First, the graphical glitch in image importing has been solved, and it now imports all fashions of image files. It was a simple matter of discovering Microsoft's existing object classes and importing them, a process which also netted me more knowledge in the Visual Studio SDK. Resizing of images was done in the same way, and I can really do that dynamically to whatever size I want.
Second, I think that I finished placing all of the object classes, including the AI behaviors class. I decided not to instance behavior as an object, and just use it as a utility class. It has been given some filler code for now which essentially turns cells in random 90-degree directions. It makes them like a stub, for testing reasons, but also gives them an obvious activity to do so I know that the code flow is actually running through there.
Third, on XBox-specific news, I have settled on a paint application that interfaces to my Neon Culture project as the CMSI 499 portion. Of course, everything else will port to the platform too. Nothing is truly tested right now, however it is in a good phase to begin coding the paint application, as my data structures have beeen well defined. I should really look into the possibility of using gamer tags, or whatever those little ID pics are called on XBox Live as image files. Not that I could use those images, but if those can get on XBox Live perhaps there is hope for me uploading images another way.
Fourth, an alpha version is coming due in two weeks. What I need to satisfy before that requirement is simple:
- Hit detection. Cells need to be able to interact/eat each other. The skeleton for this is in place, I just need some serious advice on how to divide up the battlefield; in particular, a very strange type conversion between variable-size grid locations and floating point numbers.
- Boundaries on the playing field, both inhibiting movement and visibly expressed.
- Any AI at all. It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to steer towards the nearest blob of targets instead of wandering haphazardly through the environment.
- Possibly cell reproduction. It doesn't exist yet, but it wouldn't be hard to add. The architecture was made in a way that is mindful of this future inclusion.
Finally, for future expansion. This past week has brought to my attention the possibility of using 2-D graphics instead of 3-D. Specifically, that I could switch between them, and it may not be that hard. Definitely this should be at the back of my mind for now, but it would be impressive to change between graphic modes with the press of the space bar and would demonstrate the modular nature of my code and how, when I say the graphics are independent from the mechanics, that it is the truth.
Thank you for reading, I'll be back to post again soon,
-Tyler
