Re: Status of xfire. Client/server.

[Tero Haatanen <Tero.Haatanen@tel.vtt.fi>]

About client/server. It will speed the game and reduce network
bandwidth. How much it does that we see when it's done. And 
when there is clear interface between client/server it helps
making code much more stable and it reduces server's size
so there is less code to debug like Mark already said. 
When client/server is working then server doesn't handle
any graphics/X stuff, and that support can be removed from 
server totally.

About 3D. This has been discussed before and pop up time to time
until it's done :). Since everyone only talks about capacity of 
client machine, I think this talk is consired 3D client and current 
style crossfire server. And I must say that I don't believe that it's 
done. The current maps/objects don't really fit Wolf3D type game. And 
there is so many bitmaps which have to be drawn (even there would be 
only 1 per monster/object and 1 texture per wall). Note that we haven't 
even finished drawing xpm's yet. Wolf3D allowed to moving everywhere 
even map was only 2D grid and crossfire have limited 8 directions so 
client would effectly be more something like used in Ultima V dungeons
(You moved square at time and could looked 4 directions).

If 3D version means the full support from server part also, then
all map/move/los/object routines must totally rewritten and 
there is very little useful code left :). It would probably
easier start writing totally new game than trying to modify
crossfire. Like crossfire3D like someone mentioned. I would 
like see it, but I don't wait it happen very soon.

If we reduce number of objects/monsters it definitely changes
atmosphere of game. Someone asked how many monsters are there 
in Wolf3D or DOOM, but aim of those games was shoot everything
that moves and if it doesn't move shoot it until it does. :)
Also current maps wouldn't be useful (and now there are some
better maps with plot and right atmosphere).

About making images from components. I proposed this before for
mainly reduce size of maps and still make them look good. Stacking
floor and wall in same square isn't very good solutin since it
needs one 'unneeded' object. And size of object struct is about
250 bytes. Xpm's support would be easy, but supporting fonts is
much harder. It could used for flaming sword, but it's not so 
useful, IMHO. The same flame just doesn't look good with different
types of objects (e.g. sword/axe/helmet). It might still be useful
to reduce number of different images.

 -Tero