Combat Sim update

[Brian Leybourne]

I'm really looking forward to when you start with the AI opponent, mostly because of the very interesting discussions that will bring on how to fight in TROS...

...You *will* let the rest of us help you with that, won't you?

Mate, I'm counting on it. Coding the AI is bloody hard. Actually, scratch that, the coding is not too bad, it's the algorithm that's a bitch. I may have to think about start off with only allowing a certain character as the AI character, who always has the same stats, armor and weapon configuration, as coding the AI for any combination of stats, armor and weapons/shields/etc is a daunting task.

In other news, I have added Cut & Thrust, Scimitar, Estoc, Greatsword, Falchion, Short Spear, Short Staff, Bill, Halberd, Warhammer, Morning Star, Hand Axe and Spear as usable weapons. That's all the weapons in the book except Lances, which are pretty useless without a big throbbing piece of meat between your legs.

Also as previously mentioned, I've added optional hit location modifiers, optional fatigue rules, plus various bug fixes.

I have been thinking about Grappling, but it's just so different from all other aspects of melee (plus the need for a seperate proficiency and the need to add punching, kicking, et al in there as well, etc etc) that it probably wont be turning up in the combat sim any time soon.

Is there anything else anyone wants before I finalise the build (v2.5) and send it off to Jake?

Brian.

[Mokkurkalfe]

Nah, you've already put in the few things I missed. The quicker I can get it, the better!

[Bob Richter]

It wouldn't matter if you were a Delphi-god, it still wouldn't do you any good to beg for my source code.

Thought it might have served to give me a better idea which suggestions to/not to make.

Ah well. Looks like I'm going to have to eventually write my own...

urg.

[Brian Leybourne]

It wouldn't matter if you were a Delphi-god, it still wouldn't do you any good to beg for my source code.

Thought it might have served to give me a better idea which suggestions to/not to make.

Ah well. Looks like I'm going to have to eventually write my own...

urg.

Lets put it this way...

Do you hand out copies of your source to people you don't know?

For that matter, do you hand out copies of your source to people you DO know?

Didn't think so :-)

Unless I'm contracturally obliged to hand over my source, I never do. Why would I? That's like a chef giving out his recipies for free, or Jake handing out the TROS rulebook in word format.

Brian.

[Brian Leybourne]

Heh heh heh...

I wont post the whole battle report here because it's pretty long, but essentially, Arming Guy couldn't land a big enough hit on Max Steele to get through his armor and toughness (without opening himself up too much to a lethal counterattack anyway), so he just danced about until fatigue reduced Max's CP to 2 and then stabbed him through the head.

Fatigue rules rock :-)

Ahem. Sorry.

Brian.

[Bob Richter]

Lets put it this way...

Do you hand out copies of your source to people you don't know?

Yup.

For that matter, do you hand out copies of your source to people you DO know?

Yup.

Didn't think so :-)

Then you're wrong. Hundreds of coders do, including myself. Free source is a wonderful thing. And you're probably never going to be paid a dime for this code. Why bother being petty about it? Are you afraid of losing the accolades of tRoS fans all over the world?

Unless I'm contracturally obliged to hand over my source, I never do. Why would I? That's like a chef giving out his recipies for free, or Jake handing out the TROS rulebook in word format.

Brian.

You already know where that's wrong. You're not getting paid. In fact, without Jake's express permission, it would be illegal for you to get any money out of this project at all. You're doing it simply out of the goodness of your heart, and you KNOW it too. :)

But as I said, I won't bother wasting time begging for your source code. Consider yourself reprimanded.

[Brian Leybourne]

Ah, but I'm not a proponent of free source, and despite your undertones, it doesn't make me a worse person than you. Also, your dig about the acolades of TROS fans was uncalled for and insulting.

No, I don't make any money off this, but (with luck) Jake does. And then we all win. Would that change if I released my code? Probably not, but why take the risk. Jake gets to "ok" each release before anyone else sees it, but he wouldn't have that option if I released the code, people could make whatever changes they liked, tweaking it so that it better matched their concept of how combat should look, but that changed version might lead others to thinking that that was what TROS combat looked like, potentially affecting sales if those "unauthorised" versions sucked.

And that sums up many of my problems with free source right there.

And no, I have no interest in debating free source with you, so don't bother trying :-)

Brian.

[Bob Richter]

Ah, but I'm not a proponent of free source, and despite your undertones, it doesn't make me a worse person than you. Also, your dig about the acolades of TROS fans was uncalled for and insulting.

I see I need to make more free use of smileys. My strange sense of humor has yet to gain enough fame here that it goes without saying that I'm joking when I say something like that.

Nonprofessional cooks share their recipes all the time. Nonprofessional game designers put their text up for free download on the internet. (for that matter, professional writers and game designers can often be caused, with little effort, to make hours-long expositions on their technique.) Nonprofessional Programmers put out their code for the world to see.

If you're not making money, that makes you an amateur, regardless of how much money you make in other, similar persuits. It seems you're just not used to the mentality of an amateur, yet.

No, I don't make any money off this, but (with luck) Jake does. And then we all win. Would that change if I released my code? Probably not, but why take the risk. Jake gets to "ok" each release before anyone else sees it, but he wouldn't have that option if I released the code, people could make whatever changes they liked, tweaking it so that it better matched their concept of how combat should look, but that changed version might lead others to thinking that that was what TROS combat looked like, potentially affecting sales if those "unauthorised" versions sucked.

And that sums up many of my problems with free source right there.
Brian.

In other words, your objections are crap. The only versions people will see will be the ones they get off the official website. That is, your versions.

Yes, if you released the code, sufficiently motivated people with considerable knowledge of a relatively obscure programming language (that is, a VERY small percentage of even the Internet population.) might make little tweaks to your program to make it better fit their tastes. In fact, they might end up better fitting the taste of a number of other people AND the tRoS rules.

But you're right. There's no point in arguing the merit of Free Source.

My point was simply that I *DO* give out my code to anyone who asks for it, and that you have nothing to lose by doing the same in this case.

For that matter, I have nothing to gain by asking for your source. THAT was my point (a minor one) which you managed to divert due to the strength of your feelings and the length of your expostulations on the subject.

Since I have no desire to learn Delphi,
and since you wouldn't give me the code anyway,
and since you're (understandably) unlikely to adapt your code to my needs (and won't let anyone else do it either...)

...*sigh* I guess I'll have to make my own.
In Visual BASIC.
And put the source up on MY website (which I will have to make) so that anyone else (with sufficient motivation and knowledge of a somewhat less obscure langauge) can adapt my program to their needs.

Now, let's get this discussion back into the friendly, where it belongs.

[Brian Leybourne]

<<angry reply which some people have undoubtably already read deleted>>

Bob, never again tell me that all your comments come with a "free smiley" and then continue to insult me using that as an excuse.

According to you I'm petty, an amateur, out for nothing but fame, my opinions are "crap" and I'm somehow a lesser man than you because I choose not to give away for free something that I have put time and effort into (whether or not I make money from it is irrelevant).

This discussion is over. I wont be responding to you again or even reading your messages unless you care to get off my back and apologise for constantly insulting me with no provovation just because you're trapped on top of that "free source" soapbox.

Brian.

[Jake Norwood]

I'm dropping the axe. Stop it.

Bob-

You have no place to tell Brian what to do with his code. It's his. As for using this forum to debate the topic...I'm a little miffed. Use PM or email if you want something this caustic and personal to be discussed.



I'm not deleting anything, but this thread is closed, as is the topic. It stops *now.* Chill the hell out.

Jake,
who hates moderating and doesn't want it to happen again.

[Bob Richter]

I'm dropping the axe. Stop it.

Bob-

You have no place to tell Brian what to do with his code. It's his. As for using this forum to debate the topic...I'm a little miffed. Use PM or email if you want something this caustic and personal to be discussed.



I'm not deleting anything, but this thread is closed, as is the topic. It stops *now.* Chill the hell out.

Jake,
who hates moderating and doesn't want it to happen again.

I'm no longer in the habit of getting in protracted arguments over meaningless points over the Internet.

Though it seems I *am* still in the habit of not actually getting my point across. *sigh* :)

[Jake Norwood]

Though it seems I *am* still in the habit of not actually getting my point across. *sigh* :)

Yeah, it happens, especially in this medium. When in print (or on screen), it's often best to take a more moderate tone or approach then you actually would use when speaking or with someone you know.

I'm not saying this specifically to Bob (though it obviously applies here), but to lots of folks out there.

Jake

[Jake Norwood]

Um, don't make me lock the thread down. Let's start a new thread for the COmbat SIm's compatability (the new version will be going up tomorrow).

Jake