I was trying to create some video footage, but it didn’t go well. 
No matter how I tried to format it using Corel Video Studio, the video looked awful.
I believe I might have recorded it too large. I don’t know when I’ll try again, but next time (if I remember) I will record the full screen at half size; and then see if that makes a difference.
All that good footage….wasted.
I wanted to show off the Pathfinding AI.
Hey man, i love you bring updates consistently, even if they are some sad new, i am very excited about how good this game will become! 
Here’s video 1:
Quality was ok when I uploaded it. I don’t know what it will look like after youtube gets through processing it.
If the quality is super low, let me know.
Wow! It looks very cool in motion!
I’m going to work on combat animations now so I can bring the combat system closer to complete.
Since this thread is meant to be an online developer’s diary, I post regularly about everything…even how development is effecting me.
The idea is to give other individuals who wish to solo something commercial some idea of the stress it involves. (as well as see a project from start to finish)
I can tell you this… Even though I planned this game’s content kind of small… Small enough for one person to develop alone… The work load is still HUGE!!! 
(Sigh)… I can’t say I haven’t done this before because I have. It’s just… When you have done full projects several times without publishing one, it gets old really fast.
So it’s about freaking time I publish one, right? 
Formalities panda followers,
I actually posted up in a few random Indie Game forums across the internet. I figured this project would be a good follow for all “Indies.”
I linked only to my videos, and not to the P3D forums; didn’t want to flood the P3D forums out, since more and more people are viewing the video and sending me emails now.
One of the first questions “Indie” developers love to ask, and I have been asked already… is, “what engine are you using?” 
That’s one question I don’t like to answer because of past experience in forums. Back in the days, I use to answer that question and then newbie developers would go and use the engine I was using and then later they would attack me!
They would find something wrong with the engine or it may be lacking and they somehow assume I recommended the engine to them, because I named it. 
You see what I’m getting at?
So, to avoid pissing people off because a graphic engine I use didn’t meet their expectations…I give them a “work around answer” to their question instead.
Anyway,
I’m going to sink myself in work now, so I won’t be posting here as much. I will post new video links here though. The videos won’t show any features, (don’t want to get fired), but they will show the progress of the game and some of the game play.
I won’t be allowed to show videos all the way up to the game’s glorious completion and well polished, but I’ll get as close as I can.
Developing for S.M.
Are Panda Bears the equivalent of Teddy Bears?
What’s going down, Panda Stinkers?
I recently finished the basic attack animations for my Protagonist race and have setup to do the basic ones for the Antagonist race. Before I do those animations, I want to go back and fix-up some things with the combat system; so I did.
For starters, attacks were being triggered too fast; that is, when an actor attacked, they did it constantly without mercy.
Secondly, combat actors were getting too close to each other.
Another thing, there was a loose end with my detection code. The detection was made based on an enemy’s position at the time of the detection, but what if that enemy was moving (and yes….they move)?
What happened was, when an actor moved to attack their enemy, they moved to the first spot the enemy was….even if the enemy was following right behind them (because they moved from the first spot during the detection).
Image RemovedThat was an easy fix though; what I did was find a part of the code that was looped and dealt with the combat movement (because I don’t like to create additional tasks/loops if not needed), and inserted an update for the current target’s position.
That made my actors walk towards each other and when they were in range, they stopped immediately and started going at it; which is the way it was meant to be. Sweet!!!
What I did for the constantly repeated attacks is add a wait time. If you ever played RPGs like Xenosaga, Xenogears, Final Fantasy or Legend of Dragoon…then you’re familiar with the attack time of a turn based combat system.
You can say I combined RTS and RPG together (which is what I’m doing with this game), which turned out well because now combat actors will do their nice little battle idle and randomly attack.
Looks way cool!
Of course, how fast a fighter reacts will depend on their level later on. I haven’t written the code for that effect yet. Higher level fighters will not only attack faster, but will chain attacks more.
As far as fighters getting too close; I just had to change four values in my code, which changed the combat range between fighting actors.
What I’m going to do now is randomize the style of attacks for my Protagonist race since I have those basic animations done. Tomorrow, I hope I have time to get at least one other Antagonist race basic animation done, so I can at least structure the random attack for that race.
After I do finish the Antagonist Race’s basic animations, I want to move into getting the game play for level one more complete, so I can add the random battles as a “gamer’s” heroes move through the environment.
Random battles… A true RPG expression.
I won’t get into Skilled Attacks until later. That’s where that AI Building menu I pre-built will come in.
PS,
Can’t believe people have subscribed to my You Tube page. I really wasn’t expecting that. I guess I better add some music to future videos…eh?
Went back and added the long hair object to the Antagonist race; so I can animate it while I’m doing the rest of the basic attacks.
I also fixed that issue with the Antagonist race feet beeing stuck in the ground surface.
Image RemovedI have a lot of business to take care of this month, so my production will be limited/slowed.
Hello everyone,
I plan on making the language option externally built instead of internally (if this is possible with P3D). I figured this would make adding other languages for the game easier; all one would have to do is create their text and voice over files then add them to the correct folder inside the data folder. From there I want the program to look at all available options and which game language is currently selected, then load the correct content.
In that way, the game’s source code would not have to be change in anyway to accommodate new languages.
Of course adding multiple languages will be left up to the publisher (if they are willing to hire the translators, so over sea profits can be obtained).
If there is anyone in the P3D community who speaks a language other than English and wish the add that language to this RTS game later on… Let me know.
That effort will be greatly appreciated and will most likely not go un-rewarded.
Of course, the game will be brought very close to finished before I actually create the language option setup.
Regards
Italian language here. Contact me when you will need that.
I will, thanks. 
You don’t mind me adding your name to the credits if you do add a language to the game?
I’m going to get knee deep into the combat system. I really want to clean it up as much as possible, only leaving the skill moves/ability part.
NOTE: There will be a variety of animations involving battle stances and stuff. For instance…I don’t want my magic casters to stance like my fighter.
I won’t get knee deep into animations until I get near project end. That’ll be apart of the “polishing.”
Here’s some footage…
youtu.be/j0KKTAtl2KE
Subscribe to the video page in order to receive alerts for new videos.
Not at all!
Hi there.
It’s a great project, at the same time wide and brilliant.
Sure it’s nice to see RTS type on Panda3d.
And for early development it looks good.
Well, I’m new to Panda3d and I just recently started learning Python, so I’m learning most of the time and I work on my project the rest of the time.
However, I can provide french language if needed. If there’s a way I can help, this is the less I can do the community, 'cause you guys helped me to learn and I feel indebted and there are no many things I can do for the moment.
I will make a note that you can translate English to French.
I sent an email to an S.M. rep explaining that I was going to make the game’s language translation open to the community; and add the names of those translators to the game’s credits.
I was told to hold off on it even when the project is finished.
It appears the new website for S.M. that’s being planned will include an Indie developers’ login for those that are not directly employed.
I don’t have all the details on it, but when I hear more I will post.
I’m guessing the plan is to allow Indie developers to submit finished games as a portfolio, as well as partake in other things.
Regards 
Hi there,
I’m teaching a course in Panda 3D this week and want to use your project as an example of a Panda 3D game, is there any way you could share a demo version or the code base? I’m not sure from what I’ve read if this is a closed source project.
Either way, thanks, and great work!
PS: There is one student who is particularly interested in the RTS genre who will likely join the board and probably ask questions by the end of the week. I’m sure you would be a great mentor for him, if you are willing
No I can’t. I really don’t have ownership of the game. Of course, as the developer…you think of it as your game. 
If it goes well… I might get a new office. 
I don’t know if I’ll be able to show content from this project pass level one (which is far from being done), so my online diary and videos might end after level one is complete.
Regards
Image RemovedImage RemovedReally low polygon as usual.
For any models I use in cut-scenes, I’m thinking about using a higher polygon version to achieve a more cinematic look.
Of course the low polygons will work well for real-time gameplay (RTS).
The thing about models like this one… I can add armors to it if I wanted to and further enhance the look. It’s all about how many vertice I want transforming for this one monster type.
I have to finish this model up as far as the teeth and inner mouth.
This whole month for me is low poly monster making month.
The Plant Creature I made turned out cool!
Image RemovedMoving on to the next one.
The main goal is getting a hand full done so I can get back to the combat system coding; particularly the randomlized ememy encounters.
Any and everthing can be change/altered/remodeled later during the “polishing” stage.