[CF-Devel] "cleaned-up" CFJavaEditor testversion

[Todd Mitchell]

>
     
      I also want to note that now there is time for
     
     >
     
      anyone to comment or complain about the directory tree
     
     >
     
      as well as the entire thing.
     
     >
     
      Once I have waited, tested and committed this stuff
     
     >
     
      I will probably not like to change it right again.
     
     >
     
     
     
Just some ideas I thought to throw up here while the discussion is going.  I
was thinking along these lines earlier - not so much specific ideas, but
thoughts on what is being said.  Not asking anyone to make any changes here,
just putting some thoughts on the table.

>
     
      On a slightly related note, similar usage issues goes toward the arch
     
     directory
>
     
      and need to collect them.  While MT's point is valid that people should
     
     (may)
>
     
      add new images to the arch directory, actual usage shows this doesn't
     
     happen
>
     
      very often.  So ideally, if the editor could take advantage of the
     
     collected
>
     
      archetypes and image files, this saves the need for a player to have yet
     
     another
>
     
      distribution (eg, they grab server, editor, and maps, and don't worry
     
     about archs).

 I think as the editor is used more widely and is easier to use, it will
happen more often.  When  making maps there is always the idea - if only I
had this...I should create a... and sometimes it isn't as easy as tweeking
an existing arch in a map (although that should be encouraged) sometimes you
want a new arch (like for summoning/creation purposes) or need to modify the
treasures file to make an ability work.
As it becomes easier to create maps,  I believe there would be more frequent
modifications to the images and archs.

I think there would be some benefit in discussing seperating the arcs and
the server a bit more than they currently are.  It would be nice if the
Treasures and Races files were shipped with the archs (or a package as you
suggest) so you didn't have to get  the server download to modify them.
(actually it would be nice to redo the way this works so that the arch could
contain the creature inventories and parts lists and treasures could be a
list of treasures
to assign), It would also be nice to redo the arches (perhaps wrap them up
in XML) so you could more easily generate documents from them and easily
design other utilities-features around them (like books and descriptions and
such).

You could just wrap them up something like this (done quickly with little
thought - so don't flame me on this):

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE crossfire arch yadda yadda">
<arch>
<type>monster</type>
<race>animal</race>
<name>Dire Wolf</name>
<arccode>
Object dire_wolf
name dire wolf
face dwolf.171
race animal
randomitems dwolf
anim
dwolf.171
dwolf.171
dwolf.172
dwolf.131
dwolf.131
dwolf.132
facings 2
mina
monster 1
sleep 1
Wis 20
alive 1
hp 150
maxhp 160
Con 2
speed 0.2
exp 600
no_pick 1
can_see_in_dark 1
ac -4
dam 45
attacktype 17
resist_cold 50
resist_fire -25
wc 1
level 7
can_cast_spell 1
sp 30
maxsp 30
Pow 5
weight 30000
editable 1
run_away 7
attack_movement 3
color_fg grey
end
</arccode>
<bodyparts>
treasureone dwolf_parts
  arch dwolf_pelt
     chance 25
  more
  arch liver
     chance 15
  more
  arch heart
     chance 10
  end
</bodyparts>
<treasure>
treasure dwolf
  list dwolf_parts
    chance 40
  more
  arch ability_frostbolt
 end
treasure polarbear
  list polarbear_parts
    chance 40
  end
</treasure>
<comments>The dire wolf likes living in cold climates and is fond of hit and
run tactics.  He prefers his food raw, enjoys winter sports and his
faviorite colour is white.</comments>
<creator>Todd Mitchell</creator>
</arch>

or you could go full hog and replace (or more likely phase in) most of the
code with xml and either add xml preparse into the collect process or change
the server (and the editor...) to use the xml.

(It would be cool if the arc extention could be changed to something that
didn't conflict with winzip as well.)

It would also be nice if you could plug new arches into the server without
having to reinstall - or having to have access to the server files or your
own test server.  Something like a ftp landing pad and an update command to
do a collect.  It would make it a whole lot easier to work on content and
make it available for testing.  It would make sense from a server security
standpoint and maybe encourage more consolidation of common servers with
content contributers rather than indirectly pushing a large personal server
base out there.

i expect the tomatos to start hitting me about ... now :)

-tm