Datafiles

Since a lot of work goes into creating the rules files and such, I, for one, would prefer if authors released datafiles as soon as all cards have been entered, for use for inventory purposes only, and then have an update released when the deckbuilding part of the files are finished. That way, we can be using the files for inventory tracking, and when deckbuilding support is ready, we'll already have our inventory in there and ready for deckbuilding. This also gets new game systems out sooner to users, and makes things easier for authors who don't have the time to work on the rules files. I'm not saying inventory should ALWAYS be released alone, but when it is done, and the rules files are not and will not be done soon, I would prefer having unfinished datafiles that allow me to track inventory, as opposed to waiting months for full files. I used the below as an example, something Ed posted in March about the Doomtown files, but I've also read about other authors who have been holding datafiles waiting for rules files to be worked on, and at least one author who said he plans to write only inventory files in favor of getting more datafiles out that way. With all the catching up that needs to be done (there are over 130 CCGs after all), I think his approach is the more sensible one. Now, deckbuilding is, of course, important, but with all the mainstream and almost all the currently supported CCGs already having full datafiles available, perhaps this is the most logical choice for the MANY other, less important CCGs.

--Kyle Turner
emperor799@earthlink.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Edward Bolme
To: cardvault@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 11:33 PM
Subject: Re: [CardVault] Doomtown


> Will there be Doomtown files soon then??

The database of cards is complete. We just need to translate it into XML and
create the rules files.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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[rob]

An important detail when writing data files is that all of the unique ids,
artwork ids, styles, and language information be correct. As long as this
information is accurate and complete, the data files can be released
without the attendant rules/stats and used for inventory only. The big
consideration is that sometimes these pieces of info need to be decided
upon in conjunction with the rules/stats that will reference them. So it's
very important that the author at least give due consideration to the
rules/stats when writing preliminary data files. Not doing this can often
make the writing of rules/stats more difficult, and it can force the files
to be rewritten in extreme cases to support appropriate rules/stats
(unlikely but possible).

Hope this helps,
Rob

At 07:13 PM 5/22/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Since a lot of work goes into creating the rules files and such, I, for
>one, would prefer if authors released datafiles as soon as all cards have
>been entered, for use for inventory purposes only, and then have an update
>released when the deckbuilding part of the files are finished. That way,
>we can be using the files for inventory tracking, and when deckbuilding
>support is ready, we'll already have our inventory in there and ready for
>deckbuilding. This also gets new game systems out sooner to users, and
>makes things easier for authors who don't have the time to work on the
>rules files. I'm not saying inventory should ALWAYS be released alone, but
>when it is done, and the rules files are not and will not be done soon, I
>would prefer having unfinished datafiles that allow me to track inventory,
>as opposed to waiting months for full files. I used the below as an
>example, something Ed posted in March about the Doomtown files, but I've
>also read about other authors who have been holding datafiles waiting for
>rules files to be worked on, and at least one author who said he plans to
>write only inventory files in favor of getting more datafiles out that
>way. With all the catching up that needs to be done (there are over 130
>CCGs after all), I think his approach is the more sensible one. Now,
>deckbuilding is, of course, important, but with all the mainstream and
>almost all the currently supported CCGs already having full datafiles
>available, perhaps this is the most logical choice for the MANY other,
>less important CCGs.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rob Bowes (rob@wolflair.com) (559) 658-6995
Lone Wolf Development www.wolflair.com


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