Okay! So I've decided, I should use this LJ to keep up to date anybody who is interested in vex project =) I guess this means ppl in #lapan, maybe it will help me compose and keep track of my thoughts without flooding the channel so much.
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State right now:
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Vex engine -- functionally finished; now mouse-driven, works very nice
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Umake -- in progress; planet generation, city generation, items, ships,
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people are all basically framework-laid out, but that is currently being
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filled in. The main thing right now is the people, the phrase engine (what is used to generate how they talk) has a huge complexity to it. I was recently having problems with umake using TONS of memory, this was due to a cycle of references in the phrase engine which I just fixed! SO ha!
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What to expect:
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Mid Feb -- some kind of alpha; the truth is, even right now vex is pretty darn cool, you can explore a HUGE universe (much bigger than the demo, even though i have only tried out the tiniest size in umake); planets aren't quite as nice as they were in the demo, but that's okay -- with only a little more work they will look as good, and eventually a lot better (weather systems, etc.) My goal is to make this demo BEATABLE, that is, there should be some objective, it should save, you can do quests. Not neccesarily FUN or balanced, but BEATABLE. This is the goal. Shall I make it?
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Probably missing from alpha: Alien creatures (this really belongs in the alpha but I just won't have time)
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Post Alpha -- enhance phrase/quest engine hugely for variety, smooth NPC interactions, expand greatly what you can do with npcs. Also, enhance graphics on planets, add oceans to planets, add bushes/trees/rocks/etc. to planet; add alien creatures to planets. Enhance ship generator, city generator, etc. Do final debug, polishing and packaging. Find a publisher.
2004-01-13