Which is the "deprecated asset"?

wombat140

When I opened my Foundry mission in the editor just now, for the first time since S9, I got a message: "One of the assets used in this mission has been deprecated, and will be replaced with another asset. Please check that your mission works as intended with this asset." Or words to that effect - could have been "item" rather than "asset", I can't remember.
Well, fair enough, but does anyone know how I could find out which one it is? Is there a list of deprecated assets anywhere that I could look through to see if I recognise anything, or something like that?
Thanks,
Wombat140

hypnosnake

Did your mission happen to start on Earth Space Dock?

kirksplat

I hope hypnosnake is right. It would be better if the message was more specific regarding the assets being "doors" or "entry points." To swap out one "asset" with another has the potential to mess up our maps. Imagine what it would do to the makeshift transporter pads if they changed out a specific lamp.

wombat140

Just checked. At present it does start from Earth Spacedock, but not from any specific door (still marked as "Leaving from: Whole Map" with an ! mark next to it meaning "fix this"). I was leaving that because at present I can't think of a door to start it from that entirely makes sense - Memory Alpha would be the best fit but you can't select that as a sector space door, unless you want to waste the player's time by making them beam down to Memory Alpha and then leave from a door within it.

Do you think that would cause the problem? I agree, it would be a great help if the editor could say which asset was causing the problem. Same issue's been mentioned with the swearing filter, if I remember rightly.

hypnosnake

wombat140 wrote: »

Just checked. At present it does start from Earth Spacedock, but not from any specific door (still marked as "Leaving from: Whole Map" with an ! mark next to it meaning "fix this"). I was leaving that because at present I can't think of a door to start it from that entirely makes sense - Memory Alpha would be the best fit but you can't select that as a sector space door, unless you want to waste the player's time by making them beam down to Memory Alpha and then leave from a door within it.

Do you think that would cause the problem? I agree, it would be a great help if the editor could say which asset was causing the problem. Same issue's been mentioned with the swearing filter, if I remember rightly.

It's a thought.

I actually got the same warning when I started editing both of my projects and both started on Earth Space Dock. My hypothesis is that the Foundry called the change of ESD to the new version a 'deprecated asset'. Definitely something that might be worth looking into, just in case.

I actually went through each of my missions with a fine tooth comb and absolutely nothing had changed (well, I suppose except for the Lie Flat - Front animation, but that doesn't seem like an asset, really). The only thing that DID was the ESD makeover. So, I simply assumed that was likely the asset in question.

Did anyone else get the same message? Did your mission involve starting on ESD?

drogyn1701

I also got this message when I opened my mission that had an ESD door. I did not get any other indication of what it meant.

crypticfrost

That message appeared as soon as the new ESD was implemented for the Foundry. It's basically "hey, ESD changed so make sure your mission still works!"

wombat140

That's the only thing it would be, is it? That clears that up, then. Thank you very much Crypticfrost!

adverbero

I had 4 deprecated assets on mine, Does thing include the ESD contacts i assume?

drogyn1701

crypticfrost wrote: »

That message appeared as soon as the new ESD was implemented for the Foundry. It's basically "hey, ESD changed so make sure your mission still works!"

They couldn't just make it say that? lol

crypticfrost

drogyn1701 wrote: »

They couldn't just make it say that? lol

You can't expect programmers to write clear text.

bluegeek

crypticfrost wrote: »

You can't expect programmers to write clear text.

Which is why programmers should work with technical writers who are paid to translate for end users properly

hypnosnake

crypticfrost wrote: »

That message appeared as soon as the new ESD was implemented for the Foundry. It's basically "hey, ESD changed so make sure your mission still works!"

Appreciate the update!

mustrumridcully0

crypticfrost wrote: »

You can't expect programmers to write clear text.

Programmers hate making specific solutions, too -they always want a generalized, reusable one, so the next time something similar comes up, they already have the code there, and don't need to program the same, just with value X instead of Y, nor do you need to rebuild the entire software just because a value that someone said was constant turns out to be not constant and all. Some might call this wise and forwardthinking, but programmers know that it's just laziness - doing the same again or rebuilding something is hard work, who wants that, and then you have to explain to your boss why you need so long and what not.

"No no, we never need the ability for the user to switch this feature to a different value. Never. Absolutely not. Don't worry, keep it simple."
1 day later: "Okay, done."
One Year Later:
"Err, you remember that value that would never change, about a year ago ? We totally need the ability to change it. Our customers really want that."
"Okay, call me back in four weeks."
"BUt the feature for that one value took only a day!"
"Yes, but since then, 1 year worth of other features were build around it."...


Or in short - they created a generic "Some asset in your map is deprecrated, fix it" rather than inventing a specific "By the way, we revamped ESD, you should totally update your mission" that wouldn't work when Deep Space Nine finally gets its much deserved revamp or if someone decides to turn a lamp into a tree.
Of course, remember, the motivation is not forward-thinking, but laziness, so making the error message more specific (like naming the asset explicitly) did not occur to them. (Because that's simpler...*)

At least that's how I imagine it would work if I was writing the code for STO, based on writing code for other programs and working with plenty of other programmers



*) Of course, such shortcuts bite you back, too. "Hmm, if only I had put some useful information in this error message, then maybe I would just need to read the message and know where the problem is more specifically, and now I have to dive into the code, start the program, move through 30 steps to repro the thing and figure out where this comes from."

markhawkman

I wouldn't characterize "deprecated" as "fix it" more like "we changed it for you".

direphoenix

bluegeek wrote: »

Which is why programmers should work with technical writers who are paid to translate for end users properly

Would these technical writers need people skills?



(CAUTION: Bones McCoy levels of possibly NSFW language)

starswordc

adverbero wrote: »

I had 4 deprecated assets on mine, Does thing include the ESD contacts i assume?

Yes. If all went according to plan the costumes should have automatically updated, however.