Infinite Suns

Ship Paint Job

Mark — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:41:30 +0000

So here’s an image showing an initial go at custom paintjobs for ships. This particular shot shows the ship with two different color schemes. Whenever you visit the outfitter, you’ll be able to repaint your ship with a custom color scheme. You’ll be able to select two colors for each ship, to provide a bit of differentiation. Factions will also use this feature to help you tell them apart.

Ship Paintjob

Editor?

Mark — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:52:14 +0000

In fits and starts (an hour or so each evening after I’m burnt on the “day job”), I’m working on a data editor for the game. It will allow for editing essentially everything in the game that isn’t code dependant. Sprites, animations, items, star systems, universes, and I’ll be able to do it all from the options menu of the game (no separate editor here).

I’m toying with the idea of making the editor available to players, or at least parts of it. Certainly, editing universe and star system styles should be available, but I’m not so sure about the more technical aspects. Would you d be ticked if it wasn’t available until you achieve some goal in the game, like having enough money to buy it, or needing to find some rare “Play God” rare golden idol that only shows up one game out of three?

More SQLite

Mark — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:22:21 +0000

I’ve been playing with it a bit, and as far as I can see, the benefits far outweigh the possible speed issue. Any speed issue only seems likely during load and save games when I’m loading or dumping huge amounts of data, and really, reading the graphics off the hard drive is likely to be slower than reading the significantly smaller data out of the database.

Already, I have most of the sprite definitions in the database, and I’ve started defining other data sets, like planet styles and space station styles. I’m even going to set up star system styles, so that, while you can create a totally random star system, I will also be able to specify types that limit the number of planets or stations or have specific backgrounds, etc. These types of things are much harder to set up when you have to do it in a script file or some other non-data oriented format. The ability to add options just by adding more data in a simple, easy to understand and query format will be key to getting updates and additional content provided after the game has released.

This was one of the problems with Derelict. The data format was painful to manipulate, even with tools.

SQLite

Mark — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:03:11 +0000

I’m examining using SQLite for data storage. It’s a cross platform database engine that can be built right into whatever application you’re working on. The benefits could be large in terms of how long it takes to add new data to the game as well as the tools that already exist to manage the database. It’s also very flexible in terms of what can be stored in it. Potentially, I could store everything in that single database file and be able to store metadata about something like a sprite in the same record in the db, which would make retrieving that information really simple. My biggest concern would be speed, but it’s supposed to be pretty fast. I’ll have to do some experiments soon.

This entry brought to you from my iPod while lying in bed.

Old Posts Imported

Mark — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:07:08 +0000

I spent a couple hours relearning my SQL syntax and managed to get the old posts moved into the new database. Now, I can remove that link to the ugly old site and you can still see the history.

Before you ask, yes, this little task was quite a bit of work avoidance. I really want to be working on IS, but I’m stuck working on my “day job” which has now become my “all day job”.

New Blog Software

Mark — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:58:03 +0000

I’m changing things up a bit, mostly to provide some RSS action and eventually a forum. Unfortunately, at least for the moment (until I decide I have more time), the old posts will have to stay right where they are on the old ugly page with no RSS. However, I do have a new screenshot for you ( a new planet ).

Slow Going For A Little Bit

Mark — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:51:31 +0000

Over the next couple of weeks, I need to make significant progress on some contract work, so there will be little progress on IS. I’m doing a little bit of design work and getting up to speed with Blender and Photoshop (I may make some new planets) in the hour or two I probaby have available, but code, by it’s nature, is hard for me to do in small time blocks. Ah well. All this other stuff needs to be done too, so it’s not a total loss, but I sure would prefer to not have to work on the contract stuff.

Minor Change To The Site

Mark — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:43:10 +0000

Just a minor change to the site, to clean a couple things up. I’m not sure if I’m completely satisfied with the lighter background, and I may change it back to black. I’ll see how it wears on me.

Trading Works!

Mark — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:37:11 +0000

Just a quick update. I got trading between the ship and wherever the ship is docked with working. Prices aren’t modified locally yet, so you can’t really make any money, but you can buy stuff at one planet or station, and take it to another and sell it.

There’s some more effort that needs to go into the UI (like the ability to choose to buy more than one unit at a time), but the basic functionality is there, and I can move on to some other things like making it possible to profit from a trade.

Planet Art

Mark — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:43:32 +0000

If you know me, you know that my personal art capability is pretty low (at least with anything visual), however, I’m pretty good at following directions. Just ask my wife who laughs at me when I follow the directions on the box of prepackaged noodles to the letter. Mine always turn out pretty much the same, hers, well, the quality varies.

In any case, here is my first planet, generated by following this tutorial. I think it’s not bad for a first attempt, and it beats many of the planets that are in my game at the moment. All of them have to change, in any case, because the textures are too small, and at the moment, the funds don’t exist to pay someone for really good art. I didn’t actually completely finish the tutorial – haven’t done the bumps yet.