Trystan/Developer Journal
Trystan's Journals
"Just because I'm wide awake doesn't mean I'm thinking."
My Mod's Homepage
http://mep.beyondunreal.com/mymod.html
My Personal Homepage
http://webpages.charter.net/bmschkerke/
Introduction
I decided I better break my journal down into pages, especially considering how I plan on examining different files and how they breakdown. Fairly soon this main index page would be a beast to go through – actually, I wager that once I had added Actor.uc to the page it would have been too much of a beast to wade through.
As it stands now I'll add a page for each entry and hopefully it's okay with the hosts here.
One of the guys I'm coding with has started up a developer journal as well. He's Chazums, so check it out. Chazums/Developer Journal
Introduction, March 26, 2003.
It has been quite a while since I "retired" from working with UT2K3 due to lack of time. Well, frankly, it's time for me to try again. So.. here I go! What am I developing? I don't know, whatever I can, maybe just learn and at some point in time I'll actually do something with it. That's probably the best way to go about it. 
I also need to refamiliarize myself with Wiki so I can set a Wiki up for the project I used to work on. I'm still their systems administrator type person hosting everything.. so.. I figure a Wiki can help them a bit more than Forums when it comes to UT2K3 code and related items.
So, whether you liked me or not, I'm back.
Copying to other parts of the Wiki
Anyone may feel free to copy something I've written to another part of the Wiki, especially if it's to help site documentation. So far I've been using my journal for a lot of stuff that could improve the Wiki in other areas but as stupid as it sounds I'm a bit.. frozen.. when it comes to modifying other information. I know Tarquin, Mychaeel, and Wormbo all say that they'll correct anything I say that's wrong but.. heh. My luck I'd drop a nuclear bomb into someone's lap and not even know it.
I'll try to stay cognizant of information that's useful elsewhere and try to get it distributed away from here, but I thought I'd give anyone permission to copy what they want. The information that's here has been learned from Wiki, from the Chimeric forums, and from other people's hard work on tutorials and the like. I'm not going to sit here and claim this information is original.
Useful Wiki Pages
Rather than bookmark my pages I'm going to list them here.
Mutator Config GUI covers setting up a configuration window for your mutator.
Compiler Errors lists common compiler errors and what they really mean. Why can't a compiler have plain English errors?
Useful Mutator Functions has useful code in regards to mutators and making them work client side.
Maintaining Compatibility has a list of classes that shouldn't be replaced by a mutator, and even better, a list of proposed solutions for how to avoid replacing those same classes. This is different from most people who preach "don't do that!" but can't give you an alternative solution.
Using LocalMessages. Lots of confusion with these in the forums so any source of information regarding them I'd like to track for when I screw them up.
Useful External Pages
http://udn.epicgames.com/pub/Technical/VehiclesInUT2003/ is a beginning to documentation in regards to vehicles in UT2K3.
http://www.planetunreal.com/pipeline/tutorials/replication.html is a good document demystifying replication.
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/visual_arts/19981023/skybox_01.htm does a decent job of explaining what a skybox is and how to create one. It's dated, but I'm fairly certain most of it is still applicable, just at higher resolutions.
Journal Entries
| Trystan/11 15 02 | New Journal & UC Files |
| Trystan/11 16 02 | Classes beginning or ending with numbers |
| Trystan/11 16 02a | Mod Startups by Mychaeel |
| Trystan/11 16 02b | Breaking Down Object.uc |
| Trystan/11 17 02 | Difference in methodology. |
| Trystan/11 17 02a | Breaking Down Actor.uc |
| Trystan/11 17 02b | Tools and Utilities for Modding |
| Trystan/11 17 02c | Adding a Weapon / Weapon Overview |
| Trystan/11 24 02 | CVS and Source Code Control |
| Trystan/11 29 02 | Anatomy of UT2K3 |
| Trystan/12 01 02 | Weapon.uc defaultproperties |
| Trystan/12 13 02 | Why not use release dates? |
| Trystan/12 23 02 | uDebugger: Video not found. |
| Trystan/12 24 02 | Custom Gametype |
| Trystan/12 25 02 | Torque vs Modding. |
| Trystan/12 26 02 | HOWTO: Modify Player Speed |
| Trystan/12 26 02a | HOWTO: Create Reloadable Weapons |
| Trystan/12 29 02 | Weapons Firing Flowchart: Projectile Fire |
| Trystan/01 01 03 | Weapons Firing Flowchart: Instant Fire |
| Trystan/01 16 03 | Time. |
| Trystan/01 19 03 | Walled Garden. I'm contributing to that effect right now. |
| Trystan/01 20 03 | Feel the brain melt.. |
Rants
| Trystan/Code Protection | The Hypocrisy of Some |
Projects
| UT2003 Engine Overview | Unreal Tournament 2003 Engine Overview |
| Wiki Roadmap | A Roadmap to Wiki! |
Comments
Trystan: If you're following my journal at all I'm not going to be updating for a while, not until I obtain a bit more knowledge and expertise. I've begun questioning my own competence in a variety of ways and I don't want to lead someone into a trap I created out of ignorance.
Chazums: If you're not sure what you;re putting up is correct there is no way i'm putting up mine 
Kerlin: A journal doesn't have to be correct. The journals of this planet's inventors were always full of problems...well, except Tesla.
Trystan: True, but I tend to begin to feel like an idiot when I begin making mistakes at this level.
Balu: Who cares if you feel like an idiot? 
Actually I need to look at your mistakes to avoid them I also like your way of analyzing things. As an absolute UTScript newbie I got some nice things to read just in your journal... And BTW I am looking into UTScript because I just feel to do something new. I know the time-problem you have, thats why I am not making any plans on joining or creating a mod myself (in fact this I have plans to create one, but that is supersecret - perhaps you want to join the longest-ever-developed-not-really-having-a-clue-mod team?
Trystan: Heh, no, I'm in no rush to join another team. I'm still officially attached, and damn it, I plan on helping them with code sooner or later. I'll be continuing my journal sporadically. By the time I actually learn what I'm doing I might be able to be useful for Unreal Tournament 2010.
Trystan: Oh, yea, I'm updating again. The updates won't be as solid, nor as complete probably, but I'm still trying to learn as much as I can to be a resource to the World at War team for questions and help when they need it. You can read in lots of places but unfortunately coding takes more time.
Kerlin: Good to hear your sticking with it. For a good laugh, see Kerlin. That page should raise your spirits!
Chazums: Hooray, more than a sys admin i'll have you know
