Crossfire Archive
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Re: World Maps and "meta-truths" (Was: Re: CF: some examples)
On May 10, 3:59am, Brian Thomas wrote:
> Subject: World Maps and "meta-truths" (Was: Re: CF: some examples)
>
>
> We could design "meta-truth" files that reside in each
> of the maps directories. Each time a map in the given directory
> tree was loaded, the relevant values would be written to
> the map. Meta-truth files would define the 'general' truths
> in all maps in this tree (BUT we allow that any local map
> values take priority over "general" values).
A better method would be determined based on how the program internally
handles this information. If we add elements to the map structure, then
it probably makes sense to put that in the header of the map. The idea
of using seperate files leaves a bad taste in my mouth - probably because
the proposed method above would mean that if you wanted maps with different
environment, you would be forced to go into different directories.
> So, unless we *override* these values in the local map, then all
> maps in the directory tree of /new_continent have these values.
> In the case of NPC_BUF, all monsters that are friendly get the
> buffer appended to their msg buffer. If we had defined the keyword
> of "history" for them already, then the code will pick that up
> *before* getting to the 'general' value we already ascribed.
As said, how the program internally stores/handles this would probably
determine how you store this on disk (save it to the same area that the
structure holding this is stored.)
The other method would be something like an environment file in the libdir,
which has listings of the different environments. (ie, environ scorn,
environ gold city, etc) - follow the general idea of how treasure lists
are done. Then you just have a list of these stored internally inside,
and the map/map object links into this. The only disadvantage with this
method would be it could be a pain to make minor changes.
However, I see this as quite a ways off - while it is certainly something
to keep in mind now, I certainly don't see a point to going out of our way
to write code that might support it, since the implementation details just
are not there.
>
> Eventually, Id like to see day/night/weather cycles be part
> of the meta-truth files as well as other stuff. Comments?
time would more likely just be timezones (ie, we are a long way west, thus
the sun is still up.) The problem I see right now is that unless the world
is really large, the time scale might not make sense. As and example, less
say game time is 24 times faster than real time (1 hour of play = 1 day
in the game.)
game time needs to be universal for everyone playing. Thus, you can not
make walking one space outside take 15 crossfire minutes if moving a square
in a city takes 1 - moving any space needs to take the same amount of real
time and same amount of crossfire (otherwise, you are storing the clock in
the player structure, and 1 might think it is night while the other thinks
it is day.)
So now lets say it takes 5 real minutes to walk accross the continent (and
that would be pretty dang big.) In crossfire, that is now 120 minutes -
2 hours. In two hours of walking, you are not likely to be changing time
zones.
I am not sure how much weather cycles would add to the game (at least
right now.) It could be interesting to have seasons, with different maps/
map characteristics depending on the season (ie, the pass over the mountains
is now burried in impassable snow.)
--
-- Mark Wedel
mark@pyramid.com
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