PyWeek - PROBE

[ gcewing @ 10:20 ] Mission Postmortem

Well, it seems that I scored fairly well on production and innovation, but not so well on fun. The latter was pretty much to be expected, since I didn't get time to implement some of the things that would actually make it a playable game.

I hope to flesh it out considerably and make some updated releases before too long. In the meantime, thanks to all who tried it out, and thanks to those who gave me encouraging comments and scores!

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[ gcewing @ 04:07 ] Kid Bandyhoot -- Bug?

Kid Bandyhoot crashes for me with the following. Anyone else experiencing this?

% pythonw2.3 run_game.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "run_game.py", line 12, in ?
    main.main()
  File "/Local/Games/Python/PyWeek4/KidBandyhootsCrazyAdventures-v1.0/lib/main.py", line 82, in main
    setEngine()
  File "/Local/Games/Python/PyWeek4/KidBandyhootsCrazyAdventures-v1.0/lib/main.py", line 46, in setEngine
    gameEngine= glengine.GlEngine()
  File "/Local/Games/Python/PyWeek4/KidBandyhootsCrazyAdventures-v1.0/lib/glengine.py", line 44, in __init__
    self.gameMap=GameMap()
  File "/Local/Games/Python/PyWeek4/KidBandyhootsCrazyAdventures-v1.0/lib/gamemap.py", line 15, in __init__
    self.initLevel1()
  File "/Local/Games/Python/PyWeek4/KidBandyhootsCrazyAdventures-v1.0/lib/gamemap.py", line 135, in initLevel1
    targetFunc=enemyactor.EnemyActor.targetPlayer)
  File "/Local/Games/Python/PyWeek4/KidBandyhootsCrazyAdventures-v1.0/lib/enemyactor.py", line 179, in __init__
    targetFunc=CannonActor.cannonTargetFunc,
TypeError: __init__() got multiple values for keyword argument 'targetFunc'

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[ gcewing @ 00:24 ] T minus 33 minutes, switching to auto launch sequence

With the server doing its usual hour-before-deadline molasses simulation, this will probably be my final final submission.

I'm quite pleased with what I've been able to accomplish. Almost all the elements of my initial vision are there, at least in rudimentary form. Mostly all it needs now is some expansion and refinement.

The one major thing it's badly in need of is some aids for carrying out various orbital mechanics calculations. As it is, it's easy to spend a lot of time randomly trying out different launch parameters and not accomplishing much. That's not the way it's done in real life, and it shouldn't be like that in this game, either!

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[ gcewing @ 23:50 ] T minus 33 minutes, switching to auto launch sequence

With the server doing its usual hour-before-deadline molasses simulation, this will probably be my final final submission.

I'm quite pleased with what I've been able to accomplish. Almost all the elements of my initial vision are there, at least in rudimentary form. Mostly all it needs now is some expansion and refinement.

The one major thing it's badly in need of is some aids for carrying out various orbital mechanics calculations. As it is, it's easy to spend a lot of time randomly trying out different launch parameters and not accomplishing much. That's not the way it's done in real life, and it shouldn't be like that in this game, either!

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[ gcewing @ 13:35 ] T minus 10 hours 26 minutes

The Probe Design screen is implemented. Also requesting more funds so you can fly additional missions.

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[ gcewing @ 04:50 ] T minus 1 day 19 hours and counting...

Mission starts to show results - NASA officials pleased

Planets now have data, probes have instruments to detect it, and the collected data can be displayed.

Still some time left today to start work on the probe design phase, too!

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[ gcewing @ 08:21 ] T minus 2 days 15 hours and counting...

Course corrections can now be made during flight (to a limited extent -- you don't have much fuel for manoeuvering!)

It's taken much longer than I thought it would to implement that part -- I expected it would take half a day at most, but I ended up spending almost all day on it. Probably spent too long tinkering with the user interface, but I want it to look good.

Now I need to get on and give the planets some data to be discovered, and the probe some instruments for discovering it. After that there's the probe design phase, and then all the basic elements of the original concept will be there. Two days left, two main areas of functionality... hmmm, might be doable...

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[ gcewing @ 13:05 ] T minus 3 days 10 hours and counting...

WE HAVE LIFTOFF

Substantial parts of the game are now playable. A basic probe can be launched with specified speed and direction, and you can watch its progress as it coasts through the star system.

It's starting to look really good, too. I'm trying to strike a balance between implementing features and keeping the production values up consistently.

Also, I'm having a blast doing this. This could have a lot of educational potential -- I'm learning heaps about rocket propulsion and orbital mechanics!

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[ gcewing @ 12:07 ] PROBE 0.1 uploaded

What you can do in this version:

• Watch the cool intro sequence. Click or press a key to skip through it if you get bored.
• Read the introductory letter, then click on the button in the bottom right corner to go to the next screen.
• Click on the star or a planet to see information about it.

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[ gcewing @ 08:15 ] Funky Orbits

(See accompanying uploaded file)

I just had to share this -- it's the result of an amusing bug that occurred while I was trying to draw the orbits of my planets. I call it the "many-worlds Ptolemaic system", in which the sun orbits around all planets simultaneously.:-)

(Don't worry, this will be fixed before the final release. Also the planets won't all be called "Fiddlesticks".)

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[ gcewing @ 08:56 ] PROBE: T minus 6 days 15 hours and counting...

See, scoffers -- my brainstorming session did pay off. PROBE is going ahead!

I'll be uploading an initial submission soon to test the submission process and show off the nice intro screen I just made.

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[ gcewing @ 21:13 ] Diary link newness strangity?

Why is it that sometimes my browser decides to display some of the links on the recent diary entries page as unvisited, when nothing seems to have changed since I looked there last?

It would be nice if something could be done to stop this from happening, as looking for unvisited links is a useful way for me to quickly see if there are any new diary entries to look at.

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[ gcewing @ 05:38 ] Brainstorming

Trying to cover the bases by coming up with an idea for each potential theme...

PROBE

After the final countdown, the only way you can go is up...

(Do I get bonus points for incorporating two themes at once?)

Study your planets. Plan your mission. Design your probe. Launch your probe and watch it blow up fly a successful mission and gather oodles of valuable scientific info. All while staying within budget.

Battleship Down

If you want world domination, don't stop 'till you've got enough... RABBITS!

RTS-style. Breed a hoarde of bunnies to wipe out the opposition and pwn the whole meadow.

These ideas Copyright © 2007 by Gregory Ewing. All rights reserved for the duration of the PyWeek 4 competition. May be freely plagiarised after that.

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