Lua patches

MagnetBox

I realize this game isn't open source but some of the minor issues can be traced back to Lua bugs. Since those are available in the Steam game folder, would it help the devs if we submitted patches to them? GetSatisfaction doesn't have a way to attach files (only images) to a topic, so I don't know the best avenue for this.

Is this something that would be desired or would it only distract/get in the way of the devs?

NurEinMensch

You could make a "mod" that has the patched files, but I doubt the devs want the community to mess with the official version. The confusion that would be caused wouldn't be worth it.

Tquila

I guess pointing out some of the .lua errors and where they reside (possibly with your idea as how to fix it) would help. It's a bug as anything else.

Asraniel

i would even think that if you give them all the copyrights, they might consider taking your patch or a modified version of it.

NurEinMensch

This is a commercial release. There are liability issues. I doubt they will put third party code into it that they haven't thoroughly examined and tested, to the point where it would have been easier for them to just write it themselves.

spellman23

<!--quoteo(post=1788637:date=Jul 29 2010, 10:37 AM:name=NurEinMensch)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NurEinMensch @ Jul 29 2010, 10:37 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1788637"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You could make a "mod" that has the patched files, but I doubt the devs want the community to mess with the official version. The confusion that would be caused wouldn't be worth it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Actually, making a good mod would be one of the best ways. Either that or detailed code snippets in GetSatisfaction.

Just document what you did.

Jerkstore

Report the problem code in GetSatisfaction, what you observed to be broken/buggy, and a possible solution.

Giving them source code is a waste of your time. They're not asking for help with development, only testing.

spellman23

<!--quoteo(post=1788838:date=Jul 29 2010, 03:41 PM:name=Jerkstore)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jerkstore @ Jul 29 2010, 03:41 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1788838"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Giving them source code is a waste of your time. They're not asking for help with development, only testing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

If you have a good solution, why not?

mu.

bugs in lua? unheard of. surely you mean bugs in the .lua files that are part of ns2?

yes i'm slightly biased since i wrote an irc bot in C with lua bindings and learned to love it :)

mu.

<!--quoteo(post=1788892:date=Jul 29 2010, 07:53 PM:name=spellman23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spellman23 @ Jul 29 2010, 07:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1788892"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If you have a good solution, why not?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

not only this, but if you think you've identified a bug, and you can make it go away, then you've got confirmation, and both the bug and the fix are reproducible. that's the best thing a maintainer can hope for.

MagnetBox

<!--quoteo(post=1788917:date=Jul 29 2010, 07:14 PM:name=mu.)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mu. @ Jul 29 2010, 07:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1788917"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->bugs in lua? unheard of. surely you mean bugs in the .lua files that are part of ns2?

yes i'm slightly biased since i wrote an irc bot in C with lua bindings and learned to love it :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yes, that is what I meant. I figured that with such a small dev team they could use some help. If I can assist with the minor but annoying issues while they tackle the large engine problems, then everyone wins.

Chris0132

Generally it's a bad idea to have a dozen different versions.

There are strict rules for dev teams to ensure that many people can work on a game without overwriting changes and breaking the game for everyone else with your changes, I doubt having people make their own versions would be a good idea.

MagnetBox

<!--quoteo(post=1789223:date=Jul 30 2010, 01:03 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Jul 30 2010, 01:03 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1789223"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Generally it's a bad idea to have a dozen different versions.

There are strict rules for dev teams to ensure that many people can work on a game without overwriting changes and breaking the game for everyone else with your changes, I doubt having people make their own versions would be a good idea.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I plan on submitting the patches directly to them and letting them integrate the changes into the codebase, not distributing them to the community. I understand the chaos that would create.

Reese

<!--quoteo(post=1788892:date=Jul 29 2010, 06:53 PM:name=spellman23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spellman23 @ Jul 29 2010, 06:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1788892"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If you have a good solution, why not?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It's easy to run into all kinds of liability issues. The person who created the patch technically owns the copyright for that code, and would have to legally sign over rights to it. Depending on their location this could be difficult.

You also have to worry about things like people who have already given over the copyright for code the wrote at the time. Some companies have agreements along these lines, so someone who writes a patch on company time would not be able to sign over the copyright.

For much of the Lua code that will have bugs, it's probably not a really hard fix after you hunt it down. People can do that without any copyright concerns, which seems like the more appropriate trade-off between time, risk, and productivity.

Chris0132

<!--quoteo(post=1789233:date=Jul 30 2010, 07:29 AM:name=MagnetBox)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MagnetBox @ Jul 30 2010, 07:29 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1789233"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I plan on submitting the patches directly to them and letting them integrate the changes into the codebase, not distributing them to the community. I understand the chaos that would create.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It's still probable that you'd basically be submitting an old version of the code they're working on, if they change something and then you change something else in the same file, you can't stick the two together, you'd need to be fitted into the existing schedule to be of much use.

MagnetBox

<!--quoteo(post=1789265:date=Jul 30 2010, 03:32 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Jul 30 2010, 03:32 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1789265"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's still probable that you'd basically be submitting an old version of the code they're working on, if they change something and then you change something else in the same file, you can't stick the two together, you'd need to be fitted into the existing schedule to be of much use.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Any patching or merging program can handle this problem with ease. Most modern source control systems even have them built in. I would be submitting a patch, not the entire file anyways.

spellman23

mmmm Version control merging....