Plan for Chris Cole

Hi All,

I'm crawling out from under my rock again. I've been totally swamped with promoting Chain Reaction and preparing the Reaction Engine SDK for release.

Here's the skinny. The Reaction Engine SDK is the engine Monster Studios wrote for Chain Reaction. You may be wondering why I didn't use the TGE. Well...I'm a little embarrassed to admit it but...it wasn't available when I started Chain Reaction and when the TGE finally became available I was too close to completion of the game to port it at that time.

The result is that I have a very simple gaming engine that I think has value for people who may feel like learning the TGE is a daunting task. Think of the Reaction Engine SDK as a hobbyists engine. If you're new to programming and are just learning your way around game design, the Reaction Engine SDK is for you.

When released, Monster Studios will offer the Reaction Engine SDK for around $40. There are NO LICENSING FEES. So if you use it to make a retail game, you don't have to pay me squat. Take that TGE ;)

REQUIREMENTS:
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1) Microsoft Visual C++ IDE: I think that for those new to development environments this is the simpliest way to get into the guts of the engine. Meticulous care has been taken in designing the IDE directory structure. The examples are straightforward and readily available in the IDE.

2) DirectX 7.0 or greater: Believe it or not, the engine was built when DX7 had just come out. I've never upgraded it to the newer versions as this actually creates a barrier for some older machines.

3) 3D Studio Max 3.0 or 4.0: A max exporter is included in the SDK. This exporter is fully documented and far easier to use than the TGE exporter. The engine's 3D format, called *.G3D, is very simple compared to higher-end engines.


So what am I looking for?
I need some beta testers who can tell me how I've done so far. I'd like to get 3-5 people of varying programming experience to bang on the SDK and tell me if I've forgotten anything. In particular I'd like these questions answered:
1) Did the SDK install easily? What issues did you have?
2) Did everything compile easily? Were there any paths I need to mention?
3) How I did I do on the documentation? I've spent some time trying to supply enough documentation to reduce any barriers-to-entry.
4) Did I explain too much or too little in the documentation?
5) Are the examples clear? Are there enough? Are there any you'd like to see me add?

What do you get out of it?
First off, you will have my undying gratitude. Secondly, I'll obviously give you a free copy of the final release of the SDK.

If you're interested in helping me out, drop me a line at ChrisMCole@Yahoo.com

I hope this .plan finds you all well and not too worried about the future...yeah right! Even for a guy who lives under a rock, current events are bothersome!

Chris