This morning there were lectures, and in the afternoon, Yanko invited me to play tennis. Later, we all attended Italian class at an earlier time. I had been waiting all day to come home and work on the game, but when I finally got here, I had no desire to do anything. I turned on the computer to force myself to write ten lines.
I lacked motivation, so I went to Uncle Boshko’s atelier. I brought my laptop to copy some of Uncle Boshko’s music, but Uncle Matija was there. Suddenly, programming became fun. I apologized and said I had to work a bit. Uncle Matija sat next to me. He asked if he could watch how the work was done. I said it was fine.
“David, what’s this state security in your computer?”
“Where do you see that?”
“Well, this DB1 here it says.”
“Oh, that’s short for database in English. It’s used to record everything, so the data isn’t forgotten, in case it needs to be remembered.”
“That’s what Matija meant,” chimed in Uncle Boshko.
“And what’s this SDK2 here then?”
“I don’t know how to translate that. It’s like a basic program that we build on to make something else. It’s not the Social Accounting Service, if that’s what you mean.”
Uncle Matija was talking about a financial expert he met who claimed that SDK was by far the most efficient way to handle payment transactions. It was the best thing designed for that purpose.
“My dad would agree with you. He always talks about how he paid checks at the seaside that were eaten by inflation in two or three months before they reached Banja Luka for payment.”
“David is very well-mannered,” said Uncle Boshko, probably ironically.
“This isn’t intentional,” I said out loud.
At that moment, Elena’s message popped up on the screen with a beep.
“Sorry, Elena is texting me.”
Elena: Are you there?
David: Yes.
Elena: Did that Texan pay you?
David: Yes. Why?
Elena: Well, buy yourself something, damn it!
David: What should I buy? And why?
Elena: Buy some clothes that aren’t blue, gray, and not a hoodie.
David: Why?
Elena: Because you’ve been wearing the same things for a year, and the same colors.
David: I use the color scheme developed by Max.
Max’s theory is that clothes should have the same amount of light so that everything can go with anything. This way, you don’t have to think about combinations; everything works together. Within this, he’s developed that a hoodie is the perfect product. It has a hood if needed, and pockets to know what to do with your hands.
Elena: Your color scheme is the Estonian flag. Maybe you’ll finally find a girlfriend.
David: Are we going to argue about clothes or girls now?
Elena: What would you prefer first?
David: My next relationship will make sense. I’ll find a girl who speaks lovely. And I’ll buy something when I find the time. So, have we closed both cases? And I’ll be working very seriously on the game soon.
David: Tonight, for sure. You haven’t gotten to that question yet, but I’ll tell you in advance.
Elena: Well, you need a normal girlfriend.
David: Are you normal, Elena?
Elena: If I were with you, it would be like setting off fireworks during the day.
David: I understand. I can’t even comprehend… Yes, I think you’re right, Elena.
Elena: Are you being rude now?
David: No, I’m very well-mannered.
When the conversation with Elena ended, Max sent a message, just a statement, not asking for a reply, but it was clear that there was a whole story behind what he wrote.
“Davy, it’s not normal how insane games are made today.”
Uncle Matija moved aside, so I decided to at least work on range recognition when the enemy is within the range of a soldier or vehicle. That worked quickly, surprisingly. Then I did it so that health decreases depending on how much damage the soldier or vehicle deals. I did this for the towers as well. Then I started adding obstacles to the calculation. I forgot where I was, and hours passed. Uncle Matija pulled me out of the code when he was leaving and saying goodbye. I sent my changes to the others and informed them that we had new features in the game.
I realized that I don’t want to work when I think about how we have to make the game because it sounds huge, and it’s uncertain whether we will finish it. But when I think of a small detail we need to make, then I feel like working. That’s how it was today with calculating range. When I start working on that simple task, I get absorbed in the process and then continue with other tasks without noticing. This has happened several times before.
It was easier to make websites because they’re finished in two weeks, and the reward is near. Achieved goal, good cooperation, and money. Now I’m working on a task that’s a drop in the ocean of all the other tasks, and the end is nowhere in sight. It certainly isn’t in two and a half months like we thought at the beginning.
This thinking about a simple task is something I should have “live-commented” with Elena and Ian. It was fresh in my mind, so I told everything to Uncle Boshko, even though he’s not in our profession. It was clear he understood everything I told him. Maybe it’s a similar process in his head when painting.
I was getting ready to leave soon after Matija left. Maybe Uncle Boshko was tired.
Before I left, I heard a beep from the computer. Ian tested my changes. He said that the soldier or tank shoots at its own units. I only tested it with one tank and one soldier, so I didn’t notice they were shooting at their own. I’ll fix that when I get home.
In the meantime, Ian was working on adding hangars, helicopters, and planes. He had been on Max’s side in many arguments but didn’t like to get into conflicts. That was why he implemented the extra part, to satisfy Max and to avoid Elena’s or my complaints. We were one step closer to the goal.
1 DB is an acronym for State Security in former Yugoslavia.
2 SDK is an acronym for State payments service in former Yugoslavia.
