[Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes (done)

Should we rename track names (prefix from 1 letter to 3, see explanation below):

Poll ended at 30 Oct 2014, 22:01

- No, I like the 1 letter prefixes
1
17%
- Yes, 3 letters are good, I like those
5
83%
- Some other idea (post below)
0
No votes
 
Total votes : 6

[Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes (done)

Postby CryHam » 30 Sep 2014, 22:01

Here are tracks right now (I'm listing 1 track per scenery):
A1-StuntPark
C1-Hairpins
D1-Dunes
E1-Lakes
F1-Slippery
G1-Long
H1-Minerals
I2-Sandy
J1-Curly
L1-AlienBase
M2-Bumps
N2-Surreal
O2-Mouse
P1-StoneQuarry
R1-Mars
S2-Frenzy
T1-Autumn
V1-Dark
W1-Cross
X1-Magic
Y1-CrystalMoon

After renaming would look like so:
Aln1-AlienBase
Atm1-Autumn
Aus1-StuntPark
Can1-Hairpins
Cry1-CrystalMoon
Des1-Dunes
Fin1-Lakes
For1-Slippery
Grc1-Long
Isl2-Sandy
Jng1-Curly
Mos2-Mouse
Mrs1-Mars
Mud2-Bumps
Oth2-Surreal
Sav2-Frenzy
Spc1-Minerals
Stn1-StoneQuarry
Uni1-Magic
Vlc1-Dark
Wnt1-Cross

As of now only letters left (for new sceneries) are: B,K,Q,U, rest is taken, well actually only K.
Those are so bad that no new scenery can start with such letter, but that already happened long ago (that 1 letter can't be the 1st letter from scenery name).
So next step for me, are those 3 letter prefixes. I admit, I'm a fan of 3 letter shortcuts, evth could be 3 or 4 letters short ;) .
This will require renaming all tracks.
Also keep in mind that this will need a wider tracks list (or smaller font?). And some code changes (e.g. coloring from scenery name) plus backwards compatibility for loading older replays, right?

Other options, which I don't like are:
- putting full scenery name and dropping number, worst thing, won't happen
- putting full scenery name e.g. Desert1-Dunes, is for me rather too long
Other options, which I may consider, but don't sound too great:
- using 2 letters, only for new (or few) sceneries, e.g. AT1-Autumn
- using 2 letters for all, e.g. AU1-StuntPark, JG1-Curly, sounds rather stupid
- using 3 letters and sometimes 4, e.g. Mars1-Mars (heh), Moss1-Mouse, Volc1-Dark
Or just post if you got even a different one.
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes ?

Postby CryHam » 30 Sep 2014, 22:09

I'm curious what you Germans and Russians and others will say to that.
Yeah, this doesn't make much sense for people not knowing english (do those exist?) and the idea of shortcuts, and maybe 1 letter is better here.

And to not make this more complicated I've skipped the scenery variations, like: SavannaDry, ForestMntn, WinterWet, since this rather won't fit to 3 letters and doesn't affect the number (index in track name for scenery), and nope, I won't reindex track numbers ever.
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes ?

Postby krash » 30 Sep 2014, 23:56

3 letters is a good choice I think.
Just a cosmetic thing - maybe the letters can be all upper Case? :)

About the replays:
plus backwards compatibility for loading older replays, right?

Could there be an UUID for each track, so that it can be identified independant of its Naming?
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes ?

Postby dimproject » 01 Oct 2014, 16:37

I like 3 letters more.
It would be great! ;)
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes

Postby CryHam » 01 Oct 2014, 19:01

OK. Already done on master.
Some things might be not working right now, like old replays and ghosts.
I will add a button on Gui that will rename all old user replays and ghosts.

No need to change Gui, names fit, but like we discussed with Evropi, no prefixes just name will be better in tracks list, looks so.
And the detailed tracks list view will show prefixes in new column before name, so its easier to read like so.

I don't want to use 3 uppercase letters, there is always some abbreviation coming to mind e.g. ISL, while Isl is more of a beginning of Island.

We kind of have a UUID for track, it's N, counter, current is at 167. But this won't work for user tracks on forum, which don't increase any index.
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes (done)

Postby CryHam » 04 Oct 2014, 14:09

Update on master.
Short view (default) is now showing only short name (without prefix) with also difficulty and rating columns:
http://i.imgur.com/uGITsqB.jpg
and detailed view:
http://i.imgur.com/3Zp3gqz.jpg
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes (done)

Postby Wuzzy » 23 Oct 2014, 23:55

OK, this is already done and I am fine with the new prefixes, but I want to suggest a bit cleanup of the track names.

Since there are now three letter prefixes, we have a namespace which is large enough until the end of time. :)
This means, it is perfectly reasonable to have categories with only 1 track (so far).
I earlier suggested to used an “Other” category, and you adopted it. But now, such a category is not really neccessary anymore (but reserve the prefix “Oth” in case we have really no clue what prefix to choose or invent xD).

Also, I were never really happy with the “Volcanic” category. There are some tracks which are completely wrong here: AcidLake and Radioactive.

Therefore, I suggest some name changes. I hope this is not a problem, because the 2.5 is still not released yet. :)

Suggested new categories:
  • Acid/Toxic (Acd/Tox [not sure]): Involves acid and/or radioactive waste or is in some other way toxic.
  • Sky (Sky): For all tracks which are solely mainly in the sky, usually far above the surface. There usually will be some landscape below the road, but it does not matter much. Sky should not be used when the road is close to the surface.
  • Surreal (Sur): Roughly spoken, any scenery which appears to break the laws of physics. Or it appears to be impossible. This scenery can use elements of all other sceneries, possibly in an unconventional, “unreal” way, and there are no strict rules how these scenery elements are used. However, this category should not be used for just *otherworldly* sceneries, like Alien or Unidentified. It should also not be used if some other category would apply instead.

With these new categories, I suggest the following track renames:
  • Vlc7-Radioactive → Acd1-Radioactive / Tox1-Radioactive
  • Vlc11-AcidLake → Acd2-AcidLake / Tox2-AcidLake
  • Atm5-Twister → Sky1-Twister (the autumn theme is insignificant and barely noticable, also the name “Twister” fits to the Sky theme :))
  • Oth1-FogCity → Sky2-FogCity (the track is actually not really high, but I suggest Sky because those buildings are skyscrapers and create the illusion that the track is very high)
  • Oth2-Surreal → Sur1-Surreal
With this rename, the category “Other” loses all its members. :)

Furthermore, I suggest to rename those test prefixes to also use the 3-letter system, because the current test prefixes don’t fit well into the “id” column. Also, it would be more consistent with the other prefixes.

If the new categories would be applied, there would be another rename:
  • I-WaterWorld → Sky3-WaterWorld (“Island” theme would not fit there, there is not a single island in the entire screnery)
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes (done)

Postby CryHam » 24 Oct 2014, 13:26

Ugh. I had a long answer but it got lost, due to not logged in somehow.
I agree, but not with all.
Renamed Tox. Those are really unique from Volcanic and both share some poisonous stuff. Also renamed Sur.

Atm5-Twister was made from Atm4-Scary, and both are in AutumnDark scenery. Won't change.
Bad weather is in no way a reason for new scenery (see also Des12-Sandstorm, Wnt17-FrozenGarden).

Oth1-FogCity stays, it is in Asphalt scenery (like the 3 VDrift tracks too).
Sky would need no terrain and no vegetation at all (which drops a lot of art from track, would need e.g. static objects or sth to add art, same reason FogCity is rating 2).
Just some platforms with road levitating in air. Like e.g. here.
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes (done)

Postby Wuzzy » 24 Oct 2014, 15:11

OK, I can understand the rejection of renaming Atm5-Twister.

I am not happy that Oth1-FogCity keeps the prefix, because there is still an “Other” category. But whatever, it is not THAT important to me and there are more interesting things. ;) Maybe we can think of a new prefix if more city/asphalt tracks appear.

I never understood the rating system. You often use the rating system for a lot of decisions, but I don’t know how it works. You even justified the deletion of tracks based on that system. IMO you are a bit too obsessed with objects. ;) Not every tracks must have objects. Tracks like I-WaterWorld also have their own kind of “charme”. But whatever, I guess thats just subjective.
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Re: [Poll] Rename tracks - prefixes (done)

Postby CryHam » 24 Oct 2014, 18:21

Rating of track = quality, creativity, fun to drive.
Is higher when a track looks great or pretty, has various things, is polished (no errors), has some creative stuff (eg. light or custon vegetation etc).
Usually means spending few hours extra for that, even when the track seems done. Surely terrain has to look awesome and fit road well.
Doesn't have much to do with objects. If you add objects, it may up rating by 0,5 (either by look for static, or fun for dynamic).

That's it, I don't think I should spend more time explaining it. Most probably only I can fully understand it :p
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