How Does Storm Engine Work - Mod Help

[DMorganPatrio]

I'm trying to figure out how to get this to work with Visual Studio 2022. I followed the walk throughs (GitHub - storm-devs/sd-teho-public: Scripts and configs for Sea Dogs: To Each His Own) but I end up getting memory exceptions and a crash when debugging from Visual Studio - I think I need some kind of targeting update to tell it to run from the Steam installation directory. I thought I did this in the launch.vs.json file but maybe not. However, I can copy the bin files to the Steam location and then attach the debugger after I run the engine.exe. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong here?

My other question is, does Storm Engine compile the c files from the Program directory at runtime? It seems like you don't need to pre-compile the code and it will take any updates from the files. Do you only need to build the engine executable if you're adding assets and resources?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong here?

@Hammie or @mitrokosta?

does Storm Engine compile the c files from the Program directory at runtime?

Yes.

Do you only need to build the engine executable if you're adding assets and resources?

"Assets" and "resources" like anything in the RESOURCE folder, you mean?
3D models, animations, sounds, music, etc. etc.?


If so:
Absolutely ZERO need for rebuilding the engine.
Just editing the .c files in the PROGRAM folder should be good enough.

If all is well, you should even be able to update resources without stopping the game from running at all.
You can do A LOT just "on the fly" using merely a simple tool like the default Windows Notepad.


In other words:
No.

Spoiler

DIALOG .c files are compiled AT the moment you initiate the dialog during playing.
So even LATER than "runtime".

 

[Hammie]

Question was also asked on Discord. So I'll quote myself:

Scripts (in the program folder) are compiled at runtime. You only need to build the engine executable if you want to change things not possible through scripting. Assets and resources don't need engine updates.

About the Visual Studio Debugging, that only applies to the GitHub - storm-devs/storm-engine: Game engine behind Sea Dogs, Pirates of the Caribbean and Age of Pirates games. repository.

GitHub - storm-devs/sd-teho-public: Scripts and configs for Sea Dogs: To Each His Own only contains the actual game scripts.

 

[Sebrian]

This makes me wonder, if engine's source code is available, wouldn't it be possible to fix/improve some it's flaws a bit, like the maximum actor limitation for locations...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

if engine's source code is available, wouldn't it be possible to fix/improve some it's flaws a bit

Yes.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt that IS possible.

There exists at least one complication though...
Open-source independent from everybody based on @Hammie's support?
Or closed-source very DEPENDENT from the Buccaneer's Reef based on @Mirsaneli's support?

It's a bloody IMPOSSIBLE choice!
It's the TWO (WE)EVILS from Jack Aubrey!!

 

[Hammie]

This makes me wonder, if engine's source code is available, wouldn't it be possible to fix/improve some it's flaws a bit, like the maximum actor limitation for locations...

I'm pretty sure actor counts were increased significantly on the latest engine recently. So I'm very certain it is possible.

I actually have a few days off this week, so I'm finally working on New Horizons some more. We'll see how far I can get.

 

[Hammie]

@Sebrian

From Github:

 

[Sebrian]

@Hammie this is epic, in New horizons some bigger cities suffer from feeling empty, and it's neat to add more npc's in general, as almost anything a bit better than a toaster can run this game by now

@Pieter Boelen Is there a way to include this in a official build release somehow ?

As "Devlin opera " is taking place in one of those empty feeling towns, it would be cool to populate it more...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

@Pieter Boelen Is there a way to include this in a official build release somehow ?

Yes.
I am 100% certain that there is at least A way.

But...

There exists at least one complication though...
Open-source independent from everybody based on @Hammie's support?
Or closed-source very DEPENDENT from the Buccaneer's Reef based on @Mirsaneli's support?

It's a bloody IMPOSSIBLE choice!
It's the TWO (WE)EVILS from Jack Aubrey!!

It's not just simply one way.
And I don't even know which of those ways are "A" and which is the "B Team"?

 

[Sebrian]

I won't even get into the topic of "other" storm engine's that have big improvements, as that's another story.

The whole appeal (at least for me) in New Horizons is that everything is open and free for anyone to change / improve, so imho there is only one way if we want to keep things this way.

I'd say an engine with certain fixes and improvements that is still open source and can be built upon would be the best scenario.

 

[Mirsaneli]

I really won't say anything, except good luck to anyone doing anything. I have spent almost 2 years working on New Horizons for Maelstrom for some very egoistic reasons: to be able to play it on an improved engine. And I have done so, I just finished the main storyline on Maelstrom. I'm doing the side quests and enjoying the fruits of the hard work. So for me personally, there is no Team A or Team B. Whoever contributes in any positive way, I say thumbs up. I have been called with various names, because I admit I can code very simple things. And Jeffrey has helped me like no one else, so I will always be thankful to him, and if you want to call it that way, I'm loyal to him, whatever that means lol

 

[Sebrian]

@Mirsaneli, it's a good engine and obviously superior to what we have for POTC right now, the downside to me is that it's not open source, and it is not free, to me it makes sense to pay for some qulaity work, but i think it just conflicts with this mod's ideology, and would mean that people who want to play New horizons would be forced to buy this engine, and i bet tons of hard work went into creating New Horizons as well, and it's all free... of course in a perfect scenario there could be some kind of conclusion or aggreement to be made here, but i have no idea how that could be done.

I'm not picking sides or creating teams, i just like to mod stuff and enjoy seafaring games

 

[Mirsaneli]

@Mirsaneli, it's a good engine and obviously superior to what we have for POTC right now, the downside to me is that it's not open source, and it is not free, to me it makes sense to pay for some qulaity work, but i think it just conflicts with this mod's ideology, and would mean that people who want to play New horizons would be forced to buy this engine, and i bet tons of hard work went into creating New Horizons as well, and it's all free... of course in a perfect scenario there could be some kind of conclusion or aggreement to be made here, but i have no idea how that could be done.

I'm not picking sides or creating teams, i just like to mod stuff and enjoy seafaring games

I understand your point. But I also respect someone's decision to sell his hard work. New Horizons could've been a buyable mod, but developers decided other way. Maelstrom developer decided differently, even though his reasons were not profit, but to collect some funds for Eras project, even though it's not my job to be anyone's attorney. Regardin money, I live in one of the poorest countries in Europe, and I bought many games on Steam which were more expensive. I bet anyone who can afford a PC/laptot can also afford 12$ for an engine that offers long term support. It's my way of thinking, I don't say I'm right.

 

[DavyJack]

 

[Mirsaneli]

View attachment 40898

An order is an order lol

 

[Pieter Boelen]

View attachment 40898

THAT is our @DavyJack! Acting like a TRUE OFFICER.
No wonder she is official PA! Staff.

An order is an order lol

You speak (read: write) truth.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Posted by zhazelwood on Build 14 FINAL Part 1: Installation Wizard file - Pirates of the Caribbean: New Horizons mod for Pirates of the Caribbean:

I just read a 2 year old article from this date of posting, that said you and im assuming others glancing at it from the forum, worked on for 17 years. Thats remarkable dedication. Its such a shame no one cares about this game, but its part of my own project of essentially patching and unifying it so my supported library is user friendly. Windows 10+ centric, but some Linux support. Over 130 games ive pushed into existence with my own raytracing mods, and now, texture mods. Cant program yet, but thats the ideal. Bots. Lots of automation.

Good work sir. Ill have to check this one out in more detail when im done.

Also while im here I might as well ask. It would be nice if we could have an all in one tool that allowed as humanly easy as possible .dll proxying with minimally one listing window telling it what order things should be chain loaded. Humanity doesnt appear very interested in this capability, nor was it standard a feature in windows since most of their costumers have no use for such a tech. One of the devs that made a kind of hacked together one, wasnt very friendly. Out of principle I probably will find an alternate solution since there should already be many. So far its been fossil hunting of extinct means. I get the impression just in my sample size people that can program with tools on the net, have a tendency to think they are Gods gift to the human race, or actually enjoy making their work as impossible to use as possible. To them its like they made some kind of club only an elite few can enter, but this is legitimately the opposite of the singularity. Just an impression, not the rule. Imagine if fighter pilots had to deconstruct their instruments into 0s and 1s before each operation. Inefficiency is bad. Thats why this project: Youtube Remastered Retro PC Games, is such a slog. Eventual mass credits, everything in passes, because if I dont slice it up, I cant remember everything in a collective relationship of relevant information. Im not skynet.

And also:

For funsies.... but what do fighter pilots have to do with video games? These things can carry nuclearized cruise missiles, and video games are harmless, or at worst, dangerously time wasting.

Think of it big picture. These are craft that at best, can shoot down satellites. They would be unable to disable or slow down a kardeshev 2 civilizations extinction capable ambitions. And perhaps in several centuries, its very likely we will emulate the creative function in biological computation and it wont run on a split 20 watts of biological envelope. It might construct itself around stars. Human programming at that point would go extinct.