[CF List] First trials

Sat Jul 28 05:08:54 CDT 2001

On Sat, 28 Jul 2001 10:11:35 -0400, Chachkoff Yann wrote:
>

     Le Vendredi 27 Juillet 2001 12:57, vous avez =E9crit :

     >>

      Well, I compiled the client and server on Solaris without problems:

     >>

     >>

      ~ > uname -a

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      SunOS topaze 5.7 Generic_106541-02 sun4u sparc SUNW,Ultra-5_10

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      ~ > gcc --version

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      2.95.2

     >>

     >

     I am interested to know more about the server compiled on SunOS/UltraSpar=

     >

     c.=20

     >

     Do you get warning messages when compiling ? Are the performances good ?

Warning messages:
gcc -g -O2   -I../include -I./../include  -c metaserver.c
metaserver.c: In function `metaserver_update':
metaserver.c:136: warning: passing arg 5 of `sendto' from incompatible pointer type
...that's all.

Installation sugestion:
- have the 'maps' archive unpack into crossfire-<version/maps. and have
  the installer install them automatically.  $datadir is defined there.
  I had a problem with that too: according to some docs it would seem to
  want $pregix/games/maps, but in reality it seems to look in
  $prefix/share/crossfire/maps (which makes more sense). THis is
  probably just an INSTALL or README cleanup.

>>

      Great game, but for a 1.0.0 version it definitely needs polishing.  The

     >>

      basic features are all there; just the way to use them and the

     >>

      intuitiveness needs to be improved IMO.

     >>

     >>

      BUGS/COMMENTS:

     >>

     >>

      - here's an error in a defaults file

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      Unknown display specication in /u/lohner/.crossfire/gdefaults, xpm

     >

     I never seen this. Can you send a copy of your error message ?

That _is_ the error message.
~ > gcfclient -server 127.0.0.1 -h
Unknown display specication in /u/lohner/.crossfire/gdefaults, xpmDo not understand option -h
Usage of cfclient:

-server <name>   - Connect to <name> instead of localhost.
-port <number>   - Use port <number> instead of the standard port number
...etc...

The client needs to support a -h or -help option too, and a -debug would
be good to see where it fails with connections (i.e. connectiong to
server:port etc.)

The server also should print a message telling which port it listens on.
I couldn't find that anywhere.

Here's the file:
~ > cat .crossfire/gdefaults 
# This file is generated automatically by cfclient.
# Manually editing is allowed, however cfclient may be a bit finicky about
# some of the matching it does.  all comparissons are case sensitive.
# 'True' and 'False' are the proper cases for those two values.
port: 13327
server: 127.0.0.1
display: xpm
cacheimages: False
split: False
showicon: False
scrolllines: 36
scrollinfo: False
sound: True
colorinv: True
colortext: True
tooltips: True

The performance seems slow, both with PNG and XPM (PNG looks nicer
though... it also seems a little bigger).  Do you have any
performance-measuring code in the client or server?  That would be
useful... I think that the game may have slowed down when lots of items
were left lying around, even when I'm not directly on that map.  Not
sure though.

>>

      - if .crossfire doesnt exist, does it get created?  I get errors like

     >>

      Could not open ~/.crossfire/keys, trying to load global bindings

     >>

      ...will it create this after a first run?

     >

     No, it does not get created (not for me at last).

Hm.  Should it be?  The messages it printed out made me wonder.  I guess
it's harmless though.  It probably gets created when you save your
gdefaults.

>>

      - after the first character I played, none of my characters have ANY

     >>

        melee weapons skils, no matter which race/type I pick!  AAh, I need to

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        pick a type ( paladinl, etc.) before I can have any skill at all.

     >>

        This needs to eb a a FAQ

     >

     This seemed quite obvious. But if didn't guessed it, it must certainly go=

     >

     =20

     >

     into the FAQ.

Better yet: put a panel in front of the exit with the info, and a gate
that the player needs to open.  That should take care of it.

>>

      - arrows never seem to get added to my arrow count when I pick them up.

     >>

        Ah.  They go in teh quiver (likce the sack).  How do I put arrows NOT

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        in the quiver into it, and how do I select which ones I want to fire?

     >

     To put arrows not in the quiver into it, open the quiver (just like a sac=

     >

     k)=20

     >

     and drop your arrows inside.

I figured that out.  Its not obvious though... also: once a quiver and
sack are active, everything goes inside, right?

>>

      - I picked up a cloak once and it didn't appear in my inventory.  Ah,

     >>

        the sack.  It should indicate how many items are in it (maybe in

     >>

        parentheses?) so you see when something gets added to it.

     >>

        AAh.  When the sack is open you can put stuff into it.  This needs to

     >>

        be documented somewhere; else its confusing for newbies.

     >

     I like the idea of indicating object numbers in the sack. Maybe you are t=

     >

     he=20

     >

     first to ask for that; I've never crossed that idea before.

     >

     >>

      - I don't like 'three shortswords'... make it '3 shortswords'.  Easier

     >>

        to read.

     >

     Maybe, but I'm not sure. Some people prefer "three" instead of "3".

Easy.  It's client-side, so make it a configurable option.  Same for
'readied' 'worn' etc. I'd like abbreviations once I know what the
possible statuses are so that the window takes less space.

>>

      - keys are difficult to figure out.  How the heck do you apply it to a

     >>

        door???  It keeps hopping into my sack.  I want to be able to click o=

     >

     n

     >>

        teh key, then apply and a direction.  I can't open the beginner door!

     >

     Simply put keys in your inventory, not in your sack (close the sack befor=

     >

     e=20

     >

     grabbing it). It will be automagically used.

Ah.  I was wondering why keys in my sack vibrated when I got close to
doors.  Another FAQ maybe?

>>

      - graphically, the 'live' characters need to stand out more from the

     >>

        items lying on the floor.  I can't see when I'm being attacked

     >>

        sometimes when clearing out an area!

     >

     Do you play with XPM or PNG ? If XPM, try PNG instead, they are a little =

     >

     more clearer.

Yes, PNG is better.

>>

      - gravestones seem to stick around for ever. Why?  Expire them after

     >>

      a certain number of turns/hours/ etc.  Lots of items lying around

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      (esp.  in hack-em-up areas) are useless, esp. if you can't eat them

     >>

      and can't

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        really make money off them.  Orcs heads etc.  They should rot and

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        the=

     >

     n

     >>

        disappear

     >

     Not that although gravestones are useless, orc heads are not (try

     >

     alchemy=).=20 And they get erased when the map gets reset.

     >

     >>

      - if I can't save and quit everywhere, give me a PAUSE at least!

     >>

      (otherwise it's hard to play at work :)

     >

     Pause is quite impossible (remember that the game uses client-server

     >

     and=20 there may be many other people playing).

Hm.  True... maybe there could be an 'amulet of pause' or something that
teleports you to a safe location until you unpause?

Nils.