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I recently have been wowed by the use of {bxxx "str1" "str2"} in descriptions. What a powerful tool!
While I am not Basho, I present here a few pieces to show my appreciation and in the hopes of wooing support for wider application of {} by the engine
Like a warm spring breeze the use of {} in descripts hints of paradise.
Imagine if {} statements could be used in the names of resources. Then one could easily change the name of a system or spob depending on whether a mission bit were set. This would allow for exploration/colonization storylines without having to have replacement resources. Example: a system is called NGC-1066 by people from Earth, but upon contacting an alien race, humans get access to the maps of the aliens and find that NGC-1066 is called Emburch. The resource name for that system would then be something like {b001 "NGC-1066" "NGC-1066"}{b002 "Emburch" "NGC-1066"} where bit 2 is set by a mission giving the player access to the alien maps.
The same would be possible of pers names and any other name data used by the engine.
Ra! Ra! Sis-kum-ba! Revel in the glorious power of the {}.
The above change would allow for some pretty amazing plugins/TCs. Now, take the concept of using {} even further and imagine using it in the data fields of each resource. One could alter the aspects of resources by placing {} sttatements in the fields. Want govt 128 to treat govt 129 as an enemy after a certain bit is set? put {bxxx -1 129} in the field defining 128's enemy. Want tech. values on a spob to change? Define the changes with {}.
Stars reflected on water hint of their power; much like using {}.
The later idea would require extensive changes to the engine and templates since data fields currently are set up to accept shorts, longs, etc, but the absolute power the plugin maker would have in crafting a plug w/o having to make duplicate resources with subtle changes would be amazing.
So, mburch, I hope my attempts at haiku have pleased you enough to at least consider the former idea of allowing {} in resource names. I hope I have intregued you with the idea of {} within all data fields of all resources as well.
Fellow developers, help me sing the praises of {}. Add your haikus and maybe we can win the hearts of mburch and Ambrosia.
-STH
------------------ "Create enigmas, not explanations." -Robert Smithson
(This message has been edited by seant (edited 07-09-2004).)
I love the idea... but I fear the engine changes would be so extensive that it would warrant a release as EV 4, which we know probably won't happen. We can hope though!
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I really liked the haikus personally...
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Those would be very nice features indeed, but I think the likelihood of them being implemented is probably quite minimal.
------------------ (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/aftermath")Aftermath(/url)
One can dream...
Haikus rock.
mburch of E.V. we are calling for your aid or face denial
edit: fixed haiku
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(This message has been edited by Phyvo (edited 07-09-2004).)
Quote
Originally posted by Andcarne: **Those would be very nice features indeed, but I think the likelihood of them being implemented is probably quite minimal. **
That's why we need haikus! Thanks Phyvo. Haikus have changed the course of world events, right? Right?
Adaptive descrpts: Fantastic! Adaptive names: Oh, sweet mercy.... Please?
no need for {} here use visibility (test) that will work as well.
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Originally posted by Arion: **no need for {} here use visibility (test) that will work as well. **
What he's suggesting would limit the need for visibility tests. For a system VisBitTest, one would have needed two S˙st resources to denote the exploration and naming of a star system. The proposal seant puts forth would make only one necessary. The result would be that a developer could reduce the number of S˙st resources needed, or do more with the same number of S˙st resources.
May I remind you, this is a Good thing.
That said, seant, the possible names for your example system "Emburch" would look like this: NGC-1066NGC-1066 - - or - - EmburchNGC-1066
Because your first parsing test, {b001 "NGC-1066" "NGC-1066"}, would always return "NGC-1066," wether or not b1 is set or not. Only the second part would be necessary.
------------------ "... Look, I designed this thing, so I know exactly what I'm doing..." "MISSILE SELF-DESTRUCT ACTIVATED: 5... 4... 3..." "... Of course, I could be wrong..." - Me.
Originally posted by Eugene Chin: NGC-1066NGC-1066 - - or - - EmburchNGC-1066
Actually, It would be :
NGC-1066NGC-1066 - - or - - NGC-1066Emburch
The {b002 "Emburch" "NGC-1066"} is the second one.
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Unnecessary, But it would be pretty cool. I like {} myself.
------------------ To quote a pillar of American society: D'OH!
Mazer, it's a feature, not a necessity. To look at it that way, developing plug-ins for EVN isn't necessary, having EVN isn't necessary, even having a computer isn't necessary, hell, even having power isn't necessary. But it's nice to have.
visbits are a waste of our precious resources. {} would be nicer.
No mention of nature, but you get my point.
In http://www.ambrosias...TML/017530.html I outlined just how many systs would be needed to allow for all possible combinations of war, peace and allies if one started with just 3 systems, each with it's own govt. Summary:
Let's imagine there are 3 govts in the game and that each govt starts out controlling just one syst. They can be all at peace, all at war, two allied against the third, all allied, or one (or both) can be conquored by the other.
My calculations could, and probably are wrong, but with 3 govts and three basic systems, one would need at least 45 s˙sts (though fewer govts) to get all the combinations or peace, war, ally and conquored that could happen. Remember, that's just with 3 starting systs. Imagine if there were 100 total systems. This doesn't even take into account things like settling of new systems by each govt.
An extended use of {} would allow for these kind of changes without the need for additional syst, govt, spob, etc resources.
{} and the visbits would complement each other like plants and soil.
Please, oh please, oh please allow {} use in res. names. Begging and pleading.
I'm a bit confused. How do you pronounce brackets? Just one syllable?
------------------
Originally posted by geek#1: **I'm a bit confused. How do you pronounce brackets? Just one syllable?
**
A literalist sees "." and hears "period". It's just a symbol.
For my lame haikus {} will be one syllable. Basho rotates now.
I did but refer, To the use of {} in names. Yes, {} are needed.
Actually, those two symbols are called braces, not brackets, moron.