Okay, well, there's been some sideways progress. First of all, today I converted the internet code from TCP to UDP. Most don't know what that means, and it really doesn't matter. It was just a good idea, since I found (or at least heard about on IRC, thanks X-Out) a library that implements some nice features over UDP - the reliability and sequencing of TCP along with some bandwidth stuff that I don't even really understand. So it's a good fix, and it kind of even made the code a little simpler. And most importantly, it means the lowest level networking stuff is no longer written by me, which means I trust it!
So the latest additions to the game are that now the title screen asks for your name and password, and then connects you to the server, and sends that (encrypted, of course!). The server still doesn't know what to do with that information, but it is definitely getting there, which is nice. Converting the code took quite a while. Also, I have a sore throat. That didn't interfere with my work in any way, and I have no other symptoms of illness, I'm just whining because it hurts.
OH! And double-also, I ordered Rock Band, and it should be here tomorrow! Tremendous excitement beyond measure. I
really wish I had the Xbox 360 version, because you can download Still Alive for it for free, but I'm just not ready to dish out that kind of money (not $0 for Still Alive - $400 for an x360). I got the good ol' PS2 version. My original plan was to hold out for the Wii version, even though it has the same lame limitations the PS2 version does. I was hoping that the newer model drums and guitars it includes would be of higher quality and less prone to breakage, not to mention they're wireless, and we never play the Wii so it would be nice to have a reason. But since that would be $50 more expensive, I decided to just dive in and go PS2. It's sad, because I could've done that 6 months ago. As a bonus, I have a guitar for PS2 already due to Guitar Hero, so that means I have the full 4-person rock kit!
I also ordered a newish version of Dance Dance (Supernova 2), and a new dance pad. That's my substitute for Wii Fit, since you can't buy that anywhere outside of Ebay. Oh yeah, and that Wii Fit shortage? Entirely fake! Every Ebay seller has a gigantic stack of Wii Fit boxes as their picture for the item (with a piece of paper with their name on it in the shot, just to prove they're the scum that bought them all). They each own at least 100 of them. It's not a shortage, they just all got bought by greedy bumweasels who wanted to scalp them. Stores need to stop letting people do that. Anyway, I still have a working dance pad, but it doesn't work
well. I am very tired of losing a 300 combo in a song because the pad doesn't work. And don't tell me I'm blaming my own problems on the pad! I can prove it doesn't work. I'll be hopping around on the down arrow, and onscreen you can see the up arrow is being stepped on too. That's on the entirely opposite side! But it mostly works, it just gets kinda bad sometimes. Plus, on any song of remotely high level (not that I play high levels - medium is about my limit), I always end up mis-positioned at some point. The new pad has raised arrows which should save the day.
So that's the story of ponynet and my video game purchases.
