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Re: CF: Split engine vs rules?



Scott Wedel wrote:
> 
> I think the primary goal of reorganizing engine vs rules logic should
> be to allow testing the rules and design of a map without having to
> play it.
> 
> It should be possible to design and test a map without having to
> play.  This is important to both the map designers and CF programmers.
> It would allow the map designer to test out map features without
> having to create a character with the particular abilities and items
> needed to achieve some effect during game play.  Such testing would
> also allow CF programmers to verify code changes do not break map
> functionality.
> 
> It should be possible to place any object including spells at any
> map square and then step forward the execution of the items.

 This can be a bit trickier.

 My initial thought on the split is that you could 'play' without the rules -
that is to say you could move around and trigger common objects (gates, buttons,
handles, etc).  these are objects that will have common meaning no matter what
game system is used with it.

 This provides some level of testing.  It does not provide testing of the
monster moving and thus triggering something.  However, this non rules based
play would not give you access to spells or skills, so if those special
attributes are needed for the map, you could not test that.

 It should currently be possible to put most any object in any state.  However,
there are some limitations, like mentioned a few days ago with gates/buttons
being in sync (although, they could not get out of sync in the map anyways). 
Also, the ease of the editor letting you put various objects in special states
may not be the easiest (you may need to enter the specific state values by hand
in the object attribute window).

 One thing that may help this out is some little tool that will make a player
for you with desired attributes - basically like one of the character cheat
programs that many commercial games have.  I realise this can currently be done
by using the text editor, but that isn't always the easiest thing - especially
if we make the presumption that map designers do not need to be really
technical.
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