October 2024 - More Reading and Testing

 

Game AI Pro is a very helpful set of books (for free too, truly amazing).  Hierarchical task networks, Monte Carlo tree search (on a high abstraction level; sectors held, tech level, army disposition,etc), goal oriented actionplan: for tactical unit-level engagements.  Opponent modeling as opposed to relying too much on meta-data attached to the maps (though I don't think I can fully escape that).  Using Godots Curve resource really helps ease creating utility graphs for some of the more fixed things (like focus firing vs enemy unit health; look for cover versus defending, etc.).  I am now regretting the spaghetti code of behavior scripts I wrote earlier to test game features (basic build orders, aggression scripts, heal vs attack vs defend utility trees, heat maps, etc.)..........

September 2024; Behavior Scripts

 

Working on a decent 1 vs 1 computer-player that isn't reinforced learning. Even though DeepMind/DeepNash plays Stratego well, which is a game with an incomplete information environment, non-deterministic, and zero-sum, I do not have anywhere close to those resources to train a model on a 40k tile map with a large variety of units with complex/nuanced interactions on multiple layers. I've had to rely on behavior/trigger scripts, calculating utility, influence maps, threat matrices, meta-data attached to maps (choke points, connection networks, strategic terrain overlays etc.), tactical playbooks, operational templates, objective priorities, build orders/tech paths, resource management profiles, game state/game tree search, etc. etc. etc. to try to best simulate a good opponent.  This requires datasets much larger than the actual game units/tile stats used to generate various data structures for game rules.

August 2024 More Graphic Work

 

Posted this picture before, time of day in a rural farm area using simple modulation.  Rough estimates for 3+ years is a meager 3,200 hours of actual work.  Includes learning to use Godot, coding, art, experimentation and research.  Same amount as working full-time on weekends towards a side project.  I have to admit a lot of PhD students dissertations helped in the architecture of this game. This is a game I want to make as I've been hoping someone would make it since I was 16.  There is something perverse that ruins a game when someone thinks of others (like launching to the public) so I've shifted to focus on what I was aiming for in this game.  I no longer play games anymore.... if I have the time to do so I usually just end up working on this.

July Rain 2024

 

Production is going along. Watching someone longplay FF7 Rebirth (no commentary, as usual).  Testing one of the factions creep seeping into the water.  I've made this game 4 times now: first as a data-driven game, second as completely hierarchical OOP game, third modular and pseudo-ECS. Now it's a little of OOP for the intricate faction rules and viewer display, a little bit of ECS for unit interactions, a bit of data-driven for the map systems, model and peer-to-peer multiplayer, all glued together by a model-view-controller paradigm. Highly complex systems would be apt.

June 2024

Got the air layer to look good while being able to see the ground layer slightly finally, it'll have to be smaller than the ground by a couple of tiles on the x and y but it at least looks appealing and one easily distinguish the difference between ground and air.  I think the only thing remaining is figuring out a few shaders, finishing up 1 faction set of tiles properly, some more menus and certain global-level animations and that might be it for the graphic portion.  I've seen it all, just listening to music I used to listen to 20 years ago (mp3 files with dates modified around that time).

 

Productive As F*** May

Very productive month so far.  Something about grey skies and the lighting specifically.  I can work forever in lighting and weather like this  Trying to figure out how to create a rules engine which can be fed a series of rules and actions so various AI scripts (for individual factions) can be abstracted and simplified to a higher order.  Watching Jagged Alliance 2 v1.13 on YouTube.

 

April Sunrise

Watching Dune (part 2), refining the tech tree for one of the factions.  Working until the sunrises as light hits the top of the trees through horizon under the rain clouds.  The more I abstract and systematize major aspects of the game the easier it becomes to write a new revision.  Almost everything is modular (though a big chunk has a tremendous amount of spaghetti code).  Because the way the enemy behavior (AI) scripts works, I have to finalize the unit roster before I can write more advanced scripts.  Every time I pull a unit off from a faction (too overpowered, unnecessary, duplicate) I need to rewrite major segments of the AI such as how to value units relative to others and the specific hard/soft counters table. Almost 3 years solo developing..........

 

Shamefully unproductive March 2024

 

Shamefully slow production.  Getting back into it, looking at where I left off on so many areas (from code to art to design to balance to system mechanic tuning).  The final two factions have had their make over in terms of teching and base mechanics, more fleshed out and more engaging with actual stakes on the battlefield.  So I'll aim to get the next build up to test that (against myself or my brother if he's willing to spare time).

2024 Slow February

 

As we get closer to spring it means time to do some spring cleaning soon.  Possibly format all the computers again. Just backing up data.  Very grey sky day (like the old Half Life 2 overcast sky box).  Unusually warm.

2024 January Snap Cold

 

Watching Harsh Realm, linking buttons to units, trying to smoke in the very cold office room.  I honestly think I have over 15,000 graphical assets so far.  Over 2000+ tiles, over 360 units all animated (each one roughly 16-24 frames for all actions; movement, attacking, death), I have 1600/2550 buttons created (right monitor), about 50 GUI menus (with their buttons and background separated, expanding it to 10-15 items each menu)..... all I can do is keep on grinding.

Rolling into December

 

Working on Context Buttons (already over 200 buttons in 1 week of work).  Went back to my trusty 15 year old Compaq Keyboard.  I forgot how thick and large (and heavy) these monsters were.  Oh also my 15+ year monitor died so it was replaced with one from my closet. Watching Desert Combat v0.7 mod for Battlefield 1942.  Touched up on some old projects, I might revive them as a rotation.  But overall excellent progress, the last asset hurdle is sound effects (which I have already experimented and devised a system) and music selection (which might require some remixing as well).

Unproductive

 

An unproductive month.  Mostly trying to integrate side menus.  Watching JAG, enjoying the view.  Trying to cleanse my palette from global affairs.

Starting of Fall 2023

 

This game is coming along nicely, the complexity of modern warfare with the simplicity of pixel graphical presentation. I gotta say I learned a lot of programming paradigms, from model-view-controller to utility AI calculating actions. It's finally patting down to 360 units split into 6 unique factions (each with base paradigms so different from one another that they had to be manually coded in for their styles).  Currently balancing out the tech tree for one of the factions while watching "Safe House"- 1998 with Patrick Stewart and Kimberly Williams-Paisley.  The 90s were great.  I should probably start focusing on creating sound effects......

Beginning of September, 2023

Coming home to tea, a smoke, rewatching FireFly and play-testing ones passion game on a nice Friday evening.

August, 2023

Testing the new fog of war and destruction tiles and how they look.  Reactivity to battles on a map is important in strategy games.  The tile set has grown so big.  Not only does it include normal and fog of war tiles (which looks better than a tilemap-on-tilemap fog of war) but also destruction tiles, flood tiles, damage tiles, and enough variation in tile types to create cities, towns, settlements, industrial zones, deserts, tundras, arctic, jungle, grassland, etc. etc. etc.  Well over 2000 tiles if not more.  I forgot how much I enjoyed art.

Very Humid July

Watching someone play Fallout Tactics while I test a few export versions (changing icons for Windows is something else...).  Thanks to other peoples hard work I have the ability now to export to Windows and Linux for both normal and Steam distribution.  I have many more miles to go but it's rolling.  Not much else I can do until results and treatment are complete. 

 

A Deadly Hot June, 2023

Testing naval units.  Which somehow broke my game and won't let me be able to screenshot in full-screen mode.... I also need to invest in a laptop so I can continue working when forced away from my computer.

May 2023, bug crushing

 

Bugs and more bugs.  Need to be stomped out completely before moving to the next stage of assembly.  ChatGPT 4 used to be great until the recent update which basically lobotomized it.  Big difference is actually telling you about potential programming traps instead of just agreeing with you and writing really bad software.  At least 2 months got some good progress on debugging and on tools development.

April 2023, just workin' away

 

Working on some better tests maps (now with a destruction tile set for each tile!).  Watching someone play Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour.  From time to time I play Neocron Classic (an MMO with 0 players) between work sessions slowly leveling a level 10 GenTank.

Spring Cleaning and Reflection

 

Spring cleaning, compressing out the computers, etc.  I need to start to cut more things out of the game to make a reasonable launch which I can build upon.  I think multiplayer will have to come much later as the AI systems alone are taking a significant amount of time.  I tried Godot 4 and found it's tilemap to be wanting (has trouble making authentic oblique projections).  So I can't take advantage of the network code of the newer engine and will have to muddle with v3.5.x.  There is an upside, I won't have to rework my entire project.

-25C Winter February

 

Working on systems to allow for rapid balance patching (ie data files that hold unit stats).  Also trying to figure out a system for multiplayer to check version numbers and some rudimentary anti-cheating.  AI scripts have grown so large I need to make a system to manage them.  Thank god for ChatGPT and it's explanations.

January Peeking Moon

 

If I had another person working with me I'd probably be done but I guess all I can do is keep on grinding.  One man doing sound, music, programming, scripting, art, animation, and design (on top of testing, debugging and soon publishing/marketing).  Add to it day-to-day errands of life and it can be daunting at times.

Christmas Eve 2022

 

Three factions 100% complete.  One faction must be redone visually (too ugly) and another heavily modified (to fit a more modern less fantasy look).  Three more factions to go....

November Screenshot

 

Testing out two factions and various game play mechanics (fog of war, line-of-sight targeting, action-point system, etc.).  First in-game screenshot.  Note to self, add outline shaders to units.  Keep black outlines for tiles to distinguish objects and flat floors.  Internal lines should be an off-black brown or other darker (non-black) colour (with flat tiles always bright such as asphalt, grass, dirt, snow, rivers, etc.)

Early Fall October 2022

Finishing up all the surrounding menus that go around the main tactical map.  With my health issues causing delays I'll be lucky to get a January 2023 launch.  Though I'm hoping the drastic measures I've committed to over the last month will start to show results.  I guess this will give me time to actually flush out the strategic, operational, and tactical AI for Computer matches.

 

September 2022

 

Perfect lighting.  Overcast grey sky in September.  I need to make a Steam account and figure out the whole 'green lit' and Early Access features.  Integrating the Steam API to Godot.  I've been disconnected from the internet for so long.... at least my old programming skills still apply to a certain extent.  Though I have to admit abusing the near limitless ram most computers have (for 2D games) is something I still can't get used to.

Entering August 2022

 

Solo GameDev will give you high blood pressure.  Believe it! Hospital visit blood pressure = 248/158!

July 1st 2022: Crimson Sky on Canada Day!

Reading the news, animating tiles, watching some dude walk around Tokyo in 4K.  Polish and test.  Polish and test.  Trying to aim for a 2022 release at maximum CRUNCH!

 

Nice cool June evening

 

Testing some initial menus and introductions (along with SFX and music).  Inputting 'Unit Data' for all factions.  Oblivion longplay (no commentary) playing in the background

Early Hot May Summer 2022

 

Over hundreds of units across 6 unique factions with individual base paradigms.  Currently setting up "Squad" unit types as infantry to function as a single unit while allowing complexity in combat.  Watching Better Call Saul.

2022 April

 

Over 600 tiles for the tactical map alone.  Campaign map will be for future releases depending on popularity (if any).  Attempting to abstract artillery ranges (grenades, mortars, tube cannons, rockets, missiles, etc.) to tiles while keeping game play speed intact.  While Robert McNamara talks down to me about game theory and decision making in an imperfect information environment (paraphrasing).

Spring Cleaning 2022

 

Melting snows.  Fresh air.  Vacuumed carpet.

Reading Up Foggy Spring Morning

 

Fog white out.  Trying to read but actually watching Twin Peaks like a lazy POS.  Thank PhD students and their well-written papers on turn-based strategy game architecture, game theory (especially decision making on the game tree; useful for future AI), and algorithm solutions (like super-cover lines used for a 2D tile grid system).  Truly a wealth of information.

New Years 2022

 

Even MORE bugs to fix.  Oh yay!

Dec 20 2021 Winter

 

Another cold winter morning... Must finish 1001 items (GUI art polish, GUI code polish, integrating a less basic AI, adding minor transition graphics, interactive loader, etc. etc. etc.). Awkward chest pressure.

Winter 2021

Play testing first build

Fall, 2021

Fine-tuning multiple features.

Summer-Fall 2021

Creating art, sprites, units, animations.....

 

Summer, 2021

 

Building the prototype/pre-alpha

Spring, 2021

 

Thinking about what to make