From nicolas.weeger at laposte.net Sun Aug 1 04:15:46 2021 From: nicolas.weeger at laposte.net (Nicolas Weeger) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 2021 11:15:46 +0200 Subject: [crossfire] Custom items & monsters on maps Message-ID: <3613235.hJAfeIBq7j@gros> Hello. I wonder if instead of setting custom values for items & monsters on maps, it wouldn't be better to create artifacts (with a 0 chance of being generated) and use it in maps. The rationale I can see is that it makes it much easier to balance items/ monsters (since artifacts will give all available items/monsters, instead of needing to check all maps for custom items). It'll also allow changing items the players possess (which is not currently possible with custom items). What do you think? One limitation though is that artifacts can only have names in the form "item of artifact", whereas custom items/monsters can have any custom name. Best regards Nicolas -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: signature.asc Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 195 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part. URL: From pc-crossfire06 at crowcastle.net Sun Aug 1 09:46:35 2021 From: pc-crossfire06 at crowcastle.net (Preston Crow) Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2021 10:46:35 -0400 Subject: [crossfire] Custom items & monsters on maps In-Reply-To: <3613235.hJAfeIBq7j@gros> References: <3613235.hJAfeIBq7j@gros> Message-ID: On 2021-08-01 05:15, Nicolas Weeger wrote: > I wonder if instead of setting custom values for items & monsters on maps, it > wouldn't be better to create artifacts (with a 0 chance of being generated) > and use it in maps. > > > The rationale I can see is that it makes it much easier to balance items/ > monsters (since artifacts will give all available items/monsters, instead of > needing to check all maps for custom items). > > It'll also allow changing items the players possess (which is not currently > possible with custom items). > > > What do you think? > > > > One limitation though is that artifacts can only have names in the form "item > of artifact", whereas custom items/monsters can have any custom name. I think both the naming restriction and the added complexity of making custom items in maps makes this a bad idea.  For major end-of-dungeon loot items, I can see it making sense, but not as a general requirement. From kevinz5000 at gmail.com Sun Aug 1 12:48:29 2021 From: kevinz5000 at gmail.com (Kevin Zheng) Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2021 10:48:29 -0700 Subject: [crossfire] Custom items & monsters on maps In-Reply-To: References: <3613235.hJAfeIBq7j@gros> Message-ID: On 8/1/21 7:46 AM, Preston Crow wrote: > On 2021-08-01 05:15, Nicolas Weeger wrote: >> I wonder if instead of setting custom values for items & monsters >> on maps, it wouldn't be better to create artifacts (with a 0 chance >> of being generated) and use it in maps. >> >> >> The rationale I can see is that it makes it much easier to balance >> items/ monsters (since artifacts will give all available >> items/monsters, instead of needing to check all maps for custom >> items). >> >> It'll also allow changing items the players possess (which is not >> currently possible with custom items). I think the advantages for balancing outweigh the inconvenience. It would also help to have a global table of artifacts, so that new artifacts can be balanced in the context of existing ones. >> One limitation though is that artifacts can only have names in the >> form "item of artifact", whereas custom items/monsters can have >> any custom name. This is a technical limitation that can be fixed or worked around, for example, by utilizing the "custom name" field (currently only used for player-given custom names) or by adding a new field. > I think both the naming restriction and the added complexity of > making custom items in maps makes this a bad idea. For major > end-of-dungeon loot items, I can see it making sense, but not as a > general requirement. I agree that the tools for editing archetypes are pretty much non-existent, and the tools for editing custom items (Gridarta) is pretty easy to use. I don't think this is a reason for not doing this, but rather, we should focus on improving the tools: either adding this to CRE, or adding that to Gridarta. Regards, Kevin From nkipps at gmail.com Wed Aug 4 09:48:14 2021 From: nkipps at gmail.com (Nathaniel Kipps) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2021 10:48:14 -0400 Subject: [crossfire] Custom items & monsters on maps In-Reply-To: References: <3613235.hJAfeIBq7j@gros> Message-ID: On Sun, Aug 1, 2021 at 2:47 PM Kevin Zheng wrote: >easier to balance items/ monsters An option is to allow a map developer to specify a modifier instead of an absolute value. So, instead of saying the sword is dam 12, say it's dam *1.5. (I proposed something similar to this elsewhere, a feature request on formulae I think.) > It'll also allow changing items the players possess > (which is not currently possible with custom items). A good point, but I think if we're very worried about players owning legacy items, we need a more comprehensive way to "revoke" special items or arches. > artifacts can only have names in the form "item of artifact" I'd like to see this limitation lifted anyway. :) Overall, I think I agree with the general sentiment that the costs outweigh the benefits, at least at this time. --DraugTheWhopper From nicolas.weeger at laposte.net Sat Aug 21 14:26:21 2021 From: nicolas.weeger at laposte.net (Nicolas Weeger) Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2021 21:26:21 +0200 Subject: [crossfire] Windows versions of JXClient and CRE Message-ID: <2678768.oiJK4HWOGH@gros> Hello. I've uploaded Windows versions of JXClient and CRE, available at: http://nicolas.weeger.org/crossfire/JXClientInstaller.exe and http://nicolas.weeger.org/crossfire/cre.exe (versions of some days ago, I'll see for updating) The JXClient installer is a all-in-one package, that will install the JRE required to run JXClient, and start menu icons & such. CRE is merely the executable, so some more work is needed: - put the .exe somewhere - in this directory, create "etc", "share", "var" - in "share", put "arch" and "maps" from the git repositories - in "etc", put the server configuration files from the "lib/config" directory I may make an installer for CRE too at some point, to simplify things ;) CRE was cross-compiled using the scripts I added to the server yesterday (make_win32/mxe). JXClient was compiled under Linux, the installer created using NSIS (which has a Linux version). All sources available from jxclient/misc/windows_installer/ . Best regards Nicolas -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: signature.asc Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 195 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part. URL: From leaf at real-time.com Wed Aug 25 17:15:47 2021 From: leaf at real-time.com (Rick Tanner) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2021 17:15:47 -0500 Subject: [crossfire] Windows versions of JXClient and CRE In-Reply-To: <2678768.oiJK4HWOGH@gros> References: <2678768.oiJK4HWOGH@gros> Message-ID: <5a375c96-435b-a9bc-d0c6-b26cf9b0d1c0@real-time.com> I have tested the JXClientInstaller.exe and it did alert about the unknown publisher. Otherwise, no issues or problems with the client on Windows 10. Anyone else tested the installer? Any issues or problems? Assuming all went well for others - what are the thoughts on uploading the .exe to SourceForge? NOTE: I have not worked with the cre.exe yet From nicolas.weeger at laposte.net Sat Aug 28 12:55:59 2021 From: nicolas.weeger at laposte.net (Nicolas Weeger) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2021 19:55:59 +0200 Subject: [crossfire] Windows versions of JXClient and CRE In-Reply-To: <5a375c96-435b-a9bc-d0c6-b26cf9b0d1c0@real-time.com> References: <2678768.oiJK4HWOGH@gros> <5a375c96-435b-a9bc-d0c6-b26cf9b0d1c0@real-time.com> Message-ID: <2684088.tGzKpiqz2V@gros> Hello. > I have tested the JXClientInstaller.exe and it did alert about the > unknown publisher. Otherwise, no issues or problems with the client on > Windows 10. Thanks for the test :) Yes, the installer isn't digitally signed, so there is a warning... To sign requires paying some $$$ of course, unless I'm mistaking... > Assuming all went well for others - what are the thoughts on uploading > the .exe to SourceForge? I have on my to-do list to do some automatic builds and make the installer available, but didn't yet progress on that... About CRE, I'm not sure it's worth doing an installer, as I suppose anyone working on archetypes will probably get the git repository... Thoughts? Best regards Nicolas -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: signature.asc Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 195 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part. URL: From leaf at real-time.com Sat Aug 28 14:31:58 2021 From: leaf at real-time.com (Rick Tanner) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2021 14:31:58 -0500 Subject: [crossfire] Windows versions of JXClient and CRE In-Reply-To: <2684088.tGzKpiqz2V@gros> References: <2678768.oiJK4HWOGH@gros> <5a375c96-435b-a9bc-d0c6-b26cf9b0d1c0@real-time.com> <2684088.tGzKpiqz2V@gros> Message-ID: On 8/28/21 12:55 PM, Nicolas Weeger wrote: > > About CRE, I'm not sure it's worth doing an installer, as I suppose anyone > working on archetypes will probably get the git repository... Thoughts? My thoughts are to make CRE available as an .exe Make those aware of it's existence (website, wiki, discord/irc) and see if any feedback is collected. If there's no feedback, then can stop or scale back the .exe promotion. Or, not pursue this idea at all if creating the .ext is a very painful or tedious process. From nicolas.weeger at laposte.net Sun Aug 29 02:53:37 2021 From: nicolas.weeger at laposte.net (Nicolas Weeger) Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2021 09:53:37 +0200 Subject: [crossfire] Windows versions of JXClient and CRE In-Reply-To: References: <2678768.oiJK4HWOGH@gros> <2684088.tGzKpiqz2V@gros> Message-ID: <2534830.3CuBFtstZl@gros> > My thoughts are to make CRE available as an .exe > > Make those aware of it's existence (website, wiki, discord/irc) and see > if any feedback is collected. Note that CRE requires some files (config) from the server, and also the presence of some directories, I think... And arch and maps at the right place. So to really use it, some work is still required... > If there's no feedback, then can stop or scale back the .exe promotion. > > Or, not pursue this idea at all if creating the .ext is a very painful > or tedious process. The .exe is generated in a single line, using the scripts in make_win32/mxe :D Best regards Nicolas -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: signature.asc Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 195 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part. URL: