Roadmap.

[Ze_PilOt]

Here is the roadmap for Galactic War.

I will start working on it this week-end.
I will finish the planet display layer and integrate the planet class system.

I'm planning to finish to integrate the galaxy editor to the galaxy display for the end of the month/mid-February at worst.
Meaning that around that time, I will be able to display all the planets + the sectors + the connections between planets.
At that time, even if different textures will be possible in the engine, they will probably have the same.

Starting the integration with the client and the server will start after that.
- Sending the planets infos (territories, positions, size, ....) to the client.
- Displaying the 2d layer of information for planets.
- Updating the 3d map accordingly to the client.
- Implementing the server/client protocol to update in real-time the datas.
- Implementing the interface (IRC chat, stats,..)

I'm aiming at the end march to finish all this.

The next step is implementing the rules and the client back-end.
- Implementing the attack/defense/credits points.
- Implementing the victory conditions.
- Registering users to a faction and make him start on the map.
- And last but not least, implementing a simple 1 versus 1 mode to test the rules.

At this point alpha testers will be invited to test the system. Expect lot of bugs and resets until that part works correctly.
We will also try several rules ideas (special planets, ...), as long as it doesn't required any special work in FA. (think of "board" rules, not special things happening in game).

At the same time, I will work on the textures for planets, and others features for FAF in general.
I'm also counting of some help to start implementing new game modes into FA, in LUA.

It will probably take us to mid-April, beginning of May.

The beta phase will start after that.
More players will be invited to test the system. GW would be able to launch any featured mod as game type.
At this point, VS AI, survival, ... Will be tested.
If some rule ideas requires special work in FA, it will be tested at this point.

If the idea goes through, the special environment for home system will implemented too.

When all is working properly, GW will be opened to anyone, and a first real small game will start (low amount of planets to test rapidly the whole system one last time).

If all is working correctly, I'm aiming at a release in July with all the features implemented.

Like FAF itself, it will be modular enough to implement new game modes for the fights, but the general set of rules won't move from that point.

Remember that during that time, a new balance patch will take place, as well as other features for FAF. That will take some time from GW development (I will try to make them happen during testing phases).

[ColonelSheppard]

July = Examina finished =

[ZaphodX]

Thanks for the info. How will alpha testers be selected and is it possible to apply to be an alpha tester?

[Ze_PilOt]

Alpha testers will be contributors to the project

[ColonelSheppard]

YESSSS

[Ze_PilOt]

(and maybe other people if I don't get any to test anything

[Ze_PilOt]

Also, for those who were worried that I think too big, you can see that adding game modes will actually be trivial once the backend is in place.

Keep also in mind that most of it is already in place : it's FAF.
The whole code was though with modularity and inter-connection in mind.
I can already start 4v4 between players with a specific mod and a specific map with the current code.

Most of the work will be on displaying infos/making the UIs, and of course the whole set of rules and games. The "basic" that you were worried about is actually already done

[Kekouse]

When Zep started FAF he set a roadmap. In the end he was way ahead of schedule....something like 6 months ahead.
So if someone can pull it, it's him.

(et je voulais te filer des thunes par virement direct coco...si ca t'intéresse, réponds moi. Sinon tant pis j'irai me taper un resto avec )

[Gyle]

Got Wood.

Let me know Zep if and when you want help with any of the extras you mentioned

[Ze_PilOt]

You can start writing some introduction, fluff, back story for the game enders (other than winning all the planets), ....

In the private forum, there is a post with backstories for each planet and zone.