[Scummvm-devel] GSoC 2009, release plans
Max Horn
max at quendi.de
Thu Jan 8 00:13:10 CET 2009
Am 07.01.2009 um 19:15 schrieb Sven Hesse:
> On 2009-01-07 19:54:28 +0200, Eugene Sandulenko wrote:
>> Hi Team,
>>
>> Google confirmed that there will be GSoC in 2009, so it is really
>> time
>> to think on the ideas to do. Please, start doing it already now so we
>> will be well prepared in case we will be accepted.
>
> Would putting up TFMX support again be a good idea? It is kinda sad
> it didn't really work out last year...
We could put it up. But personally, I am not sure it is *that*
important... Oh, and BTW, I'd love if we could complete some more of
the past projects. Like, the virtual keyboard stuff still needs to be
merged...
Anyway, as for project ideas, here are two:
1) Implement support for loadable modules for NDS and/or other (ARM
based?) ports, following the example set by Marcus' loadable module
code for the Dreamcast.
2) Conversion of our build system to CMake. This would allow us to
generate MS VC, XCode, Eclipse and other IDE project files, just as
well as regular Makefiles. It also includes such fancy things as good
integration with cross compilation environments, building of universal
Mac binaries, etc.
Combined with that, adding support for building engine plugins
"outside" the ScummVM tree, to make thingseasier for 3rd party engine
developers.
Besides this, I also think we should put a lot more effort into
selecting students -- and consider asking for fewer students. Some
suggestions
* GSoC is a _full_time_ job!! Make sure all students know that. Be
*very* explicit about this, even if we might risk loosing some (but
good ridance to those!)
* conduct IRC interviews!
* conduct phone interviews?
* require sample patch to be commited -- something trivial (fix a
typo), forcing them to use our patch tracker and the "diff" tool
* require detailed & complete list of other activities during summer -
> side jobs? uni task (lectures, exams, ... ) ? vacation, travel?
etc.. With the explicit notice that "forgetting" to list some may lead
to immediate abortion of the project
And during GSoC, I think we should add the following hard rule: If
gone w/o any message / status update for more than N days -> automatic
fail! Of course we need tell all students about this rule in advance,
and we'd make exceptions if we receive a notification by the student
*in advance* that he will be gone, with valid reasons etc.
Yeah, we may risk loosing some by being so hard. But I feel we had
some really bad experiences in the past. From the perspective of what
ScummVM gained, sadly I feel that to many of our GSoC projects in 2007
and 2008 were effectively failures :/. Although it improved a lot in
2008
Success 2007:
1) File system abstraction layer
2) Improve AGI engine
3) Tools: Write a portable GUI for the tools (???? well we have code
in there, but I wouldn't really call it finished nor polished :/)
Success 2008:
4) Return to Launcher and Global Main Menu / Savestate Management
5) Graphical User Interface overhaul for ScummVM
6) Virtual Keyboard and Keymapper (??? I still have hopes, but it is
not actually there...)
7) Adding support for Operation Stealth (as far as I can tell at least).
Failure 2007:
1) Small devices backend
2) Mixer improvements
3) Revive ScummEX
4) Tools: Game script (bytecode) decompiler
Failure 2008:
5) FreeSCI Engine
6) Support for AMIGA Audio Formats: TFMX and MaxTrax
Bye,
Max
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