Plug-in System

[SkywardRiver]

So, among the other things I'm attempting to do, I would also like to make a plug-in system for the future Eclipse Skywyre. This way, you can choose which features you want. I wish I had come up with this earlier. Any thoughts on this subject?

Also, I just took a HUGE walk down memory lane as I read the old Eclipse Chronicles thread. If I were to release an engine similar to this one, but in dx8 and with a plugin system, what would you think?

[iSnow]

I'm curious to how you will accomplish such a task.

Personally I would like to see an engine with a streamlined interface, not exactly CS:DE copy but rendered and all that, perhaps with a few major features built in. And Deathbeam's event system was a much better interation of events, I'd recommend it for modification.

[SkywardRiver]

I was planning on using .ini files and within them a set of values. Depending on the value, features can be activated or deactivated

[Joyce]

Wouldn't a proper Plugin System, that'd allow others to plug their own stuff in not just be a scripting engine?

[Exception]

A plugin system is fundamentally just a restricted scripting system…you may as well make your own scripting system.

[damian666]

woot, i loved the scripting engine xd

to bad it was so slow though… 

edit: i could see other ways of plugins though, like seperating for example, a projectile system, compile it in a dll, so only when th dll is loaded, the system comes alive in the server etc.

but i think that would be hard to do though 

[Joyce]

To be fair, comparing it with the event system as we have it it's about the same in terms of speed. Except that when done properly, scripting could lead to far deeper functionality 

[cheatking]

Does the speed have that big an impact on modern computers though?

[Joyce]

Considering scripts (originally) were handled server side if your server PC isn't some ancient piece of garbage the different won't matter much considering you're very unlikely to ever get more than 10 active players online at once anyway. At least I would think, never tried.

[damian666]

well, perhaps we should try to re-add it, just for giggles?

but we should stay with vb script, if you ask me, to keep learning curve for new members as low as possible.

[JohnPony]

If you are looking to do something like this, i would highly recommend you start looking at different languages.

Sure Eclipse is a great engine, and i enjoy using it. But if you plan on doing something like this, it's time to move forward a bit!

Best of luck,

General Pony

[damian666]

yeah, but its just fun to try and get it working on eclipse, and by working i mean working good, not like the old one xd

[JohnPony]

Why not load each plugin from a .dll, and allow a editor to select where each one is located.

[damian666]

you could add some kind of variable, like the kind of plugin, for example when ya add "misc" it loads them after everything is loaded.

if you put "npc" it loads them in the npc cycle etc.

[SkywardRiver]

hmmmm… This is beginning to sound harder and harder than when I first thought of it. We'll see what happens

[iSnow]

Wasn't it Iris who was looking at Python scripting or something for Eclopti? That could be a choice.

[SkywardRiver]

Maybe. That or Java perhaps. Anyways, the way I'm using at the moment works fine, and it will be a nice addition to any custom version.

[Pikachu]

> woot, i loved the scripting engine xd
>
> to bad it was so slow though… 
>
> edit: i could see other ways of plugins though, like seperating for example, a projectile system, compile it in a dll, so only when th dll is loaded, the system comes alive in the server etc.
>
> but i think that would be hard to do though 

Coincidentally, this is something I've been working on for the past few days. My ultimate goal is to build an engine… out of plugins. So, something similar can certainly be made for Eclipse. Mine is made in C#, though. Java or C# would be easier if you wanted to make something like this, since they both have reflection.

[Exception]

> Wasn't it Iris who was looking at Python scripting or something for Eclopti? That could be a choice.

I'm looking at either using Python, or integrating IS (my own interpreted 'scripting' language, still need to do some testing with it. Either way, some form of scripting will happen with ER+.

[killzoz]

That sounds awesome.

Are you going to release it once you're done with it?