How not to check in temporary code
We’ve all done it.
We were skimming through a set of changes before checking in our code, trying to get the branch pushed up to the build server just before lunch. We’d forgotten that before we went home last night, we added a couple of lines of code to a method which sets up a debug state for testing. Easy to miss; and miss it we did. The change goes up, the build breaks, and we’re left feeling embarrassed.
How do we ensure we don’t check in temporary code? One way to do so is to utilise that old refactoring staple, Extract Method, along with the power of good naming.
Pull out temporary code into a method
Here’s some temporary code currently nestled inside the Card Pirates method for starting a new game. It fixes the position and the cards for the first two players, so I can easily jump to and test the combat user interface.
def start_new_game
@state = GameState.new_game(@queue)
attacker = state.players.current_player
defender = state.players.next_player
attacker.x = 3
attacker.y = 3
attacker.hand = Card.hydrate ["10_of_england", "4_of_spain", "3_of_france"]
defender.x = 4
defender.y = 3
defender.hand = Card.hydrate ["8_of_england", "3_of_spain"]
state.map.square(4, 3).face_down_cards = []
init_services(@state.current_player.name)
@queue << Command.new(:start_game)
@queue << Command.new(:start_new_player_turn, @state.current_player.name)
show_board(@state.current_player.name)
endCan you spot where the temporary code stops, and the ‘real code’ starts? It’s difficult, isn’t it? I thought so too, so I extracted the temporary code into a method, and gave it a very obvious name:
def test_the_combat_dont_check_in(state)
attacker = state.players.current_player
defender = state.players.next_player
attacker.x = 3
attacker.y = 3
attacker.hand = Card.hydrate ["10_of_england", "4_of_spain", "3_of_france"]
defender.x = 4
defender.y = 3
defender.hand = Card.hydrate ["8_of_england", "3_of_spain"]
state.map.square(4, 3).face_down_cards = []
end
def start_new_game
@state = GameState.new_game(@queue)
test_the_combat_dont_check_in(@state)
init_services(@state.current_player.name)
@queue << Command.new(:start_game)
@queue << Command.new(:start_new_player_turn, @state.current_player.name)
show_board(@state.current_player.name)
endThis has a number of advantages:
- It’s quick to do. It only takes a minute to make a change like this, and saves you a lot of headaches later.
- It’s easy to spot in a diff. It’s much harder to get out all the code unless it’s clearly encapsulated like this.
- It’s easy to spot for someone else. If instead of going on a lunch break you were cycling home for the day, a co-worker would probably be able to spot and fix this before you got back online.
- It might be further refactored later. These kind of ‘put the system in a certain state’ methods can actually be useful later - we might be able to use this for a tutorial mode, for example. Temporary code often ends up being much less temporary that we originally envisage.
I’ve found that small refactorings like this often save me lots of time later. How do you stop yourself checking in the wrong code?
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It has been a great success and we are pleased with the results. Customers are changing their plans 30% less and using their plans in their baskets 14% more.
However, getting to this point was not straightforward, and we learned many things that can go wrong when building these types of systems.
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Your code is a liability. Never forget this.
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The relative radio silence from Sol Trader Towers is for a reason: I’ve been working hard on a flexible and moddable mission structure, that allows players to take a variety of interesting quests in-game.
This build is now available on the forums should you have access (there’s still time if you don’t.)
I’ve built a few missions to start with, including delivering parcels for business or personal reasons, taking characters on business trips and making other characters disappear. It’s great fun to have a variety of things to do for characters now and adds yet more colour to the game. Because it’s completely moddable, I’m also excited to see what storylines other people come up with!
Under the hood
The full details of how to create your own missions are available as a lengthy forum post, which will be kept up to date with changes and clarifications. Here’s an overview:
The missions are organised into packs, which exists under the data/missions subfolder. If you have access to the beta builds, you’ll see there’s one pack there already: these are the missions that are built in to the game.
There are several csv files in each mission folder:
requirements.csv: This file details the cases in which this mission might be triggered. Each character in the game has a chance of picking this mission (and becoming the ‘giver’ of the mission), based on the conditions imposed by this file.conversation_player.csv: The extra conversation options available to the player because of this mission.conversation_ai_response.csv: The extra options the AI can choose from as conversation responses.opinions.csv: The extra opinion triggers, used for reactions to the generation and completion of these missions.strings.csv: The new strings needed for the previous CSV files.
The possibilities for you to build your own missions are expanding all the time, as I add new missions triggers and possible goals for the AI.
What’s next?
At the moment it’s possible to take on any mission from any person, which isn’t very realistic. I need to allow players to gain other character’s trust, so that they will only give you sensitive missions in certain cases. Additionally it will soon be possible to start a career with an organisation, which will give you a rank, a certain amount of built in trust, and access to more senior characters.
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Have a fantastic Christmas and I’ll see you all in the new year with some more updates.
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There’s a new beta available on the forums if you have insider access.
Dudley and Meredith
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As the game goes on, the player will get embroiled in these relationships between the various characters and be able to directly affect their stories. Choosing what to take on and who to ally yourself with forms a major part of Sol Trader’s gameplay.
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This new beta is now available from the forum if you have purchased insider access (if you haven’t there’s still time.) Let me know if you find any other interesting stories such as these!
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In order to have a reason to gather dirt, find locations or desire an early end for an enemy, our characters need to feel strongly about other people they know. This is where their opinions and prejudices come in.
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event, opinion, impact, I caught them, I was caught
PRISON_BRIBES, PITIABLE, -0.4, 0, 0
PRISON_BRIBES, MORAL, -0.4, 0, 0
PRISON_BRIBES, INFLUENTIAL, -0.4, 1, 0
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