Forums Thread

We need to figure out how to make terrain with water first.

Thanks,
James Fleming
Facebook

Meeting continues here?

I scanned the agendas coming up for the programmers.  As far as i can tell were on the right track.  At the moment i cant think of anything to add in order to complete the prototype.  I will however begin researching basic RTS concepts and mechanics so i can review it again with a more experienced eye.  I think at this rate i should know everything i need to know by OCT 1st and I will post on here any corrections or agendas i think may be necessary.   I chose here to do it rather than Facebook so that way its easy for me and other members of the team to look at or review.  Unless youd rather me go straight to "request agenda"  Id like to discuss with James before i go straight to that unless youd rather me to. 

Please let me know if thats all well and good and if you have any ideas to help me with task like this.  As of right now im just researching RTS mechanics to make sure our prototype is as well defined and concise as possible.  I will however thinking about it now also strengthen my understanding of how prototypes work so that way I can have the best understanding of that.  

@Jonathan Sounds like a good plan to me lets move forward and see if this solution for keeping us moving works out.

Thanks,
James Fleming
Facebook

@james I have a few things i wanted to discuss with you.  First off curse me and not writing this down i know i already asked you in the GDD theres going to be out of combat gameplay.  Is this to be included in the prototype?  Or is it just going to be the individual combat deathmatch scenes?  So sorry!!  

If so then is it necessary to spend the time and resources right now to go into coding the out of combat agendas?  I am refering to the reward system/ create account and gui/  and out of game currency?  I dont think these are neccisary for the prototype please let me know your thoughts on this.  

As well I also dont think working on partical effects is something we need to work on before the prototype as well?  Given thats its an asthetic thing and more for the user experience rather than refining the core gameplay.  I can see how it might be useful though so please let me know your thoughts on this as well

For now those are my current thoughts on the system.  I am still researching so atm i dont have anything to ADD to the current agendas.  I still anticipate not having completed my thoughts on this 100% until oct 1st.  Just giving myself time to be fully acclimated to what we are doing.  Still studing the GDD as well.  I want to have a 100% understanding of the GDD.

@Jonathan 

"i already asked you in the GDD theres going to be out of combat gameplay" - We should only be focus on the combat and unit movement in-game at this time for beta.  The reward stuff are extra and will come later after we have the core game play feature set in stone.

"As well I also dont think working on partical effects is something we need to work on before the prototype as well?" - I agree I will get it moved to mid term.

Thanks,
James Fleming
Facebook

@james  

I know you wanted me to focus on the game programmer agendas but I have also been looking at a few other things we might need to have coming up soon.  

1)       Have we designed an UI interface yet for combat and things like that?  I saw something in the completed agendas but im not sure what it meant.  Still a little confusing with the navigation there.  We are probably going to want at the very least a simple UI design for the prototype so id like to request an agenda for that at some point.  Probably should be put in game designer.

2)  If or when that is done were going to need some graphical UI elements done with that as well.  Again these could be simple and placeholders for the prototype as well.  I wanted to request and agenda for that as well.  Probably for the 2d artist.

3)Along with fixing the resolution for the current terrain were working on, i feel like thats a good time to work on general level design elements.  Such as terrain elements (trees, rocks, etc)  But spawn points and  resource spawn points too.  I was also thinking that a detailed explanation as to the goal of the map design and what the map is built to do is necessary.  In this regard i mean what are the thoughts and reasoning that went into building the piece.  I feel like this would be invaluable for others to understand the general route the map should go.  I also feel like this would really help with AI creation as you could program certain tactics to better flow with the map design.  These are just my thoughts on the matter at this moment. 

These are some of the things i think we are currently missing and I wanted to know your thoughts on this?  I numbered the questions for easy answering. 

Please let me know if you would like me to go through with any of these request.  I would also like to note that im 90% sure i am capable of working on these projects, just in case were shorthand in one of the areas i mentioned.  

@Jonathan

"Have we designed an UI interface yet for combat and things like that?" - The only thing we have done with the UI of the game is talk about it no actual controls have been created yet.  We have some art for it which what the agenda where for to get started.  An agenda will be created before noon today for it.

Both agenda where created.  As far as terrain asset lets see if we can buy some models if you want to find a few we can purchase and use in FBX format on one of the model selling sites that would be fine so we can move forward faster.

Thanks,
James Fleming
Facebook

Awesome thank you!  Okay so are there possibly notes about your discussion with UI controls that i can review or possibly discuss with you at a later date?  Maybe a meeting so we can work out the finer details?

As for the agenda pipeline order I think its probably best to design the UI before the art assets?  Im not sure the importance of this it might not be at all but that way we have a clear idea of what we will be using and how it will be used.  

To find agenda the best thing to do is to use the page below.  I could give you each one but I'm not sure what information you need.  So in the search box type "UI GUI" and then click only agneda check box at the bottom and do a search.  You can do this for asset too which will pull all art asset we have.  By default this only searches Armament project but feel free to look at the other project using the project drop down control on the screen.

http://www.thoucurator.com/administrator/listsearch

Thanks,
James Fleming
Facebook

@ james

In relation to the game programming agendas, are there going to be agendas made for creating terrain logic such as sea box, and sky box terrain.  

I think having units that can navigate both the sea and sky terrain would be necessary to the prototype.

Yes those should be on there I will get them moved over to short term.

Thanks,
James Fleming
Facebook

After reviewing Xenko the skybox is created in the editor with blender and gimp making a DDS file.  The agenda below might have more information on how this was done.

http://www.thoucurator.com/agenda/viewagenda?agendaid=1352

Thanks,
James Fleming
Facebook