better documentation for modders

[Mailaender]

I don't know if this is required after all. People seem to be able to mod the game without any manual at all. The idea is to auto-generate something like https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/wiki/Trait-Documentation or maybe create a manual to be shipped with each release.

https://github.com/chrisforbes/OpenRA/tree/radoc is a work in progress for automated trait documentation with comments stored inside the source code using [Desc("String")] and compile it into the game.

OpenRA.Utility.exe --doc will then output something like http://sprunge.us/faLe To be adjusted to wiki markdown or docbook (and then create a HTML, CHM or PDF file).

[DaveAxiom]

I'm finding it difficult to extract game information needed to add new features to the game. The information is tied up in .yaml files and the means to read this information is dependent on learning the obscure C# feature of "attributes".

I've asked about the architecture of the game in IRC and have looked over the code. After looking over the code in the last two weeks, I still haven't connected all the dots between what I should find and what I see. The description of the source code's mechanics by project members isn't fully visible to me in the code.

The learning curve is too high and my current impression of C# attributes are that they give source code poor readability. A simple remedy would be to create a few test cases that print extracted yaml information to the console. Also there should be something written to assist in working around C# attributes to cope with poor existing project code.

I have a game plan on how to accomplish what I am working on. I'm not a team member and haven't revealed what I intend to add to the project but I feel confident that the work when complete would be a great contribution.