Wed Oct 29, 2003 2:26 am
3rd party front-end loader for freelancer needed...
I'm a noob to the Nth degree (and I know that it would be tons of work), but I know that if a front-end loader for freelancer were created it would streamline all mods as well as allow other 'things' to happen online.
For instance, say someone created a front-end that the client would run first instead of the freenlancer executable.
Everytime you fired the front-end up, it would check a centralized file location (say the lancers reactor ftp site) where all new updates for mods would/could be downloaded or updated, as well as your original files. An example would be akin to how the 'all seeing eye' game browser utility runs. You could pick the mod you wanted, and then download it - then click on a server that is currently running in the list.
Now, the next time you re-rerun the front-end, it would double-check the client downloaded mod files against the server files (just the ones the client downloaded), cutting down on the hacker stuff. If there is a discrepancy, it re-downloads the original mod and then runs the game.
What's going to stop a hacker from downloading and then running the mod straight from Freelancer or FLMM? Not sure, maybe something that forces the mod to have to work with the front-end.
Anyway, all of this is great in one respect, because it makes sure the mod you want to play is always up to date and is also kind of kiddee hack 'resistant'. In another respect, it makes sure that you can do server-side things, for the most part. It could at the very least make sure that the server (even if is running in it's original 'pure' state) has 'clean' clients on it.
The things that could be done are extremely diverse - I mean, just about everything that could be thought of in a dynamic Freelancer universe! Again, this is a 'sort of' - because the server would have to be constantly restarted for some changes to take effect, but I think it would definitely be workable!
Anytime a modder is going to make a change (whatever it may be) they can notify any players before the server shuts down, package up the mod and send it to the centralized server. When people fire up the front-end they automatically get the updates and things have changed on that Freelancer server! Prices could go up and down, new news events can occur, new ships get added, systems added (or blown away), scripted events could get kicked off in certain locations. This could all be done as fast or slow as the admin wanted/could handle.
Essentially, modders will have a server-side that has much more control over its environment.
I know, I know - easy to say, hard to do. I just had to get it out. I'm not looking for a wish list. I'm looking to see if people can say, "hey, i can do this piece" and another to say, "I can work on this" - and then get together to create something good for the community.
example: the Ioncross server admin tool can shoot out banners whenever the admin chooses, right? You could create your new mod in advance (commodity price changes, ship changes or additions, new encounters), updated and relevent news briefs("all the news that's fit for you"
etc...
before you send the repackaged mod you send out a banner via ionsross saying that a stolen battleship is converging on manhattan to block trade routes and creating general mayhem...and that manhattan is alerting all who care to get into the battle do so at your earliest convenience...in 15 minutes. Then you could shut the server down, send the update and bring the server (re-modded) back online.
Seriously, a front-end loader for freelancer is something that will literally fill in the holes for this game and lengthen its lifecycle.
For instance, say someone created a front-end that the client would run first instead of the freenlancer executable.
Everytime you fired the front-end up, it would check a centralized file location (say the lancers reactor ftp site) where all new updates for mods would/could be downloaded or updated, as well as your original files. An example would be akin to how the 'all seeing eye' game browser utility runs. You could pick the mod you wanted, and then download it - then click on a server that is currently running in the list.
Now, the next time you re-rerun the front-end, it would double-check the client downloaded mod files against the server files (just the ones the client downloaded), cutting down on the hacker stuff. If there is a discrepancy, it re-downloads the original mod and then runs the game.
What's going to stop a hacker from downloading and then running the mod straight from Freelancer or FLMM? Not sure, maybe something that forces the mod to have to work with the front-end.
Anyway, all of this is great in one respect, because it makes sure the mod you want to play is always up to date and is also kind of kiddee hack 'resistant'. In another respect, it makes sure that you can do server-side things, for the most part. It could at the very least make sure that the server (even if is running in it's original 'pure' state) has 'clean' clients on it.
The things that could be done are extremely diverse - I mean, just about everything that could be thought of in a dynamic Freelancer universe! Again, this is a 'sort of' - because the server would have to be constantly restarted for some changes to take effect, but I think it would definitely be workable!
Anytime a modder is going to make a change (whatever it may be) they can notify any players before the server shuts down, package up the mod and send it to the centralized server. When people fire up the front-end they automatically get the updates and things have changed on that Freelancer server! Prices could go up and down, new news events can occur, new ships get added, systems added (or blown away), scripted events could get kicked off in certain locations. This could all be done as fast or slow as the admin wanted/could handle.
Essentially, modders will have a server-side that has much more control over its environment.
I know, I know - easy to say, hard to do. I just had to get it out. I'm not looking for a wish list. I'm looking to see if people can say, "hey, i can do this piece" and another to say, "I can work on this" - and then get together to create something good for the community.
example: the Ioncross server admin tool can shoot out banners whenever the admin chooses, right? You could create your new mod in advance (commodity price changes, ship changes or additions, new encounters), updated and relevent news briefs("all the news that's fit for you"
etc...
before you send the repackaged mod you send out a banner via ionsross saying that a stolen battleship is converging on manhattan to block trade routes and creating general mayhem...and that manhattan is alerting all who care to get into the battle do so at your earliest convenience...in 15 minutes. Then you could shut the server down, send the update and bring the server (re-modded) back online.
Seriously, a front-end loader for freelancer is something that will literally fill in the holes for this game and lengthen its lifecycle.
