[Nel] Building a FAQ?

Tue, 20 Feb 2001 18:00:00 +0100

According to Jared Mark:
+> 1) Now that I have NeL, the Client, and Services packages all compiled,
+> what do I do with it to actually start building MY world?  Do I HAVE
+> to edit the code and recompile?  Or is this package meant to handle
+> all game-specific stuff in that /data directory, independant from the
+> core components?
+
+Well, what you now have is a very small client, so don't expect to run a
+RPG using that :)
+
+But essentially, yes. You now have to fire off your favorite 3D modeller
+and start making your own world (then, later get or write a converter to
+generate our map format), or, if you find the current world fine... start
+working on additional code to implement your features.
+
+> 2) What are the limitations on world size, max number of connections, etc, etc?  I understand there are obvious hardware restrictions that you can't really say anything about... but I'm talking about software restrictions (for example, will I run into problems with say, a bank account in my game going over 64k in size due to an overflow?  Will I have issues with my map being too big for the services to handle in terms of latteral area?)
+
+Basically? None. We haven't put any specific restriction. Bank accounts
+aren't implemented yet, so they don't overflow :)
+
+There are additional design decisions about the game I can't get into,
+but, regarding map size for example, we do not have any restriction.
+Apart from our capacity to produce them and the limitations on the
+support for distribution (if we have to install 10Gb on your HD, it's
+probably too much).
+
+As a comparison, the artic icefield distributed with Snowballs covers
+2.5km by 1.3, and we do expect to have a pair of PCs handle every services
+regarding such a game area and about 50-100 active players.
+
+(of course, that depends a LOT on how those services are sollicited, which
+ ties directly into game play)
+
+-- 
+Vincent Archer                                         Email: archer@nevrax.com
+
+Nevrax France.                              Off on the yellow brick road we go!
+
+