Rocks'n'Diamonds with GDash game engine

[artsoft]

In the editor it would be cool if the actual position is shown somehow. Maybe a blinking tile or a border around the tile when moving the cursor/mouse (GDash uses this method).

So far, I did not think that this might be needed (as you can see where the mouse pointer points to), but it might indeed improve usability in the level editor (and might feel better for those used to the GDash level editor).

And somehow it is unusual that there is no select tool (as far as I can tell it's similar to the pick up tool in RnD) as default selection tool. The way it it now it's very likely that objects are drawn by accident when clicking somewhere. I know that pressing CTRL + Pickup tool represents more or less the same. The selection tool should be the standard tool by default in my opinion like in GDash to prevent any actions by accident...

There is no selection tool in the R'n'D level editor for BD levels, as R'n'D always converts native BD levels to "flat" caves, that is, there are no "BD level objects" anymore like in the GDash editor (where you can select and move whole objects made from several game elements like the two lines of walls in the first level of the classic first BD level set). That's why a selection tool does not make sense in R'n'D. As you have mentioned, there's still the "pick drawing element" tool available, to select single game elements from the playfield, which you can either activate by pressing the corresponding tool button, by pressing the "," (comma) key, or by holding the Ctrl button while clicking with the mouse pointer at the game element to be selected on the playfield. (However, using this "pick drawing element" tool as the default tool in the level editor seems to not make much sense, as it switches over to the normal drawing mode after used once anyway.)

[CWS]

But at the moment the default tool is the drawing tool - and that could cause unwanted placement of elements. That was my initial idea that this should not happen but just clicking on the playfield without selecting a tool.

[artsoft]

A new patch release version 4.4.0.4 is available, which mainly adds support for the second game panel for the BD game engine, but also fixes a few bugs related to playing BD games with multiple lives:

• added support for game panel values for native BD game engine
• added support for toggling extra game panel items by left Shift key
• added setup option for key shortcut to toggle extra game panel items
• added support for reading two extra colors from BDCFF file
• fixed clearing off-screen areas in window mode after resizing window
• fixed not setting BD multiple lives if first level has level story
• fixed crash bug (accessing undefined cave with non-BD game engine)
• fixed compiler warnings with GCC 11, GCC 13 and Clang 18

The new version is available from the download page!

If you want to play with the GDash-style second game panel (which can either be toggled as usual by pressing the left Shift key (or any other key configured for this purpose), or which can be shown permanently together with the normal game panel by enabling this mode from the setup menu), please also update the GDash level package for R'n'D, which has been improved accordingly.

I hope you like it!

[ncrecc]

If you want to play with the GDash-style second game panel (which can either be toggled as usual by pressing the left Shift key (or any other key configured for this purpose), or which can be shown permanently together with the normal game panel by enabling this mode from the setup menu), please also update the GDash level package for R'n'D, which has been improved as follows:

I hope you like it!

quite late, but it seems you've forgotten to list the improvements here

[igormakovsky]

Hello!

Is it ok, that collecting clocks leaves dirt behind? That stops rockford for 1 frame and makes it impossible to run through without being hit by the boulder.

https://igormakovsky.com/asmysl/bd-clock.mp4

Just interested. Is that how it really has to work?

[artsoft]

quite late, but it seems you've forgotten to list the improvements here

Oops, indeed! However, the only improvement is support for the second game panel, so I just fixed the wording a bit! Thanks!

[artsoft]

Is it ok, that collecting clocks leaves dirt behind?

Yes, at least that's how it works in GDash.

That stops rockford for 1 frame and makes it impossible to run through without being hit by the boulder.

https://igormakovsky.com/asmysl/bd-clock.mp4

Just interested. Is that how it really has to work?

Again, it works exactly like in GDash (as it's the same engine, that was not changed here), so apparently it has to be that way...

[LogicDeLuxe]

Clocks were designed that way by Prof. Knibble for the First Boulder series. I guess, you're not supposed to collect them while running away. Maybe you even need that piece of dirt in certain situations.

[artsoft]

A new patch release version 4.4.0.5 is available that fixes a number of bugs:

• fixed broken handling of swipe gestures on touch pads for moving scrollbars
• fixed saving setup for name/team, keyboard and joystick changes
• fixed saving setup for music and sound button changes
• fixed saving setup for virtual button changes
• fixed support for snapshot when collecting diamond for BD engine
• fixed bugs with showing correct game buttons for various cases
• fixed game restart button when playing non-score tapes
• fixed updating ffwd/warp tape display when playing native BD replays
• fixed crash bug caused by freeing custom game tile size graphics twice
• added “please wait” message screen when importing level set zip files

The new version is available from the download page, and I have updated all links on the initial post of this thread.

The GDash level collection was also updated and contains the following changes:

• re-added previously removed replays for a number of cave sets by Dustin and Rory Agsten
• added button to play solution replay from the main menu, if available for the current cave
• added button to switch between original C64 and Boulder Rush graphics from the main menu
• updated files for game element descriptions on the info screen
• changed a number of smaller things for cosmetic purposes

Regarding replays (or "solution tapes" in R'n'D words), there were a number of cave sets that had solution replays created and added by the cave author (well, that's Dustin in most cases). These replays had been removed in the past when the GDash game engine was ported from C to C++ and slightly changed and improved here and there, which broke compatibility of those existing replays. As the GDash game engine in R'n'D supports both the old and new GDash engine mechanics, all those replays are perfectly playable again, so I re-added them to the GDash level collection. If such a solution replay by the author is available for the current cave, there will appear a play button on the right side of the main menu screen to play this solution replay.

Solution replays are available for (most of) the following cave sets:

• Dustin's Boulder Dash 1 (aka "BD 1 Challenges")
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 2 (aka "BD 2 Challenges")
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 3 (aka "BD 3 Challenges")
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 02
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 03
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 04
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 10
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 12
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 15
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 21
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 1 - The Expert Levels
• Dustin's Boulder Dash 2 - The Expert Levels
• Dustin's Rock Fort 1 - The Long Way
• Dustin's Rock Fort 2 - Inside the Fort
• Dustin's Rock Fort 3 - Rockford's Dream
• Dustin's What Rockford Left Behind
• Rory Agsten's RTA Dash 8
• Czirkos Zoltan's BD Engine Tests

To make it easier to switch between the original C64 graphics and Boulder Rush graphics, there's another button on the right side of the main menu screen, which either shows "VIC" (original C64) or "VGA" (Boulder Rush). All other alternative graphics sets (like CWS's version of the Boulder Rush graphics) can still be selected from the "custom artwork" setup menu.

The new package is available from GDash level package for R'n'D.

I hope you enjoy the new stuff!

[igormakovsky]

Thanks a lot for the new version!

We've missed the significant date, which is 22th of May. It was 1 year since the first pre-release of 4.4.0.0, that is the symbol of a BD reborn for me.

Can you help me with creating a new caveset? I'm forward to create my first levelset and don't how to start fresh. Now it's like opening an already existed caveset and erasing its levels one by one. How to start point blank?

[artsoft]

Great to hear that you like it, and that it was a new start with BD for you!

To create a new, empty level set in R'n'D, just go to the level editor, click button "CONF", click tab "LEVELSET", select "create new level set" in the "action" selectbox and click "save". Or did you mean something different?

[artsoft]

I have just updated the GDash level package for R'n'D, as follows:

• added new cave set "Alchemyst DangerDash Vol. 5"
• added a few fixes to "Alchemyst DangerDash" and "Alchemyst Dig" cave sets

Have fun!