H3SW: New Filenames

Since we've got an opportunity to introduce our own filenames and re-define some creature IDs to correct some NWC mistakes (with Fortress and Conflux) for a more convenient modding process, I suggest a new naming pattern for some of the files we often operate with.

The first suggestion concerns the creature DEF filenames. The associated sounds may also have their names if we deem that necessary (that goes to Uhm since I didn't interfere in that process and I didn't even check where to look in specific). The dwelling def names are supposed to be changed in future too, and these changes will be included in this post accordingly.

The size limitation for the filenames is 8 symbols (plus the extension)
The "c" identifier in the beginning of the filename stands for "creature"
3-digit number is the universal creature ID. Since we operate with H2 upgrade system, some IDs are skipped, but might be implemented later. Convenient both for us and the programmer.
4 symbols are left for the shortened form of the creature name. Upgrades without a special name have "u" in the beginning, leaving only 3 characters for the name. This will allow us to navigate the PAC file much more easily with the aid of MMArchive preview images.
An associated ERA plugin will be created, bringing all the changes to life and fixing NWC mistakes which currently don't allow us to buy Dervish creatures as Uhm reported.

;KNIGHT 000-013
c000psnt.def
c001
c002arch.def
c003uarc.def
c004pike.def
c005upik.def
c006xbow.def
c007uxbw.def
c008swrd.def
c009uswd.def
c010cvlr.def
c011ucvl.def
c012pldn.def
c013upld.def

;SORCERESS 014-027
c014sprt.def
c015
c016dwrf.def
c017udwf.def
c018elf.def
c019uelf.def
c020styr.def
c021
c022drui.def
c023udru.def
c024unic.def
c025
c026phnx.def
c027

;WIZARD 028-041
c028hlfg.def
c029
c030boar.def
c031
c032gnom.def
c033
c034golm.def
c035ugol.def
c036roc.def
c037
c038mage.def
c039umag.def
c040gian.def
c041titn.def

;HERETIC 042-055
c042
c043
c044
c045
c046
c047
c048
c049
c050
c051
c052
c053
c054
c055

;NECROMANCER 056-069 (note that bdrg stands for the Bone Dragon, while Warlock's dragons have numbers)
c056skel.def
c057
c058zomb.def
c059uzmb.def
c060mumm.def
c061umum.def
c062vamp.def
c063uvmp.def
c064dknt.def
c065
c066lich.def
c067ulic.def
c068bdrg.def
c069

;WARLOCK 070-083
c070cent.def
c071
c072garg.def
c073
c074grif.def
c075
c076bhld.def
c077
c078mino.def
c079umin.def
c080hydr.def
c081drg1.def
c082drg2.def
c083drg3.def

;BARBARIAN 084-097
c084gobl.def
c085
c086orc.def
c087uorc.def
c088wolf.def
c089
c090harp.def
c091
c092ogre.def
c093uogr.def
c094trol.def
c095utrl.def
c096cycl.def
c097

;WITCH 098-111
c098trbl.def
c099
c100wasp.def
c101
c102liza.def
c103uliz.def
c104toad.def
c105
c106mtis.def
c107
c108trea.def
c109
c110wyvn.def
c111

;ROE NEUTRALS 112-117
с112eair.def
c113eear.def
c114efir.def
c115ewat.def
c116 (reserved for the Gold Golem)
c117

;DERVISH 118-131
с118rogu.def
c119urog.def
c120acol.def
c121
c122noma.def
c123
c124medu.def
c125umed.def
c126mant.def
c127
c128anub.def
c129
c130geni.def
c131

;AB NEUTRALS AND VACANCIES 132-144
c132
c133
c134
c135
c136
c137
c138pira.def (reserved for the Pirate)
c139lepr.def (reserved for the Leprechaun)
c140
c141
c142
c143
c144

;WAR MACHINES 145-149
c145cata.def
c146ball.def
c147tent.def
c148ammo.def
c149towr.def

This post will concern adventure map objects. For now, only ideas (probably starting from v0.9 only)

The filename should start with "a" since it's an adventure map object.

If there is limitation for the number of symbols, the next symbols are "dw" for dwellings, "m" for mines, "b" for banks, "cr" for creatures, "t" for castles, "gar" for garrisons, "q" for quest huts, "w" for walls (v0.9 and later), etc.

The filename should end with a number (from 0 to 9) to specify the terrain it stands on.
0 - common (ALL-TERRAIN OBJECTS)
1 - dirt
2 - sand
3 - grass
4 - snow (it's likely to have snowy versions of almost every object in future, probably accessible via Object Editing in the map editor only)
5 - swamp
6 - desert
7 - wasteland
8 - lava
9 - water (who knows, maybe we will even introduce Water Castles and Water Sawmills )

If the def file is animated, the frame identifiers "a, b, c, ..., x, y, z" should go in the very end of the filename. I doubt that there will be objects with more frames than there is letters in Latin alphabet, but we can always find a workaround if there will be any.

Anything we will add later.

It seems interesting, but I am not sure how this will exactly make it easier for us right now. I have been using the H3 names and are now used to them, I got no problem with remembering that the H3 pikeman corresponds to the peasant and so on. It seems like a lot of work just to achieve names that relate to the actual object. I understand that this will make it easier in the long run, but I guess this is not what is holding us back from the next version, so maybe we should push it to v0.9?

Thank you for your answer. Let's wait for what other team members say.

Yet, in the case of Witch, Dervish and neutral creatures you will still have to re-check the defs according to the creature IDs in WoG, because some of the IDs will be re-defined.

Oh, that is right. I forgot about those. Well, if it helps us in being faster done with the current version then I got no obligations.

As for renaming creature defs - I think it's a good idea. I can rename defs that I consider finished for now, but I doubt if I will find time for all of them before v0.8. I am not sure if we also have to rename unused defs. Maybe just leave them as they are?

There is a trouble with adventure objects, because their properties are saved independently for each map. We can change globally only bitmaps, the rest (name, passability, type) will stay unaffected, so we would have to remake all ready maps. Remember, that finding def's name is easy, just put object in editor and tap space , but we can use this system for a new objects.

Okay, understood about the maps. Well then, let's perform the operation only with the creature defs. Feanor told me he's already got good progress on the creature abilities.