engine source for game makers

[knorke]

Many game makers already look at the engine to figure things out but I think others have no idea what to look for.
So I started to write this:
http://springrts.com/wiki/EngineSource_for_GameDevs
Not finished but it would continue in that style...
Good idea or useless?
I don't really understand the engine either but there is always somebody more clueless than yourself?

[FLOZi]

All the linked to engine files should have a proper wiki page like Units-UnitDefs - in an ideal world. In a perfect world they'd even be kept up to date.

edit: Though in a perfect world more game devs would read git log and be aware of engine files (at least those you linked to which deal with defs)

[knorke]

I don't mean just the *def files, though those are probally what matters 95%.
But also look at for example that BA thread where somebody believed that XP was working in a funny way, based on things he believed to have observed years ago.
(what variables are involved when units gain XP or something)
Rumours like that could be avoided if game devs were a bit more familiar with the engine. Or had more faith in it or something.
In that case it is just a matter of looking where experience/damage is applied, those things can not be all documentated; not even in a perfect world.

[PicassoCT]

looked into it... looks like my stuff should look. Lots of
// Hell of a Divided-Zero avoided

//Saved the day, by getting that neg Squareroot out of the way

[hoijui]

engine sources should not be documented in the wiki directly, but in the engine source files directly!
this page seems fine to me though.
it would be good to have some diagrams for the general engine code structure (roughly oriented on the dirs and sub dirs, for example), though they would have to be maintained of course....
i know, not gonna happen.

[knorke]

I'd like to add some more things, for example a download link to the source of current stable release. (because that is what you want to use as reference for modding)
Is this the correct link?
https://github.com/spring/spring/zipball/master