Blog for Grant McNeil at GarageGames.com

Tuesday Oct 25 5:08

Grant McNeil — 2005-10-25T05:08:33+00:00

Purchased Keneth Finney's new book!

I purchased a copy of "Advanced 3D Game Programming All in One". Getting alot better handle on torquescript than I used to have. Good book.

Not quite sure what i'm going to do next. I'm going to try switching into Computer Science at Ottawa University; I suppose thats a step in the right direction.

--Grant

Friday Oct 21 17:41

Grant McNeil — 2005-10-21T17:41:36+00:00

Alot to learn, the hard way.

It's interesting.

I decided at a young age that I wanted to make computer games. I decided, I think, before I even ever played computer games.

I, unlike the industry professionals, was brought up in an atmosphere where 3D games like Quake II and Doom were all over the place. I can't laugh and reminisce when someone mentions the Atari 2600; I just wasn't old enough, or even born yet.

I'm 18 now; turning 19 next year. I'm in university, switching from the faculty of social sciences to the faculty of engineering, in order to take software engineering.

Through my early teens, I was hit the same way every teenager who wants to make games is hit. Actually, that's not true; if you're a modeler, artist, or designer; you can be good at what you do at any age. I was hit the same way every teenage programmer was hit. You don't learn what a cross product is until Geometry and Discreet Mathematics in grade 12. You don't learn what the parametric equations of a line are in 3-space are until grade 12. You don't really learn what you need to know to be programming in a 3D environment until your at least done high school. This meant that once I started playing with OpenGL and 3D Graphics theory, and all of a sudden I had to test the intersection of a line and a plane, I was in a hole.

I'm now out of that hole. I have the math, I'm taking the university courses, and I have what I need to actually be of some use. I can now skip the part of the 3D programming book that goes over matrices, rather than be confused by it entirely.

I've registered http://www.grantmcneil.com. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to flex my new found usefulness.

--Grant

Tuesday Jun 17 15:10

Grant McNeil — 2003-06-17T15:10:39+00:00

PFEngine coming along great

Hey Garagegames,

First, check out the PFEngine demo test at
www.sourceforge.net/projects/pfengine/

the PFengine, or PenguinFighter Engine, or PFE (or whatever) is coming along great. I've been working on 2D physics for a 3D cube recently, and thats coming along well.

WE NEED A 2D ARTIST FOR SPRITES AND TEXTURES.

thanks,

--Frog102

Monday Apr 7 0:28

Grant McNeil — 2003-04-07T00:28:03+00:00

Well GarageGames,

I've tried several times, but Torque scripting and I dont mix. I get everything that resembles C++, and dont get anything else. which is funny, because I learned almost everything there is to know about python in 4 days. but torque script just doesn't click for me.

Other then that, things have been going well. I put timers and Font into my basecode last night, really simple, but Timers are fun to code. Mostley because its easy.

Well, I have a few questions if anyone viewing my .plan would like to answer them, I dont think its worth a forum thread:

1. okay, whats the difference between %this and %obj?

2. okay, i have seen class functions in the script, but then I see weird stuff like "datablock ParticleData(CrossbowBoltParticle)" and only know that datablock is for server->client information, CrossBoltParticle is whats being passed in, and I have no Idea where ParticleData is coming from.

3. I see a whole bunch of initilizers in the datablocks, amd I would like to know how I could find out about all the initilizers for a datablock.

anyway, if you answer those, thanks,

--Grant

Friday Mar 28 23:48

Grant McNeil — 2003-03-28T23:48:08+00:00

Well, I've finally come to my senses

Hey Garagegamers,

I've finally come to my senses, and found that an amateur game development team NEVER WORKS. About 5 months ago the second team I had been on, "Profusion", failed as expected.

I have made a promise to myself not to join another dev team until I'm 17 (May 30th, 2004). At that point I will probably pick up a copy of the newest mod-able FPS and work with that.

One thing I want to do is join a "group", or if none exist, possibly create a small group of about 10 or 15 common game developers/programmers, not to make a game that will inevitably fail, but to have a group of people to reference to.

Anyway, I don't know, I'm just going to keep programming for now, continue with OpenGL, and learn more DX. That's about it.

--Grant McNeil

Saturday Dec 14 13:17

Grant McNeil — 2002-12-14T13:17:30+00:00

Im back hitting the code after a long break, and im not back a moment too soon. the christmas holidays are here, and they should give me enough time to get back into it.

Hey Garagegamers,

After my small team making a small game plan failed (like the majority of small amature teams do), I've decided just to continue to learn more about OpenGL and C++, and enhance my skills.

Right now im working on getting high-res timers working, the things dont like initilizing for me ;).

Im very proficiant with OpenGL and C++, I like to say "I know what im doing". I can make complex 2d games, like tetris and sidescrollers. and simple 3d games.

But theres one thing: I have never completed a project. And, if i want a portfolio, im going to have to.

Im making my own tetris game for now, and i might move on to somthing else when im done.

Peace out,
--Frog102

Monday Oct 14 23:41

Grant McNeil — 2002-10-14T23:41:37+00:00

Easy tips for amature success.

top 10 Advice for people who want to make they're own GD teams:

1) Dont shoot to high, if your 15, the best thing to do is make a small, free game. or if you really want to be paid, shareware.

2) Make sure your team doesn't have anyone on it who has absoulutly no experience, even if just working by themselves. You dont want a Gamer who thinks he can be a game designer joining your team and spitting out babble over time

3) Communication is key. If you want to get anything done, you MUST communicate. Meetings are great, Forums are amazing and E-Mail dev-lists are definetly your friend.

4) Dont let somone not have anything to do and let them slip away. Keep them busy, or they'll quit the team.

5) Make sure everyone on the team is shooting for the same goals, arguments on game concepts arn't cool.

6) the team must know what the end result will be/look like before you start devolopment. people assume, and alot of that contributes to different opinions on what the game should be

7) Leadership. my team got blown away, for the simple reason that there was noone on top. no leader. the leader makes sure everyones in check, and hold the team together. he/she is like the glue of the project.

8) The faster you can put out a game test, the better. the programmer should work for at least 4 weeks before everyone else.

9) GOALS/MILESTONES/DEV JOURNAL. you should all know this allready.

10) Ten is for programmers only. backup your code, keep it clean, and treat it like 'epic' was going to evaluate your code. Clean and classes, clean and classes.

Sunday Sep 1 21:23

Grant McNeil — 2002-09-01T21:23:57+00:00

Okay, so, I had the Idea, im making it happen. lets get a team.

HELLO!,

I have begun creating a small team to make a small project. The idea behind this project is to give everyone on the team experience working with a team, working on a small game. The team name and what the Game is still needs to be found.

My idea is once i get enough people on the team, we would collaberate on these ideas together.

this game isn't retail, its most likely going to be a free download, Open Source. but, this is still to be discussed.

If you would like to be on the team, check out the help wanted add. I currently have gotten 1 response, And i am a Programmer myself.

Anyway,

--Grant

p.s. Questions? Ideas? post, or e-mail:
Frog_liadon@hotmail.com