Announcement: God's Eye Version 0.1

[Bluebird]

God's Eye is a small client that can be used to check the status of a Dominions II Server without starting Dominions II and connecting. It can show you if a move is required by you, the status of the other players and the time left until the next hosting.

This is the very first release. Feedback is welcome. The client still has many rough edges, crashes on certain occasions and lacks some functionality that I would like to add. The first release is only available for Linux (x86) and Windows. Other version will be added later.

To download the client, just go to my webpage:

http://www.fams.de/dom2.html

Thanks JK for giving me a basic look at the protocol. Have fun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Gandalf Parker]

VERY nice! It looks excellent.
Thank you for making it.

[Zen]

Fantastic. This is a terrific utility. Hopefully something like this will be introduced in Dom3 as well.

[Saber Cherry]

I vote Bluebird as "Player of the Month." http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I just dl'd it and added it to my taskbar next to Dominions 2... ran it... and wow, it's my turn! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Thank you!

[Endoperez]

Terrific! I almost feel like I should start MPing just to test this out! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Chazar]

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif Now that sounds pretty impressive and useful! Thanks!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Injured.gif However, I cannot run it on my Linux machine: <font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
&gt; ./gods_eye
./gods_eye: error while loading shared libraries:
/usr/local/Eiffel55/library/net/spec/linux-glibc2.1/lib/libnet.so:
cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
</pre><hr />
Any clues? Do I need to install Eiffel completely? Is it possible to change the paths (I do not have root rights on all machines were I want to use it)?

[Bluebird]

Of course I have the lib installed, so I didn't see this dependecy ... I will link this library into the binary.

Unfortunately the source-code is at home, so you have to wait until this evening (MET). Version should be called 0.1a, so check the webpage before you download a second time.

[tinkthank]

Looks very great, even if I dont understand it!

[Chazar]

While waiting for the evening to experience GodsEye, I've come up with a feature request already:

Could you include the possibility to trigger the execution of an external batch/script file whenever there is a new turn for any of the monitored games available?

With such a facility to trigger external commands, one could then just play a beep or send an email as a notification, without the need to bother the host to setup these things! I never got the dommunion-tool to work properly, but a customized notification via GodsEye for everyone would even be better!

PS: I am well aware that you wrote that this is your first release. I am just curious about your todo-list...so please no grudges for me being pretty greedy!
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/redface.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

EDIT: Rephrased things a bit since I figured that I could have been easily misunderstood...

[Bluebird]

Ok, here a sketch of the next steps that I am planing for the client:


Automatic Refresh
"Start Game" button
Getting some more information from the server (server version etc.)
Notification on game update


and of course: Bugfixing, documentation, usability etc.

[Bluebird]

tinkthank said:
Looks very great, even if I dont understand it!



Hmm ... it should not be too hard to understand, but you are right: It still lacks documentation.

[Hakko]

Nice program!

[lebarjack]

I will try this after you have relinked it.
Do you plan to release the source code?

[Bluebird]

The application has been relinked ... can you please try it now.

About the source code: I will release the source if JK is fine with it (he gave me some internals about the protocol) and when I have cleaned up the to the level that I don't disgrace myself by releasing it ;-) Licence would be some BSD license ...

But be warned, I have coded the application in Eiffel (Java and C++ programmers seem to hate this language). A free (as in beer not as in speech) version of the compiler can be found at http://www.eiffel.com

[Chazar]

Bluebird said:
The application has been relinked ... can you please try it now.

Works fine now, thanks! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[lebarjack]

Great!!!
Thanks for this useful utility.

[Johan K]

Bluebird said:
About the source code: I will release the source if JK is fine with it (he gave me some internals about the protocol) and when I have cleaned up the to the level that I don't disgrace




Sure, you have my blessing to release it. Great job by the way. I haven't tried it, but the screenshot looks nice and useful.

[Ygorl]

Bluebird, are you still working on this?
I'd love to see an OS X version.
Or, if you don't want to do it, I would be happy to take your code and rewrite an OS X version myself...

[Bluebird]

Yes, I am still working on this and will supply an updated version soon (which means: before christmas)

[Chazar]

That's good news! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif Do you, by any chance, add a command-line option for an immediate refresh-all upon program start? It's a bit annoying to click on it by hand after the start...

[Bluebird]

Planned ...

[Oversway]

Does not look like any more work has been done on this, right? If not, can you release the current code? Maybe dom3 can make use of it as well.