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Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:09 pm
by Dreeb
Has anybody heard of the game morrowind, or oblivion?
If not, look it up on youtube.
Morrowind is a single player, 3d rpg game created in 2002.
Oblivion is basicly the same thing, made by the same people, but with better graphics.
People have made multiplayer-mods for both of these games, but the one for morrowind is HORRIBLY buggy.
When I get better in programming, some day I want to make a better multiplayer mod for morrowind.
Right now, i am a newb in c and C++, and i am just learning the basics of sdl and still some of c/c++.
Would c/++ be the best language for my future project?
Or is there another language just-right for it.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:37 pm
by Joeyotrevor
You'd have to do a lot of reverse engineering requiring extensive knowledge of DLL injection, function hooking, most likely assembly, how to use a debugger and a disassembler, and how to program multiplayer games. C++ would be the best language for the job, but it is highly unlikely you will be able to do something like this without years of experience and it would probably be more buggy than the current multiplayer mod.

Get to a point where you can make your own multiplayer game. Then consider how hard it would be to add multiplayer to a game without it, and without the programs source code. Judging by your post I'd say abandon this idea.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:45 pm
by Dreeb
then, would c++ be the best choice for just modding these games in-general, without the multiplayer mod?

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:52 pm
by dandymcgee
Dreeb wrote:then, would c++ be the best choice for just modding these games in-general, without the multiplayer mod?
I'm not sure about Morrowind, but Oblivion has a contruction set available for download that will help you create new and edit existing game content. You can download it from the Bethesda site for free.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:15 pm
by Falco Girgis
Dreeb wrote:then, would c++ be the best choice for just modding these games in-general, without the multiplayer mod?
You are going to be needing a HELL of a lot more than that if you want to mod games that aren't meant to be mod-able.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:26 pm
by wtetzner
GyroVorbis wrote:
Dreeb wrote:then, would c++ be the best choice for just modding these games in-general, without the multiplayer mod?
You are going to be needing a HELL of a lot more than that if you want to mod games that aren't meant to be mod-able.
I haven't modded Morrowind or Oblivion, but I know that Morrowind (and I'm guessing Oblivion too) comes with a Construction Set that's used to create mods, which includes it's own proprietary scripting language.

So Dreeb, I'd recommend learning how to use the Construction Set if you want to mod Elder Scrolls games.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:02 pm
by dandymcgee
wtetzner wrote: I haven't modded Morrowind or Oblivion, but I know that Morrowind (and I'm guessing Oblivion too) comes with a Construction Set that's used to create mods, which includes it's own proprietary scripting language.

So Dreeb, I'd recommend learning how to use the Construction Set if you want to mod Elder Scrolls games.
Apparently both do, I own oblivion and was just messing with the construction set. It's pretty freakin cool.

Here's an oblivion modding guide, I'm sure there are plenty of Morrowind one's as well if that is what you are looking for. As far as multiplayer, I wouldn't recommend even attempting it regardless of experience.
http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/in ... er's_guide

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:08 pm
by wtetzner
dandymcgee wrote:
wtetzner wrote: I haven't modded Morrowind or Oblivion, but I know that Morrowind (and I'm guessing Oblivion too) comes with a Construction Set that's used to create mods, which includes it's own proprietary scripting language.

So Dreeb, I'd recommend learning how to use the Construction Set if you want to mod Elder Scrolls games.
Apparently both do, I own oblivion and was just messing with the construction set. It's pretty freakin cool.

Here's an oblivion modding guide, I'm sure there are plenty of Morrowind one's as well if that is what you are looking for. As far as multiplayer, I wouldn't recommend even attempting it regardless of experience.
http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/in ... er's_guide
I wouldn't discourage him from trying to make a multiplayer mode. Sure, he might not succeed at his current level of experience, but he might as well try. At the very least I would imagine he'd become very familiar with writing Morrowind (or Oblivion) mods.

I've started on plenty of projects that were way too ambitious for my skill level, but even though the projects weren't successes, my programming skills were improved drastically. I think if someone asks a question like this, just try to help get them on the right path, and let them find out for themselves how difficult it is. That way they gain a greater respect for this stuff.

Plus, they might suprise you and actually pull if off.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 9:51 am
by dandymcgee
wtetzner wrote: I wouldn't discourage him from trying to make a multiplayer mode. Sure, he might not succeed at his current level of experience, but he might as well try. At the very least I would imagine he'd become very familiar with writing Morrowind (or Oblivion) mods.

I've started on plenty of projects that were way too ambitious for my skill level, but even though the projects weren't successes, my programming skills were improved drastically. I think if someone asks a question like this, just try to help get them on the right path, and let them find out for themselves how difficult it is. That way they gain a greater respect for this stuff.

Plus, they might suprise you and actually pull if off.
I don't mean any offense by it, but I completely disagree with this. While over ambitious projects are an excellent way to learn a lot of things, attempting to reverse engineer a commercial game in order to add multiplayer support will get him absolutely nowhere, and I highly doubt he will learn anything other than frustration while attempting it.

Modding with the provided tools is a completely different topic, and I believe that would be a great experience for anyone looking to get into modding.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 12:37 pm
by Dreeb
I'm no where near creating such a thing in c/++, heck, I don't even know how to do anything to oblvion/morrowind with c.
Although, you guys did help me by giving me the link to that construction set modding tutorial, thanks.
I wish one day to work on such a project, and i am hoping that others will join me, and bring morrowind back with our multiplayer mod, but that day is not today.

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 12:54 pm
by dandymcgee
Dreeb wrote:I'm no where near creating such a thing in c/++, heck, I don't even know how to do anything to oblvion/morrowind with c.
Although, you guys did help me by giving me the link to that construction set modding tutorial, thanks.
I wish one day to work on such a project, and i am hoping that others will join me, and bring morrowind back with our multiplayer mod, but that day is not today.
Awesome, glad the link was appreciated. Let us know if you need help with anything else, even if it be slightly less ambitious. :mrgreen:

Re: Best Language for this project?

Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:22 pm
by davidthefat
From what I have seen from the mod is that its just pvp, so it pretty much handles the other player as a human in the game (yes I have the game) so it gets the x and y coordinates of the characters and sends it to the other player and it updates what they are doing and stuff, the concept itself isnt that complex, just getting it to work is