path: root/Doc/TASK.TXT

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?