Newsletter 3: Final draft

_drafts/newsletter-003.md

@@ -297,57 +297,57 @@ follow [@logicsoup] on Twitter.
 [garden-october]: http://cyberplant.xyz/posts/october
 [@logicsoup]: https://twitter.com/logicsoup
 
-### [Godot][godot] and Rust
-
-- Rendering a 2D game in 3D
-
-  **TODO**: img
-
-  <https://medium.com/@recallsingularity/rendering-a-2d-game-in-3d-bd24ddbee6eb>
-
-  <https://twitter.com/RecallSingular1/status/1184059000242855936>
+### [EVE Online] Backend Optimization
 
-------
-
-- First month #GameDev #Progress by ardawanizadi
+[@aidanhs shared](https://twitter.com/aidanhs/status/1181584776584675328)
+a small [EVE Online] backend optimization success story:
 
-TODO: img?
+> To double the tick rate to 30Hz, our underlying @rustlang layer
+> [from last time](https://twitter.com/aidanhs/status/1110607519385350150)
+> needed...a two line bugfix and some metrics support.
+> Nice proof point for reliable software in Rust!
 
-First month #GameDev #Progress.
+[EVE Online]: https://eveonline.com
 
-- Realistic physics for #character & #weapon system.
-- First-third person camera.
-- Full rotation on first & limited on third person.
-- Dynamic damage system based on distance & body part.
-- Weapon switching.
-- Animation management.
+### [Robo Instructus]
 
-> almost a month working on my OpenWorld game to prepare all the base and necessary mechanics & logic. with my limited time due to a full-time job, I could manage to make some progress. Please take a look and leave your comments. Thank you.
+[Alex Butler] continues to polish their "[Robo Instructus]" game;
+[1.12, 1.13, and 1.14 versions were released][robo-news]:
+non-ascii code input, new icons, bugfixes, and better translations.
 
-TODO: remove? <https://reddit.com/r/rust_gamedev/comments/dilb5k/game_progress_for_almost_a_month_rust_godot>
+[You can contribute to transaltions here][robo-transaltion].
 
-<https://old.reddit.com/r/godot/comments/dilbar/game_progress_for_almost_a_month_rust_godot>
+![translated menu items](/assets/newsletter-003/robo-ru.png)
 
-_Discussions:
-[twitter](https://twitter.com/ardawanizadi/status/1184353596927688704)_
-
-------
+[Alex Butler]: https://twitter.com/bigabgames
+[Robo Instructus]: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1032170/Robo_Instructus/
+[robo-news]: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1032170/allnews
+[robo-transaltion]: https://github.com/big-ab-games/robo-instructus-translation#about
 
-"Pong Clone in Godot Using `gdnative` Rust Bindings"
+### [Godot][godot] and Rust
 
-**TODO**: img
+- ["Rendering a 2D game in 3D"](https://medium.com/@recallsingularity/rendering-a-2d-game-in-3d-bd24ddbee6eb) -
+  [Tom Leys] is working on a “The Recall Singularity” [Godot][godot]/Rust game
+  about designing autonomous factory ships and stations
+  and this month they published
+  a post about evolution of the game's rendering.
 
-<https://reddit.com/r/godot/comments/dfam0p/i_made_a_pong_clone_in_godot_using_the_gdnative>
+  ![Recall Singularity screenshot: map, a few belts and processing nodes](/assets/newsletter-003/recall-singular.png)
 
-<https://github.com/you-win/godot-pong-rust>
+- [@ardawanizadi] shared a
+  [short text report](https://reddit.com/r/godot/comments/dilbar/game_progress_for_almost_a_month_rust_godot)
+  and a [video demo](https://twitter.com/ardawanizadi/status/1184353596927688704)
+  of their progress with a project of an OpenWorld game this month:
+  character physics, weapon system, cameras, animations system,
+  dynamic damage system.
 
-> I couldn't find any full game examples that used godot-rust so I decided to make my own.
->
-> The scripts for the paddles and ball are written in Rust, and I added a convenience script for restarting the scene written in GDscript.
->
-> tl;dr: Using gdnative + Rust wasn't too bad.
+- ["Pong Clone in Godot Using 'gdnative' Rust Bindings"](https://reddit.com/r/godot/comments/dfam0p/i_made_a_pong_clone_in_godot_using_the_gdnative) - [@you-win] couldn't find any full game examples that used [godot-rust] so they made their own \[[source code](https://github.com/you-win/godot-pong-rust)].
 
 [godot]: https://godotengine.org
+[Tom Leys]: https://twitter.com/RecallSingular1
+[@ardawanizadi]: https://twitter.com/ardawanizadi
+[@you-win]: https://github.com/you-win
+[godot-rust]: https://github.com/GodotNativeTools/godot-rust
 
 ### Ludum Dare 45
 
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ based on a theme suggested by the community.
 LD45's theme was "Start with nothing".
 Here are some of the games made with Rust:
 
-- ["Working Title"][working-title] by [@NoahRosenzweig] made with amethyst
+- ["Working Title"][working-title] by [@NoahRosenzweig] made with Amethyst
   ([source code][working-title-src]).
 
   > _Experience a work in progress._
@@ -407,73 +407,54 @@ Here are some of the games made with Rust:
 
 ### Amethyst Games
 
-- [Arrakis][arrakis]
-
-  ![TODO](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JPMoresmau/arrakis/master/screenshot1.png)
-
-  A 80s game ported in Rust and Amethyst.
-
-  Arrakis is a mini role-playing/adventure game. The goal? Walk through the streets of Arrakis to find the fabled Wizard of Arrakis, that can teach you arcane powers you've only dreamt of!
-
-  <https://twitter.com/JpMoresmau/status/1180844507719450625>
-
-- webshinra
-
-  TODO: img: <https://twitter.com/Webshinra/status/1187982773547601920>
-
-  Ok, our full switch to @AmethystEngine is over, and it rox, no more semi-customized hybrids layer to 5 libs (including parts of Amethyst).
-
-  We are now ready to build gameplay in the upcoming months \o/
+- See the "Working Title" LD45 game above.
 
-- Grumpy Visitors
+- A top-down 2D shooter ["Grumpy Visitors"][grumpy] by [@mvlabat]
+  became an official showcase game.
 
-  TODO: img
+  Read the announcement post: ["Showcase game #4: Grumpy Visitors"][grumpy-ann].
 
-  <https://amethyst.rs/posts/showcase-game-4-grumpy-visitors>
+  Current game features:
+  - Cooperative multiplayer;
+  - Spawning monsters with basic AI;
+  - Sprite animations and custom shaders (health HUD).
 
-  (/r/rust (<https://www.reddit.com/r/rust/comments/dm5l9t/amethyst_showcase_game_grumpy_visitors>))
+  [The source code is available here][grumpy].
 
-  @mvlabat
+  ![A magician shooting missiles at giant bugs](/assets/newsletter-003/grumpy-visitors.png)
 
-  <https://twitter.com/AmethystEngine/status/1187112150751436800>
+- [Arrakis][arrakis] by [@JpMoresmau] is a 80s game ported in Rust and Amethyst.
 
-- Hex Game from takeryo_eeic
+  > It's a mini role-playing/adventure game. The goal?
+  > Walk through the streets of Arrakis to find the fabled Wizard of Arrakis,
+  > that can teach you arcane powers you've only dreamt of!
 
-  TODO: gif from <https://twitter.com/takeryo_eeic/status/1187700437849296896>
+  ![Arrakis screenshot](/assets/newsletter-003/arrakis.png)
 
-  <https://twitter.com/takeryo_eeic/status/1184377712946761728>
+- [@webshinra] finished porting their their hexagonal game to Amethyst
+  and is now preparing to build gameplay.
 
-  <https://twitter.com/takeryo_eeic/status/1190142474062184448>
+  ![hexagonal pam with a few mechs](/assets/newsletter-003/webshinra-hex.jpg)
 
-- Space Shooter - <https://github.com/amethyst/space_shooter_rs>
+- [@takeryo_eeic] is also working on a turn-based hexagonal game.
+  [Watch the video demo here][takeryo-video].
 
-  > @carlosupina
-  >
-  > No new release for this month. I spent most of the time working on refactoring the existing code.
-  >
-  >However, I was delighted to see people contributing to the project. From the community we got 2 new items and 1 new enemy.
+  [![a small hex field with a few fighters](/assets/newsletter-003/takeryo-eeic-hex-game.png)][takeryo-video]
 
-  <https://twitter.com/carlosupina/status/1188579937709707266>
+- [Space Shooter] by [@carlosupina] got
+  [2 new items](https://github.com/amethyst/space_shooter_rs/pull/19)
+  and [1 new enemy](https://github.com/amethyst/space_shooter_rs/pull/18).
 
+[grumpy-ann]: https://amethyst.rs/posts/showcase-game-4-grumpy-visitors
+[grumpy]: https://github.com/amethyst/grumpy_visitors
+[@mvlabat]: https://twitter.com/mvlabat
 [arrakis]: https://github.com/JPMoresmau/arrakis
-
-### Other Game News
-
-- Eva online (TODO: ?)
-
-  <https://twitter.com/aidanhs/status/1181584776584675328>
-
-  > To double the tick rate to 30Hz, our underlying @rustlang layer from last time (<https://twitter.com/aidanhs/status/1110607519385350150>) needed...a two line bugfix and some metrics support. Nice proof point for reliable software in Rust!
-
-- <https://roboinstruct.us>
-
-  **TODO**: img?
-
-  <https://store.steampowered.com/app/1032170/Robo_Instructus/>
-
-  1.12 - 1.14
-
-  **TODO**: mention <https://github.com/big-ab-games/robo-instructus-translation#about>
+[@JpMoresmau]: https://twitter.com/JpMoresmau
+[@Webshinra]: https://twitter.com/Webshinra
+[@takeryo_eeic]: https://twitter.com/takeryo_eeic
+[takeryo-video]: https://twitter.com/takeryo_eeic/status/1190142474062184448
+[Space Shooter]: https://github.com/amethyst/space_shooter_rs
+[@carlosupina]: https://twitter.com/carlosupina
 
 ## Library & Tooling updates
 
@@ -617,16 +598,6 @@ My Rust Roguelike Tutorial just hit chapter 40! The newest chapter is about door
 
 <http://bfnightly.bracketproductions.com/rustbook/>
 
-### [Pixels][pixels]
-
-![TODO: local, smaller, desc](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/parasyte/pixels/master/img/pixels.png)
-
-> [Pixels][pixels] is a tiny hardware-accelerated pixel frame buffer. crab
-
-TODO: Uses wgpu.
-
-[pixels]: https://github.com/parasyte/pixels
-
 ### [Nannou awarded Mozilla grant for foundational audio development][nannou-post]
 
 ![TODO: local, desc](https://nannou.cc/static/9bd3d69917cfc005e44b068a1fefc46c/35c67/mission_partners_nannou_mozilla.png)