Directory Restructuring Project

Discuss the Wing Commander Series and find the latest information on the Wing Commander Universe privateer mod as well as the standalone mod Wasteland Incident project.
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Directory Restructuring Project

Post by mkruer »

After discussing with a few key developers, I would like to make a recommendation for cleaning, restructuring and sectioning the current WCU/VS Directory schema. The original schema is old, outdated, and was never intended to support multiple mods simultaneously. It is the goal of this thread to discuss how best to go about cleaning, restructuring and sectioning the new directory structure.

Some improvements are fairly obvious such as moving saved game into its own directory and off the root, others are not such as where is the best place to store cockpit, with the model or keeping it separated.

The only requirement to the restructuring project is that what ever new schema is agreed upon that all mods can default to the baseline wcu project files. If more then two mods are using the same ship, then perhaps it is time to include the ship in the wcu project branch.

I am looking for feedback, support and approval.
WCU Roadmap Reference Link

Below is this current tree pulled form the last release of WCU

Code: Select all

+---.privateer100
|   +---generatedbsp
|   +---save
|   +---sectors
|   |   \---wcu.xml
|   |       \---Sol
|   +---serialized_xml
|   |   +---New_Game
|   |   +---New_Game.txt
|   |   +---Test
|   |   \---test2
|   +---sounds
|   \---textures
|       \---backgrounds
+---ai
|   +---events
|   \---script
+---ai.easy
|   +---events
|   \---script
+---ai.hard
|   +---events
|   \---script
+---animations
|   +---bigball.ani
|   +---comm_static.ani
|   +---com_awacs_female_01.ani
|   +---com_awacs_male_01.ani
|   +---com_confed_female.ani
|   +---com_confed_male_01.ani
|   +---com_confed_male_02.ani
|   +---com_garrovick_male_01.ani
|   +---com_hunter_female.ani
|   +---com_hunter_male_01.ani
|   +---com_hunter_male_02.ani
|   +---com_hunter_male_03.ani
|   +---com_kilrathi_male_01.ani
|   +---com_kilrathi_male_03.ani
|   +---com_kroiz_male_01.ani
|   +---com_merchant_female_01.ani
|   +---com_merchant_female_02.ani
|   +---com_merchant_male_01.ani
|   +---com_merchant_male_02.ani
|   +---com_miggs_male_01.ani
|   +---com_militia_female.ani
|   +---com_militia_male.ani
|   +---com_neutral_female_01.ani
|   +---com_neutral_male_01.ani
|   +---com_neutral_male_02.ani
|   +---com_pirate_female.ani
|   +---com_pirate_male_01.ani
|   +---com_pirate_male_02.ani
|   +---com_pirate_male_03.ani
|   +---com_reismann_male_01.ani
|   +---com_retro_female.ani
|   +---com_retro_male_01.ani
|   +---com_retro_male_02.ani
|   +---com_retro_male_03.ani
|   +---com_riordian_male_01.ani
|   +---com_seelig_male_01.ani
|   +---com_static.ani
|   +---com_steltek_male_01.ani
|   +---com_toth_male_01.ani
|   +---electrical_surge
|   +---explosion_asteroid.ani
|   +---explosion_big.ani
|   +---explosion_blue.ani
|   +---explosion_blurred.ani
|   +---explosion_broken.ani
|   +---explosion_capship.ani
|   +---explosion_cargo_01.ani
|   +---explosion_cargo_02.ani
|   +---explosion_cargo_03.ani
|   +---explosion_drayman.ani
|   +---explosion_flak.ani
|   +---explosion_hunter.ani
|   +---explosion_med.ani
|   +---explosion_missile.ani
|   +---explosion_orange.ani
|   +---explosion_wave.ani
|   +---flare1.ani
|   +---flare2.ani
|   +---flare3.ani
|   +---flare4.ani
|   +---flare5.ani
|   +---flare6.ani
|   +---invisible.ani
|   +---jump.ani
|   +---mass_driver.ani
|   +---scan_complete.ani
|   +---shields.ani
|   +---space_dust_01.ani
|   +---space_dust_02.ani
|   +---splash_priv.ani
|   +---static.ani
|   +---static_round.ani
|   +---static_vdu.ani
|   +---thrust1.ani
|   +---thrust2.ani
|   +---thrust3.ani
|   +---warp.ani
|   +---weapons_massdriver.ani
|   \---weapons_torpedo.ani
+---bases
|   \---fixers
+---bin
+---cockpits
|   +---broadsword-cockpit.cpt
|   +---capship-cockpit.cpt
|   +---centurion-cockpit.cpt
|   +---demon-cockpit.cpt
|   +---disabled-cockpit.cpt
|   +---dralthi-cockpit.cpt
|   +---eject-cockpit.cpt
|   +---excalibur-cockpit.cpt
|   |   \---tmp
|   +---ferret-cockpit.cpt
|   +---galaxy-cockpit.cpt
|   +---gladius-cockpit.cpt
|   +---hellcat-cockpit.cpt
|   |   +---bak
|   |   \---tmp
|   +---hornet-cockpit.cpt
|   +---nav
|   +---orion-cockpit.cpt
|   +---paradigm-cockpit.cpt
|   +---salthi-cockpit.cpt
|   +---stiletto-cockpit.cpt
|   +---talon-cockpit.cpt
|   +---tarsus-cockpit.cpt
|   +---turretrear-cockpit.cpt
|   \---turrettop-cockpit.cpt
+---communications
+---meshes
|   +---mounts
|   \---nav
|       \---default
+---mission
+---modules
|   \---builtin
+---music
+---sectors
|   +---Enigma
|   +---Gemini
|   \---Sol
+---sounds
|   \---communications
|       +---AWACS
|       |   +---female
|       |   +---male
|       |   \---male02
|       +---confed
|       |   +---female
|       |   \---male
|       +---garrovick
|       |   \---male
|       +---hunter
|       |   +---female
|       |   \---male
|       +---kilrathi
|       |   \---male
|       +---kroiz
|       |   \---male
|       +---merchant
|       |   +---female
|       |   \---male
|       +---miggs
|       |   \---male
|       +---militia
|       |   +---female
|       |   \---male
|       +---pirates
|       |   +---female
|       |   +---male01
|       |   \---male02
|       +---reismann
|       |   \---male
|       +---retro
|       |   +---female
|       |   \---male
|       +---riordian
|       |   \---male
|       +---seelig
|       |   \---male
|       +---steltek
|       |   \---male
|       \---toth
|           \---male
+---sprites
|   \---bases
|       +---agricultural
|       |   +---btr.ani
|       |   +---wk0.ani
|       |   +---wk1.ani
|       |   +---wk2.ani
|       |   \---wtr.ani
|       +---bar
|       |   +---ag0.ani
|       |   +---ag1.ani
|       |   +---ag2.ani
|       |   +---ag3.ani
|       |   +---mb0.ani
|       |   +---mb1.ani
|       |   +---mb2.ani
|       |   +---nc0.ani
|       |   +---nc1.ani
|       |   +---nc2.ani
|       |   +---nc3.ani
|       |   +---nc4.ani
|       |   +---nd0.ani
|       |   +---nd1.ani
|       |   +---nd2.ani
|       |   +---nd3.ani
|       |   +---pe0.ani
|       |   +---pe1.ani
|       |   +---pe2.ani
|       |   +---pe3.ani
|       |   +---pl0.ani
|       |   +---pl1.ani
|       |   +---pl2.ani
|       |   +---pl3.ani
|       |   +---rf0.ani
|       |   +---rf1.ani
|       |   +---rf2.ani
|       |   \---rf3.ani
|       +---church_of_man
|       |   +---eye.ani
|       |   +---fr0.ani
|       |   +---fr1.ani
|       |   +---lgo.ani
|       |   +---smk.ani
|       |   +---sn0.ani
|       |   \---sn1.ani
|       +---derelict
|       +---fixers
|       |   +---cro.ani
|       |   +---goo.ani
|       |   +---inf.ani
|       |   +---lyn.ani
|       |   +---mig.ani
|       |   +---mo0.ani
|       |   +---mo1.ani
|       |   +---mon.ani
|       |   +---mur.ani
|       |   +---san.ani
|       |   \---tay.ani
|       +---generic
|       +---heads
|       +---merchant_guild
|       |   +---mtg.ani
|       |   +---myg.ani
|       |   +---psc.ani
|       |   \---psm.ani
|       +---mining_base
|       |   +---btr.ani
|       |   +---car.ani
|       |   +---intro.ani
|       |   +---lgt.ani
|       |   +---outro.ani
|       |   +---shp.ani
|       |   \---wk0.ani
|       +---mining_base_pirates
|       +---new_constantinople
|       |   +---btr.ani
|       |   +---car.ani
|       |   +---ldp.ani
|       |   +---lgt.ani
|       |   +---lps.ani
|       |   +---sh0.ani
|       |   +---sh1.ani
|       |   +---sh2.ani
|       |   +---sh3.ani
|       |   +---sh4.ani
|       |   +---stb.ani
|       |   \---stt.ani
|       +---new_detroit
|       |   +---ber.ani
|       |   +---btr.ani
|       |   +---hvc.ani
|       |   +---rlp.ani
|       |   +---rnc.ani
|       |   +---rsc.ani
|       |   +---sh0.ani
|       |   +---sh1.ani
|       |   +---sh2.ani
|       |   +---sh3.ani
|       |   +---wk0.ani
|       |   +---wk1.ani
|       |   \---wk2.ani
|       +---perry
|       |   +---btr.ani
|       |   +---car.ani
|       |   +---lbl.ani
|       |   +---ltt.ani
|       |   +---sh0.ani
|       |   +---stb.ani
|       |   +---stt.ani
|       |   \---trl.ani
|       +---pleasure
|       |   +---blt.ani
|       |   +---btr.ani
|       |   +---int.ani
|       |   +---lts.ani
|       |   \---wtr.ani
|       +---refinery
|       |   +---btr.ani
|       |   +---lst.ani
|       |   +---sh0.ani
|       |   +---sh1.ani
|       |   \---str.ani
|       +---repair_upgrade
|       \---university
|           +---brd.ani
|           +---tnc.ani
|           +---tnl.ani
|           \---wk0.ani
+---textures
|   +---backgrounds
|   +---basecomp_back
|   +---cargo
|   +---cockpit
|   +---gui
|   +---mounts
|   +---nav
|   |   \---default
|   +---planets
|   +---stars
|   +---upgrades
|   \---weapons
+---units
|   +---arrow
|   +---assault_shuttle
|   +---AsteroidFighterBase
|   +---avenger
|   +---banshee
|   +---banshee_bomber
|   +---bengal
|   +---bhantkara
|   +---broadsword
|   +---bus
|   +---caernaven
|   +---centurion
|   +---clydesdale
|   +---confedcarrier
|   +---corvette
|   +---crossbow
|   +---cutlass
|   +---darket
|   +---delphinus
|   +---demon
|   +---dorkathi
|   +---dorkir
|   +---dorkritha
|   +---dralthi
|   +---dralthi2
|   +---dralthi3
|   +---drayman
|   +---drayman_old
|   +---drone
|   +---durango
|   +---epee
|   +---evil_base
|   +---exeter
|   +---factory
|   +---ferret
|   +---fighterbase
|   +---fighter_barracks
|   +---fralthi
|   +---fralthra
|   +---galaxy
|   +---gilgamesh
|   +---gladius
|   +---goran
|   +---gothri
|   +---gratha
|   +---grikath
|   +---hammer
|   +---hellcat
|   +---hornet
|   +---hriss
|   +---jalekhi
|   +---jalthi
|   +---jrathek
|   +---kamekh
|   +---kilbase
|   +---kilrathi_demon
|   +---kilrathi_factory
|   +---kilrathi_galaxy
|   +---kilrathi_mining_base
|   +---kilrathi_shuttle
|   +---kilrathi_superbase
|   +---kilrathi_tarsus
|   +---korlarh
|   +---krant
|   +---k_depot
|   +---lamprey
|   +---mining_base
|   +---modular_transport_kilrathi
|   +---modular_transport_terran
|   +---morningstar
|   +---new_constantinople
|   +---objects
|   |   +---asteroids
|   |   +---cargo
|   |   |   +---afuels
|   |   |   +---cptlgoods
|   |   |   +---luxgoods
|   |   |   +---micelec
|   |   |   +---natgoods
|   |   |   +---procgoods
|   |   |   +---ssalvage
|   |   |   \---weaponry
|   |   +---derelict
|   |   +---eject
|   |   +---hollow_asteroid
|   |   +---infantry
|   |   +---jumpbuoy
|   |   +---mine
|   |   +---pod
|   |   \---satellite
|   +---orion
|   +---paradigm
|   +---perry
|   +---phantom
|   +---radarbuoy
|   +---ralari
|   +---rapier
|   +---raptor
|   +---ray
|   +---razor
|   +---refinery
|   +---research
|   +---rigakh
|   +---sabre
|   +---salthi
|   +---sartha
|   +---scimitar
|   +---sheffield
|   +---shipyard
|   +---shuttle
|   +---shuttle_bus
|   +---skate
|   +---small_station
|   +---snakeir
|   +---sorthak
|   +---starbase
|   +---star_post
|   +---steltek_fighter
|   +---steltek_interceptor
|   +---stiletto
|   +---strakha
|   +---subunits
|   |   +---dish
|   |   +---mediumrear_turret
|   |   +---turret_large
|   |   \---turret_medium
|   +---superbase1
|   +---superbase2
|   +---swacs
|   +---talon
|   +---tarsus
|   +---thunderbolt
|   +---Vaktoth
|   +---venture
|   +---victory
|   +---vindicator
|   +---waterloo
|   +---weapons
|   +---wormhole
|   \---wraith
\---universe
    \---fgnames
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
spiritplumber
Developer
Developer
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 10:33 pm
Contact:

Post by spiritplumber »

we should call it .wcuniverse rather than .privateer100 to start with... and ya, at least the units folder needs some organization, i was thinking by ship type (capships-bases-smallships-misc) or by race.

also, mkruer should get a cookie.
My Moral Code:
- The only sin is to treat people as if they were things.
- Rules were made for people, not the other way around.
- Don't deceive. Real life is complicated enough.
- If all else fails, smash stuff.
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

uh... there should never be a .wcuniverse savegame, that would violate what WCU Project is, i.e. not a game. However something like .privateer000 for the privateer remakes and so on

Code: Select all

+---savegames
|   +---.privateer
|   +---.wasteland
|   +---.geminigold
Etc…
Note that the samegame subfolders should correspond to the trees in other subfolders. i.e. all specific geminigold stuff should be stored in geminigold subfolders, wasteland stuff should be stored in wasteland subfolders.

Is it necessary to have the version number on the savegame subdirectories? Why not just encode the version directly into the save file or something?

On the topic of ships, I want to make two points.

First: I don’t think we need to break down the ships via race or size, however we should properly label the ships via class, not name. Example: the Concordia in WC2 is not the Concordia class, it is a confederation class ship. You should use the WCU ship packs for guidance on the structuring.

Second: I think that we should seriously consider moving cockpits and even base related material into the units subdirectory. The theory goes, or at least for me, that all units should be comprised of mostly unique sprites, and or other related material so instead of having it all spread around, keep it all together in one location directly under the specified unit?
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
charlieg
Elite Mercenary
Elite Mercenary
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 11:51 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:

Post by charlieg »

WCU is a game, and it is a resource as well! It's both!
spiritplumber
Developer
Developer
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 10:33 pm
Contact:

Post by spiritplumber »

yeah, about that -- i think wcu, when finished, will be basically a sdk for modders and people who want to make wc games without having to reinvent the wheel.

wcu will come with a storyline and, possibly, a campaign editor. people need to quickly bolt on their own storylines. apparently we cannot call the default storyline "priv 1.5" or "priv 3". so how about we give it a temporary name? dunno... "space cookies", or something. i suck at names ^^;


actually... It's people. WCU is made out of PEOPLE!
Last edited by spiritplumber on Mon Oct 31, 2005 3:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
My Moral Code:
- The only sin is to treat people as if they were things.
- Rules were made for people, not the other way around.
- Don't deceive. Real life is complicated enough.
- If all else fails, smash stuff.
chuck_starchaser
Elite
Elite
Posts: 8014
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 4:03 am
Location: Montreal
Contact:

Post by chuck_starchaser »

The reason for the "." as in ".privateeer100" is for unix traditions; that folder is put under the user home folder, and is hidden. So, I'd say the root folder should have the dot, and be named as the program, so, like,

Code: Select all

.wcu_save
    PR_priv
    PR_RF
    gold
    WCU_P3
    wasteland
klauss
Elite
Elite
Posts: 7243
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Location: LS87, Buenos Aires, República Argentina

Post by klauss »

Yeah, that's not a bad way of structuring saves, chuck.

About ships, yepper... group by class.

About cockpits... well... how about this?:

Code: Select all

units
  |
  |-- ships
        |
        |-- fighter
               |
               |-- shipname
                       |
                       |-- model
                       |-- sounds
                       |-- cockpit
        |-- bomber
        |-- whatever
  |-- stations
  |-- subunits
  |-- blah...
Oíd mortales, el grito sagrado...
Call me "Menes, lord of Cats"
Wing Commander Universe
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

charlieg wrote:WCU is a game, and it is a resource as well! It's both!
WCU in itself should not be considered a game, even if it is playable.

There is no story, that’s what PRIV, Wasteland, Gold are… games… WCU is more or less a bunch of scripted events. Something that’s specifies this station is now available at this date, or this planet is now destroyed, or here is the fractions (used generally) breakdown at this give time within the WCU. WCU is the core module. It affects everything under it, and as such needs to be tightly controlled for quality and bugs.
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

Update to the structure for handling different but like models under.

Code: Select all

units
  |-- WCU (common files for all projects)
       |-- shipname
            |-- model
            |-- sounds
            |-- cockpit
  |-- privateer3
       |-- shipname
            |-- model
            |-- sounds
            |-- cockpit
       |-- bomber
       |-- whatever
  |-- wasteland
       |-- shipname
            |-- model
            |-- sounds
            |-- cockpit
The general idea of this structure is to allow for multiple projects to have models even if they don’t meet the Design and Standardization outlined at http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/ ... ardization. One of the major problems right now is the number of unqualified models being added to the SDK. This has got to stop.

On the topic of model sizing/race etc… if we do use that to describe the model we need to have a general grouping of ships sizes. Right now in the DB I list all ships as four possible items.

small_craft (fighters, bombers, shuttles)
support_ships (drayman, pelican, etc…) this is the hardest one to classify, its larger then a fighter, but not quite a capital ship
capital_ships (ranger class, confederation class, etc…)
stations (perry, elles, etc…

in general it is based upon size and function, planets and at the moment unclassified in the structure. Is it a unit or is it related to the sector?
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
Fireskull
Venturer
Venturer
Posts: 520
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 4:12 pm

Post by Fireskull »

Planets arent related with sectors, they are units. Sure, they aren't in game as units, but you could place one as such. I dont know whats the mesh file for planets, unfortunely.

I am most likely the least knowloadgeable person here about this, but, hopefuly, I will make some sence.

Thing is, even if planets can be seen as units, placed in game as units, they don't work as units. When you are thinking about ships and such, you are thinking about arrows, hellcats, sheffields, you dont think about big orbiting balls. But when you are thinking about asteroids, suns, such stuff, then you think about planets. As of now, we have a texture folder, only with planet textures at wcu-devel\textures\planets and, due to my lack of knowloadge, I have no clue where the backgrounds are.

Planets work pretty much like mining bases, refinery and such, and in that they are different from common objects like asteroids, so, I believe everything thats planet related should go with bases.

Code: Select all


     |--WCU-devel
        |--bases      
           |--planets
                  |--textures
                  |--music
                  |--background
          |--mining_base
                 |--textures
                 |--music
                 |--background
                 |--model
          |--refinery
              |--so on

Of course we could use one folder for each type of planet too, but I that would be overdoing it since planets truely, are just variations from each other.

Again, I am not too knowloadgeable about this stuff, so dont take me too seriously. I just do the grunt work around here ^_^.
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

Fireskull wrote:Planets arent related with sectors, they are units. Sure, they aren't in game as units, but you could place one as such. I dont know whats the mesh file for planets, unfortunely.

I am most likely the least knowloadgeable person here about this, but, hopefuly, I will make some sence.

Thing is, even if planets can be seen as units, placed in game as units, they don't work as units. When you are thinking about ships and such, you are thinking about arrows, hellcats, sheffields, you dont think about big orbiting balls. But when you are thinking about asteroids, suns, such stuff, then you think about planets. As of now, we have a texture folder, only with planet textures at wcu-devel\textures\planets and, due to my lack of knowloadge, I have no clue where the backgrounds are.

Planets work pretty much like mining bases, refinery and such, and in that they are different from common objects like asteroids, so, I believe everything thats planet related should go with bases.

Code: Select all


     |--WCU-devel
        |--bases      
           |--planets
                  |--textures
                  |--music
                  |--background
          |--mining_base
                 |--textures
                 |--music
                 |--background
                 |--model
          |--refinery
              |--so on

Of course we could use one folder for each type of planet too, but I that would be overdoing it since planets truely, are just variations from each other.

Again, I am not too knowloadgeable about this stuff, so dont take me too seriously. I just do the grunt work around here ^_^.
Glad to hear it that way, because that was the way I was leaning for planets. IO only have one question would be define Elles and Perry and new Constantinople as “basesâ€
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
zbyszanna
Hunter
Hunter
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2005 3:49 pm
Location: Poland

Post by zbyszanna »

So if you would like to add/remove a mod, then you would have to copy/remove lots of loose coupled directories from the game directory? Wouldn't it be better if you could just copy single directory into "mods" directory (or whatever) and enjoy the game? Maybe with some installer/uninstaller it wouldn't be a problem though.
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

What you just mentioned is the problem we are trying to solve. A good example is how everything thing currently is. Right now you have to install 3 different games each 200+MB. (600MB total) vs one core SDK around 150MB then each game would add maybe another 50MB, (yes there is just that much redundancy in the system) the reason why we are looking at a new schema is to better organize the current anything anywhere system, and all mod need to have same general structure.

I would not even worry about the locations inside, because everything would be handled by the installer, but we don’t want the installer removing another persons mod.
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

Ok so far this is what I have been getting.

Savegames locations

Code: Select all

+---.savegames 
|   +---privateer 
|   +---wasteland 
|   +---geminigold 
Etc…
All save games need to be placed into the folder “.savegamesâ€
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
Fireskull
Venturer
Venturer
Posts: 520
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 4:12 pm

Post by Fireskull »

Yes I meant base art. That background we see after we land.

At first, I thought about placing anything that was huge and non-moving under bases, including planets and perry alikes.

But, after looking at the folder structure you´ve build, I have to agree that its much better and organized if we keep them separate. Under stations, you are listing more common stuff such as mining bases, refinery, etc, too?

We would keep sort of the same structure for space objects too?

Code: Select all


|--units
  |---WCU
       |--objects+
  |---geminigold
       |--objects+
  |--so on

What worries me, is that WCU has plenty of ships, plenty of stations, plenty of cargo itens, wouldnt /units become too big of a folder then?
spiritplumber
Developer
Developer
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 10:33 pm
Contact:

Post by spiritplumber »

that would cause duplication, everything that's in GG is also in WCU.
My Moral Code:
- The only sin is to treat people as if they were things.
- Rules were made for people, not the other way around.
- Don't deceive. Real life is complicated enough.
- If all else fails, smash stuff.
klauss
Elite
Elite
Posts: 7243
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Location: LS87, Buenos Aires, República Argentina

Post by klauss »

Cockpits should have their own folder. This I say because cockpits have multiple files, and it would make the unit's root folder messy to have the model mixed with the cockpit. So, it should be.

Code: Select all

|--- smallcraft 
|   |-- model (model, textures, materials, shield mesh, bsp mesh, etc...)
|   |-- cockpit (cockpit elements - 3d model and textures if applicable)
|--- capital_ships 
|   |-- model (model, textures, materials, shield mesh, bsp mesh, etc...)
|   |-- cockpit (cockpit elements - 3d model and textures if applicable)
|   |-- docks (background and stuff - like 3d dock model) 
|      |-- scripts (interface scripts)
Of course, if necessary subdirectories can be added (for instance, if a capship has many screens, with many elements each, it may be a good idea to create one folder under docks for each screen).


About redundancy, I'm thinking that a simple dependency system is implementable and a good idea:

Like mods.xml:

Code: Select all

<mod name="VS" data="vegastrike" save="vegastrike" playable="true">
<mod name="Privateer" data="privateer" save="priv120" playable="true">
    <dependency mod="VS" section="data">
    <dependency mod="VS" section="modules">
    <!-- but not this one:
       <dependency mod="VS" section="units">
    -->
</mod>
<mod name="Gemini Gold" data="geminigold" save="gg100" playable="true">
    <dependency mod="Privateer" section="data">
    <dependency mod="Privateer" section="modules">
</mod>
<mod name="Gemini Gold 1.01" data="geminigold101" save="gg101" playable="true">
    <dependency mod="Gemini Gold" section="*">
</mod>
Get the idea?
It would be simple to parse, and when a mod is loaded, it's only a matter of defining the search path for files.

Actually, with Ogre it could get a lot more complicated, but the idea is to have mods dependant on other mods. If you want to install Gemini Gold, in this case (probably it won't be this way), you would install both Privateer and Gemini Gold. You could have unplayable mods (playable="false"), as datapacks. For instance, a "Privateer Datapack" mod, unplayable, would provide the bulk data for both Privateer and Gemini Gold.
Oíd mortales, el grito sagrado...
Call me "Menes, lord of Cats"
Wing Commander Universe
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

Fireskull wrote:Yes I meant base art. That background we see after we land.

At first, I thought about placing anything that was huge and non-moving under bases, including planets and perry alikes.

But, after looking at the folder structure you´ve build, I have to agree that its much better and organized if we keep them separate. Under stations, you are listing more common stuff such as mining bases, refinery, etc, too?

We would keep sort of the same structure for space objects too?

Code: Select all


|--units
  |---WCU
       |--objects+
  |---geminigold
       |--objects+
  |--so on

What worries me, is that WCU has plenty of ships, plenty of stations, plenty of cargo itens, wouldnt /units become too big of a folder then?
Well I think that you might have answered your own question. I would break down the items into their own groups, same with weapons. So the all the top level units

* items (3d models or images of items to be displayed inside a base)
* weapon (3d models or images of items to be displayed inside a base or on a ship)
* smallcraft
* support_ship
* capital_ships
* stations

We could set it up like the DB as long as no two sub items have the same name, you can just use the one name of the directory. In not then you would have to specify the parent and then the object. i.e. “smallcraft/ship1â€
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
klauss
Elite
Elite
Posts: 7243
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Location: LS87, Buenos Aires, República Argentina

Post by klauss »

[quote="mkruer"]Are going to call all the ship screens “docksâ€
Oíd mortales, el grito sagrado...
Call me "Menes, lord of Cats"
Wing Commander Universe
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

[quote="klauss"][quote="mkruer"]Are going to call all the ship screens “docksâ€
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
klauss
Elite
Elite
Posts: 7243
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Location: LS87, Buenos Aires, República Argentina

Post by klauss »

I like room.
(laconic, I have to go)
Oíd mortales, el grito sagrado...
Call me "Menes, lord of Cats"
Wing Commander Universe
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

Are we sure that we want to define it as "room" and not something else?
http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=room take a pick
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
klauss
Elite
Elite
Posts: 7243
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:40 pm
Location: LS87, Buenos Aires, República Argentina

Post by klauss »

<nitpicking>
room = noun
dock = noun & verb (to dock with / I went to the docks this morning)
</nitpicking>

Anyway, I like room <nitpicking room = area/cubicle - from the thesaurus link /> because it applies to all ship types, bases and planets. For a ship, you have rooms you could visit: cargo room, engine room, etc... for a bigger ship or a base, you may have the docking bay (a specially-named room), the concourse and other bigger rooms. For a planet, well, here will stretch things a little with not only bars and dealers being in rooms, but also streets - from the engine's perspective, it's still a room since all of them will have to be in confined spaces, so the streets will just be rooms which have a sky painted on the ceiling.
Oíd mortales, el grito sagrado...
Call me "Menes, lord of Cats"
Wing Commander Universe
mkruer
Site Administrator
Site Administrator
Posts: 1089
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:07 am
Contact:

Post by mkruer »

@Klauss
Here is the link to a wiki page for documenting the updates.
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/ ... _Structure

Also as it stands here is the current kill list. We still have a long way to go. I need to know what has been covered and what still needs to be addressed. I want to think that perhaps we should update the mesh directory and include it into the units directory. However I think that the name “unitsâ€
I know you believe you understand what you think I said.
But I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Wing Commander Universe Forum | Wiki
Wing Commander: The Wasteland Incident
spiritplumber
Developer
Developer
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 10:33 pm
Contact:

Post by spiritplumber »

no objection from me -- the VS file system sort of flattens everything out internally.
My Moral Code:
- The only sin is to treat people as if they were things.
- Rules were made for people, not the other way around.
- Don't deceive. Real life is complicated enough.
- If all else fails, smash stuff.
Post Reply