2.5 screen shot

[Numsgil]

This is what the graphics look like at the moment:

[shvarz]

Neat.  Why are there two radiuses?

[Numsgil]

It's strictly me playing with the graphics at the moment.  A style I guess.  What do you think?

[shvarz]

How about distinguishing permanent and temporary ties?  Are they distinguished now?  Maybe by thickness?

I am not sure what the graphical abilities are, but I was thinking about this: if two bots are joined by permanent tie then draw them as a pill (basically make the tickness of the tie equal to diameter of a bot).  Of course, the problem is with bots of different diameter...  Can you make the tie to taper off at one end?

Also, in the pic you showed with five bots all linked to each other.  How difficult would it be to detect those small triangles of empty space and color them in, so that multibot looks more solid?   And here's something not related to graphics: what if we make ties to exert some friction on bots?  So that the bot in the middle of such glob (even when it's not hooked up by ties) would be dragged along simply by the fact that there are multiple ties overlapping it.

[Numsgil]

How about distinguishing permanent and temporary ties? Are they distinguished now? Maybe by thickness?

 No, I only got the tie drawing routine working yesterday.
 
 

I am not sure what the graphical abilities are, but I was thinking about this: if two bots are joined by permanent tie then draw them as a pill (basically make the tickness of the tie equal to diameter of a bot). Of course, the problem is with bots of different diameter... Can you make the tie to taper off at one end?

 Yep, I can do this.

Also, in the pic you showed with five bots all linked to each other. How difficult would it be to detect those small triangles of empty space and color them in, so that multibot looks more solid? And here's something not related to graphics: what if we make ties to exert some friction on bots? So that the bot in the middle of such glob (even when it's not hooked up by ties) would be dragged along simply by the fact that there are multiple ties overlapping it.

 Detecting empty space... I'm not sure how to do that at the moment.  My knowledge of OpenGL is still of the copy and paste variety.  I'll keep it in mind.
 
 Like have bots sort of bounce off or slow down as they contact ties?  I don't imagine it would be too terribly difficult, the main issue would be the changes in forces.  If a bot's momentum is changed by colliding with a tie, the tie's momentum should change too, which would mean a change in momentum for the two bots in the tie.

[Welwordion]

Well do not exaggerate the drawing of ties to much, its disturbing when there is to much stuff on the screen.

Regarding the boucing off, I have an easy idea:
When the third bot crosses the line between the tied bots split the tie in two, as if the third bot would be connected with 2 shorter ties to the other bots (of course these Would not count as true ties and would graphically just be two lines with a corner where the third bot is)
and if the third bot crosses the line of connection between the tied bots again the splitted tie merges again.

......(_)............(_).........(_)..........(_)............(_)
.........|...............|.............\............|...............|
.........|...............|...............\..........|...............|  
.........|...............|.................\........|...............|
..=(_).|...........=(|)...............(X)....(|)=....(_)=.|
.........|...............|................/.........|...............|
.........|...............|............../...........|...............|
.......(_)............(_).........(_)..........(_)............(_)

[shvarz]

That's a good idea and all the physics should be there already

As far as thick ties, here are a couple of experiments I tried.  One with very thick ties and the other with thick ties and fill-in empty spaces.  Both look OK, not too heavy on the eye.  In fact, I think these would be even easier to see than the intertwine of thin lines that we have now.

[attachment=233:attachment][attachment=234:attachment]

[Numsgil]

The only problem really becomes what to do when not all the bots are interconnected.

Like:

0---0
|.../|
|..0.|
0---0

[shvarz]

For physics or for drawing?

No problem with physics.

As for drawing, I changed my mind - that filled-in thing looks weird and you can't tell how many ties are inside, so just thick ties would be better.

[Numsgil]

Here's what I have so far:

Birth ties are pill-like, as you describe, with each end being as wide as the bot it's connected to.

Voluntary ties are 30 units wide (Bots are generally 120 units wide) and do not taper as birth ties do.

Should I graphically differentiate between ties that are hard and soft?

[EricL]

Should I graphically differentiate between ties that are hard and soft?

What do your orderred list of priorities for 2.5 tell you to do?  

[Numsgil]

Ordered list of what?

[shvarz]

why are we still calling it 2.5?  Maybe 3.0 alfa?

[Numsgil]

I want to have metabolism working in whatever I call 3.0

Think of it not as "two point five" as much as "two and a half".  "Half way" to 3.0