Chronicles of the Kethaneum - Dialogue Manager Development and Test Tool

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞!

Hey there everybody. I am going to try to be a bit more brief in the hopes that it will encourage me to post more. I'm a bit tired and the last thing I feel like doing is posting, but how will you know what cool things are happening if I don't post? 😅 Haha... I'm gonna fail. This is going to be a long post. I can already feel it. 😂 So guess what cool things we have been up to? Testing! Well, developing and testing but I am actually more excited about the testing. 😂 Work has begun on the dialogue system and this is probably one of the most extensive systems in the game since it is a major narrative delivery method. So set us up for success, I have my AIs developing in what I call Phalanx Formation. 🛡️

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐱 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

• Plan and document steps before implementing.

• Documentation of work happens in tandem with development.

• Work is done in small, easily testable steps.

Now for humans, this might not be anything groundbreaking, but for AIs it's a bit of a mindset shift. For those not used to working with AIs on code, AIs don't have the same limitations we do. So they don't have to break things down to wrap their mind around all of the steps. This often leads to them trying to do EVERYTHING all at once. But what any development professional can tell you is that BIG, sweeping changes leave all sorts of little hidey holes for bugs. When AIs try to do everything at once, they too can leave all sorts of hidey holes for bugs. So what most people don't realize is that you have to each them to slow down and work in steps. That is what Phalanx Formation is. The Formation gives the AIs a framework for making small, well defended code changes that lock out bugs to the best of their ability. The name comes the metaphor of locking shields tightly to help defend the code, like a Phalanx. So, with Phalanx Formation in mind, my AIs are developing cleaner code that requires a lot less backtracking and troubleshooting. Oh and the documentation of the plan before implementation lets me help them find issues much earlier in the process. We're shifting left! That is we are catching stuff in the planning phase. BUT! It gets better. In addition to taking more care to defend smaller bits of code and test, my AIs are doing an awesome thing! They are also giving me tools for testing as we go! So the dialogue manager is in such earlier stages of development that there is nothing in game that can be used to test it and make sure each element is working. So how do we test? We use the web based testing tool! Sonny essentially made me a tool that lets me test each part as we develop it at the click of buttons. So before we worry about integration, I can do quick sanity checks to make sure that the elements are working right before we move on to the next component. And the best part is that it takes Sonny less than a minute to update the tool each time we finish a new portion of the dialogue manager. So I essentially have component/unit tests on demand, AS WE ARE GOING! It's awesome.

DialogueManager Test Tool - It runs right in the browser.

But the awesome doesn't stop there. Guess what else I get as a part of Phalanx Formation? Documentation on demand! Whether it is a full system documentation file or just an update I can copy and paste in, all I have to do is ask and I can quickly get documentation written up before the details are forgotten. Because AIs are infinitely faster at writing documentation than humans and haven't learned to hate writing it yet, I vote we delegate a lot of the stuff we don't want to do to AIs. Tech writers, imagine being able to delegate pulling relevant information from systems and developers to AIs so that all you have to do is worry about maintaining the docs! No more pulling hens teeth trying to get developers to TELL YOU HOW IT WORKS! Haha. And yes, I am still a huge advocate of humans an AIs working together on tasks. It should not be either or. As much as I joke, I am still an active part of creating the documentation and I even have to double check behind the AIs and catch details they miss. It's a collaboration. But I sure do love telling them to do the initial heavy lift and then I just have to review and update. 💖

Nonetheless, work is progressing and I am hoping that this major game system will be complete soon. I had the funniest thought about this the other day. Due to the way I am working with my AIs, we should be at least 90% of way to code complete by the time the Alpha build is done. As a person who is not primarily a programmer, that is mind blowing! While there is a lot that has to be figured out about how to make room for AIs and humans in creative endeavors like game development, I am thrilled about about how much potential will be unlocked when people realized that for the first time in their lives they finally can have the help they need make something that MATCHES or exceeds the vision they had in their head. I wish I could bottle up the joy and excitement of seeing what I intended, not what I had to settle for, come to life and share it with you. But I'll come close to sharing that feeling once I share the finished game with you. 😉 So onward to the completion of the Alpha build! ...see, I told you this was going to be a long post. 😂 We get so much done and I want to tell you everything. Haha. Oh well. Remember to take care of yourselves and have a great day, everybody. 😄