Game Development Status

Monthly total over 42 hours ; yearly total just over 300 hours.

Cavalry charge code is working. My little AI charged for the first time last week.

OK, let's see...the AI moves, shoots (arty and infantry), and charges. Hmmm. Assault? Yep. I'm in the middle of writing the AI code to plot infantry assaults.

I signed up for ConSimWorld this evening. Looks like I can cross-post parts of this blog there, and I think it might be a useful side forum for game discussions, especially once we enter Beta.

I got my vacation request approved today: I am taking off the whole week of Thanksgiving. Short of Turkey Day and some travel time, I'll be concentrating on the game that week.

60 days to go until out scheduled Alpha; 90 days (or so) until Beta. This is doable, but just barely. I have a feeling we will enter the Beta on schedule, but perhaps shy a few features such as stacks.

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In the meantime, my best friend was dismissed by his employer on Monday. This is more than a little irritating, considering that I work for the same people, in the same IT department, doing a rather similar job. I'm going to stick it out, but I won't be sure of my future with these guys until after we complete a SAP rollout next year. So I have to devote some game dev time to continuing ed just in case I need to look elsewhere apres-SAP.

Did I mention I'm about to start dating?

Sleep is highly overrated.

Game Development Status

As of 13 September, my monthly total is about 19 hours and I have 277 hours for the year. Whew!

I am currently working on the Cavalry charge code for the AI. This evening I completed a first draft of the charge plotting code and did some testing. The results were not too bad: I got my AI cav unit to plot a charge. No, really, you could see it on the screen! Unfortunately the charge did not seem to be executed.

My next task is to refactor the executeCharges() code in the game exec. I started looking at the code, and quickly realized a refactoring was the only way to be sure. Or maybe pull back and nuke the site from orbit. The function is over 1000 lines of code, with validation code mixed in with execution code and code for morale checks, carre realization, recall, etc. mixed inline with the charge code.

Incidentally, I have been doing a lot of refactoring in the exec and elsewhere. I eliminated 600 lines of code by reworking the CArtillery::CalculateModFireValue() last night.

We'll get there, it's only a matter of time!

haik up another one:

No Limit Systems
defunct former employer
dot-bombed on me

while we're at it:

ready, set, haiku
center snaps another phrase
QB audibles

another haiku:

My MCAD:
boring Certification;
job vitality