some new ones for your new tiles, I might at least suggest you to replace the hard.dat of Skeleton B with the hard.dat of the original Dink's.

Besides the screw-up of tile hardness, Skeleton B is still extremely good for you to jump-start your dmod right away. I originally gave this file a 9.8, but right now I think a 9.0 might be more reasonable since there are still quite a few places that can be improved upon.