Calm before the storm? Or DOA?

[AF]

Some of us don't have the $$$ for a Microsoft programming product

Neither do I! But I'm still doing what I can, open notepad and start typing code, you dont need to compile it, just send ti to soemone else who canor post it. You might want to fidn soemhtign other than notepad to code though.

C++ isnt that hard, it's the concepts of programming that are the problem not the language itself. And you dont need to learn the entire language and its syntax off by heart to code something, if you dont code you'll never learn anyway.

I gtg, buggi, if you posted a truckload a links to thigns like tortios cvs and decent IDE, and jouninkomiko, a link to that .Net studio express would be much appreciated.

[KiviGerbil]

here i go.

i have some experience with c++, mostly stupid stuff. but i'm accustomed to reading examples and stuff on the net.

let's see what will happen. i guess that i will mostly be confused..

[Gabba]

Thanks for all your work and your enthusiasm Buggi - it's encouraging to know you're not a professional programmer, yet you come out with good stuff.

I really want to contribute - actually I make the claim for the first code contribution to Spring - the map-maker without trees!

The areas I'm really interested in are:
- Pathfinding, which I'm not sure if I have the skill to code; I've been doing some research at least, and it might inspire somebody even if I can't implement it.
- Improving terrain with different terrain types, effects on units, and so on. I'm following the changes that the SYs are doing to the map format, and I made a few requests for a framework that would allow me to code in these type of things. If they listen to me, I might be able to contribute more.
- A target priority queue, and the associated GUI - right now I have no idea how easy or hard that might be. The thing I notice, though, is that nobody except Redfish dared to touch the core Spring engine - even you stayed on the map maker, which you can change without breaking the game.

[BlackLiger]

BlackLiger... dude... it's not a book, it's code. And it's not very well commented at that. Just what are you reading? Smile Lets see some code! :D

Thats my point. I'm readin it through, to figure out what in hell each bit does. Thanks to Gnome, I recognise the GUI code, but thats generally it.

[Buggi]

I felt a greater need for tools then another engineer for the core when I dove into Spring. There was little support for actually putting stuff INTO the engine. There's already a couple people at SY working on the engine (many thanks to SJ and Fnordia!!) so I figured for the time being my skills would be better put to use creating the stuff to create stuff.

Makes sense doesn't it? The engine is there... need to tools to squeeze the most out of it.

Units are next ¬_¬

-Buggi

[hrmph]

Don't you realize that the majority of people on here are _gamers_ not _coders_. For an open source project I think spring is doing just great. The only other project I can think of that even compares is Glest, and unfortunately it doesn't even have multiplayer function at all.

[Zoombie]

and if im a average example of a gamer ( ), most people want to BECOME coders and modders and map makers. Actaully new maps seem to be comming out left and right.

[LathanStanley]

I'm one of the brand new guys to Spring, but not TA... =]

I'm a HELLOVA 3d modeller and a damn good artist...

I'd be willing to model the 3d buildings and stuff you can put on the city maps as placeables if you work them into your map proggy..



I'd have a lil bit of trouble with the skinning but not too much, the biggest problem I would have is controlling myself on facet useage

but yeah... I can do those... I can model damn near anything.... but I don't do animations all too well... but I can do them too if they are pretty simple

if you want me to dig in, and get started on building, lightpost, cars, monorail, rocks, boulders, lava spires, crystals, whatever modeling, etc. I'll jump on it and I'll keep you posted...

I was working for a lil bit on modeling for the Doomsday Engine (DOOM port) but those anal motherfuckers pissed me off.... (omg! its 3 pixels off the location of the origional texture and different in color by (183 102 75) to (181 108 75).... damn commies they are... lol

I like spring much better because everyone... well.. MOST of everyone LIKES the IDEA of NEW INNOVATION and NEW STUFF!!!

so yeah... you got my full attention now

Edit: oh and code... I don't know piddle about

[shnorb]

i dont think modelling is really of a great concern atm, but seeing a some quality ota units remodelled would be nice. and by quality i mean that they remain true to the originals while not being limited by poly counts, or texturing quality.

[smokingwreckage]

Personally I think modelling is an excellent skill and needed. You never know when someone's going to decide Spring can't legally use models, textures, and names from TA; further, the SY's have already stated that they primarily lack artistic output rather than code output.

Compared to many projects Spring is a hive of intense activity and the forums are fine, sometimes well above the level of traffic you might think. There's lively debate and a lot of ideas being thrown around. Some of them are silly. Meh.

Sure I'd like to see more people digging thru code and stuff, but I think it fair to say that the lobby needed work, and has got it, and soon we should have a high-quality lobby. It needed doing.

I can't code. I have a number of other skills I want to re-polish before hell freezes and I try to code. I have a job that often requires a 7:30 AM start and a 10:00 PM finish. I have a three year old. NO way am I going to try to start hacking at this point.

Buggi, just stay with it, you're doing well, this is a long term project. It'll allll be fiiiiine.

[AF]

A target priority queue, and the associated GUI - right now I have no idea how easy or hard that might be. The thing I notice, though, is that nobody except Redfish dared to touch the core Spring engine - even you stayed on the map maker, which you can change without breaking the game.

Try starting with the new GUi code, it needs fixing, after that you shall ahve all you need to do what you want, define a simple panel, and the GroupAI dll interface offers the easy way round after that On a side note perhaps you should define what come sup in the panel absed on general TEDClass types, I have already requested someone volunteers to rewrite them to be more fitting for help with AI, if not I'll have to do it myself. Specifically OTA and AA, maybe SWTA, gnome youhave the time to look into that?


LathanStanley, ncie to hear your a good modeller, so do us a favour and make us soem better trees, palm trees generic, pine trees etc, and a few bush things too. If soemone could fidn the rock SJ asked for too then I think these should be added to the engine code that randomly places trees.

[LathanStanley]

LathanStanley, ncie to hear your a good modeller, so do us a favour and make us soem better trees, palm trees generic, pine trees etc, and a few bush things too. If soemone could fidn the rock SJ asked for too then I think these should be added to the engine code that randomly places trees.

will do... gimmie a polycount limit and I'll do my best to stay under it

can I use images with an alpha channel?? that'll make the best foliage

[AF]

As far as I am aware there is no poly count, just do whatever seems adequate for a good tree, and remember some maps have hundreds if not thousands fo them while others ahve a handfull.

I'm not sure about alpha channels though.

[LathanStanley]

As far as I am aware there is no poly count, just do whatever seems adequate for a good tree, and remember some maps have hundreds if not thousands fo them while others ahve a handfull.

I'm not sure about alpha channels though.

thats why I ask for a polycount... should I try to stay under 100? or 60?

[AF]

no poly count limit* my mistake, perhaps 100 or somewhere around there.

[aGorm]

You missunderstand me Buggi... Its because I have hit one of those points were its growing exponentially that I have no time do do anything else. Having only left schoiol last year and now working a 12 hour day (after travel), i alreday feel i have no time for normal things. I somehow fit all that in still though.

So dont preatch about time, because I know about it.

besides... I do make maps... and that is quite time consuming.

aGorm

[Tim Blokdijk]

I just love standing and waving my dick in the wind!
Now code me some (Linux) tools buggi

Alright sorry that's realy evil, but I will need to give up on something in order to have time for Spring.
I try to give Ace07 some help with the new lobby but that's it for now.
People depend on me IRL can't tell them that they just need to hang on because I have to make a computer game.

Still I like to be a little part of it once the Linux port get's a /.

Anyway, I still admire the time you and other people spend on this project!
And I just love to see people do things because they like to do it.

[PauloMorfeo]

Some of us don't have the $$$ for a Microsoft programming product...

If you guys are Microsoft only,

Umm, there are free versions of Visual Studio out. It's called Visual Studio Express. Give them a shot, they aren't bad.

...
You can also order those Visual Studios (or something of the sort... Don't really know) from Microsoft. They are free and you won't even have to pay for it's shipment. All you need to do is fill out some forms and stuff...
I already have one of those waiting for me to try it out (in an expendable Windows instalation...).

Also, for working in C++, you have the highly famous and dev-c++ (free):
http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html
And going to http://www.Borland.com, you can find the C++BuilderX. It works on Windows, Linux and Solaris. (i think you have a personal or something version that allows you to use it for non-comercial use)

And for working in C#, you have the hot at the moment Sharpdevelop (free):
http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SD/
You can also go to http://www.Borland.com to download the C# Builder.

...
Anyone else actually LOOKING at the code?
...
Don't ANYONE start on the "I'm busy" crap. ...

I am busy!
Every single second i spend resting from my everyday routine, is not free time. It is busy time in which i am taking the task of replenishing my body and mind. Every single second i spend playing TA::Spring or any thing other, is busy time spent in a highly needed task, entertaining myself.

And, you have not the slightest idea how much i love to work on games and how much i would love to work on this specific one.
No internship on August... Maybe i'l manage to get something done then!

However, it highly demotivates if we don't see a way to produce work that is usefull. Just getting thrown into the C++ code of Spring, can makes feel like we will hardly be able to produce anything worthwhile. I hope that, if the SYs want more help on they're project, they present easy ways of geting into working on the project. Hoping for people to just dive in to the C++ sources needs much faith.

Maybe the project needs a kind of public relations person well versed in programming to break down the project in modular tasks that need to be done then, break them down in smaller tasks and then, presenting them to volunteers.

[LathanStanley]

palm tree model done... what format of model does spring use??? md2?

sorry I took forever getting it... I had to re-install 3dsmax 4 times to get it to work right with the domain liscence aquisition... blah... the model itself took 15 mins tops

only 80 faces

and what format of texturing is used on skinning it??? png? should it be 1 file? or can it be mutiple files?

a lil insight and I can crank out models like crazy....




gonna make a pine.. :-p

[Min3mat]

prettyful! :D