sprites: request to devs

Gandalf Parker · #1 June 27th, 2007, 10:29 AM

Sure. A SQL file. Relational Database.
One index key would be the unit number as is used in maps and mods.
Another index key would be the text name of the unit.
And another for the .tga file since the other two keys wont cover all of the images (some are partial, old images no longer in use, new images not yet in the game, or after being attacked like mount without rider).

A web interface, probably PHP, could be written to allow updating. Kindof like a WIKI interface. It should allow for sprite #1, sprite #2, other sprites for that unit, and "also see" links for variations of the same unit. Also a spot to link to the screen capture of the info screen on a unit. And the text of that screen typed in so that it can be cut-and-pasted into peoples projects. And a tie-in to Edi's unit database.

Edi · #2 June 27th, 2007, 03:25 PM

If somebody wants to tie it into the Unit DB, go right ahead. You're likely going to have to use the BaseU sheet from that, because only the Base<X> sheets contain purely elemental data. The display pages use spreadsheet function to produce the final results.

It'd actually be easier to get the display results with a SQL DB, but my skills in that department are sadly lacking. Having a reference for the sprites would be awesome. If anyone feels like taking it up and has questions about the unit DB, post them here or in the Dom3DB Discussion thread or send them by PM.

DrPraetorious · #3 June 27th, 2007, 04:54 PM

A tie in to display, and even better search on, weapons, size+flight+animal+native protection value (a stand-in for race), and mounted-ness would be much awesome.

Wikd Thots · #4 June 27th, 2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Gandalf Parker said:
Sure. A SQL file. Relational Database.
One index key would be the unit number as is used in maps and mods.
Another index key would be the text name of the unit.
And another for the .tga file since the other two keys wont cover all of the images (some are partial, old images no longer in use, new images not yet in the game, or after being attacked like mount without rider).

A web interface, probably PHP, could be written to allow updating. Kindof like a WIKI interface. It should allow for sprite #1, sprite #2, other sprites for that unit, and "also see" links for variations of the same unit. Also a spot to link to the screen capture of the info screen on a unit. And the text of that screen typed in so that it can be cut-and-pasted into peoples projects. And a tie-in to Edi's unit database.

I guess I get to play Sombre this time.
OK Gandalf, why don't you go ahead and DO it?

Sombre · #5 June 27th, 2007, 10:15 PM

Ah but this time Gandalf hasn't said he wants it done, just talked about how it could be done. Can't expect people to do things they're not actually interesting in seeing. I only say 'DIY' when someone is asking others to do something they want when they could just as easily do it themself.

Gandalf Parker · #6 June 27th, 2007, 11:18 PM

Actually I did my part. Thats what Ive been doing for decades at work. Initial layout, MAYBE up to the point of Psuedo Code if thats what is needed to make it clear. I only code something up to the point of proving it can be done. The hacking part is fun, after thats its just work. I pass it on for someone else to make pretty. For instance, if I was really interested in getting this then I would outsource it to India for a few bills.

Its like moderating. I dont have to come up with answers. I just have to keep the conversations going. If I DIY'd all my ideas it wouldnt be nearly as good as spurring community effort. Many major projects here have me credited in the readme for the idea that are MUCH better than I would have made.

paradoxharbinger · #7 June 28th, 2007, 10:22 AM

well i'm pretty handy with the sql scripting, and the scripts for this project would probably be relatively simple compared to some of the stuff i do at work, so if someone provided the actual database, i could write the scripts for it

Edi · #8 June 28th, 2007, 10:40 AM

All that needs to be done is for somebody to match the sprites to units (can be a separate table, and in fact, should be). For the rest of it (armor, weapons, unit base stats), the download link is in my sig. The spreadsheet is in both Excel and OpenOffice format and if you take the BaseA, BaseW and BaseU sheets, those are the elemental statistics and can be directly imported as DB tables.

The queries would be fairly simple and only need the formulas to calculate stuff based on that data. If you want, I can spare the time to give you the formulas, it was squeezing those formulas into spreadsheet function format that was the biggest b*tch when making the Dom3DB.

paradoxharbinger · #9 June 28th, 2007, 12:07 PM

the first thing that really ought to be done is decide on the structure of the database. we ought to have one table, call it tbUnitSprite, with one row for each unit, and a column for the unit number and two blob columns, one for each of the units sprites. this table would be populated from the start and would for the most part be finallized from the start. other tables would link off of it and those would be the tables that would be incrementally updated by the community to get this thing finished.

just my two cents on the direction to take it