Quick Question for Roguey about maps on the site

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Kirlack

Kirlack avatar
Level badge Specoguey (14)
Posted 11 years ago.

Roguey I've been wondering why the NPC complexes in TC (things like the Argon Medium Shield Complex, that produces 25Mj shields with Argon resources, even though the Argon don't sell 25Mj shield fabs), don't have a link on the site maps? Any other factory I can mouse over and link to see what it sells, and how much is required to feed a production cycle.

Why don't the complexes do this? Smile

Madder than a Bastard on fathers day.
My DiDs: Peace(s) of Eight - Way of the Gun - Status: Online, A Xenon DiD
Roguey

Roguey avatar
Level badge Trueguey (22)
Posted 11 years ago.

hi there, well I think the main reason is that the complexes arent true stations has such; more like they been constructed with a script.

Kirlack

Kirlack avatar
Level badge Specoguey (14)
Posted 11 years ago.

That's what I figured it'd be. Is there no way to add them to the pages? I'm just thinking, for a lot of new players using the site as a resource, knowing all the possible sources of things like 25Mj shields or PRGs might be useful. I know they can just look in their game encyclopedia, but I for one would find it useful Wink

Madder than a Bastard on fathers day.
My DiDs: Peace(s) of Eight - Way of the Gun - Status: Online, A Xenon DiD
Roguey

Roguey avatar
Level badge Trueguey (22)
Posted 11 years ago.

hmm.. well adding them to the pages could cause some issues, as the calculations are based on a station making a product. Complexes as you know make multiple goods, requiring different resources for each. So without re-coding the section, its not going to be very meaningful.

If I treated them as docks (so each station could have its own unique goods (not in it for profit), then ill have re-import a big table.

I know its not a great, although I was thinking of leaving the code alone for the existing x-sites. Rebirth was going not only be a restart for ego, but a re-build of my website code (based on more experience, I started them when I had hardly any knowledge of website coding). Nowadays, I would of done some things very differently, but now there's been so much time invested, it doesnt seam so worthwhile re-coding things. I hope that makes sense?

Kirlack

Kirlack avatar
Level badge Specoguey (14)
Posted 11 years ago.

It makes perfect sense mate Smile

As a player who has no real knowledge of the inner workings of coding/maintaining a website I have no idea how much code would need to be re-worked, and I certainly wouldn't want to make more work for you on such a well established site Big grin It only occurred to me at all because I was helping a newbie out on the Ego boards and couldn't use the complexes as an example (unlike other stations).

As an alternative would it be possible to put them in the station list for various wares, without linking them from the maps? Or would that also require the re-import of the information table?

Madder than a Bastard on fathers day.
My DiDs: Peace(s) of Eight - Way of the Gun - Status: Online, A Xenon DiD
Roguey

Roguey avatar
Level badge Trueguey (22)
Posted 11 years ago.

hi,

okay, ill have a look at adding those stations to the database tomorrow, although it may take a few days to add completely, due to the amount of refreshing of data - wares list, sector maps etc. I would probably have to disable the profit calculations on them pages too, since you cant own them stations yourself.

Kirlack

Kirlack avatar
Level badge Specoguey (14)
Posted 11 years ago.

Thanks Roguey, that would be awesome Big grin I think it might even draw in a few more new users Big grin

Now, a completely unrelated question, and this one only because I'm curious. Where abouts in the world are you? I only ask because the timestamps on forum posts are not listed in GMT. I'd hazard a guess at somewhere on the American east coast based on the time difference shown, but I always thought you were english? Wink You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I'm purely curious Smile

Madder than a Bastard on fathers day.
My DiDs: Peace(s) of Eight - Way of the Gun - Status: Online, A Xenon DiD
Roguey

Roguey avatar
Level badge Trueguey (22)
Posted 11 years ago.

ah, the reason why the times are in US format is that the server is in the US somewhere. I could look into converting the times in GMT sometime.

Roguey

Roguey avatar
Level badge Trueguey (22)
Posted 11 years ago.

well... ive did some looking into adding complex to the database however there are some problems. I have pretty much hard coded the station section to support up-to 4 inputs, and 1 product wares. This data is used a many other parts of the site, for searching for wares, search which use wares etc. So to add complexes I would need rename productID to product1_id, then add 2, 3 and 4. This would pretty much break all my code using any of the product searches until I change them, to a much more complex version.

If I dont do it like that and just make a page for each complex (manually listing the products), then products wont be searchable as like you said. ie. Not done correctly.

I guess I never added them in the past because I thought it would require too much effort to add (no one has mentioned them before to be honest). I think the default template for the station table came from X3, where its been changed and added too since. If you guys think its really worthwhile to add that information, then parts of the site could be took off-line for days to try and add complexes in (wares/sector maps/stations would all probably have to be took off-line).

I should of really coded it a different way, allowing for multiple input/output wares. To be honest, if I was making the site now I would probably write code that deals directly with the game files - which would make it much easier to update too... ditching the database idea for many of the data pages, ie:

CSV/XML (game files) -> Parser -> Cache file -> output

rather than (atm):

CSV/XML (game files) -> convert manually to database -> Parser -> Cache file -> output


You probably wonder why its coded is like this.. well please remember that this site started when I had very few php/mysql skills, and since then I have learnt a lot (and how to do things better). I was just a single fan who simply wanted to make a small site for the x-games (a few guides etc.), and over the years has grown into what is it. Some sections are a bit dated (code wise), as they been expanded and expanded on (the station section was purely meant as a guide for building your own stations only; after-which other station where added). Rebirth should give me a chance to restart with the sections with much better coding and experience.. something I think the dev's at ego wanted to do too. ie. They know what its like expanding on old code, sometimes you need to start again with a new project (and to redo code again).

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