Block schema

= General Updates =

Yesterday (Tuesday) was the bug testing day and my game was passed around and tested....well, what is there so far.
The requests I got were:
- Add a game to the menu
- Make a more drastic color difference between menu items
- Make blocks on the spool represent the selected menu item
- Game crashes after scrolling a lot in the same direction
- Some blocks flicker while scrolling
- Add some music

And the most request....add more :-). I am fully aware of that, but I am killing 2 birds with one stone in this game. Not only do I get to finish the menu, but I am also working on the actions/ looks/ physics of the spools for the game while making the menu.
The day of the bug testing, I woke up early and started making some last minute coding, so the user could scroll left/right. But I didn't have enough time for a complete test and it was looking really bad, so I ended up taking it out....although I should have left it in so people could complain more.


Ok, Now for the game updates.

= Game updates =

The day before the bug testing and today, I was working on making an xml file (and schema) which will allow the importing of panels. It looks very impressive. Able to load in arrays of panels, enable/disable requirements/actions to make each panel unique and able to have multiple traits (easier for making new panels). Now I have to create an xml which will have all of the panels, which isn't to hard of a task, the program I'm using (Liquid XML Studio) has a nice GUI to make new items. My only problem now is Chris making the panel images, which is that he's not producing enough with quality.
I could easily make all of the panels, but I still have too much to do on this game to do pictures. Plus, what else is having another group member besides to do assets?

= Todo =

- Menu
-+ The spools don't rotate properly
-+ The sliding of the spools is off, they are constantly too much or too little
-+ Lighting up of the blocks is off, and often the light block wouldn't be in the center
-+ Make the menu item text more diverse to distinguish which item is the current item
-+ Add code to choose between scrolling and clicking

- Game
-+ Make a level generator which procedurally generates the level (via letters and numbers, like Minecraft)
-+ Code in game types. Was going to make it soft coded, so users could make their own game types....but they already get to make their own blocks (eventually) and reels. Hard Coded game types makes it easier for me (menu wise) and less "what do I do?" on the user's end

- General
-+ ADD MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS. A game without music/ sound effects is boring. Sure, the user may turn off the sound, but it's always better to have sound than it never being there.
-+ Switch the engine to Rajawali. jPCT-AE was a great engine. It had a wealthful of features despite it's small size and was a hell lot easier to use than raw OpenGL 2.0 code.....but it just lacks the proper functions I need to get this game working. Like the camera control, directional lighting, and materials (sub, but still wanted). My only beef about Rajawali is the lack of documentation in its JavaDoc....but they make up for it by making the source code freely available (for in case I have questions about a functions actions).

= Pictures =

This is the current block schema. Loads in blocks, actions, and requirements. It would look cooler with all of the items opened, but I don't want to give away too many secrets ;-).

And here is the tree of what blocks would be in the game. After making the schema (what the blocks can be), this tree now looks very small. When I was making it, I thought "wow, 46 blocks, I doubt I would add all of them. I don't need this many...but I'll prune them later". Now it doesn't look that bad.

Looks like my block library would become a success after all....assuming I get those panel pictures before the coding week is over (end of week 6, which is in 2 weeks).