The official Adeo website

I've been working on a major subsystem for Adeo's engine - serialization. Allow me to explain further.

For those that aren't in-the-know, serialization is the process of taking run-time data and saving it to file, as well as reading it back from file into memory (data). Any time information of any kind needs to be saved, you're talking about serialization of some sort. With Adeo, everything in the game is an object of any number of types. Now for the technicals.

All objects that need to be written to file (or otherwise have in-game-world representations) derive from a single Object class. The Object class maintains a list of known properties - this constitutes its meta-data. The Object class uses this list to know :

what variables require serializing/unserializing
the types of those variables
how to handle custom variable types

What this ultimately does is change the serialization process from every class writing to file its properties in a very specific manner to every class registering with itself its variables and their properties, allowing the Object class functionality to process in a generic fashion all serialization needs.

The additional benefit to generating meta-data and using it for serialization resides in Adeo's editor. Once the serialization subsystem is working again (under this new method), the editor will be able to allow direct editing of any object's properties. It could also allow the manual creation of new objects.

posted by: Pfhoenix

And we're back... again // March 31, 2008

So, after a length haitus, work on version 0.2.0 has resumed. I've updated the changelog with some beginning information. Nothing spectacular yet, just a lot of internal reorganization in order to make life easier both immediately and down the road.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Seeming strange, yet familiar // November 5, 2006 02:14AM

After fixing some bugs that have apparently been around for at least a few major revisions, version 0.1.7 is ready for public consumption. This isn't to say that everything is perfect and bug-free, so if you feel that you've discovered something of significance, by all means let me know.

Naturally, there is a complete lack of readme or any form of instructions to get someone started with Adeo right now. That being said, however, always right click and explore your options. Also, search every chest and wall locker (the only two containers in the game currently, but this is due to lack of textures, not game object functionality), and always *always* *ALWAYS* read every note, book, and terminal you come across. Did I mention you should always read everything you can?

v0.1.7's maps are meant to serve as an introduction to Adeo, from an interface, interactivity, and game mechanics standpoint. Only the star system map is randomly generated, and the next version will include major, sweeping engine changes. The changelog is somewhat accurate, and hopefully I'll do a lot better with the next version.

All that said, enjoy v0.1.7, play around with things, and again - all constructive comments are welcome.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Space, the final test // November 2, 2006 10:56AM

Solar systems are no longer static. Planets orbit about the center of the system, moons orbit about their planets, even binary stars orbit about each other. While you fly around in space, you will be able to see the motion of the celestial bodies as well. For the 0.1.7 release (coming really, really soon), this effect will be greatly exaggerated. Afterwards, orbital rates will be toned down to more realistic levels.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Asteroids and other space goodness // June 25, 2006 03:48PM

Solar systems will now have a (though slight) chance of having asteroid belts. Asteroid belts will be a major source of materials for mining, though your average barren moon will still be a decent mining target.

I've decided to throw out the idea of having different atmosphere types. You'll still be able to space walk, but the proces will be much simpler.

I've added a new screenshot - shows generation of asteroid belts in space maps now."

posted by: Pfhoenix

Progress and odd ideas // June 5, 2006 09:08PM

Work on 0.1.7 continues. Turns out, I'm not happy with hacking in being able to land inside an asteroid in a random cave. So, not only do I want to handle landing on space body surfaces properly, but I've also had an idea :

What about atmospheres?

I think it'd be cool to require players wanting to space walk (or land and explore potentially unfavorable atmosphere'd planets) to use what I call Atmosuits (atmospheric suits). Atmosuits would be rated for different atmospheres, or lack thereof. Of course, this begs the question of "How many atmosphere types will there be?" The answer is, of course, "I have no freakin' idea." What I'm still thinking through is just how complicated I want this to be. Having to worry about atmospheres isn't something I initially thought of (though, arguably, should have). So, I'm to a point where I'm attempting to work out how natives of one atmosphere would be affected by others, and I've even gone so far as to start thinking about atmospheric pressure ranges. It's to a point that I can look at all my notes and see that the whole thing is getting too complicated, and I'm starting to make too many arbitrary (meaning without any sense of internal consistency and reason) effects and relations. The whole thing needs to be scaled back, but the more I think about it, either I have to work out something involving atmosphere types and pressures, or I kill the entire idea of walking on moons in spacesuits.

Either way, I'm working on things more at the moment. Real life (thanks to the military) has a way of eating up all free time.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Is this thing still on? // April 3, 2006 01:49PM

Looking at the timestamp of the last update, you'd expect the project to just be dead. That is definitely not the case. However, it does mean that the development went on unannounced and unrecorded. Two whole versions have come and gone (currently working on 0.1.7), which means absolute gobs of functionality have gone undocumented on the changelog.

My bad.

Development should pick up a little more now that I've found myself with more time lately. This means that I'm pretty close to finishing a 0.1.7 release, which will showcase being in ships, flying them, and landing on planets/asteroids/moons/whatnot (as well as taking off again).

For now, check out the new screenshots.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Lengthy Progress // November 14, 2004 01:12 AM

It's been a while, and though I've only had the time recently to work on Adeo more, I believe the state of the engine is now in a better state (from the perspective of organization and ease of development). A lot of under-the-hood stuff has been fixed and modified, and yet one of the most apparent didn't take the longest - I've replaced the textures directory with a texture package archive. Along with this is an editor utility, but only those helping with the artwork will have access to that.

Speaking of which, my friend Veli-Matti (Olento) is working on a new tileset; slightly larger, already what he has looks worlds better than the current texture work. I'm really looking forwards to seeing the complete set in operation.

Where work stands right now : I'm waiting for the new tileset from VM, and I'll be starting work on a map editor soon, which will make defining spaceship objects possible within the (soon to be solidified but not priority on the todo list yet) object data file..

posted by: Pfhoenix

Update // February 8, 2004 01:13 PM

After some work, most of the old functionality is now fit into the new mouse interface. By right clicking, you gain access to available actions given what's on the tile you clicked on.

Currently, I'm working on the new inventory window.

If you're interested in checking out the new interface, try this.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Alive and sort of kicking // January 27, 2004 09:12 AM

It's only been lately that I've been working on Adeo again. To that end, I've made an important decision - Adeo will be mouse interfaced enabled, and keyboard (roguelike controls) disabled.

Does this make Adeo not a roguelike? Sure, if the keyboard interface is what defines a roguelike to you. Heck, many people have complained about the graphics issue too.

However, at least at the moment, Adeo is as roguelike as Diablo, though turn-based with an advanced action time system. I've also started pondering a body part injury/aiming system, but that won't get in place until some basic AI and combat code is up and running.

So, what's different now, you might ask. At the moment, the player can be moved around by clicking on an empty square. I've also started work on using popup context menus (right clicking on things) to allow the player to do things either at a distance or at all.

The changelog is being updated as well (for a change).

posted by: Pfhoenix

v0.1.3 release // July 21, 2003 12:37 AM

About bloody time.

The latest version, v0.1.3, changes and adds a lot to Adeo, both visually and engine-wise. I removed the walls around the lock tutorial area in order to make it easy for people to play around with things as they want. There's a new screenshot posted (a little dated, actually, but newer than the rest), the changelog has been updated, and v0.1.3 is sitting on the download page, waiting.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Updates // June 15, 2003 02:24 AM

I'm getting pretty close to a v0.1.3 release. Tonight I finally got working the core functionality for the turn handling system, which allows for all entities/NPCs to decide what they're going to do without thinking in terms of turns at all, but instead by a simulated game time. Along with that, I've started the basics for the event system by which the player will get notifications of things happening around him/her, and NPCs will be able to do things based off of the same.

posted by: Pfhoenix

Status update // June 1, 2003 10:50 PM

Between my other two projects, I've started developing Adeo some more. At the moment, I'm working on basic vehicle implementation in order to be able to properly render space maps. I've also extended the rendering functionality more properly encapsulate graphics per object, and to allow simple manipulation without breaking the rendering chain (changing rendering states). Yay me.

posted by: Pfhoenix

At long last // January 21, 2003 10:18 PM

After a good amount of work, I've finally implemented enough to up the version and release another stable, playable build.

What took so long?, you might ask. Well, in order to progress any further, I had to get some basic gameplay framework down, like player/NPC inventory, separating out some nasty code and replacing it with code that can be more easily managed by an AI, tweaked with lighting and rendering, and some other stuff (listed on the changes page).

You will note off the bat that the test map has changed. Indeed. Now, the test map consists of an area designed to teach the player how to manipulate doors, locks, and keycards (which mandated implementing generic object/item use code). In Adeo, there will be no hacking skill, nor will there be a lock picking skill. Instead, how well you do something is reliant on your experience with sub-actions or sub-components; for example, hacking locks takes a good knowledge of electronics (depending on the complexity of the lock circuitry), as well as a general competency. That's going to be my focus for skills with Adeo, I want to move away from stereotypical skills (such as lock picking), and force the player to understand that that his/her success is reliant on 1) character knowledge in general (the simulation) and 2) the player's understanding of how systems and objects interact (the realism).

Have fun playing with v0.1.2, it took a good amount of work to get things working properly (only a few minor gripes I have currently, but they're aesthetic). As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

posted by: Pfhoenix