AddonServer

2008-03-20T19:03:28Z

Giebfried: /* Introduction */

SummerOfCodeIdeas

2008-03-20T16:11:42Z

Giebfried:

This is a compilation of ideas from ML. Needs to be refined (more detailed description, deliverables, workload estimation?):

== I want to be one of your Google Summer of Code students, what should I do... ==

Here is a quick list of things to do to get you started
* Create an account on gna.org
* Create an account on the wesnoth forum
* Join the irc channel (#wesnoth-dev on irc.freenode.net) and introduce yourself. We will not give formal interviews, but we will clearly favor people we have learnt to know during the selection process
* Contact one of our SummerOfCode people (Ivanovic, Sirp, Boucman, Mordante) to have your forum nick marked as a Summer of code student

* Start a wiki page about your idea, add a link on the bottom of this page and add this information on it:
** List your account names (gna, forum, irc nick) so that we can recognize you
** Fill the questionnaire on this page: [[SoC_Information_for_Google#Does_your_organization_have_an_application_template_you_would_like_to_see_students_use.3F_If_so.2C_please_provide_it_now.| List of questions to answer]]
** Detail your idea as much as possible, look at other students pages, and please give milestones and studies you've done

* Though not mandatory, it is highly advisable to go to the [[EasyCoding]] and [[NotSoEasyCoding]] pages and implement one of these ideas (or any idea of similar scope) so we have an idea how you work. Be sure to use your gna account when submitting these patches so we know who it is coming from. You can also implement some features from our feature request database at gna. When you implement something, also list it on your own page with a reference to the patch.

== List of Ideas for the Project (Suggestions from the wesnoth developers) ==

Here is only a short description of possible Ideas we have, each has a page of its own with a more detailed version on it.

=== Writing an AI based on the formula AI ===

Wesnoth has always had a simple C++ based AI. David (our lead developer) has been working on a simple language to write AI in Wesnoth: [[FormulaAI]]

The Wesnoth AI is used as an opponent in most campaigns, and as such is an important piece of code for the Wesnoth project. Unfortunately, because the skills required to understand and modify it are rather arcane, it is also one of the most neglected parts of the Wesnoth code. This is a place where a lot of research and useful work could be done. But keep in mind that [[WhyWritingAWesnothAIIsHard|writing an AI for Wesnoth is difficult]].

[[SoC Ideas FormulaAI]] - Full version of the idea, with detailed information

=== Extending the Multiplayer server ===

Our multiplayer community is generally strong and healthy, but we believe its growth is limited by some problems in the interface of the multiplayer lobby.

[[SoC Ideas Multiplayer server]] - Full version of the idea, with detailed information

=== Scenario/Campaign editor ===

Currently, in order to create campaign or multiplayer scenarios, it is necessary to manually edit WML files - XML-like configuration files. The goal of this project would be to create a graphical editor to make the creative process easier.

[[SoC Ideas Scenario and Campaign Editor]] - Full version of the idea, with detailed information

=== Addon server ===
Wesnoth has an addon server which offers users to upload user
made content (UMC). This allows all other users of Wesnoth
to easily download and install this content. The server was
originally written for user-made campaigns but contains a lot
more types of addons nowadays. Both the server side and the
client side need to be improved.

[[SoC Ideas Addon Server]] - Full version of the idea, with detailed information

=== Map editor ===
The map editor in Wesnoth serves two goals, making it easy to create
a new map and helping the terrain artists to test their new terrains.

[[SoC_Ideas_Map_Editor]] - Full version of the idea, with detailed information

=== Other possible ideas to be fleshed out ===
A MapGenerator rewrite - better scalable for outdoor maps, plus the possibility to define areas (similar to the caverns in the cave generator) etc.

=== Make your own ideas ===
If you have your own idea the best thing is to join IRC wesnoth-dev at irc.freenode.net and discuss the idea with the developers there. If the developers think your idea is interesting and like the feature you can start to turn it into a full proposal. Once done discuss it again on IRC so the developers can accept your idea.

== Information about our Project ==
The information we provided google with about our project can be looked up at the site [[SoC Information for Google]].

== People to bug on IRC ==
We have prepared a list of people with their "area of competence". This is to give you an idea on which areas those people can be of help for you. Of course you should always just ask in the IRC chan, but those are the most likely ones to answer questions in the respective area. And here is the list:

[[SoC People to bug on IRC]]

== GSoC Student Applicant Ideas ==

Every student interested to work on Wesnoth as part of Summer of Code should create a page of his own where several things should be listed. Here is a short list of what should be mentioned on the list (the more info for us, the better...):

* Who are you? Please list your IRC and forum nickname in here and describe yourself so that we get you to know.
* What do you want to work on? Please flesh out your personal ideas, so that we get to know what you plan to work on.
* If you already submitted patches, please list those so that we have a reference.

=== [[FormulaAIandDynamicScripting]] (barbarianhero) ===
This project idea uses Formula AI and Dynamic Scripting to create a tunable and adaptive AI.

===[[FormulaAIandThinkingAhead]] (Alesis-Novik) ===
This project idea uses methods to make the AI *think* ahead.

===[[ExtensibleScenarioEditor]] (david.hilton) ===
On a conceptual level, this idea combines a finite state machine editor with a code generator to create scenarios.

===[[LaoSoCIdeas]] by lao ===
Under Construction...

===[[AddonServer]] (giebfried) ===
This project is to improve the server and client sides of the addon server, as suggested above.
[[Category:Summer of Code|*]]

AddonServer

2008-03-20T16:08:32Z

Giebfried: New page: == Me == account names: gna: giebfried forum: giebfried irc: giebfried preferred email: andrewgiebfried@gmail.com == Introduction == Hi, I'd like to participate in Summer of Code pri...

== Me ==
account names:

gna: giebfried

forum: giebfried

irc: giebfried

preferred email: andrewgiebfried@gmail.com

== Introduction ==
Hi, I'd like to participate in Summer of Code primarily to learn first hand how programs are written in a group environment. In addition, working for GSoC will help fulfill some of my academic program's "Work Term" requirements. Currently, I am in first year engineering with the intent of going into computer engineering.

== Experience ==
I have worked on many of my own small to medium-sized programs on various things. I have only worked on individual projects so far. This will be my first time participating in Google Summer of Code. I am not involved with any open-source projects so far.

I am a bit of a gamer, most of the games I find myself playing mostly turn-based strategy games with a few real time strategy games as well. I find game play crucial, but the storyline is still very important. I've played Wesnoth for awhile, probably 2 years. I play single player - mostly with the campaigns but I've also played some multiplayer maps versus the AI as well.

I take advice very well and can discern good advice from useless advice. I am fluent in Java and I know C++ and Python. I mostly use Eclipse to develop code written in Java and C++. I have used Java for over three years and I have used Python and C++ to a lesser extent for over a year. I have two years of AP Com Sci and a year of independent study in computing in high school where I used Java. I currently am taking a required class in basic programming in C++. In my independent study I studied drag and drop, networking, the implementation of the math library, and a simple paint program. I have not used SVN yet, but I will learn it soon. For this project would use a waterfall development model.

== Idea ==
I intend to work on the suggested project on the addon server. I plan to update the existing server code for strong integration with WesCamp and use certain WML tools on content. For the client side, I plan to make the addon server GUI more informative to the user as well as simple and straight-forward to use. I also plan to make updates simple to notice for the client. Translations, Eras, etc would be shown in separate categories from campaigns and easier to download and use for the client.

I plan to spend about half of my time on the server side and half on the client side. I will start working with most of my emphasis on the server side and then work on the client side. For the server side, I will also spend about half of that time on WesCamp work and the WML tools work. On the client side, I plan to work on functionality first and then enhance the GUI. For the GUI I plan to redesign the current screen

I chose this project because it covers many different areas of programming. It incorporates networking, and GUIs, both of which I have some experience already. Also, I feel like this is an important part of Wesnoth that might be overlooked at times since it isn't directly involved with gameplay. After the GsoC ends, I plan to stay with the community; my appreciation for Wesnoth and the friends I will make will keep me in the community.

== Practical ==
After I complete this project I would like to have improved my coding skills and more importantly
learn about how coding is done in community projects.

My only spoken language is English and I am fluent in written English. I am awake at 10:30AM to 1:30AM (UTC) an I would not mind talking with a mentor over VOIP.

== Short Essay ==

I wish to join this project for GSoC and beyond because of Wesnoth's strong community I wish to be a member of. The Battle for Wesnoth was one of the first open source games I used. Wesnoth stood out against most of the other games I previously played. It had a professional feel and had a strong sense of how I now view open source.

When I first took Computer Science in High School, I enjoyed the lab time writing programs. However, it took a bit longer for me to realize why. Coding for an assignment was enjoyable, but it was coding with a group of people that was more enjoyable. Talking about our assignments and working as a team was where the most enjoyment came from. I feel The Battle for Wesnoth has the strong community where I won't just be working on my project, but contribute to a project surrounded by a helpful community. To me, Wesnoth is a strong example of an open source project.

Open source is defined by the community that makes it. If the community is strong, the software will also be strong. This community has people all working together to make something worthwhile, for the good of the world. This community is open: it lets anyone come in and contribute ideas, art, code, etc. It also teaches people about everything. The source code given to anyone who wants to read it, however looking at the Wesnoth forums is stronger proof of the teaching power. When someone contributes art, it almost always is improved by the advice of others in the Wesnoth community. The same for translations: this community helps people find the right words for languages that they might not even speak. When I think about open source, I immediately think of the people who make projects like Wesnoth work.

I discovered open source through Linux and Wesnoth. A friend suggested that I should try Linux and I did. However, I decided to choose Debian because it was completely free, although I didn't grasp the true meaning until later. I saw open source as simply source code that could be read. After I finally got KDE to work, I played some of the games that were included on the disks and one of them was The Battle for Wesnoth. When I the main menu appeared, I knew that this game was a work of art; The music, drawings, and the underlying code were all integrated to make a masterpiece. All of this work was done by a group of people not for profit, but for making an excellent game. This was all their work. Wesnoth defined my idea of open source from the naïve notion that it is merely code that can be read to the definition explained above.

I have much to gain working for open source software. I have all the benefits of working for a software company, and much more. I get to meet people across the world. I join an open source community. I will learn many things from this community. I will have an deeper understanding and appreciation for this project. I will improve my developing and coding skills. In addition, I will learn things not directly tied with coding. I may improve my art skills, for example, when I'm working on the GUI for the client with the help of the many artists who contribute to Wesnoth.

I also believe I have much to give to the community. I will be contributing with my project, but I will be contributing much more. This is another reason I wish to participate with Wesnoth for GSoC. This community facilitates communicating with different groups in Wesnoth. I will be contributing to different aspects of this software, it may be art, ideas, maybe even the Latin translation.

I enjoy trying to solve the problems I encounter. Whether in a game, life, developing or programming, I look for problems and try to fix them. It's an engineering thing I think. When I wrote my own programs, I always did something I knew I would have a little difficulty in. I would have to learn how to fix the problem. The satisfaction of solving a problem keeps me wanting to solve more problems. When I am writing part of a program that is not much of a problem, I keep motivated by remembering my goals for the program I'm writing. For the project for GSoC I would also be motivated by my sense of responsibility to the Wesnoth community. My thirst for knowledge also keeps me coding, I find researching what I have to do as enjoyable as designing programs.

I would be honored to work for The Battle for Wesnoth through GSoC.