PROJECT: Red Eclipse Documentation

[TheLastProject]

I'n the meantime, what is the quickest way you have found to find and document lots of vars in a short period of time?

Brute force:
/a -> doesn't work
/b -> doesn't work
/c -> doesn't work
...

Nah, for real, the best way would be checking the source code (though I don't recally WHERE in the source code to check).

[ZeroKnight]

(though I don't recally WHERE in the source code to check).

vars.h, really. And I believe there's a few scattered in other source files. An editor that can search through multiple files in a directory helps.

http://pastebin.com/u/srbs also has a list of the vars. Ignore all the trivial stuff. Just get the important stuff most people will actually use. Like gameplay vars, client modification vars, server-related vars, etc.

[wowie]

That variable page is very nice. I think after this weekend (I'm busy and away from any internet connection) (I'm back) I might finally try adding to the wiki.


I just gathered up enough info to do some very basic editing, but then I found out the pages are protected. what do you/I do next?

[qreeves]

If you have a Sourceforge account, simply give me your username.

[wowie]

I just got back to my computer today after getting permission to edit the other day, and, wouldn't you know it, now the wiki isn't up. Coincidence? Ah well.

[srbs]

That variable page is very nice. I might finally try adding to the wiki.

It would be pretty damn awesome if you could get this up and running... once it's back online.

If I remember during my free time, I'll help write some explanations to core functions present in RE & Sauer.

[wowie]

I just checked and the wiki is back up. http://forum.freegamedev.net/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=3031 The contents of the conversation about licensing should probably be distilled and made into a page about official contributions to Red E. I'm still not feeling foolish bold enough to mess up totally update the main page of the massive information dump wiki with a new shameless self-promotion link, so... someone else can try that when they feel like it. I'll stick to simple things for now, like adding to the vars pages.

Edit: I've added a couple minuscule edits now, but before I go nuts on the vars pages, what are the definitions of "game variable" , "server variable" , and "client variable" so I know where to add things without having to ask someone where to put a var every time I add one. Graphics vars (e.g. zoomtex) are obviously client-side, but other than that, I don't know much of anything at all.

[qreeves]

Game variables are those that change the gameplay globally (eg. jumpspeed), server variables are those that configure the server (eg. servertype), and client variables are those that configure the client (eg. crosshairtex).

[ZeroKnight]

As far as organizing them, just throw them all in their respective server/game/client categories. Once I have a good size, I'll think of some ways to separate them into sub-categories, like Vars::Game::Deathmatch, or Vars::Server::Administrative, etc.

Thanks again for your help, man. Sometimes it's hard to find time to get some of this done, and usually when I do I'm looking for something to cure boredom, lol

[wowie]

Thanks for the help everyone. I've decided that I'm going to add a var to the wiki every time I turn on Red Eclipse. Whenever I'm in the mood. It only takes a few minutes to do.
Sure, there's over four-thousand-five-hundred 2000 vars, but if everyone added a little each day the wiki would be full-featured and complete in no time at all assuming that everyone pitches in.

[ZeroKnight]

Thanks for the help everyone. I've decided that I'm going to add a var to the wiki every time I turn on Red Eclipse. It only takes a few minutes to do.
Sure, there's over ***four-thousand-five-hundred*** vars, but if everyone added a little each day the wiki would be full-featured and complete in no time at all assuming that everyone pitches in. :D

No, there's less than that. There is an sv_* version of every non-client side var, and is unrelated.

The server stores its version of the identifier in the "sv_" variable (this is because clients also run a local server, not doing this would make the server side clash with the client side).

Also, don't think like I did at first and try and document absolutely everything. Regular players will live without knowing the most obscure variables :P

For right now, focus on collecting all vars that change gameplay. IE. how matches are played, player physics, game settings, etc etc.
Get client-side vars that are generally useful like HUD changes, or sound/graphics tweaks, postfx, etc.
Get server-side vars like, the IRC relays, server settings like mastermode and server openness, etc.

Don't try and get all the obscure stuff, or you'll find yourself putting in a lot of work for nothing ;)

[wowie]

Thanks for the clarification. I don't know how half of those vars work anyway.

[qreeves]

There is an sv_* version of every non-client side var, and is unrelated. I don't remember the actual difference, but it has something to do with client vs. server side communication.

The server stores its version of the identifier in the "sv_" variable (this is because clients also run a local server, not doing this would make the server side clash with the client side).

[ZeroKnight]

That's it! I always forget that the client doubles as a local server. I knew you told me before, but I couldn't find the thread -_-"
Thanks quin :P

[wowie]

Hey everyone if you want to help Red Eclipse but you don't want to donate your money donate your time! (This wiki is a great place for doing that. )

also: *BUMP*

[Bobman321123]

I'm wanting to create a nearly complete page for weapon var details.
How would I go about doing that?
Red Eclipse name: DSSL
Sourceforge name: Bobman321123

[wowie]

Is there any chance someone might have the time and the knowledge to make a scripting section?
I've been wanting to try scripting for awhile now but don't know where to look for a good tutorial.

[qreeves]

See this: http://cube.wikispaces.com/Cubescript+Tutorial
And this: http://assault.cubers.net/docs/reference.xml
Assault Cube reference can be helpful but not all functions are in RE.
You can also look at thread with autoexecs viewtopic.php?f=53&t=3106 , ask on forum or on IRC.

That being said, if there is something you need with regard to scripting please let me know.

[arand]

I've taken to working with the new online help, and I've so far trying to assemble all descriptions which are available elsewhere (wiki, servexec, sourcecode) into data/usage.cfg, so that is probably the most complete set of descriptions for vars currently.

There's no weapon vars in there currently though, nor any commands, save 5 or so.

It would be interesting to auto-generate wiki and servexec (or at least major parts of them) based solely on the descriptions in usage.cfg and from info taken from defining functions, though that may prove a bit tricky.

Oh, and please remove me from "Cubescript section (soon?)" in the original post. If I promised that I must've been drunk, I know jack about CS :þ

[arand]

I've thought a bit more about the wiki and vars... The question is if there is still a need for a wiki list of vars when the on-screen help exists? I guess server creation is one use-case for them, since the client may not be available then, but apart from that?

By the way, I'm by no means claiming the wiki vars are superfluous, I've used a LOT of the info that was added there in the process of creating the on-screen help

What I'm wondering though is if it would be better to only focus on adding stuff to the on-screen help at this point, maybe just place the "raw" usage.cfg on the wiki and do community contribution that way?

One issue with that is that a new usage.cfg will only really be distributed on a RE release (so descriptions added won't be seen until the next release, whereas the current wiki lists are immediately helpful (you could of course distribute an updated usage.cfg separately, but that's not by far as accessible as a wiki list)).

Another issue is that usage.cfg tracks SVN, so there will inevitably be disjointedness, and I'm not sure having separate pages for release and SVN versions would be a particularly good idea either.
That would still be an issue if the wiki list was generated from the game source though.

... ...

[arand]

Some progress with the auto-generation:
A test page for "Game Vars" is up at https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/ ... _Game_Vars
This currently lists all G*VAR*s which have a description in usage.cfg, including description, parameters, type, range, and default value.
Totals 254 vars, which is more than half of what's in usage.cfg.

It would be possible to split out the "admin-only" vars (65) to a separate page, but apart from that I don't see any sane way to automatically categorize them more, so it might have to remain as a huge list.

[arand]

Added https://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/ ... eapon_Vars as well
(re-)generation scripts are located in src/scripts/ and easily availabe via:

{l Code}: {l Select All Code}

make -C src/ game-vars-wiki
make -C src/ weapon-vars-wiki


(which can then be pasted into wiki pages)

[fr00ty l00ps]

What about command documentation like that of Assault Cube? Wouldn't be awesome and extremely helpful? But possibly a lot of work...

[ZeroKnight]

arand: Woah...that's awesome man. I'm so glad you got the auto generation working...you've greatly simplified things, I'll tell you what!
Just to be sure, all we have to edit now is data/usage.cfg, correct?

[arand]

arand: Woah...that's awesome man. I'm so glad you got the auto generation working...you've greatly simplified things, I'll tell you what!
Just to be sure, all we have to edit now is data/usage.cfg, correct?

Yup, see viewtopic.php?f=72&t=3482, it's pulling just description and paramters form usage.cfg, all the rest of the info from the sourceode.