Resources

[Lord Zorinthrox]

Simple Question: Will the 0ad engine be flexible enough to support changes in the numbers of resources? My question has three parts:

1) Can the 0ad engine use less than the standard (for this genre) four gatherables and pop points?

2) Can it then use more than the standrad five?

3) If it can use more than four, what form can they take? I.E., could you have two two resource types that work in the same manner as population, like "population support" and "military supply" points? Or, five collectables, say, Food, Wood, Stone, Gold, and Iron, and then two populational constraints, say Housing and Military Support/Supply?

[Aeros]

We'd like to say yes, but given that our own resource pool is not yet finished or finalized, I don't know how flexible the system would be. But yes we definately want to support mod flexibility like that and we sure can try to include it. Perhaps someone who knows more than I do about it can answer

[Acumen]

As we recently scripted the resource system, I can say that we aim to make it adaptable (after all, TLA will have mithral, trade goods, and all manner of things, and we need to keep their needs in mind).

As it stands, the resource pool is simply a JS object array attached to each player object, so each resource type is defined on startup from JavaScript, and therefore a mod could use more or less resources than what we're using for 0 A.D., have different names, whatever, without having to modify the engine source.

Of course, you'd also have to update the appropriate XML-based entities so they're capable of containing (eg trees) or gathering (eg citizens) any new resource you add, and perhaps modify the logic for gathering a resource if you needed that action to function any differently from the existing resource types. And also update the GUI so that it displays a new resource counter control with an appropriate icon and tooltip, is refreshed with the current value of the resource type, etc. And add a cost property to each entity that needs the player to spend this resource to get that unit.

Currently Population (how many population slots your units are occupying) and Housing (how many population slots you've unlocked by building houses) are in the list with the other resources (Food, Wood, Stone, Ore), with some custom scripted logic since they aren't gatherable in the same way as other resources.

So equally, if you wanted to, say, have two population counters, one for economic and one for military units, you could also script that yourself by modifying the bit where the population counter is updated when an entity is loaded onto the production queue. And go through each affected entity defining its alternate population properties and which buildings generate which type of housing.

So it requires some knowledge of programming logic and plenty of hard work, and isn't as easy as just clicking a button to inject a new resource into the game, but we're aiming to keep the meat and potatoes of gameplay mechanics adaptable by modders in this kind of fashion. You'll (hopefully) be able to do anything our scripters can.

Our hope is that modders will be able to take what's available and make an RTS mod that looks and plays drastically differently from 0 A.D. Given time, craftiness, imagination, and dramatic amounts of effort, of course.

Though hopefully it'll also make it possible to drastically adapt our own gameplay through testing during development, and make 0 A.D. fun enough that you won't have any inclination to make your own to replace it.

I probably gave away far too much information, but it feels good to be able to answer a question with some degree of knowledge for once ...

Shameless Recruitment Drive ... Incoming!

Incidentally, if anyone else is:

a] as excited about creating gameplay and user interfaces from scratch as I am,

b] knows JavaScript and good programming practice,

c] works well with others and is a good communicator,

d] likes to work hard, for free, like the rest of us crazies,

e] is familiar with historical RTSes, and

f] has a lot more time on their hands than I do ,

... we're getting to a point where we need more manpower in this area. There's a whole lot to do in making this game as playable as the design team want it, and that means time, energy, and talent. We're literally coding everything that we take for granted in the gameplay of an RTS from first principles. The more help we get, the sooner the game can be released.

If anyone's interested, please fill out the Scripter position in our website's Application Form.

[TrashA]

about that job opening, is the javascript the one used on websites? or a home-made one?

I scripted with javascript before for a free web based rpg engine.

javascript is pretty easy, and i have used XML alot of times.

I also got alot of free time, 3+ hours a day.

If u think I would have a good chance at geting the job, tell me and ill fill out the application. I just wanna know my chances of being accepted before filling out the application.

Oh yeah, your talking bout Javascript only, not Java the programming language, cuz thats beyond me.

Edited April 26, 2005 by TrashA

[Lord Zorinthrox]

Wooo-hoo! *falls over with excitement.*

Don't mind JavaScripting to do a mod (although, that means I have to learn it first.)

Go WFG, go WFG, go WFG *dances*

Thank you!

*maniacal laughter*

[Wijitmaker]

Yep, just javascript not 'java'. Those of you who are interested - be prepared to have some sample scripts you have made to show.

Like Stuart says if you can fit the a-f scale he gave there, you'd be a good fit in the team. We don't know, unless you fill out an application. Thats kinda what they are for.

[Acumen]

Yes, that's the JavaScript syntax as used in websites (not Java), which we've embedded into our engine via the SpiderMonkey SDK. JS is structurally quite similar to C++ (and in some ways easier to use ... No distinct variable types or conversions for one ), so anyone comfortable with that should feel right at home.

Please fill out the application and then we'll have more background and know how things look. Those that look promising will be interviewed (typically via MSN) to bash out the details and answer queries on both sides, and then if it looks like the best thing for both parties, the candidate would come onto staff.

I'll just mention that skill and time is only half the battle, though. We're better off being understaffed than taking on someone that isn't reliable and self-motivated, doesn't communicate how he's doing, or causes a disturbance that disrupts the work and well-being of other staff members. Hence the paranoid selection process.

[Phoenix-TheRealDeal]

TrashA, and anyone else that might be interested,

The 0 A.D. Project Game Development Team works together just as any professional corporate body does or would in any other aspect of real_life. This means that anyone brought onto the team goes through a hiring process that begins with filling out thier application in detail, submitting examples of work(s) already accomplished as a 'portfolio' of thier acquired skills, and being interviewed by one or more levels of management within the team that they will be working with, or for, in accomplishing the tasks they've 'signed up' for... to include in most cases participating in periodic meetings with others in thier department, or cross-department, as appropriate to thier area of endeavor, and in keeping the rest informed on a regular basis of progress being made.

That's a pretty long sentence that pretty much covers what is expected in a single statement.

The only ways in which we differ from what you'd normally find in a corporation is that our staff is made up in age from quite young in thier teens who may still be in in highschool to those who are older, still in college pursuing degrees, and in some cases already established working professionals in thier career fields... and the fact that all work is done on a purely voluntary basis the only compensation being the improvement of skills through the acquisition of more experience, getting to know and work with outstanding people from many parts of this world, and the opportunity to find one's name one day listed in the credits for the game when released to the public... all of which may lead to enhanced employability somewhere along the way in the future.

Those are the two faces of the 0 A.D. Project team coin.

Bottom line to all of that is that WE are interested in what skills you bring to the team and in what you will actually DO if accepted.

Periodically, we post that we have a need for people with certain skills. But make no mistake about it, to become a member of the 0 A.D. team is a 'priviledge' that must be earned. That this 'corporate system' works is adequately evidenced by the superior work that you've all been able to see developing over time on the 0 A.D. website.

If u think I would have a good chance at geting the job, tell me and ill fill out the application. I just wanna know my chances of being accepted before filling out the application.

No one of us has any idea at this moment in time as to what your "chances" are. That's not the way it works, neither here nor elsewhere unless you are going to work for your papa because you are daddy's boy.

People often SAY that they know how or do this or that, but to work with us it must be proven and come up to a certain 'standard' for consideration, evaluation. This is the only way we've found to make things WORK for making progress in the making of the game with about 40 different people working on it at any one time in six different departments. In this case, and not meaning to be just 'mean' to you. I would suggest that if indeed you are REALLY interested in 'the job', the first thing you 'need' to do is edit that quote in your post so that it reads in proper English and that the words are spelled right. It doesn't inspire confidence in someone who would hire you that you do not pay enouigh attention to detail in comunicating with others to speak plainly and correctly in English... especially when our principal means of communications with one another are in reading what has been said on 'working' forums, via e-mail, or in 'chatrooms' and that the product you will be making has to be error or bug free. We also have people on the team for whom English is a second language, so clearly stated communications are essential to understanding. However, you can fix that.

THEN, fill out the Application and submit representative work accomplished.

If you think that you can 'measure up', then 'go for it'.

By posting all this it isn't my intention to 'scare' anyone off. As a matter of fact we've had people hired onto the team as young as 14 who've brought thier skills to it and have grown with us in having done so. Like I said, we are only interested in what you CAN do and what you WILL do. We're looking for 'the pros', or those who want to be. Then one day before too long, the sooner the better, we are ALL going to enjoy playing this game.