STARSHATTER TASK LIST AND SCHEDULE AUGUST 1997 1 Magic Enhancements * modify poly (finish) * triangulate poly * remove degenerate polys (fewer than 3 distinct verts) * scale selection * rotate selection * primitives (sphere, cylinder, cone) SEPTEMBER 1997 1 Magic Enhancements * texture mapping * new test ship designs and textures + stabilization (bug fixing) 1 Low-level AI (idle / attack / reverse / evade) * Auto-bank on turn * 2 AI fighters attacking each other * 1+ AI fighters attacking the player 1 Flocking AI * Collision Avoidance * Seek Target * Flee, Avoid object * Evade Threat * Drop/re-acquire target * Fire control based on Projected Silhouette * Readiness (speed multiplier, likelihood of fire) 1 Combat results (damage to resources/ships) * Fix sprite animation rate + Shields * Explosions / Flashes / Particles * Ship-to-ship collisions * Impulse from collisions and shots 1 Compound data file and asset manager * including zlib compression Misc. * test mode * respawn * gaea texture generator OCTOBER 1997 1 Sound * Ambient Sound Effects * 3D Sound Effects + Streamed Sound (e.g. voice over) 1 Renderer Architecture * get rid of span buffer (CamView, SpanBuff) * get rid of poly id and key (Geometry) * single clipped polygon * no more clipped_verts in poly (Geometry) * ClipPoly just before ProjectPoly (CamView) * Clip from source poly into dest poly (CamClip) * fixed overhead of 16 verts in vertex set (Solid::Allocate) * colored lights * directional backlighting * z-scaling for 3Dfx * snapshot of D3D frame buffer (not working on 3Dfx?) * remove Span pointer from poly 1 Memory Leak Debugging * MemDebug class 1 Idle (schedule slip) Played Wing Commander 3 and Darklight Conflict a bit Thought a lot about game design Learned to use Photoshop NOVEMBER 1997 1 Renderer Architecture * move texture indices from vertex to poly (Geometry) * modify nGen to support new formats 1 Misc. * Polygon-accurate shot-intersection * Translucent shield bubble * Improved laser graphics * Target "Pickle" 1 Combat * seeker missiles * missile cam * smooth camera zoom * improved ship collision logic * physical vibration DECEMBER 1997 1 Misc. * Lens flare occlusion * improved collision avoidance AI * improved seeker AI * ship physics for missile carrying and launch o starfield texture in sw (tried and removed: too slow) 1 Misc. * additional sounds (engines, shot-impact) * 3Dfx bug fixes * upgraded data archiver * planetary rings * clipping/zooming bug fixes * simple ultra-drive 1 Collision Detection * RAPID Collision detection JANUARY 1998 1 Misc. * polygon properties (e.g. flat-shaded, transparent) * bridge cam * independent agility parameters * LOD clipping of graphics - LOD model support for ships and planets 1 Key/joystick button mapper * define key codes for actions and load from file - GUI support for mapping keys within the game 1 Weapon Aiming AI * Improved missile graphics * Load weapon/shot parameters from data file * Handle slow charging / variable charge cap ship guns * Compute deflection vector to lead target FEBRUARY * completed font designer * designed HUD font * basic button control * basic form class * improved collision avoidance AI * physical modeling - vibration * improved shield graphics MARCH * simple padlock view * improved gaea planetary texture * fixed planet texture mapping defects * multi-quality bitmaps * use 8-bit texture format in hardware, when available * power management and multiple reactors * HUD view * 2D cockpit view HUD enhancements * IFF color indications * markers for distant contacts * weapon range bar * mode indicator * fullscreen mode for external cameras Guns and Missiles * weapon selection (G for guns, M for missiles?) * weapon range indicator * chase vector indicator * missile lock + missile track/lock graphic and audio cue APRIL Misc * HUD display off * HUD color/brightness * Doppler shift and distance roll off * Orient theater/padlock views to world coordinates * AI roll to orient with world coordinates (y+ is up) * Fighter AI: roll+pitch instead of yaw Sensor/Scanner and Emission Control * passive and active sensors - manual emcon - environmental sensor efficiency MAY Misc * joystick configuration * performance tuning (clip vertex set in view space) * (x,y,z) translation thrusters * movable external camera (rotate, zoom, center on object) * "enhanced" two-frequency doppler effect Tactical Situation MFD * properly clipped 3D grid * contact info for each contact * tactical hud * cycle view object ? clipped circles indicating target weapon range Magic Enhancements * optional second texture and flag set per polygon * specular highlight flag * two-pass texture rendering in nGen (sw and d3d) Combat Results * System Damage Combat Results * particle burst/trail for severe system damage * caution and warning panel - target damage feedback - vocal warning system System Damage Modeling * avionics HUD/NAV degradation * attitude stabilizer - attitude control - throttle control - sensor weapon aiming control JUNE Combat Enhancements - subsystem targeting for starship targets - AA turrets on starships - mines and/or gunpods - long range weapon types JULY Simulation and Navigation * star system modeling * orbital mechanics * navigation map * autonav ai * hyperdrive navigation * improved planetary texture mapping AUGUST Operational Simulation and Navigation * performance optimization for large fleets * enhanced hyperdrive auto nav ai * animated hyperspace effects * new navigation mfd design * starship fire control mfd Misc * improved plasma trail effect * corrected rendering of large grids * improved performance of button control * fixed lighting and lens flare bugs * improved star shell texture mapping SEPTEMBER Operational Simulation * fire control mfd * weapon firing orders * flight deck modeling * flight deck control (recover/launch ships) * created starship ai * improved fighter evasion techniques * starship point defense Graphics and Collision Detection * fixed specular highlighting * fixed collision matrix * removed collision resolution for fighter/fighter * render planetary atmosphere * improved planet generator OCTOBER Operational Simulation - air tasking orders, manual order assignment - starship ai threat assessment, targetting and navigation - starship ai flight deck control - time skip, including combat resolution - hyperspatial navigation - packages, cooperation, formations, orders - communications and squadron commands ----------------------------(unscheduled)------------------------------------ Other HUD Modes - IDS (docking) - RHAW - MAW Misc - reactor power level control - planet craters Bug List * faceting (flat-shading) in D3D * nebula sky invisible during fade in * specular highlights visible during fade in * show missile count in HUD * correct ship class determination * improve fighter steering behavior * extraneous keys on startup - sound memory leak - sound dropouts Auto Pilots - match velocity - form up - approach - dock ? DX6 DrawPrimitive support 2 Mid/High level AI - strategy and tactics - stealth and detection - morale simulation - difficulty settings 2 Docking and Resupply 1 Ship model parts - additional ship designs - solid model loading using surfaces for sub parts - Complex explosions for composite ships 1 Fonts (including alpha blended anti-aliased) 1 GUI logic / real menu tree 8+ Final ship designs 1 Final weapon designs 1 Death-spiral Animations 2 Special Effects + Shields + Hyperspace - Starshatter and other Big Explosions - Shock waves, weapon trails * Planetary Rings 1 Wingman command interface 2 Cockpit designs 1 Other External Views + theater view + padlock - rear view - (looping) flyby 2 Save/Restore Game 2 Galaxy Design 2 Planet, moon, and starfield textures 2 Campaign Logic ? Mission Design 1 Mission Objectives Representation 1 Promotions / Scoring 1 Mission Briefing System 1 Animation Cutscene System 1 Strategic Briefing Data and Design ? Info Database and Help content User's Manual 2 Sound Effects Production - Foley editing 1 Music - Midi or digital audio streaming 3 Music Production - Composition and recording High quality renderer for Magic - phong shading - multiple colored light sources with shadows * double precision z buffer - very high resolution (1280 x 960) - high polygon count (possibles) 1 WinGlide support for 3Dfx?