Anything we can do to help?

Oh my its looking even better than the last time I posted here! Congratulations on all the hard work, it seems to be paying off. I can't wait until this goes into Alpha, to get the general reactions. But from what I've seen, there shouldn't be problems. It is looking like an amazing project, keep up the great work .

BAH! was going to recode the structure system today, but spent all day returning and getting a new motorcycle battery #"!!%


Yes, as a matter of fact.. I would like 4-6 guys to do a pre-alpha, both to test the game itself, but mainly to get a trial run for the whole things related to doing the alpha (setting up server, adding users, collecting feedback).

So if anyone would like to help out with that, send me a PM on the forum with your email address. The testing would take place in late november or early december.

Mini update
Did not get as much as I'd like done this weekend:

• Refactored the structure system, all structures that will be in the alpha are now added
• Fixed a bug that allowed building too many one-per-system and one-per-planet structures
• Troops are now generated in starsystems, and "stored" in Bunker structures.
• Added a ship component called "Troop Transport Module" that can contain troops

Next time I will make the GUI and logic for transferring troops between starsystems and ships, and allowing ships to invade enemy systems (this has been started, but not completed).
Work left was down to 88 hours, but looks like I have to redesign the Fleet interface (GUI) to allow for ships that both have cargo modules and troop transports.

Thanks to those who sent me a pm about being willing to pre-alpha test

Work hours to Alpha: 91.5

Due to aggression from Caesar's Legion, this weekends mini update won't be in until tomorrow

Damn you fallout new vegas! At least this weekend I'm going to get some stuff done, currently 86 workhours left until alpha.
I'll give another update on sunday (probably a devblog post on trekwar.org)

currently working on troop transports, and ground combat.

Also going to be redesigning the starsystem box (the one that has the summary of a system, and is shown when you select your system on the main map).
probably going to end up looking something like this:
https://docs.google.com/drawings/edit?i ... ey=CKGqjG4

But have to rethink those bars a bit to not just show total, but also say something about resource consumption / surplus

Mini update
Got some stuff done this weekend, but mostly behind the scenes stuff and planning. So no new screenshots

• Fixed the bar (used for fuel, etc.. in fleet box) so it can now display vertically
• Updated the fleet box to show bars with totals for fleet (total armor, shields, cargo, troops, etc..)
• Fixed the fleetbox so that some ships can use more place than others when displaying (to show cargo, troops, etc..)
• All the GUI stuff relating to transferring troops between systems and ships are done.

So now there are 6 hours left before invading systems and ground combat is ready.
Next weekend I'm going to Spain, I'm bringing my laptop and expect to be able to work on the game around 5 hours every day.
This means there won't be any updates between the 6th and 13th november, but there will be a big status update after the 14th

Work hours to Alpha: 80.5

Mini-Mini update:
Now possible to move troops around between ships and planets, and formulas for ground combat have been made. Just have to transfer them from the spreadsheet to the game

Work hours to Alpha: 77.5

Mini-Mini update:
Meh, did not get as much time to program in Spain as I would like. And I also had to add a couple of new tasks to alpha (and around 8 to beta and release).

• Ground combat is ready for alpha, including invasion window that shows combat estimates, etc..
• Basic turn reports are almost ready (but need to change something, so there are 2 hours of work left)

Work hours to Alpha: 69.5

Cool. You're getting there, klogd. Keep up the good work.

Mini-Mini update:

• Turn report system ready for alpha testing
• Did some fixing on the language system
• Fixed bugs relating to troop production

Now that I've gotten somewhat tired of Cataclysm, progress should start to pick up again

Work hours to Alpha: 65

I've not got Cataclysm yet. I've been playing the World of Tanks beta (Skeeter dragged me into it lol) and Star Trek Online. Oh, and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn...and Goldeneye 007...Galaxy Legion...Backyard Monsters...

It's not enough games! Hurry up and release Trekwar already!

That looks fun If I get into the beta, any delay to Trekwar will be YOUR fault!


Did lots of work on the program that generates galaxies (new games), so it is almost ready for the alpha. It will allow people to run their own servers with a predefined number of users.

There are currently 55 hours left on the "Alpha release".. 41 of those are stuff that must be done, and the rest may just as well wait for the "Alpha 2 release".

The 3 main (biggest) tasks left before alpha:
- It's the ship combat resolution (which should be pretty straight forward) 12 hours.
- Finalizing the sensor system which will make sure user only have access to the correct data (starsystems, enemy fleets, allied fleets, enemy planets etc..). This has a bit of uncertainty and my spidey sense says there might be some issues getting it to work perfectly but should hopefully be around 14 hours.
- New starsystem box (simple UI work, but time consuming) 8 hours

Work hours to Alpha: 55

Good job, man Keep it up

Got most of the framework for space combat implemented today. Still need to do the actual combat resolution, but I have the algorithms on paper somewhere =)

Work hours to Alpha: 51

Done with the make galaxy program (which lets users set up galaxy parameters and add users) to a new game.
parameters that will be available in alpha are: size of galaxy, star density, nebula and asteroid belt count.

During alpha you can't just freely join a game, the user accounts will be set up in advance by the one starting the game/server.

There is a new poll on http://www.trekwar.org, where I want to see which features you guys think are most important (which order to implement them in).

Work hours to Alpha: 47

Just voted. Starbases and Outposts in space are currently in the lead with 30% of the vote, closely followed by my choice, a mission system, at 20% of the vote.

You can create polls on these forums too, klogd. You have to create a new thread for each one though. Polls can only be created/edited in the first post of a thread.

Thanks for voting hope you remembered to select four items

Have all the other poll results at polldaddy, so nice to keep stuff in one place. But might use the forum ones during pre-alpha =)

Four items? I thought you could only select one? Because that's all I selected.

+1

I guess I should open my eyes wider the next time My choice was starbases and outposts in space..

I've added a big notice, so that it's more clear that there are 4 options you can select
I deleted both of your votes.. So if you could try and vote again, that would be great

The poll uses both cookies and IP, so if you get up "you've voted before", try removing the cookie in your browser that belongs to "polldaddy".

Hope you take the time to vote again, and let me know if it works

That worked. I've revoted now.

Great =)

This info should be useful when deciding what will be included in the beta version and alpha 2 release

Yep, it works better now ) Re-voted

Cheers

Aiming to finishing up starship combat, and starsystem resource shortage handling this weekend:

If anyone is interested here is a little prelimenary document detailing what happens when your starsystem is missing a certain resource:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key ... y=COTp0fUL

A very high level view on SOME of the factors that will play part in combat resolution, will have to join this with some of the other design notes I have:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key ... y=CJa20dED


Feedback and suggestions are as always welcome =)

Bah, had to work this weekend. But at least this frees up time the evenings next week and next weekend.

As a sidenote, when you guys are playing BOTF/Trekwar do you want starting positions to be either completely random (risk being very close to an opponent early in the game)?
or do you prefer to be randomly spread out (require a bit of distance to nearest enemy)?

Omg, the forum theme is all different (Easier to distinguish normal posts from sticky's now, which is nice)

Did some small but necessary work today:
- moved 'create menu' task to alpha2, and just added a simple dropdown in alpha1
- allied fleets are no longer identical (graphically) to your own.
- small bugfix with hurrying production
- added diminishing returns on number of warp cores in starships.

Work hours to Alpha: 37.5

Actually, the forum theme is exactly the same as it always has been for me. I've been using this "new" forum theme for the last four years.

Oddly enough, the reason behind the theme change is due to anti-spam measures. *Something* was broken on the original forum template, so Skeet set this new theme (AcidTech) as the default to get around the problem. If he reverts to the original theme (BlackDiamond), then you can switch to this theme again in your User Control Panel - Board Preferences -> My Board Style option.

...

In answer to your question, I'd personally prefer random starts. The risk of starting near an enemy is part of the fun.

I agree with Matress on this.. I don't particularly like knowing that my opponent is at least a set distance away from me..

New devblog post: http://www.trekwar.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Devblog-09042011

Not so very much new to show (mostly done behind the scenes stuff), but the new systembox is done (won't be changed before alpha testing).

Currently working on the shortages (what happens to a starsystem when a resource is missing):
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key ... 0fUL#gid=0

If anyone have any thoughts on that spreadsheet, I'd love to hear them