[CF List] levels & spells

[Todd Mitchell]

What about cutting down or eliminating the buffer?  I noticed that the times
when I am having the most fun are also the times when I am pounding keys
like a maniac and this tends to get me killed. (Like any bad habit - I know
better but it is fun). I don't mind getting 40 messages when I cast poision
cloud or fireball, but do mind that when I fire a whole lot of arrows it is
quite a while before the buffer clears and I can run away.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Wedel" <
     
     mwedel at sonic.net
     
     >
To: <
     
     crossfire-list at lists.real-time.com
     
     >
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2002 1:19 AM
Subject: Re: [CF List] levels & spells


>
     
      Steven Lembark wrote:
     
     >
     
      >
     
     >
     
      > That would cut down but not eliminate the problem. Network
     
     >
     
      > latency can cause the repeat messages to still cause problems.
     
     >
     
      > One approach would be for the server to send a heartbeat-
     
     >
     
      > type message indicating that the last event is still
     
     >
     
      > continuing (e.g., you're still praying). That would limit
     
     >
     
      > the traffic to one event per, say, second. Until a new
     
     >
     
      > message gets passed.
     
     >
     
     
     >
     
       the index method also doesn't work when a large percentage of the message
     
     may
>
     
      be the monster your are killing (eg, define code 1234 as 'Your flaming
     
     aura zaps
>
     
      the %s' saves some amount of bandwidth, but is still costly if that %s is
     
     >
     
      'greater demon'.  Unless things like greater demon and all the other names
     
     are
>
     
      also tagged.
     
     >
     
     
     >
     
       It should be mentioned that the server DOES have the functionality to
     
     repeat
>
     
      messages.  The problem is that too many messages pass the NDI_UNIQUE flag
     
     to
>
     
      draw_info.  The reason NDI_UNIQUE exists is that it preserves ordering and
     
     >
     
      reduces latency of sending that particular message (if NDI_UNIQUE is not
     
     set, it
>
     
      may be several ticks before the server sends the message to the client).
     
     The
>
     
      other reason is that if the message is really unique (say a shop listing),
     
     you
>
     
      don't want it invalidating the cache of messages the server is buffering.
     
     >
     
     
     >
     
       Obviously, things like the praying messages and some spells should not be
     
     using
>
     
      the NDI_UNIQUE flag.  a simple fix to the problem.
     
     >
     
     
     >
     
      Scott Wedel wrote:
     
     >
     
      >
     
     >
     
      > As for experience levels, sounds to me like the table of experience
     
     needed
>
     
      > per level should be contained in a configuration file read at startup
     
     that
>
     
      > can easily be editted.  The cf distribution could contain a couple of
     
     different
>
     
      > sample configs with comments on how each affects gameplay.
     
     >
     
     
     >
     
       This is a good idea - compiled in values are generally not good.  IT
     
     should be
>
     
      mentioned that in the past, I believe the level differences were much
     
     more, but
>
     
      there were problems with that.
     
     >
     
     
     >
     
       Increasing the level limit IMO is a bad idea.  As it is now, most of the
     
     game
>
     
      is designed for levels less than 50 (spells you get, etc).  Increasing the
     
     level
>
     
      limit is not likely to do anything but delay by a minor amount of people
     
     getting
>
     
      maxed out, and even more whining that 'there should be more level 200
     
     dungeons
>
     
      out there) and what not.
     
     >
     
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