12-15-2013, 09:26 PM
The idea: make Xonotic less server-centric and more player-centric.
I know that this idea is probably never going to be implemented, but it's OK to dream. The server-centric culture of Xonotic creates problems for players: they are forced to only play the settings for which there are servers, and can't do anything about misbehaving players when there's no admin on the server. It's a considerable barrier for mappers and modders: they have to either buy and administrate a server to host their maps or mods, or beg other players to do it for them.
I propose to replace the concept of a server with a concept of a game, like in Wesnoth and Hedgewars: temporary playing rooms players create and administrate games themselves, with the settings of their choice. I know there is the Create tab, but it's incomplete.
What should ideally be there:
A mock-up:
I know that this idea is probably never going to be implemented, but it's OK to dream. The server-centric culture of Xonotic creates problems for players: they are forced to only play the settings for which there are servers, and can't do anything about misbehaving players when there's no admin on the server. It's a considerable barrier for mappers and modders: they have to either buy and administrate a server to host their maps or mods, or beg other players to do it for them.
I propose to replace the concept of a server with a concept of a game, like in Wesnoth and Hedgewars: temporary playing rooms players create and administrate games themselves, with the settings of their choice. I know there is the Create tab, but it's incomplete.
What should ideally be there:
- List of all players who have Xonotic opened, and shared chat for them all, with sound notifications. This will help players to find a partner to play with, or organize games.
- Cross-game private messages that allow to talk to a player who's in a full game.
- Easy way to distinguish servers that only have spectator-only slots left (for example 1x1 servers with 2 players).
- Friend and ignore system.
- Ability to create invite-only games.
- GUI for basic admin tools for game host.
- An easy way to install maps and mods from local filesystem.
- Add-on server, like in Wesnoth, for maps and mods.
- Host transfer: if the host leaves the game, the game state is transferred to another player who becomes a new host, so the host can leave without ending the game.
A mock-up: