Archive:CisLunarFreighter

This page is to collect and organize information regarding the Wikiveristy learning project CisLunarFreighter.

Background

CisLunarFreighter is a game being produced by participants at Wikiversity to get direct hands on experience with developing computer games. It used open source tools to the extent possible but is not restricted to them. Participants using licensed materials, tools and proprietary file formats bring a great deal to the experience as this guarantees all the normal headaches encountered in commercial productions with translation and licencing problems.

File:CisLunarFreighter opening menu draft1.jpg

Expanding thumbnail screenshot

More imagery available for cut and paste storyboarding or code prototyping.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiversity/en/4/4c/UFO.JPG

Goals

The primary goal is for the participants to have fun performing production tasks and learn. If the schedule and uniformity of the project suffers a bit this also is educational for the participants.

• Java based MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) or multiple player interactivity
• Java based client/server applets for cisLunarFreight as well as a standalone application.
• An interface to other games with compatible communication format, setup and/or MUD co residency.

Learning trails producing materials and/or participants:

• http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/A_Hands-On_Introduction_to_Game_Design_and_Production_Processes
• http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Blender

Project plan

In work in small pieces around Wikiversity learning trails. Perhaps a couple of entrepreneurs or other project leader types will tackle a draft schedule or work breakdown structure soon.

Let's brainstorm tasks:

• Create and finalize preliminary specifications
• Create concept art based on specifications (or use concept art to help guide specifications)
• Decide what sort of subsystems are to be used...
• Based on the subsystems (game engine, etc) start creating the art
• Maybe start a connected project on Sourceforge or Freshmeat to have SVN support

Software Development Plan

We plan to use free open source tools to the greatest extent possible to produce data and software that is free redistributable and fully modifiable by anyone who wishes to do so. A former game producer has quite a bit of existing proprietary graphics models which we have now confirmed may be at least partially translated into open source blender files. It remains to be seen the accuracy and usefulness of the translation process. At this time we intend to develop in java with a deployment plan built around an adequate performance MUD server (even if must use different language) and java clients and game servers. Obviously this plan needs a great deal of research, thinking and augmentation before it can be considered a useable draft.

Open Source Tools for Possible Use in cisLunarFreighter

Potential Java Pieces Needing Evaluation

Editor's note: Move this section to an introduction to initial evaluation and results they grow. Mirwin 20:00, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

We may be able to use these as components or examples to learn applicable technique in Java environment:

• gazelle - Fundamentally an animation tool. Plays .avi and .mov animation files under JMF (Java Media Framework libary from SUN) Also, of possible interest to graphics artists or perhaps even programming with SVG. Will it work with older .avi and .mov file???? A lot of older graphics laying around if we can convince people to free them once they are finished with traditional commercial life cycle.

Download links are broke, could be vaporware.

• xine - GPL'ed media player
• mPlayer - This seems like overkill for a small project but if we could add borders consistent with a view screen and our GUI appearance (providing appropriate credits in our credits file obviously) could we use this to keep our coding requirements down? Trading bulk for development effort ... or is there a good player in a Sun Library somewhere we can just call? Can we find out from reading mplayers code?

Applicable Tutorials

The following online tutorials demonstrate useful game programming techniques.

• Writing a Space Invaders game in Java

Game Application Requirements

What should the user experience be like?

An overview of the game's major requirements: 1. Entertainment -- should be fun.
2. Social -- Interaction with other people via

• Chat -- most mud environments allow this
• Email -- useful or not?
• Game consequences -- makes the game more interesting

3. Educational - Exposure to some science, engineering, and operations concepts

• Math practice
• Reading around the web
• Use of open source tools for modding
• Software design and coding techniques

See also: CisLunarFreighter Detailed Requirements Analysis

Hardware requirements

The game client and server should run on any adequate performance desktop. It is not intended as a primary focus to meet the needs of the emerging handheld computing and communications markets.

Free Materials Distribution

Has begun on an adhoc basis. Longterm we intend to setup a SourceForge project to backup and distribute at least the stable releases of the open source materials on demand 24/7.

Configuration management

This needs some study and work defining useful methods. Many of our learners and participants have little or no experience with automated configuration management and tracking tools such as subversion, Ant or others.

Testing

This will have to be done by the developers until we get enough of a game up and running to attract alpha and beta player/testers.

We might get some help from other Wikiversity participants at [Topic:Software_testing/laboratory_course#other_collaborations|other Wikiversity course participant's pages].

Brainstorming

In progress, please join in somewhere.

• Developing game scripts and menu and game play senarios.

Game Design

Preliminaries are In progress, please join in somewhere.

What do we and the users want from the game?

An overview of major requirements:

1. Entertaining - the game should be fun.
2. Social - Interaction with other people via
   1. Chat - most mud environments allow this
   2. Email - useful or not?
   3. Game consequences - makes the game more interesting
3. Educational - Players should learning something
   1. Expose users to some science, engineering, and operations concepts
   2. Math practice
   3. Reading around the web
   4. Use of open source tools for modification and extensibility
   5. Software design and coding techniques

See also: CisLunarFreighter Detailed Requirements Analysis

Scripts for Splashscreen and Phase Transitions

In progress, please join in somewhere along the learning trails. Add links to your stories and scripts below to solicit review from dropins or regulars. Stories and scripts may be in industry standard format or informal. Either place them in wikimedia files or pdfs published through the wikimedia server:

• ...

Storyboards for Case Studies or Play Scenarios

Please provide on Wikiversity or in PDFs or open source Word processor format.

• /Implementation stories for extreme programming
• Draft CisLunarFreighter UML Case Diagrams
• ...

Participants willing to coordinate, consult and/or kibitz reqarding questions:

• Mirwin 05:07, 9 November 2006 (UTC)
• --Remi 20:39, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

Source of Free Materials Around the Internet

In this project we wish to use materials free as in beer as well as licensing so we have simple distribution to anyone who wishes to download from Sourceforge or receive source or executable from other sources.

• Source of free samples of background music
• More free music licensed under Creative Commons
• Free sets of textures and materials for Blender 3D.