Crossfire Mailing List Archive
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Re: Local variations to crossfire.




> I don't think this is much of a problem. It is unlikely that an
> official release will have a bmaps file with large holes, and so it
> should be safe to use faces from 50000 and up for local bitmaps, or
> even 9000, though that point *may* be reached one day... (We are
> currently at 1997 here :-)
> 
> xbmtobdf has no problems with a sparse bmaps file, and it need not be
> sorted. Keep your won localbmaps, and append that to each official
> release. Actually, the name space for bitmaps may be more of a
> problem. Any volunteers to make a more hierarchaical structure? The
> directory is getting awfully big.

But having a font with large holes in it is bad news.  Many servers don't
cope well with them, leading to huge fonts, loss of server memory, etc.
Testing out your suggestion above _quintupled_ the font size, and my server
could no longer load it.  While xbmtobdf may have no problem with a sparse
bmaps file, the server does have a problem with sparse fonts.

That's why I want to keep the font contiguous, which brings us back to my
previous item.  Personally, I prefer the 2nd approach (having local references
which are resolved) for a couple of reasons:

1)  If we allocate a chunk for local use (1st approach), it's sitting there
   taking up space in the font which may never be used.

2)  If we need more space than that chunk, we have to allocate another chunk,
   compunding the problem.

Also, the player bitmaps could be put there, getting rid of the need for a
separate font to handle the chrfont option.  Instead, you have an argument
which specifies the location in the font of the start of your bitmaps.

More thoughts, anyone?

Cheers,
Geoff.

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Geoff Bailey (Fred the Wonder Worm)   |   Programmer by trade --
ftww@cs.su.oz.au                      |       Gameplayer by vocation.
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