[Archived] Original Mod Collaboration Thread


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I finally caught up with the thread! So much to do, both around here and in the snailking mod!

I was actually thinking of making it a random process. We'd have two (initially, possibly adding more) states: charged and uncharged. Each one would have a "probability density" of transitioning to the other state. The chance for a state to remain the same would decay exponentially with time. That way we'd add unpredictability to the static mechanic, while also keeping it controlled "on average" by choosing the probabilities.

Math-savvy readers might notice what I'm suggesting is a Markov Chain, or more precisely a Continuous-time Markov Chain.

 

 

 

Massive, you say?

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Yes, we need to organize this. My suggestion is to adopt what's suggested in the GNU Coding Standards: we'd keep a ChangeLog file giving a high-level view of code changes, and a NEWS file describing what's been done in a "human readable" form (i.e., not talking about code directly). The NEWS file could even be formatted using BBCodes, so that we could just create a News section in the OP of this thread and update it by copy-pasting the file's contents. Both files would be kept in the Git repo, updated by all as changes are made, otherwise things become quite unwieldly (as they have).

 

Why is my item the only boring one? :(

Random sounds like its a good idea. And of course its not totally random, we could have some leverage for balance purposes. That'd certainly encourage preparation on the players part.

 

The changelog seems helpful, but don't the commits do a pretty good job of keeping track of changes? Serious question, I'm sure you have your reasons for suggesting a changelog. Or is this leaning towards user-friendliness?

 

As for the news, should that include a content roadmap of any sort?

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Random sounds like its a good idea. And of course its not totally random, we could have some leverage for balance purposes. That'd certainly encourage preparation on the players part. The changelog seems helpful, but don't the commits do a pretty good job of keeping track of changes? Serious question, I'm sure you have your reasons for suggesting a changelog. Or is this leaning towards user-friendliness? As for the news, should that include a content roadmap of any sort?

Random sounds? I meant randomness in the transition between the states of the static mechanic.The commits provide a very detailed view on what changed. This is why the ChangeLog would be useful, giving a more general overview.The NEWS file shouldn't include a roadmap, just a list of what's effectively been done by now. Annotations on what needs more work currently could be put in a TODO file. For a roadmap, properly speaking, I think the OP is enough. Edited by simplex
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Random sounds? I meant randomness in the transition between the states of the static mechanic.The commits provide a very detailed view on what changed. This is why the ChangeLog would be useful, giving a more general overview.The NEWS file shouldn't include a roadmap, just a list of what's effectively been done by now. Annotations on what needs more work currently could be put in a TODO file.

I'll rephrase that: Random(ness) sounds...

 

Ah I see. So instead of, these lines were changed, this function was added/removed, etcetera?

 

A TODO file, alright.

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I'll rephrase that: Random(ness) sounds... Ah I see. So instead of, these lines were changed, this function was added/removed, etcetera? A TODO file, alright.

Oh, I misunderstood! :razz: (ignore the fact that interpreting "sounds" as a noun makes no sense in your phrase)Yes, just a high-level view of changes. That information could be gathered from commits, but just like searching the pages of this thread it gets unwieldly quickly. The idea is that, right after adding something, the person who did that would log a description of the change in ChangeLog and NEWS, but without going into so much detail, keeping those files succinct (and if anyone wants more details, they can always ask, test the mod themselves or read the code referenced in ChangeLog). Edited by simplex
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@debugman18What would you say needs more attention right now? (either reply to me directly or push a TODO file to the repo)

Hard to say...

 

I've been looking at what it would take to implement the charged mechanic, and its over my head for the moment. I wouldn't say it's especially urgent, though.

 

I'll push a TODO file soon, that will have what is unimplemented on it. (And I suppose will list it modularly, by string assets, art assets, etcetera so if somebody wants to contribute something they can see what's on the board.

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Hard to say... I've been looking at what it would take to implement the charged mechanic, and its over my head for the moment. I wouldn't say it's especially urgent, though. I'll push a TODO file soon, that will have what is unimplemented on it. (And I suppose will list it modularly, by string assets, art assets, etcetera so if somebody wants to contribute something they can see what's on the board.

Ok, I'll work on the static mechanic. I'll implement it as a component attached to the world entity, which pushes the events "upandaway_static_start" and "upandaway_static_end" (the event names are quite long, but that reduces the likelihood of them conflicting with future standard events) to the world entity. Then each entity which responds to the mechanic would attach a listener such as
inst:ListenForEvent("upandaway_static_start", function()    print("Buzz!")end, GetWorld())
But to implement the mechanic properly I should probably put the mod under wicker first. I already made the adjustments to account for both modmain and modworldgenmain, but some testing is in order before making the transition.
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Oh, on an Art-y side, I liked the look of Millenium's creatures so much I built a very basic one. (The Duck thing, built from Knight build).

 

There were some minor mishaps on working out what went where, so it's slightly off, but it looks alright. (I'd like to point out that this is a very early test, and I just wanted to show off what I've got, so I can get some feedback). Not sure where to go with it, so observations would be nice. Thanks in advance.

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Edited by ArcticFox789
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Oh, on an Art-y side, I liked the look of Millenium's creatures so much I built a very basic one. (The Duck thing, built from Knight build).

 

There were some minor mishaps on working out what went where, so it's slightly off, but it looks alright. (Can I stress this is a very early test, and I just wanted to show off what I've got, so I can get some feedback). Not sure where to go with it, so observations would be nice. Thanks in advance.

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Looks pretty good. Not sure about the head.
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The beak looks odd. And the use of the ear part of the knight model is unusual as it is a bird.

 

Yeah, I was gonna get rid of that. Trying to improve the Beak now.

 

EDIT:

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Hooray! The Front is done. Side still missing some pieces, and the Back has nothing there except eyes. Anyway, a completed basic model could conceivably be done later tonight.

Edited by ArcticFox789
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What would you say needs more attention right now? (either reply to me directly or push a TODO file to the repo)

Hard to say...

I've been looking at what it would take to implement the charged mechanic, and its over my head for the moment. I wouldn't say it's especially urgent, though.

I'll push a TODO file soon, that will have what is unimplemented on it. (And I suppose will list it modularly, by string assets, art assets, etcetera so if somebody wants to contribute something they can see what's on the board.

 

I was having the same anxiety as simplex regarding what are the priorities in the art department, but also what everyone is already involved in, and finding a way to organize all the good ideas that keep being added to this thread. It's probably too much work for one person debugman18, specially when it's work that might be diverting you from moving forward with core aspects of the mod, so i thought i'd lend a hand and make that also a collab with Google docs:

 

Preview

Request Access (I can't open access to the doc file for you, since i don't know your emails.)

 

I already added templates for all the pages i believe will be needed. There's one page for ideas, separated into two categories (approved/pending), and then there's separate pages for each of the ideas where the person in charge, should add their name and eventually their art.

The cool thing about the doc is it could serve as a pdf manual later on when the mod is released.

It's dedicated to art development atm, but you're welcome to use it for code ideas if you find it helpful.

 

EDIT:


Sorry it looks like a self-promoting doc right now, since i've practically only added the stuff i've worked on :^P Edited by lifemare
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I was having the same anxiety as simplex regarding what are the priorities in the art department, but also what everyone is already involved in, and finding a way to organize all the good ideas that keep being added to this thread. It's probably too much work for one person debugman18, specially when it's work that might be diverting you from moving forward with core aspects of the mod, so i thought i'd lend a hand and make that also a collab with Google docs:

 

Preview

Request Access (I can't open access to the doc file for you, since i don't know your emails.)

 

I already added templates for all the pages i believe will be needed. There's one page for ideas, separated into two categories (approved/pending), and then there's separate pages for each of the ideas where the person in charge, should add their name and eventually their art.

The cool thing about the doc is it could serve as a pdf manual later on when the mod is released.

It's dedicated to art development atm, but you're welcome to use it for code ideas if you find it helpful.

 

EDIT:


Sorry it looks like a self-promoting doc right now, since i've practically only added the stuff i've worked on :^P

That is awesome! I'll add it to the OP. As for cotton plants, currently the skyflowers and cloudbushes are the cotton plants. There will probably be more variations, I would presume.

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Anyway, this is as far as I'll get with the Duckbeast. Or whatever it's called.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w800ErtwHLA

 

EDIT:

 

The Google Doc looks brilliant! It'll be a perfect Manual for the released mod. I assume the fully paid-up team will be the only ones able to see it until it goes out with the mod, or will us Collaberators be granted access too?

Edited by ArcticFox789
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Anyway, this is as far as I'll get with the Duckbeast. Or whatever it's called.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w800ErtwHLA

 

Oh my! Why is a severed duck chasing Wilson?!

I don't think a Knight is a very good base for the Duckraptor, ArcticFox.

And it seems to me there's too much duck and too little raptor...

Did you see the art debugman18 suggested for this?

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Anyway, this is as far as I'll get with the Duckbeast. Or whatever it's called.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w800ErtwHLA

 

EDIT:

 

The Google Doc looks brilliant! It'll be a perfect Manual for the released mod. I assume the fully paid-up team will be the only ones able to see it until it goes out with the mod, or will us Collaberators be granted access too?

I was having the same anxiety as simplex regarding what are the priorities in the art department, but also what everyone is already involved in, and finding a way to organize all the good ideas that keep being added to this thread. It's probably too much work for one person debugman18, specially when it's work that might be diverting you from moving forward with core aspects of the mod, so i thought i'd lend a hand and make that also a collab with Google docs:

 

Preview

Request Access (I can't open access to the doc file for you, since i don't know your emails.)

 

I already added templates for all the pages i believe will be needed. There's one page for ideas, separated into two categories (approved/pending), and then there's separate pages for each of the ideas where the person in charge, should add their name and eventually their art.

The cool thing about the doc is it could serve as a pdf manual later on when the mod is released.

It's dedicated to art development atm, but you're welcome to use it for code ideas if you find it helpful.

 

EDIT:


Sorry it looks like a self-promoting doc right now, since i've practically only added the stuff i've worked on :^P
 

Veeeeery nice! And I love the manual idea! Though we should probably call it something else to avoid the heaviness of "manual". Something like "Distance in verticality: An introduction" (don't take this seriously).

 

Anyway, this is as far as I'll get with the Duckbeast. Or whatever it's called.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w800ErtwHLA

 

EDIT:

 

The Google Doc looks brilliant! It'll be a perfect Manual for the released mod. I assume the fully paid-up team will be the only ones able to see it until it goes out with the mod, or will us Collaberators be granted access too?

I like it! Sure, it still needs some touches by one of our artists, but the main work is there.

And there isn't a fixed team. Everyone is a collaborator. Some just consolidate themselves as "main collaborators", but that's a consequence of contribution, not a precondition. I don't see why you shouldn't have access to it.

And by the way, do you know how to use git?

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Oh my! Why is a severed duck chasing Wilson?!

I don't think a Knight is a very good base for the Duckraptor, ArcticFox.

And it seems to me there's too much duck and too little raptor...

Did you see the art debugman18 suggested for this?

Oh, that was the duckraptor? Yeah, I think it should use a different concept. But I liked ArcticFox's work as yet another mob. Edited by simplex
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EDIT:

 

The Google Doc looks brilliant! It'll be a perfect Manual for the released mod. I assume the fully paid-up team will be the only ones able to see it until it goes out with the mod, or will us Collaberators be granted access too?

 

I'm adding everyone not listed by debugman in the OP as contributors that can comment on the doc, but not edit.

This can be easily changed at anytime, as the team grows.

 

At the moment it would probably become a very confusing doc very fast if everyone in this thread could edit everything in it.

A lot of ideas have been contributed, for example, but not all received equal support from everyone involved.

I think the best course to keep a tidy doc, is to only open it to other contributors after the content they produced has been properly discussed and commented positively on in this thread and after some development has been made towards modding it.

 

If you're working on an particular project for U&A which should have a page in the doc (eg: a duckraptor), then you should be able to have access and edit that page yourself.

 

PS: I can see you're having fun with the doc already, debugman18! ;) very nice edits!

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Oh my! Why is a severed duck chasing Wilson?!

I don't think a Knight is a very good base for the Duckraptor, ArcticFox.

And it seems to me there's too much duck and too little raptor...

Did you see the art debugman18 suggested for this?

 

No, no, everyone, @debugman18, @simplex, @lifemare, this is the Duck thing that Millenium Count drew back on Page 31. 

 

Probably should've made that clearer... :D

Edited by ArcticFox789
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Oh, that was the duckraptor?

Nope. :grin:

 

Although, I do like the idea of them living with or near the Duckraptors.

 

Longbill sounds good name-wise too.

 

 

And by the way, do you know how to use git?

 

Nope, but I'll learn if needs be.

 

 

I'm adding everyone not listed by debugman in the OP as contributors that can comment on the doc, but not edit.

This can be easily changed at anytime, as the team grows.

 

At the moment it would probably become a very confusing doc very fast if everyone in this thread could edit everything in it.

A lot of ideas have been contributed, for example, but not all received equal support from everyone involved.

I think the best course to keep a tidy doc, is to only open it to other contributors after the content they produced has been properly discussed and commented positively on in this thread and after some development has been made towards modding it.

 

If you're working on an particular project for U&A which should have a page in the doc (eg: a duckraptor), then you should be able to have access and edit that page yourself.

 

PS: I can see you're having fun with the doc already, debugman18;) very nice edits!

 

I understand. That seems like the logical plan.

Edited by ArcticFox789
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