Classic Game-boxes

[Redcap]

I am still working on how to get my game-boxes working, but besdes my own lack of understanding Zun Tzu seems very straightforward and easy to use, so I am sure once I figure this Error F thing out games will be flying out of my computer.

I enjoy and am prophecient at graphic arts, and want to make a collection of generic free games that don't have copy rights. I am planning on having all the graphics be 100% original as to avoid any copyright infringements, ect; and I was just wondering what games you can think of that may fall into the category of classic/traditional that have no copyrights.

This is what I have come up with thus far:
Chess
Checkers
Chinese Checkers
Mancala
Go, or Paduk(If you know Korean)
Jangi (Korean Chess)

Also I am wondering if this is even a good idea at all, would the community be interested in having a collection of such games available for Zun Tzu?

[spearjr]

I am still working on how to get my game-boxes working, but besdes my own lack of understanding Zun Tzu seems very straightforward and easy to use, so I am sure once I figure this Error F thing out games will be flying out of my computer.

I enjoy and am prophecient at graphic arts, and want to make a collection of generic free games that don't have copy rights. I am planning on having all the graphics be 100% original as to avoid any copyright infringements, ect; and I was just wondering what games you can think of that may fall into the category of classic/traditional that have no copyrights.

This is what I have come up with thus far:
Chess
Checkers
Chinese Checkers
Mancala
Go, or Paduk(If you know Korean)
Jangi (Korean Chess)

Also I am wondering if this is even a good idea at all, would the community be interested in having a collection of such games available for Zun Tzu?

I think this is a great idea to jump start the community. I'd already thought about making Pente (pretty much a Go set would do) or checkers. I'm not a graphic artist, so if you plan to do it, I won't bother.

-Jason

[Redcap]

I think this is a great idea to jump start the community. I'd already thought about making Pente (pretty much a Go set would do) or checkers. I'm not a graphic artist, so if you plan to do it, I won't bother

Even if you don't do graphics all the help and input from you is appreciated. Let me post some demo versions of what I am working with on Monday and get you feedback, whether or not you like the design, the feel, ect. And also I would love to get any thoughts you may have on the layout of the game-box. For example should I just make one big game box with a variety of different games on the different tabs, or should I just specialize and have each game-box be a different game. Stuff like that. Check back Monday for some pics.

[Jerome]

That's a great idea!
And I'll be happy to host the game boxes on this web site.

A long time ago I made a chess game box. Nothing fancy. You can download it here.
The chess pieces design is based on free fonts by Armando Hernández Marroquín. I've never asked Armando but if it's OK to use the fonts in a text I'm pretty sure it's also OK to use the fonts in a game box.

[Redcap]

That's a great idea!
And I'll be happy to host the game boxes on this web site.

That is what I was ultimatley hoping for, but I didn't want to be so bold as to assume Check back Monday for some examples of checkers, I think you, Jerome, will particularlly enjoy my first attempt.

[Redcap]

Quick update of the status of this project:

Have finished all the graphics for the checkers board and checkers pieces, looking real nice. I intended to post some graphics by today, but couldn't get the graphics on the internet today due to the fact that I don't get internet at my home and I didn't go to campus today. So the checkers board should be done by around Weds.

The chess board is also looking extemely good, and only have to finish graphics on the knight, the king, and the queen.

The Go board is almost done, just finishing up a few small details on the stones and board.

Also Jerome I had a question about graphics. I know that you said that you would like to host some of these game boxes on your website, so I was wondering if you would mind if I put the Zun Tzu logo on some of the graphics, like on the edge of the board, ect.

[Jerome]

I was wondering if you would mind if I put the Zun Tzu logo on some of the graphics, like on the edge of the board, ect.

I don't mind. Go ahead.

[Redcap]

Okay have the checkers done and don't know how to get the file to you Jerome; also I can not seem to get the programming portion of the board correct, so I was hoping if I could send you the ztb you could also look at why it isn't working. So here is a sample of my code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252" ?>
<game-box version="1.0"
name="ZunTzu Checkers"
description="A classic game of Checkers"
copyright="ZunTzu graphics 2007 and original board and piece design by Porter Nielsen 2007"
icon="icon.bmp">

<map name="Professional Board" image-file="board-wood.jpg" />
<map name="Amateur Board" image-file="board-paper.jpg" />
<counter-sheet name="Wooden Checkers"
front-image-file="checkers-wood-front.jpg" front-mask-file="checkers-wood-mask-front.png"
back-image-file="checkers-wood-back.jpg" back-mask-file="checkers-wood-mask-back.png">
<counter-section type="TwoSided" rows="4" columns="4"
front-left="0" front-top="0" front-right="1118" front-bottom="1118"
back-left="0" back-top="0" back-right="1118" back-bottom="1118" supply="10" shadow="40"/>
</counter-sheet>
<counter-sheet name="Plastic Checkers"
front-image-file="checkers-plastic-front.jpg" front-mask-file="checkers-plastic-mask-front.png"
back-image-file="checkers-plastic-back.jpg" back-mask-file="checkers-plastic-mask-back.png">
<counter-section type="TwoSided" rows="1" columns="2"
front-left="0" front-top="0" front-right="559" front-bottom="278"
back-left="0" back-top="0" back-right="559" back-bottom="278" supply="30" shadow="40"/>
</counter-sheet>
</game-box>

And I will make sure to send you the ztb Jerome so you can have a closer look.

Also couldn't post any images got an error from the server?[/quote]

[Redcap]

I think I have pin pointed the problem; namely, I am not running a start up scenario; so my question now is about dummy scenarios. Would this notation work for the dummy scenario?:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252" ?>
<game-box version="1.0"
name="ZunTzu Checkers"
description="A classic game of Checkers"
copyright="ZunTzu graphics 2007 and original board and piece design by Porter Nielsen 2007"
icon="icon.bmp">

<layout board="Professional Board"/>
<layout board="Amateur Board"/>
<layout board="Wooden Checkers"/>
<layout board="Plastic Checkers"/>



<map name="Professional Board" image-file="board-wood.jpg" />
<map name="Amateur Board" image-file="board-paper.jpg" />
<counter-sheet name="Wooden Checkers"
front-image-file="checkers-wood-front.jpg" front-mask-file="checkers-wood-mask-front.png"
back-image-file="checkers-wood-back.jpg" back-mask-file="checkers-wood-mask-back.png">
<counter-section type="TwoSided" rows="4" columns="4"
front-left="0" front-top="0" front-right="1118" front-bottom="1118"
back-left="0" back-top="0" back-right="1118" back-bottom="1118" supply="10" shadow="40"/>
</counter-sheet>
<counter-sheet name="Plastic Checkers"
front-image-file="checkers-plastic-front.jpg" front-mask-file="checkers-plastic-mask-front.png"
back-image-file="checkers-plastic-back.jpg" back-mask-file="checkers-plastic-mask-back.png">
<counter-section type="TwoSided" rows="1" columns="2"
front-left="0" front-top="0" front-right="559" front-bottom="278"
back-left="0" back-top="0" back-right="559" back-bottom="278" supply="30" shadow="40"/>
</counter-sheet>
</game-box>

Is this correct?[/b]

[Jerome]

Is this correct?

No. You're mixing elements from scenario files and from game-box.xml files.
The first node should be "game" not "game-box".
And you must not define all the images and counter sections again. That's what the game-box.xml is for.
The purpose of the dummy scenario file is simply to indicate which maps and counter sheets will be used through "layout" nodes. Then you will be able to load the game box in ZunTzu and set the counters out before saving the game file that will replace your dummy file.

[Redcap]

I went home excited that I might actually be getting my game box to work, and as you could expect it didn't turn out quite right.

And you must not define all the images and counter sections again..

I understood the first part of Jerome's response; however, am not quite sure how I am defining all the images and counter sections again, if anyone has a second and could show me an example of the correct format, I would be greatly appreciative.

I know that Jerome is on vacation and would not want him to waiste his time answering my questions; however, so hopeful a forum member can help instead.

P.S. Update on the graphics of the different game-boards I am working on. Checkers done, Chess done, Chinese Checkers done, Go done, Mancala in progress, and still haven't touched Korean Chess (Janggi). I am learning so much, but it is amazing how hard it is to get a game board working from looking at the help section on a computer at work and then trying to remember how to code it when I get home. It may be nice for the few wacko's like myself who don't have interenet at home to have a file to download that is an example of how to code a simple board game with a board, a few counters, but no starting scenario; thus showing how a dummy file looks, because as it stands the file section offers great outlines of different files with starting scenarios but no dummy files with nothing moved.

[Redcap]

Got it figured out and got my first game-box working, pretty awesome!

[Jerome]

Got it figured out and got my first game-box working, pretty awesome!

Great! Tell me if you think something is unclear in the documentation.

[Hedge-o-Matic]

Got it figured out and got my first game-box working, pretty awesome!

Great! Tell me if you think something is unclear in the documentation.

Hi, all! Love Zun Tzu, Jerome. The best program of its type I've ever seen, and the one I'm going to use to playtest my games from here on out, assuming I can iron out the wrinkles in my understanding of how gameboxes are made.

I was looking through a game-box and scenario file, trying to understand how pieces and stacks are defined for initial setup, and am having some trouble.I see the Layout tag, and then a series of Stack tags in the Scenario file, but don't see any way the file indicates what each token in the stack is. Put differently, how do you define the initial piece layout? This is unclear.

[Jerome]

Hi, all! Love Zun Tzu, Jerome. The best program of its type I've ever seen, and the one I'm going to use to playtest my games from here on out, assuming I can iron out the wrinkles in my understanding of how gameboxes are made.

Great! Thanks!

I was looking through a game-box and scenario file, trying to understand how pieces and stacks are defined for initial setup, and am having some trouble.I see the Layout tag, and then a series of Stack tags in the Scenario file, but don't see any way the file indicates what each token in the stack is. Put differently, how do you define the initial piece layout?

It's easy: you let ZunTzu do it!
Just start with a simple scenario file, with no "stack" tags, just "layout" tags to indicate which boards to use (see tutorial here).
Then launch ZunTzu. In ZunTzu, move the counters to their initial positions, then save the game and close ZunTzu.
Now all you have to do is rename the saved game with a ".zts" extension, and replace your simple scenario file with that new file.