Ep5

Episode 5: Stickman Warfare


Get the game here

Also, as a games developer in training myself, this game inspired me alot, so I interviewed the developer

And for your reading pleasure:

Kain:
Hello, I would like to start by saying thanks for allowing me to interview you

Alex:
Sure, no problem
And hello, btw

K:First of all, I'd like to get some technical stuff out of the way, what was Stickman Warfare programmed in?

A:It was made in Delphi 5 enterprise
And yes, delphi this version is at least 10 years old as I know

K: It seems to be quite an ambitious project for one developer, did you ever feel the project was too much for you and consider giving up?

A: No, not at all, it was not huge in the beginning, I just made up a terrain... and some buildings... and some more buildings
I always added small things, wich were not too much for me

K: fair enough, now, can you explain a little about the networking system and how it allows a high number of players?

A: I guess my ides reinventing the wheel, but it works pretty much
The basic thing is that it is P2P
That means players directly communicate with eachother
The server basically does not do anything, but introduces players to eachother
This really had some challanges because this kind of networking eats up upload bandwidth really fast
and I had to use all kinds of packing and prioritizing stuff

K: alright, I think that satisfies our technical needs, so about the game itself.. what inspired it?

A: First of all, it was just a terrain engine in the beginning
And then I saw a newgrounds movie, De_Aztec, wich was CS match with stickmen
I realy liked it, and it was a good idea, because it is much easier than making actual game characters (modelling and animating all that stuff is boring)

K: Ok, what made you decide on the teams, modern day guns versus futuristic tech guns?

A: That is an interesting story
I am 17 and I'm still doing High School
And I was in some kind of Maths session
where we brainstormed with friends, how to make the game more interesting...Of course, two opposing teams are a good idea. And this guns vs. plasma weapons was the next, wich I really really liked, and implemented that week
It was just some random idea, when I was talking with friends

K: ah, very cool! Is there any particular inspiration with the map?

A: Hmmm, nothing, it's just a mathematical function called "perlin noise"
I just generated a map and I still use it.

K: interesting, what about the random objects littered aroudn the map, such as bunkers and the temple?

A: They are hand modelled and hand placed
They were made by my classmates and other friends, who do modelling as a hobby
And I just placed them on the terrain

K: I see, so is there any development experiences you would like to share with our readers?

A: Hmmm, let me think
Developing this game has really improved my maths and programming skills, that's all I can say... Practice makes
perfect

K: fair enough. now developing a game like this, and apparantly being in highschool too must not leave much time for gaming... do you play anything else yourself?

A: It does leave plenty of time to play
I play all kinds of stuff, from starcraft to need for speed
Currently, I am Playing World Of Warcraft on a private server most of the time

K: hehe, good to know. anyway that just about concludes the interview, thanks again for your time, and goodbye

A: No problem, See you later