[CF-Devel] Adding New Stuff (again) - Requests and suggestions

Tue Apr 29 00:48:07 CDT 2003

I see both sides of the compile vs. resource file thing,
and also have the impression that a lot of talk is going
around about adding new spells, etc., without considering
the relative merit of adding such things as opposed to
the adding of less glamorous stuff.

Just to get it out of the way, I think the old-code people
are pooh-poohing legitimate ideas about how well designed
resource files can be used.  In my experience, huge 
reductions in code and increases in functionality are
generated through the design of robust data structures.
Been there, done that.  Code is not the ultimate answer.
The game content (data) is where it is at.  Make a good 
engine, and the data drives it.

But, this is an old and evolving project, and it is 
probably awfully late to make the kinds of changes that
would yield maximal results.  So, perhaps the pooh-poohing
is not as bad as if it were a young project.

More significantly, though, I think that the data file
people are overly concerned about compiling and adding
features without being willing to invest something 
significant into the project.

As for compiling, all I have is a dial up.  Sometimes
pulling latest CVS is a pain in the butt. Indeed, 
sometimes it is more than that.  But compiling is just
not that big of a deal.  I am not a C programmer, but 
I am a multi-disciplined technical person, and I can 
whittle this or that out if I am motivated enough.  
There are enough  experts out there that will mangle
what I do into something that they think is acceptable
- but only if I give them the raw material.

BTW, I think that the most significant contribution
to Crossfire just might not be the addition of this
or that cool spell or item, but indeed might be the
documentation that one could write while adding
just one cool thing.  Either that, or a map that 
uses existing stuff in creative ways - taking care
to do the design in player friendly ways, and filling
in the need for medium difficulty areas.  If I were
a project developer, I think I'd be skeptical of 
"contributions" that don't really take much more
effort than a brain fart.  I mean, all of us can
dream up a spell or artifact.  Does that really mean
we all should be mucking around in just adding cool
stuff without having to pay dues?  There is already
more magic than one can practically use.  Do we 
REALLY need more?  Sure more might be nice, but 
Crossfire sure has other greater needs.  So, while
I see the flexi-data file proposal as being 
meritorious, I can't say that I am that excited
about unleashing a bunch of mithril-toothpaste-like
ideas into the game.

If I can't or don't want to have to do the foot work
to think through, communicate, and decide via committee,
whether something is a good idea or not, probably I
ought not be messing with an open source game.  I
really don't think it is the project's goal to 
cater to the any-joe-can-add-a-feature ability.

On the other hand, if the whole thing about committee
work being drudgery is legit, perhaps I do the work on
my own, figure out how to deal with the existing system,
and sell it after the fact - without going into a fit if
it doesn't fly.  (I still think a lot of hogwash got
sprayed around over that food beep thing.  The current
code was presented as being less code (touted good 
thing), when, in fact, it is far more code (touted bad
thing) than the patch that was submitted to the list...
but bygones are bygones, and working with committees 
of mostly one or few seasoned experts can be a bear.
But, the end point is that the gumption factor ended
up making the sale - in spite of the hoopla.  One can
only really prove how valuable something is by showing
what you are willing to contribute to it, and not just
talk about it voluminously.)

I redid one graphic animation - hours of work.  Was it
fun?  Hmm.  Not so sure about that.  Interesting, yes.
Hopefully it counts as an incremental contribution,
you know, one of the 10,000 diamonds that it takes to
expand the old apartment.  But it may be a bit of a
stretch for me to expect to be able to dramatically
affect game play without an effort, even if it is as
small as taking something to committee... or a bit
bigger thing like gathering info from the experts
and writing up docs about how to do what is already
there.  I would guess that it is only fair of me to
think that I have a ways to go before I should expect
to be demanding painless ways to do things that could
potentially unbalance game play, and I guess I think
that the same is true of others.

In the end, let's see some more of the "boring"
contributions before we feel we need to be able
to make the more glorious ones...  I can show you
more graphics that could be redone...  and in fact,
have a few more half-way done, but not yet ready
for publication.  I'd much rather see work in 
new or improved types of doors, walls, and other
basic building blocks, than in additional spells,
skills, materials, etc.  We've seen a lot of comments
about how map making is one of the game's choke points...

Hmm... now where is that trapdoor code?  Maybe I 
need to do some more digging...  My new map is stuck
because my concept from games past didn't translate
over...  and I haven't adapted to the Crossfire model.
See, I have no room to fuss about how hard it is until
I am ready to commit to doing something that costs me.
Cheap advice is just that... cheap advice.  What 
projects really need is some of the expensive stuff.

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