Death Zone Zero: Update: New Unit "Cannoneer"

New in this update is the Cannoneer, a mobile artillery unit with a devastating, far-reaching attack. The only problem is the projectile takes a long time to get there; when the Cannoneer attacks, his shot only arrives at the target at the next turn, giving enemies a chance to run and take cover from his attack.


http://anomalousunderdog.herobo.com/Unity/DZZPrototype.html

Note that I don't have a 3d model for the Cannoneer yet— heck, I still don't have concept art for him yet, so I'm still using the placeholder 3d model of the Rifleman.

Death Zone Zero: Rifleman Concept Art

So I decided to take a break from programming and do some concept art.

The Rifleman 3d model I'm using right now is in fact just placeholder art. Its not the real Rifleman that I'll be using in the final version of the game. So me and my buddies made some concept art for the new Rifleman.


This one is made by Ryan Sumo. Here's his blog and portfolio.




This one I made myself. I'm heavily influenced by art from STALKER.

Death Zone Zero: Update: Basic Attack AI now working

The enemies now attack your units in addition to fleeing.


http://anomalousunderdog.herobo.com/Unity/DZZPrototype.html

Death Zone Zero: Update: Preliminary AI now working

The enemies will now retreat when their HP becomes 50% or lower. That's about it.


http://anomalousunderdog.herobo.com/Unity/DZZPrototype.html

Language Discrimination

I had a funny thing happen to me just now. I couldn't get any help in Unity's IRC chat channel because I use Unityscript, Unity's version of Javascript, instead of the more sophisticated C# language.

[11:41] <_underdog> hi all
[11:41] <_underdog> I got a question
[11:42] <_underdog> when I put a yield WaitForSeconds in my function, Unity gives me the error "The return type of a generator must be either 'System.Collections.IEnumerable' or 'object'."
[11:42] <_underdog> any idea why?
[11:43] <blitzwing> language?
[11:43] <tigeba> http://unity3d.com/support/documentation/ScriptReference/index.Writing_Scripts_in_Csharp.html
[11:43] <_underdog> unityscript
[11:43] <blitzwing> learn C#.
[11:43] <_underdog> why whats wrong?
[11:44] <blitzwing> its js... you're stunting you're abilities
[11:44] <_underdog> what's wrong with js?
[11:44] <_underdog> what does it have to do with the problem at hand?
[11:45] <blitzwing> the only people answering you are C# coders :)
[11:45] <_underdog> discrimination :(
[11:45] <dr_link> Shame how C# is Microsoft made. :(
[11:45] <blitzwing> not really
[11:45] <_underdog> yes it is
[11:45] <blitzwing> MS put a lot of time into it
[11:45] <dr_link> Not necessarily this version of C#
[11:46] <blitzwing> Anders Hilgberg was Mr Delphi.
[11:46] <dr_link> lol @ his name
[11:46] <dr_link> anyway
[11:46] <_underdog> I hate Microsoft btw
[11:47] <blitzwing> good for you.

I was given some help later on.

[11:49] <tigeba> _underdog: FWIW when people ask about that error its usually because they are using C# but trying to use the unityscript syntax
[11:50] <tigeba> for the coroutine
[11:50] <_underdog> hmmm I see, its weird tho, I'm using unityscript all the way
[11:51] <tigeba> try the coroutine example
[11:51] <blitzwing> well its not wierd, thats just a common mistake people new to C# make
[11:51] <tigeba> in the docs, it should work
[11:51] <blitzwing> seeing you're not using C#, it doesn't appy to you

"Strategy RPG Test" Is Now Called "Death Zone Zero"

I've finally decided on an official name for Strategy RPG Test: Death Zone Zero.

Test title art for the game. Font "Interplanetary Crap™" © 1998 Ray Larabie

The story is that the world is now a post-nuclear wasteland, and there are areas marked as "Death Zones", places considered hazardous for human life because of nuclear radiation, lawlessness, and infestation of mutated animals.

Still, there are people who see opportunity in these lands: from criminals, to freelancers, to governments, they all have their own agenda for embarking on these Death Zones.

Roam the Death Zones and lead your band of mercenaries to victory against AI controlled opponents or other human players.

Death Zone Designation Number Zero was the very first, and the most established.

Strategy RPG Test AI Planning

I've finally thought of a way to add AI in the Strategy RPG Test. Taking inspiration from the tactics feature in Dragon Age: Origins, each unit's AI would have a list of conditions and corresponding actions, for example, I would set the condition as "if the unit has less than 50% HP" and the corresponding action as "flee from enemies".

The list would be prioritized, in that higher conditions get activated first before lower ones. Lower conditions would be "if enemy in sight", "attack enemy", and then a final fallback action that gets executed without any condition needed like "search for enemies".

That list of conditions and actions would be defined in an XML file and then loaded into the game.

I guess this is why it pays off to play games, you get to study and understand how they work.

I had fun playing Dragon Age: Origins by the way. I played as a Human Male Arcane Warrior.