Data Export - Debug and Multiplayer Ops (using xRTML)

Another quick update.

Thanks to Sergio's efforts we have a working prototype for a potential online 'war-room'. Using XRTML and a proxy application dubbed RTCH (Real Time CombatHelo interface?) which listens on a local port.  Combat-Helo and tools pushes data in and out of proxy. The proxy communicates with the XRTML server farm which distributes data to and from all listening browser pages. We'll be working on a HTML5 Canvas tool so we can render more complex data such as vector graphics. This potentially allows players and their friends access to their game sessions - in real-time - through a browser. I've also sent aircraft and avionic "state" data from the helicopter which would allow for browser based instrument repeaters. By adding code to certain base classes that use "reflection" I can now view debug data remotely which is going to be a huge time-saver for me.

This has been created as a development aid and proof-of-concept. With such a system, players across the world don't even need the game running to participate in planning and execution.

Just started on Mission editor and Event Manager

Nexus 7 Google Chrome being updated by game data real-time.

The proxy app could also be interfaced with FSX via SimConnect and pushed to browsers in the same way.

Over the coming week, mission code and mobile units will be migrated from the test modules into the game so I can begin integrated testing.

New sprint cycle - Data extraction

This week saw me starting on a new sprint cycle of development (I've been contaminated by Agile "terminology" at work). I fixed some outstanding shader bugs and will be updating how the game launches this week. After a bit of an absence from the main build, coming back to Combat-Helo's cockpit was "wow", someone should really finish this and ship it. What more inspiration do you need?

It also highlighted the problem in that I couldn't remember how to operate the sensors, accidentally stowing and powering off the FCR in an attempt to switch back to ground FCR mode :/

I've never been happy with the stand-in grunt to run around in first-person mode to get to game functions, jumping back to the original design of the 'gods eye' view of the base, this seems both faster, more intuitive and (lets face it) a lot less work.

xRTML Debugging

To speed up development I'm integrating some remote debugging features in the form of IBTs xRTML (Extensible Real-Time Multiplatform Language) technology courtesy of "Spac3Rat" and technology evangelist (also known as Sèrgio). I was finally persuaded by a combat-helo moving map demo he wrote and sent to me. Much impressed by this map in a web-browser (works on tablets too) I've added JSON functions to combat-helo which will push out pretty much anything we want from my instance of the game. So all flight model, AI and waypoint data will eventually be pushed, just to see how far it will go.

SpaceRat's browser based real-time data app

One of the problems I've had during development is getting at simulation data while the game is running. Mostly this is a display issue, real-time watching of HTR and sensor variables on screen tends to make everything hard to see. Putting it onto a kneepad real-time seems like a win-win as this can be used in the released game for all kinds of cool stuff I can leave end users to play with.

I hope to bring you a link so you can watch test flights around the map in real-time in Google Chrome real soon. Won't be thrilling but at least you'll know when I'm working, or not working :)


Enough chatter. Back to the sprint.