History of Xalaria
Xalaria was begun by Julian Cochran in 1991, lost the same year, begun again in 2000, set aside in 2004 and finished in 2021. Its story is kept here, mostly in his own words, written at the time.
- 1991
Xalaria, 1991
From the memoirThe first Xalaria, a role-playing game written after school, with 500 monsters, four schools of magic and an alchemist, lost to a burglar.
- 2000 – 2004
The Xalaria Universe Simulator
From the memoirA universe drawn to scale and moving in real time, already in 2001, and a plan for alliances and stations that every player would share.
- 13 Oct 2002
Making of D-Zone (a.k.a. Destruction Zone)
A page by Julian CochranThe lost source code found again on an old diskette, the plan for D-Zone v2.0, and notes on its 3D engine, collision detection, tank models and writing a game alone.
- 3 Dec 2003
What Is Shininess?
A note by Julian CochranWhy a surface looks polished, and a formula fast enough to show it in real time.
- 10 Dec 2003
Extreme Brightness
A note by Julian CochranShowing light brighter than a screen can, and the lens flares behind D-Zone II's explosions.
- 14 Aug 2004
D-Zone II
FEATUREThe 1992 tank battle and its 2004 sequel, and the friendship with Terence Tao that came before it.
- 20 Dec 2010
Descriptions of Life
A note by Julian CochranFifteen worlds and the life the universe simulator placed on them, from a brown fungus with exploding nodules to a soup of sub-atomic particles.
- 2018 – 2019
A New Conception, and a Name
From the memoirFourteen years later, a universe told in words and played in real time, and the day it was named Xalaria.
- 2020 – 2021
A Beginning, a Middle and an End
From the memoirPlayable, then complete, then balanced one small rule at a time; a nurse robot that moralises; and a free release in the browser.