Completely free content for Exult?

[tibbs]

This may seem an odd question, but do any completely free playable games exist that run with Exult?

The reason I ask is that I'd like to see Exult packaged as part of Fedora so that folks could just 'yum install exult' and have a current version of the engine installed. However, Fedora has rules about software which is useless without non-free content, and the original U7 games definitely qualify as non-free content.

However, if there's so much as a basic loadable game, or even enough free content so that you could fire up Exult studio and make your own game without a requirement that you actually have U7, then it should be OK.

[Malignant Manor]

You can make your own games without the original data. There just aren't any games made for it yet and is not tested that well for extra bugs. Lack of documentation of some currently hardcoded material or xml information makes it difficult to do easily without the original game though. There really aren't many graphics or scripts tailor made for Exult especially non-derivative ones.

Many improvement to make it better and easier keep getting made. I had some templates and documentation made up (along with ideas and code for de-hardcoding) but haven't worked on it for awhile. Marzo's editable gumps may kind of obsolete some of them and that is one thing holding me back.

[Malignant Manor]

Dev Game 0.1


I've got templates done for all the gumps.vga shapes except the serpent jawbone and teeth. I probably won't add them due to their nature. All frames for pointer.shp are done. I've done a bit more documenting, but it still needs a whole lot of work.

I haven't done any SI style paper doll's yet. I don't believe it is currently possible to use them in dev games at the moment though. (This is likely fixed when Marzo's upcoming patch).

There's currently only one font. Some fonts need to be created and also with an approximate size for ones that really matter like the status and paper doll font.

The avatar needs to have all possible frames done. Some example usecode and items should also be done. I'm not sure offhand how or if it is possible to a game menu for the dev games. The main character is not considered the avatar as far as gumps go.

I'll have to post a link later since my uploading site is on the fritz. It will probably be in its own thread though.

[Madoc]

@Malignant Manor:

Wow, that looks just great! I hope that will lead to one completely free Exult once.

[Malignant Manor]

I've uploaded it and also added a full framed avatar. I don't think the avatar has ever looked worse. (I guess I will post it here for now.)

EDIT: remove dead link

[Malignant Manor]

EDIT: remove dead link

[Darkstar]

Wow, I sure would like to see Ultima 7 in all this black&white glory. It would probably look like one of those old A-HA music videos

-Darkstar

[darrenor64]

This made me think of that alkabeth-like stick-man maze in Underworld II

[Malignant Manor]

Dev Game 0.11


Partial list of things I've added:
Mining via the pickaxe. Double click the pickaxe and target or attack them with the pickaxe. (frame 3 ore is worthless)
Doors that open in 4 directions. (won't currently work properly with AI due to hardcoding)
Doors and chests have can be locked and you can magic lock them.
An altered version of Marzo's keyring.
Spellbook and spells that can magic unlock and magic lock. (spells 00 and 01 respectively)
Containers shapes so that the gumps can be opened.
Text gump items so you can test it out.
FreeSans.ttf used to make font shapes. (They are not offset or modified for problems. It's mainly there right now to be able to see text and not crash.)
I've modified Exult for some things to work properly.

The readme has installation instructions.

EDIT: remove dead link

[darrenor64]

Checked out 0.11
This is very cool.

[Malignant Manor]

EDIT: removed dead link

[Malignant Manor]

A decent amount of work has actually been done that I should have posted it months ago.

Edit: Trimmed a lot of obsolete stuff

[Malignant Manor]

Dev Game 0.12

Code: Select all

Added SI style paper dolls
Fixed missing frame in main character
Made the pickaxe visible when equipped
Added needed status effect highlight and menu colors
Cstat gumps work in all games with cstat.patch
Added main character shapes for different skin/gender
Made mainshp.flx use palette file and fix shape color indexes
Door path finding for the 4 direction door should work properly with
	more_door_directions.patch
Cloak clasps can have different frames depending on the arm frame
	(non-BG) with cloak_clasp.patch (just aesthetic)
Added extracted shapes from all flexes (except fonts.vga) and made a
	flex index file for them
Added hardcoded data to the right shape number. (as much as I could
	find offhand)
Setup the game to have dummies or manually edited files in the static
	directory for easier game building.

[Knight Captain]

Do we have free Usecode too? I've been slowly hacking some together for utility functions from SI.

[Malignant Manor]

Sorry, I missed this post. There are some utility functions in some of the mods. This one has some from Alun Bestor's Quests and Interactions. Marzo should have some utility code in SI Fixes.

[Demorde Dragon]

Hey, Malignant!

You wouldn't happen to have a copy of the Game Dev zip you posted years ago?

[Malignant Manor]

Unfortunately, I didn't realize version 0.12 wasn't in my backup. I have older versions available. I am trying to see if Dominus has a copy.

[Dominus]

I don't think I have it ;(

[Dominus]

No, I don't have any version of your dev game
I think I always thought that I could always go back and download it when I need it. Though I think I tried one out... can't find it, though...

[Dominus]

@Malignant_Manor:
http://exult.info/snapshots/dev_game-0.12.zip
WTF Dragon found it in his backups of Aiera! it's indeed version 0.12 and I uploaded it to our snapshot page, for safekeeping!
Hooray for Withstand the Fury Dragon!!!!

[Malignant Manor]

I noticed it used to be on the site and was going to have you ask him for me. Thanks for getting the files and hosting them.

[Dominus]

You should bundle it with Exult Studio, so a new game uses this stuff

[Malignant Manor]

I haven't looked at it for a long time so I don't know what, if anything, is out of date. It has been almost 7 years. I know I modified Exult for cstat gumps and for doors that go in more directions. Some other things are also likely done that way. I'd also need to better organize the order. I'm not sure when I would be able to get around to it.