[CF-Devel] arch/object changes.

[Yann Chachkoff]

>
     
     ===== Original Message From Mark Wedel <
      
      mwedel at sonic.net
      
      > =====
     
     >
     
      Various thoughts on updating the archs directories and the objects.  Several
     
     >
     
     points:
     
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     >
     
     1) client type in arch.
     
     I think adding a "client_type" field is quite simple to do, could solve quite 
a lot of problems and may also allow some interesting side effects. I suppose 
using 16-bit integer is enough for that, given the actual number of different 
object types.

>
     
     2) Changing on how plural names are generated.  
     
     Again, a name_plural field is a simple yet elegant solution. I agree with it, 
since it allows some simplifications in the code.

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     3) Images: I did some work recently to remove support for xpm and xbm 
     
     graphics
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     in the server (in terms of collecting and loading them).  Sometime soon I'll
     
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     actually remove all the files.
     
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     (Just as a short note: please warn *before* removing such a piece of cake next 
time, as you suggested yourself not so long ago !)

For the different graphic sets: I agree with the idea of a new naming 
convention (name.111.<setnr>.png), allowing different gfx sets to coexist 
without problem. If a picture does not exist in set x, the default one (from 
set 0) could be used instead.
I also suggest the creation of a user command "changegfx <id>", where id is 
the graphic set sent by the server.

Now for the old XPMs: I agree that supporting more than one gfx format was 
somewhat useless. Now what you need to understand is that some people still 
used it because of the smaller size of their screens (XPMs were smaller 
(24x24) than PNGs (32x32)). 
Wouldn't it be possible to convert all the existing XPMs into PNGs and make 
them an alternate gfx set ? This would remove the needs for XPM support while 
allowing crossfire to be still played without problem on smaller screens.

Chachkoff Y.

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