Hi Josh - long-time listener, infrequent caller. I'm suffering some confusion about "content" and was hoping you and the community would straighten me out. I was thinking that "content" included names, dialog, UI, and other stuff like that. I was particularly looking forward to that phase of development, since it seemed like areas where the community could really help out.

The recent content work, however, is focused on the development of an in-game programming language. It sounds like the intent of the new language is to implement and modify the procedural algorithms underlying the game.

Is that a correct understanding of the current work? Is the new language ("LT-LUA"?) also going to be used for non-procedural elements like my original understanding of "content"? Perhaps these answers are TBD, but I feel like there is some part of your vision that I'm missing here.

From what i undestand its indeed a "LT-LUA" based on joshs ages old universal data format (UDF) idea.

Im pretty sure the "universal" makes it usable for static content too.

Static content is just generated by a simpler formula.

If you procedurally generate a class 3 drone, you can make the formula for mass something like
Mass = 27

That's as static as it gets.

Content is what's in the container. Next question!

To answer the question a bit more specifically, most of Josh's work up until now has been focused on creating the architecture for the game -- writing dynamic and complex AI algorithms, engineering robust system-spawning algorithms, and establishing procedural tech trees and economies. These are all the game mechanics necessary to immerse the player in the world. Content, which is coming now, consists of working on ship, station, and item spawn algorithms, that way not every ship is a metal brick with peashooters taped to the front, and not every item is a metal or crystal ending in -ite.

This also means Josh will probably be working on that ship/station design function for player use in-game. Most of the things you've seen with regard to assets thus far have been placeholders with simple PCG algorithms. Now Josh is ramping up his game in that department because he no longer needs to worry about how the actors using those ships, stations, and items act.

Grumblesaur wrote:Content, which is coming now, consists of working on ship, station, and item spawn algorithms, that way not every ship is a metal brick with peashooters taped to the front, and not every item is a metal or crystal ending in -ite.

I do like the metal bricks. I really do. Some factions could have some of those (with some windows and lights, of course). For the sake of variety, I hope they don't dissapear completely!