MB Diary

[Vengeance]

I have spent the last couple days getting one-time animations to work properly.

Boonet has done a great job of making some \"greet\" animations for each race.  However, up till now CS has really been set up for looping animations like running or standing (which is really swaying and breathing in and out).  In order to have a /wave command or /greet command, we needed to be able to specify to CS to play an animation once, then return to the previous animation.  (For example, in this case you are in \"stand\" mode, and you type /greet.  CS plays the \"greet\" action one time, then flips automatically back to the \"stand\" animation loop.)

I got this implemented last night, so now everyone will be able to wave at each other. :-)

Acraig and I also did much testing of server, making sure our players could still see each other as they ran around--something we haven\'t really tested since releasing Atomic Blue.  It worked pretty well but took 4 hours of tweaking to get it nice.

The list continues to shrink...

- Venge

[cmhitman]

so, vengeance what other projects are you working on?
You know, the ones that bring home the bacon.

I remember last time I asked this question I can\'t remember what you said but I did try that program that downloaded pics from web pages \'was kinda cool but I could only get it to  gain pictures from the surface page of the site and couldn\'t figure out how to get it to search other links on the site for more pics. It could have been just me or the fact that it was a demo I\'m not sure but anyway I was just wondering if you were working on any neat projects besides planeshift.

[Vengeance]

In my day job I run a small consulting firm here in Houston.  We have about 12 guys working for various clients, and I am the project manager and account director for 2 of those clients.  One project is C++ and Oracle transaction processing and one is ASP web stuff.

But Planeshift is what really interests me. :-)

- V

[Vengeance]

Ok yesterday I focused on the animations.  In Atomic Blue (the existing public release from a few months ago), the only two animations were \"stand\" and \"walk\".  Now we have also \"run\" and \"greet\".  I put the code into the game last night to play those animations at the right time and to make sure they are sent over the network correctly, so other people see you running if you are running and so forth.

Getting closer...

- Venge

[Creathor]

Thanx Venge, you and the PS team are doing a great job I wish I could help but my C++ knowledge is currently limited. Maybe later I could help out in some way, I really admire what you guys are doing.

[Link]

Well us computer geeks, most of us anyways, don\'t do all that stuff, which is a good reason to give parents and relatives and people when they ask why your are always in your room messing with your computer instead of out running around on the streets. Plus good jobs are on the way.

[Keldorn]

Yeah, with a good salary too.

My parents think i\'m some kind of idiot when i\'m constantly messing around in my computer and buying stuff for it. \"Don\'t waste your money\" they say
Ha, they can say that again when i have bought my first villa with swimming pool and helipad.

[Link]

Yeah, god, it pisses me off when people say \"Why are you blowing your money on software and games\".

[kinshadow]

Sorry for being off topic, but I feel compeled to comment on the recent \"carreer choice\" messages.

Just a word of advice guys.  Not all computer people make lots of money.  Right now the market is tough, but it\'s picking up a bit.  Be warned that it might fall again before you graduate college (or whatever).  I got a nice job out of college (graduate school), but I have plenty of friends that graduated with me (in May 2002) that are still looking.  Additionall, some of the really neat jobs (like the United Space Alliance and most game companies) pay a lot less than you think.

Additionally, the tech indusrty has many facets.  My advice is get experience in all the areas that you can, while specializing (or appearing to specialize) in one.  That way people can\'t say you\'ve pigeon holed yourself and (at the say time) they can\'t say you have no direction.  This means looking long and hard at what\'s out there and taking a wide variety of classes.  Graduate school is great for giving the impression of specialization.  I am not saying that college is for everyone, but I think that it is the best way for most.  I have a friend that is doing network admining for a multi-national conglomerate out of Houston.  He didn\'t even graduate high school and he makes more money than I do.  Unfortunately, if he ever looses his job, he\'ll be hard pressed to get a similar paying position with the current market saturation.

[Jessyn]

or we could just get all the geeks and nerds together and take over.....

    \"Und zen, ve vill take over...   ZE VORLD!!!!\"

Jessyn

[Vengeance]

kinshadow is right about his points here.  Especially the part about the guy who didn\'t graduate high-school and is making lots of money.  That guy might be making a lot now but if he loses that job, he\'s screwed, and if he keeps it he\'ll never make more than now.

Another point in favor of college is that you will *never*, ever be around more single and smart women again in your LIFE.  (or men :-) ).  Once you\'re in the real world you have to start checking for rings and believe me, that sux.

- Venge

[Vengeance]

Now back on topic, I spent yesterday making it so that the camera is at different heights depending on which race you are playing.  This makes the dwarfs very short and the Krans seem HUGE!  :-)

Tonight I am fixing our lightning effects a little bit.

Yesterday also we had 3 people connected for over 30 minutes and no crashes or bad stuff.  I believe we will have at least a dev team release by end of week.

- Venge

[Kiern]

You guys really are working hard for something thats free  

keep up the good work  

[Stagger]

pwn

/clap for PS Team :]

[YanRK]

lol, you\'re starting to get me all excyted... woo, my stomach is churning.