Re: [Skunkworks] Deriving Variables...
Okay let me break this thing down so you dont shoot yourself in the foot too hard. Here is the thing, when developing a game you need to keep in mind that these games is basically a Game Play wrapped in one BIG LOOP. Everytime the game play iterates it does one or more tests to see whether it should break out of the loop. The main loop basically says this. As long as the player has not been hit 3 times then keep looping. Thats the simplest description we can work with. So things you need are: Game Menu Game Play Game menu usually controls persistent data, configurations and initializes the game. Now the Game Play is the where the game loop loop goes. wihin the game loop you need (a must) some boolean variables to keep track of the state of the game such as. isPlayerDead = false and if true then it goes to Game over state and breaks out of the loop and back to Game Menu playerCanMoveright = true/false if true move x position a few units right if false then dont respond to commands to moe right. these tests can be that there is a barrier on the way etc other variable types could be instances of enemies, interactive objects, velocity, direction, weapons, ammo, point system, All these have to work together to get the simplest of games going. I hope i have added value in some way... am not very good in writting specs as I think more in code cheers Steve Obbayi SKYPE: sobbayi http://sobbayi.com http://blog.sobbayi.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "aki" <aki275@googlemail.com> To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 1:15:05 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [Skunkworks] Deriving Variables... For OOP programmers or general ones, what plan or methodology do you use for deriving variables ? Suppose this in design phase of the programme ( Before I do sniper, its "kungu-fu" skunk a simple 2D game similar to super mario to see if I can do this thing.... ) : Assume that I'm writing a game plan for a game called "kungfu-skunk" . I have created a requirements and design plan. Some of my basic requirements are these : - Player can move left / right of screen - Player can jump - Player can box and kick opponents I've already defined my Player Object, classes,methods and properties. What would be variables for Player and how can I derive these? I know one is position on screen. Rgds -- "..the game you imagined and the game that will result may not have a lot in common. Rapid prototyping is key.. " - someone. _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
Gentelmen, great stuff and many thnks. You have to understand my predicament, which btw am thoroughly thoroughly enjoying every bit of, not including a few down days. :-))) My challenge is such that I have to consider all aspects of the program and the outcome of each module that goes into it. It is vital that I get my vars correct in the design stage because there is a lot of interraction between these vars in different ways. I'm going to continue with my search for the elusive solution ;-) Variables are all around us and we are able to derive them quite easily from knowing what it is we want but you have to deal with specifics. For those who have done some auto engineering, they can relate to these quite easily. Say you have an engine and want to improve it power, you are not going to dismantle the engine, put a small camera into the combustion chamber, close it and start the engine to get the results. This would be an expensive and disasterious route. You start to work with things like compression ratio, volumetric effeciency, fuel quality, spark plug and leads types, injectors, timing, camshaft timing and also things like TDC. These all become variables and are derived from the engine. You can now play around with values and start to get results, too little or too much you will find out once you implement them. There is where the experience comes into but you must have the core concept in place. Ok, another silly example. For the dudes on the list, when you go " hey, she's great....." , or "hey, she's the one.....! ", you have not met her nor talked to her yet some variables are naturally flowing from the mind that make you say such things. Next step, introduce yourself and get a contact number, establish a place to meet etc. Now if you were to see someone whom you may not have an interest in, ( variable already defined ), then this person could be standing infront of you yet you will not notice them. I'm trying to make sense of the concept of variables in design stage. I'll give the thread a rest now. Write soon.
Aki, Am sure there is a step you are skipping. Before even thinking of variables on your design phase you should first think of objects which will use them which will take you to class designs and from the proposed interaction of objects then that is where the concern of variables will come in. Regards, Wilson. On Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 10:11 AM, aki <aki275@googlemail.com> wrote:
Gentelmen, great stuff and many thnks. You have to understand my predicament, which btw am thoroughly thoroughly enjoying every bit of, not including a few down days. :-))) My challenge is such that I have to consider all aspects of the program and the outcome of each module that goes into it. It is vital that I get my vars correct in the design stage because there is a lot of interraction between these vars in different ways. I'm going to continue with my search for the elusive solution ;-)
Variables are all around us and we are able to derive them quite easily from knowing what it is we want but you have to deal with specifics. For those who have done some auto engineering, they can relate to these quite easily. Say you have an engine and want to improve it power, you are not going to dismantle the engine, put a small camera into the combustion chamber, close it and start the engine to get the results. This would be an expensive and disasterious route. You start to work with things like compression ratio, volumetric effeciency, fuel quality, spark plug and leads types, injectors, timing, camshaft timing and also things like TDC. These all become variables and are derived from the engine. You can now play around with values and start to get results, too little or too much you will find out once you implement them. There is where the experience comes into but you must have the core concept in place.
Ok, another silly example. For the dudes on the list, when you go " hey, she's great....." , or "hey, she's the one.....! ", you have not met her nor talked to her yet some variables are naturally flowing from the mind that make you say such things. Next step, introduce yourself and get a contact number, establish a place to meet etc. Now if you were to see someone whom you may not have an interest in, ( variable already defined ), then this person could be standing infront of you yet you will not notice them.
I'm trying to make sense of the concept of variables in design stage. I'll give the thread a rest now. Write soon. _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet
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-- Kind Regards, Wilson Bandi Mobile: +254-726-786481
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aki -
Steve Obbayi -
Wilson Bandi