Hi all, although not my first game (as I have written simple game for DOS and EPOC), this is my first Win32 attempt to sketch a shooting game prototype.

Currently it only allow moving of spaceship (a "^" symbol), no weapon firing, and no enemies yet.

I still don't know how to keep track each of the bullet (can be more than one) and moving it simulateneously.....

My code use ANSI escape sequence, and currently it is only prototype. Looking for your feedback!

It is working well here. I tried to break it with too many keys, changing direction, etc. Yet, it remained responsive.

This is good feedback!! Very much appreciated, especially from expert like you.

Next I will work on bullet firing....

I think the way it should work is that you have your objects coordinates in a 2D array -- which is modeled after the console X rows and Y columns.
Then during the game you move the objects: gun is moving, bullets flying, enemies moving according to some AI.
When objects move -- you write it all into a memory buffer -- your model.
Then, finally, you dump the whole buffer into console in one operation -- Console API has a function for that.
Now, you do that dumping often, like 40 times per second or so.

I have never thought of this, and am not sure if I will be able to use Console API to achieve that, I just looked at WriteConsoleOutput.



I think for gun (spaceship) and bullet, don't need AI. But for enemies (alien invasion), maybe will use random number generator (I have the code from @resolution years ago, make use of functions in ADVAPI32.DLL).

Thank you for the suggestion.

My thoughts were similar to AsmGuru62 - reducing API calls, because API is very slow. There is a number of techniques.

Configuring console to remove processing: Modern console is very complex. It can do UTF-8 and ANSI codes with legacy terminal emulation.

Cache operations by building up strings with periodic console update.

Someone has actually made a console game engine, lol.
https://github.com/ural89/ConsoleCraftEngine

I checked, it uses ncurses, and ncurses used ANSI , like VT 220/320/420/520 (no idea what are they).... So is my approach correct in using ANSI escape code to move cursor and draw sprite?
(Maybe I should reread your post )

I know what AsmGuru62 meant, draw in the background first then move it to screen buffer.

Oh, you don't want to know. CRTs integrated into a desk-like furniture - the heavy steel and pressed wood terminals were hard on the back. This one skyscraper had a freight ramp that zigzagged down eight floors. Built to such a standard that they looked new at the end of their life - powered up to some CP/M based software system. My adolescent self thought they should have just pitched them out the window - to be dismantled by gravity.

We call it "hardware acceleration by free fall"

I am learning GUI window programming in Windows.

This version is also a shooting game prototype, like post #1, but in GUI, using GDI function "TextOutA".

If want to continue developing the game, I might consider using this GUI version as template, instead of the console version.

As usual, press left or right key to move the "^" symbol, Esc to quit. Maybe I need to fix the window size (no resize allowed).

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shooter
My shooting game prototype (WIP)

What is this about?
This is a game prototype (work in progress) that was written in Assembly language.

There are two versions: Console (CUI) and GUI, both are 32-bit code for Windows.

Currently only moving of "^" symbol (a spaceship, or gun) to the left and to the right is allowed.

No weapon, no enemies.

Tell me about the difference between Console and GUI
Console version uses ANSI escape code to move the caret, clear the screen, while GUI version uses GDI TextOutA function to draw text in window.

In Console version, there are normally about 80 columns by 20 rows or more, and each cell is formed by 8x16 or 8x8 pixels.

In GUI, I can draw as small as 1 pixel, or move the "^" symbol by 1 pixel or 10 pixels depending on how fast to move.

In GUI, the window message loop and events such as paint event and keydown event are part of the standard coding.

But in Console, I had to set up the loop and invoke GetKeyState function to read the key myself. The amount of code in Console version is expected to be longer than GUI version.

When will you come up with full functioning game?
Not certain. As I have yet to figure out how to move multiple bullets simulteneously on screen. In Console, it is easier, just use Sleep function, but I am not decisive on GUI version.

Also, to put the enemies (kind of alien invasion) moving around, I need random number generator, so maybe will use Win32 API functions found in ADVAPI32.DLL.

Until then, check out my game prototype!

But wait, how to run your programs?
Just download FASM for Windows from flatassembler.net Download section.

Run FASMW.EXE and open my shooter.asm (Console) or shoot2.asm (GUI) and click Run. The program is now running with executables also produced in the background.

Next time you can just run shooter.exe or shoot2.exe, no need to open the source file from within FASM IDE anymore.

Once in the game, press Left or Right arrow key to move the caret, and when you're done, press Esc to quit.

I am about to do the second part of my shooting game, currently I have finished the first part, which is moving the "gun" (or spaceship in "^" symbol) to left or to right:



The second part is moving the enemies (alien spaceship, maybe in "==" symbol"), but no weapon firing yet.

AsmGuru62 said simple AI is needed. I think that "AI" is actually random number generator.
I already have the code to generate random number (given by revolution) from ADVAPI32.DLL using CryptGenRandom Win32 API function.

It can supports long random data, for example, a few random bytes returned:


So, do you think my logic OK?
I plan to generate 4KB random data, then put 5 alien spaceship, each alien spaceship moving direction will be determined by the next random byte (maybe 2 bits at one time), depending on this table:

00 - move up
01 - move left
10 - move right
11 - move down

And repeat for 5 alien spaceship, and repeat the 4KB from head to tail again (i.e. no more fresh new random data generated).
It will appear like the 5 alien spaceship is moving randomly, but I don't know how random.

Is this sound feasible?

Code it up and see how you like it.

I personally find pure random walks to be not fun for enemy movement, and prefer some kind of goal orientated algorithm. The goal can be randomly selected and then use some deterministic code to aim for the goal.

Goal-oriented algorithm , aha, inspired me.

So instead of simple move left / right /up / down, 2 random bits will select a random "path", or a series of direction.

I can think of, example:
00 - move left, move left, move up
01 - move right, move up, move up
02......

But I need to synchronize with timer (am not decisive yet how to implement this).

I was thinking that the goals could be at a higher abstraction.

Goal 1: Chase the player.
Goal 2: Run away from player
Goal 3: Aim for top-left corner
Goal 4: Hide from player behind obstacles
Goal 5: Choose a random x,y and go there
Goal 6: Follow a predetermined path
etc.

....

....

I have updated the shoot.asm to v0.04 about two days ago. I fixed the randomness of moving direction of enemies, because I used "bt" instruction wrongly, causing it to move to the left only.
A crypt.asm is attached above that analyzes the probablility of moving to the left / right & no move (stalled), from 1KB random data, exactly like what is being used in the shooting game prototype.

Sorry for my deleted comments in two posts above, as a result of having bad mood two days ago.