Something to help new people who want to join the board

[Starrh]

This is not an official post. I am not officially associated with this project


Ok after reading every post on this bulletin board I wish to give mighty slap on the back to those who are actually writing code. I am no expert in C++ but the code seems very well done. So sitting here in the cheering section would just like to say go guys go. Also from what I have read there was a lot lost when the old board went down which is a shame because it is difficult to get the true scope of all who have been shaping this project. So for all of you who have been here all along or even just lurking no need to read on this is just for new people.

OK now that they are all gone New Folks I think it is important for us to see the complete picture on this project that means a little hmmm maybe allot of reading on your part. First thing you should read as a new person are ALL Announcements but these are the most crucial to concentrate on.
Conduct and Environment: viewtopic.php?t=65
FreeOrion Vision Statement: viewtopic.php?t=61
A word on AI Threads: viewtopic.php?t=143
and probably the must reads of must reads
Workflow, the Brainstorming forum and participation: viewtopic.php?t=161

This post found in Rants and Rave I think should also be brought to your attention
My Concern: viewtopic.php?t=163

Just in case you have a chip on your shoulder don't bring it here as will discover in General Discussion
Banned users: viewtopic.php?t=171

Before going much farther you may like to go to this thread in General discussion
Introducing ourselves: viewtopic.php?t=149

Now lets move onto read the FreeOrion Road map found in Game Design
viewtopic.php?p=7564#7564

You should probably read the entire Design Archive only because it gives you background on issues that have already been discussed. It will probably save you from posting something that has already been brought up. I was going to pick out one or two threads here to focus on but decided you should probably read almost all of them. (Just a note the links to drektopia do not work since the site no longer exists but you should be able to get the gist of the discussions anyway)
Design Archive: viewforum.php?f=13

Here is some interesting stuff until the game is actually released found in Graphics
Menu Screen: viewtopic.php?t=523

This is stored on Sourceforge: http://freeorion.sourceforge.net/planetslotexample.png

This points to articles You might find interesting in General Discussion
An article every game designer needs to read: viewtopic.php?t=247
A post mortem: viewtopic.php?t=157

The last thing I would point out is if you are interested in getting the files read these threads in Programming
CVS Commit info: viewtopic.php?t=103
The Help Thread: viewtopic.php?t=47
Getting FreeOrion to compile:
viewtopic.php?t=73&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Edit 03/10/2004
This is Sourceforge's introduction to CVS
http://sourceforge.net/docman/display_d ... group_id=1
Threads that may be of help in General Discussion
Precompiled v0.1?: viewtopic.php?t=526
FreeOrion 0.1 compiling issues: viewtopic.php?t=540

here is where you find FreeOrion Doc
http://sourceforge.net/projects/freeorion

here is the way to get and see the files if you are CVS challenged.

here is where you find the FreeOrion Code files
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/f ... FreeOrion/
Note: in here is the WindowsKit that is refereed to many time in the threads. You will have to get CVS working to get the most recent files. If you get them through the web page download process it seems the are not the same for some reason which may have just been me if it works for you great. Make sure you follow the direction completely in the readme file and good luck.

this is the link for GG which was primarily written by Zach
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/gigi/

here is the official web site
http://www.freeorion.org/

[Edit 3/17/2004]
Ok I kind of let this slide by so here is the info about the release of March 8, 2004 the first is the announcement
FreeOrion 0.1 Released: viewtopic.php?t=539

The place to download the game is: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfile ... p_id=75752

Then under General Discussion
FreeOrion 0.1 Released: viewtopic.php?t=538
Also this thread about issues
FreeOrion 0.1 Issues thread: viewtopic.php?t=537
but do not post any bug stuff on this thread the new bug reporting process is taken care of by this web page.
http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=br ... tid=544942
I must repeat if you think you have found a bug scan the issues on this page and if it is not there report it.



Well this is not an official post by someone officially associated with this project but I felt like it was something that would help folks that are new here get aquatinted so to speak. This is info that I found helpful and I hope you will also. I will see if I can post links to threads about the same subject that may be spread under afferent categories. I may also include the e-mail's for the leaders of the different aspects of the game.

[Tyreth]

Thanks, this looks great. Anything that helps us manage newcomers in the future so there's lesss management needed is good.

The planet slot link you have listed at http://freeorion.sourceforge.net/planetslotexample.png is not how the game looks now. Version 0.1 is going to be out soon though, so screenshots may (or may not) abound.

[Aquitaine]

A very well-done thread!

sticky sticky sticky.

[Starrh]

The planet slot link you have listed at http://freeorion.sourceforge.net/planetslotexample.png is not how the game looks now.

I suspected that it might be out of date but I still found it interesting the great thing is when Version 0.1 comes out I can up date this post with a lot of cool stuff!

Edit 3/14/2004
Ok this is my attempted to provide targets by subject. I started here with The Tech Tree because when I started it was still being discussed in public review that is now closed, but for future reference here are the threads that make up most of the discussion. I may have missed some feel free to point out any you think are relevant.

Under Game Design I found these
DESIGN: Tech Tree(Broad Structure): viewtopic.php?t=410
DESIGN: Hol Tech Tree Model: viewtopic.php?t=412

This Pronouncement was found in Announcements
Public Review: Tech Tree 1: http:/www.freeorion.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=459

Then finally in Game features
Public Review: Tech Tree 1: viewtopic.php?t=455

[Starrh]

Well this is my attempt to consolidate Money. Mixed in here is some economy but I think it gives some back ground for the Game Design topic Money Money Money

Then I found this in Design Archive
The Economy System: viewtopic.php?t=122
DESIGN: Short term v0.2 econ, or...?: viewtopic.php?t=317
DESIGN: Economy Details for v.2: viewtopic.php?t=133

And Finally in Game Design
DESIGN: Money Money Money: viewtopic.php?t=528&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[Starrh]

Ok I put resources and stockpiling together since they are very intertwined

I am just throwing togather the threads I found on the subjects starting in
This thread found in Design Archive
Public Review: Stockpiles: viewtopic.php?t=132&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

These threads found in Game Design
DESIGN: Mineral Richness: viewtopic.php?t=63&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
DESIGN: Stockpiles: viewtopic.php?t=118

[Starrh]

Here are threads relating to Starlanes and ship movement

These two threads are in Design Archive
Design: Ship Range: viewtopic.php?t=155
Design: Starlanes: viewtopic.php?t=138

[Aquitaine]

I'd actually recommend against linking to brainstorming threads, at least on this board. A lot of new folks assume that they're official and then wonder why what they brainstormed about doesn't end up on the table.

Aquitaine's PM box

[Starrh]

I understand your concern, so should I move the Brainstorming links into a new thread possibly in Brainstorming and make them separate from the design threads or just delete them out completely?

[Aquitaine]

Yeah, I'd say move them somewhere on the brainstorming forum.

[Steve]

This is not an official post. I am not officially associated with this project

Neither am I...

But as another unofficial person, and another newbie (at a rather later point in time) I'd like to suggest that "somebody" (and I can't volunteer to be That Person; sorry!) might take a quick pass through this EIGHT-YEAR-OLD post, and edit/update it. I frankly cannot believe that it's all still relevant; at least not AS relevant. And the fact that it's so old, IMHO, makes it less likely that other newbies will be willing to review it... stickied onto the top or not!

If nothing else, the sheer appearance of an eight-year-old thread stickied on top as being the "urgent orientation for newbies" thread implies (however mistakenly) a semi-dead environment...

[eleazar]

But as another unofficial person, and another newbie (at a rather later point in time) I'd like to suggest that "somebody" (and I can't volunteer to be That Person; sorry!) might take a quick pass through this EIGHT-YEAR-OLD post, and edit/update it. I frankly cannot believe that it's all still relevant; at least not AS relevant. And the fact that it's so old, IMHO, makes it less likely that other newbies will be willing to review it... stickied onto the top or not!

Good point. I always view by "new posts" or a search, so i didn't know that was there.

All the still relevant information is probably better presented by the wiki, so i would unsticky it-- but i can't figure out how to do that.

[Geoff the Medio]

i would unsticky it-- but i can't figure out how to do that.

In the sub-forum page, use the moderator control panel. (I already did for this thread.)