This week’s DeVlog goes over a few of the core mechanics that are being worked on and introduces the software I use for issue tracking (really just a feature todo list). Oh and let’s not forget my awful attempts at learning to draw.

Man, I really hope practice makes perfect…

Last Stands Core Mechanics

Alright, on to the core of my game. So far I have started to mess around with the alert system in the game. Ideally, the aliens will be alerted by sound or sight, meaning hearing the gunshot or seeing his friend’s brains splattered on the wall of the spaceship.

In order to get the system working I have to figure out how to get the aliens to the nearest telepad and how to make sure they get on the correct floor in order to set the alarm off. I sure as hell don’t want them teleporting to random floors.

This calls for a simple integer that will keep track of the “state” of each alien and once the alert state is triggered they bolt for the telepad. Then, we search through all of the telepads and find the one that is on the same floor as the alarm. Simple right?

Oh, and there are also some issues I have to figure out for ending the level once the alarm is set off and the transitions between each level. Fun stuff

Using Redmine For Bug Tracking

Redmine is a neat little piece of software that you have to install on some sort of web server. This can be something you host on your own computer (which means extra work to install) or installing onto your web host (which is what I did) in order to have access from anywhere with an interweb connection.

It took a bit of fiddling and tutorial reading, but I got that sucker installed and now I can track all the features I want implemented, the percentage of progress, bugs that might come up that need fixing, and in the future I can even have people register an account and work on projects with me. Good stuff

Learning to Draw… Like a Noob

Awhile ago I picked up some books that teach you the fundamentals of drawing so that I could get back into it. I haven’t been able to draw worth a damn since elementary school, but I’ve always thought it would be cool to start it up again.

Now that I’m making games all by my lonesome, I thought it would be an important skill to get into. Enter the pencil and paper. I have a sketchbook that I’ve been trying to use lately and I also picked up a digital tablet for drawing straight onto the computer. By the way, it’s a whole different ballgame using that thing.

Now For Your Part

That’s all for this week, not much programming detail but a little bit of what’s to come and a little bit of that other stuff that’s needed for making games. I have lots of plans and lots of stuff to learn.

Speaking of learning, I am dying to come up with a decent tutorial series for the website that new programmers/gamedevs would appreciate.

What do you think of an “Intro to Programming For Game Developers” series for the site? Let me know in the comments.

Once again we find ourselves at the end of the line. No worries though, the next few weeks should get exciting with spring break coming up.

As always, you stay classy interwebs. Catchya later.