Well, build 1.0.10 of your favourite game has now hit the shop shelves…er, download now for free from google

Issues fixes in this release are:

• Issue 8 - Combatant placement is now correct for large groups
• Issue 9 - (Was fixed in rev 121), but now tested to prove that is fixed
• Issue 14 - Attacks of opportunity now occur
• Issue 18 - Scribing spells, now works (tested magic users + rangers)
• Issue 24 - Trying to leave Tilverton crashed game
• Issue 25 - Trading money between party members was broken

I’m quite pleased with this release, as now combat is closer to complete with the fixing of Issues 14 and 8.
As always, your welcome to place feedback here, or in the issue list

Oh my god, the people further up the ladder have after a year and a half decided what our new database/reporting tools will be named.

The tools came from another company (X) that is now owned by our parent (Y) so they were called:

X 2DB, X DB Configurator, X DB Editor, X DB Reports

because they loaded data into the DB, configured the normalised data, edited the loaded data, and reported on the data.

When one and a half years ago we merged with these tools, both parties rebranded them:

Y 2DB, Y DB Configurator, Y DB Editor, Y DB Reports

But now we have a directive from on high to call them:

Y 2DB, Y Configurator, Y Editor, Y Reports

They didn’t rename the data loader, either because Y 2 is too stupid, or more likely they didn’t know what a “2DB” was, so left it alone. The next problem is we have had another Configuration program in the pipeline for the last year, to configure machines, which we were going to call Y Machine Configurator. Will they also want to remove the Machine from that name, as it also adds to much descriptive value?

arggg it drives me batty the crap that others do in the name of “adding value”

Installer 1.0.9 has been placed on the Google Code server. Issues fixed in this release:

• Issue 5 - The correct exit message now plays when you try leave the Moander temple
• Issue 6 - Moander sigil now fades at the correct speed
• Issue 10 - Ranged weapons (fireball spell) can no longer target through walls
• Issue 19 - The correct event happens when dealing with Dracolich
• Issue 20 - This encounter now works
• Issue 21 - The treasure picture now is displayed when sharing out treasure
• Issue 22 - The world map icon now flashes
• Issue 23 - Magic Darts are now pluralised correctly
• Fixed text problem on the large map, where the last four characters were not cleared off the screen

Hope this further improves the playability of the port. I look forward to all issues, either in the comments or in the issue list.

Shannon has lent me Super Mario Galaxy (as well as Sonic and the Secret Rings, Mario Strikers Charged Football, and Rayman Raving Rabbids)

The most outstanding feature has to be the assistance a second person can make. For the kids this makes the game, the second person gets to collect star-bits and hold (some) monsters. So they are playing together and the non-player isn’t just telling the player what to-do, as they have their own tasks.

Michaela’s playing this also, as there are six save games, and I’ve been playing assistant for her.

It looks fantastic on the new HD TV, even though it’s only 480p.

A few weekends ago we purchased a big 32” LCD TV (big to us!). It came with a hard-drive recorder, and it is working out fantastically.

The TV and HDD Recorder have enough features to be causing learning difficulties for others in the house, but chase-play and no tapes is winning wife-acceptance-factor points.

After some much needed cabling upgrading, the Wii looks much better running 480p. GameCube games don’t look so flash, as they are running 576i, and there is colour sharing…. but I’m almost finished Zelda - Wind Waker.

I would like to buy a better cable for the MacBook to connect with, as the mini-DVI to Composite doesn’t run high-def, but that’s on hold to see what comes out of the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference next work. I am hoping for a beefed up MacMini. I would like to see a blend of the AppleTV’s connections, and the Mini’s flexibility (network connectivity and video codec’s.

I put up build 1.0.8 on Wednesday to fix a missing file from the installer, as discovered via Issue 17
Other fixes in the build are:

• Issue 16 - Copying items between players resulted in duplication
• Overhauled the cheats - You can now activate the original cheats via context menu, plus a few extras. Remember to press ‘-‘ to activate “god intervene”
• Fixed a mistake, that stopped you from memorising spells when resting (more work needed in the area of spells)
• Fixed a mistake, that said you had cast a combat spell in non-combat when you chose to cancel

Happy playing…

Build 1.0.7 has been released. Download from Google Code

Release Notes:

• Fixed the “You have lost the fight”/“Zero EXP” noticed fighting Drow patrols in Save E
• Fixed crash when lightning bolt spell hits a wall
• Turned off the “always on” detect magic effect that was left in after debugging the issue
• Fixed ‘Paul’s save game F’ forward into big fight. The combat now actually begins
• Added a cheat, to allow Saving Throws to always succeed for the party. Some spells however do not make saving throws, and other have lesser spells cast when the major fails
• Fixed a number of small mistaken translations
• Fixed the installer so older installations are removed, and from 1.0.7 onwards, older installers will not over install newer installation
• As always, lots of renaming of the variables/functions

So a minor release really, but I been wanting to fix the installer for a while, so I did.

Wow, I have just discovered this gem of a web-site Core Techniques and Algorithms in Games Programming

I am only a fraction of my way through, but I’m finding it great.

I found it via the Molly Rocket fourms, along with the coolest polygon edge traversal loop

int i,j;
for (j=n-1,i=0; i < n; j=i++) {
  process_edge(j,i);
}

Which puts the edge case (the end) and the beginning, so the loop is trivial, it’s just so neat.  A better write-up is here

I remember the running man from my youth. Great modern dance video sending up the old ways very nicely.

After lots of rubbish, we have finally returned to Telstra as our telephone and Internet provider. Take that Telecom! - Again!!

I have spent the evening making the file-server linux box now act as a firewall/router/NAT box as well as what it was previously doing.

Finished downloading some stuff, that had been started on the Xtra Broadband, oh my gosh Telstra is just faster, by lots!

Now I might even get back into FPS gaming….