Tony's Status update

[TonyE]

I noticed there hasn't been a ton of action on the release notes verification and while I'm grateful for the issue tracker being somewhat alive, most of the excitement has surrounded a bashing of multiplayer. Well, it got me interested enough again to pound out some code. I'll try to remember to post an update here every couple of weeks until we get back to testable builds.

 

2011/02/20 - First time firing up the game and selecting multiple sides for the player to control. Extended the Staff Assistant to indicate which side a message is for by modifying the window title (it already differentiated with the graphic chosen but this may be more easily interpreted and helps out the Green side). Also changed group window titles to indicate player assigned to the side being viewed. A long ways to go but progress nonetheless, thanks to Brains for pushing me to take the leap.

 

2010/10/19 - The GE compiles again and runs! It isn't playable but check out the screenshot.

 

2010/07/31 - Another hour and a half of code edits working on the expansion to four group windows. Made it thru search.c, one of the biggies for this migration.

 

2010/07/29 - Couple more hours of code edits working on the expansion to four group windows. I'm getting antsy to see a compilable pile of code...

 

2010/07/27 - Fiveish more hours of code edits working on the expansion to four group windows abd complete tracking of detection status for each side.

 

2010/07/16 - Couple more hours of code edits working on the expansion to four group windows.

 

2010/06/22 - Detour to try to get the SE working nicely in Ubuntu with WINE. Made one critical code-change that allows the SE to work in pre-commondb battlesets without obvious issues. Roughly 5 hours invested.

 

2010/06/17 - Put in a couple of hours worth of code edits tonight, still working on the expansion to four group windows. Perhaps a bad move but am focusing on getting everything compiling and will return to bringing forward saved game conversion once the game runs again.

 

2010/06/10 - At least a week ago resumed looking into multiplayer. First steps in progress are gathering detection status per side and expanding from one to four group windows. The idea behind the group windows is to be able to view the game from different perspectives (Red, Blue, Green) instead of only from the player perspective. The task is complicated quite a bit by writing the saved game file conversion routines, both globals and group structures need conversion. Probably weeks or months away from useable build.

[JSF]

Hi Tony,

 

I noticed there hasn't been a ton of action on the release notes verification and while I'm grateful for the issue tracker being somewhat alive, most of the excitement has surrounded a bashing of multiplayer. Well, it got me interested enough again to pound out some code. I'll try to remember to post an update here every couple of weeks until we get back to testable builds.

 

2010/06/10 - At least a week ago resumed looking into multiplayer. First steps in progress are gathering detection status per side and expanding from one to four group windows. The idea behind the group windows is to be able to view the game from different perspectives (Red, Blue, Green) instead of only from the player perspective. The task is complicated quite a bit by writing the saved game file conversion routines, both globals and group structures need conversion. Probably weeks or months away from useable build.

 

Great! Keep on with the good work. It is not important if it takes longer. HCE is "easy to learn and hard to master" - itis sheer fun! And HCE MP will be even more fun.

 

Regards,

Ralf

[Akula]

Good to know work is resuming. I've decided for now to set up my old computer which already has HCE installed and just use a flash drive to move files between the Win 7 and Win XP machine for now. Since the SE is the only thing that doesn't work under Win 7, that seems the simplest solution to the problem.

[TonyE]

Post 1 updated 2010/07/27

[broncepulido]

Very great effort, thank you very much

[TonyE]

Still plugging away when able and guess what, the GE runs again! It isn't playable but the attached screenshot from just now should hint at goodness to come.

[donaldseadog]

Still plugging away when able and guess what, the GE runs again! It isn't playable but the attached screenshot from just now should hint at goodness to come.

Oh dear, I can see I'm going to have to cut down on my biscuits and save for a new BIG screen

Don

[TonyE]

More progress last night, added UI controls and logic for the player to select the 'perspective' of each group window.

 

Assume you're a beta tester playing the blue side and want to see if Red has detected you. Well, set one of the group windows to the RED perspective and you'll see that information. This goes hand in hand with the big changes under-the-hood, actually tracking each side's detection status in relation to each of the other sides. Until now it was almost purely a Player vs AI affair (aka FriendlySide/EnemySide) that made it difficult to impossible to sort out the goings on.

 

Now assume the beta testers have helped work most of the kinks out. Maybe now you can work on a toggle switch to turn the AI on and off for each side. Maybe if you turn it off for both sides Brad can finally run his CPX using HC.

 

Brad's CPX:

1. Players relay commands to Brad via some chat mechanism or e-mail.

2. Brad runs the game, entering orders for both sides (he's in part an umpire, in part the entire staff below you the commander, and part data entry specialist).

3. We as players rejoice.

 

But except for the beta testing part, that is all still a long ways off. I'm hoping to post a semi-playable beta by the end of next week.

[CV32]

I like it. I like it a lot.

[TEPonta]

I like it. I like it a lot.

Agreed!

 

Buddha

[JMS]

Just one word:

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

[TonyE]

Early build posted

[TonyE]

Looks like I may manage updates fairly frequently again so this thread can die off, yay!

[TonyE]

For a AGSI side-project it became time to try something that was pretty much unthinkable before we had the BS Builder and code to convert saved game versions on-the-fly. Those two things combined open the door to a capability a few of you have desired, starting a scenario with planes in the air.

 

Yesterday I put ideas to code and there is definite potential. I've modified the battleset builder to accept saved games as well as scenarios. The data structure modifications to note scen vs save have also been added to the BS Builder and the GE.

 

At this point the GE is correctly noting that it is trying to load a saved game instead of a scenario file. Yet to do is get the GE to actually load the save from the battleset.

 

Just thought I'd clue you in on something that just might work and become a part of the game. Someday with more tools this could lead to that hallowed request of (damage the ship this much, disable that mount, ...).

[JSF]

Hi Tony,

 

For a AGSI side-project it became time to try something that was pretty much unthinkable before we had the BS Builder and code to convert saved game versions on-the-fly. Those two things combined open the door to a capability a few of you have desired, starting a scenario with planes in the air.

 

Yesterday I put ideas to code and there is definite potential. I've modified the battleset builder to accept saved games as well as scenarios. The data structure modifications to note scen vs save have also been added to the BS Builder and the GE.

 

At this point the GE is correctly noting that it is trying to load a saved game instead of a scenario file. Yet to do is get the GE to actually load the save from the battleset.

 

Just thought I'd clue you in on something that just might work and become a part of the game. Someday with more tools this could lead to that hallowed request of (damage the ship this much, disable that mount, ...).

 

 

Great news! Yes, having aircraft in the air at start is VERY helpful and greatly increases flexibility and AI strength.