Hello World!

[Karl G.]

I'm back to work on Volucris, and I hope to get a whole lot done this week!!

As of this afternoon, the client connects to the server. It doesn't do much else. But at least I know that works!

Next up: setting up the SQLite database to hold character management, etc.

[lawn gnome]

as a programmer myself, i know that this really means more then what it looks like. I cant wait to see what else you can come up with.

Good luck.

[Karl G.]

Haha you sure got that right...even simple messages can be a big pain.

I've got the database up and running; I'm going to be implementing account management this afternoon.

Karl

[Hatebreed]

Thrilled to see more progress Karl. Closer and closer by the day

[lawn gnome]

how well does your server handle multiple connections and what is the max number of connections it can hold?

[Karl G.]

Thrilled to see more progress Karl. Closer and closer by the day

Thanks Glad to know I still have supporters even though I'm sure it must seem like I make slow progress.

how well does your server handle multiple connections and what is the max number of connections it can hold?

This is a really difficult question to answer at this point. It's dependent on what hardware is running it, the amount of extra processes that are running on a computer, what the bandwidth of its connection is, and (not trivially) how the server ends up handling all of the messages it gets. Suffice it to say, I'm aiming to allow the server to handle at least 100 simultaneous connections, but early tests will likely be limited to 25.

[lawn gnome]

very nice, is the server UDP or TCP?

Also, if you need any help at all with some socket programming i would be willing to help. I know a fair bit about winsock.

[Hatebreed]

Well I basically know jack poo when it comes to programming so I can't help out much there...

But I'm still willing to donate, and provide moral support if nothing else lol. Maybe the occasional comic relief

EDIT: lol @ the poo censor

[Karl G.]

Thanks for the offer, lawn gnome, but I'm using a free library (ENet) that takes care of most of that for me. I really don't even have to worry about how the messages are delivered at this point--which is a huge relief, because there's a lot more I need to do that's more interesting than designing a low-level UDP comm system that's been refined to death at this point.

Hatebreed -- want to be the official court jester?

[Hatebreed]

Haha yes plx!

Make me a sexy little scallion that runs around disping people (doesn't really disp) and saying LOL@U!

That or just make my use title say that.

[Karl G.]

Sounds good to me. Make sure to remind me once the beta's up and I'll set you up with a snazzy title

[Hatebreed]

Haha nice.

I'll plan on sending a donation to you guys tomorrow (3/21)

[Karl G.]

Thanks

Update: you can make characters now!!

[lawn gnome]

awesome, your really making some good progress on the server.

[Hatebreed]

I've still been having trouble downloading and launching it.

When I get home I'll post up what it says the problem is.

[Karl G.]

Hatebreed, I presume you're talking about the map maker? I would definitely like to know about any problems with it...it's important everyone can use this program!

Really basic account management works (you can see the list of characters on your account, and how much time you have left). Next up: map maker data -> client and server. HOORAY!!!

[Karl G.]

*sigh* Alas, the wonderful week that was Spring Break has come to an end. But work on Volucris continues! I'm determined to keep this project moving forward, so I'm pushing extra hard to get my other work out of the way. Just to give you an idea of what I'm doing, I have to write two major research proposals to get funding that will let me have a job this summer...and pay the rent...that are due at the end of the month. Pile that on top of a midterm next week, two problem sets and a major project due tomorrow, plus my regular job, I've got quite a handful!

However, I'm quite happy to report that Volucris is going along well and I've accomplished what I set out to do over the last week--the client has a visual interface (if a crappy, text-based one with no buttons) for making accounts and characters. The game editor now knows how to compile most of its resources into a flat file that can be sent to the client, and the client quite happily loads up all of the content within. Furthermore, as you are aware by now, the server is able to manage most of the boring game functionality and is complete with a SQL-based database system. This is a Good Thing! I was just using my own junky "database" code before, which was FAR slower and much less flexible.

So what's next? In the next week (I hope that) I am going to make the editor be able to compile maps into the client/server output files, and then make the client and server be able to load them. This is a big step forward and is nowhere near as simple as that statement. I won't bore you with all the gory details, but suffice it to say that once this is finished, PV will look MUCH more like a game.

Thanks to everyone who's sticking with me! Your support is really what keeps me going through all of the work I have to do.

Karl

[Simpo]

if its support you want, it is support you will get.

keep going man, i want tha pleasure to play your game that you put forward so many hours into.

gl chief.