Pandemyk

Geez.. I guess I sounded a bit like "Dad" there But then, it was offered with the best of intentions. And I *am* a dad, and that's what we do Pan

Let me begin by stating that I do like what you all have accomplished so far with 0AD and congratulate you for it. That said, I'd just like to offer an "external" view: There are problems that arise with development efforts of this type that can typically kill them over time -- sometimes it takes a long time. Given the obvious committment shown here, I would hope that is not the fate for 0AD. One of the problems is time, and the never-ending supply of it for those that do non-commercial ("paid for") development. The problem is, that there is a waiting base of N players chafing at the bit to get their hands on this game, and some of that interest will drop off over time, as I'm sure some of it has. Sure there are always new people discovering the 0AD project to replace them, but some of them have likely gone as well by now. Ok, enough of "time is the enemy"... Another issue is development run by developers. I know something of this, as I am a developer and have been for a long time. I've also run development projects, and finally learned that there is a balance to achieve between the typical developer view of "it'll be done when it's done" (yes, I've said it too), and the marketing version "we need it now!" (and yes, I've had more than enough exposure to that side as well). I finally got to the point where I run a small company doing development of our own products and contract dev work as well. Now I get to suffer on both sides. What I can say from experience is that there is a balance you must strike. The "when it's done" is typically offered from the point of view of "it's not quite perfect yet". Well, the base of waiting players do not care. The balanced developer has to understand something like the following: The pathfinder we have works, but it's not the best we can do. We need a better algorithm to make it act like we want it. *However*, it *does* work do some playable degree, so *move on*. That's what version upgrades are for, guys -- not just adding additional factions, maps and visual content. I've trolled the forums here and see massive potential in what you are doing, and also see the distinct possibility that this many never see the light of day. As a developer, I know firsthand how hard it is to let the baby take it's first steps -- but then it's never "perfect enough", now is it? Make the hard "good enough" choices and move forward -- you have a community that's behind you... for now.

Apomonomenos... For what it's worth, with regard to wearing a helmet -- my cousin as well as his mom and dad were all avid bikers, and they all wore helmets when they rode. Of course, my cousing sometimes left the helmet off when riding with his buddies, I guess because it "wasn't manly" to them. One day when riding with his buddies -- sans helmet -- this experienced rider lost control on a patch of sand on a curve and went headlong into a very large and substantial tree. My cousin Ken was permanently disabled, confined to a wheelchair with limited use of his hands and arms and barely understandable speech from the severe brain injuries. Does he regret it? Yup, and he's had the past.... oh.... 25-30 years to do his regretting, too. Please reconsider the helmet, ok?

I'm a software developer from the east coast (US) that happened across 0 AD and this site somehow (probably my typical "late night, wind down, web browsing"). I did a build of the current SVN source for 0 AD -- looks very promising! Great work, guys/gals! I've been a coder/developer/manager/consultant/floor sweeper for <cough> over 20 years now (ok.. <COUGH> over 25). No real specialties here, I've worked in several languages and pretty much every microcomputer-based OS since DOS 1.0 (and I'm still trying to erase the memories of Windows 1.0 to 2.x). I guess I'm a "well seasoned" geek Application development areas ran the gamut from early PC games (and custom-built arcade machines) to DBMS design, document management, imaging, network communications and my current project includes mobile service dispatching from office-based dispatching systems to vehicle-based mobile applications. I've poked about in the 0 AD code, and if time permits, maybe I can lend a hand (or two), if desired. Looks like fun