Development:Roadmap:0.6.0

Roadmap

Vega Strike Upon the Coldest Sea stable version 0.5.0 was released on 2008-04-24.

This is a task list for intermediate 0.5.x releases. The stuff that should get done before the until 0.6.0 release.

There are up to three sections in each roadmap release chapter:

• VS Engine relates to: modifications to c++, shaders, and python code (not including missions), repository structure changes, packaging system, support tools
• VS Data relates to: modifications to art, data, and mission scripts
• Other relates to: documentation, wiki, project web page, masters repository, project management

Each item should also have a tag attached at the end in the form of [development-coordinator{=username}, STATUS{=OPEN, ONGOING, DONE}]

0.5.1

VS Engine

• [FINISHED] (safemode) Separate bin and data tree structure. Note: those who have data4.x already, set your client to not pull external repos or cancel when it tries to download data4.x. Then move your current data4.x alongside /bin, renaming it to data. Updates should work seamlessly and recurse into /data and /bin afterwards. Newcomers can just pull win32.
• [FINISHED] (Ace123) Rename data4.x to data and patch corresponding source code where necessary.
• [FINISHED] (safemode) Make a high quality graphics texture pack (hqtextures).
• [FINISHED] (pyramid) 8 faces for armor HUD image
• [FINISHED] (pyramid) Updates to the shader (commit chuck's unit shader)
• [ONGOING] (klauss) Add support for "TexturePackingVersion" variable in xmesh
• [ONGOING] (klauss) Tangent support for normal maps
• [ONGOING] (klauss) sound refactoring phase I - basic functionality
• [ONGOING] (klauss) movie support
• [OPEN] (?) Shader support for planets (new unit.csv column)
• [OPEN] (?) Preparation of a cross-platform packaging system
• Minor bug fixes.

VS Data

• [FINISHED] (safemode) requires a manual edit to config file to uncomment hqtextures line. This will be resolved with new vssetup. drop hqtextures down next to /data to use it.
• [FINISHED] (pyramid) Higher pay for combat missions.
• [ONGOING] (pyramid) Tutorial mission
• [ONGOING] (pyramid) Porting of old quests to new engine (done: shipyard,
• [OPEN] (?) Units retexturing including bumpmaps. List of required changes needs to be prepared.

0.5.2

VS Engine

• Ray Collider. (alongside bsp collider tunable via configure switch ala how opcode was done). Wont be turned on by default until 0.5.3
• More shader fixes, texture updates/additions.
• Make tools and readers operate on a Proper XML format , this could be switchable via special comment at top of xml input. This is for backwards compat with non proper xml files in mods. To be made default in 0.5.5
• sound refactoring Phase II would add mixer channels (a feature to get seamless blending with music, comm chatter and sfx)

VS Data

• [OPEN] (pyramid) Extensions renaming and standardization (.image, .texture, .sprite).

0.5.3

VS Engine

• [OPEN] (safemode) Ray collider turned on, BSP stuff removed.
• [OPEN] (klauss) XGUI support for scripts
• Planet specific shaders.
• More shader fixes (should be pretty good by now), texture updates/additions
• [OPEN] (safemode) Continue to work on proper XML parsing in engine
• update xml files in VS to be proper mode
• setup tool

0.5.4

VS Engine

• [ONGOING SPECIFICATION] (klauss, darkmage) content creation tools: end user tools for helping with content creation. These should be a part of vegastrike code-base, to keep things in sync and reduce maintenance.
• make proper xml mode default, remove code to parse obsolete xml-ish code.
• Get codebase stabilized in prep for refactoring graphics code.

0.5.5

VS Engine

• Refactor graphics code.
• [OPEN] (ace123) Make jump points be drawn on HUD only.

0.5.6

• Bug fixes.
• Texture additions/ etc
• Document refactored graphics and sound code.

0.5.7

• Thread graphics code and sound code with boost threads.
• Bug Fixing.

0.5.9

• sound refactoring Phase III would add environmental effects
• Bug Fixing.
• Documenation
• Credits

0.6.0

• Minor bug fixes from previous revision
• Packaging

Generic 0.6.0 Roadmap

This roadmap is in need of further break down to tasks and assignment of those.

Factions rework

• • Hierarchical factions (e.g. *_citizen, affects *)
  • Allowing for non-factions (privateer is already our nonfaction, we just need to fix some of the behavior.)
• Faction-level AI
• Ability for player joining a faction
• AI micro (ship, fg), macro(fg/faction), and faction-level AI

Content Creation Tools

• Prerequisite: straight XML
• System Editor
• Unit Editor
• CSV Editor (MPL, faction_ships.py, units.csv)
• Mission Editor
• Campaign Editor
• Config Editor

Multiplayer

• Persistence (systems, bases, flight groups, …)

Building/Packaging

• Move to cmake

Documentation

• Document the general function/flow of the game
• Engine internals, API (development documentation)
• Python bindings
• Should we use the builtin python documentation standards for documenting this stuff--maybe in the stubs folder?

Engine rework

• Audio subsystem overhaul
• Support for texture versions