RFC: Dom3 DB

[Edi]

Heads up, people!

What do you all want the Dom3 Database to look like? What do you expect from it?

I have a few ideas myself, some of which we kicked around way back when I was last active here (before Dom3 came out). I suppose most here are expecting something similar to the Dom2 DB, a spreadsheet that can be used for modding, mapmaking etc and containing much the same info as the old one did.

That is certainly doable, and I expect I will produce something akin to it. The problem with the old Dom2 DB was that it just isn't portable to anything else, which limits its usefulness. I've begun designing the structure of the new DB, and I figured that even if I do make a spreadsheet, I'll make it so that the thing will be portable to a relational DB like SQL, i.e. all data will be in elementary form. This would essentially mean two spreadsheets, one with units, weapons and armor info as elemental items and a second one that has essentially the same info but also contains the formulas to show the full end results instead of just base values (which would be referenced from the elemental file). This way just copying the files under a different name would enable changing things in the elemental file and seeing the final results immediately in the formula file. I expect something like that would be valuable for modders.

That way, we can have both a spreadsheet version and the SQL DB version I envisioned over a year ago where all data display would be by queries. Once I get the things fleshed out in more detail and underway, I expect that I'm going to need help with implementing the SQL side. I seem to recall that at least Horst F. Jens showed considerable interest in a possible SQL version and input from others would also be appreciated.

The SQL DB version could be especially useful if we can make it fairly comprehensive and somebody codes a front end for it that could be used over a network, allowing people to craft the queries they need through a graphical interface. If both DB and front end (possibly with options for changing the DB values) were available for download, people could use them much the same way as the two spreadsheet combo for making different DBs for different mods.

I do realize that this project is very ambitious and is likely to take some time to complete, which is precisely the reason I'm posting this thread. I want input already now because it's much easier to plan something thoroughly first and then implement it than slapping together some half-arsed construct and then going back and adding, modifying and tinkering with it (much like happened with Dom2 DB).

So, get cracking, people! Input, PLEASE! Good ideas expressed now will serve us all better in the future, none more so than me since I'm the sod who's fool enough to volunteer for this in the first place.

And if the developers see any potential in this and are interested, please weigh in. If I can make something useful for you, so much the better. You have given us so much already, from DomPPP to Dom3 that I would love to return the favor.

Edi