I am developing a space-based RPG along the lines of Eve Online, but single player. I am also developing my own 3D engine for the game. I am using Visual C++ 2003 and DirectX9.
From a game design standpoint, I have nothing more than a loose set of scribbled notes and free-range ideas floating around in my mind. I have a few key goals, such as strong player-NPC interaction (as well as NPC-NPC interaction), complete freedom of movement throughout the universe, strong exploration aspects, plush leather interior, ABS and that new car smell.
Developing the engine will serve to introduce me to the finer, trickier aspects of game programming, such as resource management, low-level maths, engine architecture and code design.
The engine is at an extremely early stage - I am currently working on the in-game object system, e.g. where the objects are, which way they are facing, what mesh they use, etc. No 'game' code has been written yet.
I have no set ETAs, major milestones or other such project-management targets, and am just taking it a day at a time. I tackle problems and developments within the engine as they arise, in which fixing usually leads to other items that need to be worked on, and so on. I look forward to the day where I begin to work less on the engine and more on the game code.
So that's the short of it! I guess I plan to update this journal every week or so, or whenever something major happens to the project. I might even do a bit of ranting here and there.
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