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Core Dump - Work In Progress
Episode 42
September 11, 1997 : Why does it take
so long to make a game?
Reason 1: It is a lot of work
Creating a game nowadays is done by teams, consisting of (in most cases)
multiple programmers, many artist, and one musician. Sometimes the musician
isn't even on the real team. And there's a project leader or something.
That is usually how it's done.
But not us.
Nope. So here we go: loads of hours to get a scrolling routine up and
running, (re)writing music and sound effect routines, object coordination,
collision detection, multiple camera directors, object interaction, level
editors, a useful implementation of text displays, item menu's, loaders...
And then: coding the player routines, explosions, collectable items, plot
line controllers, weapon routines.
(At this point there's no running level at all...)
Ok. Continue. Design level blocks, assign block info, create a map. Design
several enemies, code their A.I., select the weapons that can damage them,
animation, etc,... (phew.. breathe!) place the enemies on the map at strategic
points.
Design several "persons", have them saying very many different things
depending on plot-line info (with up to 16 parallel plot-lines!!) and
set their default texts. Mark the spots where they progress a certain
plot-line.
I have omitted various things.
Reason 2: I have a life, and so does Pat
Cas Cremers
Student of Philosophy at Tilburg University, 4th year.
Student of Computing Science at the Technical University of Eindhoven,
5th year.
Volunteer at a local youth centre.
Has a social life.
Reads many books.
Girlfriend.
I rest my case.
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