Re: Multiple comments/suggestions

[quinet@montefiore.ulg.ac.be (Raphael Quinet)]

> From: Matthew L. Seidl <seidl@soda.berkeley.edu>
> 1) It would be really nice to split the player messages from the game messages 
> and put them in 2 seperate windows.  As it is now, if you're fighting a
> bunch of nasties, it's really easy to miss player messages as they scroll of 
> the screen.

Yes, something should be done with the scrolling in the message window.  But
is splitting the window the only solution ?  Any suggestions ?

> 2) The save files should NOT be written out in plain text, as it's too easy
> to tweek one.  We wrote a player from scratch once, just to prove it could
> be done.

Better leave the files in plain text.  Here's why :
- if there is a checksum/CRC in the file, this is not an easy task to write
  a player from scratch.
- if the game is run setuid/setgid, the system will be more secure.
- the plain text format is useful for (human) debuggers.
- anything you do at your local site to cheat with the game is your problem.
- if you want to cheat without using the "dm" mode, just insert a tweaked
  artifact in one of your maps, like the Holy Avenger with "dam 50",
  "immune" to what you want, "Str 10", "Con 10", and so on...

> 3) Better documentation is a must!  The manual and man page is very sparse.

Yes, but it's a game where you learn by playing.  Many other things need to be
fixed in the program itself and the docs are another problem.

> 4) Docs on adding new archtypes and new maps on your own would be helpful.

Did you look in the "doc" directory ?
I think that crossedit (0.5) is rather easy to use and understand if you want
to add new maps.

> 5) And, the eternal beef, some better way for players to interact with the
> NPC's.

Yes, I agree !  Is there someone working seriously :) on this ?

                                            Raphael Quinet
                                      quinet@montefiore.ulg.ac.be