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[blastorman]

of having to type it in?

i found that kind of odd, i haven't been able to find out where you go to see how to start with say, automatics or license to kill, etc... it should just be like the n64 menu, and if not possible, at LEAST a dropdown menu to select them instead of having to know the exact string of text for each one before starting a game... just doesn't make sense to me

[Jonathon [SSL]]

The contents of drop-down menus are hard-coded into the VGUI (I think), so if you added any new gamemodes you made yourself, they wouldn't appear in the list. It's not really that hard to look up the gamemode and type it in yourself.

Here is a list of the different gamemodes as they would be typed into the box, with the names in parentheses telling what each name represents:

deathmatch (Deathmatch)
ltk (License to Kill)
mwgg (Man With the Golden Gun)
yolt (You Only Live Twice)
gungame (gungame)

These are the default weapon sets that come with the game as well:

slappers (Slappers Only!)
pistols (Pistols)
throwing_knives (Throwing Knives)
automatics (Automatics)
power_weapons (Power Weapons)
sniper_rifles (Sniper Rifles)
grenades (Grenades)
remote_mines (Remote Mines)
timed_mines (Timed Mines)
proxy_mines (Proximity Mines)
golden_guns (Golden Guns)
golden_gun_arena (All Golden Guns)
shotguns (Shotguns)
explosives (Explosives)
rifles (Rifles)
klobbs (KLOBBS!)
silver_pp7s (Silver PP7's)
magnums (Cougar Magnums)
silenced_weapons (Silenced Weapons)

In addition, there are two examples of custom loadouts that shipped with Beta 3.x, which you can add to:

random (Random Weapon Set)
km (Killer Monkey's Favs)

[killermonkey]

Drop down menus don't work (or at least DIDN'T work) when we released B3. Valve's GUI customizations only allow drop down menus that emit integer values, not strings. So selecting Deathmatch could only return a number, not "deathmatch" making it quite useless.

Since we cannot modify the main menu GUI very easily this is the easiest method to do it for everyone. Furthermore, most people who run servers on a regular basis use script files to set them up properly and a drop down menu would be useless.

[coolDisguise]

What about the following:

1. when the drop down menu opens up, you scan the folder for .txt-files.
2. whenever you find one, you put it into a string array without the ".txt" file extension
(so there would be two options: 1. scan, count the files and then create the array and fill them in or 2. an array that automatically expands itself (I guess that's called array list in java) when you try to fill in another object when the array is already full resp. when you try to access an index that is out of bounds)
3. sort that array alphabetically if necessary
4. when a choice is made from the menu, you'll get that integer - you basically would just have to point at string array[integer - 1] to get the proper name for you weaponset (and this doesn't interfere with the script interface since the existing interfaces for that are maintained and unchanged).

Should also work with the files for the game modes except they have another file extension.

Sorry, messed up a little - you would have to look inside that files and check after the first "{" and after sets of two "}" for the following string - that's pretty ugly I guess. :- /

[killermonkey]

You can propose an infinite number of ways to handle it, but the fact of the matter is that dialog is maintained by Valve and is SET IN STONE as to it's functionality. It takes the input of those checkboxes and text boxes and things and does a direct CVar -> Value assignment when you press the "Start Game" button. So anything that doesn't return a string value will fail.

I am not interested in fixing this at all since we are planning to make our own interface at some point. There are a lot more pressing issues to worry about.

[coolDisguise]

Sorry, I didn't know that. If I had known I wouldn't have suggested anything.

[killermonkey]

No, please suggest things, it will only help the mod. I am sorry, but I am expressing my frustration with Valve's stupid VGUI system out on you

[Wake[of]theBunT]

Throwing out ideas is encouraged, we mostly have to face they wont always be possible since we comb these territories ourselves at great frustration. Amazing ideas get brought up over the past 4 years and basically, half the time its "will take too long vs. being a priority implementation" or things that are "cool" get put to the back of the queue.

One example is how in alpha and beta 1.0 the menu and interface were basic because getting a gameplay was more important than visual spectacles at that time. Thats the way the cookie crumbles when you deal with someone elses free SDK and our limited time to give. If we had a million dollars to spend, on an engine and one or 2 full time coders, you might have all your dreams of SP by now. Eh all mute really.

I still love km more than SP being here faster, even when he rages at valve

[coolDisguise]

Agreed, having KM @the mod and in the forums > having SP (even) instantly.
In fact I kinda like when he rages at Valve, because that shows his commitment to the project - only things you care about can bring you to rage at someone who is hindering them.

So what I'm actually trying to say is:
Keep up the good work, guys.

I wish I could help but since you already have many brilliant minds working, I think I couldn't bring up any solution that you didn't already think of to any problem. :- /
(Furthermore although I'm studying computer science, I'm not that experienced in programming yet, so I'd be more of an obstacle than of any help at all -.-)

[Mark [lodle]]

Hey CoolDisguise,

Im studying software engineering at uni still and started working on goldeneye source in my first year as well (though some of the code i produced was bad enough that we totally ditched it in favour of rewriting). It was a big challenge as i didnt know c++ (object orination) and the size of the sdk code base is mind blowing. However working on it is fantastic experience and suggest that you should download the sdk and have a play around making a mock mod.

We are always on the look out for new coders that are enthusiastic and willing to put the time in to learn the sdk way of doing things and only have a basic understanding of c++. So if you feel confident after playing around with the sdk hit us up if you want to join.

[coolDisguise]

Thank you, I'm trying the official tutorial although it's a little confusing, since some articles of it refer to the orange box release (for up-to-dateness) and others refer to the old SDK (for simplicity).

At least, there's no problem as of yet, so I'll keep on going through and a little beyond on my own after finishing. As you said, if I see I'm getting the hang of it, I'll contact you, since I'd totally like to contribute to this awesome project!