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[pencilcheck]

• Name: pencilcheck
• Social: Github: pencilcheck, IRC: pen@freenode.net
• From: Currently from Taiwan
• Skills / Tools: Programming languages: Javascript, Java, C/C++, Ruby, Python; Tools: VIM ftw, some eclipse; OS: Mac
• Found via: Was looking for some open source minecraft projects on Google and I found Terasology
• Interests: I'm interested in exploring more of what the voxel games could do. I am interested in seeing objects that particularly used for binding objects together like ropes, and perhaps having a way to select, store and place multiple blocks at once (like a house), lastly a bit about player interaction, to able to grab and push moving objects.
• Extra: I consider myself a quick learner as evidence from my familiarity of a plethora of programming languages while using a hardcore editor I really like this project a lot, I wish to see more out of it.

P.S. For someone who is curious: the title reads "Hello" in Chinese

 

[Cervator]

歡迎 !

Hopefully that means welcome, or the internet has misled me!

Your interests sound like a good spot to hit. We're beginning to do more with blocks like through @AdeAdeon his growing crafting system, you can throw blocks around (might be able to play bowling with some patience), and we'd like to get a mechanical system going more based on pushing things around, turning gears and axles, and so on, rather than semi-magic "redstone" sending signals and power from nowhere. Some of the nice industry mods for MC are in the right direction, would be nice to flavor with steampunk and some of Dwarf Fortress' focus on mechanisms moving power around, no easy batteries. Some theme/steampunk/flavor example threads: 1, 2, 3

As far as building structures we have Skaldarnar working on a "grammar" system for procedurally generating those and we've talked about various usages for blueprints here and there in the forum (need to make a proper central incubator thread for the topic sometime). There's also another thread for creating villages and such

One of my crazy ideas is that rather than create explicit train tracks and carts we come up with a system where properly shaped & powered blocks can serve as trains on top of appropriate tracks; or put some wheels on an axle, power it, and you can roll across terrain, but I'm not sure how realistic that is. It is certainly doable under some setups, like @ApeAperionked on a simulator like that for Rigs Of Rods in the past, but we can't necessarily do all the things inside Terasology all at once

Also: Vim is scary

 

[pencilcheck]

Wow, this thread is wonderful. Thanks for the introduction and links

For initial version, we don't have to do as much physics simulation as a full fledged game that designed around it. We should focus more on how to minimally introduce physics without losing the block world's original charm. Having some special blocks that serve as train is a really interesting idea. I think we could start with a simple model of a train that moves in one direction w/o tracks, and gradually add more control over. For example, a special type of block that only moves in straight line when someone stand on it, it cannot go up a level but can go down a level.

What do you think about physical entity such as ropes? How would it fit in this block world?

And also about managing batch of blocks at the same time

P.S. That's correct, it is welcome in Chinese
Vim is a little rough at first, but once you know what you are doing, it starts to become invisible and you can start editing text, coding like a pro, trust me on this

 

[Cervator]

I love the idea of ropes being able to "hold" something of a certain weight before breaking (or triggering something), or allowing things to swing freely while being suspended. Right now physics-enabled blocks can exist and bounce around in the world, I'm not sure how we go beyond that or how far we can (or should) go.

I liked how in jMonkeyEngine's IDE (customized NetBeans) there is a vehicle framework complete with shock absorbers, functional wheels, and fun stuff like that. I think all based on Bullet, which we also use, along with some extensions in TeraBullet.

A simple example possible right now would be to build a long slope (using any block in a slope shape) then dropping a loose block on it. It'll roll down naturally. We've talked about friction settings in the past to help things slide better, maybe playing with that on a horizontal surface (on top a special block set to be friction-less, with barriers on the side) would allow for a sort of unpowered locomotion. Then go from there with adding momentum to the moving block and limited friction to the track? Then up and down slopes, wheels and hinges, latches for additional carts, etc ...

Edit: Oh, also, Aperion brought up the potential for boats. That's another block interaction example that would be cool to work with and likely exercise some interesting mechanics

 

[Esereja]

it would be good if boats and vehicles could be build of blocks. that would give some special feeling to them(think about living van).

And Welcome to team.

 

[pencilcheck]

Would there be a tutorial on how to use TeraBullet from Terasology?

Hey Esereja, Nice to meet you.

 

[Cervator]

Alas, no. TeraBullet isn't our most used dependency. It may only be Immortius (as the author) and aherber (combat system branch) that have used it so far, or even done much at all with physics-based collisions.

 

[pencilcheck]

I just had a chat with Immortius, and touched on the current status of the Physics Arch. Seems like he is not quite content with what the current Arch right now, and he said he will be taking care of it once Combat system is pulled. Combat system! Can't wait for a lightsaber fight in TS

I want to start working on adding dynamic objects and perhaps introducing elastic bindings between objects later, do I have to do the incubator thingy as well before starting to code on it?

 

[Skaldarnar]

Hey pencilcheck, welcome on board!

You don't have to start with the incubator, just clone the repo and start what you are aiming for. Once you are finished, make a pull request, then soon the contributor badge will fly in and you can handle all the bureaucratic things

It seems that you are more interested in physics, which is fine of course. If you come up with some ideas on how to improve the "block collection" handling don't hesitate to post it somewhere. Currently, there is the BlockCollection class for some rudimentary handly, and one can build/place such a collection in one step in the world. But there is no information stored about it, so building just the house is possible at the moment, but placing hooks for NPC/player interaction still needs work!

 

[pencilcheck]

Hey Skaldarnar No problem, I will try to avoid that as much as possible if I could.

I saw your PAG spec. It was pretty cool stuff. Love about how there is even a paper for that
How can I play with your PAG stuff? Is it pulled yet?

Do you mean to be able to place/store a structure, like a tree from player? I could imagine that would be something really cool.

 

[Skaldarnar]

Unfortunately, theres is no implementation for the grammar parser and lexer and right now, so all you can do is playing around with hard coded grammar It's not pulled yet, I would like to fix some minor bugs and adjust some things.

Technically, trees use a other form of L-system at the moment, and as far as I know someone is porting a python version of the space colonization algorithm to java. But if you hava a look at my "buildinggen" branch where a simple "/build" command is integrated (--> GitHub).

 

[pencilcheck]

Yes, trees are generated and so are the other stuff in the world. But what I mean is that I want to be able to group certain blocks that fit into an existing blueprint (PAG?) into one unit for players to interact with at appropriate levels. For example, players can select and focus on a tree as a whole instead of the individual blocks of the tree that they could interact with it just like any other blocks in the world, perhaps storing it to inventory or place it at certain location.

I'm working on something that might revolutionize how traditional minecraft players view blocks in their daily encounter. I'm excited at the results that would bring. I am still working on the details, and it seems like the current system is not ready for the new idea yet.

 

[Esereja]

But keep the idea and we can work on it later on just document it. And lets make basics first and then we can focus on something more cool.