Working on AI for Gang Land, an Evolving Band of Warriors

Ok, I just started to work on my AI system for the enemy gangs in Gang Land an evolving band of warriors. I have always liked working on AI myself, but it does seem to be a large task. I want the enemy gangs to form plans to defeat you as well as defend against your attacks. This should proove interesting for an AI system to choose a strategy and try and carry it out until the bitter end.

This part of this games developement will be most exciting because it will get to the actual game play. I have been working on GUI and game mechanics for so long now that getting into an actual gang fight will be fun. I cannot wait until I am taking over the city and losing noses and hands. Ooooo, gonna be fun.

I still think I am on track for the games release sometime before the Christmas season. I will keep you posted and am also thinking about releasing a quick video over YouTube in the future highlighting a couple of things that I am proud of in the game so far.

The Best Part of Game Programming

Here is what I think is the coolest part of programming games. Nothing beats getting something done. Yeah, the feeling is awesome when you get a single little part to work. It can be any little thing, as long as you are focused on the small and not the entire project as a whole you get the gratification of feeling like you completed something without having to complete the large project.

I just spent a little time getting some guns to work with particle effects and I have to say it was fun. It took less than two hours to put the entire system together, but it is a neat thing to see when you know it exists because of your work. I cannot wait to see what it feels like to finish the entire game of Gang Land and begin playing it myself. That should be an experience every computer geek should shoot for.

Creation of your ideas is simply the best part of programming games.

Current Project: Gang Land

Ok, so I think I am a developer. Here is a few screens from my upcoming release, Fall 2007, of what I am currently calling Gang Land, an Evolving Band of Warriors. This game is a strategy game based on your career as a new gang leader. You are the coordinator of a gang of warriors that when hurt in battle can gain skills, lose eyes, have limbs torn off, and much more. Each injury and horrific thing that happens to each member in battle will change their abilities to fight and sometimes lead to the gang members retirement from fighting.

Your gang members will gain XP from fighting battles and improve as they fight. This allows for a gang member to go from new recruit to backbone of your gangs offensive and defensive actions. Be warned though, a gang members life is very violent, one bad battle and your member could be crippled and down to one leg, or hand. This will completely change how you will have to treat this member and use him in battle.

This is the current Title Screen of Gang Land. The title screen basically combines sound and particle effects to put you into a simulated battle with gun shots all around you in 3D sound.

This image is of the main menu screen of Gang Land. Gang land has several unique features for a strategy game. On the right hand side of the main menu there are a series of portraits of randomly generated gang members. In the game when you start off or get a new recruit that new member will have both a unique name, as well as a completely unique face. You will be able to recognise your gang members by their face token, as well as enemy gang members by theirs as well. This shot also shows the ability, in some menu screens for you to shoot holes in the menu by clicking the mouse off of any buttons. This is interestingly fun.

I will keep you all posted here on the development of this new title. Plus in the future look for me setting up the Games homepage for a more in depth look at the game itself.