Games for people.
BEEP Gets Ported To Linux
Jul 28th
Linux is like an addiction for me. It keeps burning me, but, like a masochistic drug-addict, I can’t resist coming back for more. Back in the early 2000’s, I experimented with various distributions while going to school. Since then, I’ve used Red Hat and Suse Linux at work (for computer graphics and animation work) and experimented heavily with Ubuntu at home.
In the past, I tried desperately to make Ubuntu my primary desktop system, but I always came crawling back to Windows when the mountain of bullshit forced me to admit that it ‘just wasn’t ready yet’. In those early days, I think I liked the idea of Linux, more than Linux itself. That said, things have changed. My recent experience porting BEEP to Ubuntu linux has both pleasant and shockingly frictionless.
The Best Python IDE For Maya
May 7th
Since Maya included Python as it’s scripting language, animation TD’s all over the globe have made the transition from MEL. While learning a new language isn’t always easy, I don’t know of a single person who misses the days of MEL scripting. Python is, in every conceivable way, better than MEL.
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Python ElementTree XML Tutorial
Apr 5th
After a lot of experimenting, I think I’ve found what is the fastest and simplest module for writing/parsing XML with Python. The module is called ElementTree (etree) and it comes standard in all Python versions 2.5+. The parser is lightening fast and the API is extremely clean. You won’t have to compromise between simplicity and speed; ElementTree has it all. The only strike against it is that the documentation is scattered all over the place. That’s why I wrote this.
The 2d Side-Scrolling Platformer
Apr 4th
I’m building a videogame (BEEP) that belongs to the ‘platformer’ genre. More specifically, it’s a ‘2d side-scrolling’ platformer. Platformers were THE dominant videogame genre for much of the 80’s and 90’s. This article explores the platforming genre to understand exactly what it’s all about. After all, platforming remains one of the highest selling and paradoxically, least saturated gaming genres.
BEEP Gets Some Levels
Mar 17th
BEEP is at the point now where we are cranking out levels and prepping to begin audio work. I’m happy with the gun controls and general locomotion. I have a nice little selection of enemy types (both stationary and ones that chase the player). The ‘AI entities’ ( ie. Finite State Machines with basic ray-casting perception) are fun to play with and can certainly be challenging given the dangerous environments that host the encounters (lots of ‘death pits’, as I’m calling them).
Managing Risks: Compatibility / Audio / UI / Mental Fortitude
Feb 15th
Not having a lot of time for lengthy updates, I’ve decided to bundle a bunch of stuff into a single article. I think it gives you a snapshot of the sorts of things that lie on the periphery of game development but are integral to the final product. In recent weeks I’ve been scrambling to pull together all those loose ends that, if left unaccounted for, could easily unravel the whole project.
My “Must-Have” Software Applications
Jan 26th
I use a lot of software in the process of making BEEP. Just for kicks, I thought I’d take a stab at enumerating them:
A Simple C++ Finite State Machine
Jan 12th
I thought it might be nice to share a snippet of code that has worked out really well for me over the past few months. I use it literally everywhere throughout the codebase of my videogame BEEP (AI, UI, Audio etc…). It’s a simple, extensible, portable finite state machine written in C++.
BEEP Preview Video
Jan 8th
In the interest of sharing the development of BEEP with friends and fans, I found some time today to put together a little demo video demonstrating the current state of the game.
Pieces Of My Game Engine
Dec 5th
I want to talk a little bit about exactly what components are being used in my game engine. I’ve spent the last few months assembling an engine from a mixture of custom-built software and Open Source components. It’s built using C++ with an emphasis on modularity, a clean-coding style, simplicity and speed.
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