New Graphics Engine

[mazex]

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

My understanding is that the work on the sequel is primarily about 3d modeling and laying the groundwork at this point in time.

It's entirely possible to make "static" models in the meantime, but eventually each engine will handle these models differently to give them motion. One engine might do effects one way while the other engine does effects with a different algorithm, the same for calculating lights and shadows, etc, (and this is what results in the differences in performance and quality) but in the end they all take a 3d object and make calculations on top of it: the initial object that is being "read" into the engine can be the same, even if the calculations to be performed on it are different.

Fully agree!

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

I've taken up a computing degree course this year and one of the things they try to really press in all the classes i attend is modularity, especially for the so called object oriented languages.

To give you another example, as a form of practice for my computer classes i've taken up a project with a mate and we want to build an interface that will allow us to play pen-and-paper tabletop RPGs over the internet with other friends.

Not to spoil your project, but Have you looked at Vassal? (for wargames)

http://www.vassalengine.org/

And Battlegrounds (for classic RPG:s)

http://www.battlegroundsgames.com/index.html

Originally Posted by Blackdog_kt

I don't know anything about how to handle databases, save data to disk or push packets through a network yet. However, i can still design and implement the interface of the application, as well as define categories of all the objects the game includes (with their proper attributes and ways to interact with them). So, what i'll do is exactly that, then i'll give the code over to my buddy and he'll do the rest.

But, just an advice as an old programmer, be wary about how to save the state of the game engine already from start so you for instance can save it easily at any point, as that is a classic "trap" for the first game... And like you say - you have to get the object model completely finished with all parts taken into account before you write the first line of code. Like in you case - is there a "turn" object? Should it be? After that, do "a virtual spike" that for one central game object instance does it all the way to test that you have not done any "thought lapses" in the model. Then do one spike for real before putting down more work!

Good luck!