Game client modified by Gilbertus

[Granger]

2) Every map will occasionally send data online if used, to upload information about the map to a map server, where the server then collects such maps, and uses a smart way to take the maps and find any similarities, then presses them together.

I'll do it, in case you pay for the traffic.

If someone codes this entirely (client + backend), I'll host it as long as traffic remains less than 50 GB per week.

The hashing is a good idea. Send hash to server, and if it's not recognised, upload entire pic. Keep a session per minimap coordinate reset, and let the server stitch it together as far as possible.

I have some ideas about how to find out what map goes where.

The 50GB/week could be a problem though (since the server will have to receive quite some minimaps - and the traffic from all the people who want to see the result on a daily basis will certainly be way more).

[Mqrius]

I've discussed it, and the idea seems feasible:
The client would have a session running with the server, getting a new session every time the coordinates reset. This session is used to stitch consecutive map blocks of the same client on the correct location.

For every new map block the client gets, it sends a hash to the server.
-If the server has the hash in its database, nothing else happens.
-If the server does not have the hash, the full map block is sent to the server.
-The server scales it down to 10x10 pixels, and compares it 'fuzzy' with all other map block thumbnails in its database (maximum 450x450=202500). Fuzzy match means a match above a certain percentage is deemed a match.*
--If a match is found, then that tile is updated, and the server might be able to stitch together submaps it had in its database.
--If no match is found, then the server stitches the block onto the previous blocks by that client, or if there are none, the server makes a new submap.

*Fuzzy match is required because minimaps can change.
All images could be timestamped, and old images could be kept, to be able to make a time lapse picture.
I could host this server: I have ~10 megabyte/sec download, unlimited, and ~1 megabyte/sec upload, 50 GB/week. If the upload exceeds 50 GB, I could do just the download (being the backend for the clients), and do a periodic map dump to someone else with more hosting power.

Is there anyone willing to take up the project of coding this? I'm considering doing it, but I suffer from a big lack of experience, so it might take ages, and/or become shoddy...

[DatOneGuy]

I can host it and my bandwidth on my website is unlimited, I just won't really want to code it or anything I have school and no time to do such a thing.

[dra6o0n]

I can host it and my bandwidth on my website is unlimited, I just won't really want to code it or anything I have school and no time to do such a thing.

Just keep it simple... Maybe make it so it tracks the player's position in the world at the time and if the player clicks "where you logged out", meaning to continue where you left off.

Also, when it comes to map updating, just keep it minimal and people would be happy with just the geological maps... No need for continuous update on villages and such, those can be weekly maybe.
Maybe a smarter way is to know what region to work in for the client, and have the minimaps only update for that region. If you want another region, it has to be on a separate server maybe... To save the hassle.



...

Actually you know what? Just keep it even simpler. Make it so the map server only works with 1 region ONLY, and only after the region is "Completed" that it will work on other regions. Every week, 1 region will be selected to update it's minimaps, while at the same time it works on a new region.

A MORE SIMPLER IDEA:
Shrink the workload to a tiny amount of locals, but have multiple map servers cooperating on different positions.

Like every major village that has a high traffic of players will be selected to be covered by 1 map server.

This map server will only take minimaps in form of a 10x10, basically like a giant local map.

So with that idea, every major village will have their giant local maps.

Then you individually use other clients to update the spots that are not attached, like "Maps north of village A".

...

Well after all this thinking, I believe that player interaction with the creation of these maps are of utmost importance, as creating a software that does it all can be faulty.
Maybe a application that takes such a map, and allow players to update each one with their own minimap files, pseudo-manually?

[Gilbertus]

I've discussed it, and the idea seems feasible:
The client would have a session running with the server, getting a new session every time the coordinates reset. This session is used to stitch consecutive map blocks of the same client on the correct location.

For every new map block the client gets, it sends a hash to the server.
-If the server has the hash in its database, nothing else happens.
-If the server does not have the hash, the full map block is sent to the server.

We can change upload of images and send only hashes (md5 of content and minimap hash - name of file on server) and coordinates. Game download map via http and minimaps are just png files with some hash as filename. However, its not hash of content. Web application can download minimaps from game server when it will know the names of files.

[Mqrius]

We can change upload of images and send only hashes (md5 of content and minimap hash - name of file on server) and coordinates. Game download map via http and minimaps are just png files with some hash as filename. However, its not hash of content. Web application can download minimaps from game server when it will know the names of files.

I didn't know that. However, that would double the minimap load on jorb's already stressed server. Distributed uploading (as in, the game uploading the minimap to the server) seems better to me... but it's interesting nonetheless.

[MrPlow]

I can't get this client to work. I got Windows 7 64bit, so i downloaded the Win64 version, unpacked it, downloaded the update, exctracted it too, but when i start the run.bat file, a black window (like the cmd.exe one) opens and disappears immediately. It's really fast, but i managed to get a screenshot and it says: << "java" is not recognized as an internal or external command, an executable program or a batch file>>. Actually, it happens when i try to run the full gothfox's client too, so i have to use the jnlp version. I tried to run as administrator but nothing changes. What am i doing wrong?
Also, sorry if i wrote in bad english.

[Mqrius]

I can't get this client to work. I got Windows 7 64bit, so i downloaded the Win64 version, unpacked it, downloaded the update, exctracted it too, but when i start the run.bat file, a black window (like the cmd.exe one) opens and disappears immediately. It's really fast, but i managed to get a screenshot and it says: << "java" is not recognized as an internal or external command, an executable program or a batch file>>. Actually, it happens when i try to run the full gothfox's client too, so i have to use the jnlp version. I tried to run as administrator but nothing changes. What am i doing wrong?
Also, sorry if i wrote in bad english.

Technical terms: java is not in your path variable.
Simple terms: Windows doesn't know what to do if you say that you want to run 'java'

'Proper' solution: add the path to java to your path variable in windows
Easy solution: edit the 'run' file with notepad. Where it says "java -Xms256m -Xmx512m -jar haven.jar sh.seatribe.se", and add the path to the java excecutable in front of it. The path will be something like "C:\Program Files\jre6\bin\"
So, the line becomes "C:\Program Files\jre6\bin\java -Xms256m -Xmx512m -jar haven.jar sh.seatribe.se"

Also, add another line that says "pause" after that line, this will allow you to read the black cmd window.

[Onionfighter]

I don't currently have internet at home, but I am looking forward to trying out your client.

In regards to the client automatically uploading map images to a public server, I won't use your client if you implement this. In this game information is a valuable commodity. Giving away that information without discretion is foolish.

A feature I would value would be a numerical output of the values used to display the pie slice that appears when tracking scents. I am guessing there are two numbers involved here, one for direction (perhaps degrees or radians), and one for how thick the slice is (also degrees or radians?).

There are so many awesome things we could do if it wasn't for the damned randomized coords .

Blame Delamore (and me).

[MrPlow]

I can't get this client to work. I got Windows 7 64bit, so i downloaded the Win64 version, unpacked it, downloaded the update, exctracted it too, but when i start the run.bat file, a black window (like the cmd.exe one) opens and disappears immediately. It's really fast, but i managed to get a screenshot and it says: << "java" is not recognized as an internal or external command, an executable program or a batch file>>. Actually, it happens when i try to run the full gothfox's client too, so i have to use the jnlp version. I tried to run as administrator but nothing changes. What am i doing wrong?
Also, sorry if i wrote in bad english.

Technical terms: java is not in your path variable.
Simple terms: Windows doesn't know what to do if you say that you want to run 'java'

'Proper' solution: add the path to java to your path variable in windows
Easy solution: edit the 'run' file with notepad. Where it says "java -Xms256m -Xmx512m -jar haven.jar sh.seatribe.se", and add the path to the java excecutable in front of it. The path will be something like "C:\Program Files\jre6\bin\"
So, the line becomes "C:\Program Files\jre6\bin\java -Xms256m -Xmx512m -jar haven.jar sh.seatribe.se"

Also, add another line that says "pause" after that line, this will allow you to read the black cmd window.

Ok, i searched and found the java.exe under C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin, so i edited the run.bat like this:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\java -Xms256m -Xmx512m -jar haven.jar sh.seatribe.se
pause


an he still says <<"C:\Program" is not recognized blah blah>>. If i put the underscore (C:\Program_Files_(x86)\Java\jre6\bin) nothing changes <<"C:\Program_Files_" is not recognized ecc.>>.
I think that doing the "proper" solution would be better, and i'm aware that if i have to edit the registry or the system files i risk to mess up the whole computer, but i'll double-check everything and i think i'll take the risk.