Re: Is random game code relevent to linuxgames?

[Christian Reiniger <warewolf@mayn.de>]

Nicholas Lee wrote:

>> solution, then we all can benefit.  Moving the discussion to private e-mail
>> is in my opinion exactly the opposite of what should happen, since the
>> whole point is to get more people interested and involved and learning so
>
>However there is nothing stopping us, creating a linuxgames-linroids
>mailing list, and those people interested in recieving code and linriods
>related email can join there.  The list can even be put onto the news
>server.

Ok, here's my position:
I think this mailing list is for general discussions on Linux game
development, for helping with specific problems and to get projects started.
And here Linroids comes in - it's a starting project.

I think it's good to keep the Linroids mails on this list until the project
has stabilized somewhat. That means
* When CVS is up a dir (/games/linroids ?) is set up where you can
  place/keep/organize your code.
* same thing for ftp space
* someone sets up a website for Linroids (as part of the LGDC site ??)
  where you can place your design docs, first (evolving) coding docs, an
  ever-growing list of "weird things we encountered" etc
* at some point (relatively soon I think) a seperate mailing list is set up

And about the "unstructured code": You should first make some basic design
doc, containing info on
* exact aims (simple game for entry-level demonstration purposes / ...) 
* SDK(s) to use
* kind of gfx etc (2d tiled / 2d free / 3d space / ...)
* list of gameplay features and their priority and difficulty-to-implement
* same for code features
* same for required gfx items (textures/meshes/tiles/sprites/backgnd gfx/..)
* ...               sound

Then you can have a closer look at what code parts you need, e.g:
* 2d tile engine
* 3d space engine
* spaceship AI
* economics simulation
* sim of political parties
* port logic (repair/equip/... services, trading, warehouse organizatione
  etc)
* space physics

(of course that's way too high stuff for a simple tutorial game - just an
example)

And when you are at that stage you can start coding. Believe me, it helps
if you exactly define what you want to do beforehand. 


Cu
	Christian

PS: The same of course also applies (more or less) to the Book thing

--

Hiroshima 45 .. Tschernobyl 86 .. Windows 95