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**F Smith** · May 23, 1999, 17:43

Just thinking out loud, but:

1) In general I've found a 'team/task force' approach far more effective for writing large code projects.

A team of 3-5 people is far more productive than 3-5 individuals. And far more creative, and just about everything else you can measure. Perhaps it might be best to assemble a 'rules' team, a 'programming' team, and a 'grafix' team, and so on, and have them approach the tasks in their area of responsibility as they feel best fits their skills? If they prefer to work individually on some things and collectively on others, so be it, but leave that up to them?

2) The most imporant bit of business if this project is ever to be completed is an 'Architecture' meeting A.S.A.P.

Any project bigger than 3 people *must* be preceeded with a serious meeting between the 'functionality generating' folks (graphics, rules, etc) and the 'functionality implementing' folks (coders).

The coders must be appraised of a good vision of what the end product will be like -- in detail -- so that they can hammer out a good architecture plan for the final product that they all then choose to stick to. The details are not half as important as the coordination between the programmers. They must be thinking on the same page, period, so that no time is wasted on recoding simple pieces to match.

This plan will not be cast in stone, and will certainly evolve, but a project can truly be cut in half by getting it 90% right up front. Even minor architecture changes late in the game can require many, many hours of B.S. work going thru files you've already thought you'd finished.

We really must consider an online 'meeting' via ICQ or some such as soon as is feasible.

**JimC** · May 23, 1999, 18:27

My Map AI work will be finished v. soon now - my last exam is on Tuesday, so after a socially unacceptable amount of drunken debauchery I'll be able to present a working demo.

Very nearly finished demo interface

The 'understanding geography' stuff should plug straight into that interface.

After that, I'll gladly do whatever coding tasks are available. Game AI work will have to wait until the engine is pretty much up and running, although it can of course be given thought.

Jim

**Mark_Everson** · May 23, 1999, 18:31

F_Smith:

Agree on both your points. The putting if of names is most important for coordinators. We are Not balkanizing the project, just laying some organizational structure on top of it. I think the actual implementation should be as flexible as possible. On the Archtecture meeting, we should shoot to have an initial one next weekend to Start to thrash out issues for as many areas as we can. We'll have to see which areas pass the test as the time approaches. Right now we just don't have enough solid info to go on in most areas, I'm afraid.

JimC:

WooHoo, have fun. The demo is kewl. When you're done debauching let me know... I think there's some generic AI stuff we can do even before things are well-coded. F.e. the agents to handle the merchants, and general algorithms for exploration could both be done fairly soon. Not completed of course, but gotten a large part of the way there.

[This message has been edited by Mark_Everson (edited May 24, 1999).]

**Druid2** · May 25, 1999, 13:23

F Smith...
you're dead on right about up front planning.

I'm always tempted to get into the nitty and gritty and get SOMEthing coded.. but I've found, as you say, that good planning up front can cut the total work required significantly.

.........

JimC...
PS. The 'very nearly finished demo' did nothing on my screen, excpet put a gray box on a black background. Running Win95b, using Netscape 4.05

[This message has been edited by Druid2 (edited May 25, 1999).]

**JimC** · May 25, 1999, 17:13

Sorry, this 'nearly finished demo' has been partially overwritten while I'm working on a companion Applet.

I've posted the link to the 'Path-Intensity nearly-finished demo' in the 'coding - 1.1 vs 1.2' thread.

Once I've got my life in order I'll try and start my own little 'Map AI' thread; man this forum can be confusing.

Jim

**Mark_Everson** · May 27, 1999, 18:05

Blade Runner / Zsolt volunteered to work on the design the scenario and map editor interface part of Clash. He will be unavailable for about a month starting 6/20 or so. I'm going to put him down anyway in those areas and we'll see what we can do to patch in his absence. Thanks Zsolt.

-Mark

**Mark_Everson** · May 28, 1999, 21:48

Druid2 has graciously offered to be the (at least temporary) Duke of the Military/Combat System.

Thank you Druid2

-Mark

**Mark_Everson** · June 3, 1999, 19:50

Further announcements:

Druid2 and Kull have teamed up to be co-dukes of Military / Combat.

Druid2 has also agreed to be the duke of coding in general

Kull is now the duke of diplomacy.

Thanks guys.

-Mark

**Kull** · July 15, 1999, 01:35

Bump!

(Paul, this is the list you were asking about)

**Mark_Everson** · August 18, 1999, 19:13

I have updated the Duke list to reflect the new project members.

Welcome to Paul Crocker, Chris Richards, Jacobo, and Illmuri

As usual if you don't like a modification that I made, complain to me
[This message has been edited by Mark_Everson (edited August 20, 1999).]

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Duke (coordinator in charge) and Goals List

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