steveh11Matrix
Posts: 944
Joined: 7/30/2004 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Feinder FWIW, a DB editor isn't THAT hard. It's just a GUI to edit fields in the database. Considering all the other complexities of WitP, it's development time is but a crumb of the whole cake. It is also a bit presumptuous to think that future patches of WitP or WitP II (whatever), will completely fix issues (and no future ones created). Folks will want to maintain games in progress, that have been upgraded thru various versions. What folks would also want tho, is a "game already in progess" editor. Again, it's a matter of making a GUI, so you could edit the current settings of the game file. Natureally, the AI doesn't care if you edit the DB. No security required. My suggestion on how to accomodate PBEM security would be to have each player have their own password to the DB, and you could only edit (and see) your OWN units. You actually coun't see or touch your opponents units. In order to actually edit the DB for YOUR units, you'd have to put in your OPPONENT'S password. Password could be reset as often as necessary (option to change DB password when working on turn). You could edit/add/delete unit(s) with this function. This means - a. A player can't edit anything, without his opponent knowing that -something- got edited (because he needs the password from the opponent). b. A player can only edit his own stuff (with permission). c. A player would have a free-hand to make fixes - maybe a teleport or disappeared unit or a jump into mountains, whatever. d. Would certainly require trust on behalf of both PBEM players. But the whole point is to try and salvage a critical problem. If somebody chooses to take the oppontunity to bork the game, then just dump the game. e. A player could reset access to the DB during his next turn (for additional security). -F- All excellent suggestions. I still feel that any PBEM game between players I'd want to play against needs no such security at all, but for those who want such a crutch , this maps a decent way forward. Steve.
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"Nature always obeys Her own laws" - Leonardo da Vinci
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