RF2 Updates

[paradoxnj]

I started a new thread for updates. This thread will be stickied so that it is easy to see progress.

Updates as of 1/5/2010:

Audio
-- Audio manager initializes sound hardware
-- Audio objects defined by Squirrel scripts (started) **NEW**

Component Objects
-- Actor component created
-- Body component created
-- Animation component created
-- Script component in progress (creating and registering components via Squirrel script)
-- Object definitions defined by Squirrel scripts (done) **NEW**

Engine Core
-- Camera class started
-- Updating to Ogre 1.7 (Paused) (Waiting for a release that contains binaries) **Updated**
-- XML based Scene file format (In progress)
-- Basic Movement complete
-- CEGUI implementation (In progress) Updated to CEGUI 0.7.1 (latest)
-- Game package integration (In progress) **NEW**

Network
-- Network classes complete
-- Integration of network into shell (In progress)

Editor
-- Integrate with libRF2 (In Progress)

EDIT: I can't seem to sticky this thread. Can an administrator do this for me please?

[tgrech]

Good to see so much as been done.

[aaronT]

That's awesome!! I was working with Ogre, but when I heard about RF2, I thought I'd give it a try. So...here's a question. Obviously, the projects still live...but when will it be released to the public?!? And do I need to learn Squirrel?

[zany_001]

Expected release date is May 2010, IIRC. And yes, you should learn squirrell. You don't technically NEED to but it would be advised.

[paradoxnj]

Zany is correct on all points.

[aaronT]

Thanks, then. Now, a few more questions: is Squirrel the only language I need to learn, and how to I open the weird gz.zp file that Squirrel comes in...I'm not used to it...

[zany_001]

Squirrel is the only language you will need to learn, correct.

Is the ending .tar.gz? I can't tell right now, as I'm on a phone

[JordanZimm]

stupid question, but how do you know if you are using RF2? i dont see a 2 anywhere on mine or in the directorys, so im thinking that ive got 1, but im not sure

[Jay]

At the moment, you can be really sure that you don't use RF2, as it is still in development.

Expected release date is May 2010

[aaronT]

Yeah that's it. tar.gz. I don't know how to open it. Is there a freeware available for it?

[paradoxnj]

You can use WinRAR to open these files. Just to be clear...you don't need the Squirrel binaries to work with RF2. RF2 has the Squirrel VM embedded in it.

[aaronT]

Excellent. I'll just try to learn what I can about Squirrel and that'll be the best I can do. Thanks

[aaronT]

Heeey, another question Will there be an AI compenent to RF2, or do we have to...provide that?

[Jay]

That depends on what you understand as AI... If you think that RF2 will magically write all the scripts for you then this is a definite no. If you think it will be like you add 'enemy' and then the added object has an enemy AI, then no.

If you mean that there are some common AI-functions like for example Pathfinding, then... maybe. Paradox mentioned something about A*-Pathfinding being implemented. I think those built-in AI-Parts will then be called from a script to work.

When RF2 is released, we will all be writing some scripts and we will all be kind of new to the whole system. I believe it will work as it has always worked: More experienced users will write tutorials or provide code snippets for the more unexpierienced ones, which over time 'ascend' to experienced users and then help others themselves.
But it will also be kind of a reset of the community, because using RF2 will be very different from using the current RF. I am not sure how it will be, if we all switch to RF2, since its more powerfull, or if some of us stay with RF1, since it will be easier to begin with. Or new users might want to try RF1 first, to get an idea of the process of creating a game, and then switch to RF2, for more ambitious projects. I am already interested how that will pan out.

[paradoxnj]

I am going to implement the graphs and waypoints to give the user the ability to write their own AI algorithms in script. I will also implement high level stuff based on the A* algorithm as a built in alternative.