Right, I've been through this on a couple of occasions with a couple of people, so I thought I'd Sticky this here.
- Try not to say "this is easy", 'cos there can be knock-on consequences, both technical and balance-related to anything that is suggested.
- If you're gonna download RunUO to play with, do have fun, but don't start sending me whole files to replace. First of all we do not use RunUO, we use SunUO, which is based on RunUO version 1. Sending me a huge file that comes from RunUO2 saves me no work at all as I have to look at every line, compare it with every line in our system and work out exactly what it's doing... all-in-all a huge pain in the rear.
- I love unified diffs - they tell me what file you've changed and what changes you made - so if it's a one-line change, the unified diff will be about 6 lines long. Easy, lovely. If you REALLY want to get RunUO and play about and make the suggestions (which are not guaranteed to go in), then sending me unified diffs of RunUO1 with Oak's scripts installed will get much higher priority in my workload. NOTE: this will NOT get your suggestion any higher priority in being appraised by staff as suitable for the shard.
- Suggestions always get a lower priority to bugs and server stability. There are occasions where I might apply a suggestion before a bugfix but usually it'll be because I'm hitting a brick wall with the bug and need something easier to do. Those occasions are gladly few and far between.
It might be nice if people who want to make script suggestion to the server actually make themselves familiar with SunUO, and consult the modified scripts, released by Oak.
This way, the scripts can at least be checked for compatibility on a basic level before they are even sent to the staff here.
But still, any scripts that require modifications should be ran through the unified diff site that Alder sent to me before. I can't remember the URL, but it would be useful if Alder posted it once again.
Perhaps we should have some kinda standardised format for submitting new scripts, such as:
Proposal:
A rough over-view of what the script is meant to do. This has to be okayed by staff before work commenses, and should be as detailed as possible to avoid any confusions, there-fore ensuring time isn't wasted by both parties.
Pseudo code:
This should be a structured overview of the script, and should be easily read, but with the correct referncing. This can then be proof-checked before scripting begins.
Scripts:
These have to complete the first 2 stages, and written for the SunUO modifications the server carries. Any alterations to files must be CLEARLY annotated, with both scripts being entered into the diff engine to highlight changes.
These scripts should also be tested to ensure that they do not inherit any unforseen issues, or clashes with pre-exsisting scripts.
Submission:
The above work should be submitted alongside the script, so that all stages of the scripting can be seen, thus ensuring that any issues are easily spotted. Due to the modified state of the server and its scripts, this process, and the ones above, may have to be completed several times.
I also seem to remmeber someone saying we had a seperate test-centre opening once we have RAM for the computer. Perhaps we could run the Test-centre via the same UOG listings (I've seen this done, where sometimes several servers are available after login) which will allow us to test any submissions before they are moved to the main server.
Valius, please don't get me wrong, I don't want to disuade people from contributing ideas,
but...
- We're not actively seeking new stuff per se, just aware that people will have ideas that they want to suggest, and that's fine.
- SunUO/RunUO whatever, it's really a VERY large learning curve. I'm employed (amongst other things) as a programmer, so I'm used to knock-on effects and such.
- The site I gave the link to before doesn't do unified diffs, just diffs and the suggestion you sent in didn't use the site anyway.
- I don't have time to go through anything with new scripters and tbh more than one scripter is too many. I'm quite happy to recieve the odd snippet here and there to cover a suggestion that has been okayed and wants to go in, but honestly it's probably best 99% of the time just to submit the ideas and let me script them
- This topic really wasn't for discussion, it was me suggesting things for people who wanted to go the extra mile, and to remind people not to tell me what is easy and what isn't. Hence it is now locked.
- If people download Oak's code and decide they can do better, they will likely create their own shard, which draws players away from SH. Let's not see any more people do that than the ones who think that we don't exist any more.
- Wether the test center is externally accessible or not will depend on how staff feel and the technicalities of running two servers from one IP