Friday Facts #60 - Tests all around

[slpwnd]

Weekly update from the Factorio HQ in Prague has just been released http://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-60

[OBAMA MCLAMA]

coming any time

HA. i get it.

[chainedlupine]

I'm presuming that the lower-right GIF is the most recent running animation? That looks a lot better, IMHO. There's more obvious body sway and the motion reads much better now at further distance.

I shrunk the GIF down in my browser to get an idea of what it would look like at even maximum game zoom, and it's still clear to me that it's someone who is running. Good job!

Walk cycles are an art, and as someone who isn't very good at creating them, you have my sympathy.

[Psycix]

The main thing I can say about the movement GIFs are the arms. They are usually too high or to wide. Drop em a bit and have them closer to the body.
Some legwork looks like low gravity, but I think that mainly depends on animation speed.

Great work on the bugfixing, multiplayer was already many times more stable and playable than I ever could have imagined, and I can't wait to see the future enhancements!

[Jythier]

Well, good, you're automating testing. Your video-game factory just leveled up.

[infinitehubgear]

I agree about the arms, most people don't walk with their hands going above their elbows. Perhaps some more shoulder twist could make the walking animation more convincing? The running looks good; when you wear exoskeletons I imagine you can get a good "bounding" effect as though you're on powerisers.

[Androkai]

"headless" (no graphics) servers for multiplayer

Sounds good

[MF-]

"headless" (no graphics) servers for multiplayer

Shouldn't that be

"headless" (no graphics) "servers" for multiplayer

to remind everyone that they won't be servers in the network terminology?

Great news, of course

[DonRobo]

I think this is the first time I've read about automated testing in the context of video game development. A very interesting read, thanks.

"headless" (no graphics) servers for multiplayer

Shouldn't that be

"headless" (no graphics) "servers" for multiplayer

to remind everyone that they won't be servers in the network terminology?

Great news, of course

Isn't it actually a server though?

[Xterminator]

Wow this is awesome guys. I can only imagine how much easier it makes it now that you automated testing. Congrats on getting that going!
As for the character model running animation it looks quite good on the last picture, which I assume is the most recent.

[Jarin]

Assuming the most recent run animation is the bottom right, I think there's still something a bit wonky about arm movement with body sway. Can't put my finger on it. Great to see the work process, though. Keep it up!

[SilverWarior]

Great progress so far guys.
Now I haven't tested the latest version becouse I don't have many friends playing Factorio. And playing Factorio multiplayer over internet just calls for troubles especially since I'm expiriencing some internet connection problems lately.

As for automated testings: As a developer myself I can say that they can reduce the number of present bugs a lot. But as you already figured out witing unit tests for existing code is much harder than writing them for new code. So if there are other developers here I strongly suggest you start writing automted tests as soon as posible especially Unit Tests.

As for what you call "black box" testing: I belive such automated test are usually refered as "Interactive" testing as you are in a way simulating user interaction.

As for the character running animation: I think that the most unrealistic aspect of it is the sideway movment of the upper torso part. Now while such movment might seem logical when you are watching the character movment at the same speed that it is shown in GIF animation watching that at higher framerate which is more realistic with body movment speed of a running human you will quickly realize that such movment wouldn't even be posible as the sideway movment of the upper boddy part would be so fast that it would throw you compleetly out of balance.

Now in order to improve character running animation I recomend you either lease a tredmil for a while or go to a gym exupied with one and record one of you running on it. Also do mind that most pepole aren't used of running on treadmil so in the beggining their movment won't be the same as if they would be running outside. So give them a bit of time so they get used to running on treadmil before you start recording their movments.