Vacancies?

[nefthy]

If find this project quite interesting and I am considering on applying to joim. A saw that amongs other options in the application form you have "C++ programmer"?

I have no C++ experience, but I have C experience and OOP (Java), aswell as various other programming languages, so it shouldn't be more than lerning a bit syntax. However I was wondering in what areas you need help, since you programing team is already quite large.

Things where I could help would be:

- Linux

- OpenGL (not very advanced stuff though, no fancy-shader and such)

- General Programing / Debugging

- Greek translations (I am half-a-greek

- Probably many other things I don't come up with now

Things I would't like to do:

- GUI programming (I don't like that very much)

[Acumen]

Hmm, the Programming Department is pretty full at the moment. I'd say that if there's anywhere we still have a gaping need, it's having scripters to write the barebones of what makes up 0 A.D. gameplay ... building GUI screens and scripting player interaction results, event logic for entity actions, setting up entity attributes, and so forth (since the programmers are more than occupied with writing the actual generic engine).

In short, we need more people to help with making an actual game out of it.

I know you said you don't like doing interfaces (and we already have a new guy working on the GUI side), but maybe there's something in there that appeals.

JavaScript's syntax is practically identical to C's, and although it's object-oriented it's pretty easy to get your head around (you're just grouping properties under a parent object).

I instigated a recruitment drive some time ago (eg the Recruiting Scripters new post in the Archive, which describes the role and requirements in more detail) but didn't get much response, unfortunately.

Still, if you could fill out the application form in as much detail as you can, then even if there's nothing suitable at the moment, we can still keep your profile on file for the future.

[nefthy]

Sure java script won't be the problem. However I have never done any scripting for a game so I don't know if I am up to the task. Could you expand a little on the concrete task that would be involved in this?

[Acumen]

Hmm, that's a pretty broad question, since it's a pretty broad task. Let's try an example ...

Take a tree. It's a source of wood, which units can harvest from it. When its supply (quantity of wood resource) is exhausted, it's removed from the map. It can change texture depending on the season (red leaves in autumn/fall, green in spring/summer, dead and snow-laden in winter, etc). Some units can navigate through trees and hide in them to perform ambushes.

Some of those are intrinsic traits (like the quantity and type of supply). That's defined as an XML property for this particular tree's entity. Some are tied up in events that fire when units perform certain actions (a unit gathers from the tree or a unit attacks another unit ... JavaScript logic defines what happens under that condition; manipulating the supply value, for example). Some are unique behaviours tied to a certain entity type (the hide-in-trees exception). Some are triggered by certain conditions (eg the change of seasons makes certain entities switch to a predefined actor variant with a season-specific texture).

All of these are high-level design requirements that need to be written in code form to make the game play as intended. That's the job we're offering. Writing the logic that makes an RTS play like an RTS. Think of all the steps and stipulations that go into constructing a building or training a unit in, say, Age of Mythology. All that has to be written from first principles when creating a new game.

We've been making do by having programmers and designers chip in with the scripting, but we really need to devote manpower to it in order to make substantial progress, write the code in a clean and efficient manner, and finetune the design implementation.

Tell you what ... Fill out the application form and we can bang out the details during your interview.

[nefthy]

Ok will do that tomorrow. I was just asking, so I can get a feel of what I'm getting into. But implementing a specification shouldn't be beoynd me capabilities.

[Wijitmaker]

Thank you, we have recieved your application. Stuart will get back to you in a few days probably . If you don't hear anything from us just post here.