Elven Revolution

V 0.9.a

The Grinch population have brainwashed Santa's elven workers, and convinced them that they were enslaved and they had to fight for their rights. Plan after plan, the elves started a violent revolution that took control of the factory and are looking forward to take down the red-hatted lord. You're the Captain of Santa's guards, and you've been given the task to control this situation and save the Christmas from the rebels!

Genre: Campaign RTS

This is my entry for Christmas Hack '09 for Albin Engstrom. It was based upon the following descriptions:

• Evil puzzle game, make a puzzle game that is somehow sadistically satisfying. [MINOR]

• Crowd control, make a game about controlling massive amounts of something or somethings. [MAJOR]

Basically, it's a strategy game where you have to beat up rebels and use artifacts like flash grenades, smoke grenades, toy guards, and call the pacific-evil lord Santa Claus.

Screens:

You love 'em, you want 'em. Here they are:

{"name":"600079","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/9\/f\/9f0ecf51fafa344f84c1c31ac30932b0.png","w":1024,"h":768,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/9\/f\/9f0ecf51fafa344f84c1c31ac30932b0"}
{"name":"600080","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/e\/f\/efd2f4130e9304bcd877e932740845f5.png","w":1024,"h":768,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/e\/f\/efd2f4130e9304bcd877e932740845f5"}
{"name":"600081","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/1\/6\/166f5f63f482611277cc331079f52122.png","w":1024,"h":768,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/1\/6\/166f5f63f482611277cc331079f52122"}
{"name":"600082","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/e\/f\/ef90e9806304b9f08e7678ee9c95efaf.png","w":1024,"h":768,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/e\/f\/ef90e9806304b9f08e7678ee9c95efaf"}

Differences from this version to the CH entry:

• Fixed a bug regarding portrait drawing in different resolutions.

• Added all the dlls necessary.

I only fixed this minor issue and distributing this new version for avoiding the dll hassle with the
entry I submitted to the CH site.

Download:

This package has Windows Binaries included and the source code.
Mediafire Mirror.

For some reason, uploading it to attachments returns a failure.

If anyone´s willing to provide Linux or Mac binaries, feel free to PM me.

How to Play:

The controls are pretty much like standard RTS, with some diferences on the mouse buttons needed. If you press F9 in-game, a help screen will come up and explain the different keys that you can use.

Notes:

• There is NO PATHFINDING, I'll revisit this entry later and add it. Still, you'll need to do micro-management, but it isn't a major issue, and in my opinion, gives better control over the units. Also, remember you can use CTRL+# groups if you feel strategic.

  
  

• I left an old warning about dlls in the readme. Sorry, ignore it .

  
  

• The game supports ANY resolution. I haven't tested most of them throughly, but they should work fine. Pay attention though, that most resources of the game were made around a 1024X768. The resolutions that I tested and worked with full detail were 1024X768, and 1280X768.

  
  

• Please, before giving feedback about something, read the [Known Issues] and [Would be great to add, maybe in future releases] sections.

  
  

• No comments on the source code unless you want to report a MAJOR optimization. No code beautification, or cleaning. I know most of the problems it has, and I'll fix them later.

  
  

• For the people who gave suggestions of credits in my other thread, you'll have to finish the campaign too see the credits and see if you won (or look at the src )

  
  

• Be sure to keep your hiscores.dat files. Attach it and I'll merge it to my global record. If you make it to the top 10, you rule.

Hope you have a good time saving the Christmas once again... with brute force.

For some reason, Allegro5 games are not working properly in my PC and unfortunately this one was not an exception , I don't know what to do... help

Try changing the driver in the Settings.ini file from OGL to D3D

It works for me. ...playing...

I like the dance of the sugar plum fairies.

I´m glad it works for you Mark. Paul, maybe you should check your PC specs with Felix-The-Ghost, he had a similar problem with A5 programs. IDK which is the cause of this slowdown.

I tried it and it crashes on my machine when I click on the level selection icon. The crash happens on a call to al_get_bitmap_height() according to gdb. I'll try to build it later using Allegro 4.9.16 to see if I can get it to work. I'm really looking forward to try it.

[EDIT:] I tried it by disabling music and all video effects available in the .INI file as well as with OGL and with D3D, but it still crashes. Unfortunately I can't build it right now with Allegro 4.9.16 'cause my Allegro build doesn't have the TTF addon.

Mmmm... I´ll look over the loading code, maybe work on the log and see if I can trace the culprit. GDB isn´t able to specify a little more? The line or the file?

I´ll PM you later an altered version, and if it works fine, I´ll update the file.

It´s weird, I tested this game with many people, and it didn´t crash on the loading screen. But it´s hard to notice errors like these when all classes have protected members. Both of my recipients haven´t reported a bug like this one.

Man, you went all out.

How did you get a stutter-free refresh? In my programs, I have this weird problem where every 5-6 seconds there's a .3 second stutter.

Well, there´s a chance kenmasters1976 problem is related to unsufficient video memory.

@Mark Oates: You´ve got the source code look at the main.cpp, alleginit.cpp, frames.cpp, and the end of maingame.cpp. We could share some ideas later.

I'd be able to play it if I had the dll's needed. Maybe that's why Paul couldn't play it.

EDIT : now that I've read the readme I know what to do

But you have them, I said that you should download the version I put HERE, it has a bug corrected regarding portrait drawing in different resolutions, and all the dlls needed.

al_set_new_display_option(ALLEGRO_VSYNC, 1, ALLEGRO_REQUIRE);!! Aha!!

cool... silky smooth...

There is no such word .

Sorry, need to polish my english.

Yes there is, that's just not how you use it. However, "I putted the ball, and it stopped 6mm from the hole" is perfectly correct.

LENNYLEN WINS
TECHNICALITY

The game runs good here on my machine.

I loved some of the graphics. The menu system works really well.

The way the group gets split up if some of them get stuck behind something is a bit
annoying.
Also, it seems impossible to throw snowballs at the elves from a distance unless you happen to be already throwing snowballs.

Good fun. I'll give it another go soon.

It's hard to believe it was made in 8 days.

I know, but I put my hopes that if I add pathfinding, this issue will be resolved.

Could you specify a little more please? I don´t get the whole picture of the situation you describe.

I´m glad you liked it. Did you make it to the last level? The last power is hillarious IMO.

Not this time. Still can't get past level 2.

The thing about the attack thing : I don't seem to be able to attack from a distance.

^ Not sure about that. Which method do you use for attacking?

1) Right Click on the unit?
2) Press the A key(or the gui-button on the right), and right click on an empty point to attack everyone along the way.

I recommend using #2. #1 has weird behaviour sometimes, but it works after I stop the units with the S key(or the gui-button on the right too).

Level 2 is hard!

I always get foiled by the chattering entourage on the eastside of the level.

Next time I play it, I'm going to reread the instructions.

That´s the reason the briefing tells you to look out for another passage. There´s plenty of ways to beat the rebels on the east.

Here are some tips:

1) You have 2 flash grenades. Use them wisely.
2) Snowballers are weak, and melee guards will mow them down in no time.
3) You can use those barricades to your advantage once you take the snowballers out.