A Milestone .....

The interface main design document has been completed. I'm now looking at integrating the development Kit I've downloaded from Nokia into JBuilder. I've got the initial classes planned out and I'm going to knock out a couple of prototypes while I work on the other Design Documents.

I've been reviewing Upload's Status. Some small changes are going to be required in the Client Document but I'm still spending maybe 5 hours a week working on it.

Client 'J' are doing some on-line testing this afternoon and Client 'F' are wanting some more changes to their system by Friday, but things are beginning to ease off a little. Hopefully, one final push and we'll have a working system for client 'J'.

Normally My Time breaks down like this.

Work :- 37.5 Hrs Per week.
Home Development Time :- 20 Hrs Per week.

For the last month, things have been ;-

Work :- 60 hrs Per week.
Home Development Time :- 2-3 Hrs Per week.

As you can see, It's difficult to maintain Momentum, with the present situation.

No Update for a week ?????

Well All I can say in my defense if Client 'J' and Client 'F'. Deadlines for both of them this week. To much real work, not enough fun work.

I think My wife has forgotten what I look Like.

Bit of a relief ?

No Chance. Client 'J' has decided that they want a new demonstration of the system Next Week. I'm going to have to go out of my way to put in *even* more time over the weekend in order to get this system working properly. I am pulling my hair out over this and will probably be bald by next month. More work is needed on some of the rollback functionality, although the error handling is now working.

I now have two Game projects on the go. I have decided to enter the Noikia compitition and I'm going to put in 'Interface', as I call it, as my entry. Work has already finished on the intro design document and I'm pulling together the game design document. As far as I see, this can be used as learning practice for the Java Client in Project K. This is because the first project in a new language is never as good as you want it because you are learning the APIs etc.

Work will still progress on Project K but at a slower pace. As a footnote, however, my wife thinks I'm nuts.

Further Information.

At the Nokia Web Site there are a couple of interesting items about Game design for Mobile Platforms. Well worth a read.

Compitition Time ...

Nokia have launched a competition for people to submit game ideas for their new N-Gage Phone. I looked into the possibility of submitting Project K for the competition, but if you win, you have to sign the game over to Nokia and that’s it. Not really what I want.

However, there was a subsection to the game, which I dropped early on in the design stage. This little sub-game can be expanded and made into a real time 2 player game, which could have an on-line League etc. It’s quick and accessible and might just be so different from what they’re used to. It might do the trick.

I’ll work up the design document and run it by a couple of people I know, see what they think. The top prize is £15,000 which might come in handy with the development of the rest of this game.

All's Fair in Love and Code....

Well Work Proceeds on Client 'J's new system, another 55 hour week out of the way and I'm about Halfway through coding it up. Client 'F' has decided not to install one of our new products due to some internal politics. This takes the pressure of me for the moment but the Release still has to go ahead.

The game is effectively on hold until this little batch of work is finished and then I'm taking a day off just to recover. It’s just occurred to me that it’s now seven months since I envisioned this game and I haven’t really written one line of code yet. What I do have are plenty of design documents and a strategy. Not much for Seven months. The reasons for this can be put down to myself doing too much of the following; - playing Jedi Knight, Neverwinter nights, Oni (dangerously addivctive game), Tron 2.0, Working Overtime, surfing for no apparent reason, holidays to the states, the ‘honey’ list and a social life (!).

Just when you think things can't get any more hectic.

Well Client 'J' has upped the ante. I'm now working alot in my spare time to fix their problems with the system, so no more work on Project K until I've got this out of my way. We've managed to get the databases back on line but the rest of the solution is going to be much more strenuous. I've even uninstalled Jedi Knight from My home system so I don't get Distracted.

That's how bad things are getting....

More fun at work ....

I'm having to work on a Sunday now. I'm just catching up with the Work I missed when I went on Holiday. Client 'J's central server was supposed to be put back into realignment, but it seems that all the databases are broken, or at least have a status of suspect. I can't find all of their backups so they've got to be somewhere in their archive. That means things are going to be fun tomorrow.

I've been typing up Project K's UI from the notes I made in Palm Springs. I've already noticed a few flaws with the design so I've had to correct them. I'm very relieved I found them here because the thought of discovering the flaw half way through coding or even during testing wold give me the Screaming Heeby Jeebies. It's amazing how complicated things get when trying to design a 'simple' user interface.

Competition ....

It seems that someome else has clicked with this game type idea. CODO games, the makers of lazer squad nemesis, (http://www.lasersquadnemesis.com) have announced they are looking at making their game for the N_gauge. This is a good thing because it might encourage me to pull my finger out and get work a little more. Lazer squad nemesis gave me the idea for this project in the first place so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

The Client Design is still under review, but I think I'm almost there. I have to isolate what can be done with existing classes and what new User Interface Controls I will have to design. The good news is that I've restarted work on the Map Designer with the new code.