w_reade, funny to watch you change opinions so quickly Cocoa + QuickDraw sounds like a good compromise to me. Though really if we were to go Mac OS X-only, we could use CoreGraphics (though I don't really know how to do anything in it or how it compares to QuickDraw). Has anyone begun compiling all of the various ideas/theories to make a rudimentry (sp?) design document? How many programmers and artists do we have interested? How did Hooptie get started (i.e. what should we do first)?

Hooptie got started because Mark Pazolli made a nearly-complete game, that people could see how to incrementally improve.

I don't know how far this is likely to go unless someone here takes the initiative and writes something that's just about playable...

I'd love to help. I don't want to be the one to take initiative here, though, because that would put me into a leading position that I simply don't have the time for.

To zoom in on a 2D world we could just do glScalef(scaleFactor, scaleFactor, 1);
and with rotation and translation of the entire screen we could have a cool rumble effect when a explosion happens. I was thinking that terrain would be automaticly generated as well as having some predefined maps and a map editor. Wouldnt it be possible to have a Carbon OpenGL game? I have got a LemmingTest3 now and the masking works now and there is ripple effect on the water when you click on it. I also think it would be great to get this game programmed with Carbon.

What is/are gWorlds?
How would you program stuff with QuickDraw?

I have a simple ripple effect and a grass grower (not a fully functional terrain generator).
There is also a nice java applet there (with source code).

WormTest3.sit
http://www.geocities.com/ed72678954/index.html

Here is the guy "walking/dancing" he look really good but could you draw some steps for him jumping?
AgentTest4
http://www.geocities.com/ed72678954/index.html

Mac OS X had a rare crash (I unplugged a RioOne MP3 player without first unmounting it -- I have had *nothing but problems with that thing* [what I get for not spending for an iPod, I guess]) and I lost my source file for the lemming guy I made (Bad Falcon! Not saving your work each step... you should KNOW BETTER!) so I'll have to re-make it from scratch to do any more animations. I'm not reeally all that concerned though, because I intended to re-make it anyway as I basically just threw that together.

Ideas for the look of our lemmings/agents? Anyone? Anyone? [/Ben Stein]

I am still 'gung ho' on this project. At least, I think I am. What does gung ho mean again?

Ededed, I am at work so I can't d/l your test programs, but I will do so when I get home. I've liked all your sample programs so far.

I would take initiative to be a go-to guy and assign tasks and stuff if that's what it took to make this project roll, but since I'm not a programmer I'm afraid that might not work so well. Still, I could do everything but list programming tasks, and I *can* say things like "we need someone to make the pathfinding routines".

Who is still interested? Those of you who haven't read this whole thread, please give it a shot, there are some great ideas here, and we could use your ideas too.

ededed, had a chance to play with your latest two test programs... I like 'em! :-)

I had fun clicking like crazy on the water to make some very tall waves :-) And I had fun moving my agents around on the screen. I can see why you'd want some jumping sprites!

Once again, I'd like some ideas from everyone on the look of our agents/lemmings, and I'll make up a bunch of sprites that we can use (at least for now) and we can get started finalizing some ideas. W_reade, have you had enough rest since after the contest to take on lead programming duties? Or are you up to the challenge, ededed? We really just need to get the ball rolling and then I think we'll have some nice solid contributions from the community. Especially if we can get Carlos involved, as he expressed interest earlier :-)

Why don't you make them really over-the-top cartoony agents who tip-toe around sneakily everywhere.

Maybe they could look a bit like this.

lol, David, he does kind of look like a lemming in that picture

I am still interestedÖ but I'm still rather busy as well, and I promised myself I wouldn't start any new projects until I had a job - because if I did, I'd have a great time (programming away to the exclusion of everything else) until I starved to death.

However, I'm hoping that MAFFia will help to bounce me into employment soon (touch wood), and then I'd very much like to be involved.

Cheers
william

well, hopefully MAFFia will rocket launch you into employment... perhaps with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food :-)

I was certainly impressed with the polish and solid gameplay

Of course, you'll also be wanting to test out those new iDevGames prizes ... right?

So does everyone think that cartoony spy vs. spy type lemmings would look best? Or are there other ideas? Should the lemmings be 3D pre-rendered (I'd vote against this, only because I have little 3D modeling experience/skills) ...

Thats a funny picture David. I like it.

I like DaFalcon's graphics though but they should probably be a bit smaller (because the game should/could? run at twice the size but half the pixels so it runs fast and looks good) but the great thing about designing an engine is that we could (for example) have a screen where you choose the graphics for your team.

I'm still not even sure what method for drawing the graphics has been established. Is it going to be OpenGL or GWorlds??? Will it be Cocoa or Carbon??? (Can you tell what I want it to be? )

I'm still in, but there will need to be at least a working demo before I can really contribute because I just plain stink at working from scratch. Who wants to lead this?