Technobabble

[Rhaegar]

This thread is primarily for wizards/wannabe wizards and people with some programming skills (others are welcome too, but don't hate if you can't understand what the discussions are about).

So, some things that came to my mind after I put some more effort into exploring and testing various things on Genesis:

1. Some form of global code standards should be enforced.
2. Easier cross-domain coding (ie. implementing stuff in one domain that can be affected by/can affect stuff from other domain).

Let's get more specific here:

Ad. 1.

I'm not entirely sure how the entire system works, so it would be nice if an arch or someone could clarify this, but would it be possible to add more things into the /std/ directory, that could be inherited by objects?
I mean, looking how inconsistent things are, based on the huge variety of creators (and their skills) behind them, wouldn't it be a good idea to get more of the 'standard' things?
Example:
Standard definitions for undead, that would include things like - can't be blinded or poisoned, can't eat, can't be plexed (doesn't breathe), underwater breathing (as previous), being properly recognized as undead for the purposes of special effects from spells/items etc. etc.
This could be further extended by standard skeleton or wraith types, to handle the proper "corpse" creation upon death (turning into a pile of bones or vaporizing entirely).

Then, every time someone would like to code an undead, he would simply inherit one or two files and wouldn't have to bother with writing all the code himself. This would make all undead consistent across the realms and save a considerable amount of coding-time.

Ad. 2.

I won't go into specifics here, let's just say that an old friend of mine, who was a wizard (not any more for the past couple of years) complained a lot because while some domain lieges allowed him to create hooks for domain-specific stuff, others wouldn't and he was unable to implement things he wanted to.

Example:
Let's say someone would like to create a new area, where worshipper's fire elemental would set the dry grass there on fire when summoned and burned out all the herbs in vicinity. This coder wouldn't be able to do so, without the liege of Calia giving him access to the WotE files.
I know that domain-restriction is very important, but wouldn't it be possible to create some kind of 'global database' with most common things people would like to use (usually guild-related) that would be visible/usable by all but without revealing any specific information or giving access to restricted files?

What do you guys think?

[Tive]

Do you think you are more clever than people who have been running the game for years and that similar thing is not in place already? besides, there probably are features which some people would prefer to be limited to specific domains.

[Rhaegar]

I've never said that people running this thing aren't clever. Just some parts of the game are rather outdated and perhaps certain solutions could be made for easier updating. I'm also against stripping domains from their unique features, just thought that making this features have some additional/common sense effects in other places could be a neat thing.

And it would be also to the benefit of the players, if certain things would "uphold the standards" as you would know what to expect and it wouldn't kill creativity in any way.

[Tive]

You forgot to add that 'it would bring new people to Genesis'

[Rhaegar]

You forgot to add that 'it would bring new people to Genesis'

That is not my primary concern

[gorboth]

What you are suggesting here has actually been a big push for us in recent years. The recode of all guilds has indeed been based on the idea of centralization as much as possible. The problem is that the game is already built, so any efforts in this direction need to be those of retrofitting existing code with newly devised central constructs.

Sure, we can do this, but it means hand selecting and modifying any code in the game we feel needs the attention. That goes slow.

As for new code making use of such standards ... well ... we really don't have a lot of new code happening right now outside of Administrative projects. There are very few domain wizards who are active. I do like your specific suggestion regarding undead. Interestingly enough, the wizard Lavellan may be just the person to make this sort of thing happen. Just the other day, he was working on some undead in a particular area of the game and following up on a suggestion by a player to make them unable to be blinded, and producing no corpse, since skeletons do not have eyes or flesh.

So ... I'll keep your suggestions in mind, and see what we can do.

G.

[Laurel]

So ... I'll keep your suggestions in mind, and see what we can do.

in the words of every hindu IT service dude: I'll check that and come back to you ... tomorrow/later, mister ...

[Rhaegar]

Thanks G.

I really think it would be easier for everyone if some general classes would be created for specific things, like the undead mentioned, this way when writing new undead creature, the coder wouldn't have to go through:

- add property
- add property
- add property
...

And could instead just #inherit "undead_properties" and be done with it.

The same goes for updating old code, just mass select + remove old lines of code and add one line of inheritance. Not a lot of work, less code and everything is up to standards.

It also means easier code maintenance, since fixing issues takes effect globally and not in just one particular area. It might have the drawback of breaking everything globally, but if the standard inheritance files are kept simple it shouldn't be any problem. It could also be made for other types of things, like spells (to make sure every spell checks for resistances for example, without the need to write it for every single spell out there).

[Tive]

So ... I'll keep your suggestions in mind, and see what we can do.

in the words of every hindu IT service dude: I'll check that and come back to you ... tomorrow/later, mister ...

Are you suggesting that Gorboth is from India ?

[Laurel]

stop acting as that was news for you?