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Question: Can we save the missions we create on our local hard drive?
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It was stated that there is going to be a cap as to the number of missions we can have live at any given time. Understandable as server space is finite. However, the collective imagination of what will be the Foundry community will not be. So I was wondering if we can save the raw data for the missions we create to our local hard drive and deploy it as needed to our live slots. that way even though we might only be able to have x number of missions running live, but can have however many we want on our own machine waiting to be deployed.
For example, I may wish to run a single episode at a time and swap it out every week, similar to how an actual TV show runs. If I can store all the episodes locally, then all I need is to deploy one each week in a rotation. If I run out of new episodes, then I can cycle through older ones.
As I understand it, the architect system for CoX allowed users to save their mission files locally. I think it would be cool if we could do the same with the Foundry tools.
For example, I may wish to run a single episode at a time and swap it out every week, similar to how an actual TV show runs. If I can store all the episodes locally, then all I need is to deploy one each week in a rotation. If I run out of new episodes, then I can cycle through older ones.
As I understand it, the architect system for CoX allowed users to save their mission files locally. I think it would be cool if we could do the same with the Foundry tools.
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A pitty.
Well maybe they'll introduce that as a feature at some point.
I know that... I'm fine with that... I'm hoping for a feature that will let us save our missions in a library on our local C:\ drive. That way we can produce as many missions as we wish, but deploy only the number of missions the cap allows.
the ability to save locally would allow us to keep an archive of all our work. we wouldn't be able to run it from the local drive. and we'd have to be logged into the foundry to work with it. but it would mean that we never have to lose anything we've created. The only offline application for something like this might be for the demo record tools that some people use to create machinima productions. It all depends on how many of the assets associated with Foundry construction are strictly server-side.
Thanks,
Stormshade
What about sharing individual elements (maps, NPCs, etc.) between creators?
You can go back and edit your missions again, someone asked that in the FAQ thread. So lets say a new feature comes out on the foundry you want to add to an older mission, you can do that.
Could we eventually get this ability?
I ask because, with a limited number of projects, I'm seriously concerned what's going to happen if say... I have 2 projects ready to go, but I want to build more so I can rotate them in later? I don't want to lose my work on the first 2 just so I can work on another.
The reason they are doing this is to prevent code hacking (which was possible with the City of Heroes Mission Architect because many of the MA script files were stpred locally on the players PC; and honestly thie script was pretty easy to follow and figure out if you had any scripting or programing knowledge. The fact they are keeping strict control over the files by storing them server side (thus controlling unathorized access) actually gives me hope that the Foundry WILL NOT become the exploited cesspool the COx MA devolved into.
But, because of this design decision, I don't thinl local Foundry file storage is on their 'future feature list' - and again, I appluad that decision.
I do see some problems with how much they'll let you store because I can see lots of people wanting to work on more than one mission at a time, and using character slots and limits on the map storage will hamper some would be mission developers.
Uhm... where did you hear this exactly? Because in all my time playing COH, including working on Architect stuff, I never once heard of this happening. Especially since I have edited missions in text-file format before; and every single time I've done so if even one tiny thing were out of place: Bam, mission would not load.
As I recall, exploits in Architect were almost entirely of the "I built a map with nothing but easy to kill high/XP mobs" types - which were easy to create even with just the regular GUI; no need for text editing or hacking of any sort.
I'm not saying it's impossible, but given the amount of time I've played that game, I find this claim rather... questionable.
Which isn't to say they don't have a good reason to store data on their servers; but again, the original point stands that I want to be able to work on more missions than just the publishable limit; as if I've only got the limited slots I would need to delete old work to make room for new; which is just flat out a bad idea. Like needing to delete a character to create a new one. (Obviously the problem is alleviated if we can buy extra slots, but we have no confirmation on that capability, and even then it'd be nice to have a stable of work we can do that's larger than just what's published.)
If it can be loaded into memory, it can be TRIBBLE.
I'm looking at this from a 'sharing our creations' perspective. Exporting NPCs, Maps, and everything else into separate files. Then uploading them to the SBUGC Wiki and elsewhere for others to bootstrap their own creations. Sharing a library of interesting characters and common locations.
If this facility isn't available as part of the Foundry, that's going to be one heck of an itch that needs scratching.
Enriching the community is motivation enough, in my book.
I'm assuming most non-narrative things will work on a slider system. These sliders will undoubtedly have mins and max's. Save these settings to a text file, and if the text file is edited outside the parameters allowed to us, then it wont load.
It's pretty simple. I don't think anyone is asking them to save actual models and data files to our HD. We just want to keep our settings, in the same way we can already save clothing settings.The only exploits they could possibly have doing it this way could just as easily be exploited through the GUI.