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If you're talking about the old Visual Basic (6 and lower)

Yeah, VB 6 was specifically the version I was thinking about.

My program will be fun to develop as I learn new things in c++.

Good to hear. Have fun and learn something new. Bettering one's self is always a good thing.

When it comes to a choice in language, everything is relative. I want to direct this to all of you that are half my age and thinking about languages you may want to learn.

If you are making programs for your personal use, use the language you are most comfortable with.

No programming language is rubbish or shitty, only the programmer. No matter what language you begin learning, if you take a class, the first thing a teacher should tell you is "user = looser. If there is a way to break your program, the user will find it. And a program is only as good as the programmer."

I would encourage any aspiring programmer to learn several languages and not dismiss a single one.

For example, C++ began as an extension to C. And C# is, as one professor at my old University called it, "C on steroids". For C#, you can include C++ and C program code if you know how. With C++ you can include C as well.

COBOL (COmmon Business Oriented Language) was the industry standard for decades and many businesses still rely on legacy code from this language. C++ replaced it and is now being replaced by C# and .NET. But businesses are still heavily reliant on C++, which means learning it is a good idea if you want a job.

Here's a kicker... many modern languages still rely on Assembly Language and other such low-level languages and can be incorporated into C, CoBOL, C++, C# and so on. It is one of the most basic and closest to machine instruction languages you can learn.

Visual Basic is almost completely useless... but some businesses rely on it for their program interfaces. It can also be fun to play around with and make little programs for fun.

Java, J++, and other languages and variations of languages all have their parts in the world. And a great many languages tie into other languages to get their work done.

So, as I said earlier, if you make a program for personal use... use whatever language you like. If you are trying to build a resume or find work... learn more then one and fill out your tool chest so you can do most anything an employer would like.

Many military applications still use FORTRAN (Formula Translator). In fact... its actually a fairly important language in this modern age. But it can be painful to write code in.

In the end, my point is that terms like "rubbish" and "shitty" denote an opinion of the ease of use, compatibility, and a wealth of other variables of that specific person's opinion. Don't base your programming language decision on what someone else tells you is "rubbish".

For example, here's a quote from the GTK+ website.

GTK+ it is written in C, but has bindings to many other popular programming languages such as C++, Python and C# among others.

In the end, all these languages more or less tie together in one way or another. I would suggest that, for personal use, you test out various suggestions these guys have made. Like potatis suggested GTK+ specifically because of its relationships to C, C++, C# and so on and I would assume he likes that particular tool. You might not like it, so keep all your options open.

Find one that you like specifically and try to make yourself a more well rounded programmer.

As for the original topic of this post. Striker, I tried your beta 3 and, I think it could use some work but its a neat idea. Keep it up. Developing a new program will take several attempts and several revisions. I'd say you're off to a good start.

Originally imagined in 2003 as a mod for Half-Life, Cat-life has spent a great deal of time on hiatus over the years. After a long delay due to missing team leadership, the mod reorganized under current Team Cat-Life leader BiGToM. Yet the greatest missing component, a coder, remains absent. The biggest single set-back has been the cat's POV code.

However, as has been stipulated before, this mod about a cat trapped and ownerless during the Black Mesa incident has plenty of lives left. Earlier this week, BiGToM announced that an older piece of code from prior efforts had been successfully implemented. The original code had been fraught with bugs such as monsters sinking into the floor. Nevertheless, after a lengthy wait for a new coder [a wait that included a cash reward], the early code was modified and fixed.

Now, with corrected code in hand, Team Cat-Life is able to wrap up other portions of the mod. With this news, the team has also announced a target date for the first stage of Open Beta testing. Expect to be able to download and play the Cat-Life beta in November.

The beta will also include additional bonus content including maps that were cut from the project and some of the original concept.

To help celebrate, I've asked BiGToM for some new screen shots for the gallery. http://www.bwldevelopment.com/cat-life/cat-life-gallery

[ Two additional, exclusive screen shots have been included with this news item. They will not be added to the gallery. ]

Yeah, like I said on another site, Mr President Frankenstein is the role I most remember him for because it was the first one I saw him in.

My biggest concern is that this could turn into another Hollywood political speech about how "evil" modern FPS games make people. They do try to make political speeches with some of their movies these days.

Ohshi-, I should re-upload Mesa Times. ;o

It's still up on my site.

http://www.bwldevelopment.com/comic_strips/phpslideshow.php?directory=mesa_times

Ah... glad to see this back on track.

Hello everyone.

After much work, my random clip video is finished and since I was posting on a couple of other sites already... I thought that I should stop by and share it here.

A few months ago, I was playing Gmod. I had been considering making a random clip video after watching some of the Half-Life 2 Robot Chicken videos. I thought I could do something like that but with my own style.

Some time later, I watched the Idiots of Garry's Mod and "Press Start" by Katana and felt inspired to make my own even more so.

Then, during that night in Gmod, I stumbled onto a server called "MAKING A MOVIE! (Join) - Server" and thought about trying out a few tricks on a server set up for videos. I joined while it was empty and some other players later joined and asked if I was making the movie.

Of course, I said no. But I had started to have some more interesting clips and some ideas began to form. I started recording clips on a "just in case" basis over the next few days.

Then one day, When I had started to get a little more serious about my video... which was made with free fraps at the time... a player calling himself "Danny the Magical Turnip" or just "Danny the Turnip" joined and asked if I was making the movie.

Once again I said no, but added that I was recording a few clips for a possible random clip show later on. He became very enthusiastic about the video and wanted to help out. He came up with several of the clips that are in the final product.

Disorientation turned into a bigger project then I had originally expected. I switched to Source recorder during the filming and most of the video is made using that. But I kept most of the fraps stuff as well... just because I didn't feel like re-shooting.

I'm using Google Video because the final video became too... big for YouTube. Also, a two part version is uploaded on FileFront such that it would offer slightly better quality... 33+ minutes worth.

Google Video [Full Program]:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2880304756393463086

FileFront [Higher Quality]
http://files.filefront.com/Disorientation+part1wmv/;12891807;/fileinfo.html
http://files.filefront.com/Disorientation+part2wmv/;12891815;/fileinfo.html

No date yet. We really, really need a coder.

For a time, after I wrote my "9 Lives" article, we had a coder. But that was ultimately only for a portion of source code. We still need someone that can get down into the meat of the mod's code.

That's the issue that has been holding us up. Its a problem we've had for years. We've got a donate button on the site for PayPal so we can raise money to pay someone to write the code. We can offer $15 US right now.

I would do the work myself if it weren't for my time issues. I just can't find the time to re-install Visual Studio 6 and really work on source code.

By the way... I decided to make a slide show with that song.

I decided to make the celebration official with a custom video using that song.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WSZZpJYbUg
Better quality: http://files.filefront.com/Cat+Life+A+Look+Backwmv/;12671258;/fileinfo.html

Every time I start to seriously think about everything that has happened with this mod and my site I think of the theme song from Star Trek Enterprise... Faith of the Heart. This one. It seems fitting somehow.

Certainly, I am proud of this. Our little mod has come a long way.

Thanks for pointing this out. I'm linking to this thread as a source for my news and forum posts.

Well, one of my proudest moments in an FPS would be the time I shot a guy out a window in one of the city maps on Action Quake 2. Team Deathmatch and we were the last two people alive...

With the pistol...

It has been a long time coming, but BiGToM released a new video. "paw beta"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwVkdTdw0Ks

EDIT:
Team Cat-Life Coder Search

Team Cat-Life is now offering $10 - $15 US dollars for a coder to finish the coding side of the project.

As Cat-Life moves further into the development cycle, the need for a coder to work on the hl.dll and client.dll has grown. The project is nearing the earliest testing phases, but needs certain game codes to be completed.

Now, BiGToM has announced that he would like to pay $10 to $15 US dollars for a coder to work on the project. Bids are being accepted, so prospective coders should contact BiGToM via sayrken@hotmail.com or through the forums or ModDB page.

Payment will be rendered via PayPal.

Also, combines are robot-like, Xen creatures were flesh.

Actually, Combine minions are more like cyborgs. Mechanical enhancements of flesh and blood beings. And looking at Nihilanth, you can see the metal base it sits upon, and a number of large stitches that seem to hold it together. Its legs even look like they have been amputated.

My thinking is that the Nihilanth was equivalent to Doctor Breen... and probably represented an early attempt to make a trans-xenian being. Even the grey skin resembles that of the trans-human soldiers and the stalkers.

One popular theory holds that he broke away from Combine rule and led his minions to Earth to take over and make a new home. Subsequently, the Combine followed them and forced the breech at Black Mesa open further to spread their invasion and devastation.

It seems that the mod is moving along nicely. But I recieved word from BiGToM today about a need for a second coder.

"We have done the first part the client.dll but now we need someone to help us with the hl.dll to make all things work."

His biggest concern is the cat POV code. With that part completed and working, he could then have the beta testers start testing some of the maps.

Beyond that, there are some other functions that still need to be coded. The sprint key. The player "weapon" damages. And a night vision function of a sort... since cats can see in darker environments.

If you are interested PM BiGToM on ModDB or use MSN at sayrken@hotmail.com

I'd like to show you some new screenshots, but I think the best I can do is a few that have been on the ModDB page for a while.

Just so long as the work gets done. I can't wait to see what happens this time around.

I remember reading the first version of this. It tempted me to make a rip-off version... but I didn't.

Can't wait to see how this works out.

I'm not sure what all of BiGToM's ideas are right now as far as sound is concerned. I sent him both of your hotmail info in an MSN Offline message so he may be in contact with you soon.

Other then that, I'll ask him about it the next time we're on MSN at the same time. Thanks for the help.

This will be a little of both. Mostly survival though. You will be battling "lots of aliens" and trying to find the best solution to escape Black Mesa as a cat. But current plans call for hidden areas and a secret world to search out and explore.

Thanks folks... I'm dropping BiGToM (aka sayrken) a line right now with your suggestions. He's offline, so I don't know when he'll get the message, but it should be in the morning.

It seems there's some good news on this mod. Several positions have been filled including a coder. Cat-Life is still recruiting for additional help and there has been an added request for Sound & Music and voice actors.

Here are two more screenshots including one of the cat model in-game.

And I don't know how many of you may have read it, but here is an article I wrote at the end of January regarding the history of Cat-Life. Just in case you feel like reading a history article several pages long.
Cat-Life: 9 Lives

We have a new status estimate...

Current Status:
Coding 50%
Maps 40%
Models 40%
Design 10%
Sounds 60%
Music N/A

Total 30%

Roy Scheider died?

Yeah, just this past Sunday.

I'm glad to see a new comic to MOD.

I just finished talking to BiGToM and he had this to say.

let say i gonna add seacret rooms with gags and some kind of unlock super seacret world. im also planning alot fun with the soilders

He also told me that this will be Single Player only at first. And then, if possible, it will have a Multiplayer add-on.

I don't really know how much humor BiGToM will be adding.

The original concept came from our forums prior to the release of HL2. It was intended to be fairly serious, an ordinary cat trying to survive. My Cat-Life fan-fic reflects that original idea.

We always believed that any humor would come from the antics of scientists and guards, or from the nature of the game itself ( I mean, let's face it... it's a cat in Black Mesa).

When redfox899 took over the project, he wanted to make the mod much more deliberately humor based. Head mounted laser, takeing over the world as a cat, the player is a Hitler/Jesus cat. Most people felt it was a little too much.

When redfox899 found himself too busy with other porjects, BiGToM stepped into the role of Team Leader. BiGToM is from the original mod team and went back to the original story but is incorperating some unspecified changes.

So, after all these changes in leadership, I can't say for certain... but I suspect there will be a fairly even blend of humor and action. I'll ask BiGToM later for some details that I can reveal here.

I can't really comment on it so far, Wildcat- I'll need to see more information or maybe a screenshot or two when production begins.

Well, there's some information and screenshots available on the site and ModDB profile. And yeah, that video's there too. Here's a few of the more recent screenshots from the ModDB gallery.

Hopefully these links will work.

Basically, the story and mod have gone through a lot of changes down through the years but BiGToM wanted to make the original concept. Here's the story as he described it when he took over.

You (a cat) wake up in an animal cage. It's standing on a train and a crane picks up crates around you.

Finally the crane picks up your cage. It puts the cage on the transport system which then travels deep within a building.

A package selector robot slides the cage to a new transport belt that leads to the animal test lab.

But a power failure strikes, and the robot restarts sending you away on a different route through Black Mesa itself.

A scientist named Walter picks you up at the end of the ride. You are now his pet.

One day he tells you that he has an important test at work and you cant follow. Thus, you are stuck in Walter's room. The experiment, of course, is the resonance cascade.

According to one of BiGToM's updates, the mod will have 5 chapters and a new training course. The idea is that you will only have weapons that a cat would have (claws, bite).

Hello, I'm The Wildcat.

I learned about your site by tracking Daubster back here last year.

Anyway, I thought this would be a good place to post a recruitment message for the Cat-Life mod. Sorry if it sounds a bit like a form letter... I've been submitting the same thing to a couple of HL news sites and its based off BiGToM's update on the ModDB profile.

Cat-Life is a unique mod experience that will allow players to experience life inside Black Mesa as a pet cat. We are seeking motivated help to complete this one-of-a-kind project.

There are three positions for which we are currently recruiting...

1. Mapper/Level Designer - Mappers are responsible for map building. You have the option to make new maps from a given chapter or to improve existing maps for game play and frame rate.

2. Modeler/3D Animator - We already have a working model with some animations. The Modeler will be responsible for making minor adjustments.

3. Coder - Most importantly, we are seeking a coder for GoldSource games, especially Half-Life. The coder will be responsible for lowering the player POV to a cat's eye level, implementing the new HUD, creating and binding the new "dash" function, and other similar tasks. BiGToM already has the Half-Life SDK 2.3 so most of the basic coding is already done.

If you are interested in joining the team, send BiGToM a PM on the ModDB profile or contact him on MSN (sayrken@hotmail.com).

Cat-Life site: http://bwl.hl2files.com/catlife/
ModDB profile: http://www.moddb.com/mods/1945/cat-life