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12:07 AM
disk full? :S
 
Definitely not :(
 
12:34 AM
then I suppose...prepare for red ring o' death?
 
dota2 has no tutorial - wow
 
well you can play bots
 
yeh i am atm
 
 
1 hour later…
2:07 AM
Dota2 at least has the excuse "we're in beta"
HoN just now is coming out with better learning methods
Update on my Xbox - downloaded the game 3 times now. I think its something with the download having problems. The last 20% of the download or so goes suspiciously quick. As in I turn away for a minute or so at about 80% and then all of a sudden its done.
Downloading a different game now to see what happens
 
 
2 hours later…
4:06 AM
Alright... some free time
 
4:36 AM
A rough layout of AO, goes:
You enter the game and XNA passes off control to Awesomuim right away. There is (or should be) no screen handling in XNA. Awesomium has full control until you actually enter a game (pretty much). Once in the game, the `World` has a bunch of `Systems` like the `AnimationSystem` and the `HitPointSystem` that do 100% (read 98%) of the logic in the game
The AnimationSystem does nothing but animate "entities" with the Animator component, essentially moving the frame forward. Each System has their own job. Some animate, some move, some deal with damage, some draw, etc.
I say "entities" in quotes because it's only an idea (or an ID), not a class
The idea is that each "entity" has one or more components. Each component is strictly (read: ideally) data.
eg. The Position component is practically just: private Vector2 offset; with some accessors and modifiers
Components are designed to be simple, straight- forward data containers
 
Sounds good to me. :)
 
yeah... from there it's really describing what each system does
There's a system for hit points, an other for drawing, an other for moving, an other for handing the missiles, an other for the power grid, etc
I really like how everything is "really" small
 
Ultimately the important part is the game =)
 
@ToddersLegrande ^ There's your description
Yeah... I'm working on that... kinda
I've been thinking recently, and all that's really missing is some connected challenges that can be called a game
 
5:07 AM
To clarify the point of "There is no Entity class", because it's often unclear: I have some helpers in my World Class (others [snake] may do it differently):
private Dictionary<int, List<Component>> entityDictionary = new Dictionary<int, List<Component>>(2000);
private Dictionary<Type, List<Component>> componentDictionary = new Dictionary<Type, List<Component>>(10);

public IEnumerable<T> GetComponents<T>(int entityID) where T : Component
{ ... }

public T GetComponent<T>(int entityID) where T : Component
{ ... }

public T GetNullableComponent<T>(int entityID) where T : Component
{ ... }

public IEnumerable<T> GetComponents<T>() where T: Component
{ ... }
Each method is quite short, and is used in the Systems like:
foreach (var hitPoints in world.GetComponents<HitPoints>())
{
	if (authoratative && hitPoints.Armour <= 0.0f)
	{
		// We have just died
		hitPoints.OnDeath();
		world.DeleteComponents(hitPoints.EntityID);
	}
}
Alright... I think that's it
I am also welcome to discussion, although this is working so far, and I don't see any clear disadvantages
 
6:05 AM
@JohnMcDonald I actually get all of that. I was more thinking the solution / project structure. :)
In your solution, you obviously have a content library. For your game logic have you used the WindowsGame library or did you create another generic C# class library?
Within whichever project type you have, how are your folders / namespaces laid out?
Xbox update for anyone who cares - downloaded MVC3 which is about 3x bigger than the Cave (the game I was having problems with). Once again the last 20% seemed to go crazy fast. But this time the game (MVC3) seems to have worked fine. Spent the last 3 hours playing the different modes. I haven't touched all of the game but for the most part things seem stable and working.
Maybe I'll try the Cave again tomorrow.
Also, MVC3 is way more fun than SSF4 IMO. Definitely more my playing style
 
@ToddersLegrande I'm loading content directly from files when it's convenient, bypassing the content pipeline for textures
I haven't done a lot of work with music and sounds, but that's all loaded through the pipeline (so far)
 
Alright. What about your classes? How are they all structured?
 
Speaking more namespace wise
Right now, I just have a Components folder and a Systems folder
and I'm calling my components xxxxxComponent and my systems xxxxxSystem
So I have Core.Components.RenderComponent
and Core.Systems.RenderingSystems
 
nasmespace. Currently all of the game & engine (minus Awesomium, QuadTree, Primitives2D, and XNASpriteLib) are all under the main AsteroidOutpost namespace
 
6:19 AM
So they all sit at the same level? Alright.
 
yeah, there is no X requires Y which requires Z
but AO requires all of: AwesomiumComponent, QuadTree, Primitives2D, and XNASpriteLib
 
I'm not sure how the requires comes into play. I was just thinking from an API perspective what made sense
 
@ToddersLegrande I've heard someone (Jimmy or Tetrad) mention that it's redundant to name systems with .*System and components with .*Component
And I'm seeing it in my own code
 
I agree with that
I just felt really weird doing Core.Components.Render
Felt kind of like a method
but I guess thats where Core.RenderComponent would make more sense
 
yeah... I actually name my systems: .*System :p
heh
<-- Awesome
 
6:25 AM
lol
 
So yeah...
 
Cool
Just wanted to see how someone else was doing it
 
1 real namespace for stuff
 
externals have their own DLLs, and are all open source
 
6:29 AM
Gotcha
 
all included in one giant solution
yup
 
Yeah
I might pick your brain a little more some other time but for now thats a good start
Off to bed now
Ciao.
 
yeah... it's late here too
@ToddersLegrande 12:30 there?
 
 
4 hours later…
10:24 AM
Hello guys, I was wondering if RTS games require to implement both steering behaviours and A* or any one will do
 
10:40 AM
@NoobASThreeDeveloper A* is probably a must. Mixing in steering behaviors is probably optional but likely to add considerably to the feel.
 
 
3 hours later…
1:38 PM
@ToddersLegrande this didnt work for me, since i dindt know where to put Inventory, which was class on MobComponent, but not component itself
 
2:04 PM
How do i intialize the storage devce in XNA 4.0?
 
2:32 PM
You don't really "intialize the storage devce" you open the standard menu and let eh user pick the device they want.
 
@Dave DotA 2 is pretty well inaccessible if you haven't played DotA before.
Maybe not as inaccessible as Dwarf Fortress, which might be the most inaccessible game of all time, but still pretty hard to get into without prior knowledge.
 
I don't know I never played a moba before and picked up DotA decently quickly.
 
I'm an expert with these games, and still had trouble with DotA 2
LoL is much smoother to get into, partially because they have eliminated a lot of the excess features that aren't really needed.
Just an example of how bad their interface is, when you pick heroes, it's a grid of portraits. when you mouse onto one of the portraits, it grows, and covers the ones near it. What a horrible menu to navigate unless you have all the heroes memorized already.
 
I agree the hero picking interface is terrible
 
2:50 PM
comparing the store item-tree to the LoL one isn't favorable either
well i better figure out why my KActor descendants aren't responding to a certain set of TraceActors calls :(
 
@Almo I don't understand how you are an expert with Mobas when you can't get a handle on the original flavor :P
But I'll agree. The Hero picking UI is just awful in Dota2
 
I played a couple hundred games of DotA Allstars. maybe 500
When I played DotA 2 I still had trouble with it my first game.
due to interfacing issues
 
Ah gotcha
Interface needs work. That's for sure
 
yeah. about the game itself, it's not to my preference, but for the people who like the excess complexity, I'm sure it will be a hit.
 
Like the fact that "hold position" didn't work without some configuring of the settings
 
2:55 PM
that's ugly
 
It was just annoying. I believe it acted like "stop" did in WC3
Where the guy would stop but unless you mashed the button he then went about his business again
 
heh
 
@Almo didn't seem all that inaccessible to me :|
 
Though I can't say I like DotA 2's F2P model very much.
Everything (except skins) can be bought in LoL just by playing and earning IP.
 
I don't like LoLs F2P model at all
 
2:57 PM
in fact I had problems to migrate with my previous DOTA knowledge.
 
At least in Dota2 I have access to all heros
(unlness I'm mistaken and this is changing come launch)
 
But in the long term, you can't be competitive without forking cash
in LoL you can play at pro level without paying
 
Are you implying there are things that give you in game advantages in Dota2? This I was not aware of
That would be annoying
 
I thought there were items you bought that had gameplay advantages.
lemme check on that
 
@ToddersLegrande asking me?
 
2:59 PM
@Chunk-e-Yamani nope
 
@Almo nope there are non in dota2, but runes do such a thing in LoL
 
but you can buy runes with IP, which you can get for free by playing
I have not paid real money for any runes
 
once you get used to the new interface, you'll see it's much more easier to work with (compared with the original W3 interface)
 
ok so all the clothes are just looks.
good to know :)
 
Soooo.... F2P model is better than LoL!
 
3:01 PM
so far I've only seen two items affecting gameplay,
 
It's all aesthetics. No need to purchase better heros or runes, even if with free currency from playing a lot
@Chunk-e-Yamani two > none
...
 
"Pile of coal" and "snow ball"
 
what did they do?
 
@ToddersLegrande they don't really affect game play,
 
:D
 
3:02 PM
"two items affecting gameplay" != "don't really affect game play"
 
let it not be said I will hold an opinion against evidence to the contrary :)
 
those two are action items, meaning you can cast them on any hero in game.
@ToddersLegrande the key word is "really"
 
So they do affect gameplay!
either they do or they dont
 
they'll just cause a distraction if you didn't see them before.
 
3:03 PM
that's like not taking red on starcraft because it's harder to see the nuclear dot in the middle of your troops :)
 
casting pile of coal on a friend for example will just result in a black smoke being thrown at your friend.
which doesn't do anything but a mere visual distraction.
so it doesn't affect gameplay yet it does!
 
hmm. I think visual distractions in the middle of team fights could be useful
still, it's not a large effect
 
@Almo cast range is very limited, maybe 200-300 units.
 
And from what I can tell... you can't purchase coal and snow balls :P
 
I've only seen those two to be rewarded during greevling festival.
though people are selling them at steam market
 
 
2 hours later…
4:56 PM
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Gotta love google haxor
 
 
1 hour later…
6:19 PM
http://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/48981/new-indie-game-devs-on-twitter

I like this question
 
why?
 
being sarcastic
 
didn't get it :P
 
6:51 PM
:D
 
@LoL discussion
skins can have a gameplay effect
Lightsaber lux has spell effects that are harder to dodge since they don't match the area of effect as well
firefighter tristana has an abusable AA animation
 
7:51 PM
@snake5 i thought you would like it too, since its not about components :)
 
@Kikaimaru I don't like lazy questions, in case you haven't heard about that from me :P
 
hahah :)
 
8:45 PM
IIS 6.0 Issue - sites don't load unless you manually type "default.aspx" in the url
default documents are enabled and Default.aspx is specified as an option
seeeeeeeeeeeems bizarrrrrre
also jpgs stored in the database
smells like weird permissions issues but I'm running out of places to look
 
IIS 6.0 Issue - It's a Microsoft product.
 
I've come to think that programmers are inherently masochistic. Each in his own way.
Those who love working with most non-consumer-grade Microsoft software are very much like that.
 
I don't love it but its a nice pay check
SharePoint can be great
needs some TLC
 
I could rant about TFS VCS but I'm sure everyone knows how awful it is.
@ToddersLegrande it needs some abandonment, worldwide, forever
just like ASP.NET and the whole web stack
it's awful and ugly
just about the only thing that's actually useful is AD, and only because most people use Windows
 
9:05 PM
<3 strong opinions with no basis
 
hahah :)
 
@ToddersLegrande my basis is my experience with it
 
My bad
<3 strong opinions that are so extreme that they make absolutely no sense
 
fuck that. not going to waste my time explaining things to a fan of MS
 
You can't honestly think that the abandonment of SharePoint and all of the ASP.NET web stack "worldwide" and "forever" is really a reasonable solution
Just because YOU don't like it doesn't mean the rest of the world agrees with you. I'll agree its far from perfect but your claims are just ridiculous.
There are alternatives to IIS and ASP.NET. If it was so horrible people would not be using them.
 
9:18 PM
let's put it this way: whenever microsoft actually makes something worth picking for a new project, I'll be one of the first to change my mind on their web stack
@ToddersLegrande that's what many people say
but uh... when I think about it... it reminds me of this: lolroflmao.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/…
 
To be fair to snake5, that was an ugly-ass car.
 
and I've seen it on the streets, in a very small country
I think that says something about this "people would not be ***" thing
and if anyone wants to hear something good about MS: their font rendering on IE9 is just amazing - everything's always smooth and sharp at the same time, and the design doesn't break if using the zoom function
 
@snake5 Not always true on the zoom front. But that's generally a web developers fault if it breaks. But yeah. IE9 and 10 are pretty solid.
 
yeah I agree on the IE thing
whenever I open up stackexchange on IE the first thing I notice is now nice the fonts look
 
@ToddersLegrande well, even if it breaks, I haven't ever seen letters moving in different zoom levels
 
9:32 PM
at least it isn't IE6 where every other zoom level floating divs would disappear
 
Took them long enough to make a decent browser. :/
 
with chrome and just about every other browser, all fonts look like crap on Windows
probably because MS knows some trick of their own
everyone else just takes the old GDI API and renders fonts to bitmaps
 
IE 9 and 10 are both legitimate browsers. It's hard to admit that, as a IE hater.
It's too late for them to make any kind of comeback however - imo.
These days, I find that FireFox gives me the most wth moments during web dev.
 
yeah, it indeed does
 
earlier versions of IE with its non-standards-compliance made such a mess of web development, I will never forgive them.
 
9:39 PM
it's become all enterprisey
 
That's basically my attitude Almo.
"never forget"
 
with their insanely huge codebase and all that
 
However, I do like the ASP.NET stack - well, MVC anyhow.
But if I could make money at it, I'd code everything in JavaScript.
 
why Javascript in particular?
 
because it roxors :)
 
9:42 PM
Tbh, I have a hard time figuring that out myself. As a web dev, I naturally got more into the clientside stuff during the jQuery revolution. And found that I just loved the language.
 
It's really nice, when you come to understand how to use it properly
 
did you love the real language or the jQuery-ified part of it?
 
crockford's book really points out the important stuff in it
 
IMO, Javascript has a very great core language that's Scheme-with-C-syntax, so it includes some cool features like closures, or dynamically-scoped 'this'
 
Well, like most, jQuery first. But JavaScript shortly there after. I'm writing a game in node.js actually.
 
9:43 PM
but it also has the most WTFs out of any language this side of Perl
 
the real language's a bit messy (same as most, though) but the DOM API is just ugly and outdated-ish
 
hahah
 
Sure, there is things I wish I had in JS all the time.
 
I really like the closures
 
I'd kill for () => {}
 
9:45 PM
what's that?
 
lambdas
 
C#-style lambda syntax?
 
yeah, would rock in JS since you are passing around functions all the time
writing in-line callbacks, ect.
 
I don't like javascript's slightly weird scope rules though
 
would really cleanup the code.
 
9:45 PM
like, callbacks in for loops always get me the first time around
 
Yeah, gotta get used to them for sure.
 
@Jimmy yeah, they sometimes get you by surprise
btw
 
this helps
but not well supported yet
 
C# has a much saner way of scoping, even though it still has the 'capture-for-variable-on-accident' problem
 
Poor firefox. That browser is so sluggish now.
 
9:47 PM
I don't even understand how did browsers get so big
10 years back, there were PCs with 32 MBs of RAM and that was so damn much for the time
 
I think there are more problems then vendors realize. Even chrome is getting bloaty now.
 
and browsers would show huge web pages just as quickly as today
@NickRiggs yeah, it definitely is
 
on your 56k modem?
 
LoL
 
@NickRiggs no, didn't have any of those
kind of skipped that stage
 
9:49 PM
@snake5 youngster.
 
I started with a 1200 modem. Couldn't figure out how to get it to tone-dial, so I had it on pulse-dial mode.
Almost got a 300 one for the C64 to text chat with a friend via Quantum Link, which let you dail into their system free through a local number for $10 a month. Sound familiar? QL became AOL later. o_0
 
wow @Almo. I think my first was 28.8k
But living in rural alabama. I'm surprised we had it at all. My mother still doesn't have access to any type of broadband.
 
I remember my first Supra Modem that was 14.4. Holy moley.
 
You know what, I had a 14.4
 
some of them had "turbo-button" type things
I had one that was 28.8 but had some kind of 56k "boost mode"
 
9:52 PM
the boost mode was compression
didn't work for images or other already-compressed data
 
 
1 hour later…
11:01 PM
12
Q: Base 62 conversion in Objective-C

ToddBI spent much too much time trying to find an implementation for base 62 conversion for Objective-C. I am sure this is a terrible example and there must be an elegant, super-efficient way to do this, but this works, please edit or answer to improve it! But I wanted to help people searching for thi...

 
11:13 PM
did you come across a need for base62 conversion?
 

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