Reloaded Now Has Save Standalone

Work

So what work has been done today I hear you ask? Well I finished off the standalone saving if you must know. There is a new item in the FILE menu called Save Standalone which when selected will take the currently loaded level and assemble all the files required to play that level independent of the main software. Hurray!

There are a few files that strictly don't need to be in there such as all 18 material sound effects, but in the main, the level is scanned thoroughly and only the files you actually need are transferred to the standalone level folder. You can find all your standalone executables in the Documents\FPSC Reloaded\My Games folder, filed under the name of the original level name. In later versions we will expand this to a full Build Game dialog system (that is, when we have a game to build).

I dare say I've missed a small pile of files I could further trim out but the only harm it does is to bloat the final executable folder.  The 'Get To The River' level compiles down to 100MB in size, which is okay considering the high resolution art assets in there, but when we get down in a few more versions of the standalone exporter, we can look at reducing texture files and other assets to allow a choice of destination file sizes.

As I write this blog, I am tackling one final bug which has the characters floating about with no animations. All the files seem to be there but they have decided to turn to stone. They still move after you, they just keep the same idle pose - very odd.

I have another two hours to tag on later this evening to start some VR work (at least get the hardware setup and HL2+Rift played, and maybe quickly check that the Reloaded VR flag at least does not crash anything).  I can then start Thursday with some VR fun.  Fortunately I created a small buffer for myself on the schedule so I am still okay for delivery of the promised beta features for the end of the month.

Play

Managed another 3 miles today, which is all good for the constitution. Managed to locate the cause of the electrical fault from last week, which turned out to be an outside pump. Makes sense given the recent Welsh coastal flood incident.  New one ordered and will go in this weekend. Sorted. Also downloaded Half Life 2 as apparently it does a rather good Oculus Rift VR experience, and I want to check that out first hand :)