/area/ Replica

ID:680374
 
Apr 18 2012, 3:20 pm
(See the best response by Albro1.)
Problem description:
I'm attempting to replicate /area/ in a stackable form(in other words, have an atom that calls events on mob entry and exists in a single instance - not in the sixteen thousand instances required to cover the map otherwise).

I can create a 'huge' atom that covers square regions of the map(and I need variable-shape polygons), but it causes DreamSeeker lag upon entering one of those regions, for some reason(trying to display the entire atom, even though it has no icon?).
Apr 18 2012, 4:48 pm
I recommend Forum_account's Region Library. It does exactly what it sounds like you are trying to accomplish.
Apr 18 2012, 5:03 pm
In response to Albro1
It isn't possible.
Apr 18 2012, 5:06 pm
Best response
Oh I see. My bad. He want's ONE instance. Oh well.

To the OP, using the Region library may not let you have ONE instance, but it is fairly easy to use. Just fill your area with the regions and define them as you need to, and viola.
Apr 18 2012, 5:27 pm
Thank you! While the Region lib doesn't do exactly what I wanted, it's not slowing down the game like my own attempted implementation of something similar did.
Apr 21 2012, 3:45 am
With the region library you place multiple instances on the map, but when the game is running there's only one instance of each type. The regions are tracked by the turf's regions list. The /region object's constructor looks something like this:

region
    New()
        if(we don't have a global instance of this region type)
            make this the global instance
            loc.regions += src

        // otherwise we already have a global instance
        else
            loc.regions += global instance of this region type
            del src

I still suggest using areas when possible since there is truly one instance of them (there's only one New() proc called per area type), but regions shouldn't have bad performance. Since they're deleted (and the one global instance is removed from the map), the server never notifies the clients that turfs contain /region objects.

If you need stackable regions because you have areas covering the whole map (ex: to control what music is played in each part of the map) and you want to have smaller areas to trigger events (ex: to play a sound effect when you enter a room), use /area objects for the music (since they cover all turfs) and use /region objects for the sound effects (since they cover less area).