Animation Track Control

I have finishing the setup of the animation control structure, and is now in process of implementing the actually control calculation. Currently it's still not functional and further experiment is required.

The first thing I have to verify clearly is if negative speed in track works, or if only positive speed works. I think what I need to do is just to modify the SetTime function to use positive speed if the unit goes right, and negative speed if it goes left. Only after I confirm the validity of negative speed, can I proceed to the next step.

Though I already have a clear idea about the next step. If the negative speed works, then I just have to try to tell it to use negative speed, and making sure the target time calculation is correct for both positive and negative speed. If the negative speed doesn't work, then I have to create a "negative" track in the model animation, and covert the track position from positive to negative track according to the situation.

UPDATE (Jan 27): It looks like the negative speed doesn't work. I have setup the "negative track" in the model and develop the control code accordingly. It still doesn't quite work but I think it's due to minor bug in timing calculations. After I fix them, I should have a working and quite robust animation control.

EntityAnimator Construction

After some more development, I found it appropriate to separate out a new class, basically a controller of the animation's entity. It will be build around LPD3DXANIMATIONCONTROLLER to take command from Unit class to control the animation tracks, timing and their calculation.

Like always, I am not totally sure this is a right design decision. But right now it looks like a good one. It makes the code look more manageable and it does make logical sense. Makes me wonder...when can I actually be 100% sure in software design? Could it be never? lol

Animation Control Development

After quite some experimentation, progress has been made on the animation control. Now I can stop the animation and set animation time position. I think next I will continue to setup the functions and structure, to support multiple tracks and tracks blending. Hopefully eventually things will work out well and the upper and lower body animation control and blending will work as I expected.

Inspiration from Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators

Recently I didn't do a lot of programming...guess I was taking break, but now I am ready to get back into it I think.

But time was not wholly wasted, because I went back and play a little Space Rangers 2, and got some new game inspirations. |0| To describe the idea in full, I have dissect my view on the pros and cons of the SR2 gameplay:

Pros:

• Freedom and Open World, but still Entertaining - a lot of open type of games are extremely boring, such as Oblivion (a lot of people will disagree, but I just find it boring for some reason) and quite a lot of those free MMORPG. This game gives player a lot of freedom but is surprisingly entertaining and addictive. Perhaps it's because it presents an achievable Meta objective: solving the Dominators problem and save the galaxy.
• Sci-fi Space Opera Adventure/Comedy - It's a rare genre in game...perhaps a lot more games should be made in this area.
• Some interesting Combat Idea - during combat players can call other ships around the area for joint attack. Also player can go with fleets to attack Dominators, to defend and liberate systems etc. It's like participating in the grand opera and have small dungeon crawls in the same game. Other games also attempted similar things before but in my opinion this game seems to have a major break through in this area, although there are still possible improvements.

Cons:

• Combat Could be Boring - not much to do for players during combat. The player of course still has to decide which targets to attack and whether to run away. But it seems the combat could be more exciting.
• A lot of Traveling - a lot of flying around between planets, which take times, during which players don't do much. For more casual game market this can be detrimental because a lot of times players want to have the most enjoyment in a short period of time. While traveling player can relax and take it easy, too much of it make the more enjoyable parts of the game far in between. It will make the player feel they have to invest a lot of time and "labor" in one session to enjoy the game.
• Some of the Mini-Game - some of the text mini-game is just a bit too tedious. The worst one is the one in which the player has to read a lot, and it does not help when the font is tiny.

So taking this into account, I think it's possible to make a new game but retaining some of the pros of SR2:

1. Open space and freedom of action like SR2
2. Better convoy / strike group supports: The player can forms convoy with cargo ship, warship and fighter crafts to do trade or transportation mission. Or they can follow fleets to engage enemies. The elements is present in SR2 but it seems more user friendliness on this feature might be very possible.
3. Space Sim combat: Use Freespace 2 type of combat instead, but with a greater variety of ships which the player can command, ie larger vassals.
4. Faster travel for travelling between planet and star systems: Have a time speed adjustable button, like in x-com, to speed up the time in long travel. Use a more abstract maps with 2D icons overlay 3D star system scape etc. This can look potentially very cool if done right, making the player feeling like they are really planing operations etc. When the player meet hostile forces and need to engage in combat etc, the game will lock onto normal time and zoom in to player's "cockpit" and let the player fight, or escape the field.
5. Scrape Some of the Mini-game: scrape the 3D ground RTS portion of the game IMO is probably a good idea. Put the efforts instead on the space combat. Keep some of the more interesting mini-games. Present the text game in a more interesting way with shorter text etc, perhaps.

The game might sound ambitious and might seems difficult to make (due to expense might go up geometrically because of combined randomness in SR2 gameplay system and the required 3D engine). However, I think with the power of computer still increasing...it might not be out of question in a few years.

Milkshape DirectX (JT) Export

After a second attempt, I was able to export using DirectX (JT), with the following setup:

• uncheck all options in geometry
• uncheck all options in animation, except "Exclude Options"
• Format: DirectX Skin and Bones
• uncheck all 3 (binary, template, S&B template) options

I think I will try to export with different animation set, and combine them into 1 file to see if it multiple animation sets works in this way.

I was also able to make further setup in animation control in the program. Basic animated mesh is finally close to completion.

Prince of Persia (2008) After Thoughts: Where Is The Donkey?

The following contains spoilers.

After finishing Prince of Persia (2008), the first thing that came to my mind is "where is my donkey?" The second thing is "ouch!"

After all the effort the player went through, in the end, the player is forced to do something that negates all the efforts they put in. Seriously, I never thought the main character is capable of such an act. What went through his head and what will happen next is a big question. I guess that's why they end the story like this, to make ways for a sequel. But the "cool meter" of the main character went down somewhat I think, and I don't think that's what the developers intended,...or maybe that's what they want? I don't know. It will be "explained" in the sequel I guess. But man...if I am the Prince, I will just go find my donkey. That will be a happier ending as well.

Overall the game is not too bad. The fighting is interesting, but not as good as Soul Caliber, which is expected. Still it could use some improvement I think. Another thing is perhaps they should somehow add back in one vs. multiple enemies scenario...because always fighting one on one isn't that fun without reaching Soul Caliber depth, and it doesn't make much sense in the story.