Ideas, quests and questions

Ok so not important at all but I wanted to ask some people their opinions on some ideas.

I've been really bored last few days and increasingly annoyed with some realllyy 'basic' releases/quests released the last little while. My question for you guys is what would actually be a GOOD event/quest/feature for a source.

If you were playing a server and saw an event, what would you want it to be? (keeping in mind the limitations of clients. Not looking to go into client modification seriously)

Heres a few ideas that I came up with.

note, most relate to features I've seen on other servers and are having to do with my new favorite, the CanSee calculation (seriously... how was I ignoring it all this time? So many uses for it!)


King of Hill: PvP
Exists I think on acid co and a few other servers but it struck me when browsing through coemu how simple such a thing is to code! (I coded a basic version in like 5-10 minutes... yet virtually no servers have this kind of a thing!)

here is some pesudo code/steps that I've thought of for it. Not complex, not complete. Just personal reference for if I ever want to finish it/release it


King Of Hill: Non pvp

Same as previous system except that it would be a random location loaded from database (across all main maps) and it would simply broadcast which map it is. Spawn a npc/tnpc at the cansee location. When giving players points it has a chance to change location.

When location is changed it despawns the npc, broadcasts which map the npc is now on and spawns the new npc/changes cansee map/x/y.

No need for a top player hash table as scores would not be printed top right (would be too annoying for whole server)
Alternatively could print who is wining/their score every 2 minutes as gm msg.


Quiz Npc:
Not really useful for newer patches where quiz show is functional... still a fairly easy thing to do.

Dictionary (loaded from database) of questions/answers. use the existing chat system basically saying if the player can see the npc and quest is active and they say the answer then the question changes, they get the point, scores updated etc.

Simple enough to do, just the actual dictionary/database stuff that would take some effort.



Anyways, this thread isn't just me going "OMG WHY NO ONE MAKE THEEESSEE THEY PR0?!"

I'm wanting to know what you guys think would be a good ACTUAL quest (not talk to npc x, go to npc y, get reward) or something stupid like that. If I have time, energy and care enough I may code it/release but right now I'm just looking for some brainstorming.

what base source do you code all of this in? coemu i imagine?

What about a 16-player single elimination tournament? (reference)
You can have players sign up via a NPC, and when 16 players limit is met, server can automatically start the tournament (at a scheduled time /or once the limit is reached). Then the eliminations can be done automatically.

That doesn't seem too difficult in theory...

Make a hashtable of players wishing to take part in the tournament and a second hash table to hold scores. When player hashtable reaches players required it triggers event... selects 2 chars at random from it and has them compete (teleports them to the map or sends them msg) if using npc method have them disqualified if they don't join within 2 minutes or some pre-determined time limit.

First player to lets say 10 hits wins the the tournament and is advanced to the second round. Continues for each of the 16 players in the original hashtable reducing them to 8 then process starts over of random selection.


Would be a somewhat complex thing to code in practice but the singular portions of it wouldn't be too complex as far as I see it.

Note #1: Not trying to imply you don't know how. Just thinking out loud to myself

Note #2: If some of that didn't make sense... I'm rather drunk so yahhh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pro4never Make a hashtable

Not trying to criticize you here, just offering some friendly advice, aimed at everyone really.

After .Net Framework 3.5, Dictionary<TKey, TValue> was added, which to my understanding was intended to replace Hashtable, or at least make it obsolete compared to Dictionary.

I have performed several benchmarking tasks comparing the two when persuading Korvacs to make the switch from Hashtable to Dictionary, he was impressed and made the switch, I have to say, Dictionary is FAR superior.

Just friendly advice, which you possibly do already know.

Anyhow, here are the benchmarks I conducted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by © Haydz Not trying to criticize you here, just offering some friendly advice, aimed at everyone really. After .Net Framework 3.5, Dictionary<TKey, TValue> was added, which to my understanding was intended to replace Hashtable, or at least make it obsolete compared to Dictionary. I have performed several benchmarking tasks comparing the two when persuading Korvacs to make the switch from Hashtable to Dictionary, he was impressed and made the switch, I have to say, Dictionary is FAR superior. Just friendly advice, which you possibly do already know. Anyhow, here are the benchmarks I conducted.

Also how easy it is to spot your values using Dictionary<TKey, TValue> :}

The King Of The Hill is a good idea.
That would be sweet for a source :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by © Haydz Not trying to criticize you here, just offering some friendly advice, aimed at everyone really. After .Net Framework 3.5, Dictionary<TKey, TValue> was added, which to my understanding was intended to replace Hashtable, or at least make it obsolete compared to Dictionary. I have performed several benchmarking tasks comparing the two when persuading Korvacs to make the switch from Hashtable to Dictionary, he was impressed and made the switch, I have to say, Dictionary is FAR superior. Just friendly advice, which you possibly do already know. Anyhow, here are the benchmarks I conducted.

Yah sorry, I always forget about dictionaries cause I've only started to use them.

Either way, was just thinking of possible ways to do it simply.... seeing as I am still learning all the ins and outs of dictionaries my mind instantly jumped to hashtables.

Quote:

Originally Posted by © Haydz Not trying to criticize you here, just offering some friendly advice, aimed at everyone really. After .Net Framework 3.5, Dictionary<TKey, TValue> was added, which to my understanding was intended to replace Hashtable, or at least make it obsolete compared to Dictionary. I have performed several benchmarking tasks comparing the two when persuading Korvacs to make the switch from Hashtable to Dictionary, he was impressed and made the switch, I have to say, Dictionary is FAR superior. Just friendly advice, which you possibly do already know. Anyhow, here are the benchmarks I conducted.

I use the Dictionary with the 2.0 Framework :) Hashtables are very slow because they hash the key... You don't need that... You use the UniqId.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CptSky I use the Dictionary with the 2.0 Framework :) Hashtables are very slow because they hash the key... You don't need that... You use the UniqId.

Yeah, I read the msdn page too quick, It is also included in 2.0 :D