[glob2-devel] to-do before 1.0 (was: idea: make existing features work well before adding new features)

[Joe Wells]

"Kieran P" <address@hidden> writes:

> I've made a list of things I think NEED to be in Globulation 2's  1.0.0
> release.

Thanks very much for putting together this list.  It is good to have a
discussion of targets.

> They are bare minimums. Paving areas is not included :P Its an extra
> for 1.1.0 :P
>
> http://globulation2.org/wiki/Things_to_do_before_1.0.0
>
> They are mainly bugs and small features needed in order to make 1.0.0 awesome.
> Without them, we should just call the next release alpha 24 !
>
> 1.0.0 should be a "wow" release, something much better in all areas than alpha
> 23. Without the features I listed on that page, it wont be a "wow" release!

For me, the most important goal for 1.0 is:

  “to have a good set of features and work reliably”

> Granted, some of them are pretty complex, but they will be worth it!
>
> Wouldn't you rather make 1.0.0 stunning than push a release?

I'd like it to be stunning in its reliability and ease of use.

> After all, we are now doing RC release for Glob2. The first RC1 will be out
> when the features and bug fixed under the RC1 heading are completed.
>
> Dont add anything to the list, but if you think something should be removed,
> please comment here.

Overall, I like most of the things in your list.

I have some small quibbles with the details of the list.  Here are the
things I think should _not_ be in the list of things to do before
version 1.0:

* The list includes (by referencing my e-mail) my suggestions for
  improving Nicowar.  I think the only ones among these suggestions
  that should be targets for version 1.0 are those regarding dealing
  with resource overgrowth (because I view this as a serious usability
  problem) and resource starvation at game start (because this makes
  some random maps unplayable).  My other suggestions are not
  essential for version 1.0.

* The performance of the overlays.  The overlays are not essential
  core features (and they can be easily turned off), so version 1.0
  should not wait on performance improvements in the overlays.

* I don't know whether campaigns are essential for version 1.0.  (I
  prefer to play random maps anyway.)  It might be better instead to
  _not_ include campaigns in the main public release until they are
  good enough, to avoid being embarrassed by bad support for campaigns
  and bad campaigns.

* Small details on how “t” (“draw unit paths”) works are not essential
  to fix before 1.0.

* The end-game graphs _already_ provide real numbers.  If you hover
  your mouse over one of the lines, it tells you what the actual
  number is.  All that is needed is to add a message on the screen
  somewhere informing the user of this feature.

* I think the horizontal (time) labeling of the end game graphs is
  low-priority and version 1.0 need not wait on any changes to this.

* There are good reasons why autosave files all have the same name.
  If autosave files are to be given names that contain the map name
  and/or date, then some fancy mechanism must be developed to prevent
  these from accumulating.  So I don't think version 1.0 should wait
  on a change like this.

* I think known serious bugs (including any crashers) should be fixed,
  but I don't think version 1.0 should wait on all bug tracker items.

Here are some additional things I think should be in the list:

* Solving problems with the building life cycle.  See this message for
  the latest main proposal:

    http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/glob2-devel/2007-04/msg00781.html

  See also these other messages for discussion:

    http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/glob2-devel/2007-04/msg00449.html
    http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/glob2-devel/2007-04/msg00561.html
    http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/glob2-devel/2007-04/msg00780.html
    http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/glob2-devel/2007-05/msg00002.html
    http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/glob2-devel/2007-05/msg00009.html

* All of the problems reported with screen size in the much larger
  listing at:

    http://globulation2.org/wiki/Current_Issues_with_Game_Playing_User_Interface

* Priorities for automatically adjusting the number of globules
  assigned to buildings/flags.

* Better globule congestion avoidance.

* Fixing bugs related to the “hidden” forbidden areas that get
  automatically placed (for building construction and dealing with
  globule congestion).  I suggest as a starting point that these
  automatic forbidden areas should _not_ be hidden, so we can figure
  out the bugs.

* Fixing bugs where some randomly generated maps are essentially
  unplayable due to too much stone.

* Fixing all bugs due to filling up the hard disk and failing to write
  things correctly when the disk fills up.

I hope these suggestions are helpful.

-- 
Joe