This page is dedicated to telling everyone what is expected from their particular areas of focus. It will predominantly be updated with new tasks that will come up, changes in peoples roles, and basically serve as a method to keep everyone on the same page.
It's important that everyone understands what they're contribution to the system is going to be. This will also tie in quite nicely into our coursework 2, which is a contract of learning. If I put your name down with the wrong details of what you're working on, please feel free to edit the page, with an entry for "short description of changes" on top of the save button.
As you check this, please also edit your entries to include any other areas you're working on if I've missed them. I can't remember exactly what everyone is working on and the scope of what the tasks are. Thanks!
Ben
Project Manager
Keep the team organised and coordinated!
Level Editor
Produce a level editor that will allow the design team to build the levels inside the engine.
Kudzai
Core Engine Manager
Responsible for the overall construction and compiling of the core engine. Needs to work with the other core programmers and coordinate efforts to produce the final game engine IDE and also to maintain a Programmers' Log.
System Structure
Responsible for the designing, programming and maintenance of the base classes of the engine which will also include a special components class for programmers to add their components into the engine.
Also responsible for engine versioning and releases
Harveer
Project Manager
Keep the team organised and coordinated! Motivational arse-kicker hehehe!
Particle Systems
Am using an example from XNA creators club. Will mod the example to make a "lightning" particle system (almost done) as well as a "powered-up character with electricity flying around him/her" particle system (aka elctric bolts/charges within a predefined area). By the end of these two I should be able to freely manipulate: Particle emitter (source) position, direction and properties - Particle position, size, direction, frequency and properties. After that I will try to create a properly commented/documented version of the engine with the particle systems, and possibly a template to use in the creation of future particle systems. Most particle systems will be based off of the systems I will create/already have. For example, "Rain" particle system would be the "lightning" particle system with some adjusted values and a different sprite for the rain drops.
Update: Particle systems have been handed to Loen. I will be supporting him if and when is needed.
Shaders
Some basic research into XNA shaders and nVidia shaders (FX Composer) has been started. I will be working Most if not all of the shaders that will be part of the engine/game. I will be working with Loen on Special effects related shaders. So far it looks like most special effects will be created using shaders. I will also be working closely with Sohail as he is in charge of lighting. I am planning to create a cross-platform shader (udk/3ds max/xna) that both the designers and programmers can use, but this depends on how much time i have to put into all of the other shaders and if i can find the correct information to create this shader.
Vince
Level Editor
Help to produce a level editor of some form, working on such key areas as Kismet, work with Kudzai to create a scripting language for use in game play scripting.
Game Play Scripting
Exactly what it says on ths tin; making the design teams silly drawings come to life in a digitised manner through the use of the scripting language mentioned above.
Ambassador
Ensure people know what they're doing, offer insight as to best methods for converting game play mediums such as traps and triggers from drawings to resource light digital versions, keep notes and document suggestions and conversations.
(09/12/09)
Neil
AI
Been doing a waypoint system and will be working on triggering the enemies attacking player, different modes of behaviour such as passive enemies and alert enemies and letting them track the player after they lose sight of him.
Lucy
Cameras
Graphic User Interface
Create a graphic user interface template class which can be applied to a design once the design team have produced something. Will need to be able to display information about players inventory, options, and possibly use a cross hair for aiming (Subject to change).
Harveer: Add more info please! You've done more than you've put here.
Interfaces which need to be created:
Start game menu:
*start button - starts the game
*help/instructions - shows help menu
*quit - exits the game
Pause menu
*continue - returns to game
*quit - exits game
Help/instructions (how to play) menu
*list of instructions
Player UI - health, gun points, weapon carrying?
the above is the mandatory (sp?) UI within the game.
Loen
Collision Detection
Build the checks in the update loop for collisions for characters and level meshes.
Shaders & Special Effects
basics special effects such as fire, smoke, lightning etc. (particle effects)
will be collaborating with harveer to create special effects shaders.
Matt
Cameras
Level Editor
Previous Stuff I have
2d sound class
2d rotated, transform sprite sheet collision
2D huds
2d particle generator
xml in and out reader
Harveer: Add more info for your work dude! You've done much more than is written here. For example, you're the head of research!
Yaz
Model Viewer
An interactive model viewer, which allows the design team to view correctness and performance of their 3D models. Featuress:
- Frames Per Second
- Number of Polygons & Vertices per mesh
- Rotation and translation of model on all axis
- Compatible with any Fbx / X file
- Multiple model support with model selection - under development
Animation
Bringing in 3DS Max models, programming them to play animations, and using event triggers to basically bring the game world alive and make it seem realistic.
Sohail
Physics
Doing basic gravity that will correspond to Dr Kudzai's grid system, also will program other useful forces such as friction!
Lighting
Will program the lighting that will accompany Harveer's shader
APIs
Kind of redundant now! but if anyone wants to use APIS, then I am your man!
