Clockwork Empires 1.0 - Having A Roanoke Time!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Clockwork Empires 1.0 - Having A Roanoke Time!

nvining: May 30, 2011; tunnels through walls with its odd, rubbery nasal appliance

StarkRavingMad posted:

The fact that half the memory leaks were connected to gossiping is kind of hilarious. That and the large block of useless code labeled "FIXME."

Okay, so the FIXME code is a little supercilious than that. Basically, it's for events. Each event has requirements:

code:

  <event name="Throw Party">
    <require_timer name="Party Timer" value="2500"/>
    <require_gameobject input="character" tag="character" must_lock="0" must_test_lock="0"/>
    <require_character_personal_stat_geq input="character" name="emotionAnimationTimer" amount="20"/>
    <require_mood input="character" name="happy"/>
    <require_empty_hands input="character"/>
    <require_party_hosting_building tag="party_building" input="building" failure_reason="Unable to find appropriate space to throw a party."/>
    <script name="throw_party_at_building"/>
  </event>

and, at each stage of this, we winnow down a list of eligible people. For instance, you can *always* find a character. You may not always be able to find a character who hasn't emoted recently, who is happy, has empty hands, and also a suitable building. So if an input already exists when we do a thing, we basically reduce the pool of characters down from, say, 30 characters to 1. They then may throw a party.

What was happening here is that, once it was Party Time, the data structure for the characters that were being thrown out wasn't being released... but the code to do the selective removal was very obscure and nobody here remembers writing it. Micah thinks it's me, I think it's Micah.

# ? Jun 19, 2014 00:13

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# ? May 23, 2024 23:25

Mokinokaro: Sep 11, 2001; At the end of everything, hold onto anything; Fun Shoe

nvining posted:

What was happening here is that, once it was Party Time, the data structure for the characters that were being thrown out wasn't being released... but the code to do the selective removal was very obscure and nobody here remembers writing it. Micah thinks it's me, I think it's Micah.

It was Another...

Edit: on another note: so jealous of those who got chosen. I find broken games/alphas/betas strangely entertaining just because of the oddities that arise in incomplete code. There's a sense of anarchy to them you don't see in the polished finished product (intentionally, at least.)

Mokinokaro fucked around with this message at 00:35 on Jun 19, 2014

# ? Jun 19, 2014 00:32

AndroidHub: Feb 28, 2007; I've seen some stuff that would really make you say "like what?"

So will non-soldiers ever decide they too want to fight back against fishmen/walking mushrooms/tentacle horrors/etc based on their personality? I always liked smiths or chefs in DF killing some big beasty by lucky rng and ending up with more combat experience than the captain of the guard (and then if the player is paying any attention usually being re-purposed into a guard).

Also I'd like to imagine the guy in the first screenshot of the blog post who's emoting a smile is the one who built the workshop and is thinking "Yeah I did do a good job, didn't I :downs:

# ? Jun 19, 2014 00:34

Volmarias: Dec 31, 2002; EMAIL... THE INTERNET... SEARCH ENGINES...

nvining posted:

nobody here remembers writing it. Micah thinks it's me, I think it's Micah.

Don't you have source control? This is what your "blame" feature is for! Blaming!

# ? Jun 19, 2014 01:06

LtSmash: Dec 18, 2005; Will we next create false gods to rule over us? How proud we have become, and how blind.

-Sister Miriam Godwinson,
"We Must Dissent"

nvining posted:

Okay, so the FIXME code is a little supercilious than that. Basically, it's for events. Each event has requirements:

and, at each stage of this, we winnow down a list of eligible people. For instance, you can *always* find a character. You may not always be able to find a character who hasn't emoted recently, who is happy, has empty hands, and also a suitable building. So if an input already exists when we do a thing, we basically reduce the pool of characters down from, say, 30 characters to 1. They then may throw a party.

What was happening here is that, once it was Party Time, the data structure for the characters that were being thrown out wasn't being released... but the code to do the selective removal was very obscure and nobody here remembers writing it. Micah thinks it's me, I think it's Micah.

I assume the fix is to simply never make the selection data structure so you don't need to worry about cleaning it up. I look forward to constant parties thrown by fishmen and trees and dev button added bottles of whiskey.

Mokinokaro posted:

It was Another...

Edit: on another note: so jealous of those who got chosen. I find broken games/alphas/betas strangely entertaining just because of the oddities that arise in incomplete code. There's a sense of anarchy to them you don't see in the polished finished product (intentionally, at least.)

Oh there's anarchy but that doesn't cover the sense of spite. Each release is a new way for them to troll us. Readers are starving men hearing tales of a feast. Testers are starving men at a feast but the geometry is all wrong and approaching food in space moves it away from you in time and moving perpendicular changes its temperature. Don't ask about looking up or down because I can't tell you. Not the NDA but the physicality of this world prohibits it and that is a blessing.

# ? Jun 19, 2014 01:08

Overwined: Sep 22, 2008; Wine can of their wits the wise beguile,
Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile.

Guys, I don't think these Gaslamp Games people are going to make. Developers, plugging memory leaks? Have you ever heard of such a thing? Absurd!

# ? Jun 19, 2014 03:14

Deep Thoreau: Aug 16, 2008

Where's the machine made up of giant gears that produces smaller gears, gaslamp?! :colbert:

# ? Jun 19, 2014 03:15

Morning: Aug 10, 2008

derriere demons posted:

Where's the machine made up of giant gears that produces smaller gears, gaslamp?!

Which happen to be made of too many angles to be natural.

# ? Jun 19, 2014 05:58

LonsomeSon: Nov 22, 2009; A fishperson in an intimidating hat!

Morning posted:

Which happen to be made of too many angles to be natural.

Ms Cogwhistle's MeatGears (tm), now with 20% less Orphan Meat!

# ? Jun 19, 2014 06:57

Ratoslov: Feb 15, 2012; Now prepare yourselves! You're the guests of honor at the Greatest Kung Fu Cannibal BBQ Ever!

LonsomeSon posted:

Ms Cogwhistle's MeatGears (tm), now with 20% less Orphan Meat!

(Because the colony has 20% less orphans this year due to the founding of the cult of the Wire Mothers.)

# ? Jun 19, 2014 08:23

LtSmash: Dec 18, 2005; Will we next create false gods to rule over us? How proud we have become, and how blind.

-Sister Miriam Godwinson,
"We Must Dissent"

Anyone needing more clockwork empires is encouraged to sift through tweets for important clues about gameplay.

# ? Jun 19, 2014 08:48

Nevets: Sep 11, 2002; Be they sad or be they well,
I'll make their lives a hell

I think you guys shouldn't be bound by the 'conventional wisdom' surrounding memory management. You'd save alot of time if you just make the game in 64bit only, have the system requirements recommend 16GB of ram, and program in an alarm clock that tells the player to save/quit/restart every 2 hours.

# ? Jun 19, 2014 16:09

Mokinokaro: Sep 11, 2001; At the end of everything, hold onto anything; Fun Shoe

That's another needed feature: an in game system clock.

Unfortunately given this game I suspect it would rapidly become Something Else.

# ? Jun 19, 2014 16:31

Nevets: Sep 11, 2002; Be they sad or be they well,
I'll make their lives a hell

, only with cogs.

# ? Jun 19, 2014 17:56

nvining: May 30, 2011; tunnels through walls with its odd, rubbery nasal appliance

(New folks who sent NDAs: you'll be getting Steam keys shortly? We're just having A Day over here. Go play some Day Z or something.)

# ? Jun 20, 2014 00:19

Bernardo Orel: Sep 2, 2011

It's ok, due to a certain actions by certain twitter accounts, I recently reinstalled Alpha Centauri, so now I have some cultists to deal with anyway (I hope they like planet busters) :v:

# ? Jun 20, 2014 07:52

Morning: Aug 10, 2008

Mokinokaro posted:

That's another needed feature: an in game system clock.

Unfortunately given this game I suspect it would rapidly become Something Else.

What do you mean we don't normally have 30 hour days? We've always had those, don't you?

# ? Jun 20, 2014 19:46

Lprsti99: Apr 7, 2011; Everything's coming up explodey!; Pillbug

IT HAS ARRIVED

# ? Jun 22, 2014 19:24

Bernardo Orel: Sep 2, 2011

Thanks, steam sales

# ? Jun 22, 2014 20:43

Dr. Arbitrary: Mar 15, 2006; Bleak Gremlin

Bernardo Orel posted:

Thanks, steam sales

I feel bad for any developer who tries to do a release during a steam sale.

# ? Jun 22, 2014 21:07

nvining: May 30, 2011; tunnels through walls with its odd, rubbery nasal appliance

Also, apparently I didn't specify that the CD keys sent out were Steam keys, so I have some folks e-mailing me figuring out what to do with them. This is what happens when I do these things on a Sunday at 8 in the morning.

(New testers from here: familiarize yourselves with the forums, reporting mechanisms, and secret chat channel. Thank you.)

# ? Jun 22, 2014 22:24

LtSmash: Dec 18, 2005; Will we next create false gods to rule over us? How proud we have become, and how blind.

-Sister Miriam Godwinson,
"We Must Dissent"

nvining posted:

Also, apparently I didn't specify that the CD keys sent out were Steam keys, so I have some folks e-mailing me figuring out what to do with them. This is what happens when I do these things on a Sunday at 8 in the morning.

(New testers from here: familiarize yourselves with the forums, reporting mechanisms, and secret chat channel. Thank you.)

If you are hearing tortured wails or crazed ranting about JIRA and Micah that nobody else can hear it that means you have successfully been integrated with the secret chat channel. If you hear voices like shattering bones they are harmless and will be addressed shortly and in the mean time be sure to report everything they say. Don't follow their instructions and under no circumstances allow yourself to sleep until you receive the green draught.

# ? Jun 22, 2014 23:47

Deadmeat5150: Nov 21, 2005; OLD MAN YELLS AT CLAN

nvining posted:

Also, apparently I didn't specify that the CD keys sent out were Steam keys, so I have some folks e-mailing me figuring out what to do with them. This is what happens when I do these things on a Sunday at 8 in the morning.

(New testers from here: familiarize yourselves with the forums, reporting mechanisms, and secret chat channel. Thank you.)

I hope you got my PM.

# ? Jun 22, 2014 23:58

Rydash: Dec 23, 2011; You got a real problem in here, gonna cost ya extra.

Despite the news, it is not yet clear if the testers have in fact taken off all their clothes.

And then forced their subjects to eat them.

http://www.gaslampgames.com/2014/06/25/hot-testing-action-and-starvation/

# ? Jun 26, 2014 02:30

quiggy: Aug 7, 2010; [in Russian] Oof.

Apologies for the Gaslamp crew for being absent for a while, real life has taken precedence over investigating the ichor oozing from my computer. I promise I will return when the stars are right (like a week or two).

# ? Jun 26, 2014 02:42

nvining: May 30, 2011; tunnels through walls with its odd, rubbery nasal appliance

Notorious QIG posted:

Apologies for the Gaslamp crew for being absent for a while, real life has taken precedence over investigating the ichor oozing from my computer. I promise I will return when the stars are right (like a week or two).

We're all good. It is nice to see you over there on the Internet and not in The Vats in the office WHICH IS NOT A THING THAT EXISTS

# ? Jun 26, 2014 03:22

Wolfgang Pauli: Mar 26, 2008; One Three Seven

I took the forums downtime as a chance to catch up on like four months of blog reading for this game that I've neglected. I've also recently finished Perdido Street Station and started The Scar, and generally getting hyped for this China Mieville class I'm taking in the Fall (taught by a leading Mieville scholar apparently, so he can polish the ideas in his forthcoming Mieville book). I need this game in my life. The screenshot of the fishmun screaming in horror over its empty nest is everything I hoped for in this game.

Sidenote, since dodo gibs are going to be everywhere, can we expect the traditional Mieville depiction of squalor: mold and bird poo poo on everything?

# ? Jun 26, 2014 06:00

Doorknob Slobber: Sep 10, 2006; by Fluffdaddy

Lprsti99 posted:

IT HAS ARRIVED

Dang when I saw this post I thought it had actually arrived for all.

# ? Jun 26, 2014 06:02

Admiral Funk: Oct 1, 2012; Please send them a very large crate marked "SCIENCE. PROBABLY DANGEROUS. BUT VERY SCIENTIFIC. YES."

I really hope that this "People no longer gossip with dead people" is not entirely true.

# ? Jun 26, 2014 06:32

DAAS Kapitalist: Nov 9, 2005; Jackass: The Mad Monk

Don't try this at home.

Wolfgang Pauli posted:

leading Mieville scholar

Mieville scholars actually exist, and there's enough of them to have leaders?

# ? Jun 26, 2014 06:32

nvining: May 30, 2011; tunnels through walls with its odd, rubbery nasal appliance

Wolfgang Pauli posted:

Sidenote, since dodo gibs are going to be everywhere, can we expect the traditional Mieville depiction of squalor: mold and bird poo poo on everything?

If David has his way - heck yes. Mind you, I'm in favour of it as well.

# ? Jun 26, 2014 06:37

Wolfgang Pauli: Mar 26, 2008; One Three Seven

DAAS Kapitalist posted:

Mieville scholars actually exist, and there's enough of them to have leaders?

There is a ton of scholarly writing on Mieville, c.f. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bas-Lag#Further_reading. My professor is Dr. Freedman.

Actually, here's his paper that's listed on the wiki page.

# ? Jun 26, 2014 08:00

Bernardo Orel: Sep 2, 2011

�Character tooltips now display if a character is not assigned to a work party (B. Orel)
�Alert icons will now display over characters if they have something you should deal with, Banished-style. BANISHED STYLE. (B. Orel)

Oh, no. I was mentioned in the changelog. Oh, no. :ohdear:

# ? Jun 26, 2014 08:11

DAAS Kapitalist: Nov 9, 2005; Jackass: The Mad Monk

Don't try this at home.

Wolfgang Pauli posted:

There is a ton of scholarly writing on Mieville,

That's actually kind of cool. In Australia, humanities is the first thing that gets stripped when university funding is cut.

# ? Jun 26, 2014 08:40

Wolfgang Pauli: Mar 26, 2008; One Three Seven

DAAS Kapitalist posted:

That's actually kind of cool. In Australia, humanities is the first thing that gets stripped when university funding is cut.

It's no different here. Over 80% of my doctoral stipend is going towards rent alone, and that's with really cheap utilties-paid on-campus apartment rent. The art building at LSU is legit dangerous, to the point that a hundred pound chunk of concrete fell from the ceiling of the ceramics studio in the middle of class -- and nothing was done about it. I'm lucky that I'm safely stored in a closet/office in the Music & Theatre building.

tldr this is humanities education in the US:

# ? Jun 26, 2014 08:50

Dareon: Apr 6, 2009; by vyelkin

Wolfgang Pauli posted:

tldr this is humanities education in the US:

I can't stop staring at that extra polygon on the handle and wondering if that's maybe where the corporate sponsor logo is meant to go.

Axe Murder now brought to you by Tyson Chicken!

_{_{^{^{As a young man I once wondered if Mike Tyson had ever done ads for Tyson Chicken.}}}}

# ? Jun 26, 2014 11:43

Dr. Fraiser Chain: May 18, 2004; Redlining my shit posting machine

Dareon posted:

I can't stop staring at that extra polygon on the handle and wondering if that's maybe where the corporate sponsor logo is meant to go.

Axe Murder now brought to you by Tyson Chicken!

_{_{^{^{As a young man I once wondered if Mike Tyson had ever done ads for Tyson Chicken.}}}}

Chickens don't have ears. Such a wasted oppertunity

# ? Jun 26, 2014 14:05

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Wolfgang Pauli posted:

a hundred pound chunk of concrete fell from the ceiling of the ceramics studio in the middle of class -- and nothing was done about it.

That was someone's postgraduate project.

Oh also, Nicholas, I did get the key and everything, I've just been at work all week, hoping to have some time over the weekend to sit down and explore the game properly.

# ? Jun 26, 2014 15:14

Mokinokaro: Sep 11, 2001; At the end of everything, hold onto anything; Fun Shoe

nvining posted:

We're all good. It is nice to see you over there on the Internet and not in The Vats in the office WHICH IS NOT A THING THAT EXISTS

It is the duty of every tester to go into the tanks.

# ? Jun 26, 2014 15:30

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# ? May 23, 2024 23:25

Deadmeat5150: Nov 21, 2005; OLD MAN YELLS AT CLAN

the tanks are life
the tanks bring happy
the tanks are where you belong
join us

# ? Jun 26, 2014 19:48

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