Beta 1 – Responsive Design

I think I’m finally getting to grips with Bootstrap. Lost no more than one computer in the process.

Beta updates now as I develop the new site – The Beta site. I’m also hoping to use a new system for the playable game to allow easier development, so hopefully there’ll be some progress there again soon.

I looked through the public alpha site the other day and I remembered it as much worse than it actually is. I have always hated that site, but when I was browsing through it I saw and remembered just how much hard work I had truly put into it… Good memories 😮 It is a fairly good site. But still, Bootstrap has outdone it entirely. I’m still playing around and learning Bootstrap but it is so easy to make decent looking pages with it (pics later).

These last two weeks I have been translating some of the old code into Bootstrap while also tidying it up and separating logic from mark up to keep it manageable. The old code in places is truly horrific. That is what happens when you code as you learn…. At least now it is all changing 😀

I’ve remembered more than I expected from before. In fact I’ve barely looked up anything since coming back. It feels so good ^^ Coding that is. Once you get good at it you end up surprising yourself with how fast you can make new stuff.

Anyway, straight to the designs.

Responsive Layout

This was more me playing around with a potential design than anything too serious. I wanted to learn bootstrap so this is what I made.

The top image shows the site on a large device (laptop or desktop screen) and the bottom image is on a phone.

Note how the top bar contracts, and how sections can vary in size, position and visibility. All to the power of bootstrap.

Yeah.

I’ll bring you some interesting pics next update 😛 But this shows that the site will be smooth on phones as well as large desktops. Bootstrap is much better than I expected. Ok yes, it is really limited in areas, but it does look pretty good and is serving as a stepping stone while I continue to develop my skills and expand. This time last year I knew very little, but now I know so much. I wonder what I’ll achieve this summer 🙂

 

Translating Code

So far I have only translated a small amount of the old code into the new site, but next week I will have a lot more to show you.

 

Bootstrap 4

I’m using Bootstrap 3, but I was reading their blog and it seems like Bootstrap 4 is just around the corner. They mentioned it in a post that it will come out in December …of 2014. So they’ve missed that by a long way. But on browsing other blogs and reading what other web developers have been saying, everyone expects it to come out either this year or next. It offers more flexibility and is designed to be easier to use. If it comes out it shouldn’t be that hard to update the site version 4.

 

When is the Beta site going to be public?

No target. It will be done when its done. One thing I found in the alpha development is predicting times is really hard. Sometimes you’re a month ahead of schedule, other times you are two months behind. I’m really not experienced enough yet to tell you when it could be out. I am still diving deep into the unknown here and I want the beta site to be highly developed before release.

Of course I will probably give you dates closer to the release, but until then all I’m saying is it will be ready when it is ready. It may be this year, it may be next.

 

Next Update

Lots of translated code so I could show you some of the old alpha pages in bootstrap and possible updates to part of the site as I prepare it for beta.

 

See you all soon!

 

P.S. Artists, where are you? 😦

Day 378 – INCOMING!

I’m not dead! I’m still surviving. Just about. Click for the full-sized image 😛
Anddd I have some great news to share! 🙂

But first sorry. Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I have been ridiculously busy with my degree. Plus I don’t really want this blog to be about my personal life, which is something the last update basically was. If there is no real news to tell, why tell anything at all?

Let’s jump straight in with the fabulous art that’s been created since the last update! ^-^

 

Art

 

Top left going right and downwards: Nemesis, Phantom, Puncture, Rogue, Shredder, sketch of Blaze (fire elemental) and the Uber Blaster, sketch of Boomer, Caster, Obliterator, Hawkeye, Ticker, Worker, and Extendo Cannon, Spitfire (three munition for the three attacks per round), Stun Gun, Ticker sketch, Caster, CMFR, Energy Blade, and finally Flamethrower!

Still got your breath? 😛

There’s been so much done and I honestly am so lucky to have such wonderful artists working with me.

And we’ve also had a couple of very special pieces! (remember to click for full size!)

Top: Early CCS(O) banner! We were throwing around ideas and this is the result. Maybe not the final design, but this one sums up the game nicely. In the foreground are two players (either side) looking at the same central player but both see an enemy, while really he’s on one of their teams. In the background are a small collection of the hundreds of components in CC Survival.

Bottom: Map tiles! Why? Well, why not? Ok seriously, tiles allow the rapid creation of colourful maps with minimal effort. With several biomes going to be created there should be a huge variety for players to create custom map designs in CCS to share with other players and create campaigns with. Permission has also been granted to use these tiles in any future games I make, and so there is a huge amount of potential in these simple mosaics.

Our collection of artwork is enormous now. It’s just one of those things I look back on and browse through like oh wow. I will have to set up some kind of gallery where it can all be viewed 😀 Maybe add a description to each image too.

 

Music

Another great track has been released by Harmless!

CCS Track 4 – Unsettling Darkness v0.5

Pretty creepy! I want to see more like this hehe. What do you guys think? Apparently this isn’t even the final version 😮

 

Progress Begins Today

Oh yes. Today I start practicing and using Bootstrap to design a new site. Progress will be slow initially as this will begin with a learning phase. But I’m sure I’ll pick it up soon enough.

From now on updates are only going to be every two weeks. I recall mentioning this in passing before. It’s because weekly is too challenging to keep up with if you have a particularly busy week.

And finally, for those interested in what my future could hold (and hence how CCSO progress could change in the future) and who still remember the last post. I was so torn between the two options: PhD and EngD. In the end I leaned more towards the EngD and took it. As long as I pass my exams I’ll be in Scotland from September ^.^ One of the most beautiful and friendly countries in the world! And where a small portion of my blood originates from 😉

But whether or not I actually pass my exams is another question. I’m certainly not holding my breath, but even if I fail I can resit in August and even though the Scotland position will almost certainly be gone, I don’t doubt that I’ll have any trouble finding another job. I’m trying not to get too excited over the EngD in case I have actually messed up an exam. These final ones were killers and I think everyone’s averages are going to be pulled down a lot. My grade is high enough that even if I just scrape passes in all these exams I still get the grade needed for the EngD, so the actual marks don’t matter. It’s just pass/fail as far as I’m concerned. Results day is three and a half weeks away. Fingers crossed!

 

See you all in two weeks with hopefully an entire barrel full of exciting news as I brush the dust off the gears and put them into action again! 😀

Ahhh, it’s great to be back!