Presentation Prep. Part 2

A brief post regarding the functionality of Fatigue, Dehydration and Starvation.  What follows is a flow chart the describes how the aforementioned functions will work, as defined by the end-user.  The goal is not to create an inventory system that monitors the amount of food or drink available, for example, but to create a level of thirst or hunger that the end user can use to define when parent functions come into effect.  The end-user will be able to define their own inventory systems and branch out from this original code, as was my intention at the start of the project.

(Please click the image for a larger version)

As you can see from the flow chart, functionality of the three player-invoked features comes from variable customization, and no feature will be invoked unless checked against the variables set by the end-user.  Creating, eventually, what I'd originally set out to do; create a highly customizable code-framework.

This flow chart, as well as the other involving Hypothermia and Hyperthermia, will require tweaking before it is finalized. I am however, happy to proceed with code based on the flow-charts. 

Giving the end-user more control.

I am constantly thinking about what I would want out of this project as an end-user. Customization and full control over the variables that control the full feature-set are two that stand out the most.  Of course, there are many ways that you can give users this sort of control, but it needs to be simple to use and intuitive.  The image that follows is a result of my ongoing quest to give the end-user full control over the framework.

(Please click the image for a larger version)

As you can see, the user can enable and disable features as they see fit.  Two features are reliant on Fatigue to be an active component, and as such if Fatigue is disabled, so are Dehydration and Starvation.  This is because the research I have undertaken describes Fatigue as a symptom of both Dehydration and Starvation.

I have also created the initial selection process for the user-defined actions (see in an earlier flow chart).  The user-defined actions control the end result of the extended features; Fatigue, Dehydration, Starvation, Hypothermia and Hyperthermia.  I will be providing a code update in a later post.

Presentation Prep. Part 1

I have been preparing flow charts to visualize to others and myself how this framework will function, and more importantly how the weather and the levels it can be applied to will affect the player.  The following flow chart depicts how the weather variables and functions (depicted in blue) will affect the player and create the physiological effects described in earlier posts (depicted in orange).

As the main focus of my current schedule is Hypothermia and Hyperthermia, I have decided to show the workings of those first; all others will follow the same logic.

(Please click the image for a larger version)

The user has full control (as seen in earlier posts) over the minimum and maximum limitations of the players Heart Rate, Respiration Rate and Core Temperatures; of which for each of these the player can choose and outcome of Nothing, Blackout or Death.

This is what I have been working on post-new year, along with fixing previous problems with the code; discussed with Chris Janes prior to the Christmas break.