Aurora 4x
Astra Imperia => General News => Topic started by: Erik L on May 13, 2013, 04:29:21 PM
-
I've begun work on a program similar to SA/Aurora for Astra Imperia. When I get some decent screens, I'll post them.
I'm also deciding to what level of graphics detail I want to go on this.
-
The current focus is on database tools and new race generation.
The program will automatically create the database on launch if it is not present. At the current time, the database filename is hardcoded, though I'm thinking about making that an option.
The current database tools allow me to recreate the database and read from a selected table.
The main window and new game window are sparse on details at the moment. I've yet to find toolbar icons I like, so they are using the default images.
The new race window screenshot shows a hive mind style government with a non-hive mind race. Currently a number of the advantages/disadvantages do not increment/decrement points. The values near the picture take into account government scope and modifier, as well as advantages.
-
I'm using VB.Net 2010 for the front end. Game logic is stored in a number of dll files, so updates should not be too painful. I can update combat without needing to recompile everything. The backend is SQLite and I'm using ADO to communicate.
One thing I'd like to do is implement a check for updates which would download the newest files. Adjunct to this, I'm thinking of a means to update the database without deleting it entirely. But those are both for the future.
-
This looks like a winner Erik, the main thing thats been holding me back from giving AA a whirl has been my fatigue with huge amounts of admin work
Matt
-
I posted an update on this to my blog http://wp.me/p2ZVf2-1y
There is a bug I want to squish first, then I will be releasing a look & feel type release. Very early alpha. I also plan on posting the relevant section of the AI rules for race creation, so if anyone wants to play around with it and maybe catch logic errors, I'd not object. :)
*edit* Added the pdf with race creation rules.
-
Link to the installer. (http://www.pentarch.org/eluken/AstraImperiaAide_Install.zip) It is very early alpha state at the moment. Racial creation is functional, as are database read/writes. The program requires .NET Framework 4.0 and obviously is Windows.
I make no guarantees about it working on any machine other than mine at the moment :)
-
Erik,
all seems to be working, though it may be an advantage to store the database in the users my docs or something rather than the game directory so it doesnt require admin rights to run it. (tested on 64 bit windows 8 btw)
Matt
-
Erik,
all seems to be working, though it may be an advantage to store the database in the users my docs or something rather than the game directory so it doesnt require admin rights to run it. (tested on 64 bit windows 8 btw)
Matt
One thing I'm planning on is making the database path a user option. I can also certainly look into defaulting the database to the user directory.
-
Probably would be a good bet, at the moment it crashes out if I dont run it as Admin
Matt
-
Probably would be a good bet, at the moment it crashes out if I dont run it as Admin
Matt
There anything in the log files that says why?
-
Yeah, even in the error message, it's that it can't write the database to program files, sorry wasnt very clear before, thats why I brought up relocating the default db location.
Matt
-
If you are relocating the database, you may want to go ahead and create a new database for player created data for each new game. This would eliminate many opportunities for contamination bugs, and will allow you to mark the library database as read only for users.
-
Moving the database can wait until it is in a more finished state, especially since I programmatically create the database on launch if it does not exist.
-
Erik,
I'm back home now and have access to my laptop, another one it's complaining about when not running as admin is actually the log file itself.
Matt
-
I updated the code to write the database to users/{user}/appdata/roaming/arkayn game designs/astra imperia aide/{version}.
The same is happening with the logs. Version numbers are unchanged, but I still recommend uninstall/install.
I pulled out the nlog dll so the log files created now are an errorlog.log with just errors, a log.log with general info logging, a game-{game name}.log with general game log info, and to be implemented, a race-{race name}.log with racial info logged.
Download link = http://www.pentarch.org/eluken/AI_Aide_Install.zip
Should be up in the next couple of minutes. No other changes have been made.
-
I'lll grab it when I get home.
Matt
-
Teaser from my change log.
Astra Imperia Aide Change log
Version 0.1.1
Build 0703
• Finished the static racial view form.
o TO DO: implement race portrait/flag image
o TO DO: trap error on New Game form if no race selected in list.
• Added log viewer
o TO DO: implement race/game logs in viewer
• Added time controls to main form
o TO DO: progress/stop time advancements
• Added Game Load functionality
• Added tables for systems and colonies
-
Ratz! didnt get a chance to try it, had to go kill some Trolls Spiders and Huorns in Lord of the Rings Online, tonight I'll get a chance hopefully
Matt
-
Ratz! didnt get a chance to try it, had to go kill some Trolls Spiders and Huorns in Lord of the Rings Online, tonight I'll get a chance hopefully
Matt
Sounds like Rohan.
-
Rep grinding in Limlight actually, finished Rohan quite awhile back, just had to wait for my Kinnies to get past 75 to rep grind the Heroes of Limlight (really annoyed me having 1 faction not at Kindred ::) )
-
LG is in Rohan. :p ;)
-
technically not, Stangard is an outpost over the border where they exile people (for no good reason that I can see from the complaints made by the exiled, though of course theyre not likely to be unbiased)
-
News? Perhaps biosphere related... ;D
-
News? Perhaps biosphere related... ;D
Unfortunately, I've had little time to work on this. Those darn fulltime jobs... ;)