Notes from Thinktank IV

The two papers that were available are use as basis with added comments.

• Be sure to define small goals in the Thinktank ans to be able to approach them iteratively.
  While this is a good approach for an existing framework, a lot of base coding need to be done. See below
• Try to define the most important elements needed for a minimalistic running game. Some of them you already achieved. My opinion: Focus on interactivity. Depends on:
  • simple AI (spaceship follows pilot and shoots on it, probability of hitting it is for example ~1/d (d is distance to craft))
    Martin did quite a good Job in creating an expandable base for the AI in a 3 layer approach. Following and shooting are probably the important parts for the pilot, coordination, target selection for the squad commander.
  • simple collision detection (bounding box is sufficient for a first approach, _don't_ code your own collision detection alg.)
    We try to get ODE working, and incorporate it as physics and collision engine.
  • simple mission goals (kill all pirates, kill 5 aliens, etc. just simple counters)
    Full ACK, start simple, extend as the game grows.
  • simple weapon (one is sufficient): sound and vision
    We still need a good weapons system, thus the approach would be, create a weaponsystem, and implement one weapon. We have to be careful, that all later one needed features are already there in.
  • simple interactive menu: (1) describing the mission goals (2) informing the pilot if mission goals reached (3) informing the pilot he was killed, restart/quit. sound and vision.
    We'll have a look at CEGUI, or have a look at alternatives.
  • very good controls for the spacecraft (this is most important for the quality of the game). Give this task only to very skilled and very motivated programmers that know the game genre. Define one and only one game to be used as a prototype, install it on his/her computer let him play it in front of you and discuss it. This is so important…
    It is rather impossible to create a really good steering in just one term. It is going to be some basic implementation which will need much fine tuning in the following terms.
  • simple HUD (showing health and ammo _only_) in a second iteration you may show more..
    We are not entirely sure, if ogre provides what we need, or if we are going to have a look at CEGUI.
  • explosion effect for killed spacecrafts: sound and vision
    It should not entirely be neglected, but there are more important thing to be done first, such as collision, weapons, AI…