Anyway, I finally got around to installing Python again (PY will be pleased), and am (once again) considering it as a scripting language for my HYDRA engine, which oddly enough I'm using for a level editor. Interesting.

I have, alas, yet to find something to test my knife on, though the neighbor's cats had better watch out.

Programming Ramble

Since my latest project is all C++, I may as well mention some of what I'm doing now.

First of all, I decided to use HYDRA to make my level editor in. Why? Because it works. I'm still so pleased with the fact that it just works.

My only 'problem' that I've run into so far is making a User Interface. I'm not using WinAPI, nor QT4, GTK or whatever (Because I never learnt how to use them >:3), so I'm making a compact GUI model that uses simple object types and abstraction to create a simple event driven and easy to assemble interface.

Good thing I actually understand how to make an event-driven user interface framework.

(OK, I'm relenting and downloading GTK+, because I'll probably have to use it eventually…)

Otherwise, I'm coming along quite well. Something I've mastered is storing useful data in binary format. For the level editor I'm using a mix between 32-bit values and 8-bit.

This is the current 'layout' for my level format:

BYTES | VALUE

0-2 | LVL (Identifier)

+4 | 32-bit integer that contains the length of the header in bytes from this point

+4 | 32-bit integer that contains the length of the actual data

t*n | Tile index table.

x*y | Tile data + Tile Attribute in sequential format

??? | Object data and positions

So, as can be seen I'm still working some of the length out. But I treat these situations like Algebra: Unknowns are OK, solve 'em later.