Blogs - numbersix

019; Complete

yes, year in review, my (old, we did this in college) current thing

I'm still modding - the 2019 collection of 365 days contained a break though;

God (Lord Jesus Christ) saved me!

From what? myself. We treat our selves so poorly. and that whole eternity of suffering deal...
(Yes, it is real - seriously)

Highly recommended, if the Lord "calls" you, please listen to Him.

So I had an awesome year of experiences I'm not explaining here

Since this is about mods and gaming and all...

what went on with that?

WIP: map chunks, map chunks, and... map chunks
-- current theme - base run ( e1m1, e2m1, e3m1, e4m1 )

until end of april month relative time frame
map chunks for a base theme level to play in the quake-hack engine

it works fine - looks like a random quake base level
plays a bit repetitve and boring for now

someone did offer to help with map chunks, I intend to take them up
if that will work out for both our satisfaction

after that game wise;

I finished off terraria to the august month range
and some pac-man 256 and pac-man championship (both crazy updates to the old pac)

then it was actual hardware mods on the new vehicle

(yes this crow vinyl is my image .sig now)

018; Done

Half way along I bogged down eradicating the final bugs in CM: Archons.

So not much new of late in the .plan

The next beta release of Chaos Mod: the Archons may indeed be ready. I ran a bot test server 2 weeks
without seeing a crash. But there is still testing and package building to do. Need to check
the code to see if there are any "remove before release" items as well. I am sure some test code
is still in there.

My biggest concern is that nothing is added to the alpha besides polish and a couple of minor
goodies. In fact without some config updates it doesnt even contain as many RNG items.
This due to the main way cfg items work having changed and needing reloaded.

I have the biggest plans for the Quake Hack system. Just need to factor working on all the
map pieces into my daily flow. Once I do that I can start tweaking the system to see if
I can make it playable. I have some ideas to make random map gen work reasonably well.

Still, I'm hovering between a "full" explorable world kind of idea and some kind of "more like quake 1" dungeon kind of map.

There are some PK3.0 update notes. I am a bit away from working on that. Not in the mindset.
I want to check out the latest PK Arena release as well. They uploaded the source for that.
Might be something I could incorporate.

Had this crazy idea. Take Map Hack engine and make some libraries, like q2 works.
Add in a doom port, maybe q2, q3, possibly others. Modify the map loader to recognize
all the maps, then run the code that matches the map type. The base Map Hack qc code would
always run. This mostly stemmed from wanting the NPR quake render engine in Map Hack.

NPR Quake images: Moddb.com

The big mole hill in my way is this massive library of steam games I've managed to accumulate.
Without playing many of them. I started an accounting project to get a feel for the libraries
value. Mostly because I have this math thing and I like spread sheets. Want to find out
and average cost per game. I need to play some of these games, and winter is a great time for that.

It seems the average cost is $1.44. For all that I used paypal anyway.

Once I start playing though - dang stuff takes over. Some of these games are highly addicting.

.plan - tracks items and notes all the way back to (96 may 28)

My mod time will be split between Archon and Quake-hack.
Right now I'm filling in some Archon details.

If you follow these mods or have an interest, click the title links and go vote.
I am voting for some of yours...

PK3 is released: Moddb.com

Grab that for some botmatch bashing fun. Bot bashing is ok, ROBLab, the robot labour union
ok'ed bashing in the latest contract negotiations. Dont call them "snowflakes" - mostly
because they dont give a crap. They'll be busy gunning you down.

There will be some minor updates and a new hack style DM map system. Eventually.
Other than that I am considering PK3 complete.

I like the idea of an HD style gfx booster. But I doubt I'll have time for that soon.

Finish the port of mk II Archon to the new mk III codebase - qc++.
The big chunk of Archon left is the morph code. Which includes the Archons magic system.

This will mostly be "stick it in qc++" and see if it works. Turn fail to flow.
Some of the code will need to be retooled for the qc++ base redesign, however.
Entity spawning, framer, and admin control all need to fold into the design.

One sticky point - I will be tempted to retool some of the working code.
This is a good place to do that. But this also leads to a slow down.

I may not have a set release schedule, and past fervor for a release is likely
dead after the last hiatus. But it is still nice to be able to "sense" the
end of the tunnel.

I've completed some research and found out my plan to re-assign texture overlay on
the fly is not going to...well fly. The engine is just not geared to assign a model
(bsp or mdl) different override textures for different instances.

The big issue is, say I have a set of six hill shapes. I load a bunch of those with
a grass texture. Later the map changes biome areas and I want to set dirt and rock
textures. The engine will change to texture override assignment for _every_ instance
of a .bsp model! So, even the same shape with grass assigned will change to dirt and rock.

The alternate design is just to compile a ton of map bits for biome building.
I can automate this with a script that re-assigns the needed textures and compiles.
Having a ton of little map chunks is a pain. But it works now and doesnt require
massive engine mods.

One thing I've discovered in years of modding - if you find yourself faced with
convincing an engine to do something contrary to its design or limits... You might
want to consider another engine.

Another thing I'm pondering is bashing together a hack editor and building larger
sections of maps. These would be composed of any number of hacks.
A bit of code could bprint to the console or write a file.

Then a script would convert position data (since each hack centers on '0, 0, 0')
and then compile them. The func_maphack ents to load that config would also
be generated and output. So instead of a whole ton of small ents, a bunch of
big ones.

This pre-edit method has the advantage that I can put togther more conving
biome features and still randomly stitch them together.

Other details:

I have discovered some new inspiring music last summer. I may post a few
links here and there in comments. Tron soundtrack: Daft Punk (Tron Legacy) Rinzler
Like this for writing code.

I've got a visual inspiration series here: Moddb.com and the previous 8 images.
I may edit those into an article. Not sure where to post it yet.

Plans for live streaming my projects have stalled.
I think the setup is ready. Though I may still have a mic issue.
I just dont have any kind of regular schedule I can do streaming on.

Unless people really want to watch me sporadically write code...
And the knowledge that I wont be streaming anything popular enough to
gather the big numbers.

I'm considering a professional return to coding as a freelancer.
This may have a negative impact on modding.
But I think it is high time I found an alternate to the business I run.

Stay frosty and Quake hard my friends!

.plan - tracks items and notes all the way back to (96 may 28)

The code for 3.0 is flying off the keyboard currently. I expect to be running extensive
server tests within 6 weeks. Well, if pkbot plays nice when I do the code merge.

I'll really like it if I can include the hack random style maps. With chunks of one style
you literally get hundreds of configurations of maps to play. I'm even thinking of a way
to save and replay a config later.

However the hack chunks have this issue where they fail to load some triggers properly
with changelevel and map. The first map loaded always works perfectly. After that for
reasons unknown it is hit or miss. I know it doesnt always load some bsp submodels of a
map chunk (things like trigger_teleport) properly. No idea why. This is stinky.

I have some new ideas, but those will be after the first cut. Need to get 3.0 as it stood
in Archon mk II out the door.

The current state does not match the design spec. I'm speculating all that can be
released anytime soon after PainKeep 3.0 (say 6 months) will be the next demo.

Still, the tech is in a very solid state. The only real issue I'm aware of is the problem
with changelevel and map commands. Depending on how singleplayer is setup that
may not even matter.

I do have one design element left for the engine: the ability to change the textures
displayed on a chunk on the fly. With that feature I wont have to compile a whole
ton of landforms for the outside adventure. I can also have my snow and ash
"accumulation" feature!

This feature may also factor into making the dungeon portion more interesting.
This could also be used to give bsp model entities, like ammo boxes, multiple skins
like an alias model.

Baring more nasty bugs showing up or being introduced, Quake Hack is waiting on
map and adventure fill in.

Archons progress is harder to track forward from here. Much of the code is going
to be complete once PainKeep 3.0 hits release state.

The real issue with Archon is still the design spec. It goes a little fuzzy every time
I look past the current 1.2 beta. Once I have that operating under the mark III code
base I'll post further updates.

For now Archon is still mostly a work in progress.

Other notes:

My creative flow never stops. Not only is it hard to keep up with, this aspect
makes it hard to stay focused on current projects. I get crazy ideas like going back
to the original half baked spec for Archon that was a kind of fantasy team fortress.
Back when it was just the "Chaos mod" and I had no idea what to do with it. I also
had not played any team fortress at that point. Now that I grok TF2, I get more ideas.

I'd like to see Quake Hack become a "thing". The vision I have for it is still pretty
amazing. Just remains to be seen if the system will do what I imagine.
This could also be an amazing map tech for quake types. Right now I see it as
(minecraft style world gen) + (nethack dungeons) -> quake.

Stay frosty and Quake hard my friends!

Number 6 at 6% of rank 36 on october 6th 2016 with 6 visitors (only just now), 6 watchers and 6K+ activity points.

All this "six" needs a blog post! Woo!

As some of you know, my obsession with number six comes from the Prisoner.

This enigmatic show comes directly from the brilliance of its creator: Patrick McGoohan.

A direct followup to Danger Man, McGoohan plays the mysterious Number Six, held captive for daring to resign from his high level spy position.

His prison is called The Village and regarding the numbers: "They do not use names, but have been assigned numbers which give no clue as to any person's status (prisoner or warder)."

What is so special about Prisoner?

This is a very surreal show with themes: sci-fi, spy, prison, betrayal, and conflict.
A spinning balance between Six's individual "everyman" and Two's establishment / bureaucracy.
If you want to see a different kind of show and be highly entertained, I strongly recommend the Prisoner.

So what direction can I take on this day of Sixes?

I can announce my new patreon site: Six Gaming

Yes, for those asking me to take things up a notch, Six Gaming was made for you!
If you are serious about seeing my efforts expand, pledge your support.

The plan:

I am starting development on a full scale independent game!

You heard right, this is not quake related.
This will be a sci-fi shooter and exploration game.
The main protagonist "Anode X" will struggle for survival and freedom.

The release:

I hope to have a base 2 level demo done by christmas. Everyone has access to this.
The rest will be done via Six Gaming.

Pledge 36: Alpha and Beta participation at this level. Plus credit in the release files and on my sites.

Pledge 24: Early official releases will happen here. These donors will also receive public credit for their support.

Pledge 12: Later access to the official releases. No official credit statements, but I plan some kind of overall credit document for all my supporters, even if the pledge is 1.

Pledge 6: You can kibitz and give me ideas. If I use one, you get public credit. You will, however, have to wait for the public releases to play Anode X.

When Beta testing concludes, I plan on selling the game. Individuals that have continuously pledged 24 or above will get a free copy.

After release, every month I will release a new game module, DLC if you will.
This will occur first at Pledge 36 and then 2 weeks later at Pledge 24.
After a number of modules are complete, I will offer a "Master" release where I can sell it.

Supporters at or above the highest level will get a complimentary copy of the Master.

So, click Six Gaming and pledge!
I'll get cranking on the game.

Most of the Anode X announcements will be on Six Gaming, but I expect a few will trickle on to moddb.
Eventually Anode X will have its own moddb site.

When I have the equipment setup, I also intend to do some behind the scenes at Six Gaming, and some live streaming game play.

I thank every person on moddb that has helped me in any way!

// handle random spawns and special (random) selects
// search {self.netname}_{1-99} for define status, if found, load ent from {self.netname}_{n} values

void() spawn_loop

It took me some time to get this done. Not because the code was hard...I just lacked the base idea.
Yet, this one function is a keystone of an entire series of modules from Archon and some key structuring in Quake Hack. More than that, it obsoletes and deprecates a slew of functions.

Yes indeed, code is about to start flowing again.
Stand by for updates.

Been working on old school RPG of late.

My focus these days is a simpler rule system.
It harkens back to the idiom of the basic D&D system.

I have this epiphany that if what matters is role playing,
the overall rule set is not very significant.

The primary purpose of the rules is regulating a series of random decisions.
As long as it promotes a fair ruling, there is no need for it to be complicated.

The code flow I had prior to Porters death refuses to return. So far.
So I do a bit of this, a bit of that. Its that dreaded time of year that every business owner usually dislikes - even if you are getting some money back.

Quake hack, Archon and attached projects proceed slowly.
I have a ton of ideas, cant process them fast enough.
After the Archon code port to qc++ is done I'll likely finish the map set per specs.
But hey! I have a new sig image. Woo.

Until it doesnt of course. All very logical on some level that everyone understands.

But how do you sit down to do normal things when your heart is broken?
Last year I had work at a theater. People in life that I am very close to.
Would not be happy, but I would have gone in because I had to.
And had the support of my comrades in arms...fellow stage hands.
Of course, I left that in august for family reasons.

When did one little cat become such a big thing?
He originally came my way because of less than desirable humans.
They wanted to put him to sleep because he barfed too much.
Then the person who rescued him from them (not a cat person) had no idea
they declawed him and put him outside with feral cats.

I took him because someone had to care for his special needs.
Back then I had other favorite cats. They have all died as well.
Some part of me wishes they lived longer like some birds.
Or shorter so the attachment would not be as strong.
But they live as long as they were meant to, as do we all.

A friend said that watching a series of pets pass away is like being a highlander.
Or a timelord.

I just know right now that going on is pretty damn hard. This is the first day
without Porter.

If you dont have pets (given that you are pet caring material, some are not)
then you wont be broken like this. You also wont have all the days of joy
and that short time with the glowing light of an angel in your life.

When my life is done, gaurdian angels should look so good.
Oh wait. They will. I get to see them all again.
But damn, it is a long freaking wait.

Good thing I have code to write.

I have deliberated for some time about adding a mod.

With the direction Archon has taken, the tech needed for the maps had to be developed.

But that dev. doesnt really belong in Archon.

Plus, the promos, alpha and betas should be separate releases - they dont have any Archon features but the map tech.

The tech can do some cool stuff though, so I will be adding Quake Hack to the collection.

Stand by....

It's alive: Moddb.com