How to contribute centralized

zbyszanna · Post by **zbyszanna** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:04 pm

I was wondering how I was able to contribute to WCU or Privateer:Remake and couldn't find any usefull information. There are few threads scattered around, but it's very hard to learn, what is really needed at the moment. There is an entry at Wiki about VS, there is one about WCU, but there is virtually nothing about PR. For example if I were interested in creating a model, how could I know which ones are needed? If I were interested in writing code, how could I know what to start with. I think it would be very usefull to have such information up to date and gathered in one place. I think Wiki is the right place.

There is something like this in WCU wiki, but I don't believe that only few models are still required!
(I mean http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/MOD:WCU:Status)

Post by **chuck_starchaser** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:56 pm

I could be wrong, but I think spirtplumber has pretty much finished putting in ships; just about every ship that ever existed in WC is there, except maybe some capships and some rare oddities. If your main interest is modelling, I'd say we are in dire need of model updates, in terms of adding detail to capships, for example --i.e. greebling them. Also, it would be nice to have uv map templates for all the ships. I was, for instance, trying to modify the texture for the Talon, so as to add faction logos and liveries; but it's not obvious from the texture where the mapping boundaries are.
Even more urgent than that: We need 3D ship interiors.
If programming is your interest, there's tons of stuff to do, from physics to human interfaces to AI, autopilots, having menus for orders...
We need also render to texture for in-cockpit screens, perhaps a hand control mode for the mouse, and the ability to press buttons on the dashboard.
Just say what you'd like to work on, and there's probably a need that matches pretty well.

Post by **klauss** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:57 pm

WCU has many models in, but most of them were just taken from the WC games, and so look blocky and greatly out of place in a modern engine.

I think those models could use a re-do with higher quality. But that's not easy, if you still want to follow canon. (That is, not distort the original design of the ship itself). Mostly because that canon was invented with the limitations of the time in mind, and so would need careful judgement on where to follow canon and where not to. I think it's a basic display of balance between taste vs. canon.

Anything you want to do, you should ask here first. Spiritplumber is the boss here (despite her own feelings about the subject), and you should run any ideas through her first.

That's for WCU.

For VS, you should contact the minister of information, JackS before modelling anything. VS is filled with models that failed to ask JackS prior to design, and so do not fit entirely in the universe, and it's a shame.

For PR. I don't know, actually. I guess you should try to contact MamiyaOtaru, he's been calling the shots for as long as I've been here. But I really don't know.

In any case, that's for modelling.

For coding, it's a basic: skim the forums, see what's needed (or play the game, and see what's needed), code it, submit a patch (and if people like it it will make it to CVS). In any phase of that process you may ask for help in the contributor's help forum. (or here if it's WCU specific)

spiritplumber · Post by **spiritplumber** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:24 pm

If I can be of any help (WCU specific or not) just email or pm me.

zbyszanna · Post by **zbyszanna** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:33 pm

chuck_starchaser wrote: If programming is your interest, there's tons of stuff to do, from physics to human interfaces to AI, autopilots, having menus for orders...
<...>
Just say what you'd like to work on, and there's probably a need that matches pretty well.

I'm programmist and a little modeler (very little

). I know C, C++ and Java pretty well, I created also few rather good GUIs. I don't know python at all, but it shouldn't be a problem (as I can learn it

). I don't know much about AI and maybe I am not physician type of a guy, but anything other than this I think will be good (hmm... let's eliminate complicated graphics also

).

1. Where can find any instructions about creating a patch or smth? Should I just change the source and then upload it to the repository?

2. Is there any tour around the game code, or should I learn it by reading it?

3. The source - where can I get it?
:pserver:anonymous@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/vegastrike
there is only vegastrike source. Maybe from spiritplumber.com? I'm downloading src.zip from spiritplumber.com, but maybe it's wrong shot?

4. So I understand there is no such thing as "WCU Contribution Center"? And there aren't any plans to create such?

At the moment I'm playing with vegastrike launcher to make it look better (IHMO).

Ps. You did really great job guys and girls!

spiritplumber · Post by **spiritplumber** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:37 pm

We will need a LOT of help with phyton, in the meantime I suggest you send a message to hellcatv in this forum as he's the main VS engine developer...

modeling wise, the main thing i can think of is some WC1 ships look a bit too cartoonish. Also, I did the steltek fighter from scratch, (not the one that gives you the boosted gun, the one that you rip the original gun out of) and it shows 'coz i suck at modeling.

We have pretty much every ship until WC4 in, excepting the Black Lance stuff.

Post by **klauss** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 8:22 pm

Code guide: sorry, I guess it's reading time - the second option.
Contribution center: not a bad idea, but someone will have to start from scratch, which means a lot of work. Work that doesn't get invested in directly improving WCU (although it would indirectly by drawing contributors). Someone should volunteer. If anyone starts it, I can provide whatever I know about the code.

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 12:19 am

Best thing to do would be for EVERYBODY to use the wiki. Wikis don't get clogged up like a forum or mailing list. Dealing directly via PM or email means people say things that others don't hear.

Since the wiki is there, when somebody accomplishes something or realises something needs doing, why not take 2 minutes to add it to a wiki page or create a new wiki page about it. It doesn't have to be laid out beautifully, it simply is information. We have the wiki, let's use it!

Fireskull · Post by **Fireskull** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 2:30 am

Whats this Wiki thingy exactly?

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:06 am

Wiki frontpage (aka FAQ Wiki at the topright of most VS pages) here:
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/Vegastrike

WCU wiki here:
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/MOD:WCU

zbyszanna · Post by **zbyszanna** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:52 pm

charlieg wrote:Best thing to do would be for EVERYBODY to use the wiki. Wikis don't get clogged up like a forum or mailing list. Dealing directly via PM or email means people say things that others don't hear.

That's good idea, but differernt people need different kinds of help. E.g. spiritplumber gets models, hellcatv gets code etc etc, so these people should write what is still needed, and I think they are pretty busy as they are now, without another responsibiities. I am not very familiar with this project, so maybe I miss a simple solution.

Maybe there is a need for contribution coordinator (hehe) who will be responsible for contribution flow? You want to send model? hey! send it to cc and he will contact you with proper person

spiritplumber · Post by **spiritplumber** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:49 pm

unfortunately the consensus is that i'm in charge ^^; i'm WAY too scatterbrained to be in charge of anything... i keep telling y'all.

any takers for that job?

Heltarawa · Post by **Heltarawa** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:52 pm

No one else knows more about whats going on in WCU than you.

Also I wouldnt mind seeing the Tallahassee class cruiser from WC3 the freetrader from WC2the starbases from WC2 jutland class carrier, Wake class escort carrier AKA Tarawa Concordia class *not dreadnaught* and the hakaga class super carriers. Also some of thte kat cap ships from WC3 I would love to see there dreadnaught

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:21 pm

I'm sorry, I just don't buy that too busy crap. People just avoid doing it because it's not fun. At the end of the day, it takes no more than a few minutes to throw some notes into a wiki. You don't even have to organise it well, or you may even find it helps your thinking as you flesh out ideas.

We have massive storyline threads, but where's the coherent version of the story? People had enough time to do 15 pages of chat but not enough time to summarize it as they went along? Come on.

The issue here is that people do this because it is fun, and having to do things in an organised way often sounds tedious. The reality is that surely it would be satisfying to have a coherent place to point the numerous would-be players and contributors to, or somewhere to look back at as a reference in a couple of months when the mind starts to forget the numerous detailed discussions usually occuring at any one time.

I don't push it as a burden, but as a lightening of your respective loads once you use it. Less questions to answer, less things to remember, more to look back at and say, "Look how far we've come."

spiritplumber · Post by **spiritplumber** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:28 pm

Touche'

Okay, I'm an idiot wiki wise. What do you want me to update? I'm specifically staying out of the storyline because I have a bad case of fangirlism and would pollute stuff too much, but I guess I should do the other bits.

Post by **klauss** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:35 pm

@Charleig.

Yeah, Touche.

But it's not that it's not fun doing things in an organized way. I already do that in the form of comments, and I saw spirit does it as well. The entire code is commented with ideas, TODOs, FIXMEs, and stuff like that. I sometimes write an entire header's worth of comments about how things work.

What's annoying and boring, is having to redo all that work in the wiki. I hear you, it should be done. It's more accessible in the wiki. But it doesn't change the fact that it's annoying.

zbyszanna · Post by **zbyszanna** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:24 pm

spiritplumber wrote:Okay, I'm an idiot wiki wise.

At the moment I am pretty busy (and will be for about a week) and don't know much about Wing Commander Universe (I played only Privateer and RF, watched movie), but I can help creating this wiki entry. But there is one important question - will the person like me be able to write there anything useful? :>

Post by **chuck_starchaser** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 12:02 am

I'm working on it. (Thanks charlieg -- I needed a cattleprod on my ass.)
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/ ... :Storyline
Q: How do I reference a particular post (as opposed a the top of a page) in a thread?

zbyszanna · Post by **zbyszanna** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 9:55 am

chuck_starchaser wrote:I'm working on it. (Thanks charlieg -- I needed a cattleprod on my ass.)

Can do. When and where exactly should I deliver? :>

spiritplumber · Post by **spiritplumber** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:09 am

I put in the extra controls

where is the "TODO list"? that definitely needs updating.

zbyszanna · Post by **zbyszanna** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:13 am

spiritplumber wrote: where is the "TODO list"? that definitely needs updating.

You mean this one?
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/MOD:WCU:Status

spiritplumber · Post by **spiritplumber** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:19 am

I hate you

now I can't procrastinate about it!

zbyszanna · Post by **zbyszanna** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:26 am

spiritplumber wrote:I hate you now I can't procrastinate about it!

And I wanted you to love me! :>
You'd better prepare for your exam tomorrow!

Post by **klauss** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 3:51 pm

chuck_starchaser wrote:Q: How do I reference a particular post (as opposed a the top of a page) in a thread?

First, find the post you want to reference.
Near the "Posted: <date>" line, there is a little icon, in the shape of a paper sheet. That one is linked to the post itself, so you can grab the link address and use it. That's done, in IE (and most browsers), with the context menu. If you don't have that option... ugly: browse the HTML source, looking for the link.

The resulting links look something like this:

http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/forum ... 5533#45533

Enjoy.

Post by **chuck_starchaser** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:23 pm

Thanks. I found another way, by experimenting: Looking at the id_no=xx number in the location bar, for the page, and counting down to the post, from that number; but it displays a page with that post at the top.