Turns out that a problem that was stopping my models drawing was seting their direction to Vector3.Zero. This is what happens when you think quickly assigning direction the amount of rotation is a good idea.

To get back on schedule:

• Drawing classes: drawing models, 2d textures and text ( I need to see that game code works, not having visual representations slows my work and leaves me to assume functioning code)
• Moving Camera: I need to get my camera moving and rotating again. This time the camera DOESN'T rotate itself. Its dependent on the head of the character. Camera position = head position and camera look direction = head look direction. I have camera moving code already, its just a matter of making it work of a characters head. Shell code can be made to simulate the head until I am working on model manipulation.
• Menu System: I need to make my menu system solid. Make a full game like menu system. The true test is when I have drawing and moving cameras again.
• Bullet System: I need to get my bullet system back online. I will be taking shane's and the internets advise to use a memory pool for my bullets. I have code done, I just need to make it a memory pool (changing how bullets are added and removed from active list).
• Win condition: now that I have figured out what was causing me problems (Vector3.Zero :/ so many hours lost) I must work on win conditions. To start I will have time, kill counts and score. This will require a score system with teams. Win conditions will be separate objects and enum combinations.

When these things are done I will have a shell of a game that only needs proper collisions to form my base point ( the point which I will have a fallback to submit as my running FYP software). The fallback should be done at the end of december (Exams included).

AI will be started in january at the latest with focus on navigation first, then attacking, then strategy. My Ai will be designed to accept information mimicking that which the player has.

Information that the player has is what the player can see, hear, read on a map, know from experience of playing an area. "Cheats" for the AI will include telling it where it can get vantage points from and local AI communication similar to humans using headsets.

I think I will be going with the rule based AI paradigm but will research others to see if they suit my project better.

I will be dedicating Ai time to the first 3 weeks of january. after that I will be upgrading all aspects of the game to make a finished product I could be happy submitting.

Sleep time now. 23 november after I wake up will be a code heavy day. by the end, drawing should be done at least. and probably movement.

What I have so far

What I have so far for my fyp is a game that is in several pieces. However within those pieces are a bullet system, working splitscreen with First person cameras and a Menu system (main menu and pause menu) which can be extended as functionality is added.

after sleep (its 2:52am now) I will have a few hours of lectures but also a good 5 or so hours which can be mostly used for fyp. In that time I hope to work towards fridays goal of a winable game:

• Menu system working including a pause menu in gameplay mode that allows exiting to main menu and also allows a single player to leave the game and for the game to continue if there are still players remaining
• The game drawing scenes again with culling at view frustrum level.
• Bullet System integrated into new project (refactoring of original fyp work)
• new player movement system working
• split screen multiplayer integrated into project with separate pause menu per player.
• Context input checking(if paused only check pause controls, if in gameplay only check gameplay controls)
• GUI displaying player health, currently selected gun + ammo counts, crosshair and scoreboard if called.

A small bit of work to do but it will mean being closer to the basic game level I need so I can Have something to hand in ( a fallback level). With what I have by friday, I should only need collisions with modelled worlds working to have my fallback.