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[Drunken]

I don't read this forum a whole lot but i read the suggestions one and every so often a  multiplayer suggestions comes up. The OP then gets flamed with regard to Toady's repeated refusal to do anything even slightly multiplayer, I step in to placate them and suggest that this could be done by third parties and we don't even need to bother Toady with it. Then the thread dies away and is forgotten. I would like to put the idea to the modding team here and see if anyone wants to take up the challenge, here are some examples:
Giant epic complex idea: http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=002891

much simpler army fight utility: http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=002894

Any comments?

[kamikazemoose]

I like the idea of a co-operative fortress.

[Greiger]

As I said in one of the other threads I wouldn't be against such a utility.

Sounds like it could be sorta possible by taking the data for the contenders, copying it into a text file with an extraction program and then be able to transfer that via email to another computer, use another program to place the contenders (the player would have to make the arena) and have them duke it out. Possibly changing job names for identification and saving combat logs into the program for transfer back.

A slightly more ambitious program would be loading the data into another program and having the fight take place in a simulated dwarf fortress environment.  Like the Pokèmon Netbattler's simulated pokèmon environment.  That would require knowing the to hit and damage formulas and things like that however.

Did I just ramble?

[Drunken]

I think it would be fun to have the other players army assault your fortress as an army sent from another city. I think once you are able to import/export the armies from your game this would be trivial once the army arc is done. It wouldn't be a true test of who had the best army though, traps are hax.

[Slappy Moose]

I made a post a while back about multiplayer that would be realistically implementable. And I mean it would actually be possible to mod in, I'm not just bitching like most people do.
http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=002259

There.

[ March 06, 2008: Message edited by: Slappy Moose ]

[Greiger]

I knew I got that idea from somewhere.  That was it. Wow.  Did I really forget that need to regen a world thing back in January? How embarrassing.

I still think it would be awesome to save the combat log into a not easily editable file when this happens. Or use a separate program that both parties can watch live.  Though I don't think anyone from these boards would really cheat, the paranoia might jump a bit without it, since lucky shots are so common in the current system.

Still fully behind the player to player caravan addition too.
EDIT:Imagine! The community could help each other! Set up a trade agreement between two players!  Don't have sand but have 6 z levels of limestone?  Trade off some limestone boulders for sand bags from somebody in just the opposite situation!  Out of food and the dwarves just left? Trade some wood logs for 100 units of food!

[ March 06, 2008: Message edited by: Greiger ]

[Drunken]

I'm not in the least bit worried about cheating. Make everything editable. If someone sends me a file with 200 champion axedwarves in full adamantine masterwork gear ill let them attack my fort. I just might savescum it.

[Tylui]

I agree... Cheating shouldn't really be a worry.  As it's been mentioned SEVERAL times, if people want to "cheat" they will.  Doesn't matter as it is not TRUE multiplayer.

So let's discuss what needs to be done to get this utility going.

First off, the output.  We want a file that can be imported into the game and either produce A)a siege or B)a trading wagon.

The input needed: We COULD generate it all by hand(AKA Typing out the text file) or we could have the program generate it for us.  By selecting a certain region in our game and extracting the NPCs/items in that area.

So the true inputs would be:  NPCs and items they hold.  Any wagons would be interpreted as a trade request.  If no wagons were found in the region, then it would be a siege.  Better yet, it would *separate* the files; exporting any wagons to like a "trade.txt" sorta deal and anything else as "siege.txt", maybe taking a couple of NPCs for escort of the wagon.  Whatev'.

I think I kinda covered the processes a little too much in the inputs list.

I'm uhhh, excited about this, and I'd like to help.  But my break is over.

My MSN is Sporadic_Interval@hotmail.com for anyone who'd like to contact me.

[Funkadelic Jive Turkey]

quote:Originally posted by Drunken:
<STRONG>...Toady's repeated refusal to do anything even slightly multiplayer...
Any comments?</STRONG>

That sounds rather harsh. It's not like he's trying to be an asshole to you guys, he's just got plenty on his plate and that's his proverbial broccoli.

That aside, good luck on this.

[Greiger]

I might be kinda hard for some people to get a wagon though.  

You can't build them and if you are hurting for wood you probably deconstructed it. Really the only way I see somebody getting a wagon would be by sticking all the items in an area that your hoping the yearly caravans will pass by and timing the program run to when they pass through.

Maybe just a command line option that exports the stuff as a trade caravan and automatically supplies the wagon.

EDIT and I was just considering the anti-cheat thing for new members of the community who don't know how trustworthy anyone is.  But your right, if someone wanted to cheat, they would.  Pokèmon has a big complicated, professional anti cheating system.  But I've seen as many shiny legendaries and obviously hacked pokes as I've seen legit.

[ March 07, 2008: Message edited by: Greiger ]

[Sowelu]

Wow.  This actually sounds possible.

Only problem is that any trading would be outdated as soon as the caravan arc comes in--if not before.  And besides, being able to trade for whatever you want at any time (really, that's what it is) does remove a lot of challenge.

Also, spawning attackers might get outdated when the army arc comes along...maybe not though, who knows.

Still I like the ideas.

[Greiger]

I don't think the challenge thing would be too bad if you had a yearly import limit when using the program.  Maybe the wagon can only hold so many goods or something.  And if a trade happens it trades it by deleting or overwriting the items to be traded after copying the data to the file.  

Though I don't think much effort should be made to make it impossible to cheat it, I don't think you should have to go through extra stuff just to not cheat it.  
"Ok I got my stuff and the wood was copied to the file, now I need to send some dwarves off to dump the wood somewhere and remember not to touch it." dosn't sound very interesting.

Maybe I'm the only one here who considers the concept of a player to player economy interesting.

EDIT: I just noticed I'm talking too much, letting someone else talk now.  

[ March 07, 2008: Message edited by: Greiger ]

[Kyselina]

"To the development team"

Toady is alone, Threetoe helps too, but mostly Toady.