Game Design Ideas

As we pick up speed at Funcom to get The Secret World ready for release in April 2012, It is becoming clear to me that I need get this project done before we enter the death-march stage at work. Hence, I decided to get busy with the code and GUI, and though nothing is final, it is all starting to come together.

The mathematical model is coded, almost all valves, level meters and gauges are hooked up to the model and work as intended, and a placeholder GUI allows access to the basic functions. Now if I could only find time to code the GUI elements for the real-time Barton Chart recorder (The one on the separator) and manage to figure out a smart way of implementing users swapping out orifice plates on the Daniel orifice meter – and detecting any mistakes they make, obviously – I would be a happy camper.

Here are a few of the latest screenshots. Please let me know if there is anything you don’t like, or like about the setup.

Here are a couple of screenshots of the textured assets that show some of the controls you will be able to manipulate in the simulation in the graphic engine. This is still a work in progress, so you’ll have to forgive some of the sloppiness. Currently, I am working on the scripts and on adding some life into the scenes (doodads, trees, some more terrain painting,…). Then,  it will be time to port the Excel Flow/Pressure model into the engine.

Rig and part of the test setup

Wizard pressure controller on the Separator. Anything in Red/Orange can be set, and all gauges will display “real” (well, simulated!) values

Fisher Level-Trol on separator

I hope to be posting videos, and the partial application itself soon, but let me know what you think so far.

Thanks to all the people who left comments and emailed me personally on the wellsite simulator. I promised a new project, and this might be a good time to give you some first details. We finally got settled, after a long and bumpy relocation to Montreal. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten my PC from Oslo yet, so I haven’t been able to do any serious work on my new project: a 3D Welltest Simulator in the past couple of months. Nevertheless, here is a low-down on the status of the project so far.

a)      Most of the models are set up, and they are rather detailed as you will see in the sample screenshots. The textures still need some work (hence not included in the screenshots), but the UV mapping is almost done. The one thing I am missing is a good reference image for the BOP control panel, so if anyone out there has a good image/blueprint sheet, I would greatly appreciate it if you could help out. And,… in case you were wondering…yes, you will be able to control the BOP, ESD, Air compressors to the burners, Oil/water pumps, separator pressure and liquid level controllers, all the valves, etc. and all the controls will all affect the simulations in a physically semi-correct manner.

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I finally managed to put the oil well operator program up for download. I decided to leave out a few features I added, and make an early “lite” version available for download to all of you. The program, as it is, is easy to use (if you know how to operate a well that is ), and I’d love to hear your comments and criticism. The software, is neither the complete version, nor has been upgraded to a new graphics engine in a long time, and the little bit of sound in there is horrible (I am sorry for that, but I really didn’t have access to voice actors/studios). For installation instructions, please read on…

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Back in 2005, I quit my job as a well-test engineer in order to start making games, my only passion, besides AI. At some point, a programmer friend and I created a prototype of a fully interactive training environment for oilfield operators. With my knowledge of oilfield equipment and operations, and his knowledge of 3D engine programming, it seemed the right thing to do.

The goal of the wellsite-simulator project was to explore the possibility of training oilfield operators on the on well control equipment and safety. This type of training environment can potentially be turned into a commercial success, especially nowadays that realistic graphic engines are available. Back in those days our graphics were quite basic, but hey, even some artists at our company could probably have operated well-site equipment after playing around with the simulator. And to me that’s good news!

[ Update: The Oil Well operator Simulation software is available for download now! ]

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