Teamwork problem

[lazyanttu]

Hi!

I have worked on my mod alone, but now few of my friends get into the same project. However we have a problem that some of us live in different cities/far away from each other. We have divided the project in a such way that my friends are doing all modelling work, while I do the game design/XML and 2D icons (We haven't yet found Music/Sound makers, but that's not yet an issue).

However, they need my part to test their models (i.e. the unit's movement animation/building construction animation fits the move/build speeds etc.) and I need their models for my game to test if they look what they should. What is the best way to do this? Because the units require much playtesting, and I might need to change their values (for example movement) and then my friends must change the animation and so on. Also, they need a testbed and they said it could be neat if they could also playtest it with their models.

What is the best way how this share could be done? We need a lot of it, so something simple. And besides, they have not used Glest (nor GAE obviously) before.

For example, I don't know (yet) how the addon system works, could it be used in this?

[Omega]

Well, if you have one version of the project installed (not as an addon), then an addon (which would not have to be compressed, ideal for editing) could be used to make a working copy (which could be changed without changing the original project. However, currently, you cannot have two (or more) addons for the same file, as there's no proper way for GAE to handle conflicts like that, yet (sooner or later, we'll likely have an addon manager to handle this issue).

[lazyanttu]

I meant that I have changed things like menu appearance and some .INI file found in the system path. Is there a way how I could send all of this content easily? So both the gleastadv and files in the system path would be moved. Besides one of them is using Linux, one Windows XP, while I use Windows 7.

Because I think it is quite cumbersome for them to install GAE first, then replace .INI and share folder with the content from my version. We have not yet started file sharing, so this is just plans before doing so.

And if I'm publishing some alpha version, how could I make it into better form (for example, installer) so that the glestadv and glestae would be in correct places. I known that my English sucks , but I hope you understand what I mean?

Is there a better way to do this?

[Omega]

Most modifications to files (anything in the data, techs, tilesets, maps, or gae folders) can be distributed as an addon.

https://docs.megaglest.org/Addons

[Psychedelic_hands]

Omega answered your add-ons question, but I just thought I'd mention the way the constellus team works, it is pretty efficient.

We all have a dropbox where we keep all our source files and a folder called Constellus-latest (the development version, which works as an add-on) we all have constellus-latest as a hardlink too our add-ons folder. So we're always playing the latest version and can always access every file we need. We also communicate though skype

http://www.skype.com/intl/en/home

http://www.dropbox.com/

http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html

Hope this helps some how man. I know it sounds complex, but once it is all set up works great

[lazyanttu]

Thanks for help! (One of the members of our project also recommended dropbob). I just wanted to confirm that if it is the best way (it seems to be). Also now I understand the add-on system , I understood it wrong earlier.

Btw. is it best to release own mod as an add-on? Our mod contains unique tech tree and maps (perhaps later tilesets, but currently using the MagiTech's defaults), so is the add-on best format?

[Omega]

Btw. is it best to release own mod as an add-on? Our mod contains unique tech tree and maps (perhaps later tilesets, but currently using the MagiTech's defaults), so is the add-on best format?

Yes. Addons make installation and removal very easy and standardize the folder structure. They work with packs which include tilesets, maps, etc.

[lazyanttu]

Okay, thanks for the information! There's still lot to do, so I think it would be best if I don't yet start thread about it. But I just asked it to know about it beforehand.