EFU Automatic Character Deletion RFC

[garrison]

I've been doing some thinking and Googling about automated character deletion and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has way too much failed build clutter. So far I have identified three ways this may be accomplished, but lack the information required for completeness. I'm am posting a Request for Comments (RFC) to allow for feedback, to see if Ziroc is open to the idea, and to see if there is anything I can do to help.

Neverwinter Nights Extender

NWNX is a very clever plugin framework for extending NWN servers; however, I didn't look at this too closely because Z may have technical or other considerations which preclude such an addition.

Forum Extension

I don't know how closely integrated the forums are with the game server, but if a PHP function can access player's server vault folders, it would be easy to present a menu of character names or filenames to be flagged for deletion. Flagged characters could be written to a DB or flat file for a nightly clean up script which could either delete the files or just move them to a trash bin, allowing for resurrection (or greater restoration). This has the added benefit of encouraging players to use the forum-- one player has told me he had never been on the forums.

In Game

This is similar to the previous idea, but requires no web access. In this version, players would perform an in-game action to request deletion and a notation would be made in the server logs; the back end script would scan the server logs and function as above.



Given a few tech specs I can and would provide NWN or PHP functions and a back end script written in whatever scripting flavor Z prefers. I may be a Linux guy now but back in the 90's I was doing work on that other OS.

[Larry_OHF]

In Game This is similar to the previous idea, but requires no web access. In this version, players would perform an in-game action to request deletion and a notation would be made in the server logs; the back end script would scan the server logs and function as above.

Now that idea promises a lot of fun options...
Though I would think the forum extension would be a really cool way to run things. Still...in game actions to get one deleted...that could be really fun too.

[Unglaublich Verwustung]

Any of those work for me as concepts, would be much easier (I think) and take some pressure off Z (probably).

And sometimes I build a character and get so annoyed with them that I just want to kill them on the spot - permanently. And instead they go into my ever-increasing collection of dregs, never to see the darkness in EFU again.

[Legolas]

NWNX2 actually provides an excellent way of managing character deletion in-game. As far as implementation goes, you download the right files, put them in the right places, add a conversation or deletion pod to the module and then instead of running nwserver you run nwnx which fires up nwserver for you. There's already a plugin for deletion so no real work required.
It also has the benefit of being able to move characters to a deletevault - out of the player vaults and to a place where you can still retrieve them later on - if desired.

It basically allows you to retrieve data from the game and do something with it outside the game, putting it back in if needed. So if you know delphi script you can write your own code as well.

[Mozenwrathe]

I believe this was discussed before. The problem was (and is still) the amount of scripting required for it to be compatible with EFU. The main fear was that adding NWNx or NWNx2 would be that it would have a backlash with some of the other scripts already in the game. However, I am not a scripter so I really wouldn't know what possibilities there were.

[garrison]

Originally Posted by Mozenwrathe I believe this was discussed before. The problem was (and is still) the amount of scripting required for it to be compatible with EFU. The main fear was that adding NWNx or NWNx2 would be that it would have a backlash with some of the other scripts already in the game. However, I am not a scripter so I really wouldn't know what possibilities there were.

I wasn't simply being vague in using "technical or other considerations", there is a lengthy list (actually, an open set) of possible complications which, as near as I can tell, only Ziroc is in a position to weigh. Broadly speaking, technical problems are fixable, but it's those "other considerations" which mitigate the probability of a given issue actually being fixed.

The primary purpose of my post was to re-present the idea along with workable backup plans and an offer to help make this a minimal burden on Ziroc. If NWNX2 is feasible then it's probably the way to go, but I'd wager the odds favor Plan B.

Of course, I'm biased-- I just discovered Tero Kivinen's Neverwinter Nights tools, written in Perl, my favored programming language. Imagine, if you will, a forum plugin which allows you to delete, rename, and change the description of all your EfU builds. With Tero's Perl modules, such a thing would be quite simple.

[Unglaublich Verwustung]

Ooh, we've gone from being a game forum to a tech forum; how exciting. I feel almost at home

p.s. I realise that sounds somewhat trite, but this is the type of conversation I often try to have at work, especially when trying to explain some of what I do on a daily basis, whereby everyone around me disperses really, really quickly...

[Mozenwrathe]

That grin scared me, UV.

~*shivers*~

Seriously though, if such a thing was possible to be implimented properly it would take some significant work off of Ziroc. I mean, no more people asking him to remove characters for them. We could just nix builds we didn't like ourselves and start from scratch. Of course, you'd have to be careful not to do it and then immediately say "I want to reverse my decision."

[garrison]

Originally Posted by Mozenwrathe Of course, you'd have to be careful not to do it and then immediately say "I want to reverse my decision."

No way. Contradicts my philosophy that we should adapt computers to our behavior rather than the other way 'round. Deleted character files could just be moved to a trash folder for later purging, thus allowing for capricious re-un-deletion reversals.

[Unglaublich Verwustung]

Love the idea of multiple negatives with 're-un-deletion reversal' ending up as 'it never happened'

Originally Posted by garrison my philosophy that we should adapt computers to our behavior rather than the other way 'round.

And that is exactly the way it should be; they are supposed to be tools for us, not vice versa. If we have to change our behaviour to fit with the way computers work then we have done something very badly wrong.

ah, you mean from here, I assume