Oolite Bulletins

Thanks! I'll check these editors out! To be quite honest, I'm only just learning to program with these languages. I have had at one time had enough knowledge to make a simple MUD with C++ and had some experience using Scratch, but game programming is something I really do want to learn. At least with sleep, wifi, passion, and most importantly, ramen, there's nothing that can't be accomplished

Oh, and GNUstep IS openStep, right? So N++ and Oolite is all I really need? And Oolite uses GNUstep particularly or a different openStep version? Thanks so much guys

Dog G6 wrote:

Oh, and GNUstep IS openStep, right? So N++ and Oolite is all I really need? And Oolite uses GNUstep particularly or a different openStep version? Thanks so much guys

I think there is some confusion about <prefix>step, so this is what GNUstep is, taken from the project's homepage, http://www.gnustep.org :

The purpose of this project is to create a free and open version of the Cocoa (formerly known as NeXTSTEP/OpenStep) APIs and tools for as many platforms as possible.

The version of GNUstep used in Oolite is 1.20.1 and we use only the Foundation (gnustep-base) part of the framework, which is essentially what amounts to a portable standard library of objects, classes and methods for Objective-C.

OpenStep, in the context we have used it in this thread, is one of the formats available for writing plists. The other two are XML and binary. As mentioned, we use the OpenStep format for most plists in the game due to its readability.

So, to answer your question: If you intend doing scripting, shaders programming and AI mainly, then Oolite (Test Release distribution), Debug Console and Notepad++ will be all you need. If you intend doing graphics, textures etc., you will need a graphics manipulation package like Photoshop, Gimp or others. If you intend adding sound effects and/or music to the game, a relevant application capable of generating and processing .ogg files will be needed too.

Thank you very much. Just want to double check everything. I've been reading about openStep all day, and I can already see some very obvious advantages it has, syntax-wise and accessability-wise. Sorry for my looping, I haven't ever really researched Objective-C and it's child languages. I've played games for so long, I think it's finally time to drove into what makes them tick. I'm very glad I found Oolite, and I hope to be able to make some good OXPs that expand it's features.

cim wrote:

the two pages I keep open almost permanently when doing OXP programming are [wiki]OXP_howto[/wiki] and [wiki]Oolite_JavaScript_object_model[/wiki]. There is a link to almost every necessary reference page on one or the other. [wiki]OXP_Distribution[/wiki] is also worth reading.

Thanks for those links, cim. I already knew [wiki]OXP_howto[/wiki] and [wiki]Oolite_JavaScript_object_model[/wiki], but haven't run into [wiki]OXP_Distribution[/wiki] yet. An excellent document!

Dog G6 wrote:

I'll also look into the gvim GGShinobi.

Glad to hear that! If you want you can find my _vimrc for Windows here (ok, it's not well maintained, but...):
https://www.box.com/s/3w212gjer9edh8oe0j4e

The vimrc is the configuration file that let's you tailor vim to your personal taste. Just drop it into your vim-folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Vim on my machine), and rename it to _vimrc. Just don't forget to backup your own _vimrc before you do that. Or perhaps better than replacing your vimrc, just copy/paste the sections that you want (from mine or other vimrc-files).

gizmo wrote:

Although I have to agree with GGShinobi: vi is the only editor you'll ever need.

Yeah gizmo! Gimme five!!

Diziet Sma wrote:

There are plenty of good editors around, but how many can syntax-check openStep code? SciTE can't, and nor can vi/vim.

Yes, Diziet Sma is right, many good editors out there. It's a matter of taste. Hmm, before I learned vim I used emacs. Since openStep / GNUStep sounds like it is somehow connected to the GNU Project, shouldn't emacs have full support for that?

Hmm, and I admit I don't know much about openStep code (yet) , but there's also a plugin for vim that enables syntax highlighting for plist-files: http://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=1223 (ok, it's last update was 2005, but it seems to work )

Dog G6, if you try vim, perhaps you might want to install that, too. Just drop it into your syntax-folder (under windows on my machine that is C:\Program Files (x86)\Vim\vimfiles\syntax)

Diziet Sma wrote:

And if you want a good cross-platform editor, you may as well go with Sublime Text 2 and actually enjoy using it.
(and you can even enable vi-mode on it, if you're that way inclined)

Hey, now what's that supposed to mean? I am enjoying using vim! Very much so!! *shakes his head*

Diziet Sma wrote:

Oh, and since we've all gone and forgotten our manners..


Welcome aboard, Dog G6!

Whoops, ahem, yeah sorry!! Welcome Dog G6!! (I'm pretty new myself, does this count as an excuse?)

Diziet Sma wrote:

(and welcome to the Dark Side, which is what we call OXP writing around here.. )

Whut??? The dark side? I didn't know that... I wanted to be on the light side... Awww well ok, who cares. I like it here!

EDIT: corrected folder for vim syntax-files (it's "syntax", not "plugin"! (who would have thought that!) )

GGShinobi wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

(and welcome to the Dark Side, which is what we call OXP writing around here..

Whut??? The dark side? I didn't know that... I wanted to be on the light side... Awww well ok, who cares. I like it here!

Cool... have a cookie! And welcome aboard to Dog G6, while I'm at it.

GGShinobi wrote:

Hmm, before I learned vim I used emacs. Since openStep / GNUStep sounds like it is somehow connected to the GNU Project, shouldn't emacs have full support for that?

Emacs? "The editor that thinks it's an Operating System"? Is there anyone so masochistic that they actually still use that monster?

GGShinobi wrote:

there's also a plugin for vim that enables syntax highlighting for plist-files: http://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=1223 (ok, it's last update was 2005, but it seems to work )

Now that is interesting news.. thanks!

GGShinobi wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

And if you want a good cross-platform editor, you may as well go with Sublime Text 2 and actually enjoy using it.
(and you can even enable vi-mode on it, if you're that way inclined)

Hey, now what's that supposed to mean? I am enjoying using vim! Very much so!! *shakes his head*

<chuckles>

GGShinobi wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

(and welcome to the Dark Side, which is what we call OXP writing around here.. )

Whut??? The dark side? I didn't know that... I wanted to be on the light side... Awww well ok, who cares. I like it here!

Well, the reason it's called that is because it sucks you in and takes you over, until you end up spending far more time on your OXPs than you do actually playing the game.. and once you're in its' grip, there's no escape..

Diziet Sma wrote:

GGShinobi wrote:

Hmm, before I learned vim I used emacs. Since openStep / GNUStep sounds like it is somehow connected to the GNU Project, shouldn't emacs have full support for that?

Emacs? "The editor that thinks it's an Operating System"? Is there anyone so masochistic that they actually still use that monster?

Yes. (Who wouldn't want an editor you can also play Elite on?)

O. M. F. G.

Emacs really is an Operating System.

In all this discussion of tools for OXPs, I've just realised we've overlooked something..


If you wish to create objects that appear in-game, you'll need Blender or Wings3D as well.

Diziet Sma wrote:

GGShinobi wrote:

there's also a plugin for vim that enables syntax highlighting for plist-files: http://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=1223 (ok, it's last update was 2005, but it seems to work )

Now that is interesting news.. thanks!

You're welcome! As a matter of fact, I didn't know it myself, until I read your post and searched the web!

Diziet Sma wrote:

GGShinobi wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

(and welcome to the Dark Side, which is what we call OXP writing around here.. )

Whut??? The dark side? I didn't know that... I wanted to be on the light side... Awww well ok, who cares. I like it here!

Well, the reason it's called that is because it sucks you in and takes you over, until you end up spending far more time on your OXPs than you do actually playing the game.. and once you're in its' grip, there's no escape..

Oh I see... It's already got me. Oh no! I've been sucked into the Ooniverse! And not only that by now I'm spending more time on sighting the inside of OXPs (I have to gather knowledge for my planned Long Range Scanner) and reading this awesome and very entertaining forum than I spend on playing the game - I'm also neglecting other thinks, like studying, working, sports, sleeping, eating! NooOOooooooooOOOooooooo....!

cim wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

Emacs? "The editor that thinks it's an Operating System"? Is there anyone so masochistic that they actually still use that monster?

Yes. (Who wouldn't want an editor you can also play Elite on?)

Awesome!!! Didn't know that! Cooooool!

Diziet Sma wrote:

If you wish to create objects that appear in-game, you'll need Blender or Wings3D as well.

Oh, good that you mention that. I'm probably gonna need that, too, so I just grabbed Blender from the Ubuntu Software Center. I see, there's still much to learn!

Diziet Sma wrote:

gizmo wrote:

For Linux there is at least CodeEditor and ProjectManager (an IDE).

CodeEditor has not been maintained since April 2004, and uses StepTalk for scripting support, which has not been maintained since June 2005. ProjectManager hasn't been maintained since mid 2008. That does not bode well. Much has changed since then.

I will take a look at CodeEditor, that is, assuming it will even run on Mint13.

Nope. Attempting make on CodeEditor bombs with a bunch of errors. I'm sure even if I sort those out there will be more come to light. I'm not about to learn GNUstep programming just to repair an antique editor, so.. stick a fork in it.. it's dead.

Diziet Sma wrote:

Diziet Sma wrote:

gizmo wrote:

For Linux there is at least CodeEditor and ProjectManager (an IDE).

CodeEditor has not been maintained since April 2004, and uses StepTalk for scripting support, which has not been maintained since June 2005. ProjectManager hasn't been maintained since mid 2008. That does not bode well. Much has changed since then.

I will take a look at CodeEditor, that is, assuming it will even run on Mint13.

Nope. Attempting make on CodeEditor bombs with a bunch of errors. I'm sure even if I sort those out there will be more come to light. I'm not about to learn GNUstep programming just to repair an antique editor, so.. stick a fork in it.. it's dead.

Apparently there is another codeEditor (with lowercase 'c') floating around, installable on my Ubuntu precise with the python-tools. Of course this is a different beast but I found it interesting enough that with the "Check syntax" (of course leading to an error) string and numbers got automatically highlighted.

It's even easier in Gedit: Just go to the View menu, select highlighting mode (should be the last menu entry), from the sub menu select Source Code (or similar) and then "Objective-C". For that to work you need to have the gedit development plugins installed. I have no idea if you can associate the .plist file type with Objective-C though.



You could also create a selection of Snippets (you probably have to activate the corresponding gedit plugin first). If this helps to make input easier of new plist files is a different questions...

Diziet Sma wrote:

In all this discussion of tools for OXPs, I've just realised we've overlooked something..


If you wish to create objects that appear in-game, you'll need Blender or Wings3D as well.

Actually, I have wanted to learn Blender for a long time even before I knew about Oolite, and I'm really excited for the new features they've been adding.

psuamier wrote:

It's even easier in Gedit: Just go to the View menu, select highlighting mode (should be the last menu entry), from the sub menu select Source Code (or similar) and then "Objective-C". For that to work you need to have the gedit development plugins installed. I have no idea if you can associate the .plist file type with Objective-C though.

It looks like Gedit will remember whichever highlighting type you chose for an individual file, but not as a class. Such a feature would only be of limited use anyway, since some plists are XML, and others are OpenStep, requiring different highlighting.

psuamier wrote:

What plugin are you using to get the syntax and style checking? I don't seem to have that feature available in my Pluma (Gedit for Mint)

psuamier wrote:

You could also create a selection of Snippets (you probably have to activate the corresponding gedit plugin first). If this helps to make input easier of new plist files is a different questions...

Not a bad idea.. will have to play with that.