Add extra names to signs to show whats being built

[Xcom]

Signs currently don't get any information from the server about what they are meant to become when they are finished. If the client did receive the item in construction as an extra name it would be possible to know what the sign would turn into when its built. Maybe as a form of shaded object of what it would be looking like when its done.

As an example:



Specially with the new house fix where you have to place random signs around and wait for them its frustrating to go bump into signs not knowing what they are or why your getting blocked. Anny form of simple indication of what the sign might turn into can give you a hint of whats blocking you so you can either walk around or bash it in the case of hostile houses placed front of your gates.

Server side only the name of the object being constructed have to be attached to the information getting sent out. Client side a bit of effort would have to be put in to make it work.

It would be a great addition specially how much signs being used to store items in. Bumping into random sized signs feels cheep cause your blocked by invisible objects as well as cause issues when they are abused in pvp.

[insanechef]

would be cool if a floating name appeared above the signpost showing what's being built. same way as when you hover over a hearth and it shows the name

[AnnaC]

I don't like the floating name as it could attact attention to an otherwise inconspicuous looking construction site. The only thing I wouldn't mind is maybe for some of the large constructions, a filler image that fits the hitbox size more accurately.

[rye130]

The main thing Xcom is suggesting is for the name of every construction sign to be accessible by the client. That way the client makers could do things like making the name visible above the sign or have an transparent image of whats being constructed in its place. Its not like anyone uses the vanilla client anyways so its not like you would be effected by the change at all unless your client-maker implemented it.

[AnnaC]

Doesn't it already, or is it a server request when you activate a sign? Because I get the name of what's being built when I'm in the window. So the client only knows "construction sign at x,y has been used"?

[olgeigracexD]

There is no information about sign other than its position (and temporary id). When you create or activate signpost, server sends to your client message like: "Now create window called 'Log Cabin' with such and such materials and a 'Build' button".

Edit: It's possible to store information from this window and use it later to render a hitbox or transparent sprite, but you would need to refresh it (by activating signpost) every time area was unloaded.

[Xcom]

Loftar or Jorb would simply have to add a few lines of code to send such a info to the client. Any client maker would be able to use it in any way he wants to display it, name, dimmed out or hitbox area turned to red or whatever. As long as the info is not sent to the client it wont be possible to know from a distance what the sign is.

Its an easy fix and wont affect anyone except stealth house blocking signs. This would be a positive direction to not abuse house blocking mechanics as well as general convenience and usability.

I just hope they at least read some of the suggestions in here and take a look into adding it. Might be just a 2 min job on there end and it wont affect anyone negatively.

[Sevenless]

as well as general convenience and usability.

Sadly we never get things that are convenient T-T

I'd prefer at least some visual indication of the size of a sign, because stealth houses are annoying to everyone.

[Xcom]

After taking a hard look at the Session info received from the server I saw what info needs to be sent.

This is what happens under the hood of Session.java.
"Message msg" is a big hexa decimal code sent from the server to the client. Its broken up in to several relevant info details.
The message is broken up into smaller more relevant info. What type, resid, other sub messages, id and frame.

If the type falls under the OD_RES it will generate a new object you can see in the world like the signs.

The second info thats relevant is the resid. Res id is the code that corresponds to a specific object and indicates what the object is going to turn into. If the code have a hexa decimal of 8 in front of it an extra sub message is added on top of the object. Some objects have this extra info attached like the cupboard or crops indicating what direction they are facing or what stage they are in.

The last and interesting info is the sdt variable. This is that variable that stores the extra info (crop stage or cub direction). Its an extra piece of sub message that the server sends the client. As of now signs have there sub message turned of and cant get any extra intel from the server. If it were to be given a hexa decimal of 8 in front it would be possible to store data in the sign message.

One other issue is that sub messages are stored as bit numbers. This causes issues as big numbers are to small to store all the various types of res id you have in the game. But luckily the sdt have a integer called type. This is an integer and can store the data sufficiently.

All JnL would have to do is to change the sign ID from "25b" which is the hexa decimal ID of signs to "825b". Then attach the res id of the finished product to the sub message sdt's variable integer "type".

Server side I have no idea how hard this would be to implement. But client side you could simply check for any res that is a sign, get the sdt message and extract the type integer value and use the resid() function to get the info the sign will become. From there you can do whatever you want with the information. Make a rectangle hitbox, a shaded version of the finished object or simply turn this function of and have it like you had before. Customized options could be added to the options menu. But until this change signs will forever be a undetermined hitbox object randomly in the world.

[krikke93]

Very good idea. If jorb and Loftar are so nice to implement this, the first thing I ask to a modder is to add the shadow of what's constructed beneath the sign. This way I won't be walking against invisible objects again