ArkanDOS

[tienkhoanguyen]

Hi. This is my first game that I am proud to make. It uses a lot of complex calculations. For instance, pi, cosine, and sine or included to detect the squares around the circle. It has been programmed in C. It works specifically with Borland Turbo C 2.01. I have know first hand that not all C compilers operate the same way.

Here are several images (free images) hehe:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/yPwnYzv.png" width="50%">

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Iet76co.png" width="50%">

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/bgTOG8p.png" width="50%">




It is probably easier to see the game on a YouTube video. Here is a 1 minute free clip sample so you can see if you want to play.

ArkanDOS game play free sample


If you have DOSBox, you can play around with the cpu speed and control the rate the game plays which might or not might be fun depending on how fast or slow you want to play it hehe

I'm sorry it might get boring so the object is to see how many times you can knock off the blocks before you get bored.

Hopefully never haha

I hope you enjoy my game either way.

Maybe you will leave it on the shelf as a collector's edition?

I can dream!

My latest Arkanoid remake.
Updated as of 9-15-2014(cst):

http://www.mediafire.com/download/tz1we ... KANDOS.EXE

Windows:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/uab4i ... KANWIN.exe

Zipped:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/gbi1e ... kanDOS.zip

[MrFlibble]

Here are several images (free images) hehe:

For some reason the images won't display here. I can copy the link and they will open in MediaFire, but not here.

I've never used MediaFire for hosting images though. You could try a different image hosting service, like imgur. It seems to work fine.

I forgot to mention that perhaps you should pack your game with a license under which you allow its distribution. I think that you can just write your own text allowing free distribution of your game.

Also, in my opinion, it would be cool to add a FILE_ID.DIZ to the archive with the game, just for the retro feel

[tienkhoanguyen]

Updated image links in first post.

As for the file ID, and the copyright license, I am changing it right now. Just to butter you up, I think I'll add a special thanks to "www.dosgames.com" unless you want a special message other than that?

By the way what is a file ID? And how do you generate one?

[MrFlibble]

On a vaguely related note, a while ago I was browsing cd.textfiles.com and found a side-scrolling shooter called World Quest (WQ20.ZIP), which was apparently developed as a showcase for a shareware toolkit for creating and programming graphics, levels etc. called WordUp Software Graphics Toolkit:
v3.5: WGT35.ZIP
v4.0: WGT4.ZIP
v5.0: WGT5.ZIP

I'm not sure if it could be somehow useful to you, but it supposedly was designed to work with Turbo C++/Borland C++ (yeah I know C++ is not C, but maybe still it's something of interest?).

There are also plenty of other free or shareware DOS game development tools found at cd.textfiles.com (e.g. here or here among other places).

[Edit] Sorry, I was typing my reply and did not notice you have updated your post.

I don't know if there were specific tools to generate FILE_ID.DIZ files, but they're just plain text files generally, and many were created manually.

You need to get the BBCode link from imgur, otherwise the images won't be displayed either.

[tienkhoanguyen]

Back to the drawing board haha

My parents always taught me to keep learning so I am sure something in there is of interest. Thank you.

[Update]
What do you know, ... the BBC code whatever that stands for works. haha Beautiful! I still need some time to update my credits. So let me get to that before I lose track of what I am doing.

[Update 2]
Well, @Mr. Flibble there is a special section in the limited space for you and Quadko because you are the first one to welcome me to the board. I have to limit the names otherwise I have no space haha My parents are a given and so is my cousin who I consider my brother. I did refer anyone to plays it to "WWW.DOSGAMES.COM" so I hope that is not a problem for you!

[Update 3]
Here is my updated screenshots if anyone does not want to play it. The FILE_ID.DIZ is also included. There are two FILE_ID.DIZ. The first is where you see ArkanDOS.exe and ArkanWin.exe. If you choose the Windows version in the zip file, it will unzip and activate the included DOSBox for you and automatically run the game. The only files that are installed are in the directory "C:\JESUS" so please do not think it is a virus. I have known people who did that to my computer and I was quite annoyed. So I am a God fearing person and I want others to know that my work is purely for the benefit of all.

Well, here they are:
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/yPwnYzv.png" width="50%">
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Iet76co.png" width="50%">
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/bgTOG8p.png" width="50%">

[tienkhoanguyen]

There are also plenty of other free or shareware DOS game development tools found at cd.textfiles.com (e.g. here or here among other places).

In my defense, I have spent so many hours on Borland Turbo C 2.01 that it would be an unbearable learning curve to learn another language. I managed to somehow put the 16-bit compiler into a package that would also work for Windows 32-bit and even 64-bit. However the process is tedious. It involves packaging it with the DOSBox and using WinRAR to automatically execute the app.

Anyways, Borland has been very kind over the years. I remember I was so excited when I first purchased Borland C++ 5.5 in 1996. Unfortunately, C++ is a language too difficult for me to understand. I do not know why! It just seems like it should theoretically be the same beauty. However, it is not. Borland Turbo C 2.01 is perfect in my eyes. Rose colored glasses anyone? haha

If it were not obsessively wrong, I would say I love Borland Turbo C 2.01 haha However, it is the next best thing to having a wife which I am forever waiting for my soulmate. hehe

I am proud I did this game all in Borland Turbo C 2.01 - in fact, I think it is nothing less than a miracle. What amazes me is that I used trigonometry which I forgot because I learned is 18 years ago. The game has amazing calculations that only a geek like me would enjoy thinking about. haha

Many games are fancy in their graphics and that amazes, however, where my game lacks in graphics, it excels in pure mathematical calculations.

Anyways, I am rambling on. My strength throughout life has always been math. In fact, I got an A in College Calculus. I have always managed to get straight A's it seems in math.

Well, until next time. I am going to clean up and just do my house choirs.

[tienkhoanguyen]

Who ever that 3rd person who downloaded my ArkanDOS - "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

I know it is a genre that are a narrow niche in society. However, I appreciate it. Doing all these advertisements for a mere 3 person to download is a lot of hard work haha

Not only that, but I am doing it for free? hehe

Well, I have to be honest and confess that I am on welfare and have lived on the streets a long time ago.

So I do not have a formal Harvard education like some of these superstar games that you see produced.

So I am humble to say that by grace I have managed to work hard to finish a working demo somehow.

I am not smart because I got an average grade of a C in community college.

So some subjects I excel in and other subjects I flunk and have to take two or three times to succeed.

It took me 40 years of my life to come out with my first program on a personal computer that is made public.

[tienkhoanguyen]

UPDATE:

Bad news...

Well, while asking for approval for release of my demo I got an official "No." It is just that there are a lot at stake. So much time and efforts has come into producing the product that to just give it away is hard for the "bosses". hehe So if you have the program downloaded already, please keep it to yourself. I have just deleted everything except the original single copy on water-proof and shock-proof card haha. Well even though it is advertised so, I would not test it out in water or throw it around haha.

[MrFlibble]

I thought you were doing that on your own at your leisure time?

Did your boss get concerned with copyright issues? Arkanoid is a registered trademark (according to sources like this), and people who deal with this kind of issues often prefer to err on the side of caution and avoid any kind of similarity between the titles.

[tienkhoanguyen]

To be honest, I felt the demo to be good enough as a demo. However, I did not want to go further for fear of being too much like Arkanoid. After all, I did take the original idea from the original game Arkanoid. I for the game, I played it when I was very little many years ago. I had such a good time on it that I wanted to relive the experience on my laptop. Just between you and me, I do not think the producers have any problems with the copyright issues as long as there is no profits made. However, my mother and I live in a poverty level income. So we are trying to move up in the world. Maybe even to get a home one day instead of living in an apartment. However, seeing the numbers of games out there I do not know how many people would buy it. If it is fate it will come out and our dreams come true. My initial purpose was to have it be fair. Good work for good pay. Being a nobody I think exposure is probably a good thing. I do not want to rip off the original producers who made Arkanoid. After all, that is their living. I would not want that to happen to me. Imagine all the stuffs we have worked so hard to for taken away from us one day because of theft. So my uncle tells me if you do not want others to do that to you then you refrain from doing to them. So I am starting off small.

I have to get my game out somehow. However, I am leaving it to my mom (boss) haha. Also I have to get it copyrighted officially if I am producing a real complete product instead of just a demo. Not only that, and I have to see if Arkanoid producers want a take in the profits. So there are so much to consider. It is a really big dream project if it is going to take off.

As for preference to programming tools, I have fallen in love with Borland Turbo C 2.01 so there is no alternative to me. I know there are plenty of advance languages out there. Look at the 32-bit mode graphics which allows millions of colors. My Borland Turbo C 2.01 only allows a little over a dozen. So I have to do something nothing less than a miracle to make my game compete with all these 64-bit miracles. With technology increasing everyday, I am at a disadvantage. However, I always look to the story of Romeo and Juliette. They never left each other even though all were against them. When they were away from each other, they still had each other in their hearts!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrFlibble]

Well, I wish you best of luck in becoming a professional/indie game designer then!

I think Quadko posted a link to an article a while ago where an indie developer discusses how it is possible to promote a game these days without spending anything on it. Here it is:
http://www.dosgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20140

[tienkhoanguyen]

Well, I didn't get a thing from it except my mom seems to have finally talked to the entire family about the darn thing being released without pay? haha Anyways, she seems happy today for some reason and told me it is NOW OK!!!!!!!!!!!! So ArkanDOS is now officially approved for release to the public by my entire family. haha Whew. I was having a bad attitude yesterday. I threw a tempter tamtrum and everything haha O-well, the games has a few tweaks and updates. Nothing major that you would probably notice. However, it is small things that make me proud as a programmer. hehe

Anyways, I brag about myself too much when I am not EA!!!!!!!!!!!! haha Actually, I should be giving Taito the credits since I got the idea from them. haha Well, I am reminded of the Atari generations playing my own game so who cares hehe

[tienkhoanguyen]

Jesus Christ!hehe Okay peeps. I have tweaked the latest and the greatest edition of my very humblest nobody version of Arkanoid. haha If the producer of Arkanoid has a problem with me giving them a lame version of their game just know that I love your game when I was a kid!!!!!!!!!!!! hehe

Anyways, there are three links in my signature line.

The first link is for just the single-file pure DOS game. I have received feedback from Joris from www.playdosgames.com that it is not smooth. So I tried (notice the word tried hehe) to make it smoother.

The second link is for the Windows version.
If you have Windows 32-bit, running my game will make it too fast to play. However you could do it just for the fun of speedy gonzalez haha. So the Windows version automatically has DOSBox activated after extraction. Don't worry there is no virus. Unless of course DOSBox or WinRAR made a mistake that erases your whole disks haha

The third link is for the entire copy of ArkanDOS at its latest release (9/15/2014 Monday - work day yuck haha)

It should work for 64-bit Windows 8 since I have 64-bit Windows 8 and the ArkanWin works fine.

I do not have a DOS system unless I virtual machine it so I do not know if it works on a native DOS machine.

On Microsoft Windows 2000 the DOS version should work as it is. However I have not tested the speed for play.

These are things that are pain in the buttocks seeing speed checks is another hassle having to be coded. Arghhhhhhhhhhhh

[Quadko]

These are things that are pain in the buttocks seeing speed checks is another hassle having to be coded.

Hear, hear! I'm looking at doing this just within DOSBox for a project, and boy was it a pain back then. I'm much happier with Window's easy-to-use high performance timers.

[MrFlibble]

Congratulations on all the progress with the game!

[tienkhoanguyen]

To Quadko, do not forget the small guy like me when you make it big time.

To MrFlibble, thanks. I worked hard to get to where it is. I know it is no where near the original Arkanoid however everyday seems to hint that it is better than I think.

The original Arkanoid has bombs, spheres that shoot in all directions, falling blocks, and so much more than I could remember. I have only managed to make two or three things so far.

By the way, I just sent Taito an email requesting permission just to be sure since I am basing my game off of their's. So if I do not hear words then it is a hint that they are giving it a slow go. haha

In the mean time I am just still producing it for fun.

Also - A big thank you to Joris over at WW.PLAYDOSGAMES.COM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tienkhoanguyen]

So how does it feel the big day after having my game hosted by WWW.PLAYDOSGAMES.COM for the first time? It is darn scary. To imagine everyone is watching you makes me tense up and freeze. It is like I cannot say anything anymore. Luckily somehow I managed to calm my nerves enough to say something again! haha

Today, I just learned more about Functions and Pointers for fun. It always seem like when you make it a professional job that you lose your drive in life. So I just decided to take the Borland Turbo C 2.01 fun manual as I would like to call it and dig in. haha I take it a challenge to decipher typo based texts that has samples that does NOT work at all haha

[MrFlibble]

So how does it feel the big day after having my game hosted by WWW.PLAYDOSGAMES.COM for the first time?

Congratulations!

[tienkhoanguyen]

The people on here are so kind. I put 100% to my demo and felt like I had nothing left to give. So I am the one who is grateful. What I appreciate most is that even though it is a demo it is still featured.

By the way, Thank you Mr.Flibble for all your help. I know you and Quadko have been very amazing helping me out. I thought a lot of the contents I have been given are very interesting and even useful one day.

As for Sprites, @Quadko, I am sure I will use it one day. It is such a hard subject to pick up for me.

Then Joris has to spend something to keep up his website so - do not think I am not aware haha

I love you ALL! (For what it is worth I do not have a penny to my name and still living under my parents watchful eyes, however I hope you enjoy my small demo. The scores goes up to 1200000000 haha)

You know - I have a lot of people to thank. The truth is that I cannot fit all the people into one page. However, if I ever finish my demo, I think I have many pages of credits to put those who are special in my life in. Even those I have never met are special in some way. I am a firm believer that God created everyone with a special gift. So I am not the only one out there that has something to offer. Everyone has that something special otherwise we would not be here. Just my two cents. haha

[tienkhoanguyen]

Jesus Christ!

I have done it.

I have managed to expand what is known as a Sprite, which is a moving animated object to twice the size of the original project.

It is surprising that the speed did not slow as much as I have expected it to.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/899bs ... aphBuf.zip

The link is the source and also a DOS demo.

If you notice in my ArkanDOS game, it should blink.

This is because it would draw the ball and then erase it to prepare it for the next position.

So many such occurences makes it blink.

Inspiration for Sprites go to Quadko.
I initially decided to go against the idea seeing I did not need it.
However, fate has it that I try it out before declining it.

Today, it is graceful that I have managed to see the beauty in Sprites. It is stable compared to my erase and draw routine.

The images is solid instead of blinking.

In this demo you can see a comparison between my previous routine which is the blinking ball.

Of course the solid animated ball is the sprite.

I hope you all enjoy my work as much as I enjoy learning about it.

(just as a half joke that might come true, I might end up doing that joystick routine and you never know - another hit wonder!!!!!!!!!!!! haha)