I was really getting fed up with some of the code and how I was struggling to get simple stuff implemented. I had been thinking about getting someone else for the project for the past 2 weeks already, just so the project would go on, and I'd be able to spend the time I reserve (cough cough) for the project on more productive, and more interesting things.
So I was talking to a friend of mine who also does a bit of game development himself, and he told me how he struggled to get his project somewhere as well. In a moment of unadulterated bawl I ask him to come to the code for my project instead, and to my surprise he agreed!
And now there are 2! I've sent him over the current codebase and he said he'd start out restructuring the current code to be more... I think I'd say "proper". Put stuff in classes, get rid of global variables, that sort of things.
In the mean time, I'll start work on a preliminary level editor and get some actual content going so there'll be a world to walk in, stuff to find and baddies to fight, maybe even update the tileset again and get all those unspoken ideas out on paper so they can eventually find their way into the game!
I'm really excited about things right now!
Also, since I'm no longer the prime coder for this project (though I'll keep my eye on it ofcourse. It's hard to let go of your 'baby'...) the updates on the site may be less specific than they where and more geared towards design rather than coding.
Maybe I'll ask him to write up a bit on what he's done the past week. Who knows!
Anyway, see you next week!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Crawl
Not a lot was done this week. There's still the possible API bug, and that's probably what's the leading cause of me not getting to it. I did do some graphical things for the combat system, so it's not a complete standstill at least.
More on this next week.
More on this next week.
Monday, March 16, 2009
API Casts Bug of the Unknown
I did some more work on the combat routine. I'm about to start heaving parts over from the QuickUI to the Combat menu, which will appear and work in a similar fashion.
There is a small problem I ran into that might be related to SDL (or something along those lines) because I ran into an unexpected crash when the game screen loses focus. I've been spending some time already trying to figure out where the problem lies and how to fix it, along with some of the folks from the SDL IRC channel. Once this is fixed I'll continue working on the combat routine.
Short and sweet! See you next week!
There is a small problem I ran into that might be related to SDL (or something along those lines) because I ran into an unexpected crash when the game screen loses focus. I've been spending some time already trying to figure out where the problem lies and how to fix it, along with some of the folks from the SDL IRC channel. Once this is fixed I'll continue working on the combat routine.
Short and sweet! See you next week!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Productivity and half-promises
So this week has been very productive!
Lots more work done on the combat, I moved a bunch of structure related things from the idea pile to actual functional code. A lot of time was spent on making boring code it seems... or rather... purely functional code.
Most of the systemworks are now worked out completely and I'm currently spending most of my time just making them. Some more concrete formulas joined the mix and I spent a while updating the documentation today as a direct result of finding that the reading of AI moves was already in the code but not in the documentation, and since I use my own docs for reference that had to be done.
I am also glad to report that I have the first actual moving images from the combat sequence! I worked out how to make it so the combat's drawing calls wouldn't cause odd jerky movement and you can now watch both player's endurance points increase (all smooth) when you enter combat.
During a break I took I was looking through some of my old posts here and I noticed that, this April, Backyard Interactive (in it's current form) will celebrate it's first anniversary! My immediate thought was "I wonder if I can have combat done by then..." and I'm not entirely sure... considering my track record... but there's a slight chance that I might.
Maybe I'll do something fun, for the heck of it, and maybe I'll be to busy doing the actual work, but you'll just have to wait for that.
In the mean time, I'll just keep at it. See you next week!
Lots more work done on the combat, I moved a bunch of structure related things from the idea pile to actual functional code. A lot of time was spent on making boring code it seems... or rather... purely functional code.
Most of the systemworks are now worked out completely and I'm currently spending most of my time just making them. Some more concrete formulas joined the mix and I spent a while updating the documentation today as a direct result of finding that the reading of AI moves was already in the code but not in the documentation, and since I use my own docs for reference that had to be done.
I am also glad to report that I have the first actual moving images from the combat sequence! I worked out how to make it so the combat's drawing calls wouldn't cause odd jerky movement and you can now watch both player's endurance points increase (all smooth) when you enter combat.
During a break I took I was looking through some of my old posts here and I noticed that, this April, Backyard Interactive (in it's current form) will celebrate it's first anniversary! My immediate thought was "I wonder if I can have combat done by then..." and I'm not entirely sure... considering my track record... but there's a slight chance that I might.
Maybe I'll do something fun, for the heck of it, and maybe I'll be to busy doing the actual work, but you'll just have to wait for that.
In the mean time, I'll just keep at it. See you next week!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Structure and Design
Things are speeding up a little again.
A lot of design this past week. Getting more of the formula's nailed down as well as structuring. LOTS of Structuring. I've got the basics for the combat cycle done (partly on paper)... I've been thinking a lot about certain combat mechanics and how I'm going to have them interact... as well as how I'm going to implement all of this without redoing the framework I've been building over the course of this project.
Some of this stuff is really interesting, and some of it is tedious and minute.
I've also found out that Design is a lot more work than I initially expected. I've always been more of a designer than a programmer (but it's pretty hard to do one without the other... if you're working solo...) and I always took it as more of the "let's figure this stuff out, and make up some cool things" work. There's a lot of getting those cool ideas down to a level where you can work with them. It's interesting and I've learned a lot about that... and about working with myself, in the process!
I've also been toying with the idea of a forum. I probably won't make it 'Live' until after I've made some sort of a release though. Not much to talk about otherwise.
Anyway, more next week!
A lot of design this past week. Getting more of the formula's nailed down as well as structuring. LOTS of Structuring. I've got the basics for the combat cycle done (partly on paper)... I've been thinking a lot about certain combat mechanics and how I'm going to have them interact... as well as how I'm going to implement all of this without redoing the framework I've been building over the course of this project.
Some of this stuff is really interesting, and some of it is tedious and minute.
I've also found out that Design is a lot more work than I initially expected. I've always been more of a designer than a programmer (but it's pretty hard to do one without the other... if you're working solo...) and I always took it as more of the "let's figure this stuff out, and make up some cool things" work. There's a lot of getting those cool ideas down to a level where you can work with them. It's interesting and I've learned a lot about that... and about working with myself, in the process!
I've also been toying with the idea of a forum. I probably won't make it 'Live' until after I've made some sort of a release though. Not much to talk about otherwise.
Anyway, more next week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)