Sideprojects: Birthright utility / Game

[Mirviriam]

Thanks a ton for all the responses - I will tally up all the programming languages to see where our strengths are tonight.

I'm leaning towards a webiste with mysql database - as any future projects will be able to '...stand on the shoulders..." of the work we are doing for making the wiki information measured/meaningful to a program's perspect.

[Arjan]

Thanks a ton for all the responses - I will tally up all the programming languages to see where our strengths are tonight.

I'm leaning towards a webiste with mysql database - as any future projects will be able to '...stand on the shoulders..." of the work we are doing for making the wiki information measured/meaningful to a program's perspect.

an subversion server is available here at BRnet. i can ask Flip to make an account for us.
as for hosting, that can be arranged on BRnet too.

[Mirviriam]

Roster as we stand 4/23/2008 - 11:14 PM Central time - If I missed you I apologize...working from my 12" laptop...post away & I will correct it.

Let me take a minute to say thank you for all the response too gentlemen!

World/DM/Literacy Items

• Magian
• Tpdarkdraco - original material
• Bbeu22 - writer
• Swordgaunt - interested by stander?
• Mantyluoto

If we go web-application:

• Java: Vincente, Altcar
• PHP: Mirviriam, Arjan

* - I worked intimately supporting IIS/ASP[x] for a cluster handling on average 700 websites. I am going to exercise executive decision & not allow IIS to save time...if we find a perm host with an extra T1 & 24/7 physical access we can review that decision.

If we go program-based-application:

C++
-----

• Lucius+
• Majinotaku83
• Mirviriam

Java
---

• Lucius -
• Altcar ?
• Majinotaku83

Ajax/Zend
----

• Arjan

One extra thought -

When I worked for the ISP/Telcom - we would bring in extra help by having our coders who did not know webcoding to write up objects in C that we could drop into the server's cgi-bin & have the webpages call for us (they actually ran WAY faster too).



Find programmers & DM's

• Still need website design & assign the roles of each person for coding.
• Do I have a volunteer to take over the role of "Overlord" for the project...I will be around through all the phases, but a real administrative mind, with organizational bend would be helpful. If nothing else than to document the weekly things on a blog for our amusement.
• We are short simple html designers - is there anyone on here who does not code programs/php/java - but can do CSS/HTML to act as the web page designer? (who has not spoken up already?)
• What kind of chats does everyone use? AIM/Yahoo/MSN/IRC comes to mind just because of the chat room styles.
• Maybe hit up one of the biremail games to see if any of the players have thoughts on the email version of the game for improvements?
• Find a night / time that generally works for coders
• Find a night / time that generally works for DMs

Process Status - Phase 1

Last Update: 04.23.2008 - Next Update 04.28.2008

Sub-Step 1:

• In progress

Sub-Step 2:

• Determine our language/tech based on time people can forward per week/month & experience.
• If we will have DM ran by the computer or need a DM to run campaign through interface.
• How many players & if players can opt to play lieutenants.
• Determine how big of a test world we will be using & if we want a live database (SQL) for the test world or flat file along with it's format.
• I like the subversion account thing, does anyone have a favorite easy to setup/use/display collaboration environment which we can display jpg's or photo's in to?

[Vicente]

Hey hey, one thing While I don't have any problems posting in this kind of threads or giving advice if I think it can help, I have no time to devote to a project with this scope (and it will need people with quite a lot of free time).

Also, I'm a .NET guy, no Java here (C#, VSTS, ASP.NET, SQLS, etc etc ). If you search for Java people, maybe the PC Gen mailing list could be a good place, there are a lot of coders there and they love DnD. So if they love Birthright too there's a possibility they would join the project (or at least offer good advice).

Regards

[thrakkazz]

What's the purpose of the thread ?
Do you've the database or at list the datamodel ?
I'm using an Access db (no no don't fire at me) and my java program to deal with everything related to file generation.

db is used to store the data (regent, domain, province, holdings, units and so on)

program is used to deal with:
- scouting reports
- loyalty maintenance depending on tax level
- random event
- budgets (military and common budget)
- writing htm file to send to players after each season is completed and resolved

Last add on is a module I'm using to resolve battle.
The process takes care of:
- the landscape (plains, forests, and so on)
- the type of unit (knights as heavy cavalry have malus on their weapon skill since they can really charge in forest for instance
==> Each kind of unit has a bowskill (can be 0), weaponskill and defense skill).
- regent participating to the battle
- province has a castel or not (unit have various bonuses while fighting from the fortification area, ==> battlefield has 8 areas, 4 for defending contingents 4 for attacking contingents. 1st ones are the battlefield itself, 2nd ones are the fortification area (inside and ouside for the fool that attack the fortification), the reserve which is a zone out side the battle where you can push weak units if you don't want to loose them during the battle and the deadzone...)
- regents can be staked with a unit exe king Georges V is stake with an Heavy Cavalry (in this case we had his own statistics (that depends from his class(es) to 50% of the unit he's staked with (not a full unit since I consider that one as a free units of bodyguards)
- regents can have special bonuses depending on their class/level (can have up to 2 classes) bonus can be due to blood power and increase damage done in batlle ( bility is called deathblow) or reduce them (= invulnerabilty).
spell caster can also ave a chance to cast a free spell during battle to help.
That spell depends of the caster class and level (program doesn't allow you to choose the spell, you mage/priest will automaticaly try to cast the highest sspell he knows and he's allowed to cast - random generator so maby one battle you mage will cast a magic missile but previous one he casted a Charm unit spell (far more powerfull))

If somebody knows java i can send the source + database.
source is not done in good java since I adapted tye code based on my previous VB6 program so some part of the coding is not really object oriented (shame on me)

[vota dc]

Phase 8:[/u] Play testing

[Obviously we play the game we made] Two months of testing(debate this in phase 1 or 2).

I'm available for this phase.

[Mirviriam]

Awesome on the access db - those are just sql db's that don't require a full time admin nowadays.

We'll find a place for you to stick that - so we can pour over it. I'm going to try & get the wiki guys to post their standard entry mode so we can have a unified format for all our online data (wiki, this thing, future projects).

Maybe after we run the small test program we focus on a data base style that others can build off too? Then build our program on top of that format.

[Arjan]

Awesome on the access db - those are just sql db's that don't require a full time admin nowadays.

We'll find a place for you to stick that - so we can pour over it. I'm going to try & get the wiki guys to post their standard entry mode so we can have a unified format for all our online data (wiki, this thing, future projects).

Maybe after we run the small test program we focus on a data base style that others can build off too? Then build our program on top of that format.

eerrr right.. have you any idea what you want exactly? i am kinda lost here.
before we do anything i suggest you take the time to write down everything for this project.

this aint simple and needs to be structured from beginning to the end.

below is an example of a so called Project brief from the Prince2 method. it will help you to start up this project.

once this is done we can move on the deepen out the business case and finally the project plan...

it might seem like alot of work (and yes it is!) but it is very needed if we were to do this and get every face in the same direction and know what is in and out of scope. (save alot of Yes..buts..) ...and foremost: control of the project!


Sample project brief:

Purpose:
[A statement of the purpose of the Project Brief. The following is a “standard format” that may be used or adapted by the Project Manager:]

This document has been produced to capture a “first cut” view of the scope, investment needed, dependencies on other projects and anticipated payback so that the constituent parts of the Project/Programme can be prioritised, funded and authorised.. The Project Brief will provide the basis for the Project Authority (Project Board) to decide to authorise the creation of the Project Initiation Document (PID).

Background:
[Identification of the source of the undertak¬ing and its sponsor. Any previous reports, documentation etc that might impact on the development.]


Objectives:
[Specifically what is required to be achieved by the project, expressed wherever possible, in measurable terms; it is often helpful to identify separate objectives for the project itself (eg: target dates, expenditure profiles) and the project outcome (what the end-product is required to deliver during its life) ].


Scope, Exclusions & Interfaces:
[The major areas, functions, processes etc to be addressed during the project - essentially what is “in” and what is “out”. A simple "scoping diagram" may be appropriate]


Outline Deliverables (Products):
[A list of the expected and required Deliverables/Products/Outcomes) that the proposed project must create or acquire.]


Constraints:
[Restrictions on time, resources, funding, and/or the eventual outcome - a statement of the "no-go" areas for the project.]
Assumptions:
[Similar to constraints but more “expectation” than “restriction”.]



Outline Business Benefits/Business Case:
[Write a brief summary (max 1 x A4) of the Business Benefits that are expected to stem from this project.]


Preliminary Risk Assessment:
[Provide a commentary on the main risks as perceived at this early stage. The Risk Assessment Checklist can be completed or the questions used as a list of topics to be addressed with regard to project risk]


Customer’s Quality Expectations:
[A brief statement on the “level” of quality the Customer is expecting – for example is the Product “customer-facing” and needing to be perceived as a “quality product” or is the output of the project intended for internal use only and some degree of non-conformity to requirements capable of being tolerated.]


Acceptance Criteria:
[A definition, in measurable terms, of what must be done for the outcome of the project to be acceptable to the Customer (see Appendix A1 – PRINCE 2 Manual).]


Outline Project Plan:
[A brief statement of the proposed start and finish dates, likely review points, frequency of updating the plans with “actuals”, and Team reporting arrangements.]


Review & Reporting:
[The frequency of review required by management. Management reviews(End Stage Assessments) will be related to significant events during the life of the project to commit resources and authorise progress, but their frequency will be influenced by the management review requirements stated here.]


Financial/Budget Requirements:
[State the preliminary budgetary requirements for the project]


Timing:
[Assuming no external dependencies, when should work start?]


Additional Comment:
[Add any additional information to be brought to the Project Authority’s/Project Board’s attention.

[Rowan]

I don't know enough of all this programming stuff you guys are talking about to help (only having experience in VB and some of its derivatives). I do have some project management experience, however, and I want to back Arjan up on the necessity of really planning this stuff out and approaching it systematically and with discipline.

Someone mentioned Access. I was planning to continue dabbling in an Access DB I've been working on now that my time isn't so chewed up by grad work. However, what I had envisioned was really just an Access DB supported by a web portal. It looked to me like it could handle everything in BRCS. I'm not sure how extensive you wanted to make this project of yours, but I think Access can handle a table game or even a PBEM fairly well.

For a graphical representation of a future PBEM I wanted to run, I was planning on just using the Gorgon's Alliance editor and messing around with provinces, borders, roads, castles, holdings, etc. and then doing screenshots. Sure, it's limited in some respects, particularly limited to Anuire, but the screen map is a pretty basic, low-work method of producing graphics.

[Vicente]

I also think that a good planning is fundamental to the success of the project. Specially defining the scope of the project and what are the goals and deliverables to be produced by it.

About technology, I wouldn't worry too much. Mostly anything the team agrees will be able to run the game unless it becomes incredibly ambitious.