| From: | Joe Block <JPB1@******.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Libraries |
| Date: | Mon, 26 Jul 1993 02:07:23 -0400 |
Schizo sounds more like a linker than a language in and of itself. My only
suggestion about Guerilla is that it should be Comp Theory x 5% stealthy, or
perhaps get 5% extra stealth per success on a comp theory roll instead of a
flat 50%. I'm new to Shadowrun (just picked up SRII and Grimoire II,
haven't had a chance to play or ref it yet) so I'm not really sure what
difficulty to make the comp theory roll.
Actually, come to think of it the efficiency of the code written in all the
languages should depend on how many successes the author gets on a comp
theory roll, not their basic comp theory. Everyone has good and bad days,
after all. The efficiency is limited to the number of successes the
compiler's author got writing the compiler, though. After all, if the
compiler is inefficient, code it generates will be inefficient.
I'd like to see some provision for writing and using libraries - If *I* were
writing decking tools, I'd have a library of optimized code for stealth, one
for attack functions, etc. Library use should be a penalty to size but a
bonus for speed - if you're including pre-written hand optimized code it is
a lot quicker than starting from scratch. Before anyone starts saying it
will generate less efficient or slower code, remember that this is something
the decker is constantly twiddling, trying to eke out one or two more
percent effectiveness. A decent library's source code would be worth more
to a decker than his deck in some cases - you can buy another deck anywhere,
but a good library requires months of work.
WRITING LIBRARIES
Here is my initial idea for writing libraries - The max rating it can give
your program is limited to the total number of successes (using comp theory
or a specialization in programming) you got writing the library. Each die
you allocate to writing the library takes 3 days of coding time. If you
quit in the middle, you only get the benefit of half of the hours you
already spent when you go back to work on it (it takes time to regain your
train of thought). You only roll the dice after completing all the time
required. You may announce in advance that the first X number of successes
are going to be devoted to reducing time spent rather than towards the
library's eventual rating if you are in a hurry.
UPGRADING LIBRARIES
First, you need to understand how it works. We are talking about several
megapulses worth of very complex information, so make a Comp Theory skill
roll with a target number of the library's current rating with the following
modifiers: If you didn't write this library, or you haven't already
successfully made an comprehension roll on it in the past, add 1 to the
target.
If you are working from source code obtained by dissassembling an
existing library rather than from the original commented source code,
add 2 to the target.
If you have source code to a program that has the rating you are trying
to upgrade the library to (or if the program has a higher rating),
subtract 1 from the target.
The base time for comprehension is the library's rating in weeks. It takes
a long time to trace through the code thoroughly enough so you can fiddle
with it without causing nasty errors that are nearly impossible to find.
DOING THE ACTUAL REWRITE
Now that you understand the library thoroughly, you get to make another
attempt at writing the library. The rules are exactly the same as writing
it from scratch except that you can use the successes that the library
already has (its rating, remember) and apply them either to the rating of
the new version, or to reducing the time required for the revision.
Note: You cannot end up with a library with a rating higher than your
computer theory - surplus successes go towards reducing time spent.
Once you stop working on a library, you don't need to make another
Comprehension roll on it until (number of successes on a comp theory roll)
weeks after you last worked on it. The target number is the library rating
+ 3.
Joe Block <jpb1@******.com>
"Finding out the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus werenUt real was really hard
on God and Jesus - at least the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus stopped by once
a year and brought me stuff." -- T-Shirt
