game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

jokengle · 2013-05-31 20:08:45

Curse of War is a fast-paced action strategy game for Linux originally implemented using ncurses user interface. An SDL graphical version is also available (since version 1.2.0). Unlike most RTS, you are not controlling units, but focus on high-level strategic planning: Building infrastructure, securing resources, and moving your armies.

AUR (ncurses) git: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/curseofwar-git/
AUR (ncurses+SDL) git: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/curs … h-sdl-git/

New homepage: http://a-nikolaev.github.io/curseofwar/
Github
Readme

Videos:

Screenshots

Last edited by jokengle (2013-08-17 02:18:34)

ewaller · 2013-05-31 22:41:37

I took a look, and this is licensed under GPL 3.0. (Good)
Your first post (Questionable)
You signed up three years ago? Have you been using Arch all that time?

I will leave this thread here and see how it goes. An AUR would be appreciated.

jokengle · 2013-05-31 23:14:56

Thank you. Yes, I have been using Arch Linux for 3-4 years as my primary OS.
I was not an active member of the community (this is my second post here), but I greatly appreciate all the work people do to maintain this distribution.
I simply hope that this game can be interesting for Arch Linux users. It runs in terminal, and it does not take too much time to play one game. Hope, you will enjoy it.

Update:

An AUR package:

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/curseofwar-git/

Last edited by jokengle (2013-06-02 06:11:19)

Bonster · 2013-06-01 07:30:56

This game is hard even on easy mode lols; but is fun actually

Some ideas:

1. add some music to the game with the hotkey to toggle on/off
2. when u win, maybe have a victory screen when is over? or at least tell you if u won or not
3. a timer to show u how long u been playing
4. option to change your color. Instead of just default green

HalosGhost · 2013-06-01 07:36:33

Actually, the biggest suggestion I can make is that, since this is GPL licensed, you put the source on git or another VCS option so that people don't need to download from your dropbox folder. If this gets popular at all, Dropbox will eventually blacklist the download due to bandwidth restrictions.

All the best,

-HG

jokengle · 2013-06-01 16:39:04

Bonster:
Thank you for testing the game and for your suggestions, all of them will be good improvements indeed. Music will require SDL, but it can be optional, and I thought about an SDL front end anyway. Regarding the difficulty level, I will try to make computer players weaker, I think, I have to debilitate their city building algorithm.
A few ideas for playing better in the beginning: Try to use no more than two flags, don't attack stronger force, keep distance between your big cities and the front line (with one or two flags at most).

HalosGhost:
I agree with this suggestion, github is a logical next step for me. Thanks!

theGunslinger · 2013-06-01 17:55:57

I really like it, don't make it easier unless you add more dificulty levels please
It would be a real blast with network play and different shaped maps.

Last edited by theGunslinger (2013-06-01 18:00:41)

jokengle · 2013-06-01 23:22:12

I'm very happy to hear that you like the game! Ok, I cannot guaranty that I will keep existing difficulty levels exactly the same, they may change somewhat, but not much. I will add one more easiest difficulty level. Well, and a few harder levels too (um, to preserve the balance..).

Loading human-designed maps or differently shaped random maps is a must. Another good thing could be a new option that describes, whether you want to have an advantage or disadvantage over the computer opponents (at the generation stage, a random map is rejected and generated again if the player doesn't have enough gold mines nearby, for exmaple).

Networking may take some time to program, but I it is a great feature, I'm getting this request from other people too )

Bonster · 2013-06-02 01:54:52

some more stuff:

1. option to pause the game
2. restart the same map
3. special powerups? so i can kill all these stronger armies lols; sometimes im stuck in the mountains and cant get out.

jokengle · 2013-06-02 06:29:30

The source code is on Github now.
The package name is changed to curseofwar-git. Please update it, if you have installed the previous non-git AUR package.

Bonster:
1. Pause existed (slower than the "Slowest" speed), though it was not explicitly said anywhere. I added key [P] for pause/unpause.
2. Also I added -R seed option to run map generation with the specified random seed. (On exit the program prints the used seed).
These two updates are already in the -git version of the package.

HalosGhost · 2013-06-02 15:18:50

Nice, I'm definitely going to have to invest some time in this. Congrats!

All the best,

-HG

Bonster · 2013-06-03 05:13:59

@jokengle

Thanks

is there a way to set 1v1 or 2v2 ..etc?
most maps are hard to win if 3 computer are attacking you at the same time.

jokengle · 2013-06-03 07:35:58

To make 1v1, use option -l 2 (this is a lowercase L). To play with two opponents, start with -l 3.
This -l option is probably badly described. It is the number of countries on the map.

2v2 is impossible at the moment, there is no teams, though they can be added in future.

1) Map generation have to be improved: Maps must be always connected, also it's good to have different map shapes.
2) There have to be a system of points to give the final score, depending on the initial conditions, final result, difficulty, and probably other things.
3) Choice of specific computer opponents, teams, and all this Players & AI management is a prerequisite for multiplayer. I still have to think what's the best way to design this part.
4) Also, I started working on a version with SDL graphics and mouse support, as an optional target in the makefile.

Bonster · 2013-06-03 16:40:54

@jokengle

Cool that works.

Maybe just say
-l Set numbers of Computer players including yourself (default: 4)

Another question:
Why is it the computer can break through my defenses so easy even if i got more buildings/gold capture/little more bigger army then they do?
I have like 4 layers of tiles all maxed out and they still get through. Makes no sense and when i try to attack them it just ends in stalemate.

I tryed the 1 flag method which doesnt do much.
Even with multi flag it just delays the battle, the computer usually breaks through my wall of armies. Even if i have a higher advantage on buildings/gold/army

jokengle · 2013-06-03 22:27:32

Bonster wrote:

Maybe just say
-l Set numbers of Computer players including yourself (default: 4)

Sounds good.

I cannot say exactly, why you cannot win with better army and bigger country. In some situations it's really hard to win indeed.
I recorded one game session:

Maybe it can help.

Last edited by jokengle (2013-06-03 23:26:40)

jokengle · 2013-06-06 15:32:19

Update:

1. Map generation is improved. Players cannot be blocked by mountains.
2. Added option -i to specify inequality between the countries (variance of the estimation of their starting conditions). To make fair conditions for all, set -i0.
3. Option -q. Choose a starting location rated by their estimated quality. To take the best position on the map, set -q1.
4. Differently shaped maps (Rhombus, Rectangle, Hexagon).

Doomcide · 2013-06-06 15:33:05

Fun little game, I'll make a crux port as soon as there's a stable version.

jokengle · 2013-06-06 15:34:41

Doomcide wrote:

Fun little game, I'll make a crux port as soon as there's a stable version.

Cool. Thanks!

Awebb · 2013-06-06 17:01:08

For some reason, I somewhat hoped, that some of the music from your first video was the actual soundtrack of the game.

jokengle · 2013-06-06 17:45:36

Awebb wrote:

For some reason, I somewhat hoped, that some of the music from your first video was the actual soundtrack of the game.

It was music by Löhstana David, album Morve Rose. Distributed under Creative Commons BY-SA license, and can be downloaded for free.

Sorry, it is not included in the game. The game is very minimal, and it would require SDL to add music, I think.
I am actually planning to make an SDL version with mouse support, graphics, and music. Should I also make ncurses+SDL audio version too?

Doomcide · 2013-06-06 18:25:55

In my opinion sdl audio is overkill for an ncurses-game.

Awebb · 2013-06-06 18:56:49

I think you would have to create three versions then, because some people do not want sdl+ncurse. I do not really need it. I can play that song in mpd or cplay, if I want music. Keep it simple :-)

Thanks for the song.

jokengle · 2013-06-06 19:12:33

I agree ))

Doomcide · 2013-06-09 18:37:58

Some "bugs" I noticed:
1. Sometimes goldmines spawn in inaccessible places (Path blocked by mountains)
2. Despite -i0 some countries have more goldmines very close to their starting base than others.
3. I've found it impossible to win, when I owned the whole map but a small part in the lower right corner. This part was only accessible through a one-tile-wide way, which the enemy could defend with 3-4 Fortresses despite me having >10 Fortresses right in front of it, right next to each other.

Anyway really nice game, waiting for a multiplayer mode.

Last edited by Doomcide (2013-06-09 18:38:36)

jokengle · 2013-06-09 19:45:53

Bugs 1 and 2 are related.

The initial map evaluation is done before putting the starting Fortresses and two mines on the map for each player. Therefore, evaluation sometimes is imperfect, and mines can be blocked. Even though after that I do check that all countries are connected, some mines may still remain disconnected. In fact, if I redo this part, it can be a good improvement, and it is not hard to fix. Option -i0 sets relatively large margin on the difference between countries (0-20% variance is allowed). I did that to make map generation quicker, because at the moment, the whole map is regenerated, if some conditions are no met, this is why -i0 is not a very strong constraint. It can get better though.

Bug 3. It can happen. I don't know if it should be called a draw or not. How about adding a very costly weapon that destroys mountains? For me a draw is ok, but uberweapon can be added in principle.

At the moment, I'm playing with sockets programing and UDP, so hopefully an early multiplayer mode will be ready soon. It will be very basic in the beginning but playable.

Thanks a lot for reporting the bugs. I was aware of them, but I was not sure if they are very noticable for players. They have to be fixed, obviously.

Btw, I have a preliminary code for the "Fog of war" mode. But because this feature should work for every player individually, it will be added after multiplayer is working.

Thanks again!

Last edited by jokengle (2013-06-09 19:46:49)

Arch Linux

#1 2013-05-31 20:08:45

game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#2 2013-05-31 22:41:37

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#3 2013-05-31 23:14:56

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#4 2013-06-01 07:30:56

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#5 2013-06-01 07:36:33

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#6 2013-06-01 16:39:04

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#7 2013-06-01 17:55:57

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#8 2013-06-01 23:22:12

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#9 2013-06-02 01:54:52

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#10 2013-06-02 06:29:30

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#11 2013-06-02 15:18:50

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#12 2013-06-03 05:13:59

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#13 2013-06-03 07:35:58

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#14 2013-06-03 16:40:54

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#15 2013-06-03 22:27:32

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#16 2013-06-06 15:32:19

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#17 2013-06-06 15:33:05

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#18 2013-06-06 15:34:41

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#19 2013-06-06 17:01:08

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#20 2013-06-06 17:45:36

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#21 2013-06-06 18:25:55

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#22 2013-06-06 18:56:49

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#23 2013-06-06 19:12:33

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#24 2013-06-09 18:37:58

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

#25 2013-06-09 19:45:53

Re: game Curse of War [RTS, ncurses/SDL]

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