DESIGN: CtP2 Source Code released - our actions [brainstorm & discussion]

[Locutus]

Mr Ogre will get the code in a week -- after that, it may be 3 days, it may be several weeks until we get it (but at least it's weeks, not months or longer).

[centrifuge]

This is all great news, and I can't wait to see some of these ideas implemented

Unfortunately, after it is released in a week or two, there is going to be a ton of work to be done, and probably a very large learning curve, so we shouldn't expect any miracles right away. Rather, slow and steady improvements are more likely.... but, I digress, as I'm sure that everyone realizes this already .

One thing that I'd like to see is a revamped - bug free scenario/cheat editor. One that allows more options for tweaking the game etc. What I mean is having some of the slic commands implemented into the cheat editor, so that changes to unit attributes, addition of events etc. could be more easilly done by the slic impaired (such as myself )

[Dale]

I would just like to see one thing. I actually LIKE CTP2 the way it is in SAP2. If we add new things, can we PLEASE have them as options? I don't want a whole new game.

[LDiCesare]

I'm seconding what most people said here:

Fix bugs (crashes, PBEM/hotseat, others)
Expand hard coded limits like sprite number
Expand SLIC capabilities.

Special attention should be paid to the compatibility of the game with existing stuff, in particular mods and savegames. I actually think that the savegame model should be changed so that, if you need to save edditional stuff, these stuff should go into extra files rather than the regular file (unless the save file has an inner grammar that allows it to skip parts of it, like xml if you meet an unknown xml tag). This could be done by creating save game directories instead of straight files, and the game would look for either a directory or a file.
Now maybe we won't change anything to the file save format, but, working on saves and versionning of a huge software, I know what a nightmare can come out of a bad design there.

[Solver]

Thinking here, do we already need a SLIC thread? We have mentioned enhancing SLIC dozens of times, but very few specific things have been named.

[The Big Mc]

start one up then

[Solver]

I was asking if we need one before starting it .

[The Big Mc]

I meant go a head make one it will give us the chance to discuses with none c++ programmes what there needs are

[J Bytheway]

Big Mc - your last post makes absolutely no sense to me beyond the "I meant go a head make one". What are you trying to say?

[The Big Mc]

it will give us the chance to talk with none c++ programmers and find out what there needs are

[Solver]

Most who posted here aren't C++ programmers anyway.

[Maquiladora]

Is there a way to add a windowed option for the game? That would be one of the best additions i can think of.

[tlatoani]

I've read in some posts about problems playing CTP2 with Windows XP, is there anything to this? and if so, can it be fixed via the source code?

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by tlatoani
I've read in some posts about problems playing CTP2 with Windows XP, is there anything to this? and if so, can it be fixed via the source code?

If you have the source code you can modify the programm as you want, as long as you have enough time and knows how to do it or there are enough people who do it for your. The real problem is that we don't know what the problems are with XP and therefore it is not easy to find them.

-Martin

[Dale]

The problem with XP is that Microsuck wrote it!