tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723580572653256416.post7894590054127243473..comments2014-03-14T19:59:38.548-07:00Comments on Battlestar: Colonial Viper: Outline of Game ProgressionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723580572653256416.post-60834224348656805042012-07-05T11:04:56.766-07:002012-07-05T11:04:56.766-07:00I guess I have four systems that absolutely need t...I guess I have four systems that absolutely need to be developed for a meaningful playtest: AI, Waypoints, Event Manager and Resource Manager. All four are affect each other. The Resource Manaager, Event Manager and Waypoint systems are more important to early tutorial missions. The AI routines become more important with later tutorial missions. The most important is the resource manager, and I don't think I can create a decent Resource Manager without an idea of the necessary parameters of an AI and the other systems (I've already added a couple of variables to the mix). <br /><br />All the development so far has revolved around developing a good resource manager (and to a lesser extent a good event manager). Ultimately, the goal of this prototype is to develop a working resource manager. It's really the lynchpin that will allow the project to progress beyond it's current point.LeadDevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17618583742952505558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723580572653256416.post-15404690628521447582012-07-05T02:36:27.962-07:002012-07-05T02:36:27.962-07:00fair enough - I think it will just be difficult fo...fair enough - I think it will just be difficult for others to help you evaluate the AI effectiveness if they can't learn how to play the game, but if you're more comfortable working on the AI first that's the way you should go. However I'd still be concerned that the AI should be fitting the tutorial rather than the other way round. Seems to me the game will succeed or fail based on the progression that takes the novice player to a more advanced player, and that the AI should be evaluated on whether it helps support that progression rather than anything else, but that's just my $0.02 :-)Sam Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10788506730233381803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723580572653256416.post-22593179496982838892012-07-05T00:21:03.998-07:002012-07-05T00:21:03.998-07:00Oh. I'll also need to make a waypoint system ...Oh. I'll also need to make a waypoint system before working on the tutorial missions...LeadDevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17618583742952505558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723580572653256416.post-24989489919634713742012-07-04T15:08:53.369-07:002012-07-04T15:08:53.369-07:00I just see a potential problem in the event manage...I just see a potential problem in the event manager. Missions will utilize an event manager. The tutorial events will be unique to the tutorial missions. Instead of checking for tutorial events every mission; it would be easier to have a dedicated event manager for the tutorials. It's been planned for awhile now; I just don't like thinking about it. It's still alittle early for actual mission construction (tutorial or otherwise) at this stage.<br /><br />Once I get the basic AI done, I will create the sound manager script. With the sound manager, I can create the basic skeleton for the event manager (and a good portion of the resource manager required to make the event manager work). With a functional event manager, I can start with some tutorial missions.<br /><br />I'm not going to jump the gun and create tutorials before the program is ready for it. I did that during class to meet deadlines. I had to go back and restucture alot of stuff and create an entirely new prototype as a consequence. I plan on the next prototype to mirror this prototype very closely. Currently, I believe that I'll have to rewrite the AI managers and event managers; however, most of the other scripts should stay relatively intact. I might have to remap some keys (which is just a keystroke at this point - for the most part) and do other minor tweaks.<br /><br />It's just going to take some time to get to the tutorials. I got the AI routine up to the selection of a target (minus collision avoidance). Manuevering is the largest part; however, I'll be able to utilize the previous prototype in developing the new manuevering routines. I'm avoiding the avoidance routines at this point. Avoiding collisions using a raycast can present some problems; I'll put that off till everything else is done.LeadDevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17618583742952505558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723580572653256416.post-64063854648790694912012-07-04T03:38:26.274-07:002012-07-04T03:38:26.274-07:00This all sounds great, although I don't see wh...This all sounds great, although I don't see why aspects of the tutorial missions can't be re-used later - it all depends on the granularity. I mean if there are certain kinds of drones that are used in tutorial mission, can't these pop up in later gameplay as part of a more complex plot? Or can't later plots involve having to work with other novice pilots who you have to protect from the toasters who have managed to invade the training mission area?<br /><br />In general my concern is that as a playtester I won't be able to effectively evaluate your AI without having some way of learning how to fly :-)Sam Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10788506730233381803noreply@blogger.com