Update on Progress

[wedgebert]

Can you please post what percent done ? Its hard to tell from the updates how much work is left to do?

He's said before he's about 90% done, but he has yet to run a full test game so it'll probably still be quite a while.

And take into account that in software terms, the first 80% is the easy part and will often take less time than the last 20%

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Now in Melbourne! Several people have suggested Aussie rules (offline as well) so will try to do that and i will definitely visit a few restaurants.

I'll try to get to the other suggestions as well.

Went to see Collingwood vs Port Adelaide at the MCG today. Also saw Melbourne Storm NRL game on Friday night as well. Really enjoyed both.

[Bails_64]

of course out of all the games you couldve seen, you went to see the two worst teams 

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

of course out of all the games you couldve seen, you went to see the two worst teams 

Well, free executive box, Didn't want to turn it down. Besides watched lots of other games at Crown while playing Pot Limit Omaha

[Youtoo]

I thought i may have posted this.  but i can't find my post.  if you answered it I apologize. 

Steve: How much work do you have left to do? Do you have a percent done? Its hard to follow from the updates to get a feel for how much is left.  I know you are doing this for free and have a day job.  I apologize if you think I am pestering you. 

[Caplin]

I thought i may have posted this.  but i can't find my post.  if you answered it I apologize. 

Steve: How much work do you have left to do? Do you have a percent done? Its hard to follow from the updates to get a feel for how much is left.  I know you are doing this for free and have a day job.  I apologize if you think I am pestering you.

Your post, and an answer, is on the previous page. Steve is ~90% done, but this doesn't include testing and debugging, of course.

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

I thought i may have posted this.  but i can't find my post.  if you answered it I apologize. 

Steve: How much work do you have left to do? Do you have a percent done? Its hard to follow from the updates to get a feel for how much is left.  I know you are doing this for free and have a day job.  I apologize if you think I am pestering you.

Percent done isn't really a good guide because it implies a time equivalent. For example, the last few months I haven't made that much progress due to a number of factors (and I am currently away on business for three weeks). Also, even if I was 100% done coding, I need to play test campaigns and find bugs.

All the major areas are done except AI, which is turning out far more extensive than I initially planned. Also, because of the complexity added to AI I will be creating a wide variety of NPR play styles - such as the various WH40k races. I also still need to work on several smaller areas such as ground-space combat and a lot of the more minor windows. The next major phase is the first test campaign, which I keep thinking I am about to start before getting distracted by adding a new feature or extra AI code.

So, while I think I am about 90%, that is 90% of what I planned, not 90% of what I may eventually add

Anyway, in summary I doubt there will be a release in 2018, although I would be very disappointed if I wasn't well into one or more test campaigns this year.

[chrislocke2000]

I'm looking forward to some of the AARs on the test campaigns although with the speed improvements you have I wonder if you will have much time between increments to actually write anything down!

[Jovus]

Obviously I want to be able to play C# Aurora. At this point, though, I think I'm just as excited to see what you come up with for a new AAR.

[Aloriel]

<snip>
All the major areas are done except AI, which is turning out far more extensive than I initially planned.
<snip>

Been there. Done that. Made an AI for a simple scrabble like game for mobile. I wrote the entire game in about 4 weeks (using Unity). The AI for computer players took another 12... or was it 16? Some ridiculous extra long time longer than actually making the game. AI is freakin' hard.

[alex_brunius]

I wouldn't complain if a beta version of the game without any AI at all and without NPR/Spoilers was released ahead of the main Aurora C# release.

Some players prefer to control all sides ( including alien empires ) themself anyways, and it would also allow feedback on most bugs to be gathered ( so they can be fixed ) before the main release.

[boggo2300]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Now in Melbourne! Several people have suggested Aussie rules (offline as well) so will try to do that and i will definitely visit a few restaurants.

I'll try to get to the other suggestions as well.

Went to see Collingwood vs Port Adelaide at the MCG today. Also saw Melbourne Storm NRL game on Friday night as well. Really enjoyed both.

Collingwood while being the suckiest team in the competition always draw a big crowd (they have pretty much the largest membership) even though they were playing out of towners I'd expect the crowd would have been much bigger than the Rugby one (rugby is a NSW/Queensland thing, the rest of us think it's just slightly odd)

[sloanjh]

I wouldn't complain if a beta version of the game without any AI at all and without NPR/Spoilers was released ahead of the main Aurora C# release.

Some players prefer to control all sides ( including alien empires ) themself anyways, and it would also allow feedback on most bugs to be gathered ( so they can be fixed ) before the main release.

I think this is a great idea - it REALLY cuts the requirements for the Minimum Viable Product, and replicates the early days of VB Aurora (my recollection is that the computer-controlled NPRs took a couple of years to be put in).

John

[Caplin]

I wouldn't complain if a beta version of the game without any AI at all and without NPR/Spoilers was released ahead of the main Aurora C# release.

Some players prefer to control all sides ( including alien empires ) themself anyways, and it would also allow feedback on most bugs to be gathered ( so they can be fixed ) before the main release.

I think this is a great idea - it REALLY cuts the requirements for the Minimum Viable Product, and replicates the early days of VB Aurora (my recollection is that the computer-controlled NPRs took a couple of years to be put in).

John

From a purely selfish perspective, I'd love to see this, if only to get a head start on being able to judge whether the C# version is going to be as accessible to the blind as I anticipate. Granted, I'm not sure how good I'll be at playing multiple player races, I struggle enough with just one.

[Whitecold]

I wouldn't complain if a beta version of the game without any AI at all and without NPR/Spoilers was released ahead of the main Aurora C# release.

Some players prefer to control all sides ( including alien empires ) themself anyways, and it would also allow feedback on most bugs to be gathered ( so they can be fixed ) before the main release.

Even just starting to theorycraft some ships together with the new engines, shields and sensors would be nice, as well as finding out how ground combat truly works. I'm sure there is some completely broken combination hidden in the woodworks, and the sooner more minds get their hands on, it can be found out.