SoC Ideas Multiplayer Improvements 2011 - Revision history

Egallager: heading cleanup

2023-05-05T20:17:52Z

heading cleanup

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:17, 5 May 2023
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	{{SoC2011Idea}}		{{SoC2011Idea}}
			==Description==
			<h3>Reengineer Wesnoth's multiplayer engine</h3>
	=Description=
	<h2>Reengineer Wesnoth's multiplayer engine</h2>

	More info at [[SoC_Ideas_Multiplayer_Improvements_2011]]		More info at [[SoC_Ideas_Multiplayer_Improvements_2011]]


	Wesnoth includes a lot of multiplayer content, like 'standard' scenarios, custom scenarios and multiplayer campaigns. However, when creating a multiplayer game, the player's options are highly limited - for example, it is not possible to select the difficulty level before starting the scenario, and it is not possible to allow the scenario to set what 'variables' can be customized by players before game is started (there's only global 'use map settings' flag and some control over sides). We want to reengineer the architecture of Wesnoth's multiplayer engine to allow it to support those things.		Wesnoth includes a lot of multiplayer content, like 'standard' scenarios, custom scenarios and multiplayer campaigns. However, when creating a multiplayer game, the player's options are highly limited - for example, it is not possible to select the difficulty level before starting the scenario, and it is not possible to allow the scenario to set what 'variables' can be customized by players before game is started (there's only global 'use map settings' flag and some control over sides). We want to reengineer the architecture of Wesnoth's multiplayer engine to allow it to support those things.
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	}}		}}

	= Required knowledge =		== Required knowledge ==
	* Solid C++ skills, especially the ability to read existing code.		* Solid C++ skills, especially the ability to read existing code.

	=Additional Information=		==Additional Information==
	== Difficulty levels in MP ==		=== Difficulty levels in MP ===
	Wesnoth includes a lot of text data config files which need to be 'parsed' before game starts. Difficulty needs to be known at the time we parse those config files. Currently, we parse those files before entering the multiplayer lobby. As a consequence, we cannot select difficulty in multiplayer game (the data's already parsed at the point when the game is created). Note that parsing takes a lot of time, so, if we do it while already connected to MP server, we need to add workarounds to ensure it doesn't think the client disconnected.		Wesnoth includes a lot of text data config files which need to be 'parsed' before game starts. Difficulty needs to be known at the time we parse those config files. Currently, we parse those files before entering the multiplayer lobby. As a consequence, we cannot select difficulty in multiplayer game (the data's already parsed at the point when the game is created). Note that parsing takes a lot of time, so, if we do it while already connected to MP server, we need to add workarounds to ensure it doesn't think the client disconnected.

	== Game creation screen ==		=== Game creation screen ===
	We want the multiplayer game creation screen to be different and better. We think that we need different screens for normal MP scenarios, 'custom' MP scenarios and for MP campaigns.		We want the multiplayer game creation screen to be different and better. We think that we need different screens for normal MP scenarios, 'custom' MP scenarios and for MP campaigns.

	== Unification of multiplayer and singleplayer in the engine==		=== Unification of multiplayer and singleplayer in the engine===
	A really long-term goal would be to reduce the complexity of the codebase by merging SP and MP (making SP a special case of MP and allow seamless transition between both). There is a number of steps which could be taken to gradually move closer to this goal.		A really long-term goal would be to reduce the complexity of the codebase by merging SP and MP (making SP a special case of MP and allow seamless transition between both). There is a number of steps which could be taken to gradually move closer to this goal.

	=== Details ===		==== Details ====
	This task was always considered very hard in the past throughout the developer community, experiences with the		This task was always considered very hard in the past throughout the developer community, experiences with the
	transformation of the "Legend of Wesmere" taken into account that may actually not be true.		transformation of the "Legend of Wesmere" taken into account that may actually not be true.
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	Replacing every [scenario] with a [multiplayer] tag and including it's files together with every other content that is guarded by the MULTIPLAYER pre-processor symbol makes the scenarios of the campaign in question available in the create game dialogue of the mp lobby.		Replacing every [scenario] with a [multiplayer] tag and including it's files together with every other content that is guarded by the MULTIPLAYER pre-processor symbol makes the scenarios of the campaign in question available in the create game dialogue of the mp lobby.

	== Under the hood ==		=== Under the hood ===
	Wesnoth uses a pre-processor to organise its file hierarchy and to make use of macros.		Wesnoth uses a pre-processor to organise its file hierarchy and to make use of macros.
	This system is used to load only a certain subset of all available WML code depending on the current needs.		This system is used to load only a certain subset of all available WML code depending on the current needs.
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	ANYTHING		ANYTHING

	=Whom to ask about this=		==Whom to ask about this==
	Ask Crab_ and/or fendrin on #wesnoth-dev		Ask Crab_ and/or fendrin on #wesnoth-dev

	=Possible pre-gsoc tasks=		==Possible pre-gsoc tasks==

	* Talk with devs, users, and MP devs about UI design of MP creation screens and show some prototypes of game creation screens for MP campaigns, and custom MP scenarios		* Talk with devs, users, and MP devs about UI design of MP creation screens and show some prototypes of game creation screens for MP campaigns, and custom MP scenarios

Fabi: /* Unification of multiplayer and singleplayer in the engine */

2011-03-25T00:14:56Z

Unification of multiplayer and singleplayer in the engine

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:14, 25 March 2011
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	== Unification of multiplayer and singleplayer in the engine==		== Unification of multiplayer and singleplayer in the engine==
	A really long-term goal would be to reduce the complexity of the codebase by merging SP and MP (making SP a special case of MP and allow seamless transition between both). There is a number of steps which could be taken to gradually move closer to this goal.		A really long-term goal would be to reduce the complexity of the codebase by merging SP and MP (making SP a special case of MP and allow seamless transition between both). There is a number of steps which could be taken to gradually move closer to this goal.

			=== Details ===
			This task was always considered very hard in the past throughout the developer community, experiences with the
			transformation of the "Legend of Wesmere" taken into account that may actually not be true.

			Replacing every [scenario] with a [multiplayer] tag and including it's files together with every other content that is guarded by the MULTIPLAYER pre-processor symbol makes the scenarios of the campaign in question available in the create game dialogue of the mp lobby.

	== Under the hood ==		== Under the hood ==

Crab: /* Description */

2011-03-24T19:57:05Z

Description

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:57, 24 March 2011
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	\|suppresserrors=true		\|suppresserrors=true
	\|noresultsheader=''There are no submitted student proposals for this idea''		\|noresultsheader=''There are no submitted student proposals for this idea''
	\|category=Summer of Code 2011 Student Page&SoC Ideas Multiplayer Improvements		\|category=Summer of Code 2011 Student Page&SoC Ideas Multiplayer Improvements 2011
	\|notcategory=SoC 2011 Not Submitted To Google		\|notcategory=SoC 2011 Not Submitted To Google
	\|include=#Description		\|include=#Description
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	\|format=,,<br/>See [[%PAGE%\|%TITLE%]] for more information.<br/><br/>,		\|format=,,<br/>See [[%PAGE%\|%TITLE%]] for more information.<br/><br/>,
	}}		}}

	= Required knowledge =		= Required knowledge =
	* Solid C++ skills, especially the ability to read existing code.		* Solid C++ skills, especially the ability to read existing code.

Crab: /* Description */

2011-03-09T20:18:00Z

Description

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:18, 9 March 2011
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	\|format=,,<br/>See [[%PAGE%\|%TITLE%]] for more information.<br/><br/>,		\|format=,,<br/>See [[%PAGE%\|%TITLE%]] for more information.<br/><br/>,
	}}		}}
			= Required knowledge =
			* Solid C++ skills, especially the ability to read existing code.

	=Additional Information=		=Additional Information=

Crab: /* Possible pre-gsoc tasks */

2011-03-09T20:11:25Z

Possible pre-gsoc tasks

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:11, 9 March 2011
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	* Make yourself familiar with the multiplayer port of the "Legend of Wesmere" campaign. Try to understand why and how the difficulty setting is handled in its case.		* Make yourself familiar with the multiplayer port of the "Legend of Wesmere" campaign. Try to understand why and how the difficulty setting is handled in its case.

			* Implement a simple GUI2 frontend for the :droid in-game console command.

Crab at 20:10, 9 March 2011

2011-03-09T20:10:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:10, 9 March 2011
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	.		.
	.		.
	If the player selects the campaign he will be asked for the ~~difficult~~ level of the campaign.		If the player selects the campaign he will be asked for the difficulty level of the campaign.
	After that the whole wmltree while be re-parsed, this time with the additional defines:		After that the whole wmltree while be re-parsed, this time with the additional defines:
	CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE		CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE
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	* implement a lobby command to make the player who issued that command host and start a game with specified parameters, bypassing side selection screen.		* implement a lobby command to make the player who issued that command host and start a game with specified parameters, bypassing side selection screen.

	* Make yourself familiar with the multiplayer port of the "Legend of Wesmere" campaign. Try to understand why and how the ~~difficult~~ setting is handled in its case.		* Make yourself familiar with the multiplayer port of the "Legend of Wesmere" campaign. Try to understand why and how the difficulty setting is handled in its case.

SkeletonCrew: minor grammer and language changes

2011-03-09T16:28:56Z

minor grammer and language changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:28, 9 March 2011
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	=Additional Information=		=Additional Information=
	== Difficulty levels in MP ==		== Difficulty levels in MP ==
	Wesnoth includes a lot of text data config files which need to be 'parsed' before game starts. Difficulty needs to be known at the time we parse those config files. Currently, we parse those files before entering the multiplayer lobby. As a consequence, we cannot select difficulty in multiplayer game (data's already parsed at the point when the game is created). Note that parsing takes a lot of time, so, if we do it while already connected to MP server, we need to add workarounds to ensure it doesn't think the client ~~is dead~~.		Wesnoth includes a lot of text data config files which need to be 'parsed' before game starts. Difficulty needs to be known at the time we parse those config files. Currently, we parse those files before entering the multiplayer lobby. As a consequence, we cannot select difficulty in multiplayer game (the data's already parsed at the point when the game is created). Note that parsing takes a lot of time, so, if we do it while already connected to MP server, we need to add workarounds to ensure it doesn't think the client disconnected.

	== Game creation screen ==		== Game creation screen ==
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	* implement a lobby command to make the player who issued that command host and start a game with specified parameters, bypassing side selection screen.		* implement a lobby command to make the player who issued that command host and start a game with specified parameters, bypassing side selection screen.

	* Make yourself familiar with the multiplayer port of the "Legend of Wesmere" campaign. Try to understand why and how the difficult setting is handled in ~~it's~~ case.		* Make yourself familiar with the multiplayer port of the "Legend of Wesmere" campaign. Try to understand why and how the difficult setting is handled in its case.

Fabi: /* Under the hood */

2011-03-09T14:16:13Z

Under the hood

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:16, 9 March 2011
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	But the engine does only read the _main.cfg when the whole directory was included by a pre-processor directive.		But the engine does only read the _main.cfg when the whole directory was included by a pre-processor directive.
	If you allow me to show you some wml code you will discover that the rest of the campaign is guarded by a pre-processor symbol:		If you allow me to show you some wml code you will discover that the rest of the campaign is guarded by a pre-processor symbol.

			From the _main.cfg of "Heir To The Throne":
	.		.
	.		.
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	.		.
	define=CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE		define=CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE
			extra_defines=SOMETHING, ANYTHING # inserted as example
	.		.
	.		.
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	.		.
	.		.
			If the player selects the campaign he will be asked for the difficult level of the campaign.
			After that the whole wmltree while be re-parsed, this time with the additional defines:
			CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE
			one of EASY NORMAL HARD
			SOMETHING
			ANYTHING

	=Whom to ask about this=		=Whom to ask about this=

Fabi: /* Under the hood */

2011-03-09T13:59:44Z

Under the hood

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:59, 9 March 2011
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	If you allow me to show you some wml code you will discover that the rest of the campaign is guarded by a pre-processor symbol:		If you allow me to show you some wml code you will discover that the rest of the campaign is guarded by a pre-processor symbol:

	.		.
	.		.
	.		.
	[campaign]		[campaign]
	id=Heir_To_The_Throne		id=Heir_To_The_Throne
	.		.
	.		.
	.		.
	define=CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE		define=CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE
	.		.
	.		.
	.		.
	[/campaign]		[/campaign]
	.		.
	.		.
	.		.
	#ifdef CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE		#ifdef CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE
	[binary_path]		[binary_path]
	path=data/campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne		path=data/campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne
	[/binary_path]		[/binary_path]
	[+units]		[+units]
	{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/units}		{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/units}
	[/units]		[/units]

	{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/utils}		{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/utils}
	{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/scenarios}		{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/scenarios}
	#endif		#endif
			.
			.
			.

	=Whom to ask about this=		=Whom to ask about this=

Fabi: /* Under the hood */

2011-03-09T13:56:29Z

Under the hood

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:56, 9 March 2011
Line 41:		Line 41:
	But the engine does only read the _main.cfg when the whole directory was included by a pre-processor directive.		But the engine does only read the _main.cfg when the whole directory was included by a pre-processor directive.
	If you allow me to show you some wml code you will discover that the rest of the campaign is guarded by a pre-processor symbol:		If you allow me to show you some wml code you will discover that the rest of the campaign is guarded by a pre-processor symbol:
	~~<source>~~
	~~[code]~~
	.		.
	.		.
	.		.
	[campaign]		[campaign]
	id=Heir_To_The_Throne		id=Heir_To_The_Throne
	.		.
	.		.
	.		.
	define=CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE		define=CAMPAIGN_HEIR_TO_THE_THRONE
	.		.
	.		.
	.		.
	[/campaign]		[/campaign]
	.		.
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	{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/scenarios}		{campaigns/Heir_To_The_Throne/scenarios}
	#endif		#endif
	~~[/code]~~
	~~</source>~~

	=Whom to ask about this=		=Whom to ask about this=