Re: FTF Standard File Formats for PBEM/Utilities

Thomas Heaney writes:

@:) It might be a good idea to give each system a ship carries a
@:) unique identifier, such as a number, to clarify what system a DCP
@:) might be working on.  Also, I think that each system should show
@:) what fire arcs are valid, as well as the state of the system, ie
@:) destroyed, damaged, empty(scatterpacks etc.)  --

  These are actually very useful attributes for a file format to be
used by game play aids.  For ship construction programs much of this
stuff is obviously not important.

  The firing arcs are typically included in any of the "standard" FT
text formats.  2xB(PF), for example is one way of representing two B
batteries that fire port and front.

  Destroyed/damaged is good and here is one place where you start to
run into compatibility problems.  Maybe somebody's got an optional
rule that allows batteries to be damaged and fire as the next lower
class - should that be handled in this file format somehow?  Maybe not
specifically, but perhaps there's a way of keeping the format general
enough that this information could be contained in it somehow.

  Actually if there was just a generic "system" spot in the format, it
could be used to house any kind of weapon.  If you want to use
batteries that degrade over time, give them a new name and any program
that doesn't know about them will just ignore them.  That'd be neat.

  Here's a top-of-my-head example of a possible system description.
I'm sure I've left stuff out.

weapon
Name: B Battery
Arcs: PFS
DP: 1
Repairable: yes
/weapon

weapon
Name: Degradable B
Arcs: PFS
DP: 1
Repairable: yes
Degradable: yes
Degrades To: C Battery
/weapon

  The idea here is that your program could be reading through my ship
description and find that I'm supposed to be carrying a "Degradable
B", whatever that is.  Your program could just ignore the weapon, or
complain if appropriate.  My program would continue reading in the
weapon statistics, and would specifically note the "Degrades To" line
which it would be expecting to see.

-joachim