[crossfire] Metaserver info, was Re: Crossfire+/Crossfire2 Versioning and Metaserver

[mwedel at sonic.net]

> Ok, this whole argument is showing the need for a "codebase type" field
> for the metaserver.  A description of this field should also be provided
> to the user of the client if it is implemented.
>
> A couple of other fields i can think of that would be useful would be
> for "map set" and "server configuration".
>

 So a question here would be what info should be in the metaserver beyond
what we have now.   Quick thoughts, gathered here and from other areas:

1) Server code base
2) Map code base
3) Archetype code base?
4) The SC_VERSION and CS_VERSIONS that the server supports (this could be
handy as the clients could filter out servers they know they can't use)
5) A flags field with single letter flags that could denote various
things, like:
   $ - pay to pay
   P - player killing allowed
   p - permadeath

 etc - ideally, these flags get interperted by the client, so perhaps
filtering can be done, icons, etc.  Any that the client doesn't
understand, it either ignores or displays in some way.

 The flags don't necessary have to match what they stand for, and if they
grow enough, they certainly wouldn't.  But that gives spaces for 90+
flags in one field, so it means expanding to new things is easier than
having to add new fields.

 Another question related to this is whether we should re-do the
metaserver connection method all together - in shorter term, the servers
could use both new and old methods to report data, but then at some
point, they only use new method.  There were discussions in the past
about this - I bring it up now, because if we add all these new fields,
it may make it hard to keep things compatible.