Honkit - looking for experienced OO devs!

[[LC]Vadi]

As we all know, S2's main priority is to make a better DotA, so mods aren't the main stage of attention atm (unless they do something the super testers whine against, of course!). One problem with this is that managing them is rather clunky. Manually installing, updating merging...

So while they're getting around to taking the higher-priority stuff first, we the gamers thought that the process of mods should be simplified. Enter Honkit to help with this!

Name

Honkit. Some merger between HoN and kits or a tribute to savage 2's monkits, you decide.

Features

- easily install mods from within the program
- check for updates
- install mods that modify the same file without using a proxy "merger" mod
- mods can be ui or maps, you decide
- whatever else you ask for and we feel that is worthy to add

Where can I download

It's not finished yet!

I know how to code & want to help

Awesome. The only knowledge really required is the concept of OO, ability to lean, collaboration, and willingness.

Like HoN, honkit must be cross-platform - out of the ui toolkit choices available (opengl, gtk, qt, desktop-browser (adobe air, mozilla prism, titanium)) gtk was chosen with the vala language.

vala is language loosely based in the c# syntax, so its advantages are nice syntax, no jit, and fast speed.

What's done: just the ui atm. The major planning of the program wasn't done yet, due to a lack of getting everyone together. So the first meeting will be held at 6PM EST Wed 26th, 2009 at http://tinyurl.com/lcclan (or if you have a jabber account - room nice, server conference.jabber.org). Come in if you'd like to help.

Any questions? Ask!

[MaxGhost]

Count me in.

[kertiek]

reporting in .. :O

[[BETA]Warchamp7]

I don't know much in the way of coding but I'm certainly interested in contributing

[[LC]slime]

I was wondering how long it would take before someone got started on something like this. Too bad all I know is some Lua.

I can help test on OSX and Windows though!

[picklefish]

I'm already a member on the repo, I'll be around

[Radhruin]

I support this effort. I was in the middle of building a tool (chose Qt), but I'm willing to contribute to another project. At the very least I know a few of the stumbling blocks you'll come across and ways to get around them I will attempt to make the meeting.

[[LC]Vadi]

I don't know much in the way of coding but I'm certainly interested in contributing

We could use a program icon. I'll tell you the details in the channel

I was wondering how long it would take before someone got started on something like this. Too bad all I know is some Lua.

I can help test on OSX and Windows though!

Lua is great too, but its bindings are kinda meh so making a full program in it would be a bit tough.

I support this effort. I was in the middle of building a tool (chose Qt), but I'm willing to contribute to another project. At the very least I know a few of the stumbling blocks you'll come across and ways to get around them I will attempt to make the meeting.

That's great!

[Jiggaboo]

Relatively experienced C# dev here willing to help.
Drop me a PM anytime.

[[WmI]CptJesus]

I already posted in the channel, but I have C# experience, and am reay to contribute to this project as well. I've done object oriented coding in Java as well as LUA, and I coded custom classes for WoWGlider in C#.

[kadeve]

lets wait for a while.. its too early for 3rd party softwares atm. we can just post the ideas about this project but nothing more at this time. games is still beta and the modification system sucks & needs remake. reasourcesxxx.s2z is not a good way for mods

can someone tell me the meeting time for gmt+2 ?

[Radhruin]

lets wait for a while.. its too early for 3rd party softwares atm. we can just post the ideas about this project but nothing more at this time. games is still beta and the modification system sucks & needs remake. reasourcesxxx.s2z is not a good way for mods

can someone tell me the meeting time for gmt+2 ?

We can solve the crappy modification system with 3rd party software. That way we don't need to wait for S2 to get around to fixing the problems. That's pretty much the point of this, I think.

6:00 PM EST is 1300Z, so that'd be 1100 UTC+2.

[kadeve]

is means if i sleep now only 7 hours...damn

you cant solve the ui system with a 3rd party software. check the link in my signature i explained the way s2 should follow on ui files. its not just about s2 dev..the mod makers should follow the same they use lots of files which are unnecessary.there is no mod you cant handle with 1 file.as i said its too early for a software like this.

[edxs]

You can solve the majority of the UI modification problems with third-party software. The parts you can't solve are when two mods want to modify the same DOM node, in which case you can mitigate the damage by allowing the user to specify an order of precedence for their mods.

Splitting the files as you suggest is a good idea. It reduces the risk of two mods trying to modify the same file, but a proper mod manager will eliminate this risk. It still doesn't address the latter problem, which can only be mitigated (by a third-party tool).

edit:

There is one other situation where a modification manager could help, and that is when HoN patches break the mod files. Potentially, a mod manager could still find the correct DOM node and adjust it as required, which is something that can't be done without some tool.

Don't take anything I say too seriously. I'm not a programmer but an engineer. We routinely program but that doesn't mean we should :P

[Akkuma1]

Don't take anything I say too seriously. I'm not a programmer but an engineer. We routinely program but that doesn't mean we should :P

There is a reason there are software engineers. Generally, comp sci majors know a whole lot of theory without a whole lot of practical knowledge like actually creating a good architecture. At the same time, comp sci guys have a lot more theoretical knowledge so should be able to implement the functionality of the architecture better.

[MaxGhost]

There is a reason there are software engineers. Generally, comp sci majors know a whole lot of theory without a whole lot of practical knowledge like actually creating a good architecture. At the same time, comp sci guys have a lot more theoretical knowledge so should be able to implement the functionality of the architecture better.

Which is why I would rather go to college, but my parents are forcing me to go to university. I want some hands on for my upcoming comp science course, and less theory. I hate theory. -.-

[Akkuma1]

Which is why I would rather go to college, but my parents are forcing me to go to university. I want some hands on for my upcoming comp science course, and less theory. I hate theory. -.-

I take it you are Canadian, since in the US you could get both despite it being labeled a college/university.

[MaxGhost]

I take it you are Canadian, since in the US you could get both despite it being labeled a college/university.

Yep.

[kadeve]

i dont have any idea what you work/study IRL but trust me I blowed my mind on this UI issue for lots of hours 3rd party will cause trouble nothing more every patch will make the program useless. file editing is not a solution..

[Ape3000]

I could help with the development. My suggest for the language would be Python. It's cross-platform, versatile and still simple.

I don't think it needs a GUI at all (at least not in a hurry, maybe added later etc.). The main functions would be easy to use with simple commands.