Code design workflow

From Post-Apocalyptic RPG wiki

This page describes the process for introducing large changes into PARPG.

Relevance

A large change is anything that requires design and discussion, such as:

• New module
• Substantial refactoringComap

Small changes are minor, such as:

• Fixing typos in comments.
• Fixing graphical glitches.
• Minor AI tweaks or parameter changes.

Obviously there is some overlap between the two.

Process

The process is as simple as can be. If it's a minor change or a bug fix, then just go away and do it. Nobody will stop you.

If it's a major change or addition, then we assume that it's already on the current TODO list. If it ISN'T on the TODO, then please notify others of your intentions on the forums, so as we can say whether it either be a waste of time, or to prevent other people from duplicating your effort due to lack of knowledge.

Next, WRITE SOME DAMN CODE. People will listen more if you actually contribute as opposed to just talking about it.

At some point you start writing the code for this feature, now's the time to make a patch and send it to the tracker. Do this as soon as possible.

One important point: your code must not break the current functionality of PARPG! So make sure to test your code. Patches that break the SVN will almost certainly not be excepted.

Your patch may contain errors and poor code. Everyone's patches suffer from this to some degree. This is why we emphasis code review. If you haven't dealt with this before, remember not to take it personally. Just think of it as a really good compiler/lint examining your code to help you do the best possible work.

Finally, make sure you follow our coding standards, and please comment your code!