Game Development Community

Plan for Melv May

by Melv May · 02/11/2005 (2:24 am) · 15 comments

It's not a good way to start a plan by saying you can't say much but ..... I'm not going to say much in this plan! Josh Williams has just posted the second part to his excellent two-part discussion on T2D and when you've ready that, you're surely going to want to rest and not read what I've got to say about it, not that there's anything else to say!

Hopefully, after reading the plan, you'll start to get a good feeling for how much work has gone into it. I also hope that when/if you get T2D, you'll see how much work has gone into making it stable and user-friendly. I've tried hard to ensure that all function parameters are checked, all provide warning console output and all do this consistently. This is Early Adopter so sure, there'll be a few things that drift from this but nevertheless, this has been the goal throughout.

As usual, I've tried to write code like I'd write a book; there's plenty of comments for those who do care how it does what it does (some people would say too many comments) and there's a clear seperation between sub-systems so you can grasp each system in turn and how they interelate.

Of course, you can ignore all the code and just get right into the scripts as this is where the real power of T2D is. Don't start thinking that you need the code immediately. T2D is designed to be completely driven from the scripts. Almost everything you can do in C++ can be done in the scripts. Having the source-code though is a magical thing and not to be dismissed though.

Putting the huge volume of T3D, demo and editor script-code aside, T2Ds C++ code comes with 39 source code files totalling (27,477 lines) 908,446 bytes in size. Man, that's alot of typing I've done!

Well, there's not much more to say now that Josh has said everything so if you've not already read it then please go make a drink, sit down and read his last plans.....

Uber Plan#1
Uber Plan#2

- Melv.

#1
02/11/2005 (2:28 am)
I for one welcome our new t2d overlord...
#2
02/11/2005 (2:58 am)
When is the early adopter as I'm already itching to add pseudo 3D to the mix....ok you probably already know that as I've been harping on about it since you mentioned T2D all those whiles ago :o)

I noticed the lead programmer was sitting on some kind of spiky haired cushion in the photo you have ;o)
#3
02/11/2005 (3:58 am)
Yes, that spiky-haired cushion in the photo is of course, my wife. ;) Not really, it's actually my mother-in-law. :)

EDIT: I actually thought you meant the photo in Josh's new plan, not my profile!

- Melv.
#4
02/11/2005 (6:27 am)
27,477 lines

wow... I can't wait to read through every line and comment of it ! Will probably be more valuable than any book at learning many things !

btw can't get enough of T2D and always like to hear what you have to say !
#5
02/11/2005 (6:38 am)
@David: Kent Brockman? :)

- Melv.
#6
02/11/2005 (7:42 am)
How many Melv Mays are there? I mean, seriously, there has to be about four, because there's no way just one dude could accomplish this much. ^_^
#7
02/11/2005 (7:45 am)
hey Melv, you think you`d now have time to finish that turn-based game then? I`m still waiting for it :)
#8
02/11/2005 (10:00 am)
Melv what about the learning curve for T2D is there any tutorials ?
and what about graphics is there any lessons to learn you how to make a good 2D graphics?

thanks
#9
02/11/2005 (10:01 am)
Can't wait to see it in action!
#10
02/11/2005 (10:51 am)
@Matt: There's only one of me and I've only got one wife so I have to be careful how much time I spend on it as I'd rather like to keep her!

@Nauris: Another team is looking at taking over the development of Strategem. I cannot say who it is at this point until it's been confirmed that they'll be working on it.

@Firas: The idea behind T2D is that it's easy to use. All the features that have now been detailed make it sound complex but the complexities are all behind the scenes. If T2D is hard to use, I've personally failed no matter how many we sell. There's a tutorial, a complete reference guide that details every function and datablock, a set of demos (all with example code) and of course, me on the T2D forums/email/Yahoo Messenger, ready and willing. With regards to 2D graphics, I presume you mean in terms of artwork? If so, that's not by bag but I'm sure there are people around here that could point you in the correct direction.

@Jeremy: You won't be waiting long now!

- Melv.
#11
02/11/2005 (11:02 am)
Melv - The title to my slide for today's presentation is Game Making for Mere Mortals. I'll see if I can get some digital shots posted. Thanks for the inspiration and a game making tool I can show off even at consumer shows.
#12
02/11/2005 (11:04 am)
You're absolutely welcome. :)

More on the way....

- Melv.
#13
02/11/2005 (1:39 pm)
@Melv: "You won't be waiting long now!"...

still avoiding the word "soon" lol ;)
#15
02/12/2005 (2:32 am)
LOL!

- Melv.